Start with the seven-photo jewelry checklist to capture the complete piece, marks, construction, stones, and condition. Then use the jewelry value factors guide to build stronger comparisons from material, maker, condition, provenance, and sold evidence.
Looking at a piece right now? Choose the matching ring, necklace, bracelet, earring, or watch identifier guide, then scan your clearest photo with GemPeek to turn those visible clues into useful search terms and an estimated value range.
Find the clue that unlocks your search
Jewelry identification rarely depends on one dramatic detail. The useful clue may be a number inside a ring, the shape of a bracelet clasp, a signature behind a pendant, the fastening on an earring, or a reference on a watch case. Our guides show where to look, how to photograph it, what vocabulary to use, and how to compare pieces that are actually similar. Each article links its sources and connects you to the next relevant guide, so your research can move from a broad visual match to a focused answer.
Latest articles
- November 2, 2026 Vintage Christmas tree pins: makers, marks, and what they sell for Vintage Christmas tree pins: who made them, how to read Weiss, Hollycraft, and ART marks, what condition does to value, and how to spot import replicas.
- October 31, 2026 Is white gold real gold? What's in it and how to check yours Is white gold real gold? Yes: 14K white gold holds the same gold as 14K yellow. How to read the stamp and spot white-gold-plated or silver pieces.
- October 30, 2026 How to tell if rose quartz is real: color, cloudiness, and glass How to tell if rose quartz is real: natural rose quartz is soft pink and cloudy from tiny inclusions, so crystal-clear candy pink with bubbles means glass.
- October 28, 2026 What does 14k Italy mean? Reading Italian gold and silver stamps What does 14k Italy mean? 14 karat gold made in Italy. How it fits with 585, 750, and the star-number-province mark, and when an Italy stamp misleads.
- October 26, 2026 What is marcasite jewelry? Pyrite, silver, and era clues What is marcasite jewelry? Small faceted pyrite, not true marcasite, usually set in silver. How to judge set vs glued stones, era, and value.
- October 24, 2026 What does 316L mean on jewelry? Stainless steel marks explained What does 316L mean on jewelry? It marks low-carbon 316 stainless steel: durable and tarnish-resistant, but not a precious metal and not nickel-free.
- October 23, 2026 How to sell jewelry online without getting lowballed How to sell jewelry online: pick the channel that fits the piece, describe metal and stones in the exact terms buyers trust, and photograph the marks.
- October 21, 2026 Freshwater vs saltwater pearls: how to tell which you have Freshwater vs saltwater pearls: freshwater are often solid nacre and less round; akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea are bead-cultured. The tells and value gap.
- October 19, 2026 10k vs 14k vs 18k gold: which karat is the better value? 10k vs 14k vs 18k gold compared: 41.7%, 58.5%, and 75% gold, and how that changes melt value, color, wear, and skin reactions for pieces you own.
- October 17, 2026 What is white sapphire? The diamond alternative, explained What is white sapphire? Colorless corundum, the same mineral as blue sapphire, and usually lab-made. How to tell it from diamond and what it is worth.
- October 16, 2026 What does EPNS mean? The silver-plate mark and what it's worth What does EPNS mean? Electroplated nickel silver: a thin silver coat over a copper, nickel, and zinc alloy with no silver in it, so value is design, not melt.
- October 14, 2026 Estate sale jewelry: how to shop it and what to check first Estate sale jewelry is usually pre-sorted, so the finds hide in mixed trays. A 5-minute checklist for marks, clasps, and weight before you pay.
- October 12, 2026 How to tell if a diamond is lab grown (and why home testers can't) How to tell if a diamond is lab grown: no home test or basic tester can, so read the girdle inscription, the report, and the setting's era instead.
- October 10, 2026 How much is 10k gold worth? Melt math, marks, and real offers How much is 10k gold worth? It is 41.7% pure gold, so value is grams x 0.417 x spot per gram, with buyer offers landing below that melt figure.
- October 9, 2026 How to inventory inherited jewelry before you book an appraisal How to inventory inherited jewelry before appraisal: a simple catalogue of item, marks, stones, condition, and photos gets you a faster, cheaper quote.
- October 7, 2026 How to tell if citrine is real: color, price, and the amethyst swap How to tell if citrine is real: most citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst, so the useful question is treated quartz, not glass, at a natural price.
- October 5, 2026 Is zircon the same as cubic zirconia? The mix-up, cleared up Is zircon the same as cubic zirconia? No. Zircon is a natural mineral whose back facets look doubled; cubic zirconia is a lab-made diamond simulant.
- October 3, 2026 How to use a jeweler's loupe: what a 10x lens actually reveals How to use a jewelers loupe: 10x is the grading standard, and the technique is to hold the lens at your eye and bring the jewelry to it, not the reverse.
- October 2, 2026 How to tell if aquamarine is real: color, tubes, and the topaz swap How to tell if aquamarine is real: look for blue and colorless dichroism and fine hollow tubes, and learn why treated blue topaz is the more common mix-up.
- September 30, 2026 Best place to sell gold jewelry: pawn shop, jeweler, or online The best place to sell gold jewelry depends on whether the value is in the metal or the piece. Compare pawn shops, jewelers, and mail-in gold buyers.
- September 28, 2026 How to tell if a garnet is real: color range and lookalikes How to tell if a garnet is real: garnet is a family of species in many colors, and most are inert under UV while ruby glows red, which separates the two.
- September 26, 2026 Thrift store jewelry finds: spot the real pieces before you buy A checklist for thrift store jewelry finds: read the marks, use a magnet, weigh it in your hand, and look past tarnish before you decide what to pay.
- September 25, 2026 Is gold plated jewelry worth anything? What the layer is worth Is gold plated jewelry worth anything? The gold layer starts at a legal minimum of 0.175 microns, so the value lives in the maker and design, not the metal.
- September 23, 2026 Gold vermeil vs gold plated: the FTC rule that separates them Gold vermeil vs gold plated: US rules require vermeil to have a sterling silver base and a gold layer roughly 14 times thicker than a plain electroplate.
- September 21, 2026 How to tell if amethyst is real: color, clarity, and the glass tells How to tell if amethyst is real: uneven color zoning is the natural sign, and a flawless, neon-uniform purple is the tell that points to glass or synthetic.
- September 19, 2026 White gold vs yellow gold: cost, care, and which one to buy White gold vs yellow gold: at equal karat they hold identical gold content, so the real differences are rhodium replating upkeep and nickel sensitivity.
- September 18, 2026 How to tell if amber is real: density, static, and the copal problem How to tell if amber is real using a saltwater float test and a static test, plus why copal, not plastic, is the imitation most owners actually have.
- September 16, 2026 How to appraise jewelry: what you can do yourself and what you cannot How to appraise jewelry at home: decide which value you need, record metal, weight, and stones, then price it against sold comparables, not asking prices.
- September 14, 2026 How to tell if a sapphire is real: natural, heated, or synthetic How to tell if a sapphire is real: heat treatment is routine and does not make a stone fake. Separate natural, treated, and synthetic corundum first.
- September 12, 2026 Karat vs carat: two words, two completely different measurements Karat vs carat: karat is gold purity in 24ths, carat is gem weight at exactly 0.2 grams. Here is how to read both off a jewelry tag.
- September 11, 2026 How to tell if a watch is real: the checks before you pay How to tell if a watch is real: weight, movement sweep, dial printing, and case-back serials, plus the originality question most buyers forget to ask.
- September 9, 2026 How much do pawn shops pay for gold? What the offer is based on How much do pawn shops pay for gold? Offers are built from melt value, not retail: learn the karat-times-weight arithmetic and what to ask at the counter.
- September 7, 2026 How to tell if opal is real: solid, doublet, triplet, or synthetic How to tell if opal is real is a four-way question: viewed edge-on, a ruler-flat join line means a doublet or triplet rather than a solid opal.
- September 5, 2026 How to tell if silver is real: the checks that actually settle it How to tell if silver is real: read the mark first, because EPNS, EPBM and A1 are plating codes, then confirm with a magnet, ice, or an acid or XRF test.
- September 4, 2026 What is estate jewelry? Estate vs vintage vs antique, settled What is estate jewelry? It means previously owned, at any age. Estate is a sales category, not a claim about a piece's age, quality, or value.
- September 2, 2026 How much is sterling silver worth per gram? The melt math How much is sterling silver worth per gram? The melt math is grams x 0.925 x the live silver price, plus why scrapping a designed piece loses money.
- August 31, 2026 How to tell if an emerald is real: the treatment nobody mentions How to tell if an emerald is real: read the jardin inclusions, expect oil or resin fracture filling, and rule out peridot, garnet, and green glass.
- August 29, 2026 What is gold vermeil? The sterling silver base that changes its value What is gold vermeil: 10K or finer gold over a sterling silver base, at least 2.5 microns thick. The silver core is why it has a real melt floor.
- August 28, 2026 What to do with old jewelry: a keep, sell, or repurpose guide What to do with old jewelry: a simple identify, value, then decide framework, why you should never scrap before ID, and what each sale channel pays.
- August 26, 2026 How to tell if a ruby is real: composites, synthetics, and fakes How to tell if a ruby is real: spot lead-glass composites, flame-fusion synthetics, and look-alikes like garnet, spinel, and glass at home.
- August 24, 2026 What does 585 mean on jewelry? The 14K gold mark explained What does 585 mean on jewelry? It marks 14K gold, 58.5 percent pure. See the full fineness table and what the stamp does and does not prove.
- August 22, 2026 How to identify vintage jewelry: clasps, marks, and era tells How to identify vintage jewelry using clasp type, findings, hallmarks, and design period, with the concrete era tells that date a piece.
- August 21, 2026 Is costume jewelry worth anything? When the signature beats the materials Is costume jewelry worth anything? Often the maker's mark matters more than the materials. Signed designer pieces can command a premium, so find the mark first.
- August 19, 2026 How to tell if turquoise is real (and why stabilized still counts) How to tell if turquoise is real: separate natural, stabilized, and reconstituted from howlite and plastic fakes, and why stabilized turquoise is still real.
- August 17, 2026 Rose gold vs yellow gold: does the color change the value? Rose gold vs yellow gold: the color comes from the copper alloy, not the purity. At equal karat, both hold the same gold content and the same melt value.
- August 15, 2026 How to identify a gemstone: what you can read at home and what you can't How to identify a gemstone: read color, cut, and luster to narrow the type, why hardness and refractive index need tools, and what a photo can never prove.
- August 14, 2026 How much is 14k gold worth per gram? The melt-value formula How much is 14k gold worth per gram? Use the melt formula (grams x 0.585 x spot), a worked example, and why buyers pay below melt.
- August 12, 2026 How to tell if jade is real: jadeite, nephrite, and fakes How to tell if jade is real: the cold-touch and heft checks, jadeite vs nephrite, and the A, B, and C treatment grades only a lab confirms.
- August 10, 2026 Platinum vs white gold: stamps, weight, and real cost Platinum vs white gold: how to read the stamps, why white gold yellows and needs replating, and how weight and cost really compare.
- August 8, 2026 Moissanite vs diamond: how to tell them apart at home Moissanite vs diamond: spot the facet doubling, the extra fire, and why a thermal diamond tester passes moissanite as the real thing.
- August 7, 2026 Inherited jewelry: what to do before you sell anything Inherited jewelry and unsure what to do? A calm five-step triage: photograph everything first, skip the polishing cloth, find the paperwork, then decide.
- August 5, 2026 Old mine cut diamonds: how to recognize one in inherited jewelry How to recognize an old mine cut diamond: the squarish outline, high crown, small table, and visible culet that mark a hand-cut antique stone worth keeping.
- August 3, 2026 How to tell if gold is real: marks, magnets, and proper tests How to tell if gold is real: read karat and fineness marks first, know what the magnet test can and cannot catch, and when to escalate to professional testing.
- July 31, 2026 How much does a jewelry appraisal cost, and when is it worth paying? How much does a jewelry appraisal cost? How hourly and per-item fees work, why percentage-of-value pricing is a red flag, and when you can skip the appointment.
- July 29, 2026 How to tell if pearls are real: simple checks before you sell or insure How to tell if pearls are real with the friction test, drill-hole inspection, and surface checks, plus why cultured pearls count as real.
- July 27, 2026 Gold filled vs gold plated vs solid gold: how to tell the difference Gold filled vs gold plated vs solid gold: decode GF, RGP, and HGE stamps, what the FTC standards require, and which pieces hold real value.
- July 24, 2026 Can a jewelry identifier app tell you what your jewelry is worth? A jewelry identifier app reads type, style, marks, stones and condition from photos and gives a likely value range. It cannot test metal purity or treatments.
- July 22, 2026 How to tell if a diamond is real: checks that work at home How to tell if a diamond is real at home: which checks actually work, why the fog and scratch tests fail, and the tells for CZ and moissanite.
- July 20, 2026 What does 925 mean on jewelry? Silver marks explained What does 925 mean on jewelry? Sterling silver, 92.5 percent pure. Learn what the stamp proves, what it does not, and how to spot fakes.
- July 15, 2026 How to photograph jewelry for better identification results A practical photo checklist for jewelry scans: lighting, angles, marks, clasps, stones, and backgrounds that help GemPeek read a piece more clearly.
- July 15, 2026 What makes jewelry worth more? The clues to check first The practical value drivers behind jewelry: materials, gemstones, marks, condition, maker, provenance, and comparable sales.