hallmarking

There seems to be a lot of confusion about hallmarking, and there are lots (and LOTS) of items advertised as hallmarked when they are not.

Hallmarking is a specific legal process involving the chemical analysis of each individual item by a licenced Assay Office. It is designed to ensure you, the customer, are not being cheated by ensuring the authenticity of the piece you are buying. Here's a few basics:

• The symbols used in Hallmarking are legally specified and at a minimum contain:
• A sponsor's or maker's mark
• A metal and fineness (purity) mark
• An Assay Office identification mark.
• In the UK, all items of silver, gold, palladium, or platinum above a certain weight, are required by law to be hallmarked if they are offered for sale.
• In the case of silver, any item offered for sale weighing more than 7.78g must be hallmarked. If it is not hallmarked, it is illegal to advertise it as silver.
• Any other mark applied by anyone else, such as stamping "925" or "sterling" on a piece, is NOT hallmarking, and cannot be relied upon.

You can find out more about hallmarking at the UK Government website and also at the London Assay Office website.

Monkhaven hallmarks

The hallmarks used on pieces I have made are as follows: