An item of jewellery stamped with the number 585 usually indicates that the piece is made from 14-carat Gold. But what is the significance of the number 585? These digits represent 58.5% gold content within an item of jewellery—consistent with all 14-carat Gold. Similarly, 18-carat gold which contains 75% gold, features a 750 stamp visible within most jewellery made from this fineness of Gold.
Besides the 58.5% gold content, 14-carat gold also contains additional metals, such as Silver, Copper, Zinc and Palladium. The additional 41.5% of alloyed metals help adjust the colour, improve casting, and alter the malleability and durability of the Gold.
How trustworthy is the 585 Gold stamp?
Within the UK, most items of jewellery feature the 585 stamp within a legitimate and official Hallmark from one of several Assay Offices in Britain. On its own, a 585 stamp cannot be trusted unless the metal’s fineness has been independently tested. For this reason, we send most of our pre-loved jewellery designs to the Assay Office if they do not feature a detailed hallmark.
Additional markings, including the 14K Stamp.
Some items of jewellery of this purity might feature additional markings. For example, 14K often appears within items made from 14-carat Gold.
14-carat Gold vs 18-carat and 9-carat Gold.
At Serendipity Diamonds, we are often asked which metal is best for jewellery. As a rule, we sell 9-carat Gold and 18-carat Gold as our two most popular alloys. 9-carat Gold tends to offer a harder less malleable metal, less expensive than the other purities. However, 18-carat tends to be more durable over time and less prone to tarnishing due to a higher Gold content. In contrast, 14-carat Gold falls between the two.
How heavy is 14ct Gold compared to 9ct Gold?
14-carat Gold is approximately 1.18 x heavier than 9-carat Gold. The difference can be seen in a precious metal weight conversion chart showing each alloy.
About Mark Johnson
Mark founded Isle of Wight jewellers Serendipity Diamonds in 2007 after a career on the polished diamonds industry. Today he works in the Serendipity showroom, helping clients with jewellery, creating handmade designs and updating their two jewellery websites SerendipityDiamonds.com and Isle-of-Wight-Jewellery.co.uk
