Pull a ring or chain out of your jewelry box and you'll usually find a tiny stamp: 10K, 14K, 18K, or maybe 24K. That single number is the biggest factor in what your piece is worth. Karat measures how much pure gold is in the metal — and once you understand it, you can estimate your payout before you ever walk into a shop.
What "karat" actually measures
Karat (spelled with a K, not to be confused with carat, which measures diamond weight) is purity out of 24 parts. Pure gold is 24 parts out of 24, or 24K. Everything below that is mixed with alloy metals like copper, silver, nickel, and zinc to make it harder, more durable, and to change its color. So a lower karat number means less pure gold and more alloy — and less money when you sell.
| Karat | Purity | Number stamp | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10K | 41.7% | 417 | Budget jewelry, class rings |
| 14K | 58.5% | 585 | Most U.S. rings & chains |
| 18K | 75.0% | 750 | Fine & designer jewelry |
| 24K | 99.9% | 999 | Bullion, coins, some imports |
How karat changes what you get paid
You are only paid for the actual gold in a piece, not the alloy. That's why karat matters so much. The same 10-gram chain is worth roughly 40% more in 14K than in 10K, and a full 28% more in 18K than in 14K — purely because of the gold content.
Weight (grams) × purity (as a decimal) × current gold price per gram = pure melt value
In 2026, gold has traded in the range of roughly $3,800 to $4,100 per troy ounce, or about $122–$132 per gram of pure gold. Multiply that by the purity decimal for your karat and you get the melt value per gram. Prices move every day, so always check the live spot ticker on our homepage before you sell.
Per-gram melt value by karat
Using a mid-range gold price of about $128 per gram, here is roughly what a single gram of each karat carries in pure gold value:
- 10K (41.7%): about $53 per gram
- 14K (58.5%): about $75 per gram
- 18K (75%): about $96 per gram
- 24K (99.9%): about $128 per gram
For a full walkthrough of the math on the most common karat, see our guide on how much 14K gold is worth per gram.
Not sure what karat you have? We'll test it free.
Call (909) 737-2467Higher karat isn't always "better"
It's tempting to assume 24K is the goal, but higher karat gold is softer and scratches or bends easily — which is why almost no one wears solid 24K rings. 14K and 18K are the sweet spot for jewelry because they hold up to daily wear while still carrying strong gold value. When you sell, though, the buyer doesn't care about durability. Purity and weight are what set your price.
Watch out for gold plating and "gold-filled"
Not everything stamped with a gold word is solid gold. Look closely at the marks. Stamps like GP (gold plated), GF (gold filled), or HGE mean only a thin layer of gold covers a base metal — these have little to no scrap value. Real solid gold is stamped with a clean karat or number mark (14K, 585, etc.) with nothing extra. Learn to read every mark in our gold hallmarks and stamps guide, and if you're unsure whether a piece is even real, our post on how to tell if your gold is real walks through seven at-home tests.
How to get the most for your gold, whatever the karat
Weigh your pieces at home and sort them by karat if you can. Then get a real quote based on the live spot price and the true weight — not a flat lowball rate. If a buyer won't show you the scale and the math, walk away. At SoCal Cash for Gold we pay up to 95% of live spot, test and weigh everything in front of you, and pay same-day in cash, Zelle, or Venmo. If you can't make it to our Montclair counter, our insured mail-in service gets you the same rates from anywhere.
Sorting a Mixed-Karat Lot at Our Montclair Shop
Most people don't sell one karat at a time — they bring in a whole drawer of tangled 10K, 14K, and 18K chains, odd earrings, and a class ring or two. Sorting that by purity is where a lot of value hides, and it's exactly what we do for you at 4994 Holt Blvd in Montclair. We test and separate every piece by karat while you watch, so your 18K isn't paid out at a 10K rate — then price the whole lot off live spot and pay up to 95% of it, same-day in cash, Zelle, or Venmo.
Sellers from Claremont, Upland, Pomona, Fontana, and Rancho Cucamonga bring us mixed lots every week, and being licensed and bonded means you can trust the sort is honest. It's a quick, no-obligation visit — far easier than a trip into LA. If you're coming from the west side of the valley, our Rancho Cucamonga gold buyer page has directions and hours. Bring the whole pile; we'll untangle the karats for you.