What is a tola? Gold units explained

How many grams are in 1 tola?

1 tola = 11.6638 grams. The tola was standardised as 180 grains under British India in 1833. A troy ounce is 480 grains (31.1034768 g, per NIST), so a tola is exactly 3/8 of a troy ounce. India moved to metric units in 1956, but the tola is still widely used for gold, including 10-tola bars, in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, the UAE and other Gulf countries.

So when a relative in Lahore or Kathmandu says a set is “3 tola”, it weighs about 3 × 11.6638 = 34.99 g.

Gold units conversion table

Masha and ratti values use the traditional system of 12 masha to a tola and 8 ratti to a masha. Local weights varied in the past, so treat them as approximate. Grams are rounded.

Is a troy ounce the same as a regular ounce?

No. A troy ounce is 480 grains, or 31.1034768 g. It is the standard unit for precious metals. A regular (avoirdupois) ounce, the one used for food, is 437.5 grains, about 28.35 g. The troy ounce is about 10% heavier.

When a Canadian or US website quotes gold “per ounce”, it means per troy ounce. A 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf from the Royal Canadian Mint weighs 31.11 g.

Mixing up the two ounces is a common mistake when converting a US or Canadian price to grams. Always divide an ounce price by 31.1035, not 28.35, to get the price per gram. See today’s gold price per ounce in CAD.

Why are Indian gold prices quoted per 10 grams?

Indian benchmark rates, such as the India Bullion and Jewellers Association’s daily AM and PM rates, are published per 10 g for each purity: 999, 995, 916, 750 and 585. News reports and jewellers follow that habit. Some people still call 10 g “a tola” in conversation, but it is about 14% lighter than a real tola.

When you compare prices across countries, convert everything to the same unit first:

• Price per tola = price per gram × 11.6638
• Price per 10 g = price per gram × 10
• Price per troy ounce = price per gram × 31.1035

Example (for example, at $150 a gram for 24K): one tola is $1,749.57, 10 g is $1,500, and one troy ounce is $4,665.53.

Also check the purity. A Pakistani rate per tola is often for 24K, while a jeweller’s tola price may be 22K. Compare like with like on the gold price in Pakistan and gold price in India pages.

Common gold weights in tola, grams and ounces

Gold is sold in a handful of standard sizes. Here is how they line up:

A 10-tola bar is a common size in Pakistan and the Gulf. In Canada, bars and coins are usually sold in grams or troy ounces, so a family used to tola may need to convert before comparing prices.

Jewellers in South Asia sometimes quote small weights in masha or ratti, or as “tola-masha-ratti” (for example, 2 tola 3 masha). Convert each part to grams and add them up: 2 tola 3 masha is about 23.33 + 2.92 = 26.24 g.

How do you convert tola to grams for your own gold?

1. Multiply tola by 11.6638 to get grams.
2. Multiply grams by the purity (0.916 for 22K) to get pure gold.
3. Multiply by today’s 24K price per gram to get melt value.

Example: a 5 tola 22K set is 58.32 g, holding 53.42 g of pure gold. For example, at $150 a gram, that is about $8,013 of gold.

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Do it in one step with the tola to gram converter, and see the CAD rate per gram and per tola on the gold price per gram page.

Common questions

Sources

• NIST Office of Weights and Measures: Conversion factors for precious metal sales (1 troy ounce = 480 grains = 31.1034768 g)
• Wikipedia: Tola (unit)
• The Business Standard (Bangladesh): gold price per bhori (11.664 g), Dec 29, 2025
• India Bullion and Jewellers Association: daily rates (per 10 g)
• Royal Canadian Mint: Gold Maple Leaf 1 oz bullion coin

Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.