The number 750 stamped on a gold piece is one of the most useful marks in fine jewelry. It tells you, in a single figure, exactly how much gold you hold. 750 means the piece is 75% pure gold or 18 karats. The remaining 25% is a carefully calculated alloy of metals that give gold the strength to be worn and kept for generations.
In Italy, that stamp does not come from the seller. It comes from a government assay office. Understanding what 750 means and who put it there is the simplest way to buy gold with confidence.
What 750 means: the millesimal fineness system
Most countries measure gold purity in karats, a 24-part scale. Italy and the European Union use a different system: millesimal fineness, which measures gold content in parts per thousand. 750 means 750 parts per thousand are pure gold, which is 75%, which is 18 karats. The three numbers express the same purity in three different measurement systems.
The millesimal system has one advantage: precision. 750 is an exact scientific measurement. "18 karat" is technically a fraction of 24, which rounds to 75%. The 750 stamp is the one Italian law requires, the one assay offices apply and the one that carries legal weight under EU regulation.
In plain terms: A piece stamped 750 contains exactly 75% pure gold by weight. If a ring weighs 10 grams, 7.5 of those grams are pure gold. The other 2.5 grams are typically silver, copper or palladium metals chosen to adjust hardness, colour and workability.
Gold purity marks at a glance: 750, 585, 375 and what each means
The 750 stamp sits at the top of a hierarchy of gold purity marks used in Italy and across Europe. Each number corresponds to a specific karat grade and carries different implications for colour, durability, and value.
| Hallmark | Karats | Gold content | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 750 | 18k | 75.0% | Fine jewelry, Florentine gold, heirloom pieces. The Italian and Ponte Vecchio standard. |
| 585 | 14k | 58.5% | Common in the United States. More durable than 18k but cooler in colour and lower in gold content. |
| 375 | 9k | 37.5% | UK and entry-level European market. Lower purity, less warm colour, sometimes used for everyday pieces. |
| 999 | 24k | 99.9% | Pure gold. Too soft for most jewelry. Used for bullion and investment-grade coins. |
The higher the number, the higher the gold content and the richer the colour. 18k gold has a warmth and depth that 14k cannot fully match. The difference is visible to an eye that has handled both.
Who puts the 750 stamp on Italian gold and why it matters
This is the detail that separates Italian gold from most markets. In Italy, a goldsmith cannot stamp their own work. The 750 mark must be applied with a puncher released by Ufficio Metrico, a state-authorised assay office.
This is not a voluntary certification. The Decreto Legislativo 22 maggio 1999, n. 251 requires official hallmarking before any gold article can be offered for sale in Italy. Submitting a piece for testing, paying the assay fee and receiving the official stamp is the legal prerequisite for selling it. The mark on the metal is a government officer's confirmation, not a seller's claim.
"When an Italian assay office stamps 750, they are certifying purity on behalf of the state. It is the closest thing in jewelry to a notarised document."
Next to the 750 stamp, you will typically find a two-letter provincial code, FI for Florence, MI for Milan, VI for Vicenza, AR for Arezzo, identifying which assay office verified the piece. A piece with 750 FI was tested and certified in Florence. That is a traceable, documented fact.
Where to find the 750 stamp on your jewelry
The stamp is small, typically one to two millimetres wide, and placed where it won't interrupt the design but can be found by anyone who looks. The locations are consistent across fine jewelry:
Rings: Inside the band, usually near the shank. Hold the ring up to good light and look along the inner surface.
Necklaces and bracelets: On the clasp, or on the small jump ring connecting the clasp to the chain body. Check both sides of the clasp mechanism.
Pendants: On the bail, the loop or fitting through which the chain passes. This is the most common location for pendants.
Earrings: On the post or the back fitting. Sometimes on the small connector between setting and wire.
A jeweller's loupe (10× magnification) makes reading the stamp easier, particularly on older pieces where the mark may have softened with wear. If you cannot find any stamp at all, that absence is meaningful. Italian law requires it. Its absence means the piece was never submitted for official testing or was not made in Italy.
750 and the alloys that make 18k gold wearable
Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear. A ring made of 24k gold would lose its shape within months of regular use. The 25% alloy in 18k gold is not an impurity, it is an engineering decision, made deliberately to produce a metal that holds its form across decades.
Different alloys produce different results. The composition of that 25% is what creates the colour variations within 18k gold:
Yellow gold (750): Typically alloyed with silver and copper. The copper warms the colour; the silver keeps it bright. The result is the deep, rich yellow that has defined Florentine jewelry for centuries.
White gold (750): Alloyed with palladium or white metals to neutralise gold's natural colour. Often finished with a rhodium coating that can wear away over time, revealing the slightly warm tone beneath. Genuine 18k white gold is still 75% pure gold.
Rose gold (750): Higher copper proportion amplifies the warm pink tone. The 750 stamp confirms it carries exactly the same gold content as yellow or white variants at the same karat.
All three are stamped 750. The colour difference is entirely in the alloy composition, not in the gold content.
The 750 stamp on Ponte Vecchio gold
Every piece in the Boutiques del Ponte Vecchio collection carries the Italian 750 hallmark, applied by a Florentine state assay office before the piece was ever offered for sale. This is not a selling point we created. It is an Italian legal requirement that has governed gold sales on Ponte Vecchio since long before e-commerce existed.
What we add to that baseline is documentation: a Dossier of Authenticity with every purchase, confirming the boutique of origin. The piece carries the stamp. The dossier names where it came from.
For buyers reading about Italian gold hallmarks for the first time, the authentication guide in The Artisan's Library covers the full system, including how to read provincial codes and what physical tests to apply when you receive a piece. Our 18k gold legacy page explains why 18k is the only standard carried on Ponte Vecchio.
Every piece. Stamped 750. Certified in Florence.
All jewelry in our collection carries the Italian government hallmark and ships with a written Dossier of Authenticity. DDP shipping, all duties handled before it leaves Florence.
Browse the CollectionFrequently asked questions
What does 750 mean on gold jewelry?
750 is the millesimal fineness mark for 18-karat gold. It indicates the piece contains 750 parts per thousand of pure gold, 75% purity. The remaining 25% is an alloy of metals such as silver, copper, or palladium that give the gold its working strength and colour characteristics. In Italy, the 750 stamp is applied by a state-authorised assay office, not by the seller. It is a legal certification of gold content, not a self-declaration.
Is 750 gold real gold?
Yes. 750 gold is 75% pure gold, 18 karats and is considered fine gold in every major market. It is the standard for high-quality European and Italian jewelry, and the exclusive standard on Ponte Vecchio in Florence. It is more pure than 14k gold (585) and significantly more pure than 9k gold (375). The alloy that makes up the remaining 25% is present to make the gold workable, not to dilute its value.
Is 750 gold better than 14k?
750 gold (18k) has higher gold content than 14k (585) and displays a warmer, richer colour. It is the preferred standard for fine jewelry intended as a lasting piece. 14k is more common in the United States because its harder alloy composition makes it slightly more resistant to surface scratching, a trade-off that Italian jewelers historically have not considered worth making at the cost of purity. For pieces purchased as a form of lasting value or personal significance, 18k is the finer choice.
Where is the 750 stamp on a gold ring?
On a gold ring, the 750 stamp is located on the inside of the band — the inner surface of the shank. It is typically one to two millimetres wide and may require magnification to read clearly. On Italian pieces, you will often find the 750 mark alongside a two-letter provincial code identifying the assay office that certified the piece: FI for Florence, MI for Milan, VI for Vicenza, AR for Arezzo.
What does 750 mean on a gold chain?
On a gold chain, 750 indicates the chain is made of 18-karat gold — 75% pure gold. The stamp will typically appear on the clasp or on a small tag attached near the clasp. Italian 18k gold chains are subject to the same official hallmarking requirement as all other gold jewelry: the 750 mark must be applied by an authorised state assay office, not self-stamped by the manufacturer.
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