Learn how much is 14k gold worth per gram, the melt-value formula, hallmarks to check, and what a fair buyer pays before you sell your jewelry.
What Does 14K Gold Mean? The Karat Scale Explained
Gold purity in the United States is measured on a 24-part scale, where 24 karat represents essentially pure gold at 99.9% fineness. Anything below 24K is an alloy — pure gold mixed with other metals — because 24K gold is too soft to hold its shape in jewelry that gets worn daily. Fourteen karat means 14 parts out of 24 are gold, which works out to 58.3% pure gold by weight. The remaining 41.7% is made up of metals like copper, silver, zinc, or nickel, chosen to affect color, hardness, and cost.
The karat scale runs in familiar steps. 10K gold is 41.7% pure gold and is the legal minimum purity that can be sold as gold in the United States. 14K sits at 58.3%. 18K jumps to 75% pure gold, and 24K is as close to pure as jewelry-grade gold gets. Comparing 10K vs 14K vs 18K gold, the practical tradeoff is durability against gold content: 10K resists scratches and dents best but has the least gold value per gram, 18K has noticeably more gold value but is softer, and 14K is the most common middle ground in American jewelry because it balances wearability with a meaningful gold content.
Outside the U.S., especially in Europe, gold purity is often stamped as a three-digit number representing parts per thousand rather than a karat number. This is where 585 gold meaning comes in — 585 indicates 58.5% pure gold, which is functionally the same alloy as 14K (the tiny 0.2% difference is a rounding artifact between the karat and millesimal systems). If your piece is stamped 585 instead of 14K, treat it as 14K gold for valuation purposes.
So is 14K gold real gold? Yes. It is not as pure as 18K or 24K, but 14K gold is a genuine gold alloy, not plating or imitation. The confusion usually comes from other stamps that look similar but mean something very different, which we cover in the hallmarks section below.
14K Gold Price Per Gram: The Melt-Value Math
The formula for melt value is straightforward: weight in grams times 0.583 times the current gold spot price per gram. The 0.583 figure is simply 14K’s purity expressed as a decimal, and the spot price per gram is calculated by taking the quoted per-troy-ounce spot price and dividing it by 31.1035, the number of grams in a troy ounce. Once you have that per-gram spot figure, multiplying it by 0.583 gives you the 14K gold price per gram — the maximum theoretical value of any 14K item before deductions for stones or buyer margin.
To work through the math on your own jewelry, you need an accurate scale weight of just the gold portion, plus a current spot price. Our live gold price page updates throughout the trading day, since gold trades continuously and the spot price can move meaningfully within a single afternoon. Any honest quote you receive should be tied to the spot price at that specific moment, not a stale number from days earlier.
Jewelers frequently weigh gold in pennyweights rather than grams, a holdover unit from the troy weight system. One pennyweight (dwt) equals 1.555 grams, and 20 pennyweights make up one troy ounce. If a buyer quotes you a price per pennyweight instead of per gram, convert it before comparing offers — divide the pennyweight price by 1.555 to get the per-gram equivalent, or multiply a per-gram quote by 1.555 to check it against a per-pennyweight offer. Sellers who know both units can immediately catch a quote that looks generous per pennyweight but is actually mediocre per gram.
Keep in mind that this formula calculates the value of the gold content only. It does not account for diamonds, gemstones, watch movements, or the labor and design value of the piece — those require separate appraisal, which we address later in this guide.
Hallmarks and Spotting Gold-Filled or Plated Jewelry
Before any melt-value math matters, you have to confirm the piece is actually solid 14K gold and not something that only looks like it. The most common hallmarks for genuine 14K jewelry are 14K, 14KT, and 585. You may also see 14K P, where the P stands for plumb — meaning the piece is exactly 14 karat with no shortfall, a marking required by U.S. law when manufacturers guarantee precise purity.
The stamps to watch out for are the ones that look similar but mean something entirely different. Jewelry marked 1/20 14K GF is gold-filled, meaning a layer of 14K gold — by regulation, at least 1/20th of the item’s total weight — is bonded to a base metal core, usually brass. RGP stands for rolled gold plate, an even thinner gold layer over base metal. Both gold-filled and rolled gold plate pieces contain only a small fraction of the solid-gold value that an equivalent-looking solid 14K piece would have, even though they can be visually indistinguishable from solid gold to the naked eye. Items simply marked GP (gold plated) or HGE (heavy gold electroplate) have an even thinner gold layer and correspondingly minimal melt value.
Because hallmarks can wear off, be forged, or simply be absent on older or handmade pieces, reputable buyers do not rely on the stamp alone. Acid testing involves scratching a small mark on a discreet spot and applying nitric acid formulated for different karat thresholds to see how the metal reacts. It works but consumes a tiny amount of the piece. The more common modern method is XRF, or X-ray fluorescence, analysis — a handheld device reads the metal’s elemental composition in seconds without damaging the item, and it can distinguish solid 14K from a gold-filled or plated piece even when the karat stamp is missing or unreliable.
If you are wondering how much is my gold jewelry worth and part of your uncertainty is whether it’s solid gold at all, get it tested before assuming either the best or worst case. A piece stamped 14K that turns out to test lower, or a piece with no stamp that tests as genuine 14K, are both common outcomes.
White Gold, Yellow Gold, and Rose Gold — Same Purity, Different Alloy
A question we hear constantly at the counter is whether 14K white gold is worth the same as 14K yellow gold. It is. The karat number describes the percentage of pure gold in the alloy, not the color, so 14K white gold, 14K yellow gold, and 14K rose gold all contain exactly 58.3% pure gold by weight. The remaining 41.7% is where the color comes from.
Yellow gold typically uses copper and silver in its alloy mix, which preserves gold’s natural warm tone. White gold is alloyed with metals like nickel, palladium, or manganese, which neutralize gold’s yellow color to produce a silvery-white appearance; many white gold pieces are also finished with a thin rhodium plating for extra shine and scratch resistance, which is unrelated to the gold content underneath. Rose gold gets its pink-orange tone from a higher proportion of copper in the alloy.
Because the alloy metals differ, the melting points and hardness of white, yellow, and rose gold vary slightly, and jewelers sometimes charge different fabrication costs across colors. But for scrap or melt-value purposes, none of that matters — a gram of 14K white gold and a gram of 14K yellow gold contain the identical amount of pure gold and are worth the same in melt value. Do not let a buyer tell you white gold is worth less per gram simply because of its color; the purity math is unaffected by alloy color, and any legitimate discount would have to come from something else, like rhodium removal costs, which are minor.
What Gold Buyers Actually Pay Relative to Spot
No reputable buyer pays 100% of melt value, and understanding why helps you evaluate offers rationally instead of feeling shortchanged. A buyer who purchases your jewelry has to cover refining costs, operating expenses, and market risk from the time they buy the piece to the time they resell or refine it, so every buyer pays some percentage of melt value rather than the full spot-based number. The percentage a buyer offers — not the spot price itself, which is the same for everyone — is the number worth shopping around on.
Before that percentage is even applied, a buyer needs to determine the accurate gold weight of your piece. Stones, clasps with steel springs, and solder joints at repair points all add weight that is not gold, and an honest buyer accounts for this by weighing the piece, identifying the non-gold components, and deducting or physically removing them before calculating value. A quote based on the item’s total weight without these deductions will overstate what you should expect elsewhere, or understate what a careful buyer offers once they have properly isolated the gold weight.
When comparing offers from multiple buyers, ask each one for three things: the scale weight in grams (or pennyweights), the karat purity they tested (not just what’s stamped), and the spot price they are basing the quote on. With those three numbers you can run the melt-value formula yourself and see exactly what percentage of melt each buyer is offering. A buyer unwilling to show you the weight, the tested purity, or the spot price basis is not letting you check their math — and that opacity is often where a poor deal hides. Transparent buyers show their work because the math holds up.
If you’re asking how much is my gold jewelry worth in practical terms, the answer is: your gold weight, times 0.583, times the current spot per gram, times whatever percentage your buyer offers. Everything else is detail on top of that core equation.
When Jewelry Is Worth More Than Its Melt Value
Melt value is a floor, not a ceiling, for a meaningful minority of pieces. Designer and brand-name jewelry — signed pieces from recognized makers, for instance — can carry a premium well above scrap value because collectors and resellers pay for the maker’s name and craftsmanship, not just the gold content. Before assuming a piece is only worth melt, check for a maker’s mark alongside the karat stamp.
Antique and estate jewelry is another category where intact value often exceeds melt. Victorian, Art Deco, and early-to-mid-20th-century pieces frequently used construction techniques, filigree work, or design styles that collectors specifically seek out, meaning the piece as a whole is worth more assembled than broken down for its gold. Class rings and pieces with sentimental engraving rarely carry resale premiums, but they’re worth a second look if the maker or era is notable.
Diamond and gemstone jewelry requires separate evaluation entirely. The gold setting is valued by the melt formula, but diamonds and colored stones are graded and priced independently based on cut, clarity, color, and carat weight — a ring’s total value is the gold value plus the stone value, and a buyer who only quotes melt on the gold without separately assessing the stones is leaving value on the table for you as the seller.
This is why an in-person evaluation matters more than a phone quote for anything beyond plain scrap gold. At Lone Star Coins, our we buy fine jewelry service specifically evaluates designer, antique, and gemstone pieces for their full value rather than defaulting straight to melt math, and pieces that don’t carry a premium are still bought fairly based on accurate weight and current spot price.
Selling 14K Gold in San Antonio: What to Expect
When you’re ready to sell, the process should be transparent enough that you can verify every step. At Lone Star Coins, we test gold jewelry with XRF analysis performed in front of the customer, so you see the purity reading in real time rather than taking a verbal assurance on faith. We weigh each piece on a calibrated scale, separate out non-gold components like stones or steel clasp springs, and base every quote on the live gold spot price at the moment of the transaction.
We buy 14K, 10K, 18K, and 24K gold in any condition — rings, chains, bracelets, broken pieces, single earrings, and class rings are all evaluated the same way, on weight and tested purity rather than cosmetic condition. If a piece has designer marks, antique construction, or diamonds and gemstones, we evaluate it for that additional value before defaulting to a melt-based quote. Our we buy gold jewelry page has more detail on what to bring and how the appraisal works.
No appointment is necessary for walk-in appraisals at our San Antonio showroom at 2622 NW Loop 410, and there’s no obligation to sell once you have your quote in hand. For readers outside the immediate area, our sell gold in San Antonio and how to sell gold guide pages walk through the same process for anyone shipping items in or planning a visit from out of town. Because we’re a PCGS and NGC Authorized Dealer and a National Coin & Bullion Association member with more than 40 years in business, the same standards of transparency apply whether you’re selling a single gold chain or a full estate collection.
Frequently asked questions
How much is 14k gold worth per gram?+
14K gold’s value per gram equals the current gold spot price per gram multiplied by 0.583, its purity as a decimal. Since spot price changes throughout the trading day, the exact number shifts constantly — check a live gold price page for the current per-ounce spot price, divide by 31.1035 to get the per-gram figure, then multiply by 0.583. That gives you the melt value per gram before any buyer’s payout percentage is applied.
What does 14K or 585 stamped on jewelry mean?+
Both stamps indicate the same purity: 58.3% pure gold alloyed with other metals for durability. 14K uses the American karat system (14 out of 24 parts gold), while 585 is the European millesimal system showing parts per thousand. If you see either mark, the underlying gold content is essentially identical, and both should be valued using the same 0.583 multiplier in the melt formula.
Is 14k white gold worth the same as yellow gold?+
Yes, gram for gram, 14K white gold and 14K yellow gold contain the identical 58.3% pure gold content. The color difference comes entirely from the alloy metals mixed in — nickel or palladium for white gold, copper and silver for yellow — not from a different amount of gold. Any price difference between similar white and yellow gold pieces typically reflects rhodium plating or design costs, not the melt value of the gold itself.
How can I tell if my jewelry is real 14k gold or plated?+
Start by checking the hallmark: genuine solid gold reads 14K, 14KT, or 585, while stamps like 1/20 14K GF (gold-filled) or RGP (rolled gold plate) indicate only a thin gold layer over base metal. Because stamps can wear off or be misleading, the most reliable confirmation is XRF testing, which reads the metal’s actual composition in seconds without damaging the piece. Lone Star Coins performs XRF testing in front of customers during every gold evaluation in our San Antonio showroom.
How much do gold buyers pay compared to the spot price?+
No legitimate buyer pays 100% of melt value, since refining costs and operating expenses have to come out of the transaction; the payout percentage is the number that varies most between buyers and is worth comparing directly. Ask any buyer for the scale weight, tested purity, and spot price basis behind their quote so you can calculate the melt value yourself and see exactly what percentage they’re offering against it.
Should I sell my 14k gold jewelry or keep it?+
That depends on whether the piece carries sentimental value, designer or antique premium, or diamonds worth more intact than as melt gold — broken chains, single earrings, and plain unworn pieces are usually straightforward melt-value candidates. A free in-person appraisal is the simplest way to find out which category your jewelry falls into before deciding, since designer marks or gemstone settings can push value well above scrap.
Where can I sell 14k gold in San Antonio?+
Lone Star Coins buys 14K gold jewelry daily at our San Antonio showroom at 2622 NW Loop 410, offering free walk-in appraisals with no appointment needed. We test every piece with XRF analysis on the spot, weigh it on a calibrated scale, and quote based on the live gold spot price so sellers can verify the math. We also ship-in purchases nationwide for sellers outside the San Antonio area.