Gold Rate
The day's price of gold per gram at a stated purity. The base every gold bill is built on.
Rates are quoted per gram, separately for 24K, 22K and 18K, and they move daily with the international price and the rupee.
A jeweller's board rate is for a specific purity. Applying the 24K rate to a 22K piece, or the other way round, changes the bill by around 9%.
The rate is the one part of the bill nobody controls, which is exactly why it is worth checking independently before you walk in.
When you are buying
Confirm which purity the quoted rate applies to before any weighing happens. It is the most common source of an honest misunderstanding and a dishonest one.
Making Charges
What you pay for craftsmanship on top of the metal, charged either per gram or as a percentage.
22 Karat Gold
91.6% gold. The Indian standard for traditional jewellery, and what a 916 hallmark means.
24 Karat Gold
Pure gold, 99.9% fine. Too soft for jewellery that gets worn, so it is bought as coins and bars.
Tola
A traditional South Asian weight, about 11.66 grams. Still used in conversation, rarely on the bill.
Buyback
What a jeweller will pay to take a piece back. Almost always based on metal content alone.