What Is 916 Gold? Meaning, Purity and Price

916 gold is 22 karat gold. The number means the metal is 91.6% pure gold, or 916 parts gold in every 1,000, with the remaining 8.4% made of alloy metals such as copper, silver and zinc. "916" and "22K" describe exactly the same purity.

You will see 916 stamped on most Indian-style jewellery, both in India and in Dubai. Today it costs ₹11,281.25 (AED 441.11) per gram in Dubai, before making charges and VAT.

Where does the number 916 come from?

Karats measure gold out of 24 parts. Pure gold is 24 karats. 22 karats means 22 parts gold out of 24.

Divide 22 by 24 and you get 0.9166. Expressed in parts per thousand, the way jewellers and assayers prefer, that rounds to 916. So 916 is simply 22K written as fineness.

The same logic gives every other common stamp:

Our full gold purity chart extends this to rarer karats and shows how to convert between them.

Where you will see the 916 mark

On jewellery sold in India

BIS hallmarking is mandatory for gold jewellery sold in India. A hallmarked 916 piece carries three marks: the BIS logo, the purity grade written as 22K916, and a six-character alphanumeric HUID that identifies that individual piece. You can check the HUID in the BIS CARE app. Our guide to the BIS hallmark and HUID walks through each mark.

On jewellery sold in Dubai

Dubai pieces are usually stamped with the karat or fineness, so you may see "22K", "916" or both, sometimes with the maker's mark. Gold in the UAE is hallmarked and assayed, with Dubai Central Laboratory as the official assay lab. There is no HUID, because that is an Indian system. What you should always get is an itemised tax invoice showing purity, weight, gold rate and making charges. For a closer look at the stamps, see how Dubai gold is hallmarked.

916 myths that cost buyers money

Myth: "916" is a brand or a type of design.

Fact: it is only a purity number. A plain chain and an elaborate Kundan necklace can both be 916.

Myth: 916 and KDM mean the same thing.

Fact: KDM refers to an old cadmium-based soldering method, not purity. Shops once advertised "916 KDM" together, which caused the confusion. Our explainer on what KDM gold means has the history.

Myth: a 916 stamp proves the piece is 91.6% gold.

Fact: a stamp is a claim. An Indian BIS hallmark with a valid HUID, or a reputable Dubai jeweller's stamp backed by a tax invoice, is a strong assurance. A "916" punched into a piece from a roadside seller proves nothing.

Myth: 916 gold is "impure".

Fact: the 8.4% alloy is deliberate. It makes the metal hard enough to wear. Pure 24K would bend and scratch quickly in a bangle or chain.

How much real gold is in your 916 piece?

Multiply the net gold weight by 0.916. Use net weight, meaning stones, beads and lac removed, not the gross weight on the scale.

This matters when you sell. A jeweller pays you for the pure gold, at their buying rate, minus any deduction. Knowing the figure in advance helps you judge whether an offer is fair.

What does 916 gold cost right now?

The card below tracks today's 22K (916) rate in Dubai in rupees and dirhams.

And here is the same rate worked out for common weights, from a single gram up to larger amounts, so you can see the gold value of a piece before making charges are added.

For 10 grams of 916 gold, the rate is currently ₹1,12,813 (AED 4,411.10). Per tola it is ₹1,31,582 (AED 5,145.02), using the standard tola of 11.6638 g. Some buyers in India say "tola" to mean 10 g, so confirm which one a shop is quoting. The live 22K rate page has daily history too.

A worked bill for a 916 chain

Suppose Meera buys a 916 chain weighing 15 g net in Deira. Using illustrative figures, the 22K rate is AED 295 a gram and the making charge she negotiates is AED 20 a gram.

• Gold value: 15 × 295 = AED 4,425
• Making: 15 × 20 = AED 300
• Subtotal: AED 4,725
• VAT at 5% on the whole invoice: AED 236.25
• Total: AED 4,961.25

Meera is visiting from Bengaluru as a tourist, so if the shop takes part in the Planet "Tax Free" scheme she can claim back 87% of the VAT, minus a fee of AED 3.60, after validating at the airport. That brings about AED 202 back to her card or as cash.

The pure gold inside the chain is 15 × 0.916, about 13.74 g. If she sells it years later, that is what a jeweller will pay her for. The AED 300 making charge and the VAT she didn't reclaim won't come back.

Three situations where the 916 mark needs a second look

An old family piece with "916" and nothing else

Many pieces made before compulsory hallmarking carry a jeweller's own 916 punch with no BIS logo. That doesn't mean they are fake. It means the purity hasn't been independently certified. If you plan to sell or exchange, expect the jeweller to test it, often with an XRF karatmeter.

A piece with stones and a 916 stamp

The stamp refers to the gold only. Ask for the stone weight to be listed separately so you are not paying the 22K rate on glass, kundan or enamel.

A suspiciously cheap "916" bracelet

If the price is well below the live 22K rate for its weight, the piece is either not 916 or not solid gold. Our list of warning signs of fake gold helps you spot the usual tricks.

Is 916 the right purity for you?

For traditional Indian jewellery worn often, yes. It balances gold content with strength, it is what Indian jewellers expect when you exchange or sell, and it suits bangles, chains, necklaces and mangalsutras. For diamond pieces, 18K holds stones better. For savings, 24K bars and coins put more money into metal. The 24K vs 22K comparison lays out that choice in full.

Checklist for buying 916 gold

1. Look for the 916 or 22K stamp on the piece. In India, also check for the BIS logo and HUID.
2. Ask for net weight with stones excluded.
3. Check the live 22K rate before you shop and compare it with the shop's board rate.
4. Get making charges in writing, per gram, and negotiate them.
5. Insist on an itemised invoice that names the purity as 22K or 916.
6. If you are flying to India, check your duty-free allowance by weight before you buy.