14K Gold — America's Everyday Jewelry Standard
14K gold (58.5% pure) is the dominant purity in US jewelry — chains, rings, earrings and watches from most American retailers are 14K unless stated otherwise, since it balances a reasonable gold content with strong scratch and wear resistance for daily use. This is the US equivalent role that 9ct plays in the UK market, though at a meaningfully higher purity (58.5% vs 37.5%).
Other Karats & Related Pages
24K Gold
Stamped 24K
22K Gold
Stamped 22K
18K Gold
Stamped 18K
10K Gold
Stamped 10K
Cash for Gold
Selling & buyer estimate
Main Calculator
All karats in one tool
Methodology
Data source & formula
Frequently Asked Questions
14K balances a reasonable gold content with strong durability for daily wear, at a lower cost than 18K or 22K — making it the default purity stamped on the majority of US-made chains, rings and earrings.
No — they play a similar "everyday" market role but are different purities. 14K is 58.5% pure gold; UK's 9ct is only 37.5% pure. If you're comparing a US 14K price to a UK price, use our 9ct-equivalent figure with care, or check our sister site's 9ct page for the true UK low-end purity.