Tri-Color Gold Beaded "O" Drop Earrings

24 karat solid gold is the highest in purity. Pure gold is actually too soft for everyday wear, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals to give it strength and durability.  Karatage indicates the purity of the gold, or how much of the metal is pure gold. For example, 22kt gold jewelry is 93% gold, 18kt gold is 75% gold, and 14kt gold is 58% gold.