Ring Metal Weight Calculator
Calculate the weight of a ring based on size, width, thickness, and metal type.
Covers gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.
How ring weight is calculated:
A ring is essentially a hollow cylinder. Its weight depends on the ring’s dimensions (inner diameter, width, thickness) and the density of the metal.
The formula:
Volume = π × Width × Thickness × (Inner Diameter + Thickness)
Weight (grams) = Volume (cm³) × Metal density (g/cm³)
This formula models a simple band ring. Wider and thicker bands use significantly more metal — and the relationship is not linear. Doubling the width more than doubles the weight because the ring’s cross-section grows in two dimensions.
Metal densities (g/cm³):
| Metal | Density | Relative Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling silver | 10.36 | $ |
| 10K yellow gold | 11.57 | $$ |
| 14K yellow gold | 13.07 | $$$ |
| 18K yellow gold | 15.58 | $$$$ |
| 24K pure gold | 19.32 | $$$$$ |
| Palladium | 12.02 | $$$ |
| Platinum | 21.45 | $$$$$ |
| Titanium | 4.51 | $ |
| Tungsten carbide | 15.63 | $ |
Worked example:
US size 7 ring (inner diameter 17.35 mm = 1.735 cm), 6 mm wide, 1.5 mm thick, 14K gold:
- Volume = 3.14159 × 0.6 × 0.15 × (1.735 + 0.15) = 0.531 cm³
- Weight = 0.531 × 13.07 = 6.94 grams of 14K gold
Ring size to inner diameter (US sizes):
- Size 5: 15.70 mm
- Size 6: 16.51 mm
- Size 7: 17.35 mm
- Size 8: 18.19 mm
- Size 9: 18.89 mm
- Size 10: 19.84 mm
Cost estimation tip: Multiply weight by the current per-gram price of your metal. For 14K gold, the metal value is 58.3% of pure gold price per gram (14/24 = 0.583).