How this price is calculated
There is no separate exchange quote for individual alloys. Every karat price is derived from the fine gold rate, and the arithmetic is fully open:
Every figure on this page comes from exactly this formula.
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金地金、中古金、歯科用金の正確な価値を計算、またはご予算に応じたグラム数を算出します。
What defines 875 gold
875 parts gold per 1,000 — 21 karat. The usual alloy adds roughly 9 % copper and 3.5 % silver. The fineness sits exactly between the 916 coin alloy and the 750 European jewellery standard: high enough for a deep yellow tone, hard enough to wear.
DIN EN ISO 8654, the European standard for gold colours, does not list 875. The fineness is covered by international ISO 9202 but has no German tradition. Show an 875 piece to a German jeweller and you may be told it is an unusual fineness — true for this market, not globally.
At around 120 HV and a density of roughly 16.9 g/cm³, 875 is harder than 916 and softer than 750. In practice: wearable daily, but more scratch-prone than typical German jewellery.
Where 875 gold is used
Gulf bridal jewellery. In Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, 21 karat is the standard for wedding sets of chain, bangles, earrings and ring. These are traded by the gram and explicitly understood as savings.
Egyptian and Levantine jewellery. 21 karat dominates in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon too. Workmanship charges there are traditionally low, so intrinsic value makes up an unusually high share of the purchase price.
Turkish Ziynet goods. Alongside 916, 875 is used for bangles and chains, particularly heavier pieces.
In Germany. 875 gold almost always arrives as an imported or inherited piece. German jewellers essentially do not manufacture at this fineness; buyers looking for it will find it with dealers carrying Middle Eastern ranges in larger cities.
Buying 875 gold
In Germany the full 19 % VAT applies to new goods, because jewellery does not fall under the investment gold exemption of § 25c UStG. That is the key difference from buying in the Gulf, where the tax burden is far lower.
The price combines intrinsic value and workmanship. On imported goods, workmanship often runs 10–20 %, and higher on elaborate pieces. Ask for both components separately — only intrinsic value is realisable on resale.
If you buy abroad and import: travellers' allowances apply on entry from a non-EU country, above which import VAT and possibly duty are due. Cash from €10,000 must be declared at the EU external border — jewellery falls under goods rules, not the cash rule.
Selling 875 gold
German scrap buyers value 875 by fineness: weight × 0.875 × fine gold rate, less refining charges. A realistic payout is 90–95 % of that intrinsic value.
Expect the buyer to determine fineness independently rather than trusting a foreign mark, usually by XRF or acid streak. On multi-piece sets total weight is taken and non-gold components — clasps, stones, springs — are deducted.
The workmanship charge paid in Dubai or Cairo cannot be recovered in Germany. A set bought for €1,000 of intrinsic value plus €200 of workmanship will fetch roughly €900–950 here. That is not a lowball offer; it is the difference between the jewellery market and the metal market.
What a dealer actually pays out
Intrinsic value is the ceiling, not the payout. Buyers deduct refining charges and keep a trading margin. The range below is realistic for this fineness:
| Item | per gram | for 10 g |
|---|---|---|
| Intrinsic value (fine gold content) | €107.50 | €1,074.95 |
| Realistic payout — upper end −5.0 % | €102.12 | €1,021.20 |
| Realistic payout — lower end −10.0 % | €96.75 | €967.46 |
Rule of thumb: get at least two written quotes and watch the item being weighed. A reputable buyer states the fine gold rate used, the weight in grams and the deduction as separate lines — a single lump sum is impossible to compare.
German tax treatment of 875 gold
19 % VAT on new goods. 875 gold is jewellery, not a bullion coin and not a bar of 995/1000 or better, so the § 25c UStG exemption does not apply.
Margin scheme in second-hand trade. Where a dealer buys from a private seller and resells, § 25a UStG lets them tax only their margin. For you as buyer that means a lower final price, with no separately stated VAT on the invoice.
Tax-free sale after one year. § 23 EStG makes no distinction between bars and jewellery. Privately held gold owned for more than a year is income-tax free on sale; within the year the €1,000 annual threshold applies.
Inherited jewellery. The deceased's holding period is attributed to the heir. Selling inherited jewellery that the deceased held for decades is tax-free, however recent the inheritance.
Testing 875 gold
Look for the mark. Common stamps are 875 or 21K, usually on the clasp, ring interior or bangle edge. Gulf country marks are widespread but cannot be verified authoritatively in Germany.
X-ray fluorescence. The standard at any reputable buyer: non-destructive and instant. It reads the surface only, so suspected plating is confirmed by filing a small spot.
Acid streak test. The classic method. A streak on a touchstone is treated with graded test acids; dissolution speed indicates fineness. Reliable, with minimal material loss.
Rough density check. 875 sits near 16.9 g/cm³. On solid pieces without cavities this can be approximated with a kitchen scale and a glass of water; on hollow jewellery and chains it does not work.
Common mistakes with 875 gold
- ⚠Using the foreign purchase price as a benchmark. A Dubai price includes little tax and modest workmanship. A German buyback is intrinsic value less refining. The two numbers are not comparable.
- ⚠Trusting the mark. Stamps are forgeable and voluntary in Germany anyway. Rely on a measurement, not a punch.
- ⚠Breaking up sets. Buyers value by weight. If you have a complete, well-preserved set, check whether a private jewellery sale beats the melt value first.
