How to Tell the Weight of a Gold Necklace

Determining the weight of your gold necklace isn't as simple as putting the necklace on a scale and weighing it. No, you have to calculate the weight of the actual content of pure gold contained in your necklace. If you are planning to sell your gold necklace for scrap gold, you will be paid only for the pure gold content. Gold necklaces usually come in 10, 14, 18 or 22 karat gold. Calculating the weight of gold content in your necklace requires minimal math.

Things You'll Need

• Gold necklace
• Magnifying glass
• Postage scale

Instructions

1. Look for the gold content stamp on the necklace using a magnifying glass. It's usually stamped on the clasp. Look for a number and a large "K," which stands for "karats." Look for either a 10, 14, 18 or 22 "K" stamp.

2. Remove anything from the necklace that isn't gold, such as bead or gems.

3. Lay the necklace on a postage scale. Take note of the weight of the necklace in ounces.

4. If the necklace is stamped "10K," multiply the ounces by .417; "14K," multiply by .585; "18K," multiply by .750; "22K," multiply by .916. The resulting calculation is the weight of pure gold in the necklace.

Tips & Warnings

• If the necklace has gems or stones set in the gold, you'll have to remove those from the settings so just the metal can be weighed.

References

• Utilisegold.com: The Caratage System for Gold Jewelry
• FreeGoldTips.com: Pricing & Selling Scrap Gold

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish