Look for '14K,' '14KT,' or '585' stamped on the piece. All three marks confirm the same purity standard, with '585' being the European notation for 58.5% gold content.
A Storied Heritage
The functional concept behind the bail, a loop or ring through which a cord passes to suspend an ornament, is documented in ancient jewelry from Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The mechanical bail as a standardized, distinct pendant component is a 19th century development, produced by the industrialization of jewelry manufacturing.
The Perfect Gift
Heirlooms need evidence. Christening jewelry gains it through a name and date, becoming a small artifact of one person's spiritual beginning and the family that kept the record.