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When looking at jewelry, you’ve likely experienced the terms carat and karat and asked yourself, what’s the difference? When looking at carat vs. karat, there’s a vast difference between the two as they’re used to describe two completely different things.

What is a Carat?

Carat refers to acaratis, which is a unit of weight that is used for describing gemstones. A single carat is equal to 0.2 grams. Carats are most commonly used to describe diamonds, so that’s likely where you’ve seen this used before. The larger the diamond is, the more carats it has, the more expensive it is overall.

Diamonds are described using the 4 Cs: Clarity, Cut, Color, and Carat. This is the system in which they are priced. A diamond that receives a high score in all four categories would be costly.

What is a Karat?

Karat, however, refers to akarat, which is used to determine the purity of gold jewelry. 24 karat gold jewelry is entirely pure, or 100% real gold. The lower the karat is, the smaller the percentage gets. For example, 18K gold is only 75% gold, and 10K gold is only 41.7% gold. The lower the percentage gains, the more affordable the jewelry will be.

24 karat gold will also always be warm-toned, as it’s pure gold. There’s no room for it to take on any other colors. White gold is achieved by combining gold with nickel, meaning it has less than 100% gold. This is true of different colors as well, such as rose gold.

How Important Are Karats When Picking Out Jewelry?

You should always be aware of the karats of the jewelry you’re looking at when you’re making a purchase, as you don’t want to buy something that’s a low karat when you think you’re getting something of high quality. It will be more durable when choosing a higher-quality chain or bracelet, lasting longer and never tarnishing. The lower end of the spectrum may break or tarnish easier, but gold jewelry is generally pretty durable across the board.

Picking Out the Right Chains for Your Lifestyle

There are so many different options these days when it comes to hip-hop chains. You can choose between Cuban, snake, box, rope, and Franco chains. Chains can be silver or gold and hold pendants or not. Certain chains lend well to being iced-out, such as Cubans, while others lend well to having pendants, like rope chains.

If you’re looking to add chains to your collection, choose a rapper or athlete that you like and inspire yourself with their fashion sense. There are so many iced-out celebrities these days that you’ll be able to find inspiration quickly.

If you’re looking to add something special to your collection, consider having something personally made just for you. While custom jewelry can be costly, it’ll be worth it in the long run.

The Big Picture

The distinguishment between carat and karat can be confusing, but it’s vital information to know. When you’re picking out jewelry for yourself or a loved one, you should always be aware of the quality and the prices associated with that level of quality to ensure that you get the product you’re looking for.

With your knowledge of jewelry and your style inspirations, you’ll be able to pick the best iced-out, blinged-out jewelry out there without completely breaking the bank. Whether you pay a lot for your jewelry or decide to settle on something more affordable, just know you’ll look cool rocking your bling either way.