Hallmark Reference
Gold Hallmark Decoder
Look up and decode gold hallmarks from major assay offices worldwide. Find out what each mark means — purity, date, assay office.
🔖 Hallmark Lookup
| Mark | Purity | Karat | Notes |
|---|
Hallmarks by Country
🇬🇧 United Kingdom+
| Mark | Purity | Karat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 999 | 99.9% | 24K | Sovereign, Britannia coins |
| 916 | 91.67% | 22K | Britannia standard |
| 750 | 75% | 18K | Common UK hallmark |
| 585 | 58.5% | 14K | Less common in UK |
| 375 | 37.5% | 9K | Most common UK jewellery gold |
| 375 + Lion | 37.5% | 9K | UK assay: lion passant = sterling/gold tested |
🇪🇺 European / International+
| Mark | Purity | Karat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 999.9 | 99.99% | 24K | Four nines fine gold |
| 999 | 99.9% | 24K | Three nines |
| 916 | 91.67% | 22K | European standard |
| 750 | 75% | 18K | 750 or 18K |
| 585 | 58.5% | 14K | 585 or 14K |
| 375 | 37.5% | 9K | 375 or 9K |
🇮🇳 India — BIS Hallmark+
| Mark | Purity | Karat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIS 999 | 99.9% | 24K | BIS Hallmark, highest purity |
| BIS 916 | 91.67% | 22K | Most common Indian jewellery |
| BIS 875 | 87.5% | 21K | 21K BIS certified |
| BIS 750 | 75% | 18K | 750 or 18K BIS |
| BIS 585 | 58.5% | 14K | 14K BIS certified |
| BIS 375 | 37.5% | 9K | 9K BIS certified |
🇦🇪 Dubai / UAE / Arab+
| Mark | Purity | Karat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 999 | 99.9% | 24K | Pure gold bar / coin |
| 916 | 91.67% | 22K | Common in Arab jewellery |
| 875 | 87.5% | 21K | 21K — very popular in Gulf |
| 750 | 75% | 18K | 18K jewellery |
| 585 | 58.5% | 14K | Less common |
🇺🇸 United States+
| Mark | Purity | Karat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24KT / 24K | 99.9% | 24K | Fine gold |
| 22KT / 22K | 91.67% | 22K | Coins, some jewellery |
| 18KT / 18K | 75% | 18K | Fine jewellery |
| 14KT / 14K | 58.5% | 14K | Most common US jewellery |
| 10KT / 10K | 41.7% | 10K | Minimum for "gold" label in US |
| GF / Gold Filled | 5%+ by weight | Varies | Not solid gold — base metal + gold layer |
| GP / Gold Plated | < 0.5% | Varies | Thin gold coating — not hallmarked |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a gold hallmark tell you?+
A hallmark certifies gold purity (karat or fineness), the assay office that tested it, and sometimes the year and manufacturer. In the UK, hallmarking is mandatory by law. In India, BIS hallmarking has been mandatory since 2021.
What is the most common hallmark on Indian gold jewellery?+
BIS 916 — meaning Bureau of Indian Standards certified 22K (91.6% pure) gold. Since June 2021, BIS hallmarking with HUID (Hallmark Unique ID) is mandatory for all gold jewellery sold in India.
What does "375" on gold mean?+
"375" means 37.5% pure gold — that is 9K gold. It is the most commonly hallmarked grade in the UK and Ireland.
What does "750" on gold mean?+
"750" is the European fineness stamp for 18K gold (75% pure). It is commonly seen on Italian, French, and Swiss jewellery.
Is unmarked gold real?+
Not necessarily. Some vintage pieces, handmade items, or internationally imported jewellery lack hallmarks. Professional testing (acid test or XRF) is the only reliable way to verify purity without a hallmark.