Precious Metal 14K
JIS K14 · GB Au585
14K (Au585, K14) is a 58.5 % gold alloy with silver, copper, nickel or palladium additions, the standard everyday karat in the US and Europe.
Reference datasheet — 14K 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 ANN condition
14K tempers and conditions
14K is supplied in 10 conditions, soft to hard. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ANNDefault Annealed | Standard stocked condition for stamping, bending, forming and chain making. | 220 | 400 | 35 | 133 HB | 14 % IACS |
As cast | Condition of lost-wax cast jewellery before work hardening; coarser grain and slightly lower ductility. | 230 | 400 | 18 | 143 HB | 13.5 % IACS |
14K Yellow | Default colour family — best all-round castability, solderability and price. | 230 | 420 | 33 | 133 HB | 14 % IACS |
14K White, palladium-bearing | Nickel-free hypoallergenic white option; softer and more ductile than Ni-white but higher cost and melting point. | 250 | 450 | 32 | 150 HV | 7 % IACS |
14K Rose / Red | Copper-rich pink to red tone; hardest of the colour family but more prone to tarnish and fire-scale. | 250 | 440 | 28 | 160 HV | 15 % IACS |
14K White, nickel-bearing | Hard, springy white alloy for prong settings; requires rhodium plating and EN 1811 nickel-release compliance. | 320 | 560 | 28 | 185 HV | 6 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Light stiffening for sheet parts that still need some bending. | 350 | 500 | 18 | 157 HB | 13.7 % IACS |
Half hard | Common for ring shanks, bezels and settings needing wear resistance with limited forming. | 470 | 600 | 10 | 176 HB | 13.4 % IACS |
Age-hardened | Use where maximum hardness is needed in cast or complex parts that cannot be cold worked. | 560 | 700 | 6 | 19 HRC | 15 % IACS |
Full hard | Choose for clasps, springs, pin stems and thin wire needing maximum stiffness. | 620 | 720 | 3 | 18 HRC | 13 % IACS |
What is 14K?
14K (Au585, K14) is a 58.5 % gold alloy with silver, copper, nickel or palladium additions, the standard everyday karat in the US and Europe. It offers 220 MPa yield, 400 MPa tensile and 35 % elongation with better durability and lower metal cost than 18K, and it is supplied as castings, sheet, tube, chain wire and yellow, white and rose colour variants. The lower gold content makes the copper-bearing colours more tarnish- and fire-scale-prone, and white grades need rhodium plating for a neutral tone; step up to 18K where colour depth and hallmark value matter. 14K has a density of 13.07 g/cm³ (0.472 lb/in³), heavier than 70% of precious metal grades. It melts at 802°C (1,476 °F). 14K has a yield strength of 220 MPa (31.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — stronger than 67% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 80 GPa (11.6 Msi).
What is 14K used for?
- everyday jewelry
- rings
- chains
- watch cases
Advantages
- Forms and bends easily — 95/100, better than 91% of precious metal grades
- Readily welded — 80/100, better than 87% of precious metal grades
- Easy to machine — 55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 95/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 35%, better than 83% of precious metal grades
14K properties
Typical room-temperature values for 14K-ANN; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
14K has a density of 13.07 g/cm³ (0.472 lb/in³), heavier than 70% of precious metal grades. It melts at 802°C (1,476 °F).
Mechanical14
14K has a yield strength of 220 MPa (31.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — stronger than 67% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 35% and the elastic modulus is 80 GPa (11.6 Msi).
Thermal6
14K is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 75 W/m·K (43.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 57% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 14.5 µm/m·K (8.06 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
14K conducts electricity at 14 % IACS, worse than 70% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 61% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 14K takes about 150,000 MJ of energy and emits 10,000 kg of CO₂ — more than 73% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability8
14K's machinability is good (55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades); weldability very good (80/100); formability excellent (95/100).
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. 14K is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 14K
Is 14K easy to machine?
Turns and mills cleanly with sharp carbide or HSS tooling and light oil; annealed stock is gummy so prefer 1/2-hard temper, high speed, small depth of cut, and collect all swarf for refining.
Can 14K be welded?
Excellent for laser and PUK micro-welding with matched 14K filler; torch joining is normally done with graded 14K easy/medium/hard solders under borax-type flux.
Can 14K be formed, bent or molded?
Very ductile when annealed (>30 % elongation); rolls, draws, stamps and raises readily but work-hardens fast — interanneal at 600–650 °C with rapid quench every 50–60 % reduction, and cast at 60–100 °C above liquidus in flask at 550–650 °C.
14K 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Au585 hallmark minimum; US legal 14K tolerance permits 58.3 for unsoldered items | 58.5 – 59.5 | 58.5 |
| Agraises paleness/greenness; higher in green and pale-yellow tints | 0 – 32 | 9 |
| Zndeoxidiser and colour whitener in yellow/white grades | 0 – 6 | 4.5 |
| Nionly in nickel-white grades; must meet EN 1811 release limits | 0 – 13 | 0 |
| Pdonly in palladium-white grades | 0 – 14 | 0 |
| Ir/Ru/Co (grain refiner)trace grain-refining additions in casting grades | 0 – 0.1 | 0.01 |
| Sitrace deoxidiser in some casting alloys | 0 – 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Cuprincipal balance in yellow and rose alloys; sets redness and hardness | ≥ 0 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on 14K?
Takes a mirror polish easily; pickle in dilute sulphuric acid to remove copper fire-scale, and rhodium plate white grades for a neutral white tone.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal 14K in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- GB (China)
- Au585
- JIS
- K14
How much does 14K cost?
14K 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.
14K — frequently asked
What is 14K used for?
14K is typically used for everyday jewelry, rings, chains and watch cases. In short: durable everyday karat; lower cost than 18K; very ductile when annealed.
What is the yield strength of 14K?
14K has a typical yield strength of 220 MPa (31.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — stronger than 67% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 10 listed tempers.
Is 14K easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades). Turns and mills cleanly with sharp carbide or HSS tooling and light oil; annealed stock is gummy so prefer 1/2-hard temper, high speed, small depth of cut, and collect all swarf for refining.
Can 14K be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (80/100). Excellent for laser and PUK micro-welding with matched 14K filler; torch joining is normally done with graded 14K easy/medium/hard solders under borax-type flux.
What surface finishes work on 14K?
Takes a mirror polish easily; pickle in dilute sulphuric acid to remove copper fire-scale, and rhodium plate white grades for a neutral white tone.
Can 14K be formed, bent or molded?
Very ductile when annealed (>30 % elongation); rolls, draws, stamps and raises readily but work-hardens fast — interanneal at 600–650 °C with rapid quench every 50–60 % reduction, and cast at 60–100 °C above liquidus in flask at 550–650 °C.
What is the maximum service temperature of 14K?
14K is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 14K-ANN and 14K-H04?
ANN is the default condition — standard stocked condition for stamping, bending, forming and chain making. H04: choose for clasps, springs, pin stems and thin wire needing maximum stiffness. Yield strength is 220 MPa in ANN versus 620 MPa in H04.
How much does 14K cost?
14K 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
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (precious metals) — ASM International (1990)
- ISO 9202 — Jewellery: Fineness of precious metal alloys — ISO (2019)
- EN 1811 — Reference test method for release of nickel — CEN (2015)
- 14K karat alloy and solder technical data (yellow / white / rose) — Hoover & Strong / Legor / Progold (2023)
- Gold Bulletin / World Gold Council jewellery technology data on carat gold alloys — World Gold Council (2021)
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.