The Myth about the karatage of gold - Ceramics

Karatage of Gold

Many retailers are not aware of, or educated in, the karatage of gold decoration on fine china and dinnerware. Customers are sometimes led to believe that because a piece contains gold, it is expensive and beyond one's financial means. This, however, is not always the case. Yes, gold, white gold, platinum, mother of pearl and other lusters can be costly. But the cost is determined by how much of the chosen luster the piece contains. Only an appraiser can give an estimated value on the piece in question. This has been a controversial subject for many years.

My professional opinion regarding the karatage of gold is based on factual documentation I have researched over time as it pertains to my business. So I will "let the cat out of the bag" so to speak, by stating that fine china and dinnerware are often treated with the same consideration as jewelry. Because of this, consumers frequently inquire as to the "karatage" of gold decorations. To properly evaluate the karatage of a decorative gold film, it is necessary to determine the gold content of the fired film fused on to the item in question.

Gold films contain some additives which are burned off during firing cycle leaving the gold film behind. The gold, however, is not the only component left behind. Other materials that impart color, brilliance and adhesion, are also left behind. As a result, no film will be 100% or 24 karat gold film. There are two kinds of gold decorations for glass and ceramics. Bright gold's and Burnished gold's. Bright Gold's may range from 5% - 20% and produce light films of over 22 karats. Burnished gold's produce heavier films but will contain larger amounts of additives.

Regardless of the actual karatage of the decorative gold film, the real value and cost is the actual amount of gold present on the piece. I always take this information into fair consideration when determining the price of my pieces.