Every PGBX bar carries a number next to its weight: 999.0 or 999.9. That number is the fineness, and it tells you exactly how much of the bar is pure metal. It is one of the two things that decide what a bar is worth, the other being weight.
What fineness means
Fineness is written as parts of pure metal out of 1,000.
- 999.0 = 999 parts pure out of 1,000 = 99.90% pure
- 999.9 = 999.9 parts pure out of 1,000 = 99.99% pure
The remaining fraction is trace metal left after refining. Both grades are called fine gold or fine silver, and both are accepted as investment-grade bullion.
Fineness and karat are not the same thing
Karat is a jewellery unit for gold, measured in 24 parts. Fineness is the bullion unit, measured in 1,000 parts.
| Karat | Approximate fineness | Pure gold |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 999.0 - 999.9 | 99.9% and above |
| 22K | 916 | 91.6% |
| 21K | 875 | 87.5% |
| 18K | 750 | 75.0% |
So a 999.0 bar and a 999.9 bar are both 24 karat gold. For silver, the fineness figure is the precise measure: a 999.0 silver bar is 99.90% pure silver.
Does the difference matter when you buy?
The gap between 999.0 and 999.9 is one tenth of one percent. On a 1 tola gold bar that is a fraction of a gram of extra pure gold. What matters more in practice is:
- The rate you pay. The PGBX rate applies to both 999.0 and 999.9 bars, so you can see exactly what you are paying for the metal on our gold and silver rates page.
- Whether the bar can be verified. A stamped fineness only means something if the bar is genuine and traceable to its maker.
- The weight. A heavier bar at 999.0 holds more pure metal than a lighter bar at 999.9. Fineness alone tells you nothing until you multiply it by weight.
How to check the purity of a bar you own
- Read the stamp. A PGBX bar is stamped with its weight, its fineness and a unique serial number.
- Verify the serial number. Enter it on the PGBX verification page to confirm the bar came from us.
- Get an independent test if you want one. A jeweller or laboratory with an XRF analyser can measure the metal without damaging the bar.
Be careful with unmarked bars, bars with no serial number, and bars bought from sellers who cannot show where they came from. A stamp is easy to copy; a verifiable serial number is not.
PGBX bars and their purity
- Gold: 1, 3, 5 and 10 tola and 1 kilo bars — see gold bars in Pakistan
- Silver: 1, 3, 5 and 10 tola, 500 gram and 1 kilo bars — see silver bars in Pakistan
Each product page lists that bar's exact fineness and its weight in both grams and tola.
Questions about a bar?
Message PGBX on WhatsApp at 0303-3521555, call 021-35215555, or visit the head office at Office 1211, 12th Floor, Gold Tower, Saddar, Karachi, Monday to Saturday, 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM.