Ever wondered about the small, unruly & unique marks on vintage jewelry? Why do brands stamp these marks, despite the extra efforts of punching and etching? Is it just for labeling, or is there a bigger picture?
In 1906, the government stressed using hallmarks to track the purity of gold. So, brands came up with unique symbols as their purity marks. But the hallmarking process had existed long before the 1900s. So let’s see how to identify such marks with jewelry’s brand and materials.
Key Takeaways
- Vintage hallmarks help antique lovers identify the jewelry’s materials, purity, brands & makers in no time.
- 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.
- Most vintage jewelry brands use a ‘Maker’s name or Initials’ hallmark. But some precious ones have Foreign-import, French, or Baroque hallmarks too!
Where Do You Find the Hallmarks on Vintage Jewelry Sets?
If you want to verify your vintage jewelry, but don’t see the dates, check if there’s a hallmark on these spots:
- Rings:The Inner band, Shank, or Shoulder
- Necklaces:End clasp, Chain, or Pendant’s back
- Bracelets:Clasps or Chain links
- Earrings:Back of the earrings, Stem, Studs, or Inner part of the hoops
- Brooches or Pins:Back or on the Safety chains
- Watches:Found on the Case backs, Movements, or Lugs
When Did Vintage Hallmarks Evolve & How?
The first collectible hallmarks are from King Edward’s era in the 1300s. But even before that, some crude silver marks from 4th-century Egypt have been found. And these were simple bar/line symbols. So, people often mistook them for manufacturing defects.
Then, in the 1300s, Edward 1 introduced punching marks. Like, he used typical screwdrivers and chisels to emboss the jewelry. Also, they had a leopard or lion face to show their royalty. But then all the makers copied this mark, and there was confusion!
So, by the 1830s, each brand used a different hallmark. Yes, there were some common ones for gold, but all had different finishes. In fact, in 1906, the US enforced a compulsory hallmark act to control the metal’s purity. And makers use them even today!
6 Types of Vintage Hallmarks & How to Identify Them?
Let’s check the main types of hallmarks, their key features & uses here:
| Vintage Hallmark Type | Uses & Significance | Top Identifying Features |
| Maker’s Mark | Signifies the maker or brand with a small, etched logo or sign | Initials or the name of the designer or brand |
| Metal Content Mark | Used to tell the Type & Purity of the Metal & its Content | Embossed numbers like 10k, 14k & 18k for Gold & 900 – 950 for Platinum |
| Assay Mark | Shows the last office where the jewelry was tested and marked | Lion’s Head (French Jewelry), Leopard’s Head (British) |
| Date Letter | Used to show the date, age, and years of any vintage jewelry piece | Small, etched marks in a MM/DD/YYYY format |
| Duty Marks | Indicates the duties & taxes on British & European jewelry | Stamped country initials like GB for Great Britain, USA for America & FD for France |
| Trademarks | Used to show the manufacturer’s, designer’s, or brand’s name & initials | Stylized initials like ‘T’ for Tiffany & Co, ‘C’ for Cartier & ‘VA’ for Van Cleef & Arpels |
Vintage Hallmarks & Their Features Based On 3 Primary Materials
Now, let’s check how makers tweaked the purity & stamp duty marks for different vintage jewelry materials:
1. Vintage Gold Jewelry Hallmarks
You all must know the typical Gold 18k & 20k Purity marks. But, back in the 1800s, there were some regional European Lion heads or Dotted marks too! And such hallmarked gold ornaments value $50 – 5000 today. Also, the make was simple – engraved, etched, or embossed.
And here’s how to spot & identify such marks:
| Vintage Gold Jewelry Hallmarks | Era | How to Identify? |
| Lion Passant | 1700s | Look for a stylized Lion mark with its head turned back to face the viewer |
| Crown Mark | 1700s | Stylized crown mark with three fleur-de-lis marks and etched numbers to indicate 24-karat Gold |
| Three Dot Marks | 1900s | Look for an etched Circle with three dots and a 9-karat Gold mark inside |
| 750 Stamp | 1900s | A ‘750’ number stamp for 75% or 18k gold |
| 585 Mark | 1900s | An etched ‘585’ stamp for 14-karat gold |
Avoid getting vintage Gold jewelry with an HGE, GE, or GF hallmark, as those have a tiny amount of Gold.
2. Old Silver Jewelry Hallmarks
As you might guess, people used old Silver hallmarks to indicate the metal’s Size & Purity. So, each had punched or laser-cut numbers and words, and sometimes, the secondary alloys & their percentages, too. Overall, they value between $100 – 3000.
| Vintage Silver Jewelry Hallmarks | Place of Origin | How to Identify? |
| 800-mark | Germany, Egypt, Europe & Middle East | An engraved ‘800’ number stamp for 80% pure Silver |
| 925 or Sterling | Britain & America | Stamped Lion with a raised paw or ‘Sterling’ mark |
| 958 mark | Britain | Stylized Britannia symbol or ‘958’ number stamps |
3. Vintage Platinum Jewelry Hallmarks
These are small, numbered, pentagon-shaped marks that indicate the purity of Platinum jewelry. So, you might see melted, punched, or molded numbers & wax filigree work on them. And today, such hallmarked Platinum jewelry costs $3000 – 95,000.
Here’s an identification guide for such rare Platinum marks:
| Old Platinum Jewelry Hallmarks | Trace Materials | Identification Features |
| 900 Platinum | Copper, Palladium, Rhodium, Iridium & Titanium | A ‘900’ number stamp for 90% pure Platinum |
| 950 Platinum | Copper & Cobalt | White & Lustrous pentagonal stamps with the number ‘950’ in between |
10 Vintage Jewelry Hallmarks Based on the Makers & Brands
The Stamping Act of 1906 made it compulsory for all makers to add their own hallmarks. So, some went with the logos, while the rest used their initials. Here are a few examples:
1. Old Tiffany & Co Hallmarks
Old Tiffany & Co hallmarked jewelry is all about their brand & designer. So, you can expect etched company logos & creator signs on most of their pieces. Besides, these might have regular Gold & Silver marks on their inner rims.
Here are some of those:
| Old ‘Tiffany & Co’ Hallmarks | How to Spot Them? |
| ‘Tiffany & Co’ | Full name of the Company with an Engraved City / Location mark on the sides |
| ‘T & Co.’ | Stamped ‘T & Co.’ abbreviations with a whitish finish |
| PT 950 or PLAT | Engraved ‘PLAT’ letters showing a 90% pure Platinum make |
| Designer Initials or Signs | Engraved initials or signs of famous designers like Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, or Atlas |
2. Old Cartier Hallmarks
Does your vintage jewelry have a typical French-like or Eagle’s hallmark? If yes, then it might be a precious, hallmarked Cartier model! And such pieces have precisely engraved marks, often with diamonds or other gems around them. Here are some examples:
| Old ‘Cartier’ Hallmarks | Top Identification Features |
| ‘Cartier Paris’ Hallmark | Look for the scripted words ‘Cartier Paris’ on the inside of the jewelry, usually on the clasp or bail |
| ‘750 WG’ mark | Stamped ‘750WG’ letters with an 18-karat White Gold finish |
| ‘750S’ mark | Engraved digits with an 18-karat yellow gold & 10% Silver finish |
| French Hallmark | Use simple ‘Eagle-head’ designs (for 18k Gold jewelry) & ‘Rooster or Winged’ forms (for Platinum) |
| Maker’s Mark | Stamped letters – ‘CK,’ ‘JC,’ ‘GK,’ or ‘LG’ with a yellow-gold finish |
3. Antique Van Cleef & Arpels Hallmarks
If your vintage jewelry has an engraved ‘dog’ or ‘VA’ stamp, it might be from ‘Van Cleef & Arpels’. You can spot them by their almost ‘invisible’ settings, colored mosaics, and pearl backgrounds. Also, there might be some stamped numbers and figures.
Let’s check the details:
| Vintage ‘Van Cleef & Arpels’ Hallmarks | Easy Identification Clues |
| ‘VCA’ Mark | Brand marks with the full ‘Van Cleef & Arpels’ or ‘VCA’ stamps & glass mosaics |
| French Hallmarks | ‘Eagles head’ for 18k Gold, and ‘Dog’s head’ for Platinum Jewelry |
| ‘Vendome Column’ hallmark | A Stamped & Stylized mark of the ‘Vendome Column’ in Paris’ (1920 – 1950) |
4. Old Harry Winston Hallmarks
Vintage Harry Winston jewelry highlights the brand name or its initials. So, you can expect engraved brand names or ‘HW’ initials on their sides. Plus, you’ll find all other precious gems – Sapphires, Rubies, Diamonds & Emeralds around them.
5. Vintage David Webb Hallmarks
Danier Webb promotes stylized, Baroque-script hallmarked jewelry – Rings, Necklaces & Brooches! But it’s not just the brand name. Here are some more hallmarks that you can check out:
| Antique ‘David Webb’ Hallmarks | How to Identify? |
| David Webb’s Signature mark | Stylized, full company brand name in a Cartouche or Oval shape |
| Baroque Hallmark | It uses a stamped, stylized image of the famous ‘Baroque Pearl’ |
6. Antique Georg Jensen Hallmarks
You can spot vintage Georg Jensen hallmarks by their script letters & dotted ovals. Most will also have 14 or 18-carat gold marks, but the 1920s models might have an engraved Crown at the top!
Let’s check the details below:
| Antique ‘Georg Jensen’ Hallmarks | How to Identify? |
| GI or GJ marks | Bold & Capital GI or GJ marks inside a square or dotted oval |
| Designer Marks | Signed & Engraved designer names – HK (for Henning Kopel) & AJ (for Arne Jacobsen) |
7. Bulgari Hallmarks
Bulgari is an Italian brand. So, most of its hallmarks use the Latin word ‘BVLGARI’ instead of Bulgari. Other than that, you might see some specific ‘Made in Italy’ marks & a White Gold Finish for specific collections.
8. Vintage Chanel Hallmarks
Since Chanel is a relatively new 1910s brand, it has proper branding! So, most of its jewelry features a C-C logo with a copyright (©) next to it. Also, some earlier 18k gold jewelry has a ‘Made in France’ stamp or oval plate.
9. Old Christian Dior Hallmarks
Founded in 1947, old & imported Christian Dior jewelry uses a simple, engraved ‘CD’ or ‘Chr.Dior’ mark. Besides that, you might see an Oval or Cartouche plate & a ‘Made in France’ stamp next to it.
10. Vintage Trifari Jewelry
A 1918 brand, Tifari uses high-gloss Gold or Sterling Silver hallmarks as follows:
| Old ‘Trifari’ Hallmarks | Top Identification Features |
| Crown Trifari (1930 – 1950) | Uses a simple, etched Hallmark with a stylized Crown above the ‘T’ in Trifari |
| Designers mark | Engraved KTF (short for Krussman & Fishel) letters with a high gloss finish |
| Trifari Date Hallmark | Script, typeface hallmarks with stamped names or patent numbers next to them |
Is Antique Gold Jewelry Stamped?
Yes, antique gold jewelry has some numerical marks like ‘750’ or ‘585’ and digital ones like ‘Lion Passant,’ ‘Crown,’ & ‘3 – Dots’ since the 1700s.
Is Antique Silver Jewelry Stamped?
Yes, vintage Silver jewelry has specialized ‘900,’ ‘958,’ or ‘925’ marks that indicate the metal’s purity and place of origin.
What Does a 625 Hallmark Mean on a Piece of Vintage Jewelry?
‘625’ is a small, numerical hallmark used for 62.5% or 15-karat Gold jewelry.
Vintage jewelry hallmarks might be small, but they provide big clues on the antique brands, materials & purity in no time. For that, you just need to observe the mark, check its logo, and compare it from our table. Also, check for any date or testing mark to age your jewelry.
But, if you are still confused, join us to learn more clues to identify your ‘antique cufflinks’ and ‘necklace clasps.’
