14K gold or 14 Karat has only 14 out of 24 of its parts made of gold and is thus 58.3 percent pure (10/24), the other parts are made of metals alloys which typically include silver, zinc, copper, palladium, nickel, and platinum. The type of metals added to gold also affect the price of the gold, with platinum alloy being the most expensive due to its purity and durability.

What is it used for
The color of 14 karat gold is usually close to deep yellow in color, since it is mostly mixed with zinc and copper.14 karat gold is used on fairly priced jewelry such as necklaces and rings, therefore it is more of a commercial use gold. It is also a favorite for gold artifacts that require a strong and enduring structure which would not cost a fortune.

Where it is popular
14 karat gold is the most popular gold in the market place, in public shopping venues and gold markets, because it is harder and more durable than other purer gold grades and is lower in cost. It is very popular among the medium income class for gifts and leisure due to its relatively economic costs and practicality compared to the other gold types.

Pros
A good property of 14 karat gold, in addition to it’s price and durability, is that many color variations can be made from it. The fact that that it has 10 out of 24 karats not gold allows for many alloy choices. Thus jewelry designers always find it easier to work with 14 karat when color is an important element of the design.

Cons
The only downside of 14-karat gold is that people usually do not like the idea of wearing gold which is just over 50% pure, especially when mixed with a metal such as nickel. Putting in alloys such as silver and platinum make 14 karat gold much more favorable.