Every piece of gold that crosses our counter carries a number — sometimes stamped, sometimes not. That number is its fineness , and it is the single biggest factor in what the gold is worth. Here is how to read it.
Fineness vs karat
Fineness is written in parts per thousand (‰). A bar stamped 999.9 is 999.9 parts gold out of 1,000 — 99.99% pure. Karat (K) expresses the same idea in parts of 24: 24K is pure gold, 18K is 18 parts out of 24, or 75%.
| Hallmark | Karat | Gold content | Typically seen in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 999.9 | 24K | 99.99% | Investment bars such as PAMP |
| 999 | 24K | 99.9% | Bars, coins and some jewellery |
| 916 | 22K | 91.6% | Traditional jewellery, very common in Malaysia |
| 875 | 21K | 87.5% | Jewellery |
| 835 | 20K | 83.5% | Jewellery |
| 750 | 18K | 75.0% | Fine jewellery, diamond settings |
| 585 | 14K | 58.5% | Everyday and imported jewellery |
| 375 | 9K | 37.5% | Lower-cost jewellery |
At PW GROUP we accept every grade on this table — from 999.9 all the way down to 375. You can try the interactive purity decoder on our homepage to see each one.
Why purity decides the price
The metals mixed into lower-karat gold — usually silver, copper or zinc — make it harder and change its colour, but they are not paid for as gold. What matters is the pure gold content :
pure gold (g) = weight (g) × fineness ÷ 1,000
So 100 g of 916 gold holds 91.6 g of pure gold, while 100 g of 375 gold holds 37.5 g. Two pieces that weigh the same can be worth very different amounts.
How purity is tested
XRF analysis
X-ray fluorescence reads the metals present in a piece without damaging it, and gives a result in minutes. It's ideal for sorting and for on-site verification.
Fire assay
Fire assay is the long-established reference method for gold. A sample is melted and separated so the gold can be measured directly. Our assay service combines XRF with fire assay and issues certified reports with same-day results.
Why we sometimes melt
A bag of mixed scrap can contain many different purities — plus solder and repairs. Melting it into one homogeneous bar makes the gold content measurable as a whole, so every gram is paid for accurately.
Before you sell: a quick checklist
- Sort pieces by hallmark where you can (916 with 916, 750 with 750).
- Note any pieces with stones — stones are not gold and are not counted in gold weight.
- Don't worry about unmarked pieces: testing will tell us what they are.
- Check the live price in the PW App and lock it for 60 seconds when you're ready.
Questions about a particular piece? WhatsApp our trading desk — we're happy to help before you commit to anything.
