Karat Vs. Carat: What’s The Difference & Meaning?
While the name "karat" and "carat" have similar origins, the meaning of "karat" has changed to refer to the purity of gold: one karat is equivalent to 1/24th part of pure gold in an alloy. (You are undoubtedly already aware that this 1/24th proportion has its origins in ancient Rome, when a siliqua was equivalent to 1/24th of a golden solidus.) In short, pure gold is classified at 24 karats; a 14-karat gold ring is made up of 14 parts gold and 10 parts of another metal, such as copper.