Calculate the exact value of your precious metals using live market prices. Free, accurate, and updated every 10 minutes.
Follow these simple steps to calculate the value of your gold or silver items accurately.
Choose between gold or silver. For gold, select the karat (24K, 22K, 21K, 18K, 14K, or 10K). For silver, choose between fine silver (999) or sterling silver (925). The karat determines the purity percentage of the metal in your item.
Weigh your item using a precision scale and enter the weight. You can choose between grams, troy ounces, kilograms, or tola as your unit of measurement. For jewelry, grams is the most common unit. For investment bars, troy ounces or kilograms are typically used.
Select the currency you want the result displayed in. The calculator uses live exchange rates updated every 10 minutes to convert from USD spot price to your chosen currency. This ensures you always see accurate pricing in your local currency.
Click "Calculate Value" to see the total value, price per gram, pure metal weight, and purity percentage. For multiple items, use the "Multiple Items" tab to add several pieces and get a combined total. Results are calculated using real-time international spot prices.
The international gold price is quoted in US dollars per troy ounce (31.1035 grams). This price, known as the "spot price," is determined by trading on major commodity exchanges including the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), COMEX in New York, and the Shanghai Gold Exchange. The spot price fluctuates continuously during trading hours based on supply and demand dynamics, geopolitical events, inflation expectations, and currency movements.
When you see a gold price of, say, $2,000 per ounce, that refers to the price of one troy ounce of pure 24-karat gold on the international market. To find the price per gram, you divide by 31.1035. So at $2,000 per ounce, one gram of pure gold costs approximately $64.30. This per-gram price is the foundation for calculating the value of any gold item.
Not all gold items are pure gold. The karat system measures gold purity on a scale where 24 karats equals 100% pure gold. When you have a 21K gold bracelet, it means 21 out of 24 parts are pure gold (87.5%), and the remaining 3 parts are alloy metals like copper, silver, or zinc. These alloy metals are added to make the gold harder and more suitable for jewelry.
To calculate the value of a karat gold item, multiply the pure gold price per gram by the karat fraction (karat/24) and then by the weight. For example, for a 10-gram 21K gold ring at a spot price of $64.30 per gram: $64.30 ร (21/24) ร 10 = $562.63. This gives you the raw metal value, also called the "melt value." Retail jewelry prices are always higher because they include craftsmanship (making charges), dealer margins, taxes, and brand premiums.
Quick Formula: Gold Value = (Spot Price per gram) ร (Karat รท 24) ร Weight in grams. Our calculator above does this automatically using live prices, so you don't have to do the math manually.
One of the most common sources of confusion in precious metals is the difference between a troy ounce and a regular (avoirdupois) ounce. A troy ounce weighs 31.1035 grams, while a regular ounce weighs 28.3495 grams. This means a troy ounce is approximately 10% heavier. All international precious metals markets, dealers, and refiners use the troy ounce system. If someone quotes you a gold price "per ounce," they always mean troy ounce unless explicitly stated otherwise.
The troy weight system has been used for precious metals since the Middle Ages and gets its name from the French city of Troyes, which was a major trading center. In addition to the troy ounce, other weight units commonly used include grams (most popular worldwide for jewelry), kilograms (for large bars), and tola (used in South Asia, where 1 tola = 11.6638 grams).
Silver purity works differently from gold karats. Instead of a karat system, silver uses a millesimal fineness system โ a number that represents parts per thousand of pure silver. Fine silver (999) is 99.9% pure and is primarily used for investment products like bullion bars and coins. It's too soft for most jewelry applications. Sterling silver (925) contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper, making it the standard for quality jewelry and silverware worldwide.
When calculating silver value, use the same basic approach as gold: divide the spot price per troy ounce by 31.1035 to get the price per gram, then multiply by the purity fraction and the weight. For 925 sterling silver, multiply by 0.925; for 999 fine silver, multiply by 0.999.
Understanding what moves gold and silver prices helps you time your purchases and sales better. US Dollar strength has an inverse relationship with gold โ when the dollar weakens, gold typically rises because it becomes cheaper for holders of other currencies. Interest rates also matter: higher rates make bonds and savings more attractive relative to gold (which pays no yield), often pressuring gold prices down. Conversely, low or negative real interest rates are bullish for gold.
Inflation is one of gold's most traditional drivers. As a tangible asset with limited supply, gold tends to preserve purchasing power during inflationary periods. Geopolitical uncertainty โ wars, political crises, trade disputes โ drives demand for gold as a safe-haven asset. Central bank purchases also play a significant role; in recent years, central banks worldwide have been net buyers of gold, supporting prices.
Silver has additional industrial demand factors since approximately 50% of silver consumption comes from industrial applications, including electronics, solar panels, and medical devices. This means silver prices are influenced by both precious metal demand and industrial economic cycles.
When using this calculator or any gold valuation tool, keep these points in mind for the most accurate results. First, ensure you have the correct karat โ look for hallmark stamps on your jewelry (such as "750" for 18K, "875" for 21K, or "916" for 22K). If there's no stamp, have the item tested by a professional jeweler using an acid test or electronic tester.
Second, use a precision scale. Kitchen scales are typically not accurate enough for gold valuation. A jewelry scale that measures to 0.01 grams will give you much better results. Third, remember that the calculator shows the metal melt value โ what the raw gold is worth. If you're selling jewelry to a dealer, expect to receive 70-90% of the melt value depending on market conditions and the dealer. If buying, expect to pay a premium above melt value.
Our Gold Karat Calculator app offers unlimited calculations, PDF export, profit margin tools, and works offline.