Ever wondered why two pieces of jewelry labeled 'real gold' can have such a huge price difference? You might see one for $200 and a similar-looking item for just $20. While the cost is only one factor in choosing a piece you love, understanding what you're paying for is key. Read on to learn how to find a quality piece that will last for decades, not just a few weeks.

Carat

If you're an avid gold wearer, the different karat ratings are the first stop when it comes to judging gold value. A solid 100% gold bar is rated at 24K(arats). You can find jewelry at this rating but be warned it will be soft and thus easily scratched and distorted. Lower gold purities are usually preferable not only for their lower price points but for their increased durability as well. To find out what percentage of the piece is actually real gold, put the karat rating over 24 (the karat rating of pure gold):

For example, if you take 14 karat gold:

Meaning the 14k solid gold piece is 58.3% pure gold. You can take the current spot price of gold and the weight of the piece to figure out how much of a piece’s price is just the weight of gold:

For example, using a spot price of $110 and a ring that weighs 3 grams and is 14k solid gold, like our [insert link to piece here]::

This means the gold alone is nearly $200 worth of the ring’s price. 

Generally speaking, the more abuse a site on the body will see, the more prudent it is to use a smaller karat rating. For example, a necklace that is worn two or three times a year for special events will likely be fine made of 20k gold because it sits on a part of the body that doesn’t see much friction from rougher materials on a frequent basis. Compare that to the hands that often see bumps and scrapes and that do a lot of work and come in contact with a lot of materials and it becomes obvious why mixing with stronger materials to get 14k gold is preferable. 

Weight

Connected to the product's karat rating is the weight of the piece. Recall we needed the total weight of the piece to determine the total gold in a piece. This makes it another variable that manufacturers can play with to help bring down cost. Often times it can be hard to even find the weight of the product in the item description but there are a few shortcuts to getting an idea:

1. Look at the width

Pieces made of very thin gold wire can be made of solid gold relatively cheaply because manufacturers do not need to use very much material to make it

2. Low density

It’s not a sign of bad quality if the back of a ring or pendant shows some hollowing: this is a way of keeping items more affordable and can be appreciated by wearers with more petite hands that prefer a lightweight feel. Just be mindful of the level of hallowing that might be going on. Dome rings, for example, tend to feature a solid looking exterior made of varying metal thickness that can make it hard to perceive the interior composition without holding the ring or seeing a cross-section. The hollowness can also make pieces difficult to repair or resize.

3. Check the current spot price of solid gold

When in doubt, reason it out. Barring sudden and dramatic changes in the price of gold, you won’t see a company selling a solid gold anything for less than the spot price of gold. That ring that says it’s 14K real gold for $40? You can bet it’s gold plated. This doesn’t mean that super cute $200 geometric earring set is solid gold though. Read the description: it might still feature plating. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it. The style can be compelling enough. Just know, the style is what you’re paying for. 

Design and Craftsmanship

Last but not least is design complexity. Oftentimes the design is what gets us to fall in love with a piece so it’s not last in terms of importance. Not all pieces take the same amount of time to manufacture and it’s hard to determine without time in the field . Simple thin or flat bands take less time to make than rings with novel or intricate designs. The less time it takes to form a singular item the less the cost of labour because more pieces can be made within the same number of hours. Additionally, the simpler the design the less experience someone needs to create it. This means the less 

Value is beyond cost averages and getting something for as close to manufacturing costs as possible. The real value comes from the joy, confidence and beauty owning a beautiful piece brings. That said, we at Bayo’s Bobbles think we offer great value and beautiful quality pieces that will last. See for yourself [link]