Gold is not cheap! So, be careful when purchasing gold jewelry. Someone might trick you and sell you faux gold!
The question is: What is unstamped gold jewelry? Is it real or fake?
Knowing how to recognize different gold stamps will help you avoid being deceived and enable you to recognize the gold jewelry of the highest purity and value.
I’ll help you out by explaining what is gold with no markings, and listing all the possible gold stamps you might find on jewelry. Let’s start!
Unstamped Gold Jewelry: Yay or Nay?
Unstamped gold jewelry of a newer date is probably costume jewelry of no significant value.
On the other hand, vintage gold jewelry made before 1900 might not have a stamp but is still valuable.
Even some modern-day gold jewelry manufactured by an artist or an independent jewelry designer might not have a stamp, even though made of real gold.
If a piece of gold jewelry has been passed on from generation to generation or worn for many years, the original stamp might have worn off. Gold jewelry that has been resized or polished might have had the gold marking cut out or rubbed off.
The bottom line is: do not buy unstamped jewelry unless you trust the seller! Alternatively, you can have the gold tested to find out if it is genuine.
How Can You Tell If Your Gold Is Real?
If you have found some gold jewelry lying around that you are not sure about, you should have it tested to see if it is real or not. Of course, the first step is to check for any markings. If there aren’t any, you can take it to a reputable jewelry dealer or try to test it yourself.
Look for stamps or markings
On a necklace or a bracelet, the markings are usually on the clasp. If you are inspecting a ring, look for any stamps on the inner band.
The stamp on jewelry and gold items manufactured in the USA usually notes the karat weight of the gold. Therefore, you’ll find markings such as 10K or 14K. These stamps show you the purity of your gold jewelry.
- 24K marking stands for jewelry made of pure gold, but it is rarely found since pure gold is extremely malleable.
- 14K stamp can be found on jewelry made of 14 parts gold (14/24). It equals 58.5%.
- 18K stands for gold alloy mixture that contains 75% of pure gold.
What does 585 mean on jewelry?
Sometimes, gold jewelry is marked with 585, 750, or 999. These markings replace the ones I have already mentioned. Thus, 585 stands for 14K gold, 750 for 18K gold, and 999 (or 1000) for 24K gold, or pure gold.
This is a European system of gold stamping. Therefore, jewelry marked with 585 or 750 has probably been manufactured in a European country.
Gold Markings
| 100% Pure/Fine Gold | 24K | 999 or 990 |
| 91,67% Pure Gold | 22K | 916 |
| 75% Pure Gold | 18K | 750 |
| 58,5% Pure Gold | 14K | 585 |
| 41,67% Pure Gold | 10K | 417 |
| 37,5% Pure Gold | 9K | 375 |
Does old gold have markings?
Old gold does not always have markings. Not having a stamp thus does not prove that jewelry is made from fake gold. It would thus be wise to take it to a professional or have it tested.
Have a professional appraisal
If you want to be 100% sure your gold is real or you want to know the gold content or how much it is worth, you should best take it to a professional jeweler. Make sure you choose a reputable jewelry dealer you can trust.
Jewelers have testing kits and can determine if the item is real gold or not. They usually charge a small fee for their services.
If you are planning to sell your gold, a competent and honest jewelry dealer can also give you a fair assessment of the true value of your item. You might even get an offer and sell your gold item on the spot.
Run a test that proves whether gold is real or not
A few tests can be used to determine whether your gold-colored item is made from real gold or not.
Nitric acid test
Be careful when doing a nitric acid test since it can damage the gold. Take all the necessary precaution measures – wear gloves and goggles and secure proper ventilation. Nitric acid can be explosive!
If you are performing the acid test on your jewelry, choose a spot that is not noticeable. The test is simple. All you need to do is scratch the gold surface with a nail file and apply a small drop of nitric acid to that area. If your item is made from real gold, nothing will happen. If not, the area will turn green or milky.
Liquid foundation test
To perform this test, you must apply some of your liquid foundation and powder to your forehead and rub your gold item across that area. If your item is made from real gold, a black streak should appear.
As you can probably guess, this test is not very reliable. It can be fun, though!
Heaviness test
The heaviness test is not very reliable either, but it is the simplest. All you need is a glass of water.
If your gold item is made from real gold, it should sink when you drop it into the water. If it floats, it is fake.
Magnetization test
If you have a magnet, you can have some fun with this test, too. Any item attracted to a magnet is not made of real gold or at least does not contain a great amount of it. There is no need to say that this test is not very reliable, isn’t it? I bet you figured that out on your own!
Final Words: Is It Good or Bad to Have Gold with No Markings?
If your gold has no markings, it does not necessarily mean it is not real. It would be best to take it to a professional and have it tested before you get disappointed. I am cheering for you and hope you have something truly valuable!
All comments and shares are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
