Oceano Fine Jewelry: Why We Work With 18k Solid Gold

What’s more iconic than gold?

It’s a material that has upheld a luxurious reputation for centuries, captivating entire civilizations with its irresistible gleam and unrivaled durability. Gold has been an important part of our collections from the start, though we have worked with different forms of it over the years. Starting out with gold vermeil, we’ve since introduced solid gold pieces for those looking for deeper levels of luxury.

If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll know about our commitment to premium quality. And for those that are new – know that we’re always working hard to ensure our pieces are the best of the best!

What Is 18k Gold?

If you’re unfamiliar with gold karats (what the abbreviated k in 18k stands for), allow us to explain.

It can be a confusing term, as it’s known as a carat in certain parts of the world – which is also the metric used to weigh a diamond. For the sake of ease, we will be using the term karat, which is solely related to gold.

A karat is a unit of measurement that indicates the purity of gold.

Even if a piece of jewelry is solid gold, it’s unlikely to be 100% pure gold. This is because pure gold is relatively soft and malleable – meaning it can get bent out of shape, which is not very practical for jewelry. The purest form of gold is 24 karats, but it’s typically used for investment products (such as gold bars) rather than jewelry.

For jewelry, gold is blended with alloy metals for enhanced durability. There are four common karat levels used in the jewelry world:

18k solid gold: 75% pure gold, 25% alloy
14k solid gold: 58% pure gold, 42% alloy
10k solid gold: 42% pure gold, 58% alloy
9k solid gold: 37.5% pure gold, 62.5% alloy

sustainability

Ethical Origins: Sourcing Our 18k Solid Gold

We’re proud to craft our Fine Collection with ethically sourced recycled 18k gold.

Our gold comes from the UK’s premier jewelry district, where we work with Cooks on Gold, a long-established supplier of precious metals. Our recycled gold is fully traceable and certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council. By choosing recycled gold, we are able to offer the same high levels of quality as non-recycled gold while reducing our environmental impact – no detrimental mining is involved in the process. You can learn more about our materials here.