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What does 916 mean? what does KDM mean? kdm marked jewelry and 916 marked jewelry.  KDM hallmark

1/29/2021

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First of all, if you are looking for information on hallmarks, jewelry makers marks, or gold purity marks check out our educational pages under the brand tab you will find out much much more information there but we thought we'd summarize a few questions we get from time to time.
What does 916 & KDM mean?
916

This is quite simple, 916 represents the finesse of the gold in the jewelry.  91.6% of gold per 100%. The figure 916 denotes 22 carat (22 ÷ 24 = 916). And if you are wondering why not make jewels in pure gold, often times that depends on what the gold will be used for certain types of jewelry work better with 22k as 24k is much more soft and malleable.  There is some 99%  (24k) pure jewelry however delicate workmanship & intricate designs are not possible in pure gold.

KDM
 KDM & Non KDM jewelry
So what does KDM jewelry mean? Considers the basic process in jewelry crafting, Soldering. Solder, in order to make jewelry will have a melting temperature lower than that of gold, so just the solder melts and joins gold pieces without melting the gold parts. Earlier this solder was a combination of Gold and Copper. Though there was no particular ratio for this solder, generally it was about 60% gold + 40% copper. Since this alloy was strong and easy to make, it was widely used in jewelry. The downside to this solder is that, the purity of the solder is only 60%. So when this jewel is melted, the quality will be less than 22 carat. This is the reason your old jewels may carry an seal of 22/20 (20 carat represents the melting purity).
To overcome this problem and maintain a high standard of gold purity, cadmium began to be used in place of copper. The advantage being that unlike the traditional gold & copper solder, gold and cadmium can be mixed in a ratio of 92% + 8%. In other words the solder itself has a purity of 92%. This ensured the finesse of jewel remains constant regardless of the amount of solder used. Such jewelry using cadmium began to be widely known as KDM jewelry.
But shortly after the introduction of cadmium, it was banned as it was found to cause health issues for artisans working with it and wearing high amounts of cadmium.   After the ban, cadmium was replaced by advanced solders with Zinc and other metals. But the term “KDM” hung on and is still commonly used. So a KDM jewelry means it will have the same purity even when it is melted, as the solder itself has a purity of 92%.
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  • Antique & Vintage
    • Shop By Era
    • Engagement Rings
    • Cocktail Rings
    • Timepieces
    • Gentlemans Accessories
    • Bracelets
    • Earrings
    • Necklaces & Pendants
    • Diamonds
    • From The Vault
    • The Archives: A Collection of Sold Items
  • Custom
    • Custom Jewelry
    • Custom Engagement Rings
    • Recreating an Heirloom
    • Family Crest Jewelry
    • Design Process
    • Schedule Consultation
    • For The Trade
    • More For The Trade
  • Sell To Us
  • Services
    • Appraisal Services >
      • Appraisals
      • SELL TO US
      • Museum Collection Services
    • Schedule Consultation
    • Design Custom Jewelry
    • Recreating an Heirloom
    • Diamond Cutting and Gemstone Repair
    • Jewelry Repair
    • Timepiece Repair
    • Diamond Cutting and Gemstone Repair
    • Find Jewelry For Me
    • Find a Watch For Me
    • Insurance Replacement
    • Host a Trunk Show
    • Layaway Plan
    • Private Collection Management
  • The Brand
    • Our History >
      • Sustainability
      • Military and First Responder Discounts
      • Kimberly Process
    • Our Experts
    • Press
    • Jewelry School >
      • Educational Session
      • Antique & Vintage Education >
        • Ancient
        • Medieval & Renaissance
        • Baroque & Rococo
        • Georgian
        • Victorian
        • Edwardian
        • Art Nouveau
        • Arts & Crafts
        • Art Deco
        • Retro
        • Hollywood Glam
        • Mid-Century Modern
        • Brutalist
        • Art Organique
        • Contemporary
        • Simplistic
      • Diamond Education >
        • Diamond Carat Weight by MM
        • Comparative Round Size Info
      • Gemstone Education >
        • Gemstone Laboratories
        • All About Gemstones
        • Approximate Gemstone weights
        • Carat to MM Conversion
        • Gemstone Colors
        • Created, Synthetic & Simulated Gemstones
        • Equivalents Chart
      • Engagement Rings
      • Diamond Earrings
      • Timepieces >
        • Vintage Rolex
        • Watch Terms
      • Ring Designs & Sizings >
        • Men's Wedding Band Finishes
        • Ring Width
        • Ring Size
        • Wrist Size
      • Custom Jewelry
      • Metals
      • Engraving
      • Birthstones
      • Jewelry Care
      • Jewelry Terms
      • French Terms
    • Be Social
    • Gems by VBS The BLOG
    • Reviews
    • Advice >
      • The Courtship
      • The Wedding
  • Contact