Help on "gold" ring markings

[Captaindoodle]

Help on "gold" ring markings

I dug a ring today which appears to be gold with three small diamonds. The markings inside the ring consist of a shield maker's mark and the following 10K-P. I am finding conflicting information on what this means. Some sources say 10 K-P means gold plated with 10 Karat gold and some say the K-P means 10 Karat Plumb - or a minimum 10 Karat purity.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

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[diggummup]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

I've always known it to mean plumb as in actual karat stated. 10k can be a little less than actual 10kp. I just sold a piece that had a 14kp marking and it tested at 14k.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings



I wouldn't worry about what it means, that's one nice ring Great find

SS

 

[Captaindoodle]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

I've always known it to mean plumb as in actual karat stated. 10k can be a little less than actual 10kp. I just sold a piece that had a 14kp marking and it tested at 14k.

Does the dash between the K and P mean anything?

 

[AU Seeker]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/jewelry/?popup=common,metal_stamp

http://www.taxfreegold.co.uk/caratgold.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_10kp_mark_in_jewelry

http://www.rokstok.com/learn_about_gold.php?eid=4

http://www.cashforgoldcanada.com/instructions-for-shipping-without-the-goldexpress-kit

http://reviews.ebay.com/Gold-Solid-Filled-Rolled-Plated-What-do-they-mean_W0QQugidZ10000000002819895

 

[diggummup]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

Not that I know of, it would be marked kgp if plated. Here it is explained by a jeweler.

THE P MARKING IN THE JEWELRY.
The markings in gold jewelry sold in the USA should meet the standards of Federal law. The marking P is part of that and as you suspect, does not mean platinum. Platinum is marked with plat or pt in most cases, often followed by a number showing the platinum content.

Before 1981 jewelry manufacturers were allowed to be about ½ carat off compared to the mark they placed in jewelry. What this meant was a ring stamped 14k could actually be 13 ½ k or up to 14 1/2k. Of course, manufacturers were easily able to make jewelry which was 13 ½ k pretty consistently and doing that saved them gold.

In 1976 a law was passed to require jewelry makers to be much closer in gold content to what the karat stamp said. Gold had to be within a very close tolerance of 0.003(three one thousandths) of the karat mark on the jewelry. The law did not go into effect until 1981.

In the meantime, jewelers made efforts to change to the new quality control. There was one problem: How would customers know which ring was 13 ½ karat ( made before the law was effective) and jewelry made to the new standard? Put two rings side by side and both would be marked 14k, for instance. One would be the older 13 ½ karat version and the other would be the actual 14k version! Who could tell the difference? Manufacturers did not want confusion with customers and also wanted to promote jewelry made to the higher standards and looked for a way to distinguish the older jewelry from the newer.

The answer was a mark of a P, like in the ring you described or the word plumb stamped along side the karat mark. When customers saw the p and it was explained what it meant, they knew this jewelry met the new standards for accurate marking of the karat. Have you heard of a plumb bob? This is a heavy piece of metal (generally) shaped like a fat carrot with a point at the bottom. The plumb bob hangs from a string. When the string is held up at the top of a wall with the bob just at the floor, the line made by the string is straight up and down, right on the mark. Carpenters can use the plumb bob to find a straight up and down line for construction work. Right on the mark is the idea behind using the word plumb in marking gold after 1981.

Back then much jewelry on the market was made before all manufacturers converted to the new plumb standard and the P or plumb mark was used in new jewelry. A lot of time has passed since 1981 and jewelers have dropped the P from the stamping. Today, the 14k mark may be taken to mean just what it says, on the mark and really 14k.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

Good information digg.

 

[Captaindoodle]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/guides/jewel-gd.shtm

Above is what the FTC has to say about jewelry markings.

I appreciate the information provided by everyone. It looks like it's worth taking it in to have it acid tested. The last two large "gold" items I dug, although both were marked 14K...tested as bogus...in each case I was expecting them to be worth $300-$500 (one was a heavy tricolor gold chain with a 10 gram pendant of Jesus hanging from it...all marked 14K).

I am now very skeptical about counting my chickens before they're hatched...I think this ring looks and feels like it's gold...weight is about 7 grams so maybe I'll get $50 or $60 bucks out of this one.

Thanks again...I'll post the test results.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

looks like real gold this time..

 

[diggummup]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

Good information digg.

Thank ya BigC.

 

[AU Seeker]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/guides/jewel-gd.shtm

Above is what the FTC has to say about jewelry markings.

I appreciate the information provided by everyone. It looks like it's worth taking it in to have it acid tested. The last two large "gold" items I dug, although both were marked 14K...tested as bogus...in each case I was expecting them to be worth $300-$500 (one was a heavy tricolor gold chain with a 10 gram pendant of Jesus hanging from it...all marked 14K).

I am now very skeptical about counting my chickens before they're hatched...I think this ring looks and feels like it's gold...weight is about 7 grams so maybe I'll get $50 or $60 bucks out of this one.

Thanks again...I'll post the test results.

If the ring is at least 10k and weights 7 grams, it has at the present spot price of gold $114 worth of gold in it, so whoever you are selling your gold finds too they are only giving you around %50+/_ of spot price, not a good deal IMHO!!

I would find another buyer, if your not getting at least 60% to 75% or more of spot, they are ripping you off.


Skip

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

if your not getting at least 60% to 75% or more of spot, they are ripping you off.


Skip

Yes but I think you should get 80% to 90% of price.

 

[diggummup]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

if your not getting at least 60% to 75% or more of spot, they are ripping you off.


Skip

Yes but I think you should get 80% to 90% of price.

I agree. I've been averaging $20-21 a gram for 14k on Ebay. I think $23.25 is spot price right now.

 

[Captaindoodle]

Re: Help on "gold" ring markings

The K-P mark did indeed mean plumb on the Karat weight.

Thanks for everyones help.

HH