375 Gold (9 Karat)
Also: 9 carat, 9ct, 9K, 375/1000
375 gold is a gold alloy with a fineness of 375 parts per thousand (37.5 %), known across the English-speaking world as 9 carat gold and used chiefly in jewellery.
375 gold - also called 9 carat gold or simply 9ct - holds exactly 0.375 grams of pure gold per gram of alloy. The remainder is copper, silver, zinc or other metals that shape the colour, hardness and working properties of the finished item. The melt value calculator works out the metal value of a 9ct piece to the second against the live gold price.
Fineness and the carat scale
The carat scale splits a gold alloy's weight into 24 equal parts. 9 carat means that 9 of those 24 parts are pure gold:
Fineness = (carat / 24) x 1000
= (9 / 24) x 1000
= 375
Set against other common alloys, the differences in gold content stand out clearly:
| Alloy | Carat | Fineness | Gold content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 333 gold | 8 carat | 333 | 33.3 % |
| 375 gold | 9 carat | 375 | 37.5 % |
| 585 gold | 14 carat | 585 | 58.5 % |
| 750 gold | 18 carat | 750 | 75.0 % |
| 916 gold | 22 carat | 916 | 91.6 % |
| Fine gold | 24 carat | 999 | 99.9 % |
Alloy make-up and colours
Because 375 gold is 62.5 % base metal, those additions have a noticeable effect on colour and behaviour:
- Yellow gold 375: copper and silver in balanced proportion; a warmer, slightly redder tone than 585 yellow gold.
- Red gold 375: high copper share (often more than half the total alloy); a strong reddish hue, and especially robust.
- White gold 375: nickel or palladium as a whitener; usually rhodium-plated after finishing to slow tarnishing.
The high base-metal share makes 375 gold more prone to tarnishing and oxidation than higher-carat alloys, yet at the same time it raises scratch resistance - a genuine advantage for everyday jewellery.
Distribution and hallmarking
9 carat gold is most common in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Russia, parts of the Middle East and India. In many continental European countries 8 carat is the lowest traditional trade grade, so 375 pieces there are usually imports, though they turn up regularly in the scrap trade.
The British and Irish assay offices stamp 9ct pieces with the number 375 together with an office mark. In Russia the 375 stamp is likewise required by law. Under EU rules, gold jewellery sold as "gold" must carry the metric fineness mark; a missing or illegible stamp is an early warning sign when buying scrap gold.
Melt value and buying
The melt value of a 375 piece follows directly from the current gold spot:
Melt value (EUR/g) = gold price (EUR/g) x 0.375
Anyone selling old jewellery, dental gold or inherited 9ct pieces typically receives 70-90 % of the calculated melt value from a buyer, depending on the dealer and the size of the piece. The buying price calculator shows the realistic range. The dental gold calculator is equally suited to 9-carat dental alloys.
Tax notes
375 gold does not qualify as VAT-exempt investment gold, which requires a fineness of at least 995. In Ireland the sale of 9ct jewellery and scrap gold carries the standard VAT rate of 23 %, unless a dealer applies the margin scheme. For a private seller, any gain is chargeable to Capital Gains Tax at 33 %, after the annual personal exemption of EUR 1,270, with no holding-period relief (unlike Germany's one-year rule under Paragraph 23 EStG). Note: this is not tax advice - for individual cases consult the Revenue Commissioners (revenue.ie) or a qualified adviser.
In brief
375 gold (9 carat) is a robust, affordable gold alloy with 37.5 % pure gold, especially common in the British and Irish jewellery markets. To learn the metal value of a piece, use the gold calculator or the melt value calculator.