21-karat gold is the most common purity for women jewellery in the Arab world. The recurring question is: I have a 21-karat bracelet or set of a known weight, so how do I calculate its zakat?
Step one: convert the karat to pure gold
24-karat means 100% pure gold. 21-karat means that out of every 24 parts of the alloy, 21 parts are gold and the rest are strengthening metals.
Pure gold = piece weight × (21 ÷ 24) = piece weight × 0.875
Example: an 80-gram 21-karat set contains 80 × 0.875 = 70 grams of pure gold. That is below the 85-gram gold nisab, so no zakat is due on this set alone.
Step two: add the pure gold from every piece
Do not assess each piece in isolation unless you only want its value. For zakat, the total matters:
| Piece | Weight | Karat | Pure gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring | 20 g | 21 | 17.5 g |
| Bracelet | 50 g | 21 | 43.75 g |
| Set | 80 g | 21 | 70 g |
| Total | 131.25 g |
The total is 131.25 g, above the nisab, so zakat is due if a lunar year has passed.
Step three: calculate the market value
Assume one gram of pure gold is worth $75 today. Total value = 131.25 × 75 = $9,843.75.
Zakat = 9,843.75 × 2.5% = $246.09.
Quick decision table for 21-karat gold
| Piece weight | Pure gold | Counts toward nisab? |
|---|---|---|
| 20 g | 17.5 g | Yes, added to other gold |
| 50 g | 43.75 g | Yes |
| 100 g | 87.5 g | Yes, reaches nisab alone |
| 90 g | 78.75 g | Not alone, but still added |
Should I use the purchase price or today's price?
Use the market price on the day zakat becomes due, because zakat is tied to the current value of the wealth. The purchase price is historical and does not reflect present value.
What is the hawl?
A full lunar year during which the nisab has been owned. Pick one Hijri date each year, such as 1 Rajab or 1 Ramadan, and stick to it so the years do not blur. The Hijri calendar can help you convert the date.
Use the calculator
If you have several pieces of different karats, the gold zakat calculator computes the pure gold for each piece, adds them, and outputs the zakat. If you also own cash or silver, use the money zakat calculator to pool all zakatable wealth.
Practical summary
- Multiply each 21-karat piece by 0.875.
- Add the results from all pieces.
- If the total is 85 grams or more and a lunar year has passed, pay 2.5% of the market value.
- Record the Hijri date you pay on so you repeat the calculation each year.
For a fuller discussion of the scholarly disagreement on zakat of worn gold jewellery, see our article Zakat on Worn Gold Jewellery.
Data sources
Last updated: 7 September 2026