Understanding your Jewellery: What does your hallmark mean?
Have you ever spotted numbers like 375 or 750 on a gold ring or noticed a tiny lion on silver? These aren’t random—they’re hallmarks! They tell the story of your jewellery, from the metal content to where it was tested. Let’s dive into understanding hallmarks and discover what these small but significant marks reveal.
WHAT exactly IS A HALLMARK?
Hallmarks have been protecting consumers in the UK since 1327. Precious metals like gold, platinum, palladium, and silver are rarely pure and are often mixed with other metals to improve their durability and wearability. But here’s the catch, you can’t tell just by looking what’s inside a piece of jewellery, and that’s where understanding hallmarks comes in—they guarantee the metal content.
Simply put, a hallmark shows the metal’s purity in parts per thousand. For instance, if you see “925” inside a ring, it means the piece contains 92.5% silver, confirming it’s Sterling Silver, the rest is made up of other metals.
Did you know only the UK independent Assay Offices can apply hallmarks?
Understanding hallmarks: What does a hallmark look like?
A hallmark is like a little passport for your jewellery! It has three compulsory parts that tell you all about the piece:
- The Sponsor’s Mark shows who made the item. This is usually initials inside a shape, identifying the maker, manufacturer, or the business who sent the item in for hallmarking.
- The Fineness mark tells you the metal purity, like 375 for 9ct gold or 925 for sterling silver.
- The Assay Office Mark reveals where the item was tested. If you spot the Anchor, it was hallmarked in Birmingham.
There are also a few extra, optional marks that can reveal even more about your jewellery:
- The Traditional Fineness Symbol was historically used to indicate the metal content using symbols like a crown for gold, or an orb for platinum. While these symbols can still be used, they must appear alongside the Fineness Mark in parts per thousand such as ‘925’ to indicate Sterling Silver alongside the lion.
- A Date Letter changes every year, though it’s not compulsory anymore. For example, 2024 is marked with a ‘Z’. You can find out more about date letters by using our handy guide.
- Common Control Marks are recognised internationally by countries in the International Hallmarking Convention. Assay Offices can apply this mark to ensure the items don’t need to be re-hallmarked when moving between member countries.
- Commemorative Marks celebrate special anniversaries or events such as the King’s Coronation mark which can be applied to items up until December 2024.
Understanding hallmarks helps you learn the full story behind your jewellery and trust its quality.
Does an item have to have a hallmark?
Yes, in the UK, it’s the law for items sold as precious metals to have a hallmark—however there are some exceptions. Here’s a quick guide to the exemption weights:
- Silver: No hallmark needed if it weighs less than 7.78g.
- Gold and Palladium: No hallmark needed if under 1g.
- Platinum: No hallmark needed if under 0.5g.
These weights only refer to the metal itself and don’t include any stones or other materials. Knowing this helps you understand hallmarks better and ensures your jewellery meets legal standards.
Curious to find out more about hallmarking and the history of the Assay Office?
Why not come along to one of our Discovery Days? You’ll get to hear all about our 251-year history, see our stunning Silver Collection, and even take a behind-the-scenes tour of modern hallmarking. It’s a great way to understand hallmarks and learn more about the fascinating work we do at the Assay Office.
If you’re passionate about jewellery, our Discovery Days are a fun and informative way to dive deeper into the story behind those tiny marks.
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Hallmarks are more than just small symbols stamped on your jewellery—they provide essential information about its metal content, where it was tested, and even who made it. Understanding hallmarks not only helps you verify the authenticity and quality of your jewellery but also offers a fascinating glimpse into its history and craftsmanship.
