What does 916 gold mean?
916 refers to fineness: 916 parts of pure gold per 1,000 parts of metal, or approximately 91.6% gold purity. It is the millesimal equivalent of 22 karat (22 ÷ 24 = 0.9166…), so "916 gold" and "22K gold" describe the same alloy. The remaining 8.4% is typically copper and silver, added to make the metal hard enough for daily wear.
In India, 22K (916) gold is the standard for wedding and traditional jewellery, certified by the BIS hallmark with the 916 stamp. Jewellers publish daily 22K and 24K rates and add making charges — typically a percentage of the metal value — on top of the board price.