One of the easiest ways to tell if a piece of jewelry is gold or not is to look for a stamp (10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K).
In a perfect world, all gold jewelry is marked with a big, bright 14K stamp. In the real world, there are hard-to-read stamps, stamps that mean gold-plated, stamps that are fake…and the list goes on.
Here are a few stamps which signify the piece is NOT gold:
- 14K 1/20 (1/20 gold is basically gold-filled)
- 14K G.F. (gold-filled)
- 14K G.P. (gold-plated)
- 14K H.G.E. (hydrostatic gold electroplating)
- 14K G.E.P. (gold electroplating)
- .925 (sterling silver)
Anything with one of these stamps is not gold. It is made out of a different metal with a very thin gold layer that will wear off over time. These pieces do not have any real metal value and most gold buyers won’t purchase them from you (with the exception of sterling silver).
Stamps that mean your piece IS gold:
- A plain 14K stamp
- 14K P (The “P” stands for plumb gold)
- 14K with a company logo after such as 14K <3
- 417 (10K, means 41.7% gold)
- 585 (14k, means 58.5% gold)
- 750 (18K, means 75% gold)
- 917 (22K, means 91.7% gold)
- 999 (24K, means 99.9% gold)
That being said, even if your piece is stamped “14K” you cannot be 100% sure it is gold. There are a number of fake stamps out there and the only way to be 100% sure is to test the metal with a gold tester using nitric acid. On the other hand, even if there is no stamp it could still be gold.
Aside from the stamps or lack thereof, there are a couple other ways you (or most likely a jeweler) will be able to tell if the piece is gold:
- If the piece is tarnished or discolored in a way that’s not typical of gold (certain gold can discolor)
- By the weight (gold is very dense and therefore it should weigh more than any other non-gold piece its same size)
Hopefully this helps you sort out the shoebox full of jewelry that you just inherited. 
I bought a ring that says 14k TGE. Wont say how much I paid for it because I don’t know if I got a good deal. I found it at a resale store though. Can you tell me what TGE means?
Hi Autumn,
I’m not familiar with the “TGE” abbreviation. It could be that the ring is actually labeled “14KT GE”, in which case the ring has gold electroplating and is not solid 14K gold.
Hello, I have several pieces of jewelry that are stamped with the jewelers stamp P14k and then country…I had read that meant plumb when the P was in front, but the jeweler told me it was plated, but she also told me some jewelry that was just stamped 14k was plated…so I was confused as to what it actually meant. Thanks!
Hi Sarah, it’s hard to say because there are so many different types of stamps and you can never be sure based on the stamp alone. In that case you have to actually test the gold.
It has been my experience that 14K gold and higher K will not stick to a magnet. I have found some 10k that will draw toward a magnet but not quiet stick well. I carry a strong magnet with me when I go “junking” or to yard sales. I also check silver this way.
i have a pair of earings that say s 4k do you know what that means?
I have a ring stamped simply 18. (No k or ct) what could this mean?
can you tell me what 10K GOLD SHE means? I am considering buying this bracelet but don’t know if its real, or solid gold, or what….
i have a 14k gold necklace but i am not sure if its real or not just for the simple fact that on the clasp it is stamped 14k with a diamond symbol around the 14k , what does the diamond mean ?
i have ring band that has a 18k G.F. S/A stamp on it, what does that mean and is it worth anything?Thanks
I’m a hobby jeweler an I am making a sterling turquoise pendant with a gold nugget I found out prospecting. Do I stamp my normal “sterling” stamp on it and a gold stamp? If gold how many K stamp do I use? Thanks in advance.
I have a gold bracelet marked 14KT AER circled underneath. what ds AER stand for?
I have a ring that’s stamped 14k 7 what does that mean? Its got four “diamonds “two on each side of an “emerald ” I don’t know if its real or not. Its slightly discolored.
I hVE GOLD CHAIN 14KT WITH M7 ENGRAVED ON IT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?/
I have a silver coloured ring with a marking which days S and then the numbers 585 in a bubble beside it. Does this mean that the metal silver and 58% pure?
I would take it to a jeweler to find out if it’s white gold (the 585 is a common gold stamp). They don’t usually stamp sterling silver with that low of purity.
You have a White Gold 14K ring. 585 is the international stamping for 14K.
I just purchased an item marked OL 14K , would you happen to know what the OL means? If I have made a bad purchase I can still cancel the credit card charge. Would really really appreciate any feedback. Thank you so much.
What does s 18 K mean on the inside of a ring which looks like an antique?Setting looks platinum or white gold.
I just bought a mans braclet off ebay the braclet is suppose to be 14k but on the latch hook it says 4k did the seller make a fool out of me ? Because i paid over 1000 dollars for it .
What does K14 on gold earrings mean n after the k14 is a T stamp with a circle around it?