The karat chart
Karat measures purity as a fraction of 24. A 24K piece is pure gold, and an 18K piece is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals. The values below use the current spot price of $4,072.10 per troy ounce and are melt values: the worth of the metal alone, before any buyer margin.
| Karat | Gold % | Fineness stamp | Per gram | Per dwt | Per troy oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24K | 100.00% | 999 | $130.92 | $203.61 | $4,072.10 |
| 23K | 95.83% | 958 | $125.47 | $195.12 | $3,902.43 |
| 22K | 91.67% | 916 | $120.01 | $186.64 | $3,732.76 |
| 21.6K | 90.00% | 900 | $117.83 | $183.24 | $3,664.89 |
| 21K | 87.50% | 875 | $114.56 | $178.15 | $3,563.09 |
| 20K | 83.33% | 833 | $109.10 | $169.67 | $3,393.42 |
| 18K | 75.00% | 750 | $98.19 | $152.70 | $3,054.08 |
| 16K | 66.67% | 667 | $87.28 | $135.74 | $2,714.73 |
| 14K | 58.33% | 585 | $76.37 | $118.77 | $2,375.39 |
| 12K | 50.00% | 500 | $65.46 | $101.80 | $2,036.05 |
| 10K | 41.67% | 417 | $54.55 | $84.84 | $1,696.71 |
| 9K | 37.50% | 375 | $49.10 | $76.35 | $1,527.04 |
| 8K | 33.33% | 333 | $43.64 | $67.87 | $1,357.37 |
The highlighted karats link to their own calculators. Stamps are the common commercial values: the exact fraction for 14K is 583.3 and for 22K is 916.7, so you will sometimes see 583 and 917 on older or imported pieces.
How to convert between karat, percentage and fineness
- Karat to percentage: karat ÷ 24 × 100. For 14K, 14 ÷ 24 × 100 = 58.33%.
- Percentage to fineness: multiply by 10. 58.33% is roughly 583, and 75% is 750.
- Fineness to karat: fineness ÷ 1,000 × 24. A 916 stamp gives 21.98, which is 22K.
- Karat to value per gram: (spot price ÷ 31.1035) × karat ÷ 24. At today’s price, 14K is about $76.37 per gram and 18K about $98.19.
Which karat is used for what
| Karat | Typically found in | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | Bullion bars, Buffalo and Maple Leaf coins, some investment jewelry | Purest and softest. Scratches and bends easily. |
| 22K | American Gold Eagles, Krugerrands, sovereigns, traditional jewelry | Very high gold content with enough alloy to hold a shape. |
| 18K | Fine jewelry, engagement rings, watch cases | Rich colour and good durability at a higher price. |
| 14K | The most common US jewelry karat: chains, wedding bands, earrings | Hard-wearing and affordable. About 58% gold. |
| 10K | Class rings, budget jewelry | Hardest and cheapest. The legal minimum for gold in the US. |
| 9K, 12K | More common in the UK and Europe than in the US | Lower gold content, so lower value per gram. |
Colour does not change the karat
Yellow, white and rose gold are different alloys, not different purities. Copper pushes the colour toward rose, while silver, palladium or nickel pale it toward white, and white gold is often plated in rhodium for a bright finish. Two pieces stamped 18K contain the same 75% gold whatever their colour, so they have the same melt value at the same weight.
Put the chart to work
Pick the karat on your piece, weigh it, and let the gold calculator do the arithmetic. If you already know the karat, go straight to the calculator for it: 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K or 24K. To see how a melt value is worked out step by step, read the gold melt value guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the gold percentage of each karat?
Karat is a fraction out of 24, so percentage gold = karat ÷ 24 × 100. 24K is 100% (sold as 99.9%), 22K is 91.67%, 18K is 75%, 14K is 58.33%, 12K is 50% and 10K is 41.67%.
What does 585 mean on jewelry?
585 is the fineness stamp for 14K gold: 585 parts gold in every 1,000. The exact 14K figure is 583.3, so 585 is the commercial standard rounded up slightly. Older pieces may carry 583.
What is the lowest karat that can be sold as gold in the US?
In the United States, 10K (41.7% gold) is the lowest karat that can be marked and sold as karat gold.
Is 24K gold better than 18K gold?
It is purer, so it is worth more per gram, but it is also very soft. That is why most jewelry is made from 18K, 14K or 10K, where other metals add hardness. Purity is not the same as quality or durability.
Does gold colour change the karat?
No. Yellow, white and rose gold of the same karat contain the same percentage of gold. The colour comes from the other metals in the alloy, so 18K white gold and 18K yellow gold have the same melt value for the same weight.
How do I find the value of a karat per gram today?
Divide the spot price per troy ounce by 31.1035 to get the 24K price per gram, then multiply by the karat fraction (karat ÷ 24). The table on this page does this for every karat at the current spot price of $4,072.10 per troy ounce.