Our offer is three numbers multiplied together: the purity of your gold, the weight of the gold-bearing metal, and the rate per gram we publish for that purity. Here is what each one means and how we measure it.
1. Purity
Jewellery is almost never pure gold; it is alloyed for strength and colour. The carat mark tells you the proportion: 9ct is 37.5% gold, 14ct is 58.5%, 18ct is 75%, 22ct is 91.6% and 24ct is 99.9%. We don't rely on the stamp alone; every piece is tested, because marks can be worn, wrong or absent. See our carat and purity guide.
2. Gold-bearing weight
We weigh to 0.01 g on calibrated scales after removing or allowing for anything that isn't gold: gemstones, steel springs in clasps, enamel, watch movements, solder-filled hollow sections. That is why a ring with a large stone can weigh 6 g but contain only 3.5 g of gold.
3. Rate per gram
Our Gold Prices page shows the rate per gram for each purity, derived from the live Australian-dollar gold price. The rate in your offer is the published rate on the day we assess your parcel. There are no assessment, handling or return fees deducted from it.
What the written offer looks like
Each item on its own line: description, tested purity, gold weight in grams, rate per gram, and value, then the total. You can check every line against the prices page, and if anything looks wrong we re-test and send you the photos and readings before you decide.
When gold value isn't the right value
Scrap value is a floor, not a ceiling. Signed designer pieces, antique and period jewellery, and pieces with significant diamonds or gemstones can be worth more intact. If we see something like that we'll tell you and suggest an independent valuation before you sell it for its metal.