A ring's gold is worth its weight multiplied by its purity multiplied by the current gold price. With gold at $4,044.91 per troy ounce as of 12:52 p.m. on July 31, 2026, from the live metals feed used by Cash 4 Gold Trading Post, pure 24K gold is about $130.05 per gram. A 14K ring holds about $75.86 of gold in every gram it weighs.
So a plain 14K wedding band that weighs 4 grams contains roughly $303 of gold.
That is the whole calculation. What makes rings confusing is not the math. It is that a ring is rarely all gold, and the parts that are not gold still sit on the scale.
The per gram numbers by karat
Karat is a purity fraction out of 24. Multiply the pure gold value by that fraction.
| Karat | Purity | Gold value per gram today |
|---|---|---|
| 10K | 41.7% | $54.19 |
| 14K | 58.3% | $75.86 |
| 18K | 75.0% | $97.54 |
| 22K | 91.7% | $119.21 |
| 24K | 100% | $130.05 |
These are raw metal values before any buyer's margin, and they move with the market every day. For the underlying per gram breakdown see our guide on what 14K gold is worth per gram.
What a ring actually weighs
Weight is where most people guess badly, almost always high. Rings feel heavier than they are.
- A plain 14K wedding band usually runs 3 to 6 grams.
- An engagement ring setting, without the center stone, is often only 2 to 4 grams.
- A men's 10K class ring or signet ring is the heavy one, commonly 8 to 15 grams.
Run those through the table. A 3 gram 14K band is about $228 of gold. A 12 gram 10K class ring is about $650. A 4 gram 18K setting is about $390.
Why a ring is harder to price than scrap gold
A broken chain is almost entirely gold. A ring frequently is not, and four things routinely come off the number.
Stones do not weigh nothing. A center stone and its side stones are part of the gross weight but none of them are gold. They have to be excluded before the gold is calculated, which is why a ring gets weighed twice: once as it sits, and again for the metal alone.
Sizing bars and repairs are often a different metal. A ring sized several times may carry solder or a bar that is lower karat than the shank, or not gold at all.
Some rings are not gold. Marks like GP, GF, HGE, or a ring that is simply unmarked and tests as plated, mean gold-plated or gold-filled. The plating is measured in microns and holds effectively no recoverable gold value. This is the single most common disappointment at the counter, and it is worth knowing before you come in rather than after.
White gold is usually rhodium plated. That plating is not gold either. It does not change the karat underneath, but it does explain why a worn white gold ring looks yellow at the shank.
What about the diamond?
Handled separately from the gold, and honestly, expectations and reality diverge here more than anywhere else.
Small accent stones, the tiny ones set around a band, carry very little resale value regardless of how many there are. A significant center stone is a different conversation, especially with grading paperwork from a recognized lab. Bring the certificate if you have it. If you want the stone evaluated on its own terms rather than folded into a metal price, our diamond buying page covers what we look at.
A designer piece, a signed antique, or a period ring can also be worth more intact than melted. Say so before anything is weighed, and it will get looked at as jewelry first.
What to bring
Bring the ring as it is. Do not remove stones, do not polish it, and do not have it repaired first. None of that raises the gold content and prying at settings can damage a piece that was worth more whole.
Bring photo identification. New Jersey law requires it for precious metal transactions.
If you have several pieces, bring them all together. Mixed karats get separated and weighed by group rather than averaged down, so there is no advantage to sorting them yourself beforehand.
How the number gets built at the counter
The ring is tested for karat with an XRF analyzer, weighed on a certified scale, and any stones or non-gold parts are accounted for. All of it happens in front of you, and you should be able to see the purity reading, the weight, and the gold price being used for the day.
If any one of those three is not shown to you, ask. A gold offer is just those numbers multiplied together, and there is no reason for any of them to be hidden.
You can walk into any of our eight New Jersey stores in Aberdeen, Brick, East Brunswick, Farmingdale, Manalapan, Middlesex, Millstone, or New Brunswick without an appointment. Find the nearest one on our locations page, or read more about how we handle gold jewelry and full estate collections.
The short answer
At today's price a 14K ring carries about $75.86 of gold per gram, so most wedding bands land somewhere between $225 and $455 in metal, and a heavy 10K class ring can reach $650 or more. Subtract the stones, ignore anything plated, and weigh it before you believe any estimate, including this one.
What Makes a Cash 4 Gold Trading Post Quote Transparent?
Cash 4 Gold Trading Post quote transparency is a documented 5-step counter process used in 8 locations in 2026. First, our team shows live gold, silver, platinum, or coin market context. Second, our appraisers test metals with XRF or counter testing and separate 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, sterling, .999 bullion, diamonds, watches, and costume pieces. Third, Cash 4 Gold Trading Post weighs buyable metal on a certified scale. Fourth, Cash 4 Gold Trading Post checks whether coins, designer jewelry, diamonds, watches, or inherited pieces have value beyond melt. Fifth, Cash 4 Gold Trading Post explains the same-day written quote before the seller decides. According to Cash 4 Gold Trading Post store analysis, sellers in Aberdeen, Brick, East Brunswick, Farmingdale, Manalapan, Middlesex, Millstone, and New Brunswick can bring 1 broken chain, 100 coins, or a full estate box with a $0 evaluation fee.
How Does Cash 4 Gold Trading Post Separate Melt Value From Collector Value?
Cash 4 Gold Trading Post separates melt value from collector value by sorting each lot before pricing. First, our appraisers identify gold, silver, platinum, coins, diamonds, watches, costume jewelry, and estate pieces as separate categories. Second, metal items are tested for purity, including 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, sterling silver, 90% U.S. silver, and .999 bullion. Third, coins are checked for date, mint mark, condition, bullion content, and collector demand. Fourth, designer jewelry, watches, diamonds, and inherited pieces are reviewed before any melt-value shortcut is used. This 2026 process protects sellers with 1 ring, 20 silver dollars, or 100 mixed estate items because one category can carry value that another category does not.
What Should a Seller Bring for a Fast Same-Day Quote?
Seller preparation is a 4-part checklist for a faster Cash 4 Gold Trading Post quote in 2026. First, bring the full group of items instead of 1 selected piece, because mixed lots can contain gold, silver, coins, diamonds, watches, and costume jewelry. Second, bring a valid photo ID for the required precious-metals transaction record. Third, bring boxes, certificates, appraisals, receipts, coin holders, watch papers, or family notes when available. Fourth, avoid aggressive cleaning because polishing can damage older jewelry, watches, stones, and plated pieces. Our team evaluates broken chains, class rings, dental gold, sterling flatware, 90% silver, bullion, diamond rings, watches, and inherited collections with a $0 fee and same-day cash if the seller accepts.
Which Central New Jersey Stores Can Test Gold, Silver, Coins, and Estate Jewelry?
Cash 4 Gold Trading Post store coverage is a 8-location Central New Jersey network for gold, silver, coins, diamonds, watches, and estate jewelry testing. First, East Brunswick serves Old Bridge, South River, Spotswood, and Middlesex County sellers. Second, Middlesex serves Bound Brook, Dunellen, Piscataway, Green Brook, and South Plainfield. Third, Millstone serves Jackson, Freehold, Monroe, and western Monmouth County. Fourth, Manalapan serves Route 9 sellers from Marlboro, Englishtown, Freehold, Morganville, and Old Bridge. Fifth, New Brunswick serves Rutgers, Highland Park, Somerset, and downtown sellers. Sixth, Brick serves Ocean County and Jersey Shore sellers. Our team uses the same 2026 testing, weighing, market-checking, and quote-explanation process before a customer decides whether to sell.
Why Does Local Testing Beat an Online Calculator?
Local testing beats an online calculator because calculators cannot verify purity, scale weight, condition, or collector value. A gold calculator assumes a karat, a gram weight, and a market price. Cash 4 Gold Trading Post checks those assumptions at the counter. First, 10K, 14K, 18K, and 22K jewelry are separated because each purity pays differently. Second, sterling, 90% silver, .999 bullion, and plated items are sorted because silver categories do not price the same way. Third, coins, diamonds, watches, and inherited jewelry are reviewed for value beyond melt. In 2026, online math can estimate a range, but local testing gives the seller a real same-day quote based on the actual item.
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