Understanding 18ct Gold & Jewelry Numbers: What Do '9043' Mean?

Question
Hello
I was recently looking at my mothers engagement ring and noticed inside the band it says "18ct" and then has the numbers "9043". There are no hallmarks and she always told me it was 18ct gold but with no hallmarks i was confused as to whether it is?
Can you throw any light on these numbers?
Thanks

Answer
G'day Anne-Marie and many thanks for your query

The number one rule in Jewelry has always been DON'T PANIC!

You didn'y mention where you (or your mother) lived because not all countries have full UK (British) Hallmarks with five or six stamps.

Many simply mark their jewelry with the minimum needed - in this case 18ct which is enough to confirm the qualiry of the gold content.

The other marks '9043' is probably a Maker's Mark or design number and has no importance except to the store or manufacture - so we can ignore it.

Rest assured - it has the right stamp.

If you need to understand more, you might like to visit the Jewelry Antiques of the 20th Century website at: http://www.jewellery-antiques.com/ where they have a complimentary Hallmarking Course.

Hope this helps.