Vietnamese Wedding Gold (Vàng Cưới): How Many Chỉ, and What It Costs Today

A Vietnamese bride commonly receives about 5 to 15 chỉ (roughly 19–56 g) of 24K vàng 9999 from the two families, as a kiềng (neck torque), bracelets and earrings counted in chỉ of 3.75 g, while 10 chỉ make one cây or lượng of 37.5 g. At today's price, a typical set of 45 g (12 chỉ) of 24K and 18K gold contains ₫140,924,510 of gold, and costs about ₫143,743,000–162,063,186 at a jeweller with making charges.

Prices Oct 30, 2026, 21:55 UTC · Typical weights, not rules · Customs checked October 2026

Modest set · 15 g · 4 chỉ

₫46,974,837

gold value · at a jeweller about ₫47,914,333–54,021,062

Typical set · 45 g · 12 chỉ

₫140,924,510

gold value · at a jeweller about ₫143,743,000–162,063,186

Lavish set · 375 g · 100 chỉ

₫1,174,370,916

gold value · at a jeweller about ₫1,197,858,334–1,350,526,553

The pieces, and your own set

Starts at a typical 45 g set · change any weight; nothing leaves your browser

Piece	Typical weight	Purity	Gold value
Neck torque kiềng cổthe centrepiece; 2 chỉ to 1 cây, with 5 chỉ the commonly cited size; hoa mai or long phụng (dragon-phoenix) designs	7.5–38 gabout 5 chỉ	24K	—
Necklace dây chuyềnchain with a large pendant; often given by the groom's mother; 1–5 chỉ	3.8–19 gabout 3 chỉ	24K	—
Bracelet or bangle lắc tay / vòng tay1–5 chỉ, one piece or a pair	3.8–19 gabout 3 chỉ	24K	—
Earrings bông tai0.5–1 chỉ is usual; the mother-in-law puts them on the bride at the lễ gia tiên	1.9–7.5 gabout 1 chỉ	24K	—
Wedding bands (pair) nhẫn cướiusually 18K vàng tây, white gold or platinum, because 24K is too soft for daily wear	3.8–11 gabout 1.5 chỉ	18K	—
Plain gift ring from a relative nhẫn tròn trơnthe standard 1-chỉ 9999 ring that relatives give the couple on stage	3.8–7.5 gabout 1 chỉ	24K	—

Making charge (%)

Currency

Inferred from press case studies; there is no survey.

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Vietnamese shops price 24K jewellery off the day's gold price per chỉ and add a workmanship fee (tiền công) per piece. For plain 9999 kiềng, rings and bracelets the fee is small relative to the gold. Designer and 18K vàng tây pieces carry much higher workmanship, and the gap between the selling and buyback price is a further cost if the gold is later sold. This range is an estimate; we found no published survey.

Who gives what, and when

Bride's family (hồi môn): gives the bride her dowry gold before she leaves home. This is typically a kiềng or necklace (about 2 chỉ to 1 cây), a bracelet (1–5 chỉ) and earrings (0.5–1 chỉ), all in 24K.
Groom's family: brings gold with the betrothal gifts (sính lễ) at the lễ đính hôn / ăn hỏi, or presents a matching 24K set at the lễ rước dâu and lễ gia tiên, where the mother-in-law fastens the earrings and necklace on the bride. One 2024 Ho Chi Minh City groom's family bought earrings, a 5-chỉ kiềng, a 5-chỉ bracelet and another 5 chỉ as savings.
The couple: exchange wedding bands, usually 18K.
Relatives and guests: aunts, uncles and close friends go up one by one and put rings, bracelets and earrings on the couple. In many villages the MC announces each gift by cây and chỉ over the loudspeaker.

Chỉ, cây and karats

Vietnamese gold is counted in chỉ (3.75 g), and 10 chỉ = 1 cây or lượng (37.5 g). Wedding gold is traditionally vàng 9999 (24K, 99.99%), because it keeps its value and can be resold to the shop. Vàng tây (lower-karat gold, mainly 18K or 75%) is used for wedding bands and by relatives on a tight budget. In 2011, PNJ's wedding sets were 6–8 chỉ and its kiềng 3–5 chỉ, down from 10–15 chỉ and 7–9 chỉ after an earlier price spike.

Regional differences

Gold-giving is strongest in rural areas of both the north (Thanh Hóa, Nam Định, Bắc Ninh) and the Mekong Delta. Families in those areas often feel they must match the other side's gift, and news reports of brides wearing 20–30 cây come mostly from the Mekong Delta. City couples increasingly keep the ceremony private, give smaller sets or replace gold with cash.

Effect of record gold prices in 2025–26

Gold prices rose nearly 50% in a year to April 2025. Hanoi jewellers then reported customers who planned 5 chỉ coming back for 2, couples buying only plain rings and no necklace or bracelet, families switching from 24K to 18K, and relatives giving cash instead. The World Gold Council recorded Vietnam's jewellery demand falling about 20% to 10.6 t in 2025. Renting a wedding set for the photos and ceremony (from about 650,000 VND for three days) has also grown since late 2023.

Vietnamese wedding gold: FAQ

How much does a Vietnamese wedding gold set cost today?

At today's gold price, a modest set of about 15 g contains ₫46,974,837 of gold, a typical 45 g set ₫140,924,510 and a lavish 375 g set ₫1,174,370,916. Jewellers charge more: about ₫143,743,000–162,063,186 for the typical set with making charges.

How much gold does a Vietnamese bride get?

Commonly 5 to 15 chỉ (about 19–56 g) of 24K gold from the two families combined. Five chỉ is the most often quoted amount for a kiềng or a family's gift. Wealthy rural weddings can reach several cây, and a few widely reported Mekong Delta weddings reached 20–30 cây.

How many grams is one chỉ of gold?

One chỉ is 3.75 g, and 10 chỉ make one cây or lượng, which is 37.5 g.

Who gives the wedding gold in Vietnam?

Both families give gold. The bride's family gives dowry gold (hồi môn) before she leaves home, and the groom's family gives a set at the betrothal or wedding, with the mother-in-law often putting on the earrings herself. Relatives and close friends also give rings and bracelets on stage.

Is wedding gold 24K or 18K?

The family gold (kiềng, necklace, bracelet, earrings) is traditionally 24K vàng 9999, because it holds its resale value. Wedding bands are usually 18K, and in 2025 more families chose 18K vàng tây for other pieces to save money.

What is a kiềng?

A kiềng is a rigid gold neck torque, often with hoa mai (apricot blossom) or long phụng (dragon-and-phoenix) motifs. It is the signature piece of Vietnamese bridal gold and commonly weighs 2 chỉ to 1 cây.

Sources (7)

Wedding gold in other cultures Gold price in Vietnam VAT on gold in Vietnam Jewellery price calculator Haq mehr calculator Gold hallmarks decoded ID and cash limits

Weights are typical ranges reported by jewellers, industry bodies and the press, not rules; families vary widely. Gold values use the international price at today's exchange rates; shop prices differ.