– V (Vermeil): A layer of gold bonded to sterling silver with a minimum thickness of 100 millionths of an inch. The jeweler doesn't need to stamp karat quality.
If jewelry is marked with “Vermeil,” it is a piece of sterling silver topped off with gold plating.
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.
While it can be different forms, the stamp indicates the type of gold used in the jewellery, ranging from 10 karat to 24 karat gold. The marking will either be an obscure 3-digit numeric set, such as 585, or it could be an obvious tell such as 14k for 14 karat.
Nearly all real gold is stamped with a hallmark that notes the karat weight of the jewelry, like 10K or 14K. This stamp is usually found on the clasp of a necklace or bracelet, or on the inner band of a ring.
Gold-plated pieces may be marked 'GP,' 'GE,' or 'HGE. ' 'GP' or 'GE' means the piece is electroplated with a thin layer of gold; '18K GP' would indicate a piece plated with 18 karat gold.
Acid test.
An acid test can reveal the karat of solid gold jewelry, but it can also show whether jewelry is solid gold or gold-plated. With an acid test, a small sample of the jewelry is removed and exposed to acid to induce a color change. The resulting colors indicate which type of metal the jewelry is made of.
Symbols with 900 indicate that there are 900 parts per 1,000 pure platinum; whereas symbols with 950 indicate that there are 950 parts per 1,000 are pure platinum. 10K, 14K, 18K, 24K... If you only see these stamps on your piece, it means that the piece is solid gold. The numbers denote the karat fineness of the gold.
Gold hallmarks originated to show the purity of gold in a piece of gold jewellery and included the mark of the assaying office that certified the purity as well as the fineness or caratage of the gold. Later, trademarks that showed which goldsmith had manufactured the product were added.
"14K VN" stamped on a ring typically indicates that the ring is made of 14 karat gold and it's made in Vietnam.
Diamond wishbone rings feature a unique 'V' shape that symbolises luck and love.
The stamp 925 is used to identify genuine sterling silver jewelry, which contains 92.5% silver.
A Maker's Mark is a unique stamp placed on jewelry and watches to ensure the authenticity of the manufacturer. These stamps are typically made up of the manufacturers initials, name, or another unique representative symbol. Identifying this mark is the first step in determining the value of a piece of jewelry.
Antique gold of 18ct and 22ct will be denoted by a crown (for gold) and a numeral, 18 or 22, which were the standards up to 1854. Post 1854, the standards were broadened to include 15ct, 12ct, and 9ct.
916 gold is good for making intricate jewellery as pure gold is too soft. Delicate craftsmanship is not possible in 100% pure gold. As such, you should look for 916 purity gold when making purchases of jewelleries as 22 karat is considered to be the best quality of gold purity for making jewelleries and ornaments.
Gold is a very soft metal, so scratching it with a hard object like ceramic will leave a golden or a yellowish streak. On the other hand, fake gold is often made of metals that are darker in color, so you'll see a dark streak instead.
In this, the first symbol is BIS logo, second symbol indicates purity and fineness and the third symbol is a six digit Alphanumeric code. And before buying any piece of gold jewellery you have to see all these 3 symbols. A brief description of each of these 3 symbols is given below.
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.
What to do: Hold the magnet up to the gold. If it's real gold it will not stick to the magnet. (Fun fact: Real gold is not magnetic.) Fake gold, on the other hand, will stick to the magnet.
Check for hallmarks
A hallmark is a stamp that typically outlines the metal content of a piece and the country of origin, designer, or manufacturer. And British hallmarks on jewelry often include a date stamp, indicating a year of production. There could be other engravings on the item as well.
The majority of old gold jewelry is simply worth its weight in the current price of gold. “Melt-grade” gold jewelry includes: Outdated gold jewelry. Broken gold jewelry.
Jewelers often use nitric acid to test their gold. Basically, gold won't react to nitric acid, but all other metals will turn greenish.