In the UK, any person selling precious metals must display a Hallmarking Act 1973 notice, as shown below. Silver items being sold over 7.78 grams, and any Gold items over 1 gram must be hallmarked by law. My jewellery and silverware will be marked in accordance with this rule and where they fall below these weights they will not normally be sent for hallmarking.
The Full Traditional Hallmark includes five marks:
Sponsor's mark (or maker’s mark).
Traditional fineness mark (eg. the ‘lion passant’ signifying Sterling Silver).
Millesimal fineness mark (denotes the purity, eg. 925 for Sterling Silver); this figure shows the precious metal content of the article, expressed in parts per thousand. Where different purities of metal are incorporated in the same piece, it is marked to the lowest standard of precious metal used, which guarantees that the quality of the whole piece is no less than the fineness shown.
Assay Office mark; my work is hallmarked at the London Assay Office, signified by the Leopard’s head, which began hallmarking in 1300 and is the oldest Assay Office in the UK.
Date letter mark.
The Hallmark
Is a set of marks applied to precious metals: gold, silver, platinum or palladium.
It shows the item has been tested.
Assures that it meets all UK legal standards of purity (fineness).
Shows where the piece was hallmarked, what it is made from, and who sent the piece for hallmarking.
Three marks are compulsory; the sponsor’s mark, millesimal fineness mark and the assay office mark. The traditional fineness and date letter marks are optional.
