Gold jewelry can be very confusing with all of these crazy markings and numbers. Dont worry. It is not as complex as it looks. By the time you are done with this page you will have a strong understanding of what to look for and how things work.
Markings & Their Meanings
A karat is a unit of measurement used to define the purity of gold.
| Karats | Markings | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 24K Gold | 24K, 24kt, 999 | 99.9% |
| 22K Gold | 22K, 22kt, 916, 917 | 91.6% |
| 18K Gold | 18K, 18kt, 750 | 75.0% |
| 14K Gold | 14K, 14kt, 583, 585 | 58.3% |
| 12K Gold; | 12K, 12kt, 500 | 50% |
| 10K Gold | 10K, 10kt, 416, 417 | 41.6% |
| 9K Gold | 375 | 37.5% |
| 8K Gold | 333 | 33.3% |
10 karat gold is the lowest level of purity that can legally be sold as gold.
Gold Plated Markings
Some of the more affordable jewelry or charms may be gold plated. Here are a few markings which will help you identify these items.
| HGE | Indicates that the item has been gold plated. |
| GE | Indicates that the item has been electroplated with a thin layer of gold. |
| GF | Indicates that the item is gold filled. Gold filled jewelry may also contain a fractional number with the karat amount indicating the percentage of the weight which is actual gold. |
Maker or Designers Marks
Some designers of your jewewlry or trinket may choose to imprint their trademark to mark their work. Here are some examples of what they may look like.
Colors of Gold
By mixing gold with other alloys or metals we are not only able to strengthen it, but also change the color. Here is a list of the materials that are used to do so.
| Color | Additional Alloys |
|---|---|
| Yellow | copper & silver |
| Bright Yellow | copper nickel, & zinc |
| White | silver, nickel, & zinc |
| Rose | copper, zinc, & silver |
| Red | copper |
| Green | copper, zinc, & silver |
Hopefully, the information above has answered some of your questions. Please feel free to check out some of our other articles. Thank you for stopping by.
