375
9-carat gold · 37.5% pure
375 means 9-carat gold: 37.5% pure gold, with the rest harder alloy metals. It's the most affordable gold that can legally be called gold in the UK and much of the Commonwealth — struck as “375” or “9K”. With well over half its weight in other metals it's hard, durable and budget-friendly, though paler and lower in value than higher-carat gold.
Hallmark Translator
Translate a purity you know into how any country marks it — gold, silver, platinum, palladium — or compare two countries side by side.
Why 37.5%?
9-carat is the durable, affordable end of gold. At 37.5% pure it's mostly alloy, which makes it hard and scratch-resistant and keeps the price down — which is why it's so common in the UK, Ireland and Commonwealth countries for everyday and fashion jewellery.
The trade-offs: it's noticeably paler than higher-carat gold, the higher base-metal content means it can dull or tarnish slightly over many years, and it's worth far less by weight. Some countries don't even recognise 9K as “gold” — but in Britain it's a long-standing legal standard.
Alloy 37.5% gold · 62.5% copper, silver and zinc
And the standards around it
- 3759-carat
- 37.5% gold — durable and affordable; the UK/Commonwealth floor.
How 8 countries strike 375
The number means the same metal everywhere — but every country marks it differently. Some strike a national emblem beside it; others, like the United States, mark it in type alone. Tap a country for its full system.
Independent assay
Mandatory maker's mark
What people actually ask
Is 375 the same as 9K?
Yes — two ways of writing the same purity. 375 is the millesimal (37.5% pure); 9K is the carat (9 parts gold in 24, which is also 37.5%).
Is 375 real gold?
Yes, it's real gold — 37.5% of it. It's legal “gold” in the UK and Commonwealth, though its purity is low and some countries with higher minimums won't call it gold.
Does 9ct gold tarnish?
It can dull or tarnish slightly over years, because nearly two-thirds of it is base metal. A clean and polish restores it; it's not a sign of a fake.
Is 9K or 18K gold better?
A trade-off. 9K is harder and far cheaper; 18K is much purer, richer in colour and worth more. 9K suits budget and everyday fashion pieces; 18K is the fine-jewellery choice.
What is 9ct gold worth?
37.5% of its weight is pure gold, so its melt value is modest — just over a third of the same weight in pure gold, tracking the gold price.
A reference guide, not an authentication service. The same number can appear on different metals, and the mark beside it varies by country, date and maker — consult the relevant assay office or standards body for definitive identification.