Hallmarking

What is a hallmark ?

Its the little mark that you can find stamped on a piece of fine metal jewellery, that indicates how pure it is.

Hallmarks for precious metals can be traced back as far as 1238 AD, those that we recognise today were officially made law in the reign of Edward I.

Its purpose a protection against fraud in the UK, identifying the purity of the metal. If a piece of jewellery is stamped with a british hallmark it assures the buyer that it is gold, and it conforms to all laid out standards. 

Here is a list of the hallmarking that can be found on jewellery in the UK.

British Hallmarking Numbers :

9 Carat Gold = 375

18 Carat Gold = 750

22 Carat = 916

Platinum = 950

These numbers are out of 1000

1000 being pure gold

In 1973 the British Hallmarking act came into exsistance and a council was set up on 1st January 1974. The act has strict rules and requires the council is made up of between 16 and 19 members. 10 of these members must be appointed by the secretary of state for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy