Shop price guide
Gold Spread, Making Charges, and Premiums
Spot value helps estimate metal value, but actual buying or selling prices can change because of premiums, making charges, spreads, design, and item condition.
Metal value is not transaction price
Metal value or melt value starts from the spot SGD per gram price and the purity multiplier. With the current price, 916 gold is estimated at about $157.53 per gram before other costs.
Premiums and making charges raise purchase price
Premiums can appear on bars, wafers, coins, or platforms. Making charges are usually more connected to jewellery because of design and fabrication work. Both can push consumer prices above base metal value.
Spread can reduce buyback value
Spread is the difference between estimated base value and the price offered by a buyer. It can change by item type, physical condition, documents, market, and shop policy.
Example scenarios for 10g of 916 gold
| Scenario | Premium | Spread | Base value | Estimated purchase | Estimated buyback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal value only | 0% | 0% | $1,575.30 | $1,575.30 | $1,575.30 |
| Low premium | 3% | 2% | $1,575.30 | $1,622.56 | $1,543.80 |
| Medium premium | 5% | 4% | $1,575.30 | $1,654.07 | $1,512.29 |
| High premium | 8% | 6% | $1,575.30 | $1,701.33 | $1,480.78 |
What to check before comparing prices
- Item purity: 9999, 999, 916, 750, 585, or another verifiable stamp.
- Net gold weight in grams, not weight including stones or other components.
- Premium, making charge, spread, platform fees, and buyback policy.
- Whether GST or Investment Precious Metals exemption is relevant to the specific item.
FAQ
Are gold premiums the same at every shop?
No. Premiums can change by product, brand, stock, platform, size, and seller policy.
Can buyback spread be known from spot price alone?
No. Spot price only gives the base metal value; buyback spread depends on the buyer and item terms.
Should making charges be included in metal value?
Making charges can be relevant to a jewellery purchase price, but they are not part of spot metal value.