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It is safe to say that 24-karat is the softest and 10 karat the hardest. Because it is so soft, the 24-karat gold is seldom used to make jewelry. Chinese and Indian brides wear jewelry of no less than 24-karat gold on their wedding day to ensure a lifetime of good luck and happiness. In France, Italy and Switzerland, 18k is the lowest permissible standard to be called gold. 14k gold is most commonly found in cases where strength is most important, like in earring backs and bracelet clasps.
Yellow gold: Higher gold percentage yields richer the gold color and a softer metal. Active people should choose the more durable lower karat gold. 24k gold will wear the quickest. It is not only the most expensive but also the softest gold on the market. Yellow gold is alloyed with silver and copper.
White gold: White gold is known to be more durable than yellow gold. It is also more easily broken than yellow gold. Since white gold looks like silver, you might prefer it if you like silver jewelry. White gold is alloyed with a large percentage of silver, or a selection of other white metals. Almost all white gold is plated with rhodium, a shiny, white metal that is very hard. Depending on the amount of wear to a piece of jewelry, over time this rhodium plating may wear off, revealing the original metal color. Re-plating is a simple process that can be done to restore your jewelry's whiteness if needed.
Rose Gold
Rose gold gets its color from a larger proportion of copper in the metal alloy. This gives the gold a beautiful pink color.
Platinum: It's heavier and more expensive than gold. Platinum is stronger but less scratch resistant than gold. A platinum prong is more secure than gold, and it will not add its own color to the stone whereas yellow gold can sometimes add a yellow tint to a colorless or near colorless diamond.