GUIDES
Before you choose a piece
The questions that usually come before the choosing. The answers, kept short.
- Gold karats explained: 24K, 21K, 18K and 14KWhat the karat number actually measures, how purity trades against hardness, and which karat suits which piece.
- How gold jewellery is pricedThe whole calculation, in the open: the day's rate, the making charge, the weight, and why two similar pieces cost different amounts.
- Finding your ring sizeTwo ways to measure at home, what the size numbers mean, and when to size up rather than down.
- Caring for gold and silverWhat actually damages a piece, how to clean gold and silver at home, and when to bring something in instead.
- How to tell if gold is realThe marks, the paperwork and the few tests that actually work, and the ones that damage a piece without proving anything.
- How to choose a wedding bandKarat, width, finish and size: what changes the weight, the look and the wear of a gold wedding band, and what to settle first.
- Selling gold back: how the payout is worked outWhy the buy rate is lower than the sell rate, what is and is not refunded, and what to ask before you hand a piece over.
- Italian gold or 21K?What “Italian” means in the gold market, how it differs from heavier 21K pieces, and which one suits a chain, a gift or a saving.
- Planning a bridal gold set (the shabka)Start from grams, not pieces: a calm way to plan the shabka, what to ask for on the invoice, and what to settle before you buy.