GoldPrice ConverterLoading live prices…
What 24K, 18K, 14K and 9K really mean — the full purity chart, how to read a hallmark, and how to tell if gold is real.
| Karat | Purity | Hallmark | Typical use | Live price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24K Gold (24K) | 99.99% | 999 | Coins, bars & investment bullion | View → |
| 22K Gold (22K) | 91.60% | 916 | Bridal & investment jewelry (India, Gulf) | View → |
| 21K Gold (21K) | 87.50% | 875 | Everyday jewelry (Middle East, North Africa) | View → |
| 18K Gold (18K) | 75.00% | 750 | Fine & designer jewelry (Europe, US) | View → |
| 14K Gold (14K) | 58.50% | 585 | Everyday fine jewelry (US standard) | View → |
| 10K Gold (10K) | 41.70% | 417 | Durable, budget jewelry (US minimum) | View → |
| 9K Gold (9K) | 37.50% | 375 | Everyday jewelry (UK minimum) | View → |
Purity is the share of pure gold in the alloy; the hallmark stamps it in parts per thousand. A piece’s metal value is roughly the live 24K price per gram × its purity — try the gold converter for any weight and karat.
Karat (spelled “carat” in much of the world for gold) measures purity in twenty-fourths. Pure gold is 24 out of 24 parts, or 24K. So 18K is 18 parts gold to 6 parts other metals — 75% pure — and 12K would be exactly half gold. Because pure gold is soft, jewelers alloy it with metals like copper, silver, zinc, and palladium to add strength and, in the case of white and rose gold, to change its colour.
Most gold is stamped with a fineness mark — the purity expressed in parts per thousand. “750” means 750/1000, or 75% pure (18K); “585” is 14K; “375” is 9K. You may also see the karat written directly (“18K”, “916 KDM”) alongside an assay-office mark that certifies where and when the piece was tested. A hallmark is a strong sign of authenticity, but stamps can be faked, so treat it as one clue rather than proof.
No single home test is definitive, but together these narrow it down:
For the full story on choosing between purities, read our guide to gold karats, or check today’s gold price.
24 karat is the highest — pure gold, about 99.9% fine, hallmarked 999. Anything higher would simply be purer refined gold; 24K is the standard for coins and bars.
These are fineness stamps showing parts-per-thousand of pure gold: 750 = 18K (75%), 585 = 14K (58.5%), and 375 = 9K (37.5%). Likewise 999 = 24K, 916 = 22K, 875 = 21K, and 417 = 10K.
It depends on use. For investment, 24K coins and bars give the most pure gold per dollar. For jewelry that lasts, 22K holds value with good durability, while 18K and 14K trade some purity for the strength needed in rings and settings.
Yes, per gram — because it contains more pure gold. A piece’s metal value is roughly the 24K spot price per gram multiplied by its purity, so 18K (0.75) is worth about three-quarters of 24K by weight.
Start with the hallmark and a magnet (gold is not magnetic). For certainty, a jeweler can run an acid test or an XRF analyzer, which reads the exact purity without damaging the piece.
Yes. 14K, 10K and 9K are all genuine gold, just alloyed with more of other metals for strength and lower cost. They contain less pure gold, so their melt value is lower.