What Do 750 And 585 Mean On Jewelry?

When you buy jewelry from any store, you will see that there is something written on top of it. Now, everyone knows what’s 24 karats in gold, but what about the other numbers? When you buy gold, there are some other numbers such as 750 or 585 written on it. Ever wondered what does this means? Is 750 gold pure? Let’s find out here.

This guide will cover everything you need to know about the mark. We will not only discuss the 750 and 585 marks, but we will also explore other common marks found in jewelry. It’s always better to know what are you buying before you shop.

Measurement Of Pure Gold

The numbers written on top of the gold are the measure of purity. When it comes to gold, people are always looking for the finest quality. At Jacqueline Pinto, we customize your jewelry pieces with the most appropriate purity of gold for your specific need.

The purest form of gold is 24 karat. People often call it 24k Gold. If there is 24 karat written on it, that’s the purest quality.

Here, you need to understand one thing. Even if you get the 24k Gold, it’s not 100% pure. We can say it’s 99.9999 percent pure. 100% pure gold isn’t possible for jewelry. It becomes too soft and hence, it becomes impossible to use for jewelry or ornaments.

The next thing you need to know is how we got to the number. For that, we will see how to measure the gold.

How To Measure Gold?

The easiest way to measure the gold is to divide it by 24. That is when we get the actual purity of gold.

For example, if we take the 18k gold and divide it by 24, we get 750. That’s the measurement of purity. Here, we can say that the gold is 750 pure. This is the reason why there is a mark of 750 in the gold.

In the same way, there is 585. If we take 14k gold and divide it by 24, we get 584 followed by a series of 3s. The number is often rounded to 585. Some countries round down, which is why you may find the mark of 583 in some cases.

Other Marks On Gold

There are many other marks given on gold; let’s learn all of them one by one.

You might have already figured out the math behind these marks. However, if you prefer not to spend time calculating it yourself, we’ve got you covered.

For instance, if we take 8k gold and divide it by 24, we get 333, followed by an infinite number of 3s. Hence, it is referred to as 333 gold, and you will see the mark 333 on top of it.

Here’s a breakdown of the different gold marks:

• 333: 3 karat gold, resulting in 333.333.
• 375: 9 karat gold, commonly found in the United Kingdom.
• 417: 10 karat gold, typically rounded to 417. In the USA, the minimum gold purity sold is usually 10 karats, so you should look for the mark of 417 or higher.
• 585 or 583: 14 karat gold.
• 750: 18 karat gold.
• 916: 22 karat gold, often marked as 917. 22k gold is considered too soft for pure gold jewelry, so it is usually alloyed with other metals. Therefore, it’s mostly used for gold leaf or plating.
• 999: 24 karat gold.

Hallmarking In The US

In the United States, there is no specific official system for hallmarking. Instead, some agencies, which are different depending on the state, are responsible for the hallmarking.

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) provides the mark to them. We will now discuss the common marks found on jewelry that are approved by the FTC.

Common Marks Found In Jewelry

Not all of the marks mentioned above are commonly found in jewelry stores in the US. Here is a list of the most common marks you will come across:

• 10 karat gold. This is the least popular gold item, containing only 41.7% gold. The remaining portion consists of other metals, making the gold 41.7% pure.
• If you want to go above 50% purity, you can go with 14 karat gold which has around 58.5% gold. This is the more affordable option.
• The next is 75% purity. As you might have guessed, you will see the 750 marks here. It’s 18 karat gold.
• The last one is lavish gold. It’s 24 karat gold that has 99.99% purity.

To summarize, the discussion focused on the 750 mark and the 585 mark. The 750 mark signifies 75% purity, equivalent to 18 karat gold. On the other hand, the 585 mark indicates 58.5% purity, or 12 karat gold. At Jacqueline Pinto, we specialize in creating unique pieces of jewelry and can provide guidance on the purity of gold to use in your next customized piece.