Bespoke Jewellery
MATERIALS EXPLAINED
WHY 18K GOLD, NOT 24K, FOR EVERYDAY JEWELLERY
24K gold is more pure, but it's also soft enough to dent with a fingernail — genuinely too soft for a ring or bracelet you wear every day. 18K gold trades a small amount of purity for real everyday durability, which is why it's what we cast most bespoke pieces in.
The Bite Test Wasn't A Myth
During the Gold Rush, traders tested gold coins by biting them — if it left a tooth mark, it was genuine. That's not a party trick, it's real: pure gold is soft enough that teeth can dent it, softer even than tooth enamel. That same softness is exactly what makes 24K gold a poor choice for a ring that gets knocked against car doors, gym equipment, and laptop keyboards every single day.
What 18K Actually Is
18K gold is 75% pure gold, alloyed with other metals — the same principle behind steel being stronger than pure iron. Mixing in a small amount of other metal locks the structure together, so it resists scratching, denting, and bending far better than gold on its own, without losing the weight and warmth that makes gold feel like gold.
Where 24K Still Makes Sense
24K isn't wrong — it's just suited to different pieces. Earrings, pendants, and ceremonial jewellery don't take the daily knocks a ring or bracelet does. For anything worn on your hand every day, 18K is the practical choice.
The Short Version
- ► Purer gold is softer — more easily scratched, dented, and bent
- ► 18K gold is the everyday-wear standard: pure enough to feel and look like real gold, hard enough to actually survive daily wear
- ► 24K suits low-contact pieces (earrings, pendants) better than rings or bracelets
- ► For the technically curious: 24K measures roughly 25–30 on the Vickers hardness scale; 18K measures roughly 125–165 — several times harder
What We Cast In
We work in 18K gold, 24K gold, and sterling silver — and we'll help you pick the right one for what you're actually going to wear it for, not just what sounds most premium on paper.
DECIDED ON YOUR METAL?
START YOUR COMMISSION
Tell us what you're making and we'll help you choose between 18K, 24K, or sterling silver.