The ability to convert the weights of precious metals between one another is an extremely valuable tool in the jewellery industry. Knowing how much X amount of gold is worth in relation to platinum (and vice versa) can help you better navigate any transactions and deals you come across.
Throughout this article, we’ll focus on gold to platinum conversion in particular – with silver entering the conversation where relevant. We’ll also cover how to convert the different weights of jewellery items comprised of the same metal, which will answer questions such as: “How much does the same jewellery weigh in 10k gold vs. 14k vs. 18k?”
We cover some simple calculations to help you convert any metal to metal weights – from gold to silver to platinum. So get comfortable, grab your calculator, and let’s get familiar with some valuable equations that make traversing the precious metal trade a bit easier for you.
How can knowing gram weight conversions help you?
For anyone interested in either selling or trading up their jewellery, it's always helpful to know how much your item would weigh in a different metal. You can also use the information contained within this article to compare the weights of different types and grades of metal jewellery.
When looking at gold weight conversion, for example, 18K gold is typically more expensive than 14K gold. This means if you're looking at two pieces of jewellery that weigh the same amount, but one is 14K and the other is 18K, the 18K piece will be more expensive.
Information on gram-weight conversions can also be helpful if you're trying to determine the value of a piece of jewellery. The purer a metal is, the more valuable it is. So, if you have a piece of jewellery that's 10K gold, it's not as valuable as a piece of 18K gold that weighs the same amount. This boils down to the fact that none of the other metals gold is alloyed with come close to gold’s value. Any other metal that gold is alloyed with will always result in the item of jewellery being worth less than another item of jewellery with a higher gold content.
Finally, gram weights can come in handy if you're trying to find a piece of jewellery that's a particular weight. For example, if you know you want a ring weighing 5 grams, you can use a conversion chart to figure out how much that would cost in various metals.
If you're looking for a specific weight in gold, you can convert the weight you want to grams, and then use a conversion chart to find out how much that would be in gold.
Such calculations enable you to know precisely what you can get for your money in various precious metals. Once you have these conversions understood, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with within the industry.
Gold conversions
Here, we discuss gold conversions, with some equations to help you establish how much your piece of gold jewellery would weigh in other karats and metals.
We also focus on some of the more frequently traded denominations, such as 18K gold weight and 14K gold by the gram.
The following are the formulas for gold conversions:
Converting 10K to 14K gold
- 10K gram weight / 0.885
Converting 14K to 10K gold
- 14K gram weight / 1.13
Converting 14K to 18K gold
- 14K gram weight / 0.839
Converting 18K gold to 14K gold
- 18K gram weight / 1.192
Converting 10K gold to sterling silver
- 10K gram weight / 0.111
Converting 14K gold to sterling silver
- 14K gram weight / 1.257
Converting 18K gold to sterling silver
- 18K gold gram weight / 1.498
Platinum conversions
Although less common than gold, platinum has become an increasingly popular metal of choice within the jewellery industry since its first significant influence on the scene back in the 1920s.
Due to its exclusivity, people tend to stray from platinum due to a general lack of knowledge about it. Here to help us eliminate this fear of the unknown, the next set of conversions will quickly assist those seeking more insight into the weight relationship between platinum and gold.
The following list of equations serves to assist you in converting platinum weights to other metals. We’ve included a few of the common varying karats of gold, which should help you with any more specific conversions. These platinum conversions only work on pure platinum, as opposed to the gold conversions above, which cover different purity grades of gold.
Converting gold to platinum:
10K gram weight / 0.539 14K gram weight / 0.609 18K gram weight / 0.726
Converting sterling silver to platinum:
Silver gram weight / 0.485
About jewellers’ markups
It's always worth keeping in mind that when you're looking at the prices of different metals, the price that you initially see is not necessarily the price that you will end up paying. This is because jewellers typically add a markup to the price of their wares.
The markup is the amount a jeweller charges over the cost of the metal itself. It can vary from one jeweller to another.
As frustrating as it may be to have this extra fee slapped on top of a transaction you may make, you need to keep in mind that these fees are what keep these jewellers afloat. Without these fees, we’d have no avenue through which to conduct our purchasing, trading, or selling of our precious jewellery. By asking for a quote (which will always include a jeweller's fee), you can avoid being unpleasantly surprised by any unexpected fees you may discover later on with the cost of your purchase.
A jeweller's fee will usually be a percentage of the cost of the sale, which is later added on top of the purchase. For example, if the cost of gold is $1,000 per ounce and the jeweller's markup is 10%, the jeweller will charge $1,100 (or approx £915) for an ounce of gold. So, when you're comparing prices, be sure to always take the jeweller's markup into account.
To get an accurate idea of how much a piece of jewellery will cost, as mentioned above, it's best to begin by getting a quote from a jeweller. When you request a quote, the jeweller will always provide you with the price of the metal and the jeweller's markup.
Because the quote is a percentage of the total price of the transaction, it means that the jeweller’s markup will vary depending on the price of the exchange itself.
One thing worth considering when looking at 10k vs 14k vs 18k transactions is that transactions of the same weight may incur different fees. This is a result of the quote being a percentage of the total price of the transaction, and different grades of gold are obviously worth contrasting amounts of money.
Also keep in mind that the price of metals can fluctuate. This means that the price you pay for a piece of jewellery today may be different than the price you'd pay for the same piece tomorrow. For this reason, it's always a great idea to get a quote before buying.
Armed with these lists of conversation formulas, you can now confidently compare your jewellery to other pieces on the market. Knowing how much 24-karat gold or pure platinum your piece is comprised of compared to other pieces will allow you to garner a far more accurate idea of the value of your items.
You can now navigate your way through jewellery stores and online marketplaces, requiring just item weights, item purities, and a calculator to compare pieces of jewellery to one another.
So there you have it; you’re a professional at converting the weights of precious metals, so why not take it one step further by investing in some? We here at 7879 have the perfect collections of 24-Karat Gold and Pure Platinum to get you started. Our stunning gold and platinum jewellery provide you with the fantastic opportunity to invest in a tangible asset that you can adorn yourself with.
Instead of investing in gold or platinum the old-fashioned way – such as through clunky bullion or passé coins – you can purchase exquisite and pure gold or platinum jewellery that you can proudly show off to the world.
So what are you waiting for? Head to the 7879 store, where you’ll be met with the perfect platform to make a niche and modern investment in a piece of jewellery that you can cherish for many years to come.