What Do the Numbers on Your Jewelry Mean?
925, 14K & Every Stamp, Decoded
You flip over a ring, squint at the inside of the band, and there it is — a tiny number. 925. Or 14K. Or 750. So what do the numbers on your jewelry actually mean?
The short answer: that little stamp is your jewelry's purity, telling you what metal it's made of and how much of it is the good stuff. It's one of the most useful things you can learn to read, whether you're buying, selling, or just finally identifying that piece you inherited. Here's every common mark, decoded.
✦ Silver
Silver Stamps Decoded
Silver purity is measured in parts per thousand. Sterling — the most common — is 925, meaning 92.5% pure silver mixed with a little alloy for strength.
Watch out for the imposters
EPNS = Electroplated Nickel Silver — a thin silver coating over base metal, not solid silver.
"Nickel Silver," "German Silver," "Alpaca" — despite the name, these contain no silver at all. They're copper-nickel alloys.
"Silver plate," "A1," "EP" — plated, not solid.
If a piece is stamped 925, sterling, or one of the fineness numbers above, you're holding real silver. If it says one of the plate marks, it's a coating.
✦ Gold
Gold Stamps Decoded
Gold is measured in karats (its share out of 24 parts) or, in much of Europe, as a decimal fineness stamped right on the piece. Both say the same thing two ways.
So a "750" stamp isn't a mystery — it's simply 18K gold written the European way.
You may also spot KP — as in 14KP — which stands for Karat Plumb. Far from a downgrade, it's an upgrade in confidence: a guarantee the piece is exactly the stated karat, with no tolerance running under. It's solid gold held to a stricter standard.
Gold on the surface: plated, filled — and vermeil
These pieces carry real gold, but as a layer rather than all the way through. The distinction that matters is what's underneath:
GF = Gold filled (a thicker, bonded layer — more gold than plate, but still over a base metal)
GP / GEP = Gold plated / electroplated
HGE = Heavy gold electroplate
RGP = Rolled gold plate
1/20 12K GF and similar fractions = the proportion of gold by weight in a filled piece
The standout exception is vermeil. Vermeil is a layer of gold over a base of sterling silver — so because that base is itself a precious metal, vermeil is considered fine jewelry, not costume. (To be sold as true vermeil in the U.S., the gold must be at least 10K and a minimum thickness.) That's why you'll sometimes find a 925 stamp on a gold-colored piece — the 925 refers to the solid sterling silver underneath the gold.
A solid-gold piece will read 10K, 14K, 585, 750, KP, and so on — with no plating letters like GF or GP trailing behind.
✦ Platinum & Other Metals
Platinum and Other Metals
✦ Common Confusion
A Few Numbers That Fool People
Before you celebrate (or panic), make sure you're reading a purity mark and not something else:
A lone number like "7" or "6½" is probably a ring size, not a purity stamp.
A maker's mark, designer name, or country ("ITALY," "MEXICO," a tiny logo) tells you who and where, not what. Purity is a separate stamp.
925 on a gold-colored piece means vermeil — gold over solid sterling silver. It's not solid gold, but it is fine jewelry, thanks to that precious-metal base.
Plating letters after a karat number (14KGF, 18KGP) mean gold-filled or plated over base metal — not solid gold.
✦ Missing Marks
What If There's No Stamp at All?
Don't assume it's fake. Older, handmade, and antique pieces were often never stamped, and decades of wear can rub a mark down to nothing. A missing stamp simply means you can't confirm purity by sight — a quick acid test or a trip to a jeweler will tell you for sure.
Curious how the tests work? Our guide on how to tell if silver is real walks through the at-home versions.
✦ FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 925 mean on jewelry?
925 means sterling silver — 92.5% pure silver. It's the most common silver mark you'll find.
What does 14K mean?
14K gold is 58.3% pure gold, written as 585 in the European decimal system. It's the most popular gold standard in the U.S.
What does 750 mean on a ring?
750 is 18K gold (75% pure) — the same thing, just stamped the European way.
Does a stamp guarantee the metal is real?
Almost always, but not absolutely — counterfeit stamps exist. A purity mark is a strong signal, and a simple test confirms it.
What does 925 mean on a gold-colored piece?
It's vermeil — a layer of gold over solid sterling silver, with the 925 marking that silver base. Because the base is a precious metal, vermeil counts as fine jewelry, not costume.
✦ Now You Know
Now You Can Read Any Piece You Pick Up
Once these stamps click, you'll never look at jewelry the same way — every estate-sale tray and dusty drawer becomes readable. And reading them well is exactly what separates a confident buyer (and seller) from a guessing one.
Every piece at Silver Queen Studio is identified, photographed, and listed with its true metal and markings, so you always know exactly what you're getting. Browse our sterling silver and gold collections to find your next piece — already decoded. Save this one for your next antiquing trip — pin the decoder and follow along for more vintage jewelry know-how.
✦ Ready to Find Your Next Piece?
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Written by
Leanne Byrne
June 13, 2026 ✦ Silver Queen Studio
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