What 18k gold is worth per gram today
A gram of 18k gold is worth $105.77, a pennyweight $164.48 and a troy ounce $3,289. That is 75.00% of the gold price, because 18k is 18 parts gold in 24. The benchmark behind it is the London afternoon price set on , and every figure on this page moves with it.
| purity | stamp | per gram | per dwt | per troy oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24k | 999 | $140.88 | $219.09 | $4,381 |
| 22k | 916 | $129.27 | $201.04 | $4,020 |
| 21k | 875 | $123.39 | $191.90 | $3,837 |
| 20k | 833 | $117.52 | $182.76 | $3,655 |
| 18k | 750 | $105.77 | $164.48 | $3,289 |
| 14k | 585 | $82.26 | $127.93 | $2,558 |
| 12k | 500 | $70.51 | $109.66 | $2,193 |
| 10k | 417 | $58.76 | $91.38 | $1,827 |
| 9k | 375 | $52.88 | $82.24 | $1,644 |
| 8k | 333 | $47.01 | $73.10 | $1,462 |
What the 750 stamp means
Eighteen karat is stamped 750, and unlike 14k the arithmetic is exact: 18 divided by 24 is precisely 0.75. There is no rounding argument and no regional variation. A piece marked 750 contains three quarters of its weight in gold, and the stamp is the same in Milan, Paris, Hong Kong and New York.
The higher gold content shows. Eighteen karat is a deeper, more saturated yellow than 14k, it does not tarnish in ordinary wear, and it is noticeably softer, which means it scratches and scuffs more readily and can be sized and repaired more easily. That softness is why 18k is more common in earrings, pendants and occasional rings than in a wedding band that will be knocked against a desk for forty years.
Almost all European gold jewellery is 18k or 14k, and almost all of the famous houses work in 18k. If a piece is stamped 750 alongside a maker’s mark and a serial number, stop and identify the maker before you weigh it. That combination is the strongest signal on any piece of jewellery that it is worth more than its metal.
A worked example: an 18k signet ring
Take an 18k signet ring weighing 8 grams. Multiply by 0.7500 to get 6.00 grams of pure gold, then multiply that by the gold price per gram. The melt value is $846.13.
That is the metal, not the offer. The same piece at a pawn shop is typically worth $423.06 to $507.68 (50% to 60% of melt), and at a mail-in refiner $676.90 to $719.21. The calculator at the top of the page shows all four kinds of buyer for whatever you enter.
Selling 18k gold
A gram of 18k carries 28.6% more gold than a gram of 14k, so the same weight is worth almost a third more at melt. Combined with the size of the pieces people tend to own in 18k, an 18k lot is usually the most valuable thing in a jewellery box by some margin.
It is also the purity where selling to the wrong buyer costs the most. A refiner pays for gold and ignores the name inside the band. An auction house, a specialist dealer or a consignment jeweller pays for the name. If the piece is signed, get one opinion on its value as jewellery before you accept any offer based on weight, because that decision cannot be reversed once the piece is in a crucible.
The percentages above are typical published trade spreads rather than quotes. What buyers actually pay sets out where each band comes from, and how we calculate shows every constant used on this page.
18k gold questions
What does 750 mean on gold?
750 parts gold per thousand, which is 75% and exactly 18 karat. It is the standard European purity mark and appears alongside a maker’s mark and often an assay office mark. A piece stamped 18K or 18KT is making the identical claim.
Is 18k gold worth more than 14k?
Per gram, yes, by about 29%. 18k is 75% gold by weight against 14k at 58.3%. Whether a specific 18k piece is worth more than a specific 14k piece depends on the weights as well, so compare the melt values rather than the karats.
Does 18k gold scratch easily?
More easily than 14k or 10k, yes. Only a quarter of the weight is hardening alloy, so the metal is softer. It picks up a fine patina of surface scratches with wear, which a jeweller can polish out, though each polish removes a small amount of metal.
Should I sell an 18k designer ring for melt?
Usually not. Signed pieces from known houses sell for multiples of their gold content, and melting is irreversible. Identify the maker first, then get a jewellery valuation alongside the melt figure and compare the two before deciding.