TL;DR The 750 mark means 750 parts per thousand pure metal, so 75% purity. On jewelry it almost always signals 18-karat gold, but on holloware and flatware it can mean 75% silver. Colour, item type, and companion hallmarks reveal which metal you hold.
Quick answer: A 750 stamp on jewelry almost always means 18-karat gold (75% pure gold), not silver. The same number can mark 75% pure silver, but this is rare and usually appears on Continental European, Middle Eastern, or Asian holloware and flatware — not rings or chains. Tell them apart by colour (silver is white-grey, gold is yellow, rose, or white-gold), by the type of item, and by the companion hallmarks stamped beside the 750.
The 750 silver mark indicates a metal that is 75.0% pure silver, with the remaining 25% made up of other alloy metals. The 750 stamp is part of the international millesimal fineness system, where the three digits show parts of pure metal per thousand.
One important caveat: on jewelry, a 750 stamp far more often signals 18-karat gold (75% gold) than silver. Context matters — colour, weight, and any accompanying hallmarks tell you which metal you are actually holding.
Is 750 silver or gold?
If you are looking at a ring, chain, bracelet, earring, or watch case, a 750 stamp is almost certainly 18-karat gold . Gold jewelry is the dominant use of the 750 fineness mark worldwide. A 750 stamp on a teapot, tray, candlestick, religious item, or piece of flatware is more likely to be silver . When in doubt, look at the colour: untarnished silver is bright white-grey; gold is yellow (yellow gold), pinkish (rose gold), or pale white-grey with a warmer cast (white gold, which is alloyed and usually rhodium-plated).
What does 750 mean on jewelry?
On almost all jewelry, "750" means 18-karat gold — 750 parts pure gold per 1,000, or 75% gold by weight. The remaining 25% is alloy metals (copper, silver, zinc, palladium, nickel) that determine the colour and hardness. 18k gold is the international standard for fine jewelry: more durable than 22k or 24k, more valuable than 14k or 10k. If you see "750" beside a small picture of an animal head, an eagle, an owl, or another fineness symbol, you are almost certainly looking at 18k gold. The Italian, French, Swiss, German, and most Middle Eastern jewelry markets all use the 750 stamp for 18-karat gold.
What does 750 mean on silver?
On a piece marked as silver, "750" means 75% pure silver — lower purity than sterling (925) or Britannia (958), but still considered solid silver rather than plate. The 750 silver hallmark is uncommon in British and American silver, where 925 sterling dominates, but it appears on some Continental European, Middle Eastern, and Asian pieces.
Where does the 750 silver mark come from?
The 750 silver meaning comes from the millesimal fineness system standardised across Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. Before that, silver purity was expressed in lots, loths, dwt or by national assay marks (lion passant for English sterling, Minerva head for French first standard, and so on). The millesimal numbers — 800 , 830, 835, 875, 900, 925, 950, 958, 999 — replaced the older systems for international trade. 750 is on the lower end of fineness used for actual silverware; below it you cross into territory where most countries no longer call the metal "silver" without qualification.
Is 750 silver real silver?
Yes — 750 silver is real silver, just at a lower purity than sterling. It contains three-quarters silver mixed with copper or other base metals for hardness. It is not silver-plated; the entire piece is solid alloy. Because of its lower silver content, 750 silver melts at a slightly different temperature and may tarnish faster than 925.
How do 750 silver and gold stamps differ?
The same 750 stamp on jewelry usually means 18k gold, not silver. To distinguish them:
- Colour: silver is bright white-grey; 18k gold is yellow, rose, or white-gold.
- Companion marks: a "750" beside an animal head, eagle, or fineness mark often points to gold; a "750" beside a maker's mark on a teapot or flatware piece points to silver.
- Weight and item type: 750 silver is more common on holloware, religious items, and Continental flatware; 750 gold is common on rings, chains, and watch cases.
How do you read the 750 silver hallmark?
The 750 silver mark is usually stamped on the underside, foot, or rim of a piece — sometimes alongside a maker's mark, country of origin, or an assay office symbol. To verify a 750 silver hallmark:
- Locate the full set of marks, not just the number.
- Note any accompanying symbols (crown, fineness marks, country code).
- Cross-reference the maker's mark in a silver hallmark identification tool.
How does 750 silver compare to 925?
Sterling silver (925) is 92.5% pure silver and the international benchmark for fine silver. 750 silver is 17.5 percentage points lower, which means it contains more base metal and is harder, less lustrous, and less valuable per gram. If your piece is marked simply "925" or "Sterling," it is sterling — not 750. Sterling is the global default for flatware, holloware, and jewelry; 750 silver is the exception, generally seen on regional or older pieces where local standards differed from the British 925 norm.
How do you test 750 silver?
If a piece is stamped 750 but you want to verify the metal is silver rather than gold (or rather than a plated forgery), there are several practical tests:
- Magnet test: silver and gold are both non-magnetic. If a 750-stamped piece sticks to a strong magnet, the body is iron or steel and the mark is fake or applied to plate.
- Visual and weight check: compare colour and heft to a known sterling reference. 750 silver feels almost as dense as 925; plated brass or copper feels lighter and rings differently when tapped.
- Acid test: a jeweller's silver acid test kit applies a drop of nitric-acid-based reagent to a small scratched area. Silver shows a creamy or red reaction; gold barely reacts; base metals fizz green.
- Electronic / XRF test: a jeweller or pawn shop with an XRF analyser can read the exact alloy in seconds without damaging the piece. This is the gold standard for verifying whether 750 means 18k gold or 75% silver.
- Hallmark cross-reference: identify the maker's mark and country symbol stamped beside the 750. The accompanying marks almost always settle whether the piece was struck as silver or gold.
Where is 750 silver used?
Most 750 silver pieces originate from regions where local fineness standards historically sat below British sterling: parts of Continental Europe (Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, the Low Countries), Russia and the former Soviet states, the Ottoman world and modern Turkey, the Levant and Gulf, and some Asian export silver. Country marks — a crescent and crown (German), a kokoshnik head (Russian), a tughra (Ottoman) — paired with 750 narrow down origin and date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a 750 stamp mean silver or gold?
On rings, chains, bracelets, and watch cases a 750 stamp almost always means 18-karat gold, which is 75% pure gold. On teapots, trays, candlesticks, religious items, or flatware it more likely means 75% pure silver. Colour and companion marks settle which metal it is.
Is 750 silver real solid silver?
Yes, 750 silver is real solid silver, not silver-plated. It contains three-quarters silver mixed with copper or other base metals for hardness, giving lower purity than sterling. Because of that lower silver content, it melts at a slightly different temperature and may tarnish faster than 925 sterling.
How does 750 silver compare to 925 sterling?
Sterling silver at 925 is 92.5% pure and the international benchmark for fine silver. At 750, silver is 17.5 percentage points lower, so it holds more base metal and is harder, less lustrous, and less valuable per gram. Sterling is the global default; 750 silver is the regional exception.
Where does 750 silver usually come from?
Most 750 silver originates where local fineness standards historically sat below British sterling: parts of Continental Europe, Russia and former Soviet states, the Ottoman world and Turkey, the Levant and Gulf, and some Asian export silver. Country marks paired with 750 help narrow down its origin and date.
How can I test whether a 750 piece is silver?
Both silver and gold are non-magnetic, so a magnet test exposes iron-bodied fakes. Compare colour and heft to a sterling reference, since 750 silver feels nearly as dense as 925. A jeweller's acid test or an XRF analyser reads the exact alloy, settling whether 750 means silver or gold.