Gold stamp and purity guide

Gold hallmark purity lookup

This gold hallmark purity lookup lets you enter a gold stamp such as 585, 750, 916 or 999 to identify the karat, purity percentage and estimated melt value per gram. Use this before valuing rings, chains, watches or scrap gold.

999 gold: $138.78 / gram Parts per thousand → karat
Gold ring hallmark inspected through a jeweler loupe for a gold hallmark purity lookup
A gold hallmark purity lookup is a starting point for identifying gold purity, but high-value or questionable pieces should still be tested by a reputable jeweler or assay service.

Hallmark lookup

Type a stamp like 585, 750, 916 or 999

Gold hallmarks usually show parts per thousand. A 585 stamp means roughly 585 parts gold in 1,000 parts alloy, which is commonly called 14K gold.

Result

585 = 14K

58.3% pure gold

Melt value / gram

$80.99

Popular everyday jewelry in the United States.

View 14K gold price →
StampKaratPurityMelt value / gramTypical use
999924K100.0%$138.91Vietnamese four-nines fine gold standard often used for high-purity rings, bars, and local retail references.
99924K99.9%$138.78Fine gold bars, bullion coins, and investment gold.
96523K96.5%$134.06Thai 96.5% gold standard used for domestic bars and jewelry.
95823K95.8%$133.09High-purity jewelry and regional bullion standards.
91622K91.6%$127.25Common in India, the Middle East, and high-purity jewelry.
87521K87.5%$121.55Traditional high-karat jewelry in some Middle Eastern markets.
80019.2K80.0%$111.14Portuguese 800 gold standard and some European jewelry.
75018K75.0%$104.19Luxury jewelry, watches, and European gold items.
58514K58.3%$80.99Popular everyday jewelry in the United States.
41710K41.7%$57.93Affordable and durable jewelry; minimum US karat sold as gold.
3759K37.5%$52.10Common in the UK, Australia, and budget jewelry.
3338K33.3%$46.26Common in Germany and some European jewelry markets.

585

14K

Most common US jewelry stamp

750

18K

Luxury jewelry and watches

916

22K

High-purity Asian jewelry

999

24K

Fine gold bullion and coins

Reading a stamp

Hallmark → purity → melt value

Example stamp

750

Purity

75%

Karat name

18K

Why gold hallmarks matter for value

A gold hallmark lookup helps you avoid treating every yellow metal item as pure gold. A 585 gold ring, a 750 gold watch and a 916 gold bracelet can have very different melt values even if they weigh the same.

Hallmarks are especially useful when sorting scrap gold before requesting quotes. Separate items by stamp, weigh each group, then use the matching karat price to estimate melt value.

Be careful with marks such as GP, GEP, HGE, RGP or GF. Those often indicate plated or gold-filled items rather than solid karat gold, so their scrap value is not calculated the same way.

How to use a gold hallmark purity lookup before pricing jewelry

A gold hallmark purity lookup is useful because the stamp tells you which price row to use before weighing or selling an item. The most common three-digit marks are millesimal fineness numbers. A 999 mark points to fine 24K gold, 916 to 22K gold, 750 to 18K gold, 585 to 14K gold, 417 to 10K gold, 375 to 9K gold and 333 to 8K gold. Once you identify the mark, multiply the live pure-gold gram price by the purity percentage.

The stamp is usually found inside a ring band, near a necklace clasp, on a bracelet end cap, on the back of earrings or on a watch case component. Very small marks can be hard to read, so use good lighting, a loupe and a clean surface. If the mark is worn, incomplete or inconsistent with the item color and weight, treat the gold hallmark purity lookup result as uncertain until the piece is tested.

Solid gold marks vs plated marks

Solid karat gold is normally marked with a karat number, a three-digit fineness number or both. Plated and layered items often use different abbreviations. GP can mean gold plated, GEP can mean gold electroplated, HGE can mean heavy gold electroplate, RGP can mean rolled gold plate and GF can mean gold filled. These items may look like gold, but their recoverable gold content is much lower than solid karat jewelry.

This is why the gold hallmark purity lookup should be used as a filter, not as final proof. A dishonest or imported item can carry a misleading stamp, and older jewelry may have nonstandard marks. For buying or selling, combine the stamp with weight, magnet checks, acid testing, XRF testing or a professional appraisal when the value is meaningful.

What consumers should do after finding the stamp

After decoding the hallmark, sort the item into the correct karat group and use the matching melt-value calculator. Keep pieces with stones, pearls, enamel or steel springs separate because their total weight may not equal gold weight. If the item has a designer signature, antique value or collectible coin premium, do not rely only on melt value. The metal value is the floor; the finished item may be worth more.

Gold hallmark FAQ

What does 585 mean on gold?

A 585 hallmark means the item is approximately 58.5% pure gold, commonly called 14K gold. The remaining metal is alloy added for strength and color.

What does 750 mean on jewelry?

A 750 stamp means 75.0% pure gold, which is 18K gold. It is common on luxury rings, necklaces, watches and European jewelry.

Is 916 gold the same as 22K gold?

Yes. 916 gold is approximately 91.6% pure gold, which corresponds to 22K gold. It is widely used in India, the Middle East and high-purity jewelry markets.

Can a gold stamp be fake?

Yes. A hallmark is useful, but it is not proof by itself. For selling or buying, confirm purity with acid testing, XRF testing, density checks or a reputable jeweler.

What does 417 mean on gold?

A 417 stamp means the item is about 41.7% pure gold, commonly called 10K gold. It is durable but has a lower melt value per gram than 14K, 18K or 24K gold.

What does 375 mean on jewelry?

A 375 hallmark means 37.5% pure gold, commonly called 9K gold. It is common in the UK, Australia and some budget jewelry markets.

What does 333 mean on gold?

A 333 stamp means about 33.3% pure gold, often called 8K gold. It appears in some European jewelry, especially German 333 gold.

What do GP, GEP, HGE, RGP or GF mean?

Those marks often point to gold plated, electroplated, rolled gold or gold filled items. They are not valued the same as solid karat gold and usually need separate testing.