What Do 417, 585 and 750 Mean on Gold Jewelry?

The numbers 417, 585 and 750 stamped on gold jewelry are fineness marks. They tell you how many parts out of 1,000 are pure gold. A 417 stamp means 41.7 percent gold, which is 10 karat. A 585 stamp means 58.5 percent gold, which is 14 karat. A 750 stamp means 75 percent gold, which is 18 karat. The rest of the metal is an alloy, usually copper, silver, zinc or nickel, added to make the piece harder and to change its color.

The stamp matters because it is the starting point for what a buyer will pay, and United States marking rules set limits on how far a piece can stray from it. According to the MJSA guide to U.S. marking and stamping regulations, karat gold can fall short of its stamped fineness by no more than three parts per thousand, and a maker who stamps a fineness mark must also stamp a federally registered trademark next to it. That second mark is worth looking for. A karat stamp with a maker's mark beside it carries more weight than a karat stamp standing alone.

What Does Each Gold Stamp Mean?

A fineness mark is a three-digit number showing gold content in parts per thousand. A karat mark shows the same thing in parts out of 24. Here are the stamps you are most likely to find inside a ring band or on a chain clasp:

• 375 or 9K: 37.5 percent gold. Common on jewelry made for the United Kingdom and Australia.

• 417 or 10K: 41.7 percent gold. The lowest karat widely sold in the United States.

• 585 or 14K: 58.5 percent gold. The most common karat in American fine jewelry.

• 750 or 18K: 75 percent gold. Richer color, softer metal.

• 916 or 22K: 91.6 percent gold. Common on jewelry from India and the Middle East.

• 999 or 24K: Fine gold, used for bullion more than for jewelry.

You may also see 583 on older American pieces. Fourteen divided by 24 is 58.3 percent, and 585 is the rounded European version of the same standard.

Is 585 Gold Real Gold?

Yes. A piece stamped 585 is 14 karat gold, which is a solid gold alloy all the way through. It is not plating. The same is true of 417 and 750. What the stamp cannot tell you is whether the stamp itself is honest, which is why buyers test before they pay. Our guide on how pawn shops test for real gold explains the acid and electronic tests used at the counter.

Which Stamps Mean a Piece Is Not Solid Gold?

Some marks look similar to karat stamps but describe a thin layer of gold over another metal. Watch for these:

• GP or GEP: gold plated or gold electroplated

• HGE: heavy gold electroplate

• GF: gold filled, often written as 1/20 14K GF

• RGP: rolled gold plate

A stamp such as 14K GP is not 14 karat gold. It is a base metal with a 14 karat surface layer, and it is priced very differently.

Can Gold Be Lower Than 10 Karat?

It can. For decades, Federal Trade Commission guidance treated 10 karat as the floor for calling something gold in the United States. The FTC revised its Jewelry Guides in 2018 and removed that minimum, so a seller can now describe an alloy below 10 karat as gold as long as the karat fineness is disclosed, for example, 8K gold. In practice, you will rarely see anything under 10K in an American jewelry case, but you may come across 9K or 8K on imported pieces.

How Do the Stamps Affect What Your Gold Is Worth?

Gold buyers pay for pure gold content, so the stamp sets the math. A 750 piece holds 75 percent gold by weight, while a 417 piece holds 41.7 percent, which means the same weight of 18 karat contains about 80 percent more gold than 10 karat. The steps a buyer follows are simple:

1. Confirm the karat with a test, not just the stamp.

2. Weigh the piece in grams or pennyweights.

3. Multiply the weight by the gold percentage to get the pure gold content.

4. Apply the day's gold price and the buyer's margin.

For a closer look at the pricing side, read how scrap gold prices are calculated.

FAQ

What does 585 mean on a ring?

It means the ring is 58.5 percent pure gold, the same as 14 karat.

Is 417 gold worth anything?

Yes. 417 is 10 karat gold and has real gold value based on its weight. It contains less gold per gram than 14K or 18K, so it brings less per gram.

What if my jewelry has no stamp at all?

Stamps wear off, and resizing can cut them out of a ring band. A missing stamp does not mean the piece is fake. A buyer can test the metal directly.

Does a stamp guarantee the gold is real?

No. Stamps can be counterfeited. A stamp is a claim, and a test is the proof.

Have Your Gold Checked at The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange

The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange has bought gold in Greensburg since 2005, including broken pieces. Bring your jewelry and a valid ID to 206 E. Pittsburgh St. for a free verbal appraisal. No appointment is needed, and we will explain how we arrived at the number. See how the process works on our Sell Your Items page.

Visit The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange or call (724) 836-7296 today. Contact us for more information.