Reading a Gold Hallmark: What the Stamps Inside Your Jewellery Mean
The tiny stamps inside a ring band or on a clasp tell you the metal content. Here is how to find them and what each one means.
A quality mark on gold jewellery tells you the proportion of gold in the alloy. It will be a karat number such as 14K, or a three digit decimal such as 585, and the two say the same thing in different notation.
Key takeaways
- Karat marks and three digit marks carry the same information.
- Look inside ring bands, on chain clasps, and on small tags near a fastening.
- In Canada the Precious Metals Marking Act governs how precious metal articles may be marked.
- The Precious Metals Marking Regulations set 9 karats as the minimum quality for a gold quality mark.
- An unmarked piece is not necessarily fake, but it will need testing to prove.
What Vanhess does and does not do
Vanhess is a jewellery shop in Coquitlam, British Columbia. We sell solid gold jewellery. We do not sell bullion, bars, coins or wafers, we do not buy or broker investments, and we are not financial advisors, tax advisors or a bullion dealer. Everything on this page is general information to help you understand how gold is priced and valued. It is not financial, investment or tax advice. Speak to a licensed advisor or an accountant before making a decision about your money.
Where to look
| Item | Where the mark usually is |
|---|---|
| Ring | Inside the band, opposite the top |
| Chain or necklace | On the clasp, or a small flat tag beside it |
| Bracelet | On the clasp or the end link |
| Earrings | On the post, or the back of the fitting |
| Pendant | On the bail, or the back of the piece |
What the marks mean
| Karat mark | Decimal mark | Gold content |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 999 | about 99.9% |
| 22K | 916 | 91.67% |
| 18K | 750 | 75.00% |
| 14K | 585 | 58.33% |
| 10K | 417 | 41.67% |
| 9K | 375 | 37.50% |
Extra letters change the meaning entirely. GF means gold filled, GP or GEP means gold plated, and vermeil means gold over sterling silver. None of those is solid gold, and the distinction matters for value.
What the Canadian rules actually say
The Precious Metals Marking Regulations require that where the quality of gold is shown in karats, the number shown must be in the same proportion to 24 as the article's gold is to pure gold, and where it is shown in decimals, in the same proportion to 1. The table in the Regulations sets 9 karats as the minimum quality for a gold quality mark.
The Precious Metals Marking Act also covers plated articles, and prohibits any mark that guarantees or purports to guarantee that the plating will wear for a period of time.
No mark at all
Plenty of genuine older and handmade gold carries no mark, because marking has never been universally compulsory everywhere. An unmarked piece can be tested by any jeweller, usually with an acid test or an electronic tester, and that gives you the karat. Expect a buyer to discount an unmarked piece slightly, because they carry the cost and the uncertainty of testing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 585 mean on a gold ring?
It means the alloy is 58.5 percent gold, which is the decimal notation for 14K. The same system gives 750 for 18K, 916 for 22K and 375 for 9K.
Does gold jewellery have to be hallmarked in Canada?
The Precious Metals Marking Act governs how articles may be marked when a quality mark is applied, and the Regulations set the minimum quality for a gold mark at 9 karats. Plenty of genuine gold circulates unmarked, particularly older and handmade pieces, so the absence of a mark is not proof of anything on its own.
What does GF mean on jewellery?
Gold filled. It means a layer of gold has been mechanically bonded to a base metal core. It is far more durable than plating but it is not solid gold, and its recoverable metal value is very small.
My gold has no hallmark. Is it fake?
Not necessarily. Marking has not been universally required in every place and period, and handmade pieces often go unmarked. Any jeweller can test it and tell you the karat, which is the only way to be certain either way.