Gold: Origin, Extraction, and How Its Purity Is Measured in Karats | Aktual Handmade Jewelry
Gold has been considered a symbol of beauty, value, and eternity since ancient civilizations. At Aktual Joyería Artesanal, we create custom-made jewelry in 18-karat gold because we find the perfect balance between purity, durability, and aesthetics. In this article, you'll discover where gold comes from, how its purity is measured in karats, and why 18-karat gold is a special choice for handmade jewelry.
🌎 Origin of gold
Gold forms naturally in the Earth, primarily in mineral veins, alluvial deposits, and underground deposits. Over time, this metal has been mined in places such as South Africa, Australia, Russia, Canada, and certain Latin American countries. These regions have produced some of the finest precious metals in the world.
Once extracted, raw gold undergoes refining processes that purify it, removing impurities and foreign metals, until high-purity gold is obtained. Then, for use in jewelry, it is mixed (alloyed) with other metals such as copper, silver, palladium, or nickel to improve its strength and change its color or hardness.
🧮 What does carat mean in the context of gold?
The term " karat " (abbreviated as K) indicates how many parts of pure gold there are in a total of 24 parts of metal in an alloy. A 24-karat gold object is pure gold; as the karat number decreases, its purity decreases, as it includes other metals that add hardness or change its color.
Here are some common examples:
24 karat (24K): Pure gold (almost 100%). Very soft for everyday jewelry.
18 karat (18K): 75% pure gold and 25% other metals. Excellent balance of beauty, purity, and durability.
14 karat (14K): About 58.3% pure gold. Stronger, more economical, but with less luster than pure gold.
🏅 Why we chose 18-karat gold at Aktual
At Aktual, we value both aesthetics and quality. That's why our custom-made 18K gold jewelry is handmade with the following criteria:
High Purity (75%) : 18-karat gold has enough pure gold to achieve that warm, beautiful and authentic golden tone.
Durability : By mixing gold with suitable metals, greater resistance to wear, scratches, and deformation is achieved, which are critical aspects in frequently worn jewelry.
Personalization and Meaning : By working on a custom basis, we can adjust the design, size, or details, while maintaining the purity of 18K gold as a seal of quality.
🔍 How the purity of gold is measured
To ensure that a piece has the declared purity, several systems and practices are used:
K (karat) : For example, 18K indicates that 18 out of every 24 parts of the metal are pure gold. onecklace.com +1
Hallmarks : Many countries require jewelry to bear an official hallmark indicating its karat (e.g., “750” for 18 karat, which means 75% pure gold). World Gold Council
Millesimal system : instead of "karats," the purity is in parts per thousand (e.g., 750 for 18K gold). World Gold Council
Laboratory or spectroscopic testing : In high-end jewelry, these are sometimes checked with equipment that analyzes the metal's composition.
📌 How this affects handmade jewelry
In your handmade jewelry, these factors are important:
Handmade pieces require gold that is pure enough to shine, but strong enough to last.
Always asking for or showing the hallmarks helps build trust with the buyer.
18K gold typically costs more than lower-karat alloys (due to higher pure gold content), but offers lasting value and a luxurious feel.
🔚 Conclusion
Gold is not just a precious metal: it is history, meaning and elegance.
At Aktual Joyería Artesanal , when we create a custom 18-karat gold jewel, we seek to offer more than just a pretty piece: we want to give you something lasting, authentic, and full of value.
If you're thinking about an 18K gold piece of jewelry—a ring, earrings, or necklace—you can be sure that it's all about purity, dedication, and a love for the handmade.
✨ Discover our 18-karat gold jewelry in our online store or contact us for a custom design.