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When it comes to gold jewellery, many contributing factors determine its market value. From colour and purity to weight and carat, there are lots of elements to consider that can make the purchasing process somewhat of a minefield.

Whether you’re shopping for a special keepsake for someone you love or you simply wish to treat yourself by adding to your personal jewellery collection, taking the time to understand exactly how gold is valued and what properties to look out for will help you to choose the perfect piece.

The team at Hatton Jewellers has provided a step-by-step guide on how all of our gold jewellery is sourced and priced to give you full peace of mind when buying from us.

How is the Value of Gold Jewellery Determined?

The value of any gold is measured by its purity. On its own, pure gold is too soft and delicate to withstand the wear and tear of practical jewellery throughout day-to-day life. This is why gold jewellery is alloyed with other metals, making it more durable. 

Gold jewellery is crafted in different carats, which represents the percentage of pure gold within the piece. This percentage is calculated by weight. More often than not, the higher the purity level, the more valuable a piece of gold jewellery will be. 

When it comes to investing in a piece of gold jewellery, the most common carats (ct) to be aware of are 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct and 24ct. Let’s take a closer look…

Gold Carats Explained

  • 9ct Gold

9ct gold contains 37.5% of pure gold. This makes it the most affordable form of gold jewellery. Due to being mixed with a larger quantity of other metals, 9ct is one of the strongest and most durable forms of gold, making it well-suited to everyday jewellery pieces. This hard-wearing carat is sure to stand the test of time.

  • 14ct Gold

Taking on a wonderfully warm yellow shine, 14 carat gold contains 58.3% of pure gold. With a higher purity than 9ct, yet more affordable than a pricier18ct option, this is another popular choice that’s often used to craft gold jewellery.

  • 18ct Gold

Containing 75% gold, 18 carat gold stands out due to its radiance. The unique blending with stronger metals helps to intensify colour and durability. Due to its high purity level (bringing with it a higher price tag), 18ct gold is a popular choice for mixing with either white or copper metal alloys to create white or rose gold jewellery. 

  • 22ct Gold

The heavier price tag of this carat is rightfully reflected in its pure gold contents of 91.67%. Naturally, this also makes this precious metal very soft, making it less suited for stone set jewellery which requires a more hard-wearing finish. This carat is, however, ideal for plain gold jewellery, such as wedding bands, and single gold bangle bracelets. 

  • 24ct Gold

The ultimate gold carat – there’s a reason Bruno Mars dedicated a hit record to this one. 

Gold purity doesn’t get any higher than 24ct, consisting of a remarkable 99.9% of solid gold. Naturally yellow with a radiant shine, it’s easy to see why this is the most valuable and therefore the priciest type of gold on the market. However, what this carat boasts in purity, it lacks in durability. Extremely soft and pliable, this precious metal is not the best equipped to handle the intricate design details of fine jewellery. It is for this reason that engagement rings tend to have a lower gold carat, making them more hard-wearing. 

 

Is Gold Jewellery a Good Investment?


While gold jewellery has a rich history and is notably popular across all genders and generations, this precious metal is far more than just material for a fashion accessory. Gold has always been considered one of the more reliable options when it comes to investment, as its rarity keeps it in high demand. Earlier this year, the price of gold reached an all-time high, soaring to over £1,500 per gold ounce. While market prices may fluctuate, gold always holds its value - which makes it a safer avenue of investment in comparison to others. 


This is why adding gold jewellery to your personal collection is a smart idea. You can keep hold of it until its value increases before deciding to cash your gold in for money. This is the reason why many choose to pass down gold jewellery as family heirlooms throughout generations. Not only does gold jewellery represent a special gift, but it can also act as an untraceable asset that could prove extremely valuable in the future, proving useful when your family may wish to access a little extra equity.

If you’re looking for investment jewellery, we usually recommend buying a solid gold chain or bracelet. These pieces usually require minimal craftsmanship, which helps to keep the costs down, as the less intricate the design, the less extra labour you’re paying for. Gold sovereign coins are also popular investment pieces, as they don’t require much craftsmanship and can be easily melted down.

Advantages of Investing in Gold Jewellery

If you’re considering investing in gold jewellery, here are some of the benefits to be aware of:

 

  • There is a strong global market and consistently high demand for gold jewellery
  • You can wear your investments, keeping them safe and in sight at all times
  • Gold jewellery is not only a great investment, it doubles as a stylish accessory too
  • Gold is resistant to tarnishing, helping it to retain its value over time

For more tips and tricks on gold jewellery investment, check out our guide on Buying Gold Jewellery As An Investment.

What Are The Different Types Of Gold?

When we picture gold, we typically envision the iconic yellow-toned shade that many of us know best. However, gold can be crafted in a variety of colours, including white and rose gold but what are the differences between these types of gold?

  • Yellow Gold 

Yellow gold is the most common type of gold and the most universally recognised. It has a honeyish hue and is commonly used across all jewellery types, including rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Due to its popularity, many cheaper alternatives such as gold-plated costume jewellery have adopted this colour to mimic the appearance of gold. It’s therefore essential to ensure your gold jewellery is hallmarked, to verify its authenticity. For more information on this, take a look at our helpful guide on How to Identify Fake Gold.

  • White Gold 

White gold is a coloured version of natural gold. This is achieved by mixing yellow-toned gold with other metals, such as nickel, palladium and in some cases, silver, physically altering the colour to produce a greyish-white finish. 

White gold was originally created to imitate platinum, which is the only precious metal that is more valuable than gold due to its high pliability and natural resistance to corrosion. Platinum looks similar to silver but glows brighter and is more durable. Due to its scarceness, white gold was created as an accessible alternative that takes on a similar pearly appearance.

  • Rose Gold 

Rose gold is another coloured version of natural gold. While white gold is mixed with silver to achieve its platinum-like colour, rose gold is blended with copper to produce its pinkish hue. 

It was originally named Russian Gold when famed Russian jeweller, Carl Faberge, used it in his iconic Faberge Eggs. Rose gold later gained popularity in the 1920s, with French designer, Cartier, playing an instrumental role in the rise of its popularity after creating exquisite rose gold jewellery adorned with delicate diamonds. Nowadays, rose gold is commonly used to craft engagement rings and ladies' watches. 

 

What Makes a Piece of Gold Jewellery More or Less Valuable?

Alongside the carat and gold purity level, there’s one crucial element that will make a piece of gold jewellery inherently more valuable: proof of authenticity.

Buying inauthentic pieces that claim to contain more gold than they really do is an easy mistake to make for those who are new to purchasing fine jewellery. The only tried and tested way to avoid this altogether is to ensure you’re purchasing your piece of jewellery from a reputable supplier. 

 

There are several ways to spot a genuine seller, such as sourcing online customer reviews from trusted websites. At Hatton Jewellers, we believe in legitimacy, authenticity, and transparency. That’s why you can find countless customer reviews on Trustpilot that back up the promises we make. Each piece of jewellery on sale comes with an insurance valuation and a certificate of authenticity, alongside an official UK hallmark stamp. We also have an Assay Assured certificate and are listed in Assay Assured’s online jewellery retailer directory for added peace of mind.

For more tips on purchasing jewellery online, head to our blog on How to Spot a Trustworthy Online Jeweller



How We Price Our Gold Jewellery

At Hatton Jewellers, we pride ourselves on stocking the finest jewellery on the market, for the best possible price. That’s why we’ve fine-tuned our sourcing processes to ensure we can give our customers an enjoyable shopping experience.

When it comes to sourcing jewellery, there’s a significant difference between the online journey and the knock-on effects of the in-store experience, with many high-street jewellers claiming a markup in excess of 300% on fine gold jewellery. 

 

We also manufacture the majority of our gold jewellery in-house and avoid having stores in high-rent shopping centres, unlike many high street jewellers. Having countless stores with significant maintenance costs ultimately causes customers to foot the bill with inflated product prices. We also source our jewellery directly from the manufacturer, allowing us to cut out the middleman and offer a better price.


If you have any more questions about gold jewellery, drop us a message on Facebook or Instagram. Alternatively, take a look at our helpful user guides for handy tips and tricks on all things fine jewellery.