Understanding Gold Karat Stamps: What Does 14K Mean?

Question
Hi Bill or Sally,

Recently, before purchasing a pair of gold earrings on ebay, I sent the seller a
question asking if the earrings in question were stamped with the 14k mark
they were reported as being.
I got the response, that yes they were, so I placed my bid in confidence, and
won the auction.

Upon receiving the earrings, I saw that only the clasp had the 14k stamp, not
the body of the earring. I sent the seller another email asking:
"if the body of the earrings gold, and if they are, whey don't they have a karat
mark. Isn't it the law that all gold bare a karat mark?"

The response I got from the seller is:

"The law is that the earring (including the clasp/ post) of the earring has to
be all 14k gold in order for it to be stamped 14k. Almost all earrings are
stamped on the post because otherwise the design of most earrings would
get ruined by the stamping."

My question to you is, is that true? Can I pretty much relax, and not feel
"taken"?

I eagerly await your response, and thank you in advance.

Patti  

Answer
Hello Patti and thank you for your inquiry. Yes, usually if the item is stamped 14K it means the entire piece is gold. Now comes the however - I have seen items where this was not the case. Usually the stamping is done where it will not affect the actual item - sometimes even on a pin stem in the case of a brooch. If you are concerned, you can take the item to a jeweler and have it tested. That is the only positive way to make a determination on an item if you are suspect. The reasoning the seller gave you, though, sounds correct to me. Hope this helps !