18K Gold Price Today
18K Gold Calculator
18K Gold Price by Weight
| Weight | 18K Gold Value |
|---|---|
| 1 gram | $114.23 |
| 2.5 grams | $285.57 |
| 5 grams | $571.13 |
| 10 grams | $1,142.27 |
| 15 grams | $1,713.40 |
| 20 grams | $2,284.53 |
| 1 troy ounce (31.1g) | $3,552.85 |
What Is 18K Gold?
18 karat gold is 75% pure gold (18 parts gold out of 24 total parts). The remaining 25% consists of alloy metals that add strength and can influence color—rose gold uses more copper, white gold uses palladium or nickel.
18K is the worldwide standard for fine jewelry. It offers the best balance between high gold content, beautiful rich color, and enough durability for everyday wear. Major luxury brands like Cartier, Rolex, and Tiffany & Co. primarily use 18K gold for their pieces.
When you use a gold estimator or calculator to find the melt value, 18K pieces are worth 75% of the pure gold price per gram—significantly more than 14K (58.3%) and 10K (41.7%).
18K Gold Price Formula
The formula for calculating 18K gold value:
Weight (grams) ÷ 31.1035 × Spot Price × 0.75 = Melt Value
Worked example: An 18K gold necklace weighing 20 grams with gold at $5,300 per troy ounce. 20 ÷ 31.1035 = 0.6430 troy ounces. 0.6430 × $5,300 × 0.75 = $2,555.93 melt value.
Use the gold estimator for an instant calculation with live market prices.
18K vs 14K Gold: Value Comparison
18K gold contains 75% pure gold while 14K contains 58.3%. For the same weight, 18K gold is worth approximately 29% more in melt value.
The visual difference is also notable. 18K gold has a deeper, richer yellow color compared to 14K, which can appear slightly lighter. This is why luxury and high-end jewelry brands prefer 18K gold.
However, 14K gold is more scratch-resistant and durable for everyday wear. The choice between 18K and 14K often comes down to whether you prioritize gold content and color richness (18K) or durability and value (14K).
Compare prices across all karats on our scrap gold prices page, or convert between purity systems using the karat calculator.