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.
I have a bracelet that has 14 individual squares all linked together. Its heavy and no tarnish or peeling. Took me forever to find any markings. 14k
But each individual square is marked 14k.
This is whats confusing me. This is some kind of expensive bracelet or is it just all together 14k
Hi Steph,
That’s very odd…I would get that tested if I were you, it’s not common to have an item with multiple gold stamps. There is a possibility it may be authentic, or it could be gold-fill, which is a very thick sheet of gold bonded to a non-expensive base metal, which would explain the weight.
Do you know what a marking of an F inside of a diamond shape would mean? (Jewel diamond shape, not four-sided.) It immediately follows 14K.
Hi Cyndi,
That mark belongs to Fessenden & Co, an American jewelry manufacturer that was in operation in the 1800s.
I have a gold nugget piece with an angel engraved, the only other marking is a V. It is left to me by my grandmother, wondering if it is real. It doesn’t change colors when wearing it.
Hi Dianna,
If it doesn’t have any standard gold stamps on it (such as 10k, 12k, 14k) it’d be hard to tell based off the description alone. You can send it in for a metal test if you’d like, though.
I have a ring. Gold looking band, green stone, little stones around. Stamped on inside is
“KGEPAD” can’t seem to find anything!
Hi Zachary,
KGE usually indicates that your item is gold-electroplated, which means that your item isn’t solid gold. The PAD may be a manufacturer/designer’s stamp.
I have a ring stamped L 8. What does it mean?
Most likely the manufacturer’s stamp; it doesn’t indicate anything about the metal.
What’s 10 k 7RW mean on a ring
10k is a stamp for 41.7% gold content, the 7RW is a designer/manufacturer’s stamp.
Silver gold plated ring with little stones and engraved forever
The stamp I see on the inside looks like 3|c
Any idea what that means??
Hi there,
Most likely the manufacturer’s mark, doesn’t indicate anything about the metal type.
I have a necklace that has 10k and a circle with a dot in it.
10k gold indicates 41.6% gold content, and the circle with a dot is either a manufacturer or designer’s mark.
I have a platinum ring that has a diamond symbol, looking from the side, with two lines going out from the top downward at an angle to make a triangle of sorts. There are letters inside the diamond, but I can’t read them. Is thete no way to send a picture?
Unfortunately that type of lozenge hallmark is common and I would not be able to determine the manufacturer or designer. You may have better luck by figuring out the style of the ring and seeing if it corresponds to any particular time period.
my husband has a ring that is stamped with 18k with a superscript 2 above the k. what does that mean?
Hi Christine,
The 18k indicates 75% gold content. As for the superscript, I’m not sure.
I have come across a 14k pendant for a necklace that has another marking before it that I cant seem to find any information on. It is stamped with Z 35 before the 14k. The pendant is a heart with white and green stones socketed around the edges. Could the Z possible be the second half of CZ for cubic zirconium? If so, what does the 35 mean? Any information would be helpful!
Hi there,
I wouldn’t be so quick to say it’s cubic zirconia! The Z 35 stamp is a manufacturer’s stamp; I saw a similar item with the same mark. It was also 14k, and the stones were genuine diamond.
Please I have a gold jewelry that’s marked CR, what does this mean? Is it real gold?
Hi Ruth,
CR does not indicate anything about gold content- this is probably the manufacturer/designer’s trademark. Many manufacturers have used CR as a stamp, so unfortunately I cannot tell you if your item is fine or costume jewelry. Look for any stamps on your item that have a number and K next to it, like 10k, 12k, 14k, or 18k – those are standard gold stamps. If it does not have such a stamp on it, it is unlikely that your item is real gold.
What does 14k NIRU mean?
Hi Gin,
Your item is 14k gold, or 58.3% gold. NIRU is the trademark of a jewelry manufacturer that specializes in diamonds.
Hi!
I got a ring at an antique shop with markings on the inside of the band that say “4K10.” I’ve searched the internet, and I’m having trouble getting clarity on what this could be. The sales associate at the shop wasn’t sure what the markings could mean.
Do you have any suggestions on what metal it may be?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Carolyn,
4K10 doesn’t correspond to any known metal stamp, so it’s probably the manufacturer’s trademark. As for the metal, I’d need to either see or get more information in order to give you a definite answer. We do offer metal testing services if you’re interested.
Hello, I have a brooch in shape of grapes with little stamp on it’s back in the shape of dolphin. I bought it in Israel in 1991 – 1995, don’t remember exactly what year. Do you know what company made jewelry with this stamp?
Thank you.
Hi Anna,
The only designer I know of that has a similar mark is Hans Jensen, but that’s Denmark-based. If your item is artisan jewelry, there may be no official records as to who the stamp belongs to; many artisans merely stamp to mark the item as their creation but do not register for an actual trademark.
I have a ring given to me by my grandmother and on the inside is stamped 10k that has a c with a diamond symbol beside the c… any ideas?
Hi Carie,
10K indicates 41.6% gold content, while the c and the diamond symbol are probably manufacturer/designer marks.
Hi anabelle..
I have a silver bangle which says a small circled c then num 24 inside a diamond then a capital L..
The bangle has no scratches and is encrusted with tiny stones..
Would they be diamonds?
Regards Gina
Hi Gina,
The circled c is a stamp indicating copyright, which means that your item was definitely made some time after 1955 when the US passed copyright laws for jewelry designs (so it’s not going to be an antique piece!) Unfortunately many designers have used the diamond shape/jewel shape for their trademarks, so I’m not able to determine which one manufactured your item.
It seems likely that your piece is costume jewelry given this information, so the tiny stones are probably faux gems.
Please what does small heart shape stamp means on a herringbone flat necklace. Thank you
Hi Fatima,
Sounds like it could be Oroamerica’s mark, they were a manufacturer that later merged with another company called Aurafin.
I purchased a vintage aquamarine ring with the marking “ PLAT APPL’D”. Any idea on what this means? There were other markings, but too faded to make out. Thank you for any insite you may be able to provide.
Hi Natasha,
Are you sure there’s an L in there? PAT APPL’D is a more common stamp that indicates a patent was applied for the company/item. I’ve seen this stamp on items dating from 1850 and up.
Thank you Annabelle, upon a second examination, you are correct it’s PAT APPL’D and I noticed an additional mark of what I believe is UR. Would the UR indicate the maker’s mark? I looked up old jewelry patents and I could not find the one for my ring. It’s been fun researching and thank you for pointing me in the right direction.
Hi Natasha,
Yes, the UR is most likely the manufacturer or designer’s mark. It may be difficult to find the patent since you’re combing through records from 1850 to approximately 1940s-1950s! That’s quite a span.
The style of the ring might be able to help you narrow down the time period, however. There were several distinct art styles that were dominant during those years: Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Retro. Each of them had their own style of settings, preferred stones (and stone cuts) and metals. I’d suggest looking at sample pieces to match your ring to a particular period.
I have a ruby ring the only marking in the band is RBP it is either silver or white gold. Can you help me?
Hi Amanda,
RBP seems to be the mark for Raymond Platero, who primarily works with silver.
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