375 Gold (9 Carat)

375 gold — also known as 9-carat gold or 9ct for short — contains exactly 0.375 grams of pure gold per gram of alloy. The remainder consists of copper, silver, zinc or other metals that determine the colour, hardness and working properties of the jewellery piece. With the melt value calculator, the material value of a 375 piece can be calculated to the second against the current gold price.

Fineness and the carat scale

The carat scale divides the weight of a gold alloy into 24 equal parts. 9 carats means that 9 of 24 parts are pure gold:

Fineness = (Carat / 24) × 1000
         = (9 / 24) × 1000
         = 375 ‰

Compared with other common alloys, the gold contents vary considerably:

Alloy composition and colours

Since 375 gold consists of 62.5% additional metals, these have a noticeable influence on colour and properties:

• Yellow gold 375: copper and silver in balanced proportion; a warmer, slightly redder tone than 585 yellow gold.
• Red gold 375: high copper content (often > 50% of the total alloy); intense reddish colour, particularly robust.
• White gold 375: nickel or palladium as a brightener; often rhodium-plated after working to delay tarnishing.

The high base-metal content makes 375 gold more prone to tarnishing and oxidation than higher-carat alloys, but at the same time increases scratch resistance — an advantage for everyday jewellery.

Distribution and hallmarking

9-carat gold is widespread mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Russia and parts of the Middle East as well as India. In Germany, 333 gold (8 carat) is traditionally the lowest trading grade; 375 jewellery is imported there but regularly appears in the buy-back trade.

The British Assay Offices stamp 9-carat pieces with the number 375 as well as a town mark (anchor for Birmingham, leopard's head for London). In Russia the 375 stamp is likewise legally required.

In the EU, gold jewellery must be hallmarked with the metric fineness if it is marketed as "gold". A missing or illegible stamp is an initial warning sign when buying scrap gold.

Melt value and purchase

The melt value of a 375 piece is derived directly from the current gold spot:

Melt value (€/g) = Gold price (€/g) × 0.375

Anyone wishing to sell old jewellery, dental gold or inherited 9-carat pieces typically receives 70–90% of the calculated melt value from a buyer — depending on the dealer and piece size. The purchase price calculator shows what range is realistic. The calculator is also suitable for dental gold in 9-carat dental alloys.

Tax notes (Malta)

375 gold is not tax-exempt investment gold — for that, the fineness must be at least 995. Jewellery and scrap gold in 9 carat are subject to VAT at the Maltese standard rate of 18% on dealer purchases (or to the margin scheme for second-hand goods). Under EU law, transposed into Maltese law via Council Directive 2006/112/EC, only investment gold benefits from the VAT exemption.

On a private sale at a profit, Malta levies no capital gains tax on private disposals of movable assets such as gold jewellery; Maltese capital gains tax applies only to specific asset categories (immovable property, securities, business interests). There is no German-style one-year speculation period. Note: This is not tax or investment advice — please consult a tax adviser for individual cases (cfr.gov.mt, legislation.mt).

In brief

375 gold (9 carat) is a robust, low-cost gold alloy with 37.5% pure-gold content, particularly widespread in the English-speaking jewellery market. To find out the material value of a piece, use the gold calculator or the melt value calculator.