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The Pennyweight

Topic hub

Gold

Karat, gram weight and what a listing is actually selling you. Solid gold, gold-filled, vermeil and plate are four different products at four different lifespans — and the pennyweight is where all of them are finally settled.

Where to start

Comparisons

Glossary terms

Pennyweight (dwt)
One twentieth of a troy ounce — 1.555 grams. The unit refiners weigh gold in.
Troy Ounce
31.1035 grams — the ounce precious metals are priced in, heavier than the kitchen ounce.
Karat vs Carat
Karat is gold purity in twenty-fourths. Carat is gemstone weight. Different units.
Vermeil
Sterling silver plated with gold to a regulated minimum thickness.
Gold-Filled vs Gold-Plated
Gold-filled is a bonded layer by weight; plate is microns thick and rubs through.
Hallmark
A stamped mark recording metal fineness — compulsory in some countries, not in the US.

The short list

Three entries from the ledger — the full ranking lives on the best-of pages.

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