A carat expresses the proportion of gold in an alloy in parts out of twenty-four.
An 18 carat ring contains eighteen parts gold in every twenty-four by weight. A UK hallmark expresses the same proportion in thousandths, so 750 denotes 18 carat gold. The figure belongs to the metal even when a stone is set in it. In a description of an 18 carat gold ring with a one-carat diamond, the first number describes the alloy and the second gives the weight of the stone.
In job listings
A jewellery advisor uses this word constantly, and it is easily confused with the carat weight of a gemstone. A client may also ask what the number means in terms of colour and durability. Search local jobs for “jewellery”.
