What Is a Tola? Gold Weights and Karats in the UAE

If you have ever looked at a gold rate board in Dubai, you will have seen prices per gram, per ounce and per tola, quoted for 24, 22, 21 and 18 karat. So what is a tola, and how do these units fit together? This short guide explains the weights and purity grades behind the gold rate in the UAE, with simple conversions you can use the next time you check today's gold rate.

What is a tola?

A tola is a traditional unit of weight for gold. One tola equals 11.6638 grams, a figure the trade usually rounds to 11.66 g. The unit dates back centuries and was formalised in British India in the 19th century, and it is still widely used for gold across South Asia and among its diaspora. That is why rate sites and jewellers in the UAE often quote a price per tola alongside the price per gram.

The most familiar tola-based product is the ten tola bar, which works out at about 116.64 grams (10 × 11.6638 g).

Grams, tolas and troy ounces

Gold is weighed in three units you will meet most often in the UAE:

• Gram (g): the everyday unit for jewellery and most rate boards.
• Tola: 11.6638 g, common for bars and traditional purchases.
• Troy ounce (oz t): 31.1035 g. This is the unit international gold prices are quoted in. Note that a troy ounce is heavier than the ordinary "kitchen" ounce of about 28.35 g.

A few handy conversions:

• 1 tola = 11.6638 g
• 1 troy ounce = 31.1035 g = about 2.67 tolas
• Ten tola bar = 116.638 g
• 1 kilogram = 1,000 g = about 85.7 tolas = about 32.15 troy ounces

That last line is why you will sometimes see kilo bars quoted next to ounce prices.

What karat means

Karat (K) measures purity, not weight. Pure gold is 24 karat, and each karat is one twenty-fourth of the total. Lower karats mix gold with other metals for strength and colour, which is why most jewellery is not 24K.

• 24K: about 99.9% gold, commonly stamped 999
• 22K: 91.6% gold, stamped 916
• 21K: 87.5% gold, stamped 875
• 18K: 75% gold, stamped 750

Because 22K, 21K and 18K contain less gold, their price per gram is lower than 24K. When you compare two quotes, make sure you are comparing the same karat and the same unit. Look for the purity stamp on the piece itself.

How to read a gold rate in the UAE

Daily gold rates in the UAE are listed per gram for each karat, and many boards add the tola and ounce price. To convert a per-gram rate yourself, the maths is simple:

• Price per tola = price per gram × 11.6638
• Price per troy ounce = price per gram × 31.1035

For example, if a 22K rate were AED 200 per gram (an illustrative figure, not today's price), one tola of 22K would be about AED 2,333. For the current numbers, see our gold rate today in the UAE page.

Two more points matter when you buy:

• Jewellery carries making charges. The rate board shows the value of the metal; the making charge for a finished piece is added on top and varies with the design.
• Bars and coins are priced close to the metal value, which is why investors usually favour 24K bars when the goal is holding gold rather than wearing it.

This guide is educational. Gold prices move every day, and we do not make price forecasts.

Where to keep gold at home

Whether you hold a few tolas of jewellery or a ten tola bar, gold is small, valuable and easy to carry away. A safe that has been independently tested for burglary resistance is the natural home for it. Safes graded to EN 1143-1 have been tested and certified to a set level of resistance, with Grade I the usual starting point for homes.

Three Grade I models from our safes range suit a gold drawer at home:

• Fichet Bauche Carena M-40 — EN 1143-1 Grade I, key lock plus keyless combination lock, 43 litres with one shelf, 174 kg. AED 27,825.
• Chubbsafes Duoguard M-60 — Grade I with 60-minute fire protection, 62 litres, one shelf, key lock. AED 12,652.50.
• Chubbsafes Europa M-30 — Grade I with 60-minute fire protection, key lock plus keyless combination lock, 28 litres, 279 kg. AED 15,645.

All three come with the manufacturer's warranty and free delivery across the UAE. You can compare every model on our Grade I safes page.

A few habits help too: keep receipts and purity details for each piece together with the gold, store jewellery in soft pouches so pieces do not scratch each other, and choose a safe with room to grow rather than one that is full on day one.

Quick answers

How many grams is one tola? 11.6638 grams, usually rounded to 11.66 g.

How many tolas are in a troy ounce? About 2.67.

How heavy is a ten tola bar? About 116.64 grams.

Is 22K gold pure? No. 22K is 91.6% gold; 24K is the purest common grade at about 99.9%.

Explore

New to MySafe Retail? Read our introduction, check the gold rate today, and browse our Grade I safes for a secure place to keep it. Questions? Write to retail@mysafeglobal.com.