What does karat mean?
Pure gold is very soft, so it is mixed with other metals such as copper or silver to make jewellery and coins more durable. Karat tells you how much of the mix is pure gold, out of 24 parts. 24K is (almost) pure gold; 18K is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals.
Jewellery is often stamped with a fineness hallmark instead: the number of parts of pure gold per thousand. 750 means 75% gold, which is 18K.
Karat and hallmark table
| Karat | Hallmark | Pure gold | Common uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24K | 999 / 995 | 99.9% / 99.5% | Bars, coins, investment gold |
| 22K | 916 | 91.6% | Indian and Turkish jewellery, Turkish coins, sovereigns |
| 21K | 875 | 87.5% | Jewellery in the Gulf and Egypt |
| 18K | 750 | 75% | Fine jewellery, gem-set pieces |
| 14K | 585 | 58.5% | Everyday jewellery in the US and Europe |
| 9K | 375 | 37.5% | Budget jewellery in the UK |
What is a tola?
The tola is a traditional unit of weight in India, Pakistan, Nepal and the Gulf. 1 tola is about 11.66 grams (11.6638 g). Gold prices in South Asia are often quoted per 10 grams or per tola. You can choose tola directly in our calculators.
How to tell the karat of your gold
Look for a small stamp on the inside of a ring or near the clasp of a necklace: 916, 750, 585 and so on. In India, BIS hallmarks show the fineness next to the BIS logo. If there is no stamp, a jeweller can test the piece.
How karat changes the value
10 g of 24K ≈ 9.95 g pure gold
10 g of 22K ≈ 9.16 g pure gold
10 g of 18K ≈ 7.50 g pure gold
For debts, wedding gold and zakat alike, choosing the right karat is essential for an accurate result. Our calculators value every item by its pure gold content.