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To estimate the gold melt value of jewelry, multiply its eligible gold-alloy weight by its karat fraction, then by the current price of pure gold per gram. The result estimates the gold content only—not the retail value of the jewelry or a guaranteed buyer offer.

How do you calculate gold jewelry’s melt value?

Use this formula:

Melt value = eligible gold-alloy weight in grams × (karat ÷ 24) × pure-gold spot price per gram.

If the gold price is quoted per troy ounce, convert it to a per-gram price first:

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Pure-gold price per gram = spot price per troy ounce ÷ 31.1034768.

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Combined, the calculation is:

Melt value = weight in grams × (karat ÷ 24) × (spot price per troy ounce ÷ 31.1034768).

The World Gold Council defines one troy ounce as 31.1034768 grams. Use a quote for pure gold, and record its currency and timestamp; gold prices change, so a calculation is only as current as the quote used. World Gold Council: Gold Jewellery—Colour, Carat & Purity; Money Metals: Gold Price Per Gram.

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How do karat and fineness determine the gold content?

Karat measures gold as parts out of 24. Divide the karat number by 24 to get the nominal gold fraction: for example, 18K is 18 ÷ 24, or 75% gold. Fineness marks express precious-metal content in parts per thousand; 750 indicates 75% gold.

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For 14K, the nominal 14 ÷ 24 fraction is about 58.33%. The World Gold Council chart gives 14-carat gold as 58.30% and notes that 14K is commonly marked 585. Using 585 as the fineness gives 58.5%; these figures reflect different conventions, so use the item’s verified mark or assay when precision matters. Legal minimums and accepted tolerances vary by country; a mark alone should not be presented as a universal legal guarantee. World Gold Council.

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Which weight should you use?

Use the weight of the gold alloy, not automatically the full jewelry weight. Stones, clasps or other identifiable non-gold components can make the total item heavier than the gold alloy itself.

  • Weigh pieces separately if they have different karat marks, then calculate each karat separately.
  • Exclude stones and identifiable non-gold parts when their weight can be determined reliably.
  • Do not apply the surface karat to the entire weight of plated, filled or vermeil jewelry; these constructions are not solid karat gold throughout.
  • If the construction or metal weight is uncertain, ask a jeweler to estimate the gold-alloy weight rather than dismantling the item.

A digital jewelry scale can provide a gram-weight input, but it cannot verify karat or distinguish gold from other materials. No particular scale is recommended here. MeltValue.com: Gold Calculator.

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Worked example: a 10-gram 14K piece

Using the nominal 14/24 ratio, the theoretical gold content is:

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10 g × (14 ÷ 24) = about 5.83 g of pure gold.

Multiply about 5.83 g by the current pure-gold price per gram in your currency. If you instead calculate from a 585 fineness mark, 10 g × 0.585 gives 5.85 g. The small difference comes from the common 585 marking convention; neither calculation includes any value for stones, workmanship or collectibility.

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What the calculation does—and does not—tell you

Melt value estimates the worth of the gold content at the spot-price quote you chose. It does not automatically include gemstones, brand, craftsmanship or collectibility, and it is not the same as a retail replacement price. A buyer’s offer may be below the estimated melt value and varies by buyer. Keep these figures separate when deciding what a piece is worth or whether to sell it. MeltValue.com: Gold Calculator.

For a meaningful comparison between pieces or offers, note the eligible gold weight, karat or fineness, price currency and quote timestamp, and whether stones or non-gold parts were included. Compare melt estimates with melt estimates, retail prices with retail prices, and actual buyer offers with other offers.

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