A solid piece of gold is approximately 18.3 times heavier underwater than the same volume of water, due to the effect of buoyancy. Its apparent weight is about 94.8% of its weight in air.
But did you know it can float on the surface tension of water?
Our oceans contain around 20 million tons of dissolved gold. However, this means there is only about one gram of gold for every 110 million tons of ocean water. Many gold deposits exist deep within the sea floor, and some deposits can often be trapped underneath rock as far down as 35,000 feet.
It is very dense. Another rather simple way to think of this is that if the density of water is 1 g/cc then the density of gold is 19.3 times greater than water. Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon. Therefore gold weighs 19.3 times as much or (19.3 x 8.3 lb) about 160 pounds per gallon.
The average amount of gold in sea water as calculated from neutron activation analyses is 0.05 ppb. The maximum amount of gold detected in plant ash by neutron activation methods is 36 ppm (parts per million) and the average is about 7 ppm.
Gold is found at virtually any depth, from surface placers to deep crustal orogenic deposits, but major economic deposits often form between 1,200 to 4,500 meters deep during mountain-building events, transported by hot fluids into rock fissures, while smaller, shallower alluvial gold comes from weathered surface deposits. The deepest mines today reach several kilometers down, but gold's initial formation can occur much deeper in the Earth's crust or mantle, moving upwards through geological processes.
As of January 9, 2026 at 07:25 PM ET, the live Gold spot price for 1 ounce of Gold in U.S. dollars (USD) is $4,523.73, 1 gram of Gold is $145.44 and 1 kilogram of Gold is $145,441.30. Gold spot price can fluctuate by the second, driven by investment supply and demand, and other factors.
Platinum is one of the rarest metals, occurring at very low concentrations in the Earth's crust. It is 30 times rarer than gold.
The rules do vary depending on where in the states you are planning to search for gold but, largely, as long as the use is recreational and you're not using any sluices or high-powered tools, any gold findings should be yours to keep.
Most of the ocean remains unexplored (around 80-95%) due to its immense size, extreme darkness, near-freezing temperatures, crushing pressure (over 1,000 times surface pressure in the deep), and the high cost and technological challenges of developing specialized equipment to withstand these harsh, hostile conditions. Sunlight can't penetrate far, visibility is near zero, and deep-sea life is adapted to pressure that would crush most vessels, making direct human study difficult and expensive.
How much gold is in the ocean? A: Scientists estimate about 20 million tons of dissolved gold exist in seawater, but concentrations are so tiny (13 parts per billion) that extraction is impractical.
The 80/50 rule for gold and silver is an investment strategy using the gold-to-silver ratio: when the ratio (ounces of silver to buy one gold ounce) goes above 80, it signals silver is cheap/gold is expensive, so shift into silver; when the ratio falls below 50, it signals gold is cheap/silver expensive, so switch back to gold, aiming to profit from rebalancing between the two undervalued/overvalued metals. This strategy involves rotating capital between the metals to capitalize on relative price movements, rather than predicting absolute price changes, often occurring every few years.
Potential risks of wearing gold jewellery in water
Chlorine in swimming pools, saltwater in the ocean and harsh chemicals in soaps can all potentially damage the surface of gold jewellery over time. Exposure to water, especially water containing chlorine or salt, can lead to corrosion and tarnishing of gold jewellery.
But why do jewelers not like platinum? The answer lies in its unique properties that make it both a prized and challenging material to work with. Platinum is significantly denser than gold, making it heavier and more difficult to shape. This density also causes tools to wear down faster, increasing costs for jewelers.
As of early January 2026, the price for 1 kilogram (kg) of platinum fluctuates but is roughly in the range of $69,000 to over $110,000 USD/AUD, depending heavily on the dealer, market spot price ($69,407/oz USD reported by JM Bullion, ~ $2,500 AUD/oz by Guardian Gold as of Dec 2025), premiums, and if buying physical bars, with Australian dealers showing ~AUD $110,000 for 1kg bars.
The rarest metal on earth is actually francium, but because this unstable element has a half life of a mere 22 minutes, it has no practical use. Tantalum, on the other hand, is used to make capacitors in electronic equipment such as mobile phones, DVD players, video game systems, and computers.
If you invested $1,000 in gold 10 years ago (around late 2015/early 2016), your investment would likely be worth significantly more today (late 2025), potentially in the range of $2,000 to over $3,000, reflecting substantial price appreciation, though less than the S&P 500 but outperforming during certain periods of market stress, acting as a hedge against uncertainty, with returns varying based on exact entry/exit points and premiums/spreads.
$100,000 worth of gold looks surprisingly small, often just a small stack of coins or a single large bar, because gold is so dense; it's roughly 22 to 27 one-ounce coins or around 3 to 4 kilograms (7-9 lbs), depending on the current price (around $2,900-$3,700/oz in late 2025/early 2026), appearing as a compact, heavy pile, not a huge amount.
As of early January 2026, 1 gram of gold in Australian Dollars (AUD) is roughly between AU$218 to AU$285, depending on purity, form (bar, coin), and the dealer's premium/discount, with the spot price fluctuating but generally around AU$216-AU$220 for 24k gold, while minted bars and premium products sell for more.
Pure gold will not rust over time due to its chemical stability. However, gold alloys may tarnish or show signs of discoloration, especially if they contain metals like copper or silver, which can oxidize over time when exposed to moisture or chemicals.
Financial experts suggest that maintaining 5-10% of a retirement portfolio in gold can enhance its stability and resilience, especially during economic downturns. Gold is a key part of this strategy. It often moves differently than stocks and bonds.