Gold Price in Lebanon: Karats, Grams and the Gold Lira
Gold prices in Lebanon all start from one number: the international price of an ounce of pure gold, today $3,887.60. Everything a jeweller quotes, from the 21-karat gram to the gold lira, follows from it with simple arithmetic plus the jeweller's own charges. Once you know the steps, you can check any quote in under a minute.
Step 1: from the ounce to the gram
Gold is traded internationally per troy ounce, which is 31.1035 grams. That is heavier than the everyday ounce (28.35 g), so don't mix them up.
Price of one gram of pure (24k) gold = ounce price ÷ 31.1035
Example: if the ounce is $4,000, one gram of 24k gold is 4,000 ÷ 31.1035 ≈ $128.60. Today's live figure is $124.99 per 24k gram.
Step 2: karat means purity
A karat (k) is one twenty-fourth. 24k gold is (practically) pure, and 18k gold is 18 parts gold to 6 parts other metals such as copper or silver. Jewellery is alloyed because pure gold is soft and scratches easily.
| Karat | Gold content | Stamp you may see | Gram price as a share of 24k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24k | 99.9% | 999 | 100% |
| 22k | 91.6% | 916 | 91.6% |
| 21k | 87.5% | 875 | 87.5% |
| 18k | 75% | 750 | 75% |
| 14k | 58.5% | 585 | 58.5% |
So the gram price for any karat is:
Gram price (k) = 24k gram price × k ÷ 24
Example, continuing with a 24k gram at $128.60:
- 21k: 128.60 × 21 ÷ 24 = $112.53
- 18k: 128.60 × 18 ÷ 24 = $96.45
- 14k: 128.60 × 14 ÷ 24 = $75.02
Today on our gold page the 21k gram is $109.37 and the 18k gram is $93.74. In Lebanon, 21k and 18k are the karats you'll see most in jewellery shops; 24k is mostly bars and small ingots.
Step 3: the gold lira and other coins
Coins are where most confusion comes from, because "a gold lira" can mean different things.
The gold lira on our page (8 g of 21k)
Many jewellers in Lebanon and the region quote a "lira" as 8 grams of 21-karat gold. That is the figure we show: today $874.92.
Lira price = 8 × 21k gram price
Example: 8 × $112.53 = $900.24.
The English lira (British sovereign)
The real British gold sovereign weighs 7.988 g at 22k, which is about 7.32 g of pure gold.
Value of the gold in an English lira ≈ 7.32 × 24k gram price
Example: 7.32 × $128.60 ≈ $941.35.
The Rashadi lira
The Rashadi (rashadiyeh) is the Ottoman 100-kuruş gold coin struck under Sultan Mehmed V Reşad. It weighs 7.216 g at 22k (0.917 fine), which is about 6.62 g of pure gold.
Example: 6.62 × $128.60 ≈ $851.33.
These coin values are metal value only. Coins trade above their gold content (a premium for the minting, condition and demand), and some older coins have collector value. When a jeweller says "lira," ask which coin they mean, its weight and karat.
Step 4: the workmanship fee («المصنعية»)
The metal price is only part of what you pay for jewellery. Jewellers add a workmanship fee (masna'iyeh, «المصنعية») that covers design, labour and their margin. It is usually quoted:
- per gram (a fixed amount of dollars added to each gram), or
- per piece, for complex or branded items.
It varies a lot with the design: a plain chain carries less than a handmade or designer piece. There is no official rate for it, so compare between shops.
Worked example: buying a 21k bracelet
Suppose the bracelet weighs 12 g, the 21k gram is $112.53 and the jeweller charges $8 per gram in workmanship (example figures).
- Gold: 12 × 112.53 = $1,350.36
- Workmanship: 12 × 8 = $96.00
- Total: $1,446.36
Worked example: selling it back later
You come back a year later and the 21k gram is still $112.53. The jeweller buys at their own buy price for the metal, often a little below the market gram, and the workmanship isn't refunded. If they pay, say, $110 per gram (example), you get 12 × 110 = $1,320, about $126 less than you paid, even though gold didn't move.
That is why bars, plain coins and simple pieces with low workmanship are better if your aim is saving rather than wearing. Our tips for buying and selling gold in Lebanon go into this.
Converting to lira
Jewellers in Lebanon mostly price gold in dollars. If you need the lira figure, multiply by the market rate: a gram at $112.53 at an example rate of 89,500 is about 10,071,000 LBP. Our gold page shows every karat in both USD and LBP using today's market dollar.
Why the price changes during the day
The ounce price moves whenever global markets are open, which is most of the week. It reacts to interest rates, the US dollar, inflation data and geopolitical news. Weekend prices hold still because the main markets are closed. We check gold every 30 minutes from 07:00 to 22:00 Beirut time from several international spot sources and publish a figure only when they agree (see methodology). A jeweller's board may update less often, so small differences are normal.
Quick checklist for any gold quote
- Get the weight in grams and the karat.
- Compute the metal value: grams × today's gram price for that karat.
- Ask for the workmanship separately, per gram or per piece.
- For coins, ask which coin and check its weight; expect a premium over metal value.
- Ask what the shop would pay you back for the same item today. The gap tells you how much you'd lose if you sold soon.