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.
My chain says brev 585 on it, what does this mean
Hi there, that means your chain is made of 14k gold!
How can you tell if a ring is real. I have 3 questions. All inputs are kindly accepted I have one with no marking that has never changed it shine. I also have on that says 14k then the word star in spelled out. I also have a necklace that is stamped with a .,3333. Have never had an issue with any of them. Just curious. Thanks
Hi there, I would suggest a metal test for complete accuracy. This is a service we provide. Here is a link with more info and how you can purchase a metal test! 🙂
https://quickjewelryrepairs.com/repair/metal-testing/
I have a ring that’s silver and gold with a lion on it . It’s marked 925 with 750 after it. What could this mean ?
Hi there, that means your ring is partially made of silver and 18k gold!
I have a chain with the 14 k stamp on it. But there no yellow or yellowish color to it. It looks like silver, but with the 14k stamp?
Hi there, your piece could be made of 14k white gold instead of yellow!
I have a gold rosary that only has one mark (750). Is that normal? because almost always i see that the gold pieces has the purity mark with maker mark’s and others.
Hi there, that means your rosary is made of 18k gold. 750 is another way to identify 18k
What does JAD14k mean on my nameplate. I paid for solid gold but it bends and i feel like they lied to me
Hi there, JAD is most likely a makers mark and the 14k indicates it’s made of 14k gold.
Hi guys!
I have inherited my grandmother’s ring, but it has been cut through the band while we was in hospital.
I’m trying to trace its age/details if you’re able to help me?
The inside is stamped with TIFFANY 9ct but from the research I have been doing, this isn’t how tiffany and co would have stamped it, and from what I have found they did not use anything less than 10k gold… So I’m a bit stumped! I’m hoping to have it repaired and use it as my engagement ring but also want to do right by its heritage and not ruin the marking by having it repaired by the wrong person.
Any help with aging or history of this ring would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Hi Elise, We’re not positive what the Tiffany’s stamp means, could be a makers mark other than Tiffany and Co. We can definitely help repair your ring for you though! Looks like you will be in need of a shank repair. You can use this link to order this service, but please let me know if there’s anything else you think your ring might be in need of!
https://quickjewelryrepairs.com/repair/ring-shank-repair/
Could you tell me what 14 9k .25 mean inside an eternity ring? please?
Hi there, the 9k represents the type of gold used and the .25 is most likely the sizes of the stones on your ring!
I bought a tennis s bracelet and the stamp on it says rsl 925 . What is the rsl stand for
Hi there, that’s a makers mark!
Hi there, I have a pair of silver earrings that are marked 925 and 14k? Does this mean they are sterling silver or 14k white gold??
Hi there, that means they are silver plated in 14k gold!
Thank you. I did not know that 🙂
As I scroll through the questions, I see no one has answered any of them, for sometime over a month? Why have a question area if no one is answering us? I am still going to ask my question in hopes that someone will answer this… smh
I am so confused. I am purchasing a “stainless steel” necklace, but in the description, it says it has an “18k” stamp on it. If it is stainless steel which would be silver, why would they stamp it with an 18k?
Hi there, the 18k could mean it’s plated in 18k white gold. Hope that helps!
How do you determine chain necklaces gold or silver content with no markings?
Hi there, you can take it to your nearest jeweler for a metal test or purchase a metal test service from us and ship to our facility! Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to move forward with us! 🙂
I have a locket with 10K SUN on the back. What does this mean?
Hi there, 10k is the type of gold your piece is made from and SUN is most likely a makers mark!
I have a bracelet that says 14KGD and a copyright symbol (a c inside a circle). Would you know what this means? Thank you.
Hi there, 14k is the type of gold your bracelet is made from and the other stamp is a makers mark!
I have an earring with 3 sets of two numbers on the back. Looks like 10 10 15 or something on the left and another symbol on the right I can’t make out. What’s that mean?
Hi there, could you please provide a picture of of the markings? They are most likely maker’s marks!
Hello, i have a gold necklace that say K18 with symbol of chinese or japanese. What does it mean? Thanks in advance for your answer
Hi there, it means your piece is made from 18k gold and the symbol is most likely a makers mark!
What does 18kt OP on necklacemean?
Hi There, that means your necklace is made from 18 karat gold and the OP is a makers mark!
I’m trying to find out if this chain is good it’s stamped with BN in a triangle
Hi there, the BN is most likely a makers mark!
I have a gold bracelet and the only stamp on it says. Artistry ??? Anyone know what that mean.
Hi there, that is most likely a makers mark!
I have 2 rings. One has .925 then an M with a circle around it. The other one has .925 and has a c with a circle around it, but also initials AJ. Curious to know what this means.
Hi there, the 925 means your rings are made of sterling silver while the other stamps are makers marks!
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