Published Mar 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 2, 2026
If you have flipped over a ring or clasp and found the number 750 stamped into it, that is a fineness mark, and it is telling you exactly how pure the gold is.
750 Means 18 Karat
Fineness stamps express purity out of 1,000 parts rather than out of 24. 750 parts per 1,000 works out to 75.0 percent pure gold, which is exactly what 18 karat means. So a piece stamped 750 and a piece stamped 18K are describing identical purity, just in two different numbering systems.
Why Some Jewelry Uses 750 Instead of 18K
Fineness stamps are the standard in much of Europe, including major jewelry-making countries like Italy and France, where hallmarking rules are built around the metric, parts-per-thousand system rather than the karat scale. Jewelry made or hallmarked in those countries typically carries a 750 stamp instead of, or alongside, an 18K mark.
How 750 Compares to Other Common Stamps
- 999 or 995 = 24K (99.9% pure)
- 916 = 22K (91.6% pure)
- 750 = 18K (75.0% pure)
- 585 = 14K (58.5% pure)
What 750 Means for Value
Purity is one of the two numbers, alongside weight, used to work out gold value. A 750-stamped piece is worth 75 percent of what the same weight in 24K gold would be worth, since that is the actual gold content. Our gold purity calculator can turn that stamp into an exact live value once you enter the piece’s weight.
