Three-quarters gold
Eighteen parts gold in twenty-four. The remaining quarter is what makes the piece practical and sets its colour: copper for rose, palladium or nickel for white, a copper and silver mix for classic yellow.
Where you will find it
- Engagement and eternity rings, particularly stone-set designs.
- Wedding bands intended to last generations.
- Better quality chains, bangles and cufflinks.
- Watch cases from established Swiss and British makers.
White gold and rhodium
Most white gold is plated with rhodium to give a bright, cool finish. Plating wears through over a few years and the warmer tone of the underlying alloy shows at the edges. This is normal wear, costs nothing in gold content, and can be replated by a jeweller.
What does 750 mean on gold?
750 is the fineness mark for 18 carat gold. It means 750 parts gold per 1,000 by weight — exactly 75% pure gold, with a quarter made up of alloy metals that give the piece its colour and hardness. It is the standard used for most British fine jewellery.
The mark in context
On a UK hallmarked item, 750 sits inside a shaped surround next to a sponsor's mark and an assay office mark, sometimes with a crown and a date letter. Continental pieces often show 750 alone, or "18K".
Why 750 is a meaningful threshold
At three-quarters fine, 18ct carries double the gold content of 9ct. On identical 10 gram items that is 7.5 grams of fine gold against 3.75 grams — a difference that dwarfs almost every other factor in a scrap valuation. It is also why sorting a mixed collection by standard before valuation is worth the effort.
White, rose and yellow 750
Colour comes from the alloy quarter, not from the gold. White is alloyed with palladium or nickel, rose takes its warmth from a higher copper content, yellow keeps a traditional silver and copper balance. All three are 75% gold and all three are valued on identical fine gold content, so colour never changes the metal figure.
Stones and settings
18ct pieces are more likely to hold diamonds or coloured stones. Stones are assessed separately from the metal and are not included in a fine gold weight — see how we value gold for how mounted items are handled.
18ct and value
At 0.75 grams of fine gold per gram of item, 18ct carries double the gold of 9ct. It is also the standard where the piece itself is most likely to matter: a signed designer ring or a stone-set piece in good condition can be worth considerably more than its metal. Ask before scrapping anything of quality — see how we value gold.
