585 stamped on jewelry means 14-karat gold, 58.5 percent pure gold by weight. The number is the European hallmarking equivalent of the American 14K stamp, and the two are interchangeable. If your piece is stamped 585, you have solid gold. Our Abercrombie’s gold team evaluates 585 gold at our Westlake showroom.
Why European Jewelry Uses 585 Instead of 14K
The United States uses the karat system to express gold purity. 14K means 14 parts out of 24 are pure gold, which is 58.33 percent. Europe uses the millesimal fineness system, which expresses purity in parts per thousand. 58.5 percent pure gold rounds to 585 per thousand, so a European 14K piece is stamped 585 rather than 14K.
Both stamps mean the same thing: 14-karat gold. It’s the most widely traded purity in the world. You may see either mark depending on where the piece was manufactured. German, Italian, and other European jewelry frequently carries the millesimal stamp. American and British jewelry typically carries the karat stamp. Some pieces carry both.
The fractional difference between American 14K (58.33%) and European 585 (58.5%) is negligible in practice and doesn’t meaningfully affect the value. Both are 14K gold for all buying and selling purposes.
The Full Gold Hallmark System
Understanding 585 is easier when you see the full picture. Here are the most common gold purity marks you’ll encounter:
375, 9-karat gold, 37.5% pure gold. Common in the United Kingdom and Australia. Less common in the United States.
417, 10-karat gold, 41.7% pure gold. The minimum legal standard for gold in the United States. Frequently found on American gold jewelry from the mid-20th century.
585, 14-karat gold, 58.5% pure gold. The most common gold standard in the United States and much of Europe. Strikes a balance between gold content and durability.
750, 18-karat gold, 75% pure gold. Widely used in fine jewelry and European designer pieces. Softer than 14K but richer in color and gold content.
916, 22-karat gold, 91.6% pure gold. Common in South Asian and Middle Eastern jewelry. Very soft and rich in color.
999, 24-karat gold, 99.9% pure gold. Pure gold, too soft for most jewelry applications. Found in gold coins and bullion.
Our 14K gold buyers, who calculate offers from confirmed karat, weight, and live spot pricing, test every piece rather than relying on stamps alone. We don’t rely on stamps alone, because stamps can be worn, misread, or incorrect on older pieces; we’ve seen it.
What Other Hallmarks Appear Alongside 585
A 585 stamp is often accompanied by other marks that provide additional information about the piece.
Maker’s marks are stamps or initials indicating the manufacturer or jeweler who made the piece. These vary by country and era and can sometimes add collector value to signed pieces from known designers.
Country-of-origin marks indicate where the piece was assayed or certified. British pieces carry specific assay office marks. Italian pieces often carry a star followed by a number. These stamps don’t affect gold value but can help authenticate the piece’s origin.
Date letters appear on British hallmarked pieces and indicate the year the piece was assayed. These are particularly useful for dating antique gold jewelry.
Condition marks occasionally appear on repaired or resized pieces. If a ring shank was replaced, for example, the replacement section may carry a different stamp than the original setting.
For antique gold pieces where the stamp is worn or unclear, our period gold specialists, who regularly evaluate Victorian and Edwardian goldwork, can often identify the origin and approximate date of a piece from its construction and remaining marks.
585 Gold vs. 750 Gold: What’s the Difference?
The practical differences between 14K (585) and 18K (750) gold come down to durability, color, and price.
14K gold is harder and more durable than 18K because the alloy metals that make up the remaining 41.5 percent, typically copper, silver, and zinc, add structural rigidity. This makes 14K a better choice for pieces that see daily wear, like engagement rings and bracelets. The color is slightly less saturated than 18K.
18K gold has a richer, deeper yellow color and feels softer to the touch. It’s more common in European fine jewelry and tends to command a higher price both in retail and at resale because of its higher gold content. A gram of 18K gold is worth proportionally more than a gram of 14K gold at any given spot price.
Both are solid gold, and both hold value as precious metals. When we buy 585 and 750 gold, we calculate each separately based on its actual gold content and current spot pricing. Our jewelry buying team, which provides a breakdown by piece, ensures you understand exactly what drives each number.
What Is 585 Gold Worth?
The value of 585 gold is calculated from three factors: the piece’s weight, the gold content percentage, and the current spot price of gold.
The formula: weight in grams multiplied by 0.585 gives you the pure gold content in grams. That figure multiplied by the current spot price per gram gives you the pure gold value. Buyers then offer a percentage of that figure based on their margins and the piece’s condition.
We don’t estimate, and we don’t pressure. We weigh each piece on a precision scale, confirm the karat through professional testing, and check the live spot price before presenting any offer. Every client sees the calculation before making any decision.
One thing that affects value beyond the gold content: collector or period premiums. A signed Art Nouveau gold brooch in 585 gold may be worth significantly more than its melt value if the right collector market exists. Our inherited gold evaluation team, which assesses designer and period pieces alongside the material value, catches those premiums rather than pricing everything at melt.
Selling 585 Gold Jewelry in Austin
If you have 585-stamped jewelry you’re considering selling, the process at our Westlake showroom is straightforward. Bring the piece as-is; you don’t need to clean it, research it, or know anything about it beforehand. We identify the stamp, test the metal, weigh it, and give you a clear offer.
For 585 gold pieces that also contain diamonds or colored stones, the stone value is evaluated separately and presented alongside the gold value before you decide on anything. For estate collections that include multiple pieces across different karats, we evaluate everything in a single appointment.
If you have inherited a piece and aren’t sure if it’s solid gold or gold-plated, the 585 stamp is a reliable indicator of solid 14K gold, but we confirm through testing regardless. Plated pieces sometimes carry misleading stamps on very old or imported pieces, and we’ve seen this often enough that we test every piece regardless.
For pieces that need repair or restoration before or instead of a sale, our gold jewelry repair team, which handles soldering, sizing, and replating in-house, can advise you so you know whether the investment makes sense before you commit.
Other Common Marks to Know
Beyond gold, you may encounter these stamps on jewelry you’re trying to identify.
925, Sterling silver, 92.5% pure silver. Our sterling silver buyers, who evaluate 925 pieces in the same appointment as gold, price them against current silver spot pricing.
950, Platinum, 95% pure platinum. Our platinum mark buyers, who evaluate 950- and 900-platinum pieces, use the same testing and live spot-pricing approach we apply to gold.
800, German silver or lower-purity silver, 80% silver content. Common on European antique silverware.
GF or GE, gold-filled or gold electroplated. These are not solid gold. Gold-filled has a thick mechanical bond of gold over base metal. Gold electroplated has a very thin electrical deposit. Neither has significant precious metal value.
If you’re unsure what a stamp on a piece you have means, bring it in. We’ll identify it at no charge and provide you with an accurate picture of the piece before any offer is made.