Have you ever wondered about those tiny letters or numbers on the underside of your gold jewelry? These markings serve as great clues about the gold’s authenticity, purity, and sometimes even its origin.
Whether you’re inheriting, buying or selling gold jewelry, understanding markings is a crucial part of gauging value and avoiding counterfeit items. Take the Cartier LOVE bracelet for example. This is one of the most popular – and replicated – pieces of jewelry out there. Knowing exactly which markings to look for helps you distinguish knock-offs from the real deal.
There are two main types of markings on gold jewelry items: production hallmarks and karat stamps. They’re both important but serve different purposes.
Production Hallmarks
Hallmarks date back to medieval Europe, where they were among the earliest forms of consumer protection. Initially, they indicated the purity of gold and the certifying assayer’s office. Over time, hallmarks evolved to include additional details, such as the goldsmith’s identity. In fact, the term “hallmark” originates from the Goldsmiths’ Hall in London circa 1327.
Today, production hallmarks convey a wealth of information about a jewelry piece, including:
- Purity Mark (Fineness Mark): Shows the gold’s purity, often expressed in karats (e.g., 10k, 14k, 18k) or parts per thousand (e.g., 585, 750). For example: “14k” denotes 58.5% gold content.
- Maker’s Mark: A unique symbol or initials identifying the manufacturer or brand. Ensures traceability to the producer.
- Assay Office Mark: This is an optional mark from an official assay office or certifying body that tested and verified the gold’s quality.
- Country or Regional Mark: Identifies the country or region where the jewelry was produced or hallmarked. Example: A “585” mark with additional stamps like a lion for the UK or an eagle head for France.
- Date Letter: Indicates the year of production – a common marking in the UK.
Additional Markings for Gold Composition
These specialized markings describe the specific method that was used to incorporate gold into the jewelry piece. This is where it gets interesting!
- GF, gf, G.F. (Gold Filled): A thin layer of gold that’s at least 10 karats is wrapped around a much less valuable piece of base metal like brass or bronze. The gold can make up as little as 5% of the item’s weight.
- GO, go, G.O. (Gold Overlay)/RGP, R.G.P. (Rolled Gold Plate): An even thinner layer of gold is bonded to another metal. Gold only makes up about 2.5% of the total weight!
- HGE, hge, H.G.E. (Heavy Gold Electroplated): An incredibly fine layer of gold is fused to a base metal. It has a minimum thickness of 2.5 microns, which is several times thinner than a strand of human hair.
- GP, gp, G.P. (Gold Plated)/GEP, G.E.P. (Gold Electroplated): Like HGE, this is an extremely thin layer of gold with a minimum thickness of 7 millionths of an inch.
- V (Vermeil): A layer of gold is bonded to sterling silver with a minimum thickness of 2.5 microns.
Gold filled jewelry is required by law to contain at least 5% gold, while other options such as gold plated and vermeil usually have under 0.05% gold. Gold filled is a great middle ground between gold plated and solid gold: it’s generally tarnish-resistant and can last a lifetime with proper care, but it won’t break the bank.
Karat Stamps
The karat rating system for gold is believed to date all the way back to ancient coin-measuring practices. It’s important not to confuse “karat” for gold content with “carat” for the weight of a gemstone.
In the U.S., all solid gold jewelry of at least 10 karats must bear a karat stamp, as required by the 1906 National Gold and Silver Marking Act. Common karat ratings include:
- 10k (41.7% gold): Durable and affordable, often used in everyday jewelry.
- 14k (58.5% gold): A popular choice for its balance of purity and durability.
- 18k (75% gold): More luxurious and softer than 14k.
- 24k (100% gold): Pure gold, but impractical for daily wear due to its softness.
To clarify: while 10k gold-filled jewelry contains a thin layer of 10-karat gold, a 10k solid gold stamp signifies that 41.7% of the entire piece is gold.
Why Gold Jewelry Markings Matter
As you can see, some types of “gold jewelry” contain very small amounts of actual gold. Without hallmarks and karat stamps, it’s hard to discern whether an item is solid gold, gold filled or gold plated. If you’re considering selling your gold jewelry based on its raw material value, understanding these markings is crucial.
Our Experts Are Here to Help
At Garfield Refining, we specialize in determining the value of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium jewelry. Our scientific melt and assay process ensures accurate measurements of precious metal content, which we then use to calculate payments based on current market prices. Since 1892, we’ve been committed to providing our clients with the highest possible payouts for their precious metal scrap!
Garfield Refining buys all used gold, gold-filled, platinum, and silver jewelry for the fair market value of precious metal content only. We don’t appraise jewelry on artistry, brand, or vintage.
If you have gold, silver, platinum or palladium scrap that you’re looking to sell, give us a call or start your free shipment today!