Gold Earrings in 14K & 18K

14K or 18K: which karat suits earrings?

For most pairs, 14K is the practical choice and 18K is the indulgent one. 14K gold is 58.3 percent pure gold, blended with harder metals, so it resists scratches and keeps its shape. That counts on slim hoops, hinged closures and posts that get pushed and pulled every morning. 18K is 75 percent pure gold, which brings a deeper, warmer color but a softer metal that dents and scuffs more readily.

An easy way to decide: if the earrings will be worn daily or have fine moving parts, lean toward 14K. If they are a dressier pair that spends more time in the jewelry box, or you simply love a saturated yellow, 18K repays you with color.

Yellow, white or rose

Pick the shade that matches the jewelry you wear most, since earrings are seen right beside your rings and necklaces. Yellow is the traditional tone and flatters a diamond with a touch of warmth. White gold owes its bright finish to rhodium plating, which wears slowly and can be renewed; it makes colorless diamonds look icy. Rose gold takes its blush from copper in the alloy and looks soft against most outfits.

Already know your shade? Go straight to yellow gold pairs or white gold styles.

Solid gold earrings versus vermeil and plating

Solid gold is gold alloy all the way through; vermeil and plated pieces carry gold only on the surface. Gold vermeil is sterling silver under a gold layer of at least 10K, thicker than ordinary plating, and it is a fair way to wear a trend for less. The catch is that any surface layer can wear through with heavy use, whereas a solid piece stays gold however many times it is polished. If you want a pair to keep for years, solid 14K or 18K is the safer buy. If you want to test a look first, gold vermeil styles are a sensible starting point.

Whichever you settle on, Rare Carat ships every order fully insured and free of charge, so a pair bought as a gift is protected from the moment it leaves.

Studs, hoops or drops in gold

Choose the shape by how often the pair will be worn. Studs are the everyday answer: they sit flat, go with anything and make a natural first pair of real gold. Hoops add movement and frame the face; small huggie hoops sit close enough to the lobe to wear daily, while larger hoops read as a statement. Drops hang below the lobe and suit evenings and weddings.

Buying for someone else? Studs in the shade of the jewelry they already wear are the safest guess, with small hoops a close second.