The karat stamp has been used in European countries since the 14th century. The United States only adopted hallmarks in the early 1900s. European jewelry usually displays a three-number digit which marks the purity percentage of the metal, while U.S. jewelry opts for 18K, 14K, or 10K hallmarks.

What number is engraved on gold?

Common Gold Markings on Jewelry, and Their Meanings

What do the numbers mean on gold jewelry?

Authentic gold jewelry should have a stamp to indicate the purity of the gold in the piece. This mark can be in several different formats. For example: 585, 14kt and 14K all mean 14 karat gold. All of these formats are easy to understand, except possibly the 3 digit number format. These numbers tell how pure the gold is.

What does the 14K mark on gold jewelry mean?

Jeweller’s Marks A lot of jewelry will have several stamps or marks. Often there is one stamp to indicate the purity of the gold (“14K”, as mentioned above). The purity mark can be accompanied by a second mark called a maker’s mark or a jeweller’s stamp.

What do the stamps mean on gold jewelry?

A lot of jewelry will have several stamps or marks. Often there is one stamp to indicate the purity of the gold (“14K”, as mentioned above). The purity mark can be accompanied by a second mark called a maker’s mark or a jeweller’s stamp. These are custom stamps or engravings placed in jewelry by whomever manufactured it.

What does the inscription mean on gold jewelry?

Most authentic gold jewelry is stamped or etched with some sort of indicator. These jewelry inscriptions can be very hard for the lay person to decipher. In fact, many professionals are not sure what some of them mean because these marks are not as standardized as they should be.