Pure gold melts at 1,064 degrees Celsius, or 1,947 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the figure for 24 carat gold in its purest form, and it's a remarkably consistent number, since it's a fixed physical property of the element itself rather than something that varies by source or supplier.
What does change is how that figure shifts once gold is mixed with other metals, which is most gold you'll actually come across in everyday jewellery.
Does purity affect the melting point?
Yes, noticeably. Alloying gold with other metals, such as copper, silver or zinc, changes its melting point, and the effect isn't always straightforward. Depending on which metals are used and in what proportions, an alloy can melt at a lower temperature than pure gold, sometimes by quite a margin.
This matters in practice. Jewellers need to know the approximate melting range of a particular gold alloy when soldering, repairing or resizing a piece, since applying too much heat can damage the surrounding metal, while too little won't create a proper join.
Why does gold's melting point matter in practice?
Beyond general curiosity, gold's melting point is central to a few real processes:
- Refining and recycling, where old or broken jewellery is melted down so the gold can be purified and reused, separating it from the other metals it was alloyed with
- Jewellery making and repair, where controlled heat is used to shape, solder or cast gold into new forms
- Assaying and testing, where understanding how an alloy behaves under heat can help confirm what it's actually made of
This is also part of why broken or damaged gold still holds its value. Once melted down, it doesn't matter whether a piece arrived as a tangled chain or a bent ring, since the gold itself can be recovered and reused either way.
How is gold actually melted?
Melting gold safely requires specialist equipment, including crucibles, torches or induction furnaces capable of reaching and controlling very high temperatures, along with proper ventilation and protective equipment. It's a job for trained refiners and jewellers rather than something to attempt at home, both for safety reasons and because getting the temperature wrong can damage or waste the gold itself.
Would gold jewellery survive a house fire?
It's a question that comes up more than you'd think, often from people sorting through belongings after a fire. The honest answer is that it depends on how hot and how prolonged the fire was. Many residential fires burn in the region of 600°C to 1,100°C, which can sit below or close to gold's melting point, and this is part of why jewellery, along with other small metal items, is sometimes recovered intact even after a serious house fire.
That said, more intense or longer-burning fires can exceed 1,000°C and continue climbing well beyond it, particularly during flashover, so survival isn't guaranteed in every case. Lower carat gold, with a lower melting point than pure gold, is generally more vulnerable to heat damage than higher purity pieces.
Does melting point affect the value of gold?
Not directly. Melting point is simply a fixed physical property of the metal, and it doesn't change based on a piece's age, condition or history. What actually determines value is weight, purity and the current market price, regardless of whether a piece has ever been melted, repaired or left untouched for decades.
If you've got old or damaged gold jewellery, including pieces that have been affected by heat or general wear, our specialists assess each item individually based on its actual gold content.
Postage is insured as standard, with higher cover available for larger or more valuable collections, and our How It Works page covers the full process in more detail if you'd like to read further.
Whether a piece is solid, bent, scorched or simply old, the gold inside it hasn't gone anywhere. Booking a home collection is a straightforward way to find out what it's worth.