Understanding Gold Markings: What Does 14K and 525 Mean?

Question
A yellow gold ring is marked 14K and farther around, 525.  It was sold as solid 14K.  Is gold ever marked as 525?

Answer
Avery, I seriously doubt 525 has been used as a mark for metal quality with gold.  If so, it would represent a metal of 52.5% gold and the rest other metals in the mix.  A number of 525 would be
0.525 x 24k = 12.6 karat.  Certainly, this could not be a mark for 14k.  

14k is figured numerically this way: 24k is pure gold. So, 14k is 14 parts pure gold in the mix with the rest being other metals. The other parts are 10, so the total comes out to 24 parts.

14 / 24 =.583, which is the actual number representing 14 parts pure gold out of 24 parts total. In jewelry, there is a tiny bit of confusion since manufacturers have pretty much been going with 585, started I believe in Europe and very slightly over 14k.  585 is actually 14.04 karat.  This slight addition of gold to the mix assures the metal meets international markings standards, whether or not that was the reason for the slight overage of gold.

The 14k mark is what a 14k ring should say, or the numbers 583 but more likely 585.    Take a close look at the 525 and see if the 2 might perhaps be a worn or miss stamped 585.  If so, there is the answer. If not 585, then the number is likely a reference to style number or some other mark used by the manufacturer.

I do hope this explains the markings for you.

God Bless and Peace.  Thomas.