An Average of 40% Below Retail!
No Sales Tax (Except in WA)
Secure Checkout

Understanding Gold Chain Weight


Understanding Gold Chain Weight

When purchasing a gold chain, it's essential to recognize that slight differences in weight are common, even among identical designs. The weight of every gold chain can differ minutely due to the amount of labor, the level of detail, and the different processes used to manufacture each chain. Understanding these nuances can help you make an informed decision when choosing your gold chain.

Gold Chain Weight
14K White Gold 3.5mm Rope Chain Weight

Before we begin, it is also important to understand that “price per gram” is not the only factor when considering a chain. Other factors include how labor intensive a chain is. For example, an 18K Gold Chain is more expensive to manufacturer than a 14K Gold Chain and labor varies according to karat purity, uniqueness and availability of the chain and other various factors that you should consider, such as customer service and reliability of the jeweler.

Calculating Price Per Gram

The easiest way to calculate the value of a gold chain is to first determine the price per gram. This helps you evaluate the actual worth of the gold, before you even consider the craftsmanship, design intricacies or finishing processes.

The gram weight formula is simple: take the total price of the gold chain and divide it by the gram weight.

Gold Chain Weight Formula

For example:

  • If a 14K gold chain costs $1,000 and weighs 11.50 grams, the formula to calculate the price per gram is as follows:

In the above example, the price per gram is $86.96 per gram based on the formula: Price per gram = total price of chain / gram weight.

This method helps you understand clearly what the value of the gold itself is, which is particularly useful when comparing different styles or brands. Sometimes, all you are paying for is a name brand.

Factors That Affect the Price Per Gram

The price of a gold chain is also determined by the design and craftsmanship that has gone into the process. Here are some criteria to consider:

14K Gold Curb Chains
14K Gold Curb Chains
  • Chain Design: A simple gold link chain is usually more straightforward to produce, making it naturally less expensive on a per-gram basis compared to more intricate designs. Alternatively, a diamond-cut rope chain involves more time and labor due to the precision required, often resulting in a higher cost per gram. Adding diamond-cutting to a gold chain, clearly enhances the elegance, but, naturally, it will also increase the price.
  • Gold Purity: The purity of gold is measured in karats, with 24K gold being the purest form. 18K gold chains, therefore, contain intrinsically more pure gold than 14K gold chains, which, by default, makes them more expensive. In addition to the amount of pure gold in a chain, the value also increases as the higher the purity, the more crafting that has to go into creating a piece of jewelry. Higher karat gold is softer so it requires much more precision and delicate work in order to create a durable and elegant piece. Clearly, this would be most applicable in a 22k gold chain since this is the purest form in which jewelry can even be created.
  • Handmade Chains vs. Machine-made: A handmade chain will not only yield higher quality results from expert craftsman, but also be more labor intensive and, therefore, come with an additional price tag.

The “price per gram” method is only one important criterion to use when you are evaluating the actual value of the gold chain.

Gold Rope Chains
Gold Rope Chains

It goes without saying, that the higher priced gold chains have their benefits beyond being a purer gold. The color of 18K gold is richer and gives a more luxurious appearance. Then the craftsmanship involved, ensures that the end product is both durable and exquisite. 18K Gold is also more labor intensive, and therefore more expensive to manufacturer, so keep that in mind when comparison shopping.

Why Gold Chain Weights Vary

Typically, the weight of a gold chain is listed as an approximation because each chain varies slightly even within the same model or style. For example, ten identical gold curb chains can have ten slightly different weights. This is primarily due to:

  • Manufacturing Process: Gold chains are handmade with a combination of automated and manual processes. The equipment used to create these chains can result in very slight variations in weight with each piece.
  • Polishing and Finishing: Each chain is polished to remove any roughness or sharp edges and to create the final brilliance. The amount of polishing needed for each chain can vary, also resulting potentially in slightly varying weights. Lastly, chains that have details such as diamond-cutting or engraving can lose tiny amounts of metal during these processes.
  • Diamond-Cutting and Hand-Crafting: Gold chains that feature intricate details like diamond-cut facets are handcrafted to perfection. This extra labor can slightly reduce the overall weight of the chain as metal is carefully removed to create sharp, reflective surfaces.
Gold Miami Cuban Chains
Gold Miami Cuban Chains

Apples of Gold Jewelry: Our Value-Based Approach

At Apples of Gold Jewelry, we believe in the importance of offering our customers a fair and value-based approach when it comes to pricing our gold jewelry. We ensure that every chain we handcraft is of the highest quality, both in craftsmanship and gold purity. We keep our prices at 40% below usual retail, year-round.

If our prices are not within your expectations, we encourage you to contact us for a price match comparison. We will be happy to compare the quality and design of other reputable jewelers with the same chain design and do our utmost to match their price gram.

At Apples of Gold Jewelry, we commit to coming alongside you in your search for the special chain that suits your style, personality and budget.

Gold Box Chains
Gold Box Chains

Related Posts


Gold Chains, Gold Jewelry, Jewelry Education