Understanding Markings on your Gold and Silver Jewellery

If you own a piece of gold or silver jewellery, you have probably noticed that there are several markings stamped or etched on your piece. These marks are generally located on the inside of a ring or the underside or back of a pendant or bracelet. Gold chains may have a flattened piece of metal attached to the chain near the clasp which features the stamp, and some pendants may have a marking on the bail or loop supporting the pendant.

Because of their inconspicuous placement, these stamps will generally go unnoticed, however they do provide some information in regards to the value of your gold or silver jewellery. It is important to note though, that if you did not purchase your gold or silver jewellery from a reputable jeweller or dealer, the stamps on your jewellery may not be legitimate, so it’s best to get a valuation from a professional gold and jewellery valuer such as EzyCash Gold Buyers for more accurate information.

There are two main stamps or markings that you are likely to find on your gold or silver jewellery:

• Metal quality: For gold, this mark indicates the carats, or gold quality, of the piece of jewellery. It may be shown using abbreviations such as 24ct or 18ct or expressed using a decimal figure which denotes the percentage of gold, for example .416 (10ct).
  For silver, quality marks may be used on silver jewellery that contains a minimum of 92.5% pure silver, and this may feature a stamp showing, 925, 92.5 or .925
• Trademark or maker’s stamp: The other mark is likely to be the trademark stamp, initials or logo of the manufacturer or jeweller who crafted the piece. This helps identify the origin, and often the age, of a piece of jewellery and therefore can assist with accurately appraising an item, particularly antique pieces.

EzyCash Gold Buyers offers a gold and silver jewellery valuation service, either in-store or from your own home using our mobile gold-buying service. We can value your gold, silver, diamonds and luxury watches and provide instant cash for your jewellery. So, if you have gold or silver jewellery you would like to exchange for cash, get in touch!