750 Gold (18 Carat)
Also: 18 Carat Gold, 18k, 750, Au750
750 gold denotes a gold alloy with a fineness of 750 parts per thousand (75.0%), corresponding to 18 carats, and is the most widely used quality in the jewellery and watchmaking industry.
750 gold – colloquially "18 carat gold" – is the world's dominant quality grade for high-value gold jewellery and luxury watches. With a gold content of exactly 75 percent, the alloy offers a compelling compromise: it remains rich enough to preserve the characteristic warm gold colour and high material value, while being considerably more robust than almost pure fine gold (999). The melt value calculator helps determine the current material value of a 750 piece in seconds.
Fineness and the carat system
The fineness indicates how many grams of pure gold are contained in 1,000 grams of an alloy. For 750 gold it is 750 of 1,000 parts – i.e. three quarters. In the carat system this corresponds exactly to 18 of 24 possible carats, since 1 carat by definition equals one twenty-fourth of the total weight.
Fineness (‰) = (Carat / 24) × 1,000
750 ‰ = (18 / 24) × 1,000
The remaining 25 percent of the weight consists of one or more alloying metals. Only their composition determines the colour, hardness and other properties of the finished jewellery piece.
Alloy variants and colours
Depending on the mixing ratio of the additional metals, visually very different gold qualities arise – all with the same 750 stamp:
| Colour | Gold content | Main additives |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow gold | 75% | Silver (~12.5%), copper (~12.5%) |
| White gold | 75% | Palladium or nickel, possibly zinc |
| Red gold | 75% | Copper (increased content, ~22%) |
| Rose gold | 75% | Copper (~20%), silver (~5%) |
| Green gold | 75% | Silver (increased content), no copper |
White gold with a palladium additive is today regarded as the skin-friendly standard variant, because nickel white gold can trigger allergic reactions. Palladium white gold is often additionally rhodium-plated to brighten the slightly greyish base tone and make the surface more scratch-resistant.
Hallmark and marking
Every reputably produced 750 piece bears a hallmark attesting to the fineness. In the EU, the designation 750 (per-mille stamp) or 18K (carat stamp) is common. British pieces show the hallmark with the number code 750; older continental European pieces occasionally bear the signature Au 750. A missing or illegible stamp image is not a reliable quality indicator – when in doubt, an X-ray fluorescence analysis provides clarity.
Calculating melt value
The material value of a 750 piece can be derived from the current gold price and the weight of the piece:
Melt value = Weight (g) × 0.750 × Gold price (€/g)
Example: A ring weighs 6.0 g, the gold price is 85.00 €/g.
Melt value = 6.0 × 0.750 × 85.00 = 382.50 €
The gold calculator performs this calculation automatically with the current daily price. When selling to a buyer, the actual price paid is usually somewhat below the melt value, since melting and processing fees apply. The purchase price calculator shows realistic comparison values.
750 gold in dentistry
Historically, 750 gold was also widespread in dental technology. Classic dental gold alloys for crowns, bridges and inlays often contain exactly this fineness, supplemented by platinum, palladium and silver for increased strength and biocompatibility. Anyone wishing to recover old dental restorations can use the dental gold calculator to estimate the approximate material value.
Comparison with other finenesses
| Alloy | Fineness | Carat | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 333 gold | 333 ‰ | 8 kt | Entry segment, fashion jewellery |
| 375 gold | 375 ‰ | 9 kt | UK jewellery market |
| 585 gold | 585 ‰ | 14 kt | Mid-range jewellery, USA |
| 750 gold | 750 ‰ | 18 kt | High-quality jewellery, watches |
| 916 gold | 916 ‰ | 22 kt | Investment coins, Asian jewellery |
| Fine gold | 999 ‰ | 24 kt | Bars, investment coins |
750 gold clearly positions itself in the premium segment. Compared with the widespread 585, the gold content is about 16.5 percentage points higher (75% versus 58.5%) – this is noticeably reflected in the material value and explains the marked price difference between the jewellery segments.
Purchase, sale and tax notes (Malta)
750 jewellery and watches with a 750 gold case are readily tradable on the secondary market, because the fineness is internationally recognised and easy to test. When buying from a dealer, the price always contains a surcharge for processing, design and trade margin in addition to the melt value. On resale, by contrast, it is primarily the material value that is reflected.
For private sellers, Malta levies no capital gains tax on private disposals of movable assets such as jewellery and precious metals. Maltese capital gains tax applies only to specific asset categories (immovable property, securities, business interests and similar). There is no German-style one-year speculation period under Maltese law. Note on VAT: the purchase of 750 jewellery is subject to VAT at the Maltese standard rate of 18% (under EU law transposed via Council Directive 2006/112/EC), as jewellery is not tax-exempt investment gold. Note: This is not tax or investment advice; for binding information contact a tax adviser (cfr.gov.mt, legislation.mt).
For cash purchases, EU-wide anti-money-laundering rules apply — a customer identity check (identity verification) by the dealer is mandatory above the applicable thresholds, in line with the Maltese Anti-Money Laundering Act.
In brief
750 gold (18 carat) combines a high fineness of 75% with good workability and everyday suitability – no wonder it is the preferred choice of goldsmiths and watchmakers worldwide. To find out the current material value of a piece, it is best to use the melt value calculator with the current gold price.