Question about a stamp on gold earrings
 Can anyone tell me what " > 14k. " on a pair of earrings means? I realize the > typically stands for " less than". But, I have never seen this on jewelry before.
6 comments
 Can anyone tell me what " > 14k. " on a pair of earrings means? I realize the > typically stands for " less than". But, I have never seen this on jewelry before.
idealgems1
·2 years agoMass produced karat gold jewelry is often lightweight because it is sold by the gram. Jewelers' scales for gold are accurate to at least the tenth of a gram.
The heft I am speaking of is specific gravity; relative weight to size. But it can be light because of it being hollow.
idealgems1
·2 years agoAs a retail jeweler for > 40 years (sorry, couldn't resist), I haven't seen that either. I'm thinking it's a manufacturer's mark. Looks like solid 14K gold earrings to me with two caveats...1) it could be just the ear wire/post that is 14K, and 2) items are sometimes fraudulently stamped with the intent to deceive. If I encountered this pair of earrings, I would test the earrings in an inconspicuous spot that wasn't the ear wire.
If they are solid 14K there should be no spots where the gold appears to be wearing off, and they should feel like gold...decent heft (but the hoops themselves are undoubtedly hollow) and not too cold to the touch.
thefishingmaster2008
OP2 years agolol..... thank you! I weighed them on my postal scale on the gram setting. They weighed absolutely nothing. Is that a good sign of not being real? I've done so much research 🤦ðŸ»â€â™€ï¸
silverstatetreasureboxes
·2 years ago@thefishingmaster2008
No that symbol stands for more than.
I don't believe I've seen that before, have it tested at a local pawn or jewelry store since it's located on the finding portion of your hoop.
thefishingmaster2008
OP2 years agoOoops, yes, more than. Thanks!
silverstatetreasureboxes
·2 years ago@thefishingmaster2008
Lol, your welcome hun, as a Nurse we always used that and the less than < symbol in charting.