Why is the gold price per gram different at my local jeweler?

Jewelers add a making charge and a profit margin on top of the raw metal (melt) value. The price also depends on the karat — 21K jewelry costs less per gram than 22K because it contains less pure gold. Use Carbide's Gold Prices tool to see the baseline melt value, then compare it to what the jeweler quotes.

Does the karat stamp on jewelry always match the actual purity?

In most regulated markets, yes — hallmarked pieces must meet the stated purity by law. However, older or imported pieces may not be hallmarked, and the actual purity can be lower. A professional assay test gives a definitive answer; the Carbide calculator gives you the value assuming the stated karat is accurate.

Can I use Carbide without an internet connection?

Yes. Carbide is designed to work offline. The Gold Prices and Silver Prices tools fetch the latest rates when you have a connection and cache them locally. The Gold Calculator and Zakat Calculator are purely mathematical and never need internet access at all.

How often are the gold and silver prices updated in Carbide?

Prices are refreshed each time you open the tool while online. The app shows a timestamp so you always know how recent the cached rate is. For zakat calculations, the rate at the time you pay zakat is what matters — not a historical average.

Guide

How to track live gold and silver prices by karat

Gold and silver prices shift by the minute, and the price you see quoted online rarely matches what you pay at a jeweler — because karats, purities, and local currency all change the number. This guide explains how spot prices work, how to convert them to the karat or purity you actually own, and how to calculate jewelry value and zakat using the free Carbide app.

How gold prices are quoted — and what karats mean

Spot gold price is always quoted for pure 24-karat gold per troy ounce or per gram. Most jewelry is not 24K: 22K is 91.7 % pure, 21K is 87.5 %, and 18K is 75 %. To find the actual metal value of a piece, multiply the spot price per gram by the purity factor and then by the weight in grams. Prices also vary by country because they are converted to local currency at the live exchange rate — so the price per gram in Egyptian pounds, UAE dirhams, or Saudi riyals differs even when the global spot price is the same. Carbide's Gold Prices tool shows live per-gram rates for every major karat and currency, and it works fully offline after the first data fetch.

Silver purities and how they differ from gold karats

Silver purity is expressed as a decimal fineness rather than karats. Sterling silver is 925 (92.5 % pure), Britannia silver is 958, fine silver is 999, and some older pieces are 800 or 835. The process is the same as for gold: multiply the spot silver price per gram by the fineness (e.g. 0.925 for sterling) and by the weight. Carbide's Silver Prices tool lists live per-gram rates for 999, 958, 925, 835, and 800 silver across major currencies. Because all calculation happens on your device, no data about what you own ever leaves your phone.

Calculating jewelry value with Carbide Gold Calculator

To find the melt value of a gold piece, you need three things: its weight in grams, its karat, and the current spot price. The Carbide Gold Calculator handles this in one screen — enter the weight, pick the karat from 24K down to 10K, and the app instantly shows the metal value in your chosen currency. This is useful when buying second-hand jewelry, comparing offers from different jewelers, or simply knowing what your own pieces are worth at today's price. The calculator runs entirely on-device, so it is equally useful in a market with no internet connection.

Computing zakat on gold and silver

Zakat on gold is due when you own at least 85 grams of 24K-equivalent gold (the nisab) and one lunar year has passed. For silver the nisab is 595 grams. The amount owed is 2.5 % of the total metal value above the nisab. Carbide's Zakat Calculator takes your gold and silver holdings, their karats or purities, and the current prices, then calculates the nisab threshold and the zakat amount in your currency. It covers mixed holdings — for example 30 g of 21K gold and 200 g of 925 silver — and combines them correctly. Everything is computed locally; your financial details stay private.

Tools in this guide

Gold Prices Silver Prices Gold Calculator Zakat Calculator

Frequently asked questions

Why is the gold price per gram different at my local jeweler?: Jewelers add a making charge and a profit margin on top of the raw metal (melt) value. The price also depends on the karat — 21K jewelry costs less per gram than 22K because it contains less pure gold. Use Carbide's Gold Prices tool to see the baseline melt value, then compare it to what the jeweler quotes.
Does the karat stamp on jewelry always match the actual purity?: In most regulated markets, yes — hallmarked pieces must meet the stated purity by law. However, older or imported pieces may not be hallmarked, and the actual purity can be lower. A professional assay test gives a definitive answer; the Carbide calculator gives you the value assuming the stated karat is accurate.
Can I use Carbide without an internet connection?: Yes. Carbide is designed to work offline. The Gold Prices and Silver Prices tools fetch the latest rates when you have a connection and cache them locally. The Gold Calculator and Zakat Calculator are purely mathematical and never need internet access at all.
How often are the gold and silver prices updated in Carbide?: Prices are refreshed each time you open the tool while online. The app shows a timestamp so you always know how recent the cached rate is. For zakat calculations, the rate at the time you pay zakat is what matters — not a historical average.