Hallmarking

[Dawny]

I make my own jewellery from sterling silver, mainly rings at the mo, and was wondering - IF I intend to sell them does the silver need the 925 hallmark on it?

Is this something I can do, or do they need to be sent away to a place like cookson to be done 'officially'??

Please help me, I'm stuck.

[MuranoSilver]

If they weigh under 7.78g then you can use a 925 silver stamp yourself - providing you are genuinely using 925 silver. You have to be able to prove this to Trading Standards if they ever challenge you about it.

Over that then it has to go to an Assay office for a full hallmark, either direct or through a registration service
So make em under 7.78g and stamp them yourself. ;)

Nicx

[HMPjewellery]

Hi Nic
I have my hallmarking all sorted out but i very rarely go over the amount, so is there anywhere you can get just a 925 stamp? have found some on beaducation, with the little attachments to stamp it onto
But i was wondering if there are any uk based places?

Hannah

[MuranoSilver]

Just stamp it on yourself (I think cookson sell the stamps)

[Milomade]

Is it a legal requirement to stamp your work?

I'm just starting out and so don't know if Ihave to go to the expense of registering with the assay office and all that. Can I not just get a stamp made myself and stamp work myself rather than getting the assay office to do it?

Seems like a lot of hassle to send stuff off to them to get stamped as I'd have to send stuff off unfinished.

[MuranoSilver]

If it's sterling silver & the sterling component weighs more than 7.78g then you have to get it done by the assay office. The weights are different for other metals.

A 925 stamp not a Hallmark, a hallmark has extra components such as a Makers Mark, A Fineness Mark (e.g. 925 is sterling silver) and the Assay Office mark (e.g. The Anchor for Birmingham).
It may also have traditional fineness marks (such as the lion for sterling silver) and a date stamp.

If unsure phone one of the Assay offices up and ask their advice, they're really helpful. There's also a lot of infor here...
http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/hallmarking.html

Nicola x

[Milomade]

So if I didn't get any of my silver pieces marked and sold them would I be breaking the law?

Is it a legal requirement?

[Redkite]

Yes, sorry, you are not allowed to sell it without a hallmark if it weighs more than the limit.

You have to pay to register yourself with an assy office every year and you have to pay "up front" to have a stamp made up with your registration initials or symbol on it. This is kept at the assy office and when they get your piece they test it, stamp it and return it (for another fee, of course!).

The "per item" fee isn't too bad, but if you're preparing for a craft fair or whatever, you have to factor in the time delay (a few days to a week)

[Milomade]

Sounds like an awful lots of bother.

Here's another question. If I'm making jewllery from antique tableware - sterling silver forks and spoons - would they need to be sent off to get marked?

[pauljoels]

I am not sure on all the hallmarking rules, but have also looked into this, and on the assay websites I think there are details of discounts for students - I know it's still a hassle, but might help reduce the cost in the first instance.

[AlexandraBuckle]

So if I didn't get any of my silver pieces marked and sold them would I be breaking the law?

Is it a legal requirement?

I thought - though i may be wrong - that you could sell unhallmarked work as long as you don't claim that it is silver or whatever, or does this only count for work underweight?

The only reason I ask is that I rang the assay office recently to ask about my tiara rings - they are tiny and very light but i normally get them hallmarked anyway.
I asked them whether i can still describe them as silver if they are underweight and unhallmarked and she said I had to describe them as made from precious metals.

So i decided to carry on getting them hallmarked as i want to describe them as sterling silver.

To me this doesn't fit in with what others have said about stamping underweight work yourself? Surely if you put 925 on it you are saying it is silver...?

Am I getting completely muddled...? Has anyone else been told a similar thing?



I find all the rules very confusing.

[MuranoSilver]

If you phone the Assay office, they'll confirm that these are the current rules
(I just spoke to the London Assay Office ;)):

For silver: If it weighs under 7.78g then you can use a 925 silver stamp yourself - providing you are genuinely using 925 silver. You have to be able to prove this to Trading Standards if they ever challenge you about it.
(e.g an Invoice from cooksons showing that you purchased 925 wires, sheet etc).

Over that then it has to go to an Assay office for a full hallmark, either direct or through a registration service. So make em under 7.78g and you can add the 925 stamp yourself.

It's 1g for gold and 0.5g for platinum, there are different rules for mixed metals but they're all available from the Assay office.
Nicx

P.S> If you're selling silver, gold etc then you also need to have a Hallmarks on Precious Metals sign on Display (also available from the Assay Offices)

[Milomade]

Thanks for the info - very useful. So if my pieces are under 7.78g and I don't stamp them I can still sell them but can't say that it's silver even though it is.

I'd better get myself a 925 stamp...off to look on the CG site now to see if they do them.

[Milomade]

all I can find are these:

http://www.cooksongold.com/Findings/Pack-Of-10-Silver-Oval-Hallmarked-Tag-With-Hole-At-The-End-prcode-NVB-003X

[MuranoSilver]

Thanks for the info - very useful. So if my pieces are under 7.78g and I don't stamp them I can still sell them but can't say that it's silver even though it is.

I'd better get myself a 925 stamp...off to look on the CG site now to see if they do them.

You CAN stamp them as long as it's under weight and you can prove it's silver. Then as it's stamped you can describe it as silver too - by stamping it 925 you are describing it as sterling silver. Call the assay office and they'll go through it :)

If you're describing things as silver at shows, craft fairs retail outlets etc then you need to have the "Hallmarks on Precious Metals" Card displayed.
again the assay office will sort you out.

Nicola

[Milomade]

Can't find a stamp on the cookson gold site anywhere. Where can I get one? I'm currently making a load of small drop earrings and they're all under 7.78g - I want to sell these through one of my stockists in Fife as well as on my on website and want to state that they are silver.

[MuranoSilver]

You'll find them under tools: then use the side bar to select "Marking Punches"
Here's a quick link http://www.cooksongold.com/category_select.jsp?category=Jewellery-Tools&Range=Marking_Punches&Size=0&Type=0&show=N&prdsearch=y&pagenum=0&orderby=numpicks&numperpage=100&submit.x=12&submit.y=9

Nicola x

[Milomade]

Thanks for the link, but I found one on eBay before I read your latest post. Thanks for all the info on hallmarking too. It's good to get this kind of info from an expert. Once my skills get better and I start making bigger more complx pieces I get my arse down to the assay office in Edinburgh. In the meantime I'm happy to go ahead and stamp everything 925.

[AlexandraBuckle]

Thanks for clearing all this up for me! Think I get it now :)

Does make me a little cross that I was told something different. I've spent loads hallmarking stuff - nearly all of my pieces are underweight!

[pauljoels]

I knew about having to display the Precious Metals sign when selling, but what if you are selling to a shop? Do you just have to make sure you have a copy with you so they can check it if they like?

[MuranoSilver]

If you're selling to a shop I guess it would depend on what basis -
e.g. If the shop doesn't pay you until it sells then it would technically
still be yours (in which case you might need to provide the sign).
If it's a jewellery shop then it should have its own.

[Metalicanna]

I bought a hallmarking stamp from Cooksons for rings which just says "SIL". Does anyone know if its OK to use this instead of 925? Also, how do you use a hallmarking stamp? I've tried hammering the stamp onto a bit of scrap silver but it doesnt leave an imprint!

Any help gratefully received.

Anna

[Milomade]

whack it hard...

[Ominicci]

My hallmark has been ready for use at Edinburgh for a while now (just haven't got round to making stuff recently!!) But still not sure if I will get the under 7g stuff hallmarked yet. If it is big enough to look like it should have a hallmark then I think I might e.g. rings or pendants. But earrings I might not.

[ps_bond]

I hallmark everything I can, no matter how small. It's an extra selling point and it gives a permanent record of the maker (and people like having a hallmarked piece of custom jewellery IME). AOL encourage this attitude :D

I was at Goodwood the other week, and one of the shops there was selling a variety of items as silver (stamped 925 too) - yet without displaying the hallmarking card, nor were the items that needed to be hallmarked (large cuff bracelets are going to be well over 7.78g!). Grr.

The hallmark is there as a guarantee to the customer that the work is of at least the fineness described. Form what I've heard, the situation is very different in France, where it indicates that the tax on that fineness has been paid...

[Unhindered]

I thought you only had to pay to register every 10 years? I bought my hallmark a few months ago and it cost me £30 for being a full time student, and secured my makers mark for 10 years so I just assumed I would be registered for 10 years but I could be wrong! I also didn't realise it was a legal requirement to hallmark! I guess if you are just selling to friends and family it isn't important as I have done previously.

[kymbi]

Registration does last 10 years, that is for your maker's mark, which can then be renewed at the end of the 10-year period.

[CyberPaddy66]

The way I understand it is you do not HAVE to hallmark anything under 7.78grams but you can sell it as STERLING SILVER, we called the assay office about some ear wires we bought and they explained it to us like this...

Marking everything you make from Sterling Silver with 925 and a logo (you are allowed a makers logo which has nothing to do with your makers mark BTW) is fine as long as the Silver content of your piece does not exceed the 7.78g weight limit, anything over that and you MUST get it hallmarked or you can't sell it as Sterling Silver but have to describe it as being 'White Metal' instead.

For what it's worth I'd get everything over the 7.78g weight limit hallmarked as it adds to the value of the item, under that and I just give it a whack with a 925 stamp and a Logo.

[Milomade]

Just re-awkening this thread as I havea current dilema - I'm making rings from sterling silver cutlery at the moment - the handles have their original hallmarks on them and these are what I use to make the rings so they're all hallmarked on the inside with the original hallmarks. Some of the rings weigh over 7.78g - would I need to send these off to the assay office to get hallmarked if they're alrady hallmarked? I'm presuming that I wouldn't because of the nature of the piece.

if making rings from silver spoons, I've also been flattening and planishing the spoon bit that I've cut off and wondered what I can do with these and some of them weigh 11g. If I cut it in half and make a pair of earrings - each earring weighs less than 7.78g. Or do earrings get treated as a pair when it comes to the weight?

[snow_imp]

Hi, I posted the following question on another thread, but it didn't get an answer, I'm hoping it will here.

I've just made my first piece of sterling silver jewellery - a chain maille necklace including beads - and wanted to know how the hallmarking would work.

I'm assuming they won't hallmark all the jump rings in the chain maille.

Because I haven't yet mastered making my own clasps I've put a clasp I bought from Cookson on the necklace and the clasp is already hallmarked as sterling silver so I'm assuming they will not put the hallmark on the clasp.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

[Solunar Silver Studio]

To both you, Anne and Milo, I would say phone up the Assay Office. I use the one in Edinburgh and they really are the nicest, most helpful and unofficious people. When I first started to think of hallmarking I was terrified of phoning them but they were lovely and spent about half an hour on the phone answering all my questions - which I am sure they have heard hundreds of times before - but they were great. I'm sure they will help you out with more interesting questions like yours, Milo, and I would love to know the answer about the spoon handle rings! As far as I understand it the hallmarking applies to any single item that contains more than the 7.78g of silver - so earings would be viewed seperately....but don't quote me on that!!

As far as chainmaille is concerned Anne, Mizgeorge is the resident expert on maille. I make fine silver bracelets where all the links are fused together...so I'm not sure how they go about hallmarking an item where all the links are still removable, open jumprings. I have my hallmark stamped on a little pmc heart tag which I attach to all of my chains...and I know you can get sterling silver tags that you can get hallmarks put on - but again - I don't know how that would work if they are not actually soldered onto the chain. You could get all the links hallmarked but it would cost a fortune!! as they charge per hallmark application...

But I really, really would reccommend you give them (the assay office) a call.....

[Milomade]

I'll give them a ring on Monday.

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Fantastic...there is nothing like getting it from the horse's mouth!! Let us know what the answer is won't you:Y:!!!

[snow_imp]

Thanks for the help, I'll try calling on of the assay offices. :ta:

[Ominicci]

I know when I asked them about my chain maille bracelets they said they had to be hallmarked even if the links weren't soldered closed. But I usually put a larger ring at the end for the clasp so I assum ethat's the one they will hallmark - I haven't asked or sent any yet.

Milo - I have had a quick read through the Hallmarking Act on the London Assay Office's website http://www.assayofficelondon.co.uk/docs/Hallmarking%20Act.pdf and in Section 5 on page 6 it says "...it shall be an offence for any person to make an addition, alteration or repair to an article bearing approved hallmarks, except in accordance with the written consent of an assay office." :eek: But I'm sure I've seen jewellery made from cutlery before!

[Milomade]

I reckon that is regarding existing jewellery. Didn't get a chance to call the assay office today - I'm too busy this week with web work.

[fi79]

I just handed in my form to the Edinburgh Assay office today. V exciting! You're right Solunar - they're very helpful!

[mochiandmocha]

About 925 stamps, can you use them on argentium? Also, what do you use for fine silver?
Thanks.
PS: Grrr, I really hate all the legal aspects of making jewellery, so confusing!

Mochi's Joke of the Day:
"I wanted to ask about hallmarking, so I gave the Assay Office a ring... and they stamped it!" :(|

[Solunar Silver Studio]

I just noticed the other day that Cooksons have 999fs stamps. They did say they would get them eventually...both straight and swan neck!!:Y:
Swan Neck. Punch '999fs', 1mm Marking Punch For Fine Silver,pmc Or Art Clay - Cooksongold.com (http://www.cooksongold.com/Precious-Metal-Clay/Swan-Neck.-Punch-999fs-1mm-Marking-Punch-For-Fine-Silverpmc-Or-Art-Clay-prcode-999-730A)
Straight Neck. Punch '999fs', 1mm Marking Punch For Fine Silver,pmc Or Artclay - Cooksongold.com (http://www.cooksongold.com/Precious-Metal-Clay/Straight-Neck.-Punch-999fs-1mm-Marking-Punch-For-Fine-Silverpmc-Or-Artclay-prcode-999-730B). One of these will be in my basket at the next free-post...but I can't decide which one...the swan neck would be the most useful as I am doing fine silver rings now - but how hard is it to use a swan neck punch?? Any one any experience of using them??

[mochiandmocha]

Great thanks!
We were wondering as well about the swan neck, can you use it on normal flat pieces too? If so, why bother buying both?

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Yes - the assay office recommended that I get a swan neck sponsor's mark (which they are keeping for me) as it can be used on both flat pieces and rings...It's just that I don't know how awkward it is to use in untrained hands!!:-O

[Trudy]

I also registered at the Granville Street office (or whatever it's called) as they allow you to take pieces in by hand, always useful if you have a rush job on.:Y:

Do you know if you have to pay extra for taking items in directly? i was planning on taking a packet in tomorrow for the first time and have just noticed a charge on the price list called 'Processing of direct packets' for £10.....I presume this is for them booking it in at the counter for you? :confused:

[geti-titanium]

Good news everybody! A girl I used to fancy at school just got back in contact with me - as you were, back to hallmarking!

[Emerald]

aaaah bless you Alan xx