22K Gold Value Guide

The purity math behind 22K

22K gold is 22 of 24 parts pure gold, or 91.6% gold by weight, with only a small amount of alloy — usually silver or copper — added for basic durability. That high purity is exactly why 22K bends more easily than 14K or 18K and why it's typically worked into heavier, more substantial designs rather than thin, delicate settings.

Melt math: grams x 0.916 x spot price per gram. A 30-gram set of 22K bangles at a $75/gram spot price works out to 30 x 0.916 x $75 = $2,061.00 in gold content — a good illustration of why 22K bridal sets often carry significant value even before design or craftsmanship is considered.

Indian and Middle Eastern bridal gold

22K is the standard purity across South Asian and Middle Eastern gold markets, where jewelry is bought both for adornment and as a store of wealth passed through families. Bridal sets, temple jewelry, bangles, and gold coins gifted at weddings are almost always 22K, often sold by weight with craftsmanship (making charges) added on top of the gold value.

Houston's South Asian and Middle Eastern communities bring in a steady volume of 22K jewelry, from wedding sets purchased abroad to gold accumulated over generations. Because these pieces are typically heavier than Western 14K or 18K jewelry, even a single bangle or necklace can represent significant melt value.

Hallmarks to look for

Look for '22K,' '22KT,' '916,' or a BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) hallmark stamp, which is common on jewelry made or certified in India since hallmarking became widely adopted. Middle Eastern pieces may carry country-specific assay marks instead of a simple karat number.

• '22K' or '22KT' — standard karat stamp
• '916' — the purity mark used widely across South Asian markets
• BIS hallmark — Indian government assay certification
• Country-specific assay stamps on Middle Eastern pieces

What to know before you sell

22K's higher gold content per gram means its scrap value is meaningfully higher than 10K, 14K or even 18K pieces of the same weight, which surprises some sellers who assume all 'gold jewelry' prices the same. Weight matters even more here — bridal sets can be substantial, so an accurate scale reading has a bigger dollar impact than it would on a light 14K chain.

Craftsmanship charges paid at the time of original purchase don't transfer to resale value; buyers price 22K jewelry on gold content, not on the labor that went into the design, unless the piece has separate designer or antique significance.

Sell your 22K gold in Houston

Gold King tests and weighs 22K jewelry the same careful way we handle every karat, quoting against the live spot price so you know exactly how the number was reached. We regularly buy bridal sets, bangles and 22K coins from Houston's South Asian and Middle Eastern communities.

Visit 6809 Southwest Freeway, open daily 10:00 AM to 8:45 PM, or call 713-997-0875 with questions. Texas law requires a valid photo ID for every precious metal purchase.