24K vs 22K vs 21K gold: what buyers in Bahrain should know

Karat is a scale out of 24. Pure gold is 24K. A 22K piece is 22 parts gold and 2 parts other metals, or 91.6% gold, which jewellers write as 916. 21K is 87.5% (875) and 18K is 75% (750). The other metals, usually copper, silver or zinc, make the alloy harder and change its colour.

24K gold is a deep, warm yellow and is soft enough to mark with a fingernail. That is fine for a bar in a safe but poor for a ring worn daily. 22K keeps most of the colour with a little more hardness, which is why it dominates Gulf wedding jewellery. 21K is the everyday standard in much of the region, slightly paler and more durable. 18K comes in yellow, white and rose and stands up best to daily wear.

Because the gold content is what you are paying for, the price per gram scales with purity. If 24K gold is 25 BHD per gram, the gold content of 22K is worth about 22.9 BHD, 21K about 21.9 BHD and 18K about 18.75 BHD. Jewellery then adds making charges, which can be a significant share of the total on intricate pieces.

When comparing offers, always compare the same karat, and ask for the price per gram separately from the making charge.

For saving, 24K wins on simplicity. Its value is almost entirely its gold content, it is easy to price against the international rate, and it is what bullion dealers sell as bars. The MSS Gold App sells only 24K gold, from 1g to ten tola: 999.9 fine, except the ten tola at 999.0.

Jewellery can still be a store of value, and in many Bahraini families it is. Just remember that making charges and resale deductions mean it rarely returns its full purchase price as metal.