Key Highlights

• Tola = 11.664 grams (NOT 10 grams) The most common mistake: 10 grams is only 0.857 Tola. North India's bullion standard uses the true Tola weight. Know this before comparing prices.
• Pavan = 8 grams (watch for 7.5g shops) South India's wedding gold unit is standardized at 8 grams. Some older jewelers use 7.5 grams—that 0.5g difference costs you ₹12,500–₹25,000 on a bridal set.
• Bhori = Tola = 11.664 grams Different name (East India), same weight. Bhori and Tola are identical—just regional terminology. Convert both the same way.
• Always check the invoice in grams Your GST bill must show net weight in grams. Convert whatever unit the shop quoted, then verify it matches the invoice. This single step catches 90% of overcharges.
• Masha & Ratti are sub-units Masha = 0.972 grams (1/12 Tola). Ratti = 0.1215 grams (1/96 Tola). Rarely used in retail, but essential if you see them in family records or gemstone trades.

Walk into a gold shop in Delhi and the display board shows "per Tola." Drive to a jewelry store in Kochi and it says "per Pavan." Call a bullion dealer in Kolkata and they quote "per Bhori."

Same product. Same purity. Different units. Different price quoted.

This isn't confusion—it's history compressed into a single transaction. India today officially bills gold in grams and kilograms under the metric system. But jewelers, families, and traders still speak in Tola, Pavan, Bhori, Masha, and Ratti—units that predate the British metric system by centuries.

The real problem: most buyers don't know the conversions. A shop might quote you a "per Tola rate" that sounds cheaper than a competitor's "per gram rate," when the opposite is actually true.

You could walk out thinking you saved money and actually purchased less gold for the same price.

This guide gives you exact conversions and the context you need to compare quotes across units and regions.

Why India Still Uses These Traditional Gold Units

The coexistence of heritage and metric systems

Under British India, the Tola was legally standardized at exactly 180 troy grains—about 11.664 grams. When India became independent, the weights-and-measures system officially shifted toward the metric system (grams, kilograms). Today, all invoices, GST documents, and BIS hallmarking certificates use grams.

But the jewelry trade didn't abandon overnight what it had used for centuries.

In North India, bullion traders still quote in Tola because it's the international standard for bar-trading. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, families still count wedding gold in Pavan because that's what mothers and grandmothers counted in. In West Bengal, jewelers use Bhori for the same reason—cultural continuity matters more than legal standardization.

The result: your bill will say grams, but the shop's quoted price might be in any of five different units. That's where most buyers get trapped.

Tola – The Pan-Indian Bullion Standard

What is a Tola?

The Tola is the oldest and most important gold unit across South Asia. It's used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, especially for bullion bars, coins, and wholesale trading.

The standard Tola = 180 troy grains = 11.6638 grams (most tables round to 11.664 grams).

If you walk into a bullion dealer and see "10 Tola bar," you're looking at about 116.64 grams of

gold—not 100 grams. This is crucial because it affects your total weight and cost.

The "10 grams vs. 1 Tola" myth—what you need to know

Here's where the biggest confusion happens:

Many Indian price boards now show "gold rate per 10 grams" because retail buyers find grams easier to understand. Online calculators, jewelry websites, and news sites often quote "per 10g" because it's simpler marketing.

But 10 grams is NOT equal to 1 Tola.

10 grams = 0.857 Tola (roughly).

If a shop quotes ₹1,000 per Tola and you mentally convert that to ₹10,000 per 10 grams, you're off. The actual per-10g equivalent would be closer to ₹8,570.

This isn't pedantic. When you're buying a 50-gram necklace, this difference scales to thousands of rupees.

Standard bullion references and all serious gold dealers treat 1 Tola as 11.664 grams, not 10 grams. A few local shops use "1 Tola = 10 grams" for convenience, but that's a shortcut, not the official conversion.

Tola's sub-units: Masha and Ratti

Within the Tola system, weights subdivide in a base-12 and base-8 structure:

• 1 Tola = 12 Masha
• 1 Tola = 96 Ratti
• 1 Masha = 8 Ratti

This matters if you hear phrases like "6 Masha chain" or "36 Ratti pendant"—you need to know these equate to roughly half a Tola or 5.8 grams.

Pavan & Sovereign – The South Indian Wedding Gold Benchmark

What is a Pavan?

In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, when families talk about gold for weddings or dowry, they talk in Pavan. A Pavan is also called a Sovereign (the English name), and the standardized weight is exactly 8 grams.

A Pavan has nothing to do with the Tola system. It's a completely separate unit that originated from old coin weights and is used exclusively in Southern India and parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Why 8 grams?

The "8 gram" standard became so ingrained in South Indian jewelry culture that it's now the universal reference. A jeweler quoting "5 Pavan necklace" means a 40-gram necklace (5 × 8 = 40 grams). A bride receiving "gold for 20 Pavan" is receiving 160 grams of gold, no negotiation.

If you're shopping in Kerala or Tamil Nadu, the per-Pavan rate simply multiplies the per-gram rate by 8. Example:

• 22K gold: ₹5,000 per gram
• 22K gold: ₹40,000 per Pavan (5,000 × 8)

The 7.5-gram trap: A real problem

While the vast majority of modern jewelers use 8 grams per Pavan, a minority still follow an older 7.5-gram convention.

That 0.5-gram difference sounds tiny. On a single piece, it's maybe ₹250–500 lost. On a full bridal set (50–100 grams), you're losing ₹12,500–₹25,000 in gold without realizing it.

Always ask your jeweler explicitly: "Is 1 Pavan 8 grams or 7.5 grams?" And verify the gram weight on your invoice. If they write "10 Pavan = 80 grams," they're using the 8-gram standard. If they write "10 Pavan = 75 grams," they're using the older convention.

When comparing quotes across shops, this is non-negotiable. A shop quoting ₹2,000 per Pavan (using 7.5g) looks cheaper than one quoting ₹2,100 per Pavan (using 8g)—until you convert both to grams:

• Shop A: ₹2,000 ÷ 7.5 = ₹266.67 per gram
• Shop B: ₹2,100 ÷ 8 = ₹262.50 per gram

Shop B is actually 1.7% cheaper per gram, but the Pavan-unit quote makes Shop A look better.

Bhori, Savaran & Kasu – Regional Units You'll Encounter

Bhori (Vori): East India's equivalent to the Tola

In West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Odisha, the Bhori (or Vori) is the primary traditional unit for gold jewellery and bullion, just as the Tola is in North India.

Here's the key: 1 Bhori = 1 Tola = 11.664 grams.

The names differ because of language and regional trade traditions, but the mass is identical. A buyer in Kolkata hearing "2 Bhori chain" is looking at exactly the same weight as a "2 Tola chain" in Delhi—around 23.3 grams.

Savaran & Sovereign: The 8-gram units across South India

In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, you'll hear both "Sovereign" and "Savaran" (or Savaralu). Both refer to the same 8-gram unit:

1 Sovereign = 1 Pavan = 1 Savaran = 8 grams

The terminology varies by state language and shop tradition, but the weight is the same. If a shop quotes "Savaran" in Hyderabad and a shop quotes "Sovereign" in Chennai, they're quoting the same unit.

Kasu: The tiny traditional coin unit

In older Tamil and Telugu markets, Kasu was a small gold coin used for jewelry. Modern references place 1 Kasu at approximately 0.38 grams, making it useful for very small ornaments or traditional coin jewelry.

You won't hear this term often in modern retail, but conversion tables include it, and some traditional jewelers or pawnbrokers still reference it. If a shop mentions "Kasu," confirm the gram weight immediately rather than assume.

Masha & Ratti – The Sub-Units for Small Ornaments and Gemstones

Masha: One-Twelfth of a Tola

A Masha is used to describe smaller pendant weights and fine jewelry components.

1 Masha = 1/12 Tola = 0.972 grams

You might hear "6 Masha pendant" or "4 Masha earrings" in some shops—these refer to pieces around 5.8 grams and 3.9 grams respectively.

Masha is less common in modern retail than it was 20–30 years ago, but older jewelers and family records still use it. If an older will or family document lists gold in "Masha," you now know how to convert it to modern grams.

Ratti (Rati): The ancient seed-based unit

Ratti is the smallest traditionally used unit and has the most interesting history: it originates from the weight of the Abrus precatorius seed (also called gunja), which was used as a physical reference weight in ancient times.

1 Ratti = 1/96 Tola = approximately 0.1215 grams

In the traditional base-12 system:

• 1 Masha = 8 Ratti
• 1 Tola = 12 Masha = 96 Ratti

Ratti is still used in the gemstone trade and very fine gold work, where weights are too small to quote in full grams. A 4-Ratti diamond setting or a delicate chain weighing "20 Ratti" is now something you can convert accurately.

Master Gold Weight Conversion Table

Here's the complete reference table for all major Indian gold units:

Unit	Relationship	Approx. Grams	Where Used Most
Gram	Base SI unit	1.000 g	All India, legal billing standard
Tola	1 Tola = 12 Masha = 96 Ratti	11.664 g	North & West India, bullion trade
Bhori / Vori	1 Bhori = 1 Tola	11.664 g	Bangladesh, West Bengal, East India
Pavan / Sovereign / Savaran	1 Pavan = 1 Sovereign = 1 Savaran	8.000 g	Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
Masha	1 Masha = 1/12 Tola	0.972 g	Sub-unit for ornaments
Ratti (Rati)	1 Ratti = 1/96 Tola	0.1215 g	Gemstones, fine gold work
Kasu	Small coin unit (South India)	~0.38 g	Traditional coin jewellery, rare

Key point for all units: Regardless of which unit the jeweler quotes, your GST invoice and hallmarking certificate will always list the net weight in grams. That gram weight is your reference for billing, loans, and authentication.

Smart Buyer Tips: How to Avoid Overpaying

1. Always check the net weight in grams on the official invoice

Whatever unit your jeweler uses verbally, insist on seeing the net gold weight in grams on the printed GST invoice.

A proper bill must show:

• Description of the item (e.g., "22K Gold Necklace with Stones")
• Net gold weight in grams (excluding stones and other materials)
• Purity (karat mark: 24K, 22K, 18K or fineness: 999, 916, 750)
• Gold rate per gram for that purity on that date
• Making charges (separate line item, not hidden)
• GST (should be 3% on gold value + 5% on making charges)
• Hallmarking charge

Use the conversion table above to verify that "2 Tola," "5 Pavan," or "3 Bhori" matches the gram weight on the printed invoice. If a shop quotes you "10 Pavan" but writes "78 grams" on the bill, they're using the non-standard 7.5-gram convention—and you should confirm this matches your agreement.

2. Understand purity and how it affects value (not weight)

The weight doesn't change with purity—8 grams is 8 grams whether the gold is 24K or 18K. But the value per gram changes drastically.

• 24K (fineness 999 or 999.9): 99.9% pure gold
• 22K (fineness 916): 91.6% pure gold (the Indian standard for jewelry)
• 18K (fineness 750): 75% pure gold (used for studded and diamond jewelry)

A 22K necklace costs roughly 91.6% of what an equivalent 24K necklace would cost (all else equal). An 18K setting with diamonds might actually cost more than 22K because of the stones, even though the gold percentage is lower.

Check the BIS hallmark stamp on the jewelry itself. The numbers (999, 916, 750) are your protection against being sold lower-purity gold at a higher-purity price.

3. Distinguish between gold weight and total cost—making charges matter

The final jewelry price is never just gold weight × gold rate. There are making charges (for craftsmanship), GST, and hallmarking fees that stack on top.

Formula: Final Price = (Gold rate per gram × Net weight) + Making charges + GST + Hallmarking fee

Making charges are the labor cost for drawing wire, forming the design, soldering, polishing, and stone setting. They're usually quoted as either:

• A flat rupee per gram (e.g., ₹300–₹1,000 per gram depending on complexity)
• A percentage of gold value (commonly 6–25%)

If a jeweler quotes making charges as a percentage, ask for the gram equivalent so you can compare across shops. A piece quoted at "₹500 per gram making charge" is easy to compare. A piece quoted at "15% of gold value" requires mental math and varies with gold prices.

Always ask:

• Are making charges per gram or percentage?
• Are stones, wastage, and hallmarking fees included in making charges or listed separately?
• What is the 5% GST rate applied to (gold value, making charges, or both)?

4. Consider Digital Gold as a unit-free alternative

If juggling Tola, Pavan, Masha, and gram conversions feels overwhelming—or if you want to invest in gold without dealing with physical weight units, purity verification, or making charges—digital gold is worth exploring.

Apps like Jar's Digital Gold let you buy and hold fractional grams of physical gold (stored securely in vaults) without worrying about traditional units at all. You invest in rupees, the app tracks everything in grams, and you own actual gold backed 1:1 by physical reserves. No unit confusion. No making charges. No hallmarking worries.

It's not a replacement for physical jewelry (you can't wear digital gold), but for investment or savings, it eliminates the conversion headache entirely. If you're buying a Tola bar for investment and want simplicity, digital gold removes the unit-conversion barrier altogether.

Final Takeaway: Convert and Compare

The existence of multiple gold units in India isn't a bug—it's the legacy of how gold has been bought and sold across regions for centuries. Understanding these conversions is your greatest defense against overpaying or being misled at the jewelry counter.

Before you hand over money:

1. Ask for the net gold weight in grams (insist on it).
2. Ask for the purity mark (24K, 22K, 18K).
3. Ask whether making charges are per gram or percentage.
4. Convert any quoted unit to grams using the table above.
5. Compare per-gram rates across shops, not per-Tola or per-Pavan rates.

That five-minute conversation could save you thousands of rupees.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many grams make 1 Tola of gold?

The standardized Tola equals 11.6638–11.664 grams. Bullion markets worldwide use this value. The myth that 1 Tola = 10 grams persists in casual conversation, but it's wrong—10 grams is only about 0.857 Tola. Always use 11.664 grams when converting Tola quotes to compare with gram-based prices.

Is 1 Pavan equal to 8 grams?

Yes, in the vast majority of Kerala and Tamil Nadu jewelry markets, 1 Pavan (also called Sovereign or Pon) equals exactly 8 grams. However, a small number of older jewelers still use a 7.5-gram convention from pre-standardization times. Always confirm with your jeweler in writing and cross-check the gram weight on your invoice.

What is the difference between Tola and Bhori?

In mass, there is no difference—1 Bhori = 1 Tola = 11.664 grams. The distinction is purely regional and linguistic. Tola is used in North and West India and in international bullion trade. Bhori (or Vori) is the local name in Bangladesh, West Bengal, and Odisha. The conversion is identical.

How many Ratti are in 1 Tola?

In the traditional system: 1 Tola = 12 Masha, and 1 Masha = 8 Ratti. Therefore, 1 Tola = 96 Ratti. With the standardized Tola at 11.6638 grams, each Ratti weighs about 0.1215 grams.

What do Masha and Ratti mean in practice?

You'll rarely hear these in modern retail shops, but they appear in gemstone trading, fine gold work, older family records, and some traditional jewelry practices. A "6 Masha ornament" weighs about 5.8 grams. A "20 Ratti setting" weighs about 2.4 grams. If you encounter these terms, use the conversion table to verify in grams.

Why does my invoice show grams when the shop quoted a different unit?

Because Indian law requires all billing and hallmarking to be done in grams (SI metric units). Every invoice, GST certificate, and BIS hallmark certificate must use grams. The jeweler's verbal quote might be in Tola, Pavan, or Bhori for cultural or regional reasons, but the legal record is always in grams.

How do I convert a quote from one unit to grams?

Use the master table above. For example:

• A shop quotes "5 Tola necklace" → 5 × 11.664 = 58.32 grams
• Another shop quotes "8 Pavan necklace" → 8 × 8 = 64 grams
• Convert both to grams, then divide the quoted price by grams to compare per-gram rates.