Curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing 1989-2025
-----
Marking system for rings, Hallmarks
Quickstart:
Precious metal jewelry is usually marked.
• "925" or "Sterling" indicates that the ring is made of silver, at least 92.5% pure.
• "K" indicates the percentage of gold in parts out of 24. "12K" is twelve parts gold out of 24 (50% pure); "14K" is fourteen parts our of 24.
• "KP", etc. means 'karat plumb' -- jewelers can add a small amount of needed solder without changing the K, but if it's still 14 parts gold including the solder, they can mark it 14KP.
• "PLAT" or "Pt." or "950" means Platinum of 95.0% purity or better.
Other marks are usually Hallmarks, but there are tens of thousands, so unless you want to spend hours poring through many books, you may not find them. This forum has had a little success with some of the common ones.
Q. A local thrift purchase cleaned up better than I expected. Any ideas what the stone and metal components could be? I will get a jeweler to look it over eventually ... I'm just curious on thoughts?
Seems well made, but that band doesn't have me convinced yet.
Jenessa Zaffuto- Brockway Pennsylvania
July 9, 2024
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• When people show interest in each other's situations, the page quickly becomes a fun & informative learning experience for everyone !
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A. Hi Jenessa.
I'm no jeweler, but that is what people call a "cocktail ring", and the long thin stones (or pieces of glass) seem to me to make it an "art deco" cocktail ring. There are thousands of styles of cocktail rings, mostly gaudy -- but yours is certainly one of the prettier ones.
They can be made with real diamonds and jewels and real precious metal settings, and be worth tens of thousands of dollars, but probably 99.9% have no intrinsic value, and the odds of someone losing track of a ring with real diamonds seems remote. Most cocktail rings seem to be in the $50 range, but yours is much prettier than most and is worth what you can get for it; you might find a buyer in the $150 range as a wild guess based on what I see on eBay.
"Art Deco" Cocktail Rings on
eBay
(affil link)]
Personally, I'd have a jeweler take a quick look just to make sure it's not precious metal or valuable stones, then wear it and save it for a grandchild :-)
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. I'm not sure if you got an answer Jenessa, but I had an old wedding ring with rectangle shaped stones. The jeweler called them emerald cut. Not as popular today as when that ring was bought, in 1992 est. Just sharing in case it helps.
How fun!!
- Franklin Tennessee
December 27, 2024
Q. Interested in finding out who the jewelry maker is for this piece. Not sure if it's engraved with someone's initials or it's a jeweler hallmark. Would love some help with this 14k Amethyst piece.
- Clive, Iowa
January 28, 2025
Tip: This forum was established to build camaraderie among enthusiasts through sharing tips, opinions, pics & personality.
The curator & some readers who publicly share their info will be less likely to engage with those who don't.
A. Hi Kressa.
Pretty sure it's a hallmark, but there are tens of thousands and I don't easily find this one. The first thing you always hear on Antiques Roadshow is "Tell us the history of your item", so please do.
I see that you also posted on Reddit. If someone there offers a lead, get back to us please.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Real or Fake?
Q. I have a Vintage amethyst ring that belonged to my late grandmother. I'm trying to determine if it's real or just another piece of costume jewelry. Any opinion would be greatly welcomed.
Brooke Barnes- New Washington Indiana
December 27, 2024
A. Hi Brooke.
Please attach photos in email to mooney@finishing.com for posting here. Without them or any description I don't see how anyone could guess whether you have fine jewelry or costume jewelry. Or take it to any jeweler for a quick look, or compare it to similar rings on eBay.
There are lots of on-line appraisal services, but they could easily cost more than the ring is worth, and we obviously can't offer that service for free or we'd drown overnight :-(
But amethyst is not very valuable; unless the rock is as big as your thumb, it's probably not worth much whether real or not; but if the setting is marked as gold or platinum, the metal is valuable.
Vintage Amethyst Rings
on eBay
(affil link)
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hay saya punya cincin bertuliskan p2 s925 ale 54 apa itu paladium?
Lyana- Indonesia
August 12, 2024
Tip: This forum was established to build camaraderie among enthusiasts through sharing tips, opinions, pics & personality.
The curator & some readers who publicly share their info will be less likely to engage with those who don't.
A. Hi Lyana,
Indonesian is doubtless a fine language, but a public forum can only serve as such if its readers understand the postings. This forum is designed for English-speakers. Please use translate.google.com or another translation tool and submit your posting in English. Accented characters from keyboards designed for one language devolve to gibberish in email and web browsers of other languages before we can even see them, so translation on this end doesn't work very well.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have an old wedding band either from my grandma or great grandma. I am curious to know what the O.C. stands for.
I'm assuming a makers mark but does anyone know who?
Mary Brewster- Willoughby, Ohio
August 22, 2024
A. Hello Mary, OC maker's mark is a Devereux and Co mark. On bigger pieces of jewelry they use a capital D in the center of the O and C.
Mark L BakerRetired from Electroplating - Cazenovia, New York
Q. Mark,
Thank you so much! Now I have to research them. Do you know anything about them?
- Willoughby, Ohio
August 24, 2024
Q. I'm trying to figure out what the word Tycoon and then Plat means on the inside of my ring.
- Pacific, Missouri
August 15, 2024
A. Hi Angel,
'PLAT' means platinum, which is more valuable than gold and TYCOON' might mean tycoon-cut diamond, especially on a real platinum ring. It could be a quite valuable ring, assuming it's really platinum, which a jeweler will easily be able to tell you.
Tycoon Rings
on eBay
(affil link)
Unfortunately, at the other extreme "Tycoon" is a brand of inexpensive platinum plated costume jewelry which is worth maybe $25 - $100. They are not supposed to stamp it with "PLAT" in such an instance, but costume jewelry manufacturers don't seem to be paying much attention to the rules these days. 🙂
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Just wondering what kind of ring this is? It has engraved on it "UP" and then "14K" I mean I know it's 14 karat gold but would like to know more and could it be worth anything?
- Asheville, North Carolina
October 14, 2024
A. Hi Brittany,
Try bringing it to a jeweler; s/he should be able to give you a quick idea of it's worth. Or look for similar on eBay. Some readers here have been helpful with hallmark questions, but there are many "What's It Worth" paid online appraisal services. But if anyone has snippets of info about this ring we're certainly happy to post them.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hello, I bought an estate ring and am looking for help with the marks. I have searched and found nothing. Thanks in advance.
- Ontario Canada
November 13, 2024
Tip: This forum was established to build camaraderie among enthusiasts through sharing tips, opinions, pics & personality.
The curator & some readers who publicly share their info will be less likely to engage with those who don't.
Hello?
Hasn't anybody found anything? I've tried every page or site I could find and posted on other sites but haven't received any info. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Carol
- Ontario Canada
December 9, 2024
A. Hi Carol.
The 14K obviously means 14 karat gold. As for the fish and E.R hallmarks, this free site has been able to help with a few such questions, but human nature as it is, the majority of posters are not folks interested in the field of hallmarks, just people interested in their own ring, not anyone else's 🙂
But if it's really important to you, there are sites offering paid services.
Good Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
⇩ Related postings, oldest first ⇩
Vol. 2: Asia, Middle East, Africa"
by Whetstone,
Niklewicz, & Matula
on AbeBooks
or Amazon
(affil links)
Q. I have an old solitaire gold ring. Inside there is no hallmark, but I think it has been made smaller (I have lost most of the hallmarks on my rings by making them smaller.) There is a marking inside it says MCIAPLAT 436. What does that mean? I assume its gold plate?
Helen P [surname deleted due to age of posting]- England
2004
A. Hi Helen. When you say it's gold, do you mean it's yellow, or might it be white? ... because I'm no expert on this, but it is illegal to mark rings "PLAT" unless they are at least 95% pure platinum, so my guess is that the "PLAT" means the ring is platinum, and the 436 probably means that the solitaire is (or originally was) .436 carats. A picture is worth a thousand words :-)
Sorry, not sure what MCIA means, but it could mean Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) which sells jewelry.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Meaning of "10k kfy"
Q. I was given a white gold ring for Christmas. The band is solid white and has two gold bars on each side of the cluster of diamonds. I looked inside of the ring and it has 10k kfy stamped inside. What does the kfy stand for? This was sold as a white gold ring and not a plated ring. Does the kfy stand for some kind of plate, on the ring?
Jeneen M [surname deleted due to age of posting]- Martinsville, Virginia, USA
2004
A. Hi Jeneen. Sounds to me like a 10 kt gold ring, with the rest being maker or designer marks, or maybe even an engraving of the owner's initials.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Silver, Gold and platinum"
by Eric Bruton
on eBay or
AbeBooks
or Amazon
(affil links)
No karat marks at all
Q. My husband just bought me a white gold diamond ring. I received a certificate stating it is a 14k white gold ring, but inside the ring it doesn't state that; actually it doesn't have a stamp inside at all. Can a ring without a stamp in it be 14k white gold? And will it pose a problem in the future for my daughter when she inherits it? How important is a stamp in a ring? Thank you -- a quick response is much appreciated.
Sincerely,
- Newark, New Jersey
2004
? Hi Myrna
I'm not seeing how the certificate is keyed/tied to the ring? How do you know that that certificate goes with that ring?
But the bulk of the value of a diamond ring would seem to me to be in the diamond rather than the gold.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. FOR RINGS WITH NO MARKING INSIDE --
I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO MARK INSIDE OF MY RING AFTER HAVING IT SIZED. WHEN YOU ARE HAVING IT MADE SMALLER THE JEWELER CUTS A PIECE OF THE GOLD OUT OF THE BOTTOM PART OF THE BAND AND USUALLY IT'S WHERE IT IS MARKED, THEREFORE LEAVING NO MARK AT ALL. I LEARNED THIS WHEN HAVING A RING MADE SMALLER - ASK THE JEWELER TO: #1 GIVE YOU THE PIECE THAT WAS CUT OUT OR #2 ASK THEM TO ADD IT IN TO MAKE THE BAND PART STRONGER/THICKER.
HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE,
- Washington twp, New Jersey
August 19, 2012
Well, it's not going to help the jewelers that you told us, Maria :-)
I've never thought of that, but it might be a worthwhile amount of gold or platinum if a ring is severely downsized :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Meaning of Marking "P14K"
Q. I have recently purchased a ring from the "fine jewelry" counter of a local store, and have realized my ignorance of the marking system for rings. I wanted a silver-colored ring with a blue stone, and have been informed by the sales people that white gold is the way to go. The ring I purchased is white gold with the mark "P14K" inside. What does this mark mean? Is it gold plated silver or merely rhodium plated white gold or something else? Thank you!
Marguerite H [surname deleted due to age of posting]consumer - Carmel, Indiana
2004
A. "P" is the maker's mark and 14K is gold content = 58.5% gold.
Neil BellAlbuquerque, New Mexico
A. P stamped in a ring with a 10K or 14K means it is a HIGH QUALITY GOLD called "Plumb" You have to be a registered certified goldsmith to use this type of GOLD. The gold is certified PLUMB HIGH VALUE QUALITY.
There...have a nice evening.
- Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
January 12, 2010
A. Hi. I believe Sing is right! But eBay & Etsy are chock full of sellers who are ignorant of this or feigning ignorance of it, and calling plated rings "P14K" :-(
So buyer beware :-)
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I recently bought a Garnet & Diamond Ring from a friend and marks on the band read P14K. She said it was bought at J.C. Penny ... Does the P stand for the store's identification of is it Plated? Please let me know.
The second ring is a Heart Ring with about 25 little diamonds set in the heart ... It is marked 10K and 5DX8 or 5DXB ... What does this stand for?
Will wait to hear from you ... Thanks for your attention.
- Anchorage, Alaska
2006
A. Hi Evelyn,
Apparently it is legal to take a ring made of 14kt gold -- 14 parts gold out of 24 -- and then use a limited amount of non-gold solder to attach prongs and what-not without having to remove the 14K engraving. P14K seems to indicate 'plumb 14kt', meaning it's 14 parts gold out of 24 in the final finished weight including the solder.
Please don't "wait to hear" ! Other readers might reply in their own good time, or they might never. This is just a public forum, and other readers are no more obligated to answer your questions than you are to answer the questions which preceded yours :-)
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Meaning of marking "A/C"
English, Scottish, Irish
Silver & Gold Marks
on AbeBooks
or eBay or
Amazon
(affil links)
Q. I JUST RECEIVED AN ENGAGEMENT RING. THE RING HAS MARKINGS I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. THE RING IS THE COLOR OF EITHER SILVER, PLATINUM, OR WHITE GOLD. IT DOES NOT STATE 14K, 10K, PT, PLATINUM. IT SIMPLY HAS THE NUMBER 2 ON ONE SIDE AND COPYRIGHT WITH A/C ON THE OTHER. IT HAS THREE DIAMONDS IN THE CENTER AND THREE SMALLER ONES ON EACH SIDE. MY FIANCE NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFO OR CERTIFICATIONS. I PLAN ON GOING TO THE JEWELER TO FIND OUT, BUT PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH INFO SO I AM PREPARED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- NEWPORT, Rhode Island, USA
2006
Q. What does it mean when something is stamped with A/C on it? is it white gold?
Roberta J [surname deleted due to age of posting]student - Florida
2007
A.
"What does it mean when something is stamped with A/C on it? is it white gold?"
The A/C is the Maker's Mark for Adwar Casting Company
Regards,
Northbridge Precious Metals Exchange - Palm Coast, Florida USA
February 6, 2017
Meaning of marking "FAS"
Q. I have a ring that is stamped either fa9 or fas what does this mean? I want to know what fa9 or fas means, I have a ring with this stamped on the inside?
Jeana Ann C [surname deleted due to age of posting]- Denver, Colorado
2007
A. FAS 925 is Sterling silver
Jamie Silvia- Branchville, New Jersey
March 19, 2008
A. FAS is the makers mark for Fifth Avenue Sales, a common 'home party' jewelry maker of both high end costume and Sterling Silver jewelry.
K BellHobbyist - Alberta, Canada
May 1, 2022
Q. I have a question, I was given a bracelet that has heart shaped diamonds and square diamonds in between the hearts and it says 925 fas, are the diamonds real?
Makayla ParishDecember 2, 2014
- Seabrook, Tx, USA
Q. I'm trying to get info on a ring that is only stamped FAS. NO OTHER STAMP. COULD YOU PLEASE HELP FOR I AM AT A TOTAL LOSS HERE
- Scottsville Virginia
September 21, 2022
A. Hi Tonya. That one was already answered: Fifth Avenue Sales.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Meaning of ... "with an Arrow Through It?"
Q. Hi, I was just recently going through a jewelry box of my late great grandmother's and found a beautiful ring that had 1 larger diamond and 4 smaller ones. I tried to do all the little "tests" to see if it is real like blowing hot air (it passed) and scratching glass (it passed) but on the inside of the ring, the only markings are a copyright sign and what looks like an H with an arrow through it? I've tried researching this symbol and came up with nothing. What does it mean?
Thanks,
- Charleston, West Virginia
2007
Q. I recently inherited a lot of jewelry that my grandmother had. Some (if not most) seem to be from HSN or QVC but I found one that is a gorgeous leopard ring with black and onyx gems on it with bright green (emerald) eyes. I can take a picture of it if you'd like. However, it has an "H" with an arrow through it and I can't seem to find anywhere that states what this jeweler mark is. Do you know? Are there other resources online? There is a ton of it - enough that I'm opening up my own small jewelry boutique with the inventory.
Any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time.
- King, North Carolina, USA
October 26, 2012
Q. I have an old ring that I'm not sure where I got it from but all it says on the inside of the band is an 8 and an 0 with an arrow through it (the arrow is only through the 0). I have no idea if this ring is even worth something let alone what that means.
Nicole Gage- Portage, Wisconsin, USA
December 19, 2011
Q. I have a ring white gold? Double heart with diamonds, mark in 14K "W" arrow up to the right "S". Does this mean anything?
Elaine Rusnak- Scranton, Pennsylvania
March 20, 2012
Q. Wondering if anyone knows what the markings inside my ring might be ? It says 14k WS ,But in between the W and the S there's an Arrow, pointing up but not just up, it's pointing NorthEast. Six prong size 6 Engagement ring; not sure if the diamond is real or Cubic zirconium! So can anyone maybe help me out ?
Angela Clark- Mississippi
March 12, 2018
! I also have a ring with this mark. All I know is that my parents purchased it from a second hand place when they were younger and it was handed down to me. It is a very dainty yellow gold ER with an even daintier diamond. The band has little intentional slashes around it. I sure wish I knew the maker/meaning.
KayDee House- Rockland, Maine
April 11, 2022
Ed. note: Does "this mark" mean "W" arrow up to the right "S"? There are hundreds of postings here :-)
Q. I have a diamond gold ring; inside the ring is the number 9 and an arrow with the capital letter "U" in the middle of the arrow. What does that mean and what can you tell me about the ring.
thank you
Richard
- CONCORD, New Hampshire
May 29, 2013
A. Hi. If it's old, that 'U with an arrow through it' might mean Uncas brand.
photo from www.globalgemology.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a ring with blue stone in middle and around edges with yellowish stones around in between inside it has 18KT HGE with a left aiming arrow with two T's in it and a round makers stamp (that's hard to make out details on it). PLEASE HELP ASAP.
Mary SI'm collecting - Ironton, Missouri, U. S.
April 23, 2017
Tip: This forum was established to build camaraderie among enthusiasts through sharing tips, opinions, pics & personality.
The curator & some readers who publicly share their info will be less likely to engage with those who don't.
A. Hi Mary. A jeweler can probably tell you what the stones are or if they're glass, and would have told you the ring is electroplated. But what "a left aiming arrow with two T's in it" means is unclear because there are tens of thousands of maker's marks. The primary value for your granddaughter is that she'll be the 4th generation to have it. These vintage cocktail rings usually have little monetary value, but they're very cool to keep in the family.
If it might be a "U" with the bottom worn off rather than two tees, it could mean Uncas brand though, which might have some value.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. PLEASE HELP. FOUND A CHILD'S RING. LOOKS TO BE A RUBY SET IN RING. HAS MH WITH ARROW RUNNING COMPLETELY THROUGH IT. CAN ANYBODY IDENTIFY MAKER. LOOKS TO BE FROM 20'S OR 30'S.
RICHARD BEDOSKYFOUND RING - LEWISBURG Pennsylvania USA
July 2, 2014
Q. I have a ring with a single diamond the 7 and an arrow on the inside of the band ... is it real?
nikki terry- lubbock Texas
August 13, 2014
What does 14K PAT mean
Q. I received a ring from my mother the engrave 14k PAT on the inside what does that mean?
Leslie bielavme- lansford, Pennsylvania
May 6, 2008
A. Hi, Leslie. 14K means 14 karat of course. I'd be pretty confident that "PAT" is simply an abbreviation for "patented", and that it means they claim a design pattern on the look of the ring.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. There are markings on my engagement ring, some of which I'm unsure of what they mean. The first is "14K", which I assume is 14K gold. Following that marking, there appears to be a "10" or it could be a "40" stamped on it. What does that mean. The last marking is "1.00R", which I would like to know what it means. Thanks......
Kelly McCartneybuyer - Hammond, Louisiana
November 30, 2009
Q. What is my army Ranger ring made of? Inside the ring it says BALFOURBPS PATPEND and has a "c" with a circle around it
Nicole Graver- Belfair, Washington
September 8, 2010
A. Hi, Nicole.
BPS is, according to the manufacturer's site, "Balfour Premium Silver", an alloy of silver and palladium. "Patpend" means they are trying to get a patent on this particular alloy, and the c with a circle means they have copyrighted the trade name BALFOURPBS and/or the design of the ring.
Thank you for your service. Although the metal value of the ring probably isn't a whole lot, what it stands for is priceless.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hi, I bought a pearl and gold pendant. It says 14k cp. I was wondering what the cp stands for? Thanks, Patsy
Patsy enriquezmedical expert coder - san pedro, California, USA
December 11, 2010
A. Hi, Patsy. I'm pretty sure that the "CP" means cultured pearl.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a past, present, future diamond pendant which has markings of 8KCP on it. Could you tell me what this means?
Kathy Mancuso- Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA
April 16, 2012
A. Hi Kathy. The 8K almost surely means 8 karat. But does it have anything that looks like cultured pearls or not?
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hi There, I have inherited an old ring from the 1920s. Inside the band it has 18K in a larger font and then 14K in a smaller font right beside, and then it has an engraving of a diamond and another little engraving of a swirl pattern. Does anyone have any ideas what these markings mean?
Thanks!
- Vancover, British Columbia, Canada
February 25, 2011
A. Hi Kate. A photo might help, but there are tens of thousands of maker marks, so verbal descriptions like "diamond" and "swirl" aren't likely to get you any response. But I am intrigued by the two differing karat marks in different fonts -- sounds like that ring has some history :-)
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
The Meaning of "cTo"
Q. KOCH Anniversary Ring: I have a gold marked 10kt, and a mark "cTo" next to it. Can you tell me what the "cTo" stands for?
Harold BoerstlerInterested Son In Law - Amarillo, Texas, USA
March 15, 2011
A. Hi, Harold. That's the trademark for O.C. Tanner Jewelry Co.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I see that you answered the marking question re: cto earlier up. but I have a bangle that says made in jamaica WI (WI stands for West Indies with the letters CTO in caps, Sterling after that. I don't think this it the OC tanner company as it is not made in the US. I have looked online to no avail.
Any info great appreciated. I did find an item on eBay no description but it was called vintage.
- Newport, Rhode Island
January 28, 2012
Q. I am looking at a used ring (band) that has "OC14K" inside the band. Does this "OC" stand for the O.C. Tanner Company? Thanks.
Jim underwood- draper, Virginia USA
March 21, 2014
A. Hi Jim. With a photo, it might be possible to compare against some O.C. Tanner trademarks and take an educated guess; but without a photo, just two letters, and with tens of thousands of makers, and hundreds of thousands of maker marks, it's just hopeless to guess. All we can say is odds are probably against because there are so many other makers :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Meaning of MEK
Q. Okay this was weird but two days ago I came across and old ring in a box of items I was getting ready to toss. We were having a yard sale and when going through the box in question I found a gold and topaz (I think) ring. I liked it cleaned it up and put it on. Later at the yard sale a couple men that go all over the country looking for antiques and things stopped into our sale. They bought several of my items but when they noticed my ring they REALLY wanted it. I don't know if it's even worth a penny I just like it because it's pretty. But their visit got me wondering more about it. Here's the description and any help giving would be great appreciated. It's a size nine ring 10K gold with eagles on both sides. It doesn't look "manly" enough to be a men's ring so I thinks it for a lady. Inside it's marked with a serial type number, the 10K mark and then the letters MEK. Can anybody tell me what MEK means, I haven't been able to find it anywhere. Thank you in advance for any help given.
Becca Smithjust about anything - Eureka Kansas USA
April 4, 2011
by Dorothy T. Rainwater
on AbeBooks
or eBay or
Amazon
(affil links)
A. Hi Becca, I had a query similar to yours on a diamond ring I have. it has the 10k VIR on it. I found that this is Virginian gold mined from Virginia (duh) perhaps yours is 10k MEK, which could refer to (this straight from Google)
"Metals Creek Resources Corp. - Home
www.metalscreek.com/
Metals Creek Resources Corp. (the 'Corporation', TSX-V:MEK), is a Canadian TSX venture exchange listed company incorporated under the laws of the ...
News - Contact - Ogden TWP - Corporate Team
MEK.V: Summary for METALS CREEK RESOURCES CORP ...
Perhaps a little more digging could be done.
- Brisbane Qld Australia
A. Hi Gem. Anything is probably possible, but what would lead us to believe that this digging company makes rings? As you say, more digging required, but I might suspect that it's just the initials of a past owner. :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a wedding band purchased in 1965. Inside band there are markings: what looks like a capital p dash c . (P-c) an emblem of a pear with a p inside. and 14k. Any idea what these mean?
Larry Creasy- Maryland Heights, Missouri
May 16, 2011
Q. Hey, I found this ring cleaning out a foreclosed home it has 14 k pc and a lot of diamonds. Any suggestions?
mark rodriquezmine - bonita, California
April 12, 2014
Q. The 4 marks on my ring are as follows:
GA OZ 375
Any ideas?
hobbyist - Winfield, BC, Canada
Q. Hi, I want to know what "14 K MO" mark inside a ring means.
Is MO mark about moissanite instead of diamonds?
It is a white gold ring with little diamonds.
Thanks in advance
- Columbus, Ohio
November 17, 2011
A. Hi Dan. That's as good a guess as any and I don't think a definitive answer will be forthcoming.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hi - I purchased a ring that I was told was 14k. The marking on the inside of the band says 14k PAT FL-8. After reading some of your answers - I'm wondering if PAT means Patented, but not sure what the FL-8 would mean. Is it plated? Thanks! Tina
Tina Davidson- Morristown, New Jersey, USA
December 5, 2011
Meaning of "THE LE"
Q. 18k PLAT on one side and THE LE on the other along with a star or diamond shape right after LE. Trying to find out what these markings mean. Please advise.
- Las Vegas, Nevada
December 13, 2011
Q. Hi
I have a ring that has no hallmark, but does have "THE LE" on the inside! What does this mean I can't find anything on it!
- England
October 8, 2012
A. Answer to "THE LE" with a diamond
The diamond is an "O" so it stands for THE LEO diamonds.
- Westwood, New Jersey, usa
June 13, 2017
Q. I purchased a very pretty ring with a large stone in center and many little stones around it, the only marking on it is S A, and I can not find what that means, I would appreciate any help on this. I have no idea what kind of metal it is.
Laurie Herting- Bethel, Minnesota, USA
February 6, 2012
Q. My ring is opal and diamond. It is white gold I think. What do the numbers inside p with smaller 6 or maybe a t next to 900 mean? Then across from that on inside of ring it has 292-034 what does this mean?
Mike Davis- Michigan
February 9, 2012
Q. I was recently proposed to! My fiancé gave me his mom's ring about which we know nothing (she died when he was really young). I have been wondering what type of ring it was, etc. It appears to be a gold band with a diamond in the shape of a heart. Inside the ring it reads "50" and "B2". What do these markings mean??
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ANSWERS :).
- United States
February 21, 2012
Q. I recently was given a few rings that belonged to my great grandmother. One is a rather thick band with 14K and and R engraved inside a shield. I understand this to be the makers mark. The other ring is a beautiful white gold diamond ring, engraved with 14K and a marking that looks like either a cursive K or a backwards capital "D" and "K" mashed together. Does anyone know these markings? Thanks for your help!
Mimi S [surname deleted due to age of posting]- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 27, 2012
Q. Hi !
I was wondering if you ever found out what the cursive K stands for on your ring ?
I also have an 14k with a cursive K hallmark?
I've looked and looked and can't find any info on this ring !
- Frankfort, Kentucky
November 26, 2022
Tip: This forum was established to build camaraderie among enthusiasts through sharing tips, opinions, pics & personality.
The curator & some readers who publicly share their info will be less likely to engage with those who don't.
Q. My mother-in-law gave me her wedding ring before she passed away. It's a unique ring. Very wide band with one big square diamond in the middle and on the side, at a angle is three diamonds. Inside it has the letters:14K and LIT. This ring is about 52 years old and I have been trying to find out what the LIT stands for. I know many jewelers marked their rings with initials. Can you tell me what these initials stand for. Thank you
Wanda Arent- Lebanon, Ohio
February 29, 2012
A. Ladies and gentlemen here is a web address with a list of symbol meanings on it:
www.jewelry-secrets.com/Blog/marks-stamped-inside-rings/
- Fyffe, Alabama
March 14, 2012
Q. I found a ring with the imprint of C25 on it what does that stand for?
Shanna Green- Taylorsville, Utah, USA
March 15, 2012
Q. Hello:
I have a wedding ring that appears to be gold/platinum with a row of (V's etched all around the top side. Inside the ring definitely appears to be gold with a few scrapes but nothing serious. The ring is somewhat heavy. Strangely, there is No stamp inside any where. I've had this ring for a long time and never turned my finger green or black. I've also taken it to be tested at a pawn shop and was told that it did not pass the gold test but could be because it may be platinum and would be worth more than gold. Also did the makeup/foundation test and noticed a greyish/black marking when done. Can ANYONE tell me what kind of band I may possibly have.
Thanks and sorry for the long post.
Gail
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
March 16, 2012
Q. The inside of my engagement ring is stamped 1TW 10KT Q (on one side of the setting) and 4 on the other side. Can someone kindly tell me what these initials stand for please and thank you.
tb
- Gaithersburg, Maryland
March 21, 2012
Meaning of 925
Q. I bought a used ring, it is a square shaped garnet and it does look like real gold but when I went to look for the # of K's on there there was none but a number 925. Is this ring real? Or is it not :( Thank-you in advance.
Karen Galligos- Powell River BC Canada
March 23, 2012
A. Hi Karen. "925" usually means 92.5% pure silver -- the same as "Sterling". So it sounds like a gold plated sterling silver ring.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Have you heard of STAN D STERLING? I just purchased a Malachite ring with "STAN D STERLING" stamped on the back.
Jen Bernardino- New Bedford, Massachusetts USA
April 2, 2012
Q. I recently received a white gold ring with a purple stone with a stamp on the inside 10KT. Can you tell me if it is plated or solid? Trying to figure out what this ring really is. Thanks Crystal
Crystal Jackson- Missouri
April 25, 2012
A. Hi Crystal.
10KT means it's solid, and 10/24's pure gold.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I inherited a family ring and am curious about it. I was told it had been in the family for a very long time but little else was known about it. It appears to be a men's band plain gold and a blue gem stone of some sort.
It looks like "Haven 10k" is stamped in the band. The 10k I'm assuming is 10 karat gold but the Haven is unfamiliar to me.
Leah stock- Missouri
December 16, 2022
A. Hi Ms. Stock. The 'stone' looks well worn, so yes, it's probably old; any jeweler ought to be able to give you a quick idea what the stone is even if they are not familiar with the "Haven" name.
I'm just a layman, not a jeweler; and I'm looking at a picture, not the actual item ... but I don't think it has serious value because my guess is that the 'stone' is glass. But 10K gold is not nothing anymore.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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