QuestionI have a 18K Yellow gold ring with the hallmarks "PM" and "MC". It has 4 small rectangular emeralds and 10 small diamonds. Can you identify the hallmarks for me. I got it from my Grandmothers Safe Deposit box when she passed away. She was 81 years old and died in 2010.
AnswerKenneth,
It sounds like a beautiful piece. I'm sorry that I don't know what the marks stand for. Here's some information that may help you do some of your own research, though.
Many manufacturers use a stamp or maker's mark in their pieces to identify their jewelry as a label and for warranty purposes. Because jewelry stamps can only contain a limited amount of detail, many times a variation of a company logo is used or the initials of the manufacturer or designer within the manufacturer's line.
Many countries throughout history have also developed their own hallmarks that have been placed into jewelry made within that country to identify origin, time frame, and metal content.
There are thousands of manufacturers around the world today. If you then think of all that have been closed, consolidated, design lines within manufacturer umbrellas, or changed names/logos...then consider the number of years that a piece of jewelry can remain in existence, it could be the mark of any one of tens of thousands of manufacturers worldwide.
With all of these variables, it could be extremely difficult to ever determine whose mark it is, but here are some links that you can go to that may help you to learn more:
http://www.modernsilver.com/basichallmarks.htm
http://www.center4jewelrystudies.org/ref_edinfosites.html
http://www.925-1000.com/
http://www.morninggloryjewelry.com/jc/JewelChatMarks.html
http://www.modernsilver.com/MYSTMARKS.html
http://www.illusionjewels.com/costumejewelrymarks.html
Good Luck!
