Check for the appropriate markings on metal jewelry. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry (e.g. 24K gold is pure gold). European gold jewelry is marked with numbers that indicate their percentage of gold (e.g. 18K is marked 750 to indicate 75% gold)

Define your lifestyle. Is the purchase for everyday wear or is it for special night outs? Knowing the metal composition of the jewelry will help you decide which item is best suited for you. Pure gold is soft and is not practical for daily wear. Solid gold on the other hand, (an item that's at least 10K gold all the way through) is durable and is a better choice to wear regularly.

Know your terms. Often, you come across terms such as gold-filled, gold overlay and gold plated. As almost all gold is mixed with other metals, you may grade the thickness of the gold layer in the following