Platinum is typically either 90 percent or 95 percent pure. This is one reason platinum jewelry is more expensive that gold jewelry. The marks vary widely, but typically platinum is designated by PL or PLAT or the full word.
The first 20-30 or so impressions from a new Morgan silver dollar die would often have mirror fields similar to a proof. These coins are designated PL or “proof-like”.
When an item is stamped “925 Platinum,” it means that it is made of 92.5% platinum.
Here are some of the most common jewelry hallmarks: Karat (KT or K) - Indicates the purity of gold, the higher the karat number, the purer the gold. Fine Silver (FS) - Indicates that a piece consists of at least 99.9% pure silver. Sterling Silver (SS) - Indicates that a piece consists of at least 92.5% pure silver.
Platinum jewelry should be stamped “PT” for pure platinum or “PT900” or “PT950,” indicating the number of parts per thousand that are pure platinum.
Palladium 500 and 950
Hallmarks show purity as a fineness number. This is a measure of purity as parts per thousand; where 999.999 is the purest precious metal. Three standards of fineness marks are recognised for palladium hallmarks. They are 500 (50% pure), 950 (95% pure), plus 999 (99.9% pure) for 'pure palladium'.
Among the most common metal hallmarks are Platinum (PT - PLAT), Sterling Silver (Sterling - 925 - . 950) and Gold ([9-24]Kt). Other "alternative" metals may also include hallmarks, such as: Titanium (Titanium), Tungsten (Tungsten), (Palladium: Pd - Pall) and Stainless Steel (S.S. - St - Steel).
What is the stamp for diamonds on a ring? It depends on whether or not the diamond is natural or lab-created. If it's a real diamond, you can expect to see a stamp with carats and points. If it's made of synthetic gemstones like Cubic Zirconia, you may see a CZ mark.
gold shank with the “PI” indicating a Platinum//Iridium setting. The “H” could represent the trademark or it could stand for.
18K gold plated Jewelry is not made of gold but base metal or silver applied with a layer of 18K gold by chemical or electrochemical plating.
Identifying Platinum Through Visual Cues and Weight
Pure platinum jewelry, or jewelry that is at least 50% platinum, is typically marked with a stamp (also known as a hallmark). Usually, this mark will include a number like 850 followed by “plat or “pt”, which indicates the piece is 85% pure.
Sometimes the karat stamp will be followed by other letters such as P, GP, HGE, RGP, and GF. These stamps mean: P after the stamp like "14KP" means 14 Karat plumb. The reason this is marked this way is to tell you that there is exactly 58.5% gold in the item. Not all 14 karat pieces are plumb 14 karat.
Look for the 925 marking.Genuine sterling silver jewelry will be marked with these three numbers or STERLING or STER. Hold a magnet to the silver. If the magnet sticks, your jewelry is not real sterling silver.
Silver is a chemical element with symbol Ag and atomic number 47. Classified as a transition metal, Silver is a solid at room temperature.
925 silver, often referred to as sterling silver, is, in fact, real silver though it is an alloy rather than pure silver. 925 silver means your item is 92.5% silver and 7.5% another metal, such as copper. This means that your 925 silver is valuable and can be sold.
If you see 925 engraved on the ring, that means it's a sterling silver setting. Usually, engagement rings with a larger center diamond won't be set in sterling silver because it's too soft. And if you see a stamp that says "CZ," you're looking at a cubic zirconia stone, rather than a real diamond.
In 18ct. white gold, the mix is three parts gold to one part palladium, hence the stamp “750” in 18ct.
Marks and markings are the easiest way to tell if a piece is fake, phony, or fraudulent. A rule of thumb for most pieces of costume jewelry is that authentically marked pieces are commonly die-stamped into the metal on a piece of costume jewelry. A cast mark, commonly used on fake pieces, are not sharp.
Gold hallmarks measure purity
Gold purity is measured in karats with 24 karats representing the highest value. Gold jewelry marked "750" or "18k" indicates a blended metal consisting of 75% gold and 25% other alloys or elements. Likewise, a "585" or "14k" imprint indicates a gold content equal to 58.5% of the whole.
Legitimate Platinum and Palladium jewellery pieces often have hallmarks engraved in a discrete location. In modern pieces, there should be hallmarks for the maker, fineness, and the assay office responsible for testing. Fineness hallmarks indicate the purity of the metal.
Used for jewelry, palladium is made 95% pure and 5% of other platinum group metals such as iridium and ruthenium. For guaranteed quality, palladium will be marked with Pd, PD950 or 950 Pd.
Palladium Is More Valuable than Gold & Silver
It also tops platinum when it comes to current market value. On average, prices for palladium rings today are around $2,000, according to Brides.com.