Where to look
Marks are small, so use a bright light and a loupe or phone magnifier. Check the inside of a ring shank, the clasp and jump ring of a chain, the back of a pendant or brooch, the post of an earring and the inside of a bracelet clasp. Marks can wear down with age, so a piece with a faint or missing stamp is not necessarily fake, but it does need testing.
Karat and fineness marks
These tell you the gold content. Karat marks are common in the US, and fineness marks, written as parts per thousand, are common in Europe and on imported jewelry. The gold karat chart lists every karat with its live value.
| Mark you may see | Gold content | Means |
|---|---|---|
| 24K, 24KT, 999, 9999 | 99.9%+ | Pure gold |
| 22K, 916, 917 | 91.7% | 22 karat |
| 18K, 18KT, 750 | 75.0% | 18 karat |
| 14K, 14KT, 585, 583 | 58.3% | 14 karat |
| 10K, 10KT, 417 | 41.7% | 10 karat, the US minimum |
| 9K, 9ct, 375 | 37.5% | 9 karat, common in the UK |
K, KT and ct are all abbreviations for karat or carat, so 14K and 14KT are the same purity. Do not confuse karat, which measures gold purity, with carat, which measures the weight of a gemstone.
Marks that mean it is not solid gold
These marks mean a layer of gold over another metal. The value is very small compared with solid gold, and refiners generally will not pay for them.
| Mark | Stands for | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| GP | Gold plated | A very thin layer of gold applied over base metal |
| GF, 1/20 14K GF | Gold filled | A thicker layer of gold bonded to a base metal core. 1/20 means the gold layer is about 5% of the total weight. |
| HGE, HGP | Heavy gold electroplate or plate | Plated, in a thicker layer than basic plating |
| RGP | Rolled gold plate | A gold layer rolled onto a base metal |
| GEP | Gold electroplate | Electroplated base metal |
| Vermeil | Gold over sterling silver | Sterling silver with a gold layer. The core is silver, not gold. |
A mark like 14K GF reads as a karat mark but is gold-filled, which is why the letters after the karat matter as much as the number.
Other metals that look like gold
- 925, STERLING: sterling silver, 92.5% silver. Gold-coloured 925 jewelry is gold-plated silver.
- 950, PLAT, PT: platinum. It is white, heavy and valuable, and it is not gold.
- PD, 950 PD: palladium.
- No mark, or marks such as “CZ”: CZ refers to a cubic zirconia stone, not the metal.
Maker’s marks and country marks
Alongside the purity mark you may find extra stamps:
- Maker’s mark or trademark: initials, a symbol or a name that identifies the manufacturer. In the US, karat marks are meant to be accompanied by the manufacturer’s trademark. It tells you who made the piece, not how pure it is.
- Assay office marks: British and some European pieces carry marks applied by an independent assay office, usually with the fineness, a maker’s mark and sometimes a date letter.
- Indian hallmarks: pieces hallmarked in India typically show the purity in karat or fineness, such as 22K916, along with a hallmarking centre and jeweler identification.
- Brand and design marks: names such as a designer or retailer. These can add value above melt, but a scrap buyer prices the metal.
Once you have read the mark
- Note the karat or fineness and weigh the piece in grams.
- Check the karat chart if the stamp is in fineness.
- Value it with the gold calculator. For a refresher on the arithmetic, read the gold melt value guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does 14K or 585 stamped on jewelry mean?
Both mean 14 karat gold, which is 58.33% gold. 14K is the karat mark used in the US, and 585 is the fineness mark (585 parts gold per 1,000) commonly used in Europe and on imported pieces.
What is the difference between 14K and 14KT?
Nothing in terms of gold content. K and KT are both abbreviations for karat, so 14K and 14KT are the same purity.
What does GP, GF or HGE mean on jewelry?
GP is gold plated, GF is gold filled and HGE is heavy gold electroplate. In each case a layer of gold sits over a base metal, so the piece is not solid gold and has little or no scrap value.
Is gold jewelry without a stamp fake?
Not necessarily. Stamps can wear away, be removed when a ring is resized, or be missing on older or handmade pieces. But an unmarked piece cannot be assumed to be gold, so it should be tested before you value or sell it.
What does 925 mean?
925 is the fineness mark for sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver. A 925 piece with a gold colour is usually gold-plated silver, sometimes sold as vermeil. It is not gold jewelry.
What is a maker's mark?
A maker's mark, or trademark, is a small symbol or set of initials that identifies the manufacturer. In the US, a karat mark is meant to be accompanied by the maker's trademark. It identifies who made the piece and does not say anything about purity.