What Does 916 Mean on Gold?

Turn over almost any gold bangle sold in Sri Lanka and you will find three small digits punched into the metal: 916. The number is shorthand the entire South Asian gold trade runs on, but what it guarantees, and what it does not, is worth understanding before you rely on it.

The Arithmetic Behind 916

Gold purity can be written two ways. The traditional karat scale divides purity into 24 parts; the modern fineness system expresses it in parts per thousand. 22 karat means 22/24ths gold, and 22 ÷ 24 = 0.9166, so 22K gold is 916 parts per thousand, or 91.6% pure. The stamp simply records that fineness on the metal itself.

The same logic produces the other familiar marks: 999 for 24K, 875 for 21K, 750 for 18K and 585 for 14K. Our karat versus fineness guide sets out the full conversion.

Where You Will See the Mark

916 appears on the inner surfaces of bangles, on clasp tongues, ring shanks and pendant bails, anywhere a small punch will not spoil the design. In Sri Lanka it is the default mark on traditional jewellery because the local trade works overwhelmingly in 22K gold. Alongside the number you may also find a maker's or retailer's initials, and in some countries additional symbols applied under national hallmarking schemes.

A Stamp Is a Claim, Not a Certificate

This is the point buyers most often miss. A 916 punch can be bought and applied by anyone; the stamp records what the maker asserts, nothing more. Formal hallmarking, where an independent assay office tests the metal before marking it, exists in some countries, but regimes differ widely, and marking practices in Sri Lanka vary between makers and retailers. Treat the stamp as a starting point, and treat the invoice as the document that matters: ask the seller to state the weight and fineness in writing.

How 916 Is Verified

When real confirmation is needed, jewellers and laboratories use gold testing methods: X-ray fluorescence (XRF) gives a fast, non-destructive surface reading; touchstone and acid testing are the traditional counter methods; and fire assay remains the definitive laboratory technique. For a significant purchase, a test result or an assay report is worth far more than any punch mark.

What 916 Means for Price

Because 916 gold is 91.6% pure, its metal value is about 91.6% of the pure-gold rate for the same weight, the basis of the "22K rate" on shop boards. The gold price per gram guide shows how that rate is built, and the gold purity calculator converts between purities instantly. When comparing quotes, always confirm the price refers to 916 metal and not a lower fineness dressed in the same yellow colour.