What Does This Mark Mean?

A 925 stamp on a ring means it is made of sterling silver — an alloy containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, typically copper.

A 925 stamp on a necklace means it is made of sterling silver, containing 92.5% pure silver alloyed with 7.5% other metals for strength and durability.

A 750 stamp on jewelry means it is made of 18-karat gold, containing 75.0% pure gold alloyed with 25% other metals such as copper, silver, or palladium.

A 585 stamp on jewelry means it is made of 14-karat gold, containing 58.5% pure gold and 41.5% alloy metals like copper, silver, and zinc.

A 375 stamp on jewelry means it is made of 9-karat gold, containing 37.5% pure gold and 62.5% other metals. This is the minimum legal standard for gold in the UK and several other countries.

A 10K stamp on a ring means it is made of 10-karat gold, containing 41.7% pure gold and 58.3% alloy metals. This is the minimum gold standard legally permitted for sale as gold jewelry in the United States.

A 14K stamp on a ring means it is made of 14-karat gold, containing 58.5% pure gold and 41.5% alloy metals. It is the most popular gold standard for jewelry in the United States.

An 18K stamp on a ring means it is made of 18-karat gold, containing 75% pure gold and 25% alloy metals. This is the luxury standard used by most high-end jewelry houses worldwide.

A 999 stamp on jewelry means it is made of fine silver or fine gold — 99.9% pure precious metal with only trace amounts of other elements.

GP on jewelry stands for 'Gold Plated,' meaning the piece has a thin layer of gold electroplated over a base metal core, usually brass or copper. It is not solid gold.

GF on jewelry stands for 'Gold Filled,' meaning the piece has a thick layer of real gold mechanically bonded to a base metal core. Gold filled is significantly more durable than gold plated and contains much more actual gold.

A '925 Italy' stamp on a chain means it is sterling silver (92.5% pure silver) manufactured in Italy. Italian silver chains are renowned worldwide for their quality craftsmanship and innovative chain designs.

A lion stamp on silver is the 'lion passant' — the traditional British hallmark confirming that a piece meets the sterling silver standard of 92.5% pure silver. It has been used since 1544.

An anchor mark on silver is the hallmark of the Birmingham Assay Office in England. It identifies the piece as having been tested and certified for precious metal content in Birmingham, the world's busiest assay office.

A crown stamp on jewelry can have several meanings depending on the country: in the UK it historically indicated gold purity, in Italy it is part of the official hallmarking system, and in some cases it is simply a maker's logo or decorative element.

A 950 stamp on a ring almost always means it is made of 950 platinum — an alloy containing 95% pure platinum and 5% other metals, typically ruthenium, cobalt, or iridium. This is the most common platinum standard for jewelry.

The 'Swiss Made' label on a watch dial means the watch meets strict legal criteria defined by Swiss law: the movement must be Swiss, the movement must be cased up in Switzerland, and at least 60% of manufacturing costs must be incurred in Switzerland.

A 'Water Resist' or 'Water Resistant' marking on a watch means it has some degree of protection against water ingress, but the level of protection varies enormously depending on the specific rating (30m, 50m, 100m, 200m, etc.).

The word 'Automatic' on a watch dial means the watch is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement that converts the natural motion of your wrist into energy to drive the watch, eliminating the need for a battery or daily hand winding.

The words 'Stainless Steel Back' (or 'Stainless Steel Case Back') on a watch mean that only the case back is made of stainless steel, while the rest of the case may be made of a different, often less durable material such as brass, zinc alloy, or plated base metal.

The label 'Sapphire Crystal' on a watch means the glass covering the dial is made from synthetic sapphire — one of the hardest transparent materials available, rated 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. It is extremely resistant to scratching.

A 10 ATM rating on a watch means it is water resistant to a static pressure equivalent of 100 meters (330 feet). In practical terms, a 10 ATM watch is suitable for swimming, snorkeling, and water sports but not for scuba diving.

The word 'Chronograph' on a watch means it has a built-in stopwatch function — the ability to measure elapsed time independently of the regular timekeeping, using dedicated pushers and sub-dials on the dial face.

The marking 'Japan Movement' (or 'Japan Movt') on a watch means the timekeeping mechanism inside was manufactured in Japan, typically by Seiko (Epson/TMI), Citizen (Miyota), or Casio. The rest of the watch may have been assembled elsewhere.

The word 'Quartz' on a watch dial means the watch is powered by a battery-driven quartz crystal movement rather than a mechanical (hand-wound or automatic) movement. Quartz watches are significantly more accurate than mechanical watches.