What Is 750 Gold? Meaning, Hallmark & Purity Explained

750 gold means the piece contains 750 parts pure gold per 1000 - equal to 75% purity, also known as 18 karat gold. The 750 stamp is a millesimal fineness mark used on gold jewellery worldwide, including in India, where it appears alongside the BIS hallmark on certified pieces.

This guide walks through what the 750 mark actually represents, why it corresponds to 18 karats, how it compares to other common gold purities sold in India, what metals are alloyed with the gold, the different colour variants you will encounter, and how to verify a genuine BIS-certified 750 gold piece using its hallmark and HUID.

The number 750 comes from millesimal fineness, a system that expresses metal purity in parts per thousand rather than as a percentage or a karat number. A 750 stamp means 750 out of every 1000 parts of the item are pure gold, which works out to exactly 75%.

The remaining 25% is not filler or impurity in a negative sense. It is made from other metals that are put into the gold intentionally, usually copper, silver or zinc, to make it harder and more durable. Pure gold on its own is very soft and impractical for jewellery meant to withstand daily wear, so this alloying is a standard, intentional part of how gold jewellery is manufactured.

750 = 18K = 75% pure gold. This is the core fact to hold onto: whichever term you see, 750, 18K, or 18ct, all three describe exactly the same purity level, just using different labelling conventions used in different markets and contexts.

The purity of gold has traditionally been measured on a scale of 24 parts. Pure gold is 24 karats. Each karat represents a twenty-fourth part of the whole, so that 18-karat gold has 18 parts out of 24 parts pure gold.

The maths is simple: 18 divided by 24 equals 0.75, or 75%. This is exactly the same figure the 750 millesimal fineness mark represents, just expressed through a different numbering convention.

"Karat" (abbreviated K) and "carat" (abbreviated ct) are used interchangeably for gold purity in different countries and markets - the terms mean the same thing, though "carat" is also used, confusingly, as a unit of weight for gemstones, which is an entirely separate measurement. Whether a piece is labelled 18K, 18ct, or 750, you are looking at the same 75% pure gold content, just described using whichever convention that particular market, country, or jeweller prefers.

Gold jewellery in India and internationally comes in several standard purity grades, each carrying its own hallmark number.

In India, 916 gold is by far the most widely purchased purity for traditional and bridal jewellery, prized for its rich yellow colour and high gold content. 750 gold sits at a different point in the market - it is generally the preferred choice for diamond-set and other fine jewellery designs, where the additional hardness from the higher alloy content helps hold gemstone settings securely and resist everyday wear better than higher-purity gold would.

It helps to be clear that a higher karat number does not automatically make a piece "better" - it depends entirely on what the piece is for. 916 gold's softness suits the heavier, more ornate designs typical of Indian bridal and traditional jewellery, where the metal itself is the main visual feature. 750 gold's added hardness makes it the more practical choice for pieces with set stones, intricate detailing, or anything expected to see frequent daily wear, since the extra alloy content genuinely reduces the risk of bent prongs, scratches, and gemstones working loose over time.

Also Read: 18 Carat Gold Purity

The 25% non-gold part of 750 gold is usually made up of copper, silver, zinc or palladium, the combination of these metals determining the final colour of the piece.

Copper produces a warmer, reddish tone when present in higher proportions. Silver and palladium, by contrast, produce a cooler, whiter tone. A balanced mix of copper and silver in roughly equal measure produces the classic yellow gold colour most commonly associated with fine jewellery. Regardless of which alloy metals are used or in what proportion, the gold content itself remains fixed at 75% - the alloy choice changes the colour and hardness of the piece, but never the underlying purity the 750 hallmark certifies.

750 gold is available in three main colour variants, and all three carry the identical 750 hallmark, since the gold content is the same across all of them - only the alloy mix differs.

Yellow gold is an alloy with a balanced proportion of copper and silver and gives the classic warm yellow colour that is so familiar in traditional jewellery designs.

White gold is typically alloyed with palladium or nickel, giving it a cooler, silvery appearance. Most white gold pieces are also rhodium-plated to enhance and maintain that bright white finish, and this plating can wear thin over time, meaning white gold jewellery may occasionally need re-plating to keep its original appearance.

The rose gold alloy mix has a greater amount of copper, which lends it its unique pink or rosy tint, a hue which has gained a growing popularity in contemporary jewellery design.

In India, yellow gold remains the most popular choice for traditional and bridal jewellery, though white and rose gold have gained ground in fine and diamond-set jewellery categories, particularly at the 750 purity level where their appearance and hardness both suit that style of piece well.

In India, gold jewellery purity is certified through the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Hallmarking scheme. A true BIS hallmark 750 gold article has four components. They are the BIS logo (a small triangular mark), purity mark ("750"), mark of identification of the assaying and hallmarking centre where it was tested and a six digit alphanumeric HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification) number, which is unique to that particular article.

India’s mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery was introduced in June 2021, requiring registered jewellers to sell only BIS-hallmarked gold above a certain purity threshold. The system was later upgraded, and the HUID-based hallmark became mandatory across the country from April 1, 2023, substituting the earlier four-symbol hallmark format with the present system of giving each individual piece its own unique alphanumeric code.

To verify a 750 gold piece, download the BIS CARE app (available on Android and iOS) and enter the six-digit HUID stamped on the item. The app returns the registered jeweller's details, the certified purity grade, and the assaying centre that tested the piece - giving you independent confirmation beyond the jeweller's own claim.

This verification step matters most for higher-value purchases, since it costs nothing and takes under a minute, yet gives you a level of assurance that a stamp alone cannot. A hallmark that cannot be verified through the BIS CARE app, or a piece with no HUID at all despite claiming BIS certification, is a reasonable signal to ask the seller further questions before completing a purchase.

It is determined by two things: how many grams it weighs and what the going rate for 18K gold per gram is in India, which changes daily due to international gold prices and the rupee-dollar exchange rate.

The calculation itself is straightforward: weight (grams) × current 18K rate per gram = gold value, before making charges.

As a live example, as of early July 2026, 18K gold was trading at around ₹10,743 per gram – at that rate, a 10 gram piece would have a gold value of around ₹1,07,430, before any making charges are applied. This number will change on a daily basis, so always check a reliable source, with up to date information, for the 18K rate before estimating the value of a particular piece.

This is the base gold value. Jewellers typically add making charges on top of this. Making charges are generally in the range of 8-25% of the gold value depending on how complex the design is and how the retailer prices their products. These making charges are usually not recovered in full if you resell the piece later, which is worth factoring in if you are weighing 750 gold as much for its investment value as its wearability.

Also Read: Gold Hallmark Numbers Explained