How many grams are in a pavan, a tola and a troy ounce, with a ready table and easy ways to convert between them.
Gold in India is weighed in grams at the shop, but people still talk in older units: a pavan in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, a tola in the north and west, and the world price is quoted per troy ounce. Here is how they all fit together.
The quick table
| Unit | Grams | Where you hear it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gram | 1 | Every shop bill in India |
| 1 pavan (sovereign) | 8 | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh |
| 1 tola | 11.6638 | North and West India, Nepal, the Gulf |
| 1 troy ounce | 31.1035 | World gold price |
| 1 kilogram | 1,000 | Silver rate, large bars |
Pavan (sovereign)
In South India, jewellery is often counted in pavan: "a 5-pavan chain", "20 pavan for the wedding". One pavan is taken as 8 grams. The name comes from the British gold sovereign coin, which weighed close to 8 grams.
Examples:
- 5 pavan = 40 grams
- 10 pavan = 80 grams
- 25 pavan = 200 grams
Tola
A tola is an old Indian unit equal to 11.6638 grams. Some shops and traders round it to 11.66 g. Ten tolas are about 116.6 grams. Gold bars sold in the Gulf are often 10 tola.
Troy ounce
A troy ounce is 31.1035 grams. It is used only for precious metals and is heavier than the ordinary ounce used for food (28.35 grams). When you see "gold at 2,500 dollars" in world news, that is the price of one troy ounce of pure gold.
Gross weight, net weight and stone weight
For jewellery, the bill often shows more than one weight:
- Gross weight: everything together, including stones, beads and threads.
- Stone weight: the weight of the stones and other non-gold parts.
- Net weight: gross weight minus stone weight. You should pay the gold rate only on this.
Always check that the net weight is used for the gold value. See our buying checklist for more.
Converting quickly
- Pavan to grams: multiply by 8.
- Grams to pavan: divide by 8.
- Tola to grams: multiply by 11.6638.
- Grams to troy ounce: divide by 31.1035.
Our gold weight converter does all of these at once and also shows what that weight costs at today's rate.
Weighing tips at the shop
- Ask to see the weight on the shop's electronic scale yourself.
- Scales used for selling gold must be stamped by the Legal Metrology department; you can ask to see the certificate.
- Weight is usually shown to 3 decimal places (for example 7.985 g). Small differences of a few milligrams between scales are normal.
Carat for diamonds is different
Don't mix up gold carat with diamond carat. For gold, carat means purity (22 carat = 91.6% gold). For diamonds and gemstones, carat means weight: one diamond carat is 0.2 grams (200 milligrams). A "1 carat diamond" in an 18 carat gold ring uses the word twice, with two meanings.
Common questions
Is a tola 10 grams?
The traditional tola is 11.6638 grams. In everyday talk some people say "tola" for 10 grams, because Indian rates are often quoted per 10 grams. Always check which one a shop means.
Why are gold rates quoted per 10 grams on some sites?
It is an older habit. This site shows the price for 1 gram, 8 grams (1 pavan), 10 grams and 100 grams so you can use whichever you are used to.
How much is half a pavan?
4 grams. A quarter pavan is 2 grams.
This guide is general information for buyers. Rules and tax rates can change; check with your jeweller, bank or a qualified adviser before big decisions.