A great weighing scale is worth its weight in gold … so which accurate gold weighing scale is right for the job? In this blog, we’ll discuss the relationship between the weight and purity of gold when it comes to its value, as well as how you can use the weight of gold to determine its purity.
Why is the Weight of Gold Important?
You buy and sell gold that’s in bar or bullion form by weight. The standard unit of measurement for gold (and other precious metals) is the Troy ounce. You’re likely to see grams, kilograms or pounds as well, depending on where you’re looking. The more gold weighs, the more it’s worth. In general, the weight of gold has a higher impact on its value than purity.
What’s the Right Weighing Scale for Gold?
Because they’re selling by weight, gold distributors must utilise a trade-approved weighing scale to comply with government regulations. Adam Equipment’s makes an excellent compact gold weighing scale.
The Highland Approved offers all the necessary units for accurate gold weighing, including Troy ounces, standard ounces, grams, kilograms, pounds and even grains. There are six models within the Highland Approved range, with capacities between 100g and 5000g, and readabilities approved for commercial transactions (the “e” value) from 0.01g to 0.5g. Because it’s legal-for-trade, consumers can trust that the weight they’re getting charged for is accurate and endorsed by their government.
How do You Measure the Purity of Gold?
You measure the purity of gold in karats, in which 1 karat represents 1 part out of 24 parts in gold alloy. 24k gold is the purest available, being 24/24 parts or 99.9% real gold. For comparison’s sake, 8k is only 8/24 parts or 33.3% pure, which means 16/24 parts or 66.6% is another type of metal, often silver, nickel or copper. In the US, gold must be at least 10k, or 41.6% gold, to be considered “real gold.”
The purer the gold is, the more it’s worth. This is especially true for jewellery sold in stores that are priced more so on design, artistry and functionality than weight. 18k and 14k gold are the most common for jewellery, as anything more is too soft for everyday wear. However, if you’re buying or selling scrap gold at a pawn shop, the weight may have a larger influence.
What’s the Relationship Between the Weight and Purity of Gold?
The purer the gold, the more it’s worth. The more it weighs, the more it’s worth. However, you’re never going to find that you’re purchasing or selling gold based only on one or the other, it’s a complex relationship.
A 1ozt bar of 24k gold will always be worth more than a 1ozt bar of 10k gold. It would take about 2.5ozt of 10k gold to be worth the same or more as 1ozt of 24k gold.
As of January 2025:
- Low in weight + low in purity = least value
- 1ozt + 10k = £932
- Low in weight + high in purity = low-to-mid value
- 1ozt + 24k = £2,235
- High in weight + low in purity = mid-to-high value
- 1kg + 10k = £29,976
- High in weight + high in purity = highest value
- 1kg + 24k = £71,892
What Else Impacts the Value of Gold?
Purity and weight aren’t the only influences on price you need to keep in mind.
The Market
The prices of gold surge during times of economic instability or uncertainty, particularly when inflation is on an upward trend. In times of deflation, gold is still a great backup, as it doesn’t decrease in value as much as other items. When the economy is stable, the price of gold is at its lowest. This is when investors pounce, as the waters won’t be calm forever.
Investors use gold to diversify their portfolios, so they have something to fall back on if their stocks, cash or other investments disappear. The largest investors in gold are governments and banks, but individual households own a large percentage in the form of jewellery.
Gold prices are subject to supply and demand, just like everything else.
Premiums
When looking into purchasing gold, you’ll notice that the prices may be higher than the value, purity and weight seem to call for. This can be for multiple reasons, but most likely because of added premiums. Premiums can be added because the seller is well known for being reputable or for some kind of protection for the gold, such as insurance or storage. If they’re in a bar or coin shape, the premium can come from manufacturing costs. It’s rare to find gold sold at face value.
Can You Use the Weight of Gold to Determine Its Purity?
Yes! If you want to ensure your gold is a specific karat or purity, you can use a portable gold scale or balance to perform density determination. Pure, 24k gold should have a density of 19.32 grams per cubic centimetre. 22k gold is around 15.6 g/cm3 and 14k can be between 12.9 and 14.6 g/cm3, depending on the mix.
Some balances, like Adam’s offers a density determination function. This means that the balance will prompt you to weigh the sample in air and a specified liquid, then perform the necessary calculations internally to provide you with the final density in grams per cubic centimetre.
If you don’t have a balance that offers this function, you’re able to perform the process manually. Download the infographic below for a detailed explanation on how to manually perform density determination with a balance using two different methods. The first involves using a balance with a weigh-below hook, such the Highland Approved. The second method is top pan for balances like our . You can perform this process more easily using a Density Kit.
The density of your gold will provide a strong hint as to how pure it is. You’ll be able to accurately price the gold or prevent yourself from getting scammed when purchasing.
Click the image above to download our two page density determination infographic
Other Ways to Determine the Purity of Gold
Weight isn’t the only way to determine the purity of gold, but other ways can be destructive to pieces that turn out to be “fake gold” – though, as we’ve seen, lower karats can still net big prices in large quantities.
One way is the ceramic test, which involves scratching part of the piece with unglazed ceramic (speaking of, we weigh that too). If the scratch is black, it’s “fake”.
Another method is to test the gold using nitric acid. Once again, you scratch the piece, then you drip nitric acid over the scratch. No reaction means that it’s real gold, whereas if it turns milky white or green, it’s fake.
Finally, a drop of vinegar on the piece may reveal if the purity is less than stellar. However, it’ll discolour the spot permanently if it turns out to be fake.
All of these are simple determinations of “real or fake,” but not true indications of purity, which can make a difference in how it’s priced. Plus, you’ve just scratched or discoloured the piece, which can impact the quality. Determining the density with a balance is far less destructive and a better indication of purity.
Still wondering which scale or balance is best for you? Contact the Adam team, we’ll be happy to help.
