what does this symbol mean?
The mark 14K stamped in a small oval

14K gold (585)

The metal is 14-karat gold: 14 parts in 24 are pure gold, 585 in every 1,000.

Easily confused with

How to read it

The FTC’s jewelry guides allow a gold alloy to be marked with its karat figure, with or without the word gold: 14 Karat, 14Kt. and 14 K. are among their own examples. The UK’s Hallmarking Act says 14 carats indicates gold of 585 parts per thousand, and 585 is the figure its hallmark strikes for that standard, which is why the same gold can be stamped 14K in one country and 585 in another.

Also searched as: 14K, 14 karat, 14KT, 585.

A stamp is a claim about the metal, made by whoever struck it. This page says what each mark means under the rules that define it; it doesn’t test or value anything.

What’s the difference between 14K and 18K gold?

The share of pure gold. Under the Hallmarking Act’s table, 14 carats is 585 parts per thousand and 18 carats is 750.

More jewellery marks

Sources

Last reviewed September 27, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research

Report a problem

Please don’t include personal details.