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9k, 10k, 14k, 18k... more durable?

Malha777

Rough_Rock
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Hi everyone!
So, as in the topic, we’re talking about durability vs hardness.
I heard many different opinions from many experts about how different alloys/gold content would be more durable than others.

In the end I’m left with one big question and that is: it’s true that alloys with lower gold content can be harder (gold is by itself a soft metal), but is it true that they are more “durable”?
Some could swear that it is not the case because those alloys wear off way faster than gold, leaving the piece deprived from most of the metal that makes it solid and stable. 10k contains less than 50% gold. If all those alloys wear off faster than gold the piece itself it’s going to be less durable even if it was harder originally.

Opinions? :)
 

Karl_K

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alloy is mixed together like a cake batter not layers like a cake.
It takes a chemical reaction at the minimum to separate the gold from the rest.
Below 14k the tendency to tarnish goes way up and slowly over time the base metal can tarnish out of the alloy.
 
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Malha777

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Generally speaking wearing something creates some sort of chemical reaction with our ph etc. Also, the environment contributes to how a pierce wears off.

personally I’ve noticed so many items coming in for repair (especially chains) that are 9k or 10K, less 14k and less 18k, even if older they’re usually in better shape. I can’t explain myself why, as 10k should be harder.
 

monipod

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9K and 18K are the most common in Australia. I had a chunky ring made with 20K yellow gold and the colour is magnificent but it's not an everyday ring. The underside of the ring has a few small dents already that I don't even remember making... My wedding band is 18K yellow and man, it has endured a lot, including regular weights sessions at the gym. With a loupe you can see lots of pits and scratches but for a 20 year old ring I've worn everyday, its shape is still perfect and no damage. I agree that if it was 9K, it may not be doing as well and certainly not looking lovely and gold as 18K.
 

Karl_K

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Something else to consider is that there are 10000s of different alloys called 18k that many more called 14k and 10/9k probably have as many different alloys as 14k+18k combined.
So when talking about alloys in general terms like 18k and 14k .... it is very general.
 

Karl_K

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There are several factors that come into play with durability not just surface hardness and resistance to tarnish.

Work-ability without fracture has to be balanced with Overall resistance to movement(bending, stretching) balanced with not being over brittle in the finished state is a huge one.

In other words you have to be able to form it without cracks yet it holds its shape well enough to be durable without being brittle when work hardened.

There are alloys that are super soft when you start working with them but with little work they become hard and brittle. They can be annealed back to being soft again but if you over work it and create cracks it can create problems down the road.
 

Karl_K

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To see an example of work hardening take a paper clip and start bending it back and forth it will soon take more energy to move it then it will fail.
As it bends(work) it gets harder and as you keep bending it creates cracks and eventually it fails.
 
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