Gram
Also: g, Gram (g)
The gram (unit symbol g) is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI) and the most widely used weight unit in the precious metals trade worldwide.
The gram is the smallest standard unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI) and is equal to one thousandth of a kilogram. In the precious metals trade, the gram has a special significance: small bars (1 g, 2 g, 5 g, 10 g), dental gold purchases and melt value calculations are almost always expressed in grams. With the melt value calculator, the material value of scrap gold or silver jewellery can be determined to the second on a per-gram basis.
The gram in relation to other precious metal weight units
Internationally, gold is traded at the major trading venues (LBMA, COMEX) not in grams, but in the troy ounce (ozt). One troy ounce is exactly equal to 31.1034768 grams. Since the spot price is always expressed in troy ounces, converting to grams is the first step to assessing the price for private investors.
| Unit | Grams (g) | Region of use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 troy ounce (troy oz) | 31.1035 g | World market (LBMA, COMEX) |
| 1 kilogram | 1,000 g | Europe, large bars |
| 1 tola | 11.6638 g | India, Pakistan |
| 1 tael (Hong Kong) | 37.4290 g | China, East Asia |
| 1 pennyweight (dwt) | 1.5552 g | US jewellery industry |
| 1 grain (troy) | 0.06480 g | Historical, numismatics |
| 1 momme | 3.7500 g | Japan |
You can calculate the current gold price per gram by dividing the troy ounce price by 31.1035 – or you can use the gold calculator directly, which performs this conversion automatically.
The gram as a trading unit for bars and coins
Small gold and silver bars are offered in Europe as standard in gram weights:
- 1 g, 2 g, 5 g – entry-level bars, often in credit-card format (e.g. CombiBar)
- 10 g, 20 g, 31.1 g (= 1 oz) – medium denominations for building up savings
- 50 g, 100 g – common investment bars with a reduced premium compared with the smallest bars
- 250 g, 500 g, 1,000 g (= 1 kg) – larger trading bars
The smaller the bar in grams, the higher the premium (agio) relative to the pure material value tends to be. A purchase price calculator shows what value dealers pay for a given gram weight.
Formula box: gram conversions
Price per gram = troy ounce price ÷ 31.1035
Fine weight (g) = gross weight (g) × fineness (‰ ÷ 1000)
Melt value (£) = fine weight (g) × gold price per gram (£/g)
Importance in scrap gold and dental gold purchasing
When purchasing dental gold, old jewellery or broken gold, the gram is the central calculation unit. The decisive factor is not the gross weight, but the fine weight: a 14-carat bracelet with a total weight of 10 g contains, mathematically, only 5.85 g of fine gold (fineness 585 ‰). The silver calculator works on the same principle for silver objects.
In brief
The gram is the universal working unit in the European precious metals trade – from the 1 g gold card to the 1 kg bar. Anyone who knows the daily per-gram price and keeps the simple conversion formula (troy ounce price ÷ 31.1035) in mind can quickly assess any melt value and any dealer price.