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About Thomas
Expertise
Have a question about jewelry repair or working with precious metal jewelry and gemstones? I am a working professional bench jeweler, involved everyday with setting stones in mountings, designing and making jewelry, repairing and limited custom manufacture. Over 30 years experience. If you work with jewelry as a hobby or as a profession, I might be able to help. I deal with the retail business, not mass production. Ask privately if you wish. See the box for that: It keeps your question between us. Please DO NOT ask MAKER'S MARKS, but metal quality marks are fine to ask. Please DO NOT ask diamond prices. See a gemologist for that.

Experience
I have near 35 years experience at the sort of jewelry work I do.

Education/Credentials
Education is English/Physics! Started in human resources, to advertising, to jewelry...wow, what a road. Now a jeweler for many years. I have had formal training in jewelry work and many shared experiences with top grade jewelers. We just never know were we will go or be. Follow your best, your dreams, with some discretion! Don't let the work tear up your body along the way.

You are here: Experts > Style > Jewelry Making > Jewelry, Gems, & Minerals > 417k gold ?

Jewelry, Gems, & Minerals - 417k gold ?

Expert: Thomas - 10/31/2009

Question
I saw a gold bracelet for sale that had a hallmark of "417k" on it. What does this hallmark mean? There was also another mark below but I couldn't make out what it was. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi, Cynthia. Thanks for this question.

In the USA, gold items are marked with either a karat stamp or a numerical value meaning the same thing. I have not seen one with the number and a k together. That is strange to see but that does not mean it is not honest and valid. Even if a different marking than normally seen, it will likely be ok legally and at least with the “k” we know it is referring to gold and not some other metal. The other mark you cannot read is likely the mark of the manufacturer but I cannot be certain on that. The important marks are the one having to do with the quality of the gold.

Pure gold is called 24k. Gold used in jewelry is mixed with other metals to make the different karats and colors of gold. This also makes the metal strong enough for jewelry since pure gold is very, very soft. The karat is determined by how much pure gold is in the recipe. For instance, if the recipe calls for 24 parts and 10 parts are pure gold, this is called 10 karat gold. If the recipe calls for 14 parts pure gold and the rest is other metals, adding up to 24 parts, this is 14 karat gold.

As a number what is 10 k gold? It is figured this way: 10/24 = 0.4167. Rounded off, this is 0.417. The number stamped for 10 k gold is 417. The number may be look at like a percent, or saying the gold is 41.7% pure gold in the recipe. The mark in the bracelet means 10k; why the k is added to the number I cannot begin to figure out.

10k is marked 417
14k is marked 583 or 585*
18k is marked 750
Sterling Silver is marked 925, with 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metal.

*The Europeans started making 14k slightly higher than required to be marked as 14k. That explains the 585 number, which is actually 14.04 k. The rest of the world is pretty much following this lead for 14k.

I hope this answers your question. God Bless and Peace. Thomas.

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