750 Gold: What the Stamp Means on Jewelry
Vazgen Martirosov
The bracelet came to you in an old box, with no receipt and no story attached. You turn the clasp toward the window and there it is, three tiny digits: 750. It could be a size, a price or a very short serial number. It is none of those.
Quick answer: 750 gold is 18K gold. The number means the metal is 75% pure gold, and the other 25% is a mix of metals such as silver, copper or palladium. It is real, solid gold, and it is what we use for our fine yellow gold chain and diamond cross necklace. Below: how to read the stamp, how to spot a fake one, and what older marks mean on antique gold.
What is 750 gold?
What is 750 gold? It is a gold alloy with 750 parts of pure gold in every 1,000 parts of metal. That figure is called fineness. Divide it by 10 and you get the percentage, so 750 becomes 75%.
Karat says the same thing out of 24. Three quarters of 24 is 18, so 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals makes 18K. Here the maths is perfectly neat, which is more than you can say for 14K. A piece stamped 750 and a piece stamped 18K hold the same amount of gold.
Looking for a different number? Our gold number code chart lists every common stamp from 333 up to 999.9.
What does 750 mean on gold?
What does 750 mean on gold? It tells you how much of the weight is pure gold. A 10 gram chain stamped 750 holds 7.5 grams of pure gold. A 4 gram ring holds 3 grams.
That is all it tells you. The stamp says nothing about the diamonds, the maker or the quality of the work. It is a statement about the metal, and only about the metal.
The 750 gold stamp and the marks around it
The 750 gold stamp does not always look the same. Different countries write it in different ways, and a few extra letters can change the meaning completely.
| Mark | What it means | Solid 18K gold? |
|---|---|---|
| 750 | 750 parts gold per 1,000 | Yes |
| 18K, 18KT | 18 karat, written the American way | Yes |
| 18CT | 18 carat, the British spelling | Yes |
| Au750 | Au is the chemical symbol for gold | Yes |
| G750, G18K | Common on jewelry sold in China | Yes |
| 18K GP, 18K HGE | Gold plated, with a thin surface layer | No |
| 18K GF | Gold filled, a layer bonded to a base metal | No |
On a full UK hallmark, the number sits inside a shield next to other marks. The London Assay Office lists a sponsor's mark, a fineness mark and an assay office mark as compulsory, so you can see who sent the piece in and who tested it. A date letter may be there too.
Is 750 real gold?
Yes. 750 is solid gold, and the gold runs all the way through the metal. It has more gold in it than the 14K most jewelry is made from, so it is often the higher purity in the shop.
The warning is the same as for any stamp. Read every letter. A number beside GP or HGE means plating, so the gold stops at the surface. And a stamp is only a claim until someone tests it, a point we come back to below.
Where to find the 750 stamp on gold
The 750 stamp on gold is tiny, so you need good light and your phone's camera zoom. Check these spots first:
- Rings: inside the band.
- Chains and bracelets: on the clasp or a small tag beside it.
- Pendants: on the back or on the bail, the small loop the chain passes through.
- Watches: on the case back.
No stamp at all? Polishing and resizing can wear one away, so it does not prove the piece is fake. It just means you need a test.
Yellow, white and rose 750 gold
All three can be 750. The gold stays at 75%, and the other 25% sets the colour.
| Colour | The other 25% | How it looks at 750 |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow gold | Silver and copper | Deeper and warmer than 14K |
| White gold | Palladium or silver | Usually rhodium plated for a bright finish |
| Rose gold | More copper | A warm pink tone |
The colour difference is easiest to see in yellow, where the extra gold shows. In white gold, the plating hides most of it. For more on choosing a colour, read white gold vs yellow gold.
750 vs 585 gold
Most buyers end up choosing between these two stamps. Here is the short version:
| Feature | 750 (18K) | 585 (14K) |
|---|---|---|
| Pure gold | 75% | 58.5% |
| Yellow colour | Deep and rich | Softer and brighter |
| Strength | Softer, shows wear sooner | Harder, resists dents |
| Cost | Higher, about 28% more gold | Lower |
| Best for | Chains, pendants, gentle wear | Rings and bracelets worn daily |
If your piece says 585, our guide to 585 gold covers that stamp in detail. For how the two wear over the years, read 14K vs 18K gold.
Is 750 gold good for everyday wear?
It depends on where the piece lives. A necklace leads a quiet life, resting on your skin, so 750 suits it well. A ring meets door handles, keys and the gym, so it picks up marks sooner in 750 than in 585.
Pure gold is too soft for jewelry that works hard, so it is mixed with other metals, and 750 keeps a quarter of its weight in those stronger metals. That makes it a fair middle ground: plenty of gold, and enough strength for careful daily wear.
If you do wear a 750 ring every day, have the prongs checked now and then, and keep rings you stack in the same karat so the harder one does not slowly wear down the softer one.
How to spot a fake 18K gold stamp
A stamp is cheap to buy, so treat it as a claim. Here is how to spot a fake 18K gold stamp, and how to turn a claim into something you can trust:
- Look for a maker's mark. The FTC tells US shoppers to look for a name or trademark near the karat mark, and not to buy a piece that has a karat mark without one.
- Read the whole mark. Check for the plating letters in the table above. A piece marked both 18K and 925 is usually gold-coated silver, because 925 is the sterling silver stamp.
- Judge the stamp itself. Blurred, crooked or uneven digits are a warning sign.
- Inspect the worn spots. A different colour at the clasp or the edges suggests plating.
- Ask for a real test. A jeweller's acid test, an XRF scan or an assay office will give you an answer.
What a real 18K gold stamp looks like
A real 18K gold stamp is small, sharp and evenly struck. You will usually see 750, 18K or both, often beside a maker's mark, with no plating letters after it. Even a perfect stamp is not final proof, though, because a good copy can look just as neat.
We walk through the safe home tests, and the ones to skip, in how to tell if gold is real.
Antique gold hallmarks
If your piece is old, it may not say 750 at all. Antique gold hallmarks often use symbols and older number systems, so an 18K piece can look like it has no purity mark. These are three you may meet:
| Mark | Where from | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Crown with 18 | UK | 18 carat, same as 750 |
| Eagle's head | France | Usually 18K, 750 |
| 72 | Russia | 72 parts out of 96, same as 750 |
On older British pieces, try reading from left to right: maker's mark, assay office, purity mark, then date letter. The date letter tells you the year the piece was tested.
Old marks can be worn and hard to read, and they are not always what they seem. If a piece might be valuable, take it to a jeweller or an assay office before you clean, polish or sell it.
How much is 750 gold worth?
The sum for the metal is short:
weight in grams × 0.75 × today's gold price per gram
The price moves every day, so we do not print one here. Here is how much pure gold sits in pieces of different weights:
| Weight of the piece | Pure gold inside |
|---|---|
| 2 g | 1.5 g |
| 5 g | 3.75 g |
| 10 g | 7.5 g |
| 20 g | 15 g |
That gives you the melt value. Stones, design and the hours at the bench are extra, so a finished piece sells for more. A gold buyer, on the other hand, usually pays somewhat less than the full gold price.
The 750 gold we use at GH Jewells
We have been making jewelry in Yerevan since 2010, and we choose the karat for the life each piece will lead. Pieces that rest at the neck are 750: our 18K gold chains, including the white gold chain, and our diamond cross. Choosing a chain? Read how to choose a gold chain necklace that lasts.
Want a design of your own in 18K? We can make a custom piece from your idea. You are also welcome to have any of our pieces tested at an assay office, so the number is never just our word. Read more in our story.
Frequently asked questions
Is 750 the same as 18K gold?
Yes. 750 and 18K both mean 75% pure gold. They are two ways of writing the same purity, and a piece can carry either stamp or both.
Is 750 gold good quality?
Yes. It is a high purity for jewelry, with a rich colour and enough strength for careful wear. The quality of the work and any stones is a separate question that the stamp does not answer.
What does Au750 mean?
Au is the chemical symbol for gold, so Au750 means 750 parts gold per 1,000. It is the same purity as 750 or 18K, and you may also see it written as G750.
Can an 18K gold stamp be fake?
Yes. Anyone can buy a stamp, so a number on its own does not prove anything. A maker's mark helps, and an acid test, XRF scan or assay office can confirm what the metal really is.
Does 750 gold tarnish?
Solid 750 gold keeps its colour well, though lotion, perfume and skin oils can leave a dull film. Warm water and mild soap usually clear it. If a different metal shows through, the piece was probably plated.
Can you wear 750 gold every day?
Yes, with some care. A chain or pendant will be fine, while a ring will show marks sooner than a 585 ring would. Take it off for the gym, cleaning and swimming.
Is 750 better than 585 gold?
It is purer, but not better for every job. 750 has the richer colour and more gold, while 585 is harder and costs less. Many people choose 750 for necklaces and 585 for daily rings.
Is 750 white gold real gold?
Yes. White 750 gold has the same 75% gold as yellow 750 gold. The rest is a white metal mix, and most pieces are also rhodium plated for extra brightness.
Back to the clasp
So those three digits were not a size or a price. 750 gold is 18K, three quarters pure and richer in colour than most jewelry you will meet. Check the letters around it, get it tested if you want to be sure, and put the bracelet back on. It has already waited in that box long enough.
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