Gold The word gold, used by itself, means all gold or 24 karat (24K) gold. Because 24K gold is soft, it’s usually mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and durability. If a piece of jewelry is not 24 karat gold, karat quality should accompany any claim that item is gold.

The karat quality marking tells you what proportion of gold is mixed with other metals. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. The higher karat rating, higher proportion of gold in piece of jewelry.

Most jewelry is marked with its karat quality, although marking is not required by law. Near karat quality mark, you should see name of U.S. registered trademark of company that will stand behind mark. The trademark may be in form of a name, symbol or initials. If you don’t see a trademark accompanying a quality mark on a piece of jewelry, look for another piece.

Jewelry gifts that you might consider for that special Father in your life could include a gold or silver watch, a handsome sterling silver or 14kt gold chain or masculine link bracelet. With a chain you might include a manly pendant with a nautical or sports theme.

As for rings, there are many rugged designs available in 14kt gold or sterling silver with stones like turquoise, onyx, malachite and lapis. Also, many men are fond of masculine settings of small diamonds and other gemstones.

Celtic jewelry designs, such as Celtic crosses, Celtic knots, etc… are great choices for Dad on Father’s Day.

If your Dad has a pierced ear maybe he would appreciate a small stud earring; choices here are endless.

Remember this, men tend to avoid interchanging jewelry in way that many women do. With this in mind, avoid costume jewelry and focus on durable quality pieces that Dad can wear day in and day out.

The following are some tips for buying jewelry for Dad on Father’s Day. He will be proud of you for being a smart jewelry consumer and for saving some money, too.

Here are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind when you are shopping for a jewelry gift to celebrate next chapter of your special Father’s life.

1. There’s a big difference between 14 karat gold and gold-plated jewelry. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. Gold-plated describes jewelry with a layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Gold plating eventually wears away, depending on how often item is worn and how thick plating is.