What does 18k gold actually mean?
If you’ve been looking at tooth gems, you’ve probably seen “18K gold” pop up - but what does that actually mean, and why should you care?
KARAT (K) VS CARAT (CT) - WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
They sound exactly the same, but they mean completely different things.
Karat, written as K, refers to the purity of gold. Carat, written as ct, is something else entirely. It’s a unit of weight, most commonly used for gemstones like diamonds. One carat equals 0.2 grams, so when you see something like “1ct,” it’s describing how heavy the stone is, not how pure it is.
To make things more confusing, in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, you’ll often see “ct” used when talking about gold purity as well, such as “18ct gold.” In this context, it means the same thing as 18K and still refers to purity, not weight. It’s just a regional difference in spelling.
And as for carrots… we’re going to assume you already know what those are - and hope that you won’t be eating them in the first 12 hours after getting your tooth gem!
K = Karat (gold purity)
ct = Carat (weight of stones)
Carrot = something not to eat immediately after a tooth gem appointment (& may or may not help you with night vision)
Don’t sleep on the K
Gold purity is measured out of 24 parts, with 24K = pure gold. Because pure gold is waaay too soft to use for jewellery or tooth gems, it’s mixed with other metals to make it more durable.
So when you see 18K gold, it means the piece is made up of 75% pure gold and 25% other metals giving you that perfect balance of quality and strength.
So 18K is that sweet spot for us at Jazzy Gnashers - still real and solid gold with a high purity, just made durable.
What is White Gold?
White gold is still solid 18K gold - the purity doesn’t change!
That means it’s made from 75% pure gold, just like yellow gold. The difference is in the remaining 25%, where specifically white or silvery metals (like palladium, nickel or silver) are used to neutralise the natural yellow tone of pure gold.
White gold doesn’t exist naturally; it’s created through this process to give you that clean, bright look, while still keeping all the durability and non-tarnishing benefits of 18K gold. So you’re still getting the same content and quality — it’s just blended with colour-specific metals to create that cooler, silver-toned finish.
It’s often used in jewellery to enhance the appearance of diamonds, making them look brighter and sharper — which works perfectly when paired with Swarovski crystal tooth gems!
Solid Gold VS… The Rest
Not all “gold” is actually fully gold.
When we say solid 18K gold, we mean the entire piece is made from real gold (which is 75% pure), not just coated or layered. That means no flaking, no fading, and no weird colour changes over time - especially important when it’s sitting in your mouth.
You might have seen terms like gold plated or gold vermeil. These are made by coating a base metal with a thin layer of gold. They can look similar at first, but over time that layer can wear off, exposing the metal underneath.
And for tooth gems, that’s obviously not ideal.
Solid gold keeps its look, doesn’t tarnish, holds up long-term, and is much more reliable for safe, secure wear on your gnashers.
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So now you know! And are also tired of reading the word gold.
And yes, this does mean you can start side-eyeing potential engagement rings like a proper profesh.