RING GRADES/METAL STAMPS
|
METAL STAMP/HALLMARK
|
MINIMUM PERCENTAGE
OF PURE METAL |
COMMON ALLOYS**
|
|
316L
ALSO S. STEEL STAINLESS STEEL |
STAINLESS STEEL
|
COMBINATION METALS
|
|
.925 STERLING SILVER ALSO 925 STERLING STERLING SILVER* |
92.5% PURE FINE SILVER |
USUALLY COPPER |
|
9K ALSO 375 |
37.5% PURE GOLD (9 PARTS OUT OF 24) |
USUALLY SILVER, COPPER, ZINK AND NICKEL |
|
10K ALSO 16, 417 10KP* |
41.6% PURE GOLD (10 PARTS OUT OF 24) |
USUALLY SILVER, COPPER, ZINC AND NICKEL |
|
14K ALSO 583, 585 14KP* |
58.3% PURE GOLD (14 PARTS OUT OF 24) |
USUALLY SILVER, COPPER, ZINC AND NICKEL |
|
18K ALSO 750, 18KP* |
75% PURE GOLD (18 PARTS OUT OF 24) |
USUALLY SILVER, COPPER, NICKEL AND PALLADIUM (FOR WHITE GOLD) |
|
22K ALSO 916, 917* |
91.6% PURE GOLD (22 PARTS OUT OF 24) |
USUALLY SILVER AND COPPER |
|
24K ALSO 999* |
100% PURE GOLD 24 PARTS OUT OF 24 |
NONE |
|
900 PLATINUM
ALSO 900 PLAT, PLAT 900 PT900 900PT* |
90% PURE PLATINUM (900 PARTS OUT OF 1000) |
RUTHENIUM, RHODIUM, PALLADIUM AND OTHER PLATINUM GROUP METALS |
|
950 PLATINUM ALSO PLAT, PT, 950 PLAT, PLAT 950,PT950 950PT* |
95% PURE PLATINUM (950 PARTS OUT OF 1000) |
RUTHENIUM, RHODIUM, PALLADIUM AND OTHER PLATINUM GROUP METALS |
*ALTERNATE STAMP OR EUROPEAN HALLMARK
**MAY VARY DEPENDING ON DESIRED COLOR SUCH AS WHITE GOLD
Gold purity is measured in karats based on 24 karats being pure gold. 18k means
the gold is 18 out of 24 karats pure: 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy. 9k means
the gold is of low purity, only 9 parts gold to 15 parts alloy.
The letter k after a number normally means "thousand" when your talking about gold,
silver, etc.
