When you see “18K HGE” stamped on a piece of jewellery, it means that it is 18 karat gold with heavy gold electroplate. The part of the stamp that says “HGE” means that it is heavy gold electroplate. Brass is another material that is often used to make jewellery.
All jewellery made from precious metals must be marked with a three-digit number, and sometimes other markings are also needed. Foremost Jewelry says that instead of putting microstamps on small pieces, manufacturers often put the markings on the packaging or the tags. To prove the value of the metal, gold-plated jewellery must also be marked or stamped. Gold electroplate jewellery can also be marked with “GE,” “EP,” “GEP,” “HE,” and “HGE.”
