Hallmarks · By country
Italian hallmarks
Modern Italian marks identify the manufacturer by number and the province by two letters, which means an Italian piece can often be traced to a specific workshop.
- Marking since
- 1968
- Gives a year
- No
How the system works
From 1968, a star, a number identifying the registered manufacturer, and a two letter province code such as MI for Milan, VI for Vicenza or AR for Arezzo, together with the fineness. Before 1968 the systems varied, including a fascist era mark used between the mid 1930s and 1944.
The marks
| Mark | What it means |
|---|---|
| Star, number and province letters | The Italian manufacturer mark, from 1968. |
The standards
| Figure or mark | Fineness and use |
|---|---|
| 750 | 18 carat gold, the Italian default. |
| 585 | 14 carat gold, mostly for export. |
| 800 | Italian silver. |
| 925 | Sterling silver. |
Dating a italian piece
The 1968 system is a hard floor. Anything carrying a star and province code is 1968 or later, which rules out every claim of Italian antiquity made about such a piece.
Where the marks will not give you a year, date the piece from its construction instead: the catch, the metal, the setting and the cut of the stones. That method is set out in how to date antique jewelry.
Where people go wrong
- The province code is where the manufacturer is registered, not necessarily where the piece was assembled.
- A great deal of gold sold worldwide as unbranded chain is Italian and carries these marks. Their presence says nothing about quality, only about origin and date.
Other countries
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