Question 1

How do I calculate how much my gold is worth using KaratWorth?

Accepted Answer

Calculating your gold's value with KaratWorth is straightforward and takes less than a minute. First, weigh your gold using a digital jewelry scale accurate to at least 0.01 gram. Remove any non-gold components like gemstones or steel clasps if possible. Second, identify the purity by checking for hallmarks stamped on the piece: 24K or 999 for pure gold, 916 for 22K, 750 for 18K, 585 for 14K, or 375 for 9K. If no hallmark is visible, the piece may be plated or require professional testing. Third, open the KaratWorth Gold Calculator and enter your weight, select your purity, and the calculator automatically fetches the live gold spot price from api.metals.live. It instantly computes the melt value - the theoretical worth of the pure gold content at current market prices. For scrap jewelry that includes stones, non-gold parts, or mixed purities, use the Scrap Gold Calculator which handles these complexities. For jewelry with brand value or gemstones, the Jewelry Value Calculator adds those adjustments. All calculations are free, instant, and require no signup or personal data.

Question 2

What exactly is melt value and why does it matter when selling gold?

Accepted Answer

Melt value is the theoretical worth of the pure gold content in your jewelry or bullion, calculated by multiplying the weight by the purity percentage and the current spot price per gram. It represents the absolute floor value of your gold - what it would be worth if melted down and sold as raw metal on the global market. Melt value matters because it is the baseline against which all buyer offers are measured. Reputable dealers typically pay 70-85% of melt value, covering their refining costs, business overhead, and profit margin. Pawn shops may offer 50-70%, while mail-in services sometimes pay as little as 55% after hidden fees. Knowing your melt value before selling transforms you from a passive seller into an informed negotiator. You can walk into any buyer's shop knowing exactly what your gold is worth and whether their offer is fair, low, or excellent. The KaratWorth Gold Calculator and Gold Offer Checker make this knowledge accessible to everyone, regardless of experience with precious metals. Melt value does not include brand premiums, collectible value, or sentimental worth - those are separate considerations for intact sales.

Question 3

How much do gold buyers typically pay and how can I get the best price?

Accepted Answer

The percentage of melt value you receive depends entirely on who you sell to and how well you negotiate. Reputable local jewelers and precious metal refiners typically pay 70-85% of melt value for standard scrap jewelry, and up to 90-92% for large quantities of pure, hallmarked gold. Pawn shops generally offer 50-70% because they factor in storage costs, default risk, and resale margin. Mail-in gold-buying services often advertise attractive rates but deduct substantial hidden fees, resulting in net payouts of 55-75%. Cash-for-gold kiosks in malls and tourist areas typically pay 40-60% because they target uninformed, time-pressed sellers. To get the best price: calculate your exact melt value first using the KaratWorth Gold Calculator, get at least 3 written quotes from different buyer types, use the Gold Offer Checker to rate each offer, negotiate using competing quotes as leverage, and never accept the first offer out of convenience. Even a 5% improvement on a $5,000 sale is worth $250 - more than enough to justify one extra phone call or visit. The key principle is that informed sellers get better prices, and KaratWorth gives you the information you need.

Question 4

How do I identify the karat or purity of my gold jewelry?

Accepted Answer

Identifying gold purity starts with the hallmark - a stamp applied by the manufacturer or assay office indicating the gold content. Common hallmarks include: 24K or 999 for pure gold (99.9% pure), 916 for 22 karat gold (91.6% pure - the standard in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Middle East), 750 for 18 karat gold (75% pure - common in Europe and Western fine jewelry), 585 for 14 karat gold (58.5% pure - the US standard), and 375 for 9 karat gold (37.5% pure - the UK minimum legal standard). Look for these stamps on the inside of rings, on the clasp of necklaces and bracelets, on the back of pendants, or on the edge of coins and bars. If no stamp is visible, the piece may be gold-plated, counterfeit, or of uncertain origin. For verification, use the KaratWorth Gold Stamp Decoder to understand what each mark means. For definitive testing, take the piece to a certified jeweler who can perform acid tests, electronic testing, or XRF spectrometry. Never assume purity based on color alone - 18K yellow gold and 22K gold can look very similar, and some plated pieces are deliberately colored to mimic higher karat gold.

Question 5

How do traditional weight units like tola, vori, and bhori convert to grams?

Accepted Answer

Tola, vori, and bhori are traditional South Asian weight units used for gold across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and the Gulf states. In standard measurement, all three are equivalent at exactly 11.6638038 grams (commonly rounded to 11.664 grams). The different names reflect regional linguistic variations: tola is used in India and Nepal, vori in Bangladesh, and bhori in some Bengali contexts. To convert to grams: multiply the number of tola/vori/bhori by 11.6638. Examples: 1 tola = 11.664g, 5 tola = 58.32g, 10 tola = 116.64g, and 20 tola = 233.28g. The Pakistan market uses a slightly different tola of 12.5 grams in some traditional areas, creating a 7.4% difference that affects pricing. One troy ounce (the international precious metals standard) equals approximately 2.667 tola. The KaratWorth Weight Converter instantly converts between all these units and also handles troy ounces, grams, and pennyweights. When buying gold, always verify which unit your jeweler is using, as confusion between standard tola and Pakistani tola has led to pricing disputes worth hundreds of dollars on large purchases.

Question 6

Is KaratWorth free to use and how does it protect my privacy?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all KaratWorth calculators, guides, and tools are completely free to use. No account is required, no signup process, no credit card, and no hidden fees of any kind. We believe everyone deserves access to accurate gold valuation tools regardless of their financial situation or technical expertise. Privacy is equally important: KaratWorth does not store any of your personal data, weight entries, or calculation results. All calculations happen in your browser using JavaScript - your data never leaves your device, is not sent to our servers, and is not tracked or logged. We do not use cookies for tracking, we do not collect email addresses, and we do not sell any information to third parties. The only external connection is to api.metals.live for live spot prices, which is a read-only data fetch with no personal information transmitted. Your calculations are completely private and anonymous. You can use KaratWorth on a shared computer without worrying about your gold holdings being recorded. You can close the browser tab and all your entries disappear instantly. This privacy-first approach ensures that your financial information remains yours alone.

Understand Your
Gold. Plan Smarter.
Pay Fairly.

What are you trying to do?

Value My Gold

Plan Wedding Gold

Calculate My Zakat

Check a Jewelry Price

Estimate a Selling Offer

Create a Jeweler Quote

Precious Metal Calculators

Gold Value Calculator

Scrap Gold Calculator

Jewelry Value Calculator

Gold Price per Tola / Vori

Tola to Gram Calculator

Gold Stamp Decoder

Gold Offer Checker

Making Charges Calculator

Zakat Calculator

Jewelry Invoice Estimator

Country Gold Calculators

Understand Exactly What You Have

Professional Tools, Free to Use

Global Gold Weight Units

Why Use KaratWorth?

Transparent Formulas

Global Units

Instant Results

Honest Data

Educational

Transparent Formulas

Know your gold value before you sell

Common Questions About Gold & Silver Calculators

Your gold decisions, made clearer

Understand YourGold. Plan Smarter.Pay Fairly.

What are you trying to do?

Value My Gold

Plan Wedding Gold

Calculate My Zakat

Check a Jewelry Price

Estimate a Selling Offer

Create a Jeweler Quote

Precious Metal Calculators

Gold Value Calculator

Scrap Gold Calculator

Jewelry Value Calculator

Gold Price per Tola / Vori

Tola to Gram Calculator

Gold Stamp Decoder

Gold Offer Checker

Making Charges Calculator

Zakat Calculator

Jewelry Invoice Estimator

Country Gold Calculators

Understand Exactly What You Have

Professional Tools, Free to Use

Global Gold Weight Units

Why Use KaratWorth?

Transparent Formulas

Global Units

Instant Results

Honest Data

Educational

Transparent Formulas

Know your gold value before you sell

Common Questions About Gold & Silver Calculators

How do I calculate how much my gold is worth using KaratWorth?

What exactly is melt value and why does it matter when selling gold?

How much do gold buyers typically pay and how can I get the best price?

How do I identify the karat or purity of my gold jewelry?

How do traditional weight units like tola, vori, and bhori convert to grams?

Is KaratWorth free to use and how does it protect my privacy?

Your gold decisions, made clearer

Understand Your
Gold. Plan Smarter.
Pay Fairly.