Markings on silver, gold, diamonds and other forms of jewelry may be something that you have noticed over the years if you are a regular wearer of pieces made from any sort of precious metal, but why are they there, and what do they mean? If you have found yourself asking the same questions but have struggled to find the answers, then the team at GoldFellow is here to make the picture clearer with this breakdown of the symbols stamped on jewelry. Our team has seen these same stamps countless times as expert and professional jewelry buyers with years of experience and is happy to share insights with current or potential clients whenever possible in order to make the process more transparent and inclusive to all parties involved.
Why Are These Jewelry Marks There?
Before getting into a jewelry stamps list filled with definitions and explanations for potential markings, it is important to know that they are not there for no reason. They are engraved onto pieces by jewelry designers and crafters to denote the value and type of precious metals present, and it isn’t anything new to the modern era either. Symbols stamped on jewelry have been around for roughly one thousand years and are showing no signs of leaving fashion any time soon. But do you know where to find marks on rings, necklaces, chains, or other forms of jewelry? They are typically found on the “inside” of pieces, meaning they are not displayed to the public around you. They were designed this way so as to ensure that the grading and proper description of the jewelry were present but that it wouldn’t hinder the look of the piece, and given that it has been around for so long, it is even present on fine antique gold jewelry even if you haven’t noticed it. Jewelry markings are important to have on the pieces so that jewelers and other people in the industry can easily know what they are dealing with, but the rest of the public has been let out of that aspect of the industry for too long. This is especially troubling if they are trying to sell old jewelry but do not know what they are dealing with in terms of the quality of the piece and the associated price with it.
Jewelry Marking List and Explanations
Our team of expert gold buyers has been purchasing pieces of all types, materials, and quality from people for years and has seen just about all the symbols stamped on jewelry that you could imagine. These are the jewelry stamps you’re going to want to know when selling jewelry online:
10K, 14K, 18K, and 24K Stamps: Tell the owner what the quality and purity of gold used was.
Stamps for Antiques
ABP: Brass-plated Antique
ACF: Antique with copper finish
ACP: Copper-plated antique
AGF: Antique with gold finish
AGP: Gold-plated antique
ANP: Nickel-plated antique
ARF: Antique rhodium Finish
ARP: Rhodium-plated antique
ASF: Antique silver varnish
ASP: Silver-plated antique
Sk9: The piece contains platinaire
GE, GP, and GF: This means that the piece is gold-plated
IP: The piece is iron-plated
S.S: Stainless steel was used for the piece
WGD: Similar to Karat, means that the piece is made of weighted gold
PD: Denotes a piece made from palladium
There are other, less common, symbols stamped on jewelry that you should keep an eye out for and research it if it has not been listed in this guide, though these are the most likely the ones that you will encounter and see on your own pieces. Knowing these ratings and symbols could make you a more informed person when you sell your jewelry. But being a well-informed seller means that you should also know which companies to use as buyers when you’re looking for amazing prices for jewelry and an easy method of operation.
Sell Jewelry Online at the Best Price Point
If you are in the process of selling jewelry online and want to ensure that you’re getting the best possible price point, then be sure to get in touch with the team at GoldFellow and inquire about how our prices and method of buying work! If you are ready to get started, we are ready to receive and appraise your piece by following the excellent prices offered by our team. If you are interested in more articles such as this one, which will cover topics from across all areas of the jewelry industry, then be sure to read some of the other jewelry-buying blogs we have written and get your insight directly from the professionals. Selling jewelry for profit should be an easy process, and our team strives to make that possible without lowering the price that sellers will be receiving.