A high gold standard
Twenty-two parts gold in twenty-four leaves only a small alloy fraction, usually copper and silver. The colour is unmistakably rich and does not tarnish in any meaningful way.
Why it dominates in some markets
In South Asia and the Gulf, gold jewellery functions partly as a store of value, so buyers favour high purity and pay close attention to weight. Bangles, chains and bridal sets are typically 22ct, sold by weight with a separate making charge.
Softness in practice
- Bangles bend out of round and thin at the points of contact.
- Chain links stretch and eventually part.
- Engraving and filigree wear smooth over decades.
- Stones are less securely held than in lower standards.
Damage of this kind affects wearability, not gold content — see selling broken gold jewellery.
Sovereigns
British gold sovereigns are 22 carat. They contain a fixed weight of fine gold, but date, mint and condition can lift a coin above its metal value, so coins should always be identified before they are treated as scrap.
What does 916 mean on gold?
916 is the fineness mark for 22 carat gold: 916 parts gold per 1,000, or 91.6% pure gold. It is the traditional standard for South Asian and Middle Eastern jewellery and for British gold sovereigns, and gives items their deep, saturated yellow colour.
Why 916 rather than 917
22 parts in 24 is 91.67%. The recognised fineness standard is 916, set marginally below the arithmetic figure so that certified items reliably meet it.
Where 22 carat turns up
- Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan jewellery, where 22ct is the customary standard for bangles, chains and wedding sets.
- Middle Eastern gold, where high purity is the customary standard.
- British gold sovereigns and half sovereigns, struck to 22 carat.
- Some antique British jewellery, where 22ct wedding bands were once usual.
Damage does not reduce the metal value
Because 22ct distorts and wears so readily, a great deal of it arrives bent, snapped or rubbed smooth. None of that reduces what the metal is worth: value follows weight and fineness, not appearance. It is worth knowing before writing a piece off as broken gold.
Coins are a special case
A sovereign is 22 carat, but coins are not valued purely as scrap. Collectable condition, date and rarity can put a coin above its metal content, so coins should be identified before anything else.
If you have coins, have them identified by someone who handles them before they go anywhere near a scrap figure.
Valuation
Fine gold content is 0.916 grams per gram of item weight — roughly two and a half times that of 9ct. Because of that concentration, small differences in weighing accuracy matter more, which is why items are weighed individually on calibrated scales.
