Precious Metal 10K
10K is a 41.7% gold karat alloy, the minimum karat that may legally be sold as "gold" jewelry in the US, with the balance made up of copper, silver and zinc and, in white grades, nickel or palladium.
Reference datasheet — 10K is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the Y-Ann condition
10K tempers and conditions
10K is supplied in 10 conditions, soft to hard. Y-Ann is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 10 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Y-AnnDefault 10K Yellow | Standard stocked condition for sheet, wire and tube that must be bent, drawn, stamped or set. | 190 | 420 | 35 | 125 HV | 100 W/m·K |
10K Yellow | Condition of lost-wax cast rings and charms straight from the flask, before work hardening. | 210 | 380 | 15 | 123 HB | 13.8 % IACS |
10K Rose / Red | High-copper pink to red color; hardest of the yellow-family 10K alloys but most tarnish-prone. | 230 | 450 | 25 | 133 HB | 17 % IACS |
Annealed | Nickel-free hypoallergenic white gold for EU/skin-contact products; softer and greyer than Ni white. | 250 | 480 | 30 | 142 HB | 7 % IACS |
Annealed | Low-cost hard white gold for rhodium-plated settings; check nickel-release compliance (EN 1811). | 280 | 550 | 28 | 165 HV | 6 % IACS |
As-cast | Cast white-gold mountings; watch for hot-tearing and porosity, cast hot and quench. | 320 | 500 | 10 | 170 HB | 5.5 % IACS |
10K Yellow | Compromise temper for wire and findings needing stiffness but still some bending ductility. | 400 | 550 | 12 | 161 HB | 13.5 % IACS |
10K Yellow | Pick for spring clips, pin stems, eyeglass temples and wear surfaces needing maximum hardness. | 590 | 690 | 4 | 14 HRC | 13 % IACS |
10K Rose / Red | Cold-worked rose gold for wear-resistant bands; anneal frequently, it cracks if over-worked. | 640 | 750 | 3 | 19 HRC | 16 % IACS |
10K White | Hardest common 10K condition — spring parts and prongs that must resist deformation. | 750 | 900 | 3 | 22 HRC | 5 % IACS |
What is 10K?
10K is a 41.7% gold karat alloy, the minimum karat that may legally be sold as "gold" jewelry in the US, with the balance made up of copper, silver and zinc and, in white grades, nickel or palladium. It is chosen for hardness and wear resistance at low precious-metal cost and is available cast or wrought (sheet, wire, tube) in yellow, white and rose colours, annealed to hard tempers. The high base-metal content gives more visible base-metal colour and lower tarnish resistance, and nickel white grades raise skin-sensitisation concerns. 14K is the nearest step up where colour stability and gold content matter more than cost. 10K has a density of 11.55 g/cm³ (0.417 lb/in³), heavier than 63% of precious metal grades. It melts at 880°C (1,616 °F). 10K has a yield strength of 190 MPa (27.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — weaker than 56% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 96 GPa (13.9 Msi).
What is 10K used for?
- class rings
- budget jewelry
- men's rings
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 35%, better than 83% of precious metal grades
- Readily welded — 75/100, better than 78% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 65/100, worse than 77% of precious metal grades
10K properties
Typical room-temperature values for 10K-Y-Ann; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
10K has a density of 11.55 g/cm³ (0.417 lb/in³), heavier than 63% of precious metal grades. It melts at 880°C (1,616 °F).
Mechanical11
10K has a yield strength of 190 MPa (27.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — weaker than 56% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 96 GPa (13.9 Msi).
Thermal6
10K is rated for continuous service to 300°C (572 °F). It conducts heat at 100 W/m·K (57.8 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 55% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 16 µm/m·K (8.89 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
10K conducts electricity at 14 % IACS, worse than 70% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (65/100), worse than 77% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 10K takes about 105,000 MJ of energy and emits 7,000 kg of CO₂ — more than 69% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 35%.
Manufacturability7
10K's machinability is fair (50/100, better than 74% of precious metal grades); weldability very good (75/100); formability excellent (85/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the precious metal family
Yield strength against density for every precious metal grade FabDigit runs. 10K is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 10K
Is 10K easy to machine?
Machines cleanly when work-hardened; use sharp carbide/HSS, high speed, light feed, and collect all swarf and coolant for refining.
Can 10K be welded?
Joined by laser or PUK microwelding and by matched 10K easy/medium/hard solders; avoid overheating that volatilizes zinc.
Can 10K be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (rolling, drawing, stamping); anneal 600–650 °C and quench every 50–60 % reduction, and cast by lost wax at ~1050–1100 °C metal temperature.
10K chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Au417‰ minimum; US legal 10K, no negative tolerance without solder allowance | 41.7 – 42.5 | 41.7 |
| Agraises yellow-green tone; near zero in red gold | 4 – 20 | 11.5 |
| Zndeoxidizer / color and melt-range control | 0 – 15 | 5.5 |
| Ni10–14 % only in nickel white golds; nickel-release limited by EN 1811 / REACH | 0 – 14 | 0 |
| Pdused instead of Ni in hypoallergenic white 10K | 0 – 12 | 0 |
| Si/Ir/B (grain refiner)trace deoxidiser/grain refiner in casting grades | 0 – 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Cuprincipal balance in yellow/rose alloys | ≥ 25 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on 10K?
Polishes to a bright mirror; white grades are almost always rhodium plated, and yellow/rose grades benefit from anti-tarnish lacquer or e-coat in humid service.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal 10K in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- Au417
How much does 10K cost?
10K is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
10K — frequently asked
What is 10K used for?
10K is typically used for class rings, budget jewelry and men's rings. In short: minimum US gold karat; hard, wear-resistant karat; low precious-metal cost.
What is the yield strength of 10K?
10K has a typical yield strength of 190 MPa (27.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — weaker than 56% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 10 listed tempers.
Is 10K easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (50/100, better than 74% of precious metal grades). Machines cleanly when work-hardened; use sharp carbide/HSS, high speed, light feed, and collect all swarf and coolant for refining.
Can 10K be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (75/100). Joined by laser or PUK microwelding and by matched 10K easy/medium/hard solders; avoid overheating that volatilizes zinc.
What surface finishes work on 10K?
Polishes to a bright mirror; white grades are almost always rhodium plated, and yellow/rose grades benefit from anti-tarnish lacquer or e-coat in humid service.
Can 10K be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (rolling, drawing, stamping); anneal 600–650 °C and quench every 50–60 % reduction, and cast by lost wax at ~1050–1100 °C metal temperature.
What is the maximum service temperature of 10K?
10K is rated for continuous use to about 300°C (572 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 10K Y-Ann and 10K W-Ni-H?
Y-Ann is the default condition — standard stocked condition for sheet, wire and tube that must be bent, drawn, stamped or set. W-Ni-H: hardest common 10K condition — spring parts and prongs that must resist deformation. Yield strength is 190 MPa in Y-Ann versus 750 MPa in W-Ni-H.
How much does 10K cost?
10K is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM B562 — Standard Specification for Refined Gold — ASTM International (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (precious metals) — ASM International (1990)
- Karat gold alloy and solder technical data — Hoover & Strong / Stuller / Legor (2023)
- Gold Bulletin / Santa Fe Symposium jewelry alloy metallurgy papers — World Gold Council (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.