“Gold is money. Everything else is credit…”
JP Morgan
Karat, also spelt carat, is the measure of gold purity. A gold karat is 1/24 part or 4.1667% of the alloy metal. The system originated from the medieval coin called the mark. A carat is a specific gemstone weight standard – being derived from the nearly uniform weight of the carob plant seed. A mark coin weighted 24 carats, but pure gold was too soft to be a coin. Other metals were added, the gold content being expressed in karats out of a total of 24. Likewise, pure gold is too soft for fountain pen nibs. They are commonly 14K, occasionally 18K and rarely 21K. This value affects cost, rarity and most importantly performance. Perversely, 14K nibs are often considered better writers. Here is my Sailor dual tone 21K nib. Gold nibs are often given a more contemporary appearance with a plating of rhodium. 875 is a confirmation of the gold percentage. #hiddengold #letsmakelemonade
Pen Paint and Scalpel 