18K, 21K or 22K? Choosing Gold Purity in Dubai

Walk into any gold shop in Dubai and the first question is the same: 18, 21 or 22? The number is the karat, and it decides almost everything about the piece: what it costs per gram, how yellow it is, how well it survives daily wear and how easily it can be sold back. This guide gives you the honest version.

What the karat number means

Karat measures purity out of twenty-four parts. 24K is 99.9% gold and too soft for jewellery that is worn. 22K is 91.6% gold, 21K is 87.5%, and 18K is 75%. The remainder is an alloy of silver, copper, zinc or palladium, and that alloy is what gives each karat its colour and its strength.

Every karat sold at Mazimo is stamped inside the piece (750 for 18K, 875 for 21K, 916 for 22K) and tested before it is priced. Our karat guide shows what those marks look like.

22K: the investment karat

Rich, deep yellow and closest to the value of pure gold. Traditional bridal sets, coins and heavier bangles are usually 22K, because when the piece is exchanged later the gold content is high and the making charge is a small share of what you paid. The trade-off is softness: 22K scratches and bends more easily, so it suits pieces worn on occasions rather than every day.

21K: the Gulf everyday classic

A touch harder than 22K while keeping the warm colour the region loves. Statement rings, everyday chains and bangles worn daily are often 21K. Our 21K sculpted rings are cast in this karat precisely because it holds fine detail and still reads as unmistakably Gulf gold.

18K: the fine-jewellery standard

At 75% gold, 18K is hard enough to hold diamonds and zircons securely, to be drawn into slim Italian chains and delicate Spanish earrings, and it is the only karat that can be made convincingly white or rose. Most of our Italian bracelets, bangles and earrings are 18K, as are the signet rings people wear every day.

How the karat changes the price

In Dubai the price of a piece is its gold weight multiplied by the day's rate for that karat, plus a stated making charge, plus 5% VAT. Two rings of the same weight will differ in gold value exactly in proportion to their purity: the 22K ring carries about 22% more gold than the 18K one. What the making charge adds depends on the work, not the karat, so a finely made 18K piece can cost more than a plain 22K one of the same weight. The live rate page shows all three karats side by side.

Colour and durability, side by side

• 22K: deepest yellow; softest; best resale ratio; occasion wear and investment.
• 21K: warm yellow; harder; strong resale; daily rings, chains and bangles.
• 18K: paler yellow, or white and rose; hardest; secure stone settings; slim and detailed designs.

Which should you choose?

For value and tradition: 22K. For a ring or chain worn every day in a warm climate: 21K. For diamonds, white gold, fine chains and anything slender: 18K. Whatever the karat, a Mazimo piece is hallmarked, weighed with you and certified, so the number on the invoice is the number in the metal.

Questions we hear at the counter

Is 18K real gold? Yes: three quarters pure, and the standard for fine jewellery worldwide.

Does 22K tarnish? No. Higher purity means less reactive alloy; 22K keeps its colour for decades.

Can I trade 18K in against 22K? Yes. We buy back gold of any karat at the prevailing rate for that purity, weighed and tested in front of you.

At Mazimo. Every piece is weighed in front of you at Al Manal Center, Deira, priced on the live gold rate of the day, and leaves with a certificate of purity and a tracking code you can check any time at mazimo.ae/track. Delivery across the UAE is insured and complimentary; unworn pieces can be exchanged within 48 hours of delivery.