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Antique jewelry has six types of hallmarks – Makers & Trademarks for the brand, Purity & Assay marks for the materials, and Date Letter & Duty marks for the age. Pick vintage jewelry with a ‘Crown,’ ‘958,’ or ‘950’ mark for the top-most metal purity.
Hallmarks are tiny symbols or words stamped on jewelry, accessories, objets de vertu, flatware, and other small precious metal items. These minuscule visuals can offer assurances as to an item’s metal content, origin, and/or date of creation.
For estate jewelers and jewelry historians, hallmarks provide an extra source of information to accurately date a jewelry object and determine by whom it was made. The most encountered hallmark on jewelry is undoubtedly the “purity” mark which indicates the total amount of gold or silver used to manufacture a coveted jewel.
You’ll see these stamps on noble (or “precious”) metals like gold, platinum, silver, and palladium. But hallmarks can also communicate who created the piece, who authenticated it, and where the jewelry was made. Today, we’ll have a complete jewelry stamps list and what each hallmark means.
Chaffers (1899), Gilda Aurifabrorum: A History of English Goldsmiths and Plateworkers, and their Marks Stamped on Plate. Chaffers (1905), Hall Marks on Gold & Silver Plate. Cripps (1894), Old English Plate: Its Makers and Marks. Hayden (1917), Chats on Old Silver.
Recognizing and interpreting jewelry hallmarks will enhance your appreciation for antique jewelry and help you understand its value and legacy. Happy exploring! Learn how to identify vintage jewelry hallmarks with our guide.
This jewelry hallmarks guide can help explain what those tiny etchings actually mean – and how to ensure you’re buying the real thing. Browse and bid on antique and vintage jewelry coming to auction. Jewelry Maker’s Marks: A Brief History