Gold Hallmarks

Baby Jewellery in particular, but also children's jewellery, is and always has been very popular when made of gold. These are generally keepsake gifts to be treasured always. Most people, unless they've worked in the jewellery industry, may not know what 9K, 10k, 14k, 18k etc. means exactly. So what do their hallmarks mean? For starters, the "k" stands for carats of pure gold. A baby bracelet for example, may be made of 9k gold. If the hall mark says 375, this means 37.5% is pure gold, which means 9 carats. A hallmark of 416 means it is 41.6% pure gold. (10k) A hallmark of 585 means it is 58.5% pure gold. (14k) a hallmark of 750 means it is 75% pure gold. (18k) As gold is a very soft metal, it is combined with stronger metals, which makes the item harder and more durable as well as less prone to scratches. The higher the "k" the softer the item will be. Also, the less pure gold, the less expensive it will be, obviously. Many jewellery shops deal mainly in 9k gold due to its lower cost.