A karat is a unit that measures how much pure gold is in a piece of jewelry or other gold object. Pure gold is 24 karats, which means it's 100% gold with no other metals mixed in. When you see “14-karat gold” stamped inside a ring, that means the ring is 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts other metals like copper or silver, which are added to make the gold stronger and less likely to bend or scratch.

The karat system works like fractions: 18-karat gold is 18/24 pure (or 75% gold), while 10-karat gold is 10/24 pure (about 42% gold). Higher karat numbers mean more actual gold and a richer, deeper yellow color, but also a softer metal that dents more easily. That's why everyday jewelry is often 14-karat: it balances gold content with practical durability.

Important: Don't confuse karat with carat, which measures the weight of diamonds and other gemstones. A jeweler might sell you a 14-karat gold ring with a 2-carat diamond, using both measurements in the same sentence. The words sound identical but measure completely different things: karat for gold purity, carat for gemstone weight.