Calculation of melting margin and repurchase

The melting margin (or 'Schmelzabzug' in German) is the deduction applied to the spot value when buying back scrap gold. It covers the loss of metal during melting, assay fees, and the melter's commercial margin.

Calculating a Fair Melting Margin: If the gold spot is at CHF 82.50/g and you buy a 100g lot of 18k gold, the theoretical value is CHF 6,187.50 (= 100 × 0.750 × 82.50). A 12% melting margin brings the price to CHF 5,444.99.

Margins Practiced in Switzerland (2025): Banks: 15–20% · Specialized traders: 8–12% · Direct melters: 5–8% · Online platforms: 6–10%.

The physical loss of metal during melting is typically 0.5–1.5% for gold, but commercial margins are added on top. Use the melt loss calculator to quantify only the physical loss and verify it is consistent with what you are being charged.