What does gold melt value mean?
Melt value estimates what the fine gold in a piece is worth at the price you enter. A jewelry appraisal can also account for workmanship, stones and market demand. Compare monetary values over time separately with the Inflation Calculator.
How to use the gold value calculator
Weigh the metal portion in grams or troy ounces. Enter a USD quote for pure gold, selecting whether the quote is per gram or per troy ounce. Choose a karat rating or enter an assay as a percentage.
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For optional record keeping, browse digital gram scales (paid link). Use an appropriate capacity and resolution for your piece.
Gold value formula and troy conversion
Nominal purity is karats divided by 24. Multiply metal weight by purity to get fine gold weight. Convert that weight to the quote unit and multiply by the quote. One troy ounce equals 31.1034768 grams.
For an optional practice or checking aid, browse jeweler’s loupes (paid link). Read small hallmarks under magnification.
How to read the composition diagram
The colored sections show the proportions of fine gold and other metal in the entered mass. Changing only the quoted price changes the estimated value while leaving those mass proportions the same.
If you are setting up a practice or review session, browse jewelry weighing trays (paid link). Tare a compatible tray before weighing.
Worked example for 18-karat gold
For 10 g of 18K metal, nominal purity is 18 ÷ 24 = 75%. The piece contains an estimated 7.5 g fine gold. At an entered quote of $100 per gram, the estimated melt value is $750.
For optional equipment or reference material, browse jewelry reference books (paid link). Look up common marks and terminology.
Accuracy and price limitations
Use a price quote with its unit and timestamp. The tool uses the number you enter and leaves dealer spreads, refining fees and collectible value outside the estimate. When available, an assay can replace nominal karat purity.
Gold Value Calculator FAQs
Enter your own price in USD per gram or troy ounce.
Choose Custom assay and enter its fine-gold percentage.
Nominal 18-karat gold is 18 parts gold out of 24 by mass, or 75%.
Sources and methodology
Source information retrieved or reviewed on 8 November 2026. Independent implementation; linked organizations do not endorse this calculator. Defined snapshots and limitations are explained above.