What is a Bori? The Gold Weight Unit Explained
10 January 2025
What is a Bori?
A Bori (also spelled bhari, and closely related to the tola) is a traditional unit of gold weight that has been used for centuries across South Asia — particularly in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
1 Bori = 11.66 grams of gold.
If you've ever visited a gold shop in a South Asian community — whether in Dhaka, Birmingham, or East London — you've likely heard prices quoted in Bori. It's the standard way gold jewellery weight is discussed in these markets.
Where does the Bori come from?
The Bori is derived from the tola, an ancient Indian unit of weight. Historically, one tola was equivalent to the weight of a silver rupee coin under the British colonial system. The tola was officially set at 11.66 grams, and this measurement has carried forward into modern gold markets.
Why is understanding Bori important?
When shopping for gold jewellery in South Asian markets, the price is almost always quoted per Bori. If a shop quotes you a price of £500 per Bori, you need to know that means £500 for 11.66 grams of gold — not per gram.
Misunderstanding this unit can lead to significant overpaying. Our Bori Calculator makes it easy to convert between grams and Bori instantly.
Bori in everyday jewellery shopping
A typical gold necklace might weigh anywhere from 1 to 5 Bori (11.66g to 58.3g). A bangles set might be 2–3 Bori (23.32g to 34.98g). Earrings tend to be lighter — often under 1 Bori.
Knowing the Bori weight of a piece, and converting it to grams, gives you the power to cross-check the price against the live gold spot rate.
Quick conversion table
| Bori | Grams | |------|-------| | 0.5 | 5.83g | | 1 | 11.66g | | 2 | 23.32g | | 3 | 34.98g | | 5 | 58.30g | | 10 | 116.6g |
Use our free Bori converter to calculate any weight instantly.