375 in gold what does it mean

“375” is a hallmark that indicates the purity of gold. It represents the gold’s fineness or the proportion of pure gold in a piece of jewelry or other gold item. Specifically, 375 is equivalent to 37.5% pure gold.

In terms of gold karats:

  • 24 karats is pure gold (100% gold).
  • 18 karats is 75% gold.
  • 14 karats is approximately 58.3% gold.
  • 10 karats is 41.7% gold.

Therefore, when you see “375” stamped on a piece of gold, it means that the item is 9 karats or 37.5% pure gold, with the remaining percentage typically consisting of other metals like copper or silver. The use of lower karat gold is common in jewelry to enhance durability and reduce the softness of pure gold. Keep in mind that the value of gold is often associated with higher karats because of the higher gold content.