Is 22K Gold Good for a Chain? Color, Softness and Daily Wear

Yes, for a plain chain you are willing to treat gently. 22K is 91.7 percent gold, so it has a deeper, richer yellow than any lower karat. It is also soft: a 22K chain scratches, dents and stretches more easily than 18K or 14K, and it holds settings less securely. For an iced chain worn hard every day, a harder build is the better fit.

What 22K means

22 parts gold out of 24 works out to 91.7 percent. The remaining 8.3 percent is usually copper and silver, just enough to stiffen the metal and warm the color. 22K is not the same as 24K: 24K is 99.9 percent gold and softer still, while 22K keeps a little alloy for strength. Its fineness stamp, the number people look up as the 22K code, is 916.

22K next to the other karats

Read down the table and two things move together: gold content falls and hardness rises. 22K sits one step from the top, which is why it looks so rich and wears so softly.

The 22K color

22K has a deep, buttery yellow with a slight orange warmth. Anyone who has only worn 14K or 18K notices the difference the moment the pieces sit side by side: 18K looks lighter, and 14K lighter again. That color is the main reason to choose 22K, and it does not wear off, because it runs all the way through the metal.

Where 22K is the everyday standard

Across India, Pakistan and much of South Asia, 22K is the usual karat for chains, bangles and wedding jewelry, and 21K is at least as common in much of the Gulf. Gold there is often bought partly as savings, so a high gold content matters as much as the design. Heavy 22K chains are worn every day in those markets. Owners simply accept that the metal will scratch and soften at the edges over the years.

A 22K chain day to day

Plain 22K chains with simple, tight links, such as a rope or a classic curb, hold up well with care. The weak points show up in three places:

• Links: soft links can stretch and flatten with years of movement, most of all on long, heavy chains.
• Clasps: a 22K clasp loses its spring sooner than one in a harder alloy.
• Settings: prongs in 22K grip less securely, which is why iced pieces are rarely made in it.

So 22K suits a plain chain worn with some care. It is a weaker match for an iced Cuban, the gym or anything that takes regular knocks. A 12mm Cuban in 22K dents, scratches and stretches more easily than the same chain in a harder alloy, and it costs considerably more because more gold goes into it.

The deep yellow look on a steel core

SKRT does not make 22K. Its Yellow Gold pieces are heavy 18K gold plating over a 316L stainless steel core, and the trade is worth stating plainly. The color is 18K, a shade lighter than 22K. The steel resists bending and denting far better than a soft high-karat alloy. Plating can wear over years at friction points such as the clasp, while 22K's color runs through, and a plated chain has no gold resale value.

If you want a plain chain in that yellow, the Rope Chain in Yellow Gold - 3mm comes in 16 to 28 inches, and the women's Rope Choker/ Necklace in Yellow Gold - 3mm runs from 13 to 22 inches. For a bold iced link, the Cuban Link Chain in Yellow Gold - 12mm gives you a width that would be hard to wear daily in 22K.

Caring for each

Keep a 22K chain in its own pouch, since harder pieces scratch it, and polish it with a soft cloth. A SKRT plated chain is easy with rain, sweat and hand washing, but keep it out of pools, hot tubs and saltwater and take it off before a long hot shower. Put it on after cologne and lotion have dried, wipe it with a microfiber cloth when you take it off, and store it somewhere dry. Our Care Instructions cover the monthly clean.

Quick answers

Is 22K gold pure?

Close, but no. 22K is 91.7 percent gold. Only 24K, at 99.9 percent, is counted as fine gold.

What does 916 mean on gold?

It is the fineness mark for 22K: 916 parts gold per 1,000.

Is 22K too soft for a Cuban link?

For a heavy iced Cuban worn daily, usually yes. A plain 22K curb worn with care is fine.

The deep yellow look, built on steel. See the Rope Chain in Yellow Gold - 3mm.