14K Gold Ring: How Much You Will Pay and Why
14K gold rings are some of the most popular gold rings you will find nowadays. Whether it’s a classic and elegant gold wedding band or a beautiful counterpoint to a glowing diamond setting, they have an allure that is tough to beat.
Today we take an in-depth look into the world of 14K gold rings pricing. We will also walk you through everything you need to know about 14K gold, what it means, and how to ensure you get the best price possible for the rings that will symbolize your love and marriage forever. Let’s begin!
What Is 14K Gold?
Gold has been a beloved (and coveted) part of mankind’s history for millennia. We’ve been creating stunning jewelry pieces from gold since 4000 BC! It is also an element on the chemical periodic table, where it is represented as AU and used in its purest form in many technological applications.
The purest of pure gold is rated at 24K or 24 karats. We’ll look at the karat system in a little more detail below, so hang on to that fact for a moment. The problem with using pure gold in jewelry, however, is that it is a very malleable and soft metal.
This means it is easy to work, but it will scratch, bend, and deform easily, too- not what you want from your precious jewelry!
Luckily, our ingenious ancestors discovered that you could alloy gold with other metals to bring some of their stricter properties to the table. What’s alloying?
Well, it’s basically a ‘mix’ of metals that synergistically allows for their best properties to shine while toning down undesirable properties.
14K gold means that there is 14 karats’ worth of pure gold in the alloy, with the remainder made up of these alloyed metals. This means a 14K gold ring will have 58.3% pure gold in the mix. We explain why below.
We understand if you’re a little confused between the karats we’re discussing here and the carats you see used to evaluate diamonds! Despite the similarity in words, they have nothing to do with each other.
They are both rating systems that help smart buyers as yourself understand precisely what they are purchasing, but beyond that, there is no overlap.
How Much Is a 14K Gold Ring Worth?
It is always challenging to know what a ring is worth, whether you’re ensuring you get a great deal on a ring you want to purchase or hoping to sell a piece of jewelry you want to pass on to be loved elsewhere.
This is because there are two factors to pricing a ring – the intrinsic value of the gold (and potentially diamonds and other gems and metals) in the ring and its appeal, trendiness, and desirability (its resale or retail value). While the intrinsic value is easy to calculate, the other factors are very variable.
The value of a 14k gold ring is going to rely on a variety of factors including the current price of gold, the weight and size of the ring, the design and craftsmanship of the ring, and whether the ring includes any additional gems or diamonds.
The market price of gold fluctuates daily, so the actual worth of the ring will also change. It’s important to check the current price of gold when determining the value of a 14k gold ring.
On average, the price of a 14k gold ring will range between $400-800 dollars, but there are other factors that impact the price, such as the ones we’ve listed below.
Gold Prices
Now let’s dive deeper into some specifics on the actual worth of gold. Pure 24K gold (which, remember, is too soft for jewelry use) is traded as a commodity on the market. These are gold ingots, the lumps of gold we see in every bank heist film. It is also the gold your jeweler will buy to become part of your 14K ring.
If you invest, you may already own gold shares, or you may have something like Krugerrands at home, which allows people (who are not certified jewelers) to physically own 24K gold as an investment vehicle to resell later.
So, of course, there’s a stock market price associated with gold. It is listed in ‘Troy ounces,’ which are 31.3g of pure gold. Like all commodities, supply and demand and investor interest influence the price. It can and will change daily. However, gold is a very desirable commodity.
As we mentioned, it’s not just used in jewelry but also in tons of industrial applications and is critical in the financial and banking market. As an investment, it’s seen as a hedge against poor performance from volatile stocks and inflation, and it is always in demand somewhere. So its value stays high and historically has consistently risen over time.
As this article is being written, the current price of gold is $57.81, a $0.51 increase from the prior day. As mentioned earlier, the karat rating of a gold ring indicates how much gold is in the ring.
For 14K gold, it is 58.33% pure gold. And that gold will always be worth its ‘raw’ price, determined by the commodity market.
Before we do that though, here is a quick equation to estimate the value of a 14k gold ring. In general, the price is calculated as follows: (weight of ring x gold content) x current price of gold + labor.
The average 14k gold ring has 5.8 grams of gold, so with the current price of gold at $57.81, a 14k gold ring would be worth $335.30 just for the gold. The markup for labor, design, and craftsmanship will vary based on where you are buying the ring from, but you can estimate it will cost anywhere from a few hundred to a thousand dollars.
Remember, gold is near-guaranteed to retain its cost over time, so your 14K ring will always have a substantial market value in its ‘component parts.’
Gold Color
14K gold doesn’t come in only a yellow color; white gold and rose gold varieties are available to bring subtle differences to the table.
How can these different golds all be… well, gold? Especially if they all have the same karat value? Remember, 14K gold is composed of pure gold in an alloy with other metals. By swapping the balance of these metals around, jewelers achieve beautiful, subtle color combinations.
The color of the gold doesn’t impact price too much, as the amount of gold within the ring stays about the same. The alloys added to the gold are what gives the metal different colors. For example, this Petite Solitaire Setting from Blue Nile remains $490 no matter what color gold is selected.
Other Factors that Determine a 14K Gold Ring’s Price
Now that we’ve looked at the intrinsic value of the gold in your 14K ring, what else affects its price? The following elements shape the retail, or resale, price of a 14K gold ring. Unlike the value of raw gold, these can be influenced by trends and appeal.
The Ring’s Pedigree
When buying a ring, some may choose to buy a vintage ring instead of a brand new one. The age of the ring does factor into the price. ‘Old’ and ‘new’ gold are valued equally if you break it down to the raw gold within the jewelry.
However, factors like the brand name or jewelry for your ring can increase how desirable the ring is to sell ‘as-is.’ Additionally, rings older than 100 years could be classified as antiques, which may boost their final price.
Uniqueness
The uniqueness of your ring’s design can be a double-edged sword. Something hand-crafted will always be unique, and these rings will carry greater value than mass-produced jewelry. Many old rings were handmade by a jeweler who would make their own alloys- a beautiful legacy!
However, if the exact design of the piece is off-trend, this can impact its value negatively.
Shape
Rings are round, right? Not so fast! While the center of the ring will always be round for the finger, the external shape of rings can differ. This is a beautiful (but subtle way) to reflect your personality and show the jeweler’s creativity.
Many of these shapes are classics for 14K rings and will always be popular. However, an unusual or trendy shape may be less popular in years to come and thus can affect the ring’s worth.
For example, this simple 14k gold band is $450 while this more intricate Twisted Dome ring is priced at $850.
Precious Stones
Other than the traditional plain wedding band, many rings aren’t just about the gold. They will also come with gems set into the ring. The type of stone and carat weight of the ring will factor into the price of the ring.
The Petite solitaire we mentioned earlier in the article will only have the center stone, so the final cost of the ring will only include the cost of the center stone. A ring with additional stones, like this Petite Twist Ring also factors in the cost of 1/10 carat weight in addition to the center stone, bringing the setting itself to $1,190.
All That Glitters…
14K gold rings are a beautiful and robust option for sentimental treasures like wedding and engagement rings. With an outstanding balance of practicality and good looks, they will never go out of style and will always retain a solid worth, making them an exceptional choice.
