22K vs 24K vs 18K gold — which to buy and when

99.9% pure, the reference for every other rate. Too soft for ornaments, so it is sold as coins, minted bars and investment products. Making charges are low, resale is straightforward, and the price per gram is the highest of the three.

Buy 24K when the purpose is to own metal rather than wear it.

91.6% pure and the mainstream jewellery standard in India. Hard enough for bangles, chains and wedding sets while remaining visibly rich in colour. Its rate is exactly 91.6% of the 999 rate.

Buy 22K for traditional jewellery you intend to wear and eventually pass on or exchange.

75% pure, noticeably harder, and the usual choice for diamond and stone-set designs, lighter contemporary pieces and anything with fine detail. Costs less per gram but returns proportionately less on resale.

Buy 18K when the design and the stones are the point, not the metal weight.

Resale pays for assessed purity, so the ratio between the three is the ratio you get back: a gram of 18K returns roughly 75% of fine-gold value, 22K roughly 91.6%. Making charges and GST are never returned, whichever purity you chose.

This is why investment buyers gravitate to coins and bars while family buyers accept the making charge as the cost of owning something wearable.