A karat measures the proportion of gold in an alloy on a scale of twenty-four.
An 18K ring is eighteen parts gold in twenty-four by weight, or 75% gold. Canadian marking guidance permits both karat and carat for gold, and also recognizes a decimal quality mark such as .750. Read the object and the unit together. The gold in an 18K ring and the one-carat diamond set into it are being described on different scales.
In job listings
A jewellery advisor uses this word constantly, and it is easily confused with the carat weight of a gemstone. A client may also ask what the number means in terms of colour and durability. Search local jobs for “jewellery”.
