What does 916 gold mean?
916 refers to fineness: 916 parts of pure gold per 1,000 parts of metal, or approximately 91.6% gold purity. It is the millesimal equivalent of 22 karat (22 ÷ 24 = 0.9166…), so "916 gold" and "22K gold" describe the same alloy. The remaining 8.4% is typically copper and silver, added to make the metal hard enough for daily wear.
Swiss fine jewellery and watch cases are predominantly 18K (750), a purity that balances prestige with durability. Precious metal articles are controlled under Swiss hallmarking law, with the St. Bernard dog head mark certifying official control of watch cases.