The direct answer
The number in a gold hallmark is a fineness mark: 375 is 9ct, 585 is 14ct, 750 is 18ct and 916 is 22ct. It helps establish metal value, but the full hallmark and the item itself still need review. Gold prices change daily. Fair Vintage uses current market references when preparing a written offer rather than hard-coding a fixed gold price into evergreen content.
The three compulsory UK marks
GOV.UK explains that a complete hallmark has sponsor or maker, fineness and assay office marks. Date letters may also appear.
Why marks are not the whole value
Hallmarks identify metal standard; they do not value design, stones, age, maker, condition or demand.
Foreign and convention marks
Common Control Marks can be legally recognised, but foreign jewellery still needs careful reading and sometimes testing.
How Fair Vintage assesses this page topic
We separate the metal floor from the jewellery value. That means checking gold fineness and tested metal content, weight and construction, hallmarks, sponsor marks, assay office marks and maker signatures, age, period style and originality, gemstones, pearls, enamel and condition, designer, antique or collector demand beyond melt value, boxes, receipts, certificates and family notes. If a piece is mainly scrap, we say so; if it deserves antique, designer, gemstone or collector review, the written offer explains why.
Photographs to send
- sharp hallmark close-up
- whole item
- any maker mark
- assay symbol
- date letter if visible
What jewellery owners ask on Reddit
Reddit is not used as valuation evidence. It is useful because public conversations reveal recurring seller worries: missing marks, changed fittings, whether to clean pieces, how to compare scrap and antique value, and whether a postal buyer can be trusted.
Official references used
These sources support hallmarking, gold-fineness and market-reference statements. They do not set the final Fair Vintage offer for an individual item.