Home >> Hobbies >> Antiquing

How to Read Jewelry Stamps or Labels

Jewelry can be one of life̵7;s most varied and lasting pleasures. It comes in a seemingly infinite variety of materials, forms and styles, and is often kept for several lifetimes, passed down from one generation to the next. Whether fashioned of platinum or leather, gemstones or glass beads, jewelry is, for many, an indispensable adornment. Fine jewelry is often marked with a variety of tiny symbols or words. These stamps can seem esoteric to the average person but, once understood, can reveal a lot about the jewelry itself. Use these guidelines to interpret jewelry stamps on fine metal jewelry.

Instructions

Reading Jewelry Stamps or Labels
- 1
  Identify pure sterling silver, which contains 92.5 percent pure fine silver, by the following stamps: ̶0;.925 Sterling Silver̶1;; ̶0;925 Sterling Silver̶1;; or ̶0;Sterling Silver.̶1;
- 2
  Remember that a ̶0;10K̶1; stamp means jewelry is 41.6 percent pure gold, or 10 parts out of 24. Such gold may also be stamped ̶0;16,̶1; ̶0;417,̶1; or ̶0;10KP.̶1;
- 3
  Look for a ̶0;14K̶1; stamp to indicate jewelry that is 53.8 percent pure gold, or 14 parts out of 24. Other stamps used to identify 14K jewelry are: ̶0;585,̶1; ̶0;585̶1; and ̶0;14KP.̶1;
- 4
  Note that ̶0;18K̶1; means jewelry 75 percent pure gold, or 18 parts out of 24. Such jewelry may also be stamped with the following marks: ̶0;750̶1; or ̶0;18KP.̶1;
- 5
  Know that ̶0;22K̶1; indicates that jewelry is 91.6 percent pure gold, or 22 parts out of 24. This jewelry can also be stamped with ̶0;916̶1; or ̶0;917.̶1;
- 6
  Find out if jewelry is 100 percent pure gold by looking for the ̶0;24K̶1; symbol. This jewelry may also be marked with ̶0;999.̶1;
- 7
  Identify jewelry stamped ̶0;900 Platinum̶1; as 90 percent pure platinum, or 900 parts out of 1,000. ̶0;900 Plat,̶1; ̶0;Plat 900,̶1; ̶0;Pt900,̶1; and ̶0;900Pt̶1; are other stamps used to identify this jewelry.
- 8
  Remember that a ̶0;950 Platinum̶1; stamp means jewelry is 95 percent pure platinum, or 950 parts out of 1000. Such jewelry may also be stamped ̶0;PLAT,̶1; ̶0;PT,̶1; ̶0;950 Plat,̶1; ̶0;Plat 950,̶1; ̶0;Pt950,̶1; or ̶0;950Pt.̶1;

Antiquing