Many of us have seen the small numbers or letters engraved inside a ring band or near the clasp of a piece of jewelry that we own. But how many of us understand what information those stamps are actually giving us?
In this post, we’ll walk through the different stamps, what they mean, and what you need to know about stamping laws to ensure you’re getting the most accurate information about your jewelry. Let’s start with the basics:
- 10K, 14K, 18K, 24K, etc – if this is the ONLY stamp on the piece, it is telling you first and foremost that the piece is solid gold and secondly, the karat fineness of the gold. For example, let’s look at 14K. 14 out of 24 particles in the metal are pure gold. The others can be a mix of elements including palladium, copper, etc. These additional elements are what determine the specific color of the gold (we’ll talk about this in an upcoming post).
750 stamp on jewelry means 18k Gold - 417, 585, or 750 – this is just another way of telling us the gold content. However, instead of referring to how many parts out of 24 are pure gold, this number is now out of 1,000. So for 10K gold jewelry, 417 out of 1,000 parts are pure gold. For 14K gold jewelry, 585 parts out of 1,000 are pure gold. So when you see 750 that means 18K gold jewelry because the metal is made of 750 parts per 1,000 of pure gold.
- 900, 900PT, PT900, 950, 950PT, PT950 – all of these stamps designate that the piece is made of one of the two most common platinum alloys. 900, 900PT, or PT 900 all signify that the metal used is 900 parts per 1,000 pure platinum, while 950, 950PT, and PT950 denote 950 parts per 1,000 are pure platinum.
- 925 – a piece with this stamp is made of sterling silver. Legally, to be considered sterling silver a piece has to consist of 92.5% pure silver, with only 7.5% other elements mixed in.
- GP – pieces with this stamp have been plated with gold, but have another metal underneath. It almost always has the karat fineness of the plating listed, i.e. 18K GP.
- HGE – this is the abbreviation for high grade electroplate, which is another way of denoting that the jewelry you are looking at is not solid gold. These pieces also generally display the karat fineness of the gold.
- GF – this stands for gold-filled, which is a term that means a thin layer of gold was bonded to a base metal to make this piece.
So now that we have the basic stamp meanings down, let’s go through some of the most frequently asked questions that we hear from customers:
There’s another symbol next to the metal content stamp that isn’t on your list. What does that mean?
Most likely, the stamp you are seeing here is the manufacturer’s trademark or the trademark of the retailer selling the piece. This is legally required if the item is stamped and serves as a guarantee of sorts that the manufacturer/retailer vouches for the accuracy of the stamp on the metal.
My jewelry piece isn’t stamped at all. Does this mean it’s not made of precious metal?
Not necessarily. The legal guidelines on stamping don’t require all pieces made of precious metal to be stamped. However, they do require the manufacturer or retailer to disclose any precious metal content. This could be via discussion in the store upon purchase, on a tag attached to the piece, or on the receipt for the product itself.
The clasp/closure/earring backs on my piece are stamped, but the rest of the item is not. Does that mean the whole thing is made of precious metal?
Again, not necessarily. Sometimes the clasp of a piece is made of a different metal than the chain, so definitely confirm with the store clerk or jeweler that the entire item is made of the metal from the stamping. Likewise, earring backs may have been accidentally swapped and may not be made of the same metal as the rest of the earrings, especially the posts, so double checking is always best.
My piece has a name/date engraved on it. Is this the designer or year that the piece was made?
For well-known brands and designers, this can be the case, but it isn’t necessarily a correct assumption. For example, Tiffany & Co. has several Paloma Picasso designs that would be engraved as such and may include the date. However, it could also be that the piece is vintage or estate and was engraved with the previous owner’s name, anniversary, etc.
What other questions do you have about jewelry stamp meanings?
Community Discussion
Questions, experiences, and expert answers from the QJR community.
Hi
I have jewerly stamped with 18 K1 P
what does that mean?
18k or 75% gold content.
What does I b c on a ring stamped 14 k mean
Designer’s stamp
I have what seems to be a gold diamond ring with some amethyst in it as well but I’m confused about the imprint inside it is in fraction form either W/e the W is above the e or if you look it the other way it might say j/m and I also saw it the other way possibly saying 31c can someone help me
Designer/manufacturer’s stamp
Hi I have a ring that says LSC 09 1/3 and possibly either 925 or 585 above it could u tell me what this means
Designer’s stamp, and either sterling silver or 14k gold.
I have this pair of earrings they look like white gold and diamond and it has an engraving of a little diamond figure inside but it doesn’t say if it’s gold or silver … I’m almost sure it’s white gold does the diamond stamp mean that they’re real diamonds???
No, the diamond stamp has been used as a manufacturer’s logo or designer stamp. There is no standard stamp that indicates genuine diamonds in the design.
I have a freemason/ masonic ring that says 10k and after that is says ASK Any idea what that means
Designer’s stamp
What does SKL mean on a gold ring??
Designer’s stamp
I have a 10k ring with the stamp ps in it what does ps mean?
Designer’s stamp
I have a pin that is stamped 14k JAD, is this gold, it seems the stones are very poor quality for sure.
You’d have to get it tested, it could be gold plated.
I have a ring that is stamped 925 and 750… Does this mean my ring is Sterling silver and 18k gold plated?
Most likely, or it could refer to a two-tone solid design.
I have a bracelet both clasp have marking one side 18k the other side of that clasp italy 18k other clasp (GS) other side VN 198-?? can’t read last 2 numbers what’s all that mean
18k indicates 75% gold content.
Hi. I have a 14K, 7 inch long tennis bracelet. It has 52 Diamonds. There is a 27 on the clasp. Is that the weight of the diamonds?
Hard to tell without knowing more about the bracelet. Total carat weight also depends on the size of the diamonds, not just the number.
I have a yellow gold diamond solitaire engagement ring. It is marked 4BH J14K. What does this mean?
14k gold (58.3% gold content) and designer stamps
Hi! I have a 14k rose gold ring with a capital GC marking on it. Does that mean anything?? Just would like to know. Thanks!
Designer/manufacturer’s stamp
I have one ring 55 stamp what means
Designer/manufacturer’s stamp.
I have a ring whit a 925Pic stamp !!it’s Silver or not ? THANK YOU
925 indicates that it’s sterling silver.
I have a gold ring marked S O 10K. I was just wondering what the “S O” part meant ?
Designer’s stamp
Mine say 14k-16 what does that mean?
14k gold content, manufacturer/designer stamp.
My engagement ring has OK engraved on one side and on the other it has a picture of a diamond with a 9 beside it. Anyone know what either of these mean?
Both are most likely manufacturer/designer stamps.
I have a ring that is stamped amv but also has 14k on it what does it mean
Designer’s stamp, 14k gold
Showing 20 threads with 40 comments · page 10 of 58