Parker Sonnet 18K Nib Inscription - Gold Plate?

[sfbrh]

Hi there all. I just stumbled across a listing for a parker sonnet that has '18k' inscribed on its nib. I was wondering if this means it has to be solid 18k gold (perhaps due to advertising regulations) or if it could say 18k and just be 18k gold plate instead? Picture is attached. Thanks!

 

 

[pajaro]

Solid 18k

[Erik Dalton]

18k

[Drone]

The meaning of "18K-750" (long winded version)...

"18K" or "18 karat" means a gold alloyed with other metals (typically silver and/or copper) containing 18 parts pure gold per 24 parts total, or 100 X (18/24) = 75% pure gold by weight. It follows that 24K gold is 100% pure gold. Karats may be expressed as decimal numbers to any number of significant digits, but in non-scientific practice the value is commonly rounded to one significant digit. For historical reasons associated with the minting of English coins, 22K gold is sometimes referred to as "crown gold".

A gold alloy containing 75% pure gold has what is termed a "millesimal fineness" of 750, which means 750 parts pure gold per 1000 parts total. It follows that 100 X (750/1000) = 75%. The millesimal fineness is usually rounded to a three figure number.

750 is the same as 18K when it comes to the percentage of pure gold or "fineness". For example: (750/1000) X 24 = 18K.

By definition, the term "K" or "karat" is used only for gold, not other metal alloys. A measure of millesimal fineness can apply to any metal alloy.

The "fineness" of a precious metal object (coin, bar, jewellery, etc.) represents the weight of fine metal therein, in proportion to the total weight which includes alloying base metals and any impurities.

"K" or "karat" as a measure of fineness must not be confused with "carat" or "ct" as a measure of mass. The carat (ct) is a unit of mass equal to 200 mg (0.2 g or 0.007055 oz) and is used for measuring gemstones and pearls, not metal alloys (like gold).

Alloy metals are added to pure precious metals to increase the hardness and durability of coins and jewellery, alter colors, decrease the cost per weight, or avoid the cost of high-purity refinement.

Warning: Just because something is stamped "18K-750", it doesn't mean anything really if the object is FAKE! One simple test to see if something is fake is to see if it will attract a magnet. Normally gold alloys are NOT magnetic. But be forewarned, whether an object attracts a magnet or not is NOT a conclusive test of whether something contains any gold or not. There are plenty of non-magnetic metals and metal alloys that have zero percent gold content, and it is a simple matter to thinly coat a non-gold metal object so it looks like gold. Also, it is possible to make a genuine gold alloy that does contain some percentage of a magnetic metal, but doing so would be unusual in-practice.

References:

* Fineness (karat)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fineness

* Carat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carat_(mass)

* Gold:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold

* Colored Gold (alloys)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colored_gold

Notes:

* Edited to include a warning regarding fakes being marked as gold.

Edited September 5, 2017 by Drone

[mitto]

+1

[BT_Summers]

I have just taken this image from a listing of a seller who is known to sell fake Parker Sonnets, I think it is the same as yours.

 

In this case, 18K does not stand for gold.

[mitto]

@smiffy20000. 18k does stand for 18/24=750/1000 gold but not on fake pen nibs.

 

Since the pen is fake the claim about the nib having been 18k gold is also fake.

 

And the nibs are not the same. Look at the difference in the quality of engraving and the logo. There is a hell of difference.

Edited September 4, 2017 by mitto

[mitto]

Moreover the gold plated Sonnet nibs do not say anything about them being gold plated. Nor do they say anything about the purity of gold used in plating. These are just gold color.

Edited September 4, 2017 by mitto

[BT_Summers]

Suggest we wait and see from the OP about the name of the seller.

 

I note that the background material is the same.

[mitto]

No, smiffy. Yours is clearly a fake steel nib. OP's is a legit gold nib.

[BT_Summers]

Fair enough.

 

Not sure why you have to be bombastic about it.

 

Keep my distance in future.

[mitto]

Apologis.

Have a look here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/284073-fake-sonnets-surely/

 

And here:

 

http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Parker/ParkerSonnetClones.htm

 

You can see the difference though the nibs in both the linked references are older design.

Edited September 4, 2017 by mitto

[mitto]

Deleted for being double post.

Edited September 4, 2017 by mitto

[BT_Summers]

Here is another pen from the seller who has a reputation for selling fake Sonnets.

 

 

Note the background is the same as that of the OP.

 

I am not going to argue with you Mitto, just not interested, particularly as the links you kindly provided were of no real benefit.

 

I suspect that the OP is looking at a Fake Sonnet with a fake marked nib.

 

 

 

 

[pajaro]

Here is another pen from the seller who has a reputation for selling fake Sonnets.

 

 

Note the background is the same as that of the OP.

 

I am not going to argue with you Mitto, just not interested, particularly as the links you kindly provided were of no real benefit.

 

I suspect that the OP is looking at a Fake Sonnet with a fake marked nib.

 

 

 

 

 

If he's looking at that pic, you are right, it's a fake. What's in the diamond is a tell-tale of a fake, no P over P or W, just two dashes. Other posters thought that this was hard to fake.

[Drone]

If he's looking at that pic, you are right, it's a fake. What's in the diamond is a tell-tale of a fake, no P over P or W, just two dashes. Other posters thought that this was hard to fake.

 

So much for my "The meaning of "18K-750" (long winded version)..." post.

 

I guess it wasn't long-winded enough! Now I'll have to amend it to say "18K-750" means nothing really, when it's on a FAKE nib.

[Beechwood]

I feel sorry for the OP, he has asked if a nib marked 18K relates to the gold content and this has been confirmed.

 

He may be buying that fake Parker Sonnet based on what he has been advised.

[Erik Dalton]

If you have a suspicion that the pen is a fake, and the seller has a reputation for selling fakes, by all means stay away. A low price may be enticing, but being stuck with a fake pen will overpower any savings.

Who is this seller?

[pajaro]

 

So much for my "The meaning of "18K-750" (long winded version)..." post.

 

I guess it wasn't long-winded enough! Now I'll have to amend it to say "18K-750" means nothing really, when it's on a FAKE nib.

 

But the information must have enlightened someone.

[sfbrh]

Thanks for the help guys. It is that seller so I am avoiding buying a fake with your kind help. I had assumed people only bothered faking MBs, Viscontis etc, not Parker's.