14k and 18k Gold Piercings: Everything You Need to Know
Solid gold is a popular material for piercing jewelry. It's known for its beauty, prestige, and durability. Gold brings an exceptional shine to jewelry, making it a popular choice for piercings. 14-carat gold and 18-carat gold are the two most commonly used types of solid gold. In this article, you'll find our full guide to 14- and 18-carat gold.
14-Carat Gold: A Precious, Premium Metal
14-Carat Gold: The Advantages for Piercing Jewelry
14-carat gold, also called "585 gold," is a gold alloy made up of 58.5% pure gold and 41.5% other metals. 14-carat gold is your best ally for piercing jewelry.
14-carat gold comes with plenty of advantages for piercing jewelry;
- It's durable thanks to its alloy composition. 14-carat gold holds up well against scratches and everyday wear.
- The cost is the second advantage of 14-carat gold. It's less expensive than 18-carat gold, since it contains less pure gold.
- 14-carat gold offers an impressive range of jewelry. 14-carat gold pieces can be made in yellow, rose, or white gold. Beyond color, 14-carat gold piercing jewelry also comes in a range of designs and styles. At Obsidian, we only offer high-quality yellow gold.
- Biocompatibility: 14-carat gold is used for piercing jewelry because it's compatible with the human body. It's hypoallergenic and, thanks to its low nickel content, rarely causes inflammation or irritation.
- 14-carat gold piercing jewelry is also elegant, even refined.
Discover the Helios piercing, a new trending piece in 14k gold. This piece is set with a cubic zirconia crystal, adding a radiant touch to your piercing composition
Looking for a precious, elegant piece? The Blossom piercing in 14k gold is exactly what you need! This piece in a few words: modern, light, radiant. The Blossom is set with several cubic zirconia crystals.
18-Carat Gold: A Durable, Elegant Metal
Solid 18-carat gold, also known as "750 gold," strikes an excellent balance between durability and purity. It's highly resistant, doesn't tarnish, and is ideal for piercing jewelry. 18-carat gold is a benchmark precious metal.
18-Carat Gold: The Advantages for Piercing Jewelry
18-carat gold offers plenty of advantages for piercing jewelry. It has a high pure gold content: 75% pure gold. This high concentration gives 18-carat gold a rich shine and an intense color. But that's not all: this content also gives the jewelry superior quality, making it more resistant. 18-carat gold is a material that holds up beautifully over time and feels wonderful to wear. Nickel-free 18-carat gold is kind to your body. It's hypoallergenic and won't tarnish. Because of its higher gold content, 18-carat gold costs more than 14-carat gold. Also, some 18-carat gold piercing jewelry, like hoops, is softer than 14-carat. At Obsidian Piercing, we carry fewer 18-carat pieces than 14-carat ones, since it's softer and bends more easily. We favor 14-carat gold jewelry for its durability.
Discover the Dignity Green piece: a stunning 18-carat gold jewel set with an emerald. Add a touch of color and elegance to your ear composition.
Discover the Dignity Red: a radiant, modern, one-of-a-kind piece. Elevate your ear compositions with its ruby stone.
Choosing Between 14-Carat and 18-Carat Gold
Choosing a material for your piercing jewelry is a tough call. 14- and 18-carat gold are the most commonly used for piercing jewelry. Both types contain pure gold, but the amount of gold present in the piece is what varies.
How Do You Choose Between 14-Carat and 18-Carat Gold?
- Style matters when choosing your piercing jewelry. Color, design, and the piece's overall style are all worth considering. Do you prefer a piece with a more or less yellow tone? 14-carat gold is made with an alloy that's often silver-toned, which gives the gold a deeper yellow shade. 18-carat gold uses a smaller proportion of alloy, typically with whiter metals, which softens the yellow tone into a lighter shade. So the color of your jewelry comes down to the amount of pure gold and the alloy used. Style and design are also worth considering for your next gold piece…your style is entirely your own.
- Cost is a deciding factor too. If you'd like to treat yourself to a durable, high-quality, premium piercing, we recommend a beautiful 18-carat gold piece. If you'd still like quality jewelry that holds up to everyday life, but at a more accessible price, we recommend going with 14-carat gold. It costs less, since it contains less pure gold.
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