585 or 750 Gold (14k vs 18k): What Is the Difference?
Anyone buying, inheriting or selling jewellery almost always comes across two numbers: 585 and 750. Both stand for real gold, and both are widespread in Germany. Yet they differ considerably in gold content, colour, durability and above all value. This article explains the differences and what they mean when you sell. You can check your own items in the gold value calculator.
Gold Content: 58.5% vs 75%
The number in the hallmark states the fineness in thousandths. 585 gold consists of 58.5% pure gold, equivalent to 14 karat. 750 gold contains 75% fine gold and equals 18 karat. The rest is an alloy of metals such as silver, copper, zinc or palladium.
Only the fine gold content matters for melt value. One gram of 750 gold contains 0.75 g of fine gold, one gram of 585 gold 0.585 g. At the same weight, 750 gold is therefore worth around 28% more.
A Worked Example
Take a 12-gram chain and the example price of €120 per gram of fine gold (as of 24 Sept 2026):
1. As 585 gold: 12 × 0.585 = 7.02 g fine gold, melt value €842.40.
2. As 750 gold: 12 × 0.75 = 9 g fine gold, melt value €1,080.
The difference is almost €240. After a 15% buy-back discount, the 585 piece fetches about €716, the 750 piece €918. So misreading a hallmark can cost real money.
Colour and Appearance
Thanks to its higher gold content, 750 gold has a richer, warmer yellow tone. 585 gold looks slightly paler and, depending on the alloy, a little reddish. With white and rose gold the added metals dominate the colour: rose gold contains more copper, white gold often palladium or silver and is additionally rhodium-plated. You therefore cannot reliably tell the fineness from colour alone. Rely on the hallmark or a test.
Hardness and Everyday Wear
Pure gold is very soft. The more alloy metals it contains, the harder and more scratch-resistant it becomes. 585 gold is therefore more robust and well suited to rings worn every day. 750 gold is somewhat more delicate, shows scratches sooner and is used more for high-end jewellery, watches and fine jewellery work. This does not affect melt value, but it does affect condition when selling: heavily worn pieces sometimes lose a little weight.
Price When Buying, Value When Selling
When buying from a retailer you pay for design, craftsmanship, trade margin and VAT, so the price is often far above the melt value. When selling to a buyer, however, almost only the metal counts. This applies equally to 585 and 750 gold. A ring bought for €800 sometimes fetches only a third of that.
Exceptions are high-end designer pieces, antique jewellery or pieces with valuable stones. Selling these as jewellery, for example through a jeweller or privately, can bring more than the metal value. Have such pieces appraised first.
What About 333 Gold?
333 gold (8 karat) contains only one third fine gold and is therefore worth considerably less: at the example price just under €40 per gram melt value, compared with €70.20 for 585 and €90 for 750 gold. 333 gold is cheap to buy but tarnishes more easily. Buyers often apply a higher percentage discount to such pieces because refining is more involved.
Conclusion
750 gold contains a good quarter more fine gold than 585 gold and is worth correspondingly more. 585 gold, on the other hand, is harder and better for everyday wear. When selling, only the fine gold content counts. Check the hallmark, weigh precisely and compare offers. How to calculate the value step by step is explained in the guide Calculating Gold Value.