333
8-carat gold · 33.3% pure
333 means 8-carat gold: just 33.3% pure — only a third gold, the rest alloy. It's a low-purity standard found mainly in Germany and parts of Central Europe, struck as “333” or “8K”. Hard, pale and inexpensive, it sits at the very bottom of what some countries will still call gold — and many others won't recognise it as gold at all.
Hallmark Translator
Translate a purity you know into how any country marks it — gold, silver, platinum, palladium — or compare two countries side by side.
Why 33.3%?
At one part gold to two parts alloy, 8-carat is the lowest gold standard you'll commonly meet — historically popular in Germany for affordable jewellery, where it remains a recognised mark.
Because it's only a third gold it's pale, hard and the most tarnish-prone of the karat golds. Countries with higher legal minimums (much of the world sets the floor at 9K or 10K) don't class 8-carat as gold at all.
Alloy 33.3% gold · 66.7% copper, silver and zinc
And the standards around it
- 3338-carat
- 33.3% — the lowest gold standard; mainly German.
How 2 countries strike 333
The number means the same metal everywhere — but every country marks it differently. Some strike a national emblem beside it; others, like the United States, mark it in type alone. Tap a country for its full system.
Mandatory maker's mark
Voluntary marking
What people actually ask
Is 333 the same as 8K?
Yes. 333 is the millesimal (33.3% pure); 8K is the carat (8 parts gold in 24, which is also 33.3%).
Is 333 real gold?
Yes, but only a third of it — 33.3% — is gold. It's recognised as gold in Germany and parts of Central Europe, but countries with higher minimums don't class it as gold.
Does 8-carat gold tarnish?
More than any other karat gold: two-thirds of it is base metal, so it can dull or discolour over time. A clean and polish restores it.
What is 8ct gold worth?
Only about a third of its weight is gold, so its melt value is low — roughly a third of the same weight in pure gold.
A reference guide, not an authentication service. The same number can appear on different metals, and the mark beside it varies by country, date and maker — consult the relevant assay office or standards body for definitive identification.