Gold Pricing Is More than One Total Weight

Find the hallmark first, then establish fineness. Marks such as 999, 9999, 916, 750 and 18K indicate different gold proportions; clasps, springs, stones, pearls and cords should not be included in net gold weight.

An older style, deformation or a break may not change the gold content, but solder, filling, missing sections and mixed metals affect the calculation. A hallmark is one piece of evidence, not proof of the whole item’s fineness.

Break the Calculation into Three Figures

Reference gold price: Record the market reference and unit used on the date of the enquiry.
Fineness: Separate pure gold, 22K, 18K and other gold finenesses.
Net weight: Deduct identifiable non-gold components from the gross weight, then verify the result on the item in hand.

A Hallmark Is One Piece of Evidence

Marks such as 999 and 9999 are commonly used for pure gold, 916 for 22K, and 750 or 18K for a different gold proportion. Other marks may appear on pieces from different periods and places. A hallmark helps with initial grouping, but wear, later clasps, soldered repairs and mixed materials mean an item cannot be calculated from one mark alone. Photograph the mark together with its position rather than cropping out only the digits.

Begin Net-Weight Deductions with Non-Gold Parts

Stones, pearls, enamel, cords, plastic parts, spring clasps, watch movements and fillings are not gold weight. Removable and fixed components require different treatment. Record the gross weight and position of each fitting, but do not prise out stones or cut open hollow jewellery. Solder, connecting rings and repaired areas also need checking on the item before net gold weight can be established.

If a group contains pure gold, 22K, 18K and unidentified finenesses, separate the items by bag, photograph and weight. Show the unit on the scale display; do not mix grams, taels and ounces. Home readings are preparation only and must be checked again at handover. Photograph broken chains, misshapen pieces and older styles as they are without repairing them first.

Gold and Jewellery This guide explains how to photograph different items. For a gold coin, record its date, type, original box and surface as well as gold weight. Do not remove a collectible coin from sealed packaging or scratch-test it before classification.

Keep Receipts, Gold Bars and Coins Separately

Purchase receipts, maker's cards, bar serial numbers, package seals and coin boxes can help identify the type and provenance, so photograph them with the item. Without paperwork, begin with the physical evidence rather than inventing a history. Leave sealed bars and holdered coins in their packaging; any discrepancy between label and item can be addressed during inspection.

Investment bars are assessed mainly by fineness and weight. Commemorative, older and documented gold coins also require their date, denomination, issuer, original box and surface condition. Do not treat these as scrap gold before classification, and never test a coin's surface with a file or acid.

Hollow bangles, chains with moving clasps, stone-set rings and mechanically constructed jewellery may contain springs, supports or other materials. Photograph each clasp, seam, openwork area and moving part. Number and weigh repeated designs individually; one item's hallmark must not stand for the whole group.

Details You Can Record at Home

The complete item and every hallmark.
The electronic-scale reading and whether the unit is grams or taels.
The positions of stones, cords, mechanical clasps and other fittings.
Gold-bar serial numbers, coin dates, original boxes and purchase receipts.
Any area that has been repaired, lengthened or altered.

Gold Bar, Coin and Jewellery Entries

What Must Wait for Physical Verification

Colour in a photograph changes with the light, and household scales can be inaccurate. Before terms are agreed, an item without a hallmark, made from mixed materials, hollow or containing extensive solder needs its fineness and net weight checked at handover.

Gold Price and Coin Guides

For an enquiry, provide photographs of the hallmark, weight and fittings. Weigh groups of different fineness separately.

Language

Hong Kong Gold Valuation| Hallmarks, Fineness and Net Weight