What is 10K gold?
10 karat gold is 41.7% pure gold and is the minimum purity that can be called gold in the United States. It is the most durable karat used in mainstream jewelry.
Class rings, men's chains, earring posts and everyday jewelry in North America are often 10k because they resist scratches and bending.
10k has a light yellow tone. White and rose versions are also common, made by changing the alloy metals.
How the 10K gold price per gram is calculated
The world gold price is quoted for pure gold in US dollars per troy ounce. Dividing by 31.1035 gives the price of one gram of pure gold, currently $134.85. 10K gold is 41.7% gold, so we multiply by 0.417: $134.85 × 0.417 = $56.23 per gram. In euros that is €50.25 and in pounds £42.51.
Example
A 10K chain weighing 12.4 grams contains 5.17 grams of pure gold. Its melt value today is $697.29. If a buyer pays 85% of melt, you would receive about $592.70.
Tips for selling 10K gold
- Find the 10K or 417 hallmark and weigh items separately by karat. Mixed lots are often paid at the lowest karat.
- Remove stones, pearls and non-gold parts before weighing, or ask the buyer to deduct their weight.
- Get at least three quotes and compare them with the live melt value on this page.
- Use our scrap gold calculator when you have several items of different karats.
Prices on this page come from MetalflowAPI and update about every minute. Read our methodology for the full purity math. You can also see 10K gold price per ounce in USD or use the 10K gold calculator in EUR.