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.
Across the eurozone, jewellery standards vary by country: 18K (750) dominates fine jewellery in France, Italy and Spain, while 14K (585) is common in Germany and central Europe. 22K and 24K jewellery is rarer and mostly found in communities with South Asian or Middle Eastern gifting traditions.