What does an Eagle's Head stamp mean on gold jewelry?

The Eagle's Head (Tête d'Aigle) is the official French national guarantee mark for 18 Karat gold (750 millesimal fineness), instituted in 1838.

How do I know if a piece of French jewelry is real 18K gold?

Look for the Tête d'Aigle punch mark on the outer edge of a ring shank, brooch pin, or watch casing alongside a lozenge-shaped maker's mark.

What mark represents French platinum?

The Dog's Head (Tête de Chien) is the official French assay guarantee mark for 950 pure platinum, introduced in 1912.

French Gold Hallmarks & Eagle Head Identification Guide

💡 Key Takeaways (Quick Reference)

Eagle’s Head (Tête d’Aigle): French guarantee mark for 18K Gold (750), active from 1838 to present.

Boar’s Head (Tête de Sanglier): Paris Assay Office mark for 800 Silver, common on small French antique articles.

Dog’s Head (Tête de Chien): Official French mark for 950 Platinum, widespread on Art Deco filigree rings.

Lozenge Shape: French maker’s marks are always enclosed within a diamond/lozenge outline.

French jewelry is globally celebrated for its exceptional craftsmanship, artistic innovation, and strict hallmarking standards. Unlike American or British jewelry where stamps are often placed inside a ring shank, French assay marks were historically punched on the outside surface of precious metal objects so inspectors could verify them without unmounting gemstones.

French Historical Precious Metal Hallmarks Diagram

The Core French Guarantee Stamps (Post-1838 System)

In 1838, France unified its national hallmarking system under the Ministry of Finance. The table below highlights the most common guarantee marks found on antique and vintage French pieces:

Animal Symbol	Metal Standard	Minimum Purity	Era Active	Assay Office Location
Tête d’Aigle (Eagle)	18K Gold	75.0% (750)	1838 – Present	Paris & Regional Assay Offices
Tête de Coq (Rooster)	18K / 9K Gold	75.0% or 37.5%	1798 – 1809	First Empire Historical Mark
Tête de Sanglier (Boar)	Silver	80.0% (800)	1838 – 1962	Paris Assay Office Only
Crabe (Crab)	Silver	80.0% (800)	1838 – Present	French Regional Assay Offices
Tête de Chien (Dog)	Platinum	95.0% (950)	1912 – Present	French National Assay Standard

How to Locate French Stamps on Fine Jewelry

Because French assay marks were applied using steel hand punches, they are extremely small and frequently mistaken for surface scratches or wear denting.

Rings: Look along the exterior bottom edge of the shank rather than inside. For high-end pieces, check the outer bezel gallery or the side of the ring head.
Brooches & Cameos: Check the pin stem, the clasp hook, or along the lower wire bezel of antique cameo mountings.
Chains & Necklaces: Examine the outer surfaces of end-connecting jump rings, spring clasps, or tongue-and-groove box locks.

A ring band held between finger and thumb, a single small oval punch struck into the outer surface of the shank — The scale to expect: a French guarantee punch on a shank, held in the hand. This one is the Minerve mark for 950 silver. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

A jeweller's loupe held over a metal surface, the small struck punch visible and magnified inside the lens — Through the loupe — the swan punch, used on silver below the 800 standard. Without magnification a mark this size reads as a scratch. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Maker’s Marks (Poinçon de Maître)

In addition to state guarantee marks, authentic French jewelry features a Poinçon de Maître (Maker’s Mark).

Lozenge Outline (Diamond Shape): By law, French precious metal manufacturing workshops must place their maker’s initials and a small symbol inside a vertical or horizontal diamond/lozenge outline.
Square / Rectangular Outline: Used for gold-plated, silver-plated, or base-metal costume jewelry items.

Underside of a French silver box, the surface engraved and stamped with a small lozenge-shaped maker's punch and the word depose — A maker's punch by the Paris house of Falize, struck in the lozenge outline French law requires. Photo: Rauantiques. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Silver tastevin held up to the light, with small struck punches visible on the curved inner surface near the thumb rest — On hollow silver the punches land where the metal is thickest — here on the thumb rest of a tastevin. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

French Platinum vs. White Gold Identification

During the Belle Époque and Art Deco periods, French workshops pioneered platinum metalwork. If a piece contains both 18K gold and platinum, you will often find two adjacent stamps: an Eagle’s Head for the gold undercarriage and a Dog’s Head for the platinum lace filigree.

Expert Tip: For a comprehensive breakdown of weight, density, and metal testing between platinum and gold alloys, consult our Platinum 950 vs White Gold Identification Guide.