The 3 things that decide your gold's value
- Purity, how much real gold is in it (the karat)
- Weight, how much it weighs (in grams)
- The market price, what gold is selling for that day
That's the whole formula. Let's make each one simple.
What "karat" means
Karat = how pure the gold is.
- 24K is pure gold (100%).
- Pure gold is soft, so jewelry is mixed with other metals to make it strong.
- The karat number tells you how much of the piece is actually gold.
The less gold inside, the less it's worth per gram.
Why your 14K isn't worth the price you see online
The price you see online is for PURE 24K gold, not your 14K.
- Say gold is $130/gram today. That's the price for pure, 24K gold.
- Your 14K is only about 58% gold, so it's worth about 58% of that per gram.
- Nobody's shortchanging you, your piece just contains a little over half the gold of a pure one.
Same weight, different purity, that's why karat matters most.
Quick karat cheat sheet
- 24K = 100% gold, pure (usually bars & coins, rarely jewelry)
- 23K / 22K / 21K = higher purity, often overseas pieces, very valuable
- 18K = 75% gold
- 14K = ~58% gold
- 10K = ~42% gold
Higher karat = more real gold = worth more per gram.
Why you rarely see 24K jewelry
- Pure gold is soft, it bends and scratches too easily for everyday wear.
- That's why pure 24K is usually found as bars, coins, and bullion, not rings and chains.
- Most jewelry you own is 10K, 14K, 18K, or a higher overseas karat.
How gold is weighed
Gold is weighed in grams.
- More weight = more gold (at the same karat) = more value.
- Gold is often quoted by the troy ounce. 1 troy ounce = 31.1 grams.
What "spot price" means
Spot price = the live market price of pure gold.
- It's always for pure 24K, per troy ounce.
- It changes every day, even minute to minute.
- Your value = how much real gold you have, measured against that day's price. (This is why offers are time-sensitive.)
How to read your stamp
Most gold has a tiny stamp, inside a ring band, on a clasp, or on the back. It tells you the karat.
Group A: These mean SOLID GOLD
The 3-digit numbers show purity another way, 585 = 58.5% gold = 14K. 750 = 75% = 18K.
Markings that mean it's NOT solid gold
These mean the gold is only on the outside, a thin layer over another metal.
A quick note on silver
- A 925 stamp means sterling silver, not gold.
- We focus on gold, but we do buy pure/fine silver, 999 bars and coins, 1 oz and up (5 oz, 10 oz, 100 oz).
- We don't buy 925 sterling jewelry, but pure silver bars or coins, we're glad to evaluate.
Important: a stamp is a clue, not a guarantee
- Some real gold isn't stamped clearly, or at all.
- Some pieces are marked in ways that are easy to misread.
- The only way to know for certain is to test it. Stamps point you in the right direction; testing is what's certain.
Want the full checklist? Read our guide: How to Tell If Gold Is Real: Stamps & Simple Tests.
Sorting through a loved one's jewelry box? See our guide to selling inherited or estate gold.
The easiest way to know what YOUR gold is worth
- You don't need to calculate anything at home.
- Just figure out what's gold and what isn't, check the stamps above.
- Then let us do the rest: we test each piece with professional equipment, note its exact karat and weight, and send you a clear, itemized offer based on that day's market, no obligation.
Broken? No stamp? Not sure? Don't guess, just send it in and we'll test it and tell you exactly what you have. If it's not gold, we'll tell you that too, and we never charge you to find out.