21K Gold Price Today
21K gold is 87.5% pure, so its price is 0.875 times the 24K price. The live tables below show 21K per gram, per 10 grams, per troy ounce and per pennyweight in US dollars, and one gram of 21K in Saudi riyals, dirhams, rupees and other currencies at international parity.
Live 21K gold price in US dollars
| Weight & purity | Live price |
|---|---|
| 21K gold · 1 gram | live |
| 21K gold · 10 grams | live |
| 21K gold · 1 troy ounce | live |
| 21K gold · 1 pennyweight | live |
International spot equivalent: live TradingView gold price (FX_IDC:XAUUSDG) × purity factor. No dealer premium, sales tax, VAT or making charge is included. How we calculate
What 21K means
21 karat gold is 21 parts gold in 24: exactly 87.5%, marked 875. Unlike 22K, where the theoretical 91.67% is rounded down to 916, the 21K fraction is exact, so the purity factor of 0.875 matches the karat precisely. The other 12.5% is mostly copper and silver.
Where 21K is the standard
21K is the everyday jewellery purity across much of the Arab world. It dominates retail jewellery in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, where shop prices and news reports usually quote the 21K rate first, and it is widely sold in Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and the Gulf states alongside 22K and 18K. Outside the region it is uncommon: Indian hallmarking has no 21K grade, and UK hallmarking does not recognise 875 as a standard gold fineness. If you buy 21K abroad and later sell it in India or Europe, expect the buyer to test it and pay on gold content.
For country rates see gold rate in Saudi Arabia, gold price in Egypt and Kuwait.
1 gram of 21K gold in other currencies
| Weight & purity | Live price |
|---|---|
| India (INR, international parity) | live |
| UAE (AED) | live |
| Saudi Arabia (SAR) | live |
| Pakistan (PKR) | live |
| United Kingdom (GBP) | live |
| Eurozone (EUR) | live |
| Canada (CAD) | live |
| Australia (AUD) | live |
Every row is international parity: the live gold price converted at the live exchange rate and multiplied by the purity factor. The India row excludes the 6% import duty and 3% GST; local market and jeweller rates in India, Pakistan and the Gulf usually sit somewhat above parity.
Marks to look for
- 875 or 21K, often with the maker's or importer's mark.
- In Saudi Arabia and Egypt, jewellery sold through the formal market normally carries an assay or quality stamp; buy from shops that issue an invoice stating karat and weight.
- Arabic-numeral stamps (٨٧٥ or ٢١) appear on some pieces.
Colour and durability
With 12.5% alloy, 21K is noticeably harder than 22K and resists dents and scratches better, while still showing a strong yellow. That balance suits the heavy bangles, link bracelets and broad necklaces popular in the region, which are bought partly as wearable savings. It holds stones better than 22K but is still softer than 18K.
How to price a 21K piece: worked example
Suppose 24K gold is US$133.00 per gram (illustrative), which at 3.75 riyals per dollar is SAR 498.75 per gram. You are buying a 30 g bangle set with a making charge of SAR 15 per gram, and 15% VAT applies to jewellery in Saudi Arabia.
| Step | Calculation | Amount (SAR) |
|---|---|---|
| 21K price per gram | SAR 498.75 × 0.875 | 436.41 |
| Gold value | 30 g × SAR 436.40625 | 13,092.19 |
| Making charge | 30 g × SAR 15 | 450.00 |
| Subtotal | 13,542.19 | |
| VAT | 15% of subtotal | 2,031.33 |
| Total | 15,573.52 |
The riyal is pegged to the US dollar at 3.75, so the Saudi 21K price moves almost exactly with the dollar gold price. You can repeat the calculation in any currency with the gold calculator (choose 21K).
21K compared with 22K and 18K
Per gram, 21K sits between the two karats it competes with. Using the same illustrative 24K price of US$133.00 per gram:
| Karat | Factor | Value per gram (US$) | Pure gold in 10 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22K | 0.916 | 121.83 | 9.16 g |
| 21K | 0.875 | 116.38 | 8.75 g |
| 18K | 0.750 | 99.75 | 7.50 g |
A 22K piece therefore holds about 4.7% more gold than a 21K piece of the same weight (0.916 ÷ 0.875 = 1.0469). When comparing a 21K quote with a 22K quote, convert both to the price per gram of pure gold before deciding which is cheaper. Divide the quoted per-gram price by the purity factor: a 21K quote of 440 per gram equals 502.86 per gram of pure gold (440 ÷ 0.875).
Resale considerations
In its home markets 21K is highly liquid: shops buy it back daily against the published 21K rate, deducting a margin per gram. Making charges are generally lost on resale, so plain heavy pieces with low making charges keep more of their value than intricate ones. Keep the invoice; it records karat and weight and makes exchange easier. Outside the region the buyer will typically assay the piece and may quote on the 875 content only.