Gold Purity Chart
Live gold price per gram by karat, from 24K pure gold down to 10K, with the fineness for each.
Gold Purity
Price per gram by karat
| Karat | Fineness | Per Gram |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 999.9 | $134.23 |
| 22K | 916.0 | $123.04 |
| 21K | 875.0 | $117.45 |
| 18K | 750.0 | $100.67 |
| 14K | 585.0 | $78.30 |
| 10K | 417.0 | $55.93 |
Understanding gold karat and fineness
Pure gold is 24 karat (24K), but it is too soft to hold up to daily wear, so it is usually alloyed with metals such as copper, silver or zinc. Karat tells you how many of 24 parts are gold; fineness expresses the same thing per 1,000 parts. They are interchangeable: 18K and 750 describe identical 75%-pure gold.
Karat, fineness and purity at a glance
- 24K — 999.9 fine — 99.99% pure
- 22K — 916 fine — 91.6% pure
- 21K — 875 fine — 87.5% pure
- 18K — 750 fine — 75.0% pure
- 14K — 585 fine — 58.3% pure
- 10K — 417 fine — 41.7% pure
How the per-karat price is calculated
The price of a lower-karat gold is simply the pure (24K) per-gram price scaled by its purity. For example, if 24K gold costs $85 per gram, then 18K (75% pure) is 85 × 0.75 = $63.75 per gram and 14K (58.3% pure) is about $49.58 per gram. The table above applies these factors to thelive spot price in real time.
To value a specific piece by weight and karat, use thegold value calculator; to see prices across weight units, see the unit converter.
Which karat should you choose?
Higher karats carry more gold and more value per gram but scratch more easily. 22K and 18K are popular for jewellery because they balance value with durability, while 14K and 10K are harder and more affordable. For bullion and investment, 24K (999.9) is the standard.
Help
Frequently Asked Questions
What does karat mean for gold?
Karat measures how much of an alloy is pure gold, out of 24 parts. 24K is essentially pure gold; 18K is 18 parts gold to 6 parts other metals (75% pure); 14K is 58.3% pure. Higher karat means more gold and a higher value per gram.
What is the difference between karat and fineness?
They describe the same purity two ways. Karat is out of 24; fineness is out of 1,000. So 24K ≈ 999.9 fine, 22K ≈ 916, 18K = 750, 14K = 585 and 10K = 417. The number stamped on jewellery (e.g. 750) is the fineness.
Is 24K gold better than 22K or 18K?
24K is the purest and most valuable per gram, but it is soft and scratches easily, so it is less practical for everyday jewellery. 22K and 18K add durability while retaining most of the value, which is why they are popular for rings and chains.
How do I work out the price of 22K or 18K gold?
Take the 24K per-gram price and multiply by the purity factor: 22K = ×0.9167, 21K = ×0.875, 18K = ×0.75, 14K = ×0.5833, 10K = ×0.4167. The table above shows the live per-gram price for each karat automatically.
What do hallmarks like 916, 750 or 585 mean?
Those are fineness stamps. 916 is 22K, 750 is 18K and 585 is 14K. A hallmark certifies the gold content, and it maps directly to the karat and to the per-gram price shown here.