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View Full Version : Hallmarking help !!!!



Truffle & Podge
07-05-2013, 04:29 PM
I'm currently disabled with mental health issues which means i can only do a little bit now and again if i'm having a good day :(
I'm working on making my own bridal circlet and a few people have expressed an interest in commissioning one from me. As i'm making the circlets out of solid sterling silver and they have a fair weight i would love to get them hallmarked (plus i'm pretty sure its illegal not to). But here in lies my problem, i have looked up the registration process on the Birmingham assay office page and i'm worried as it asks for companies and directors, the way i'm currently feeling there is no way i can do this as a business, just a few bits here and there. I don't want to get into trouble and the registration costs are quite a lot when you are on a limited budget. Does anyone have any advice?
Making the jewellery is good as therapy and rather than just pile up finished pieces it would be great to at least make my costs back (so i can buy more materials lol) but the minute i feel even slightly pressured i know i'm going to go down hill quickly health wise, i just don't know what to do!

mizgeorge
07-05-2013, 04:30 PM
Anyone can register their mark at an assay office - it's quick and simple to do, and is for hobbyists as well as full time makers. If you give them a ring, they're incredibly helpful and will talk you through the whole process in simple steps.

If you don't want to go down that route, you can also use a hallmarking service (offered by our hosts at Cookson Gold for example). The costs per piece are obviously a lot higher, but these can, and should, be passed on to customers. Alternatively, you can always ask someone you know who has their own mark to include your pieces with a batch going in for assay - the mark won't be your own, but you'll be legal that way!

Truffle & Podge
07-05-2013, 04:56 PM
Thanks for replying, all the suggestions were really helpful :ta: do you know where on the cookson gold site is info on the service?, its prob me just being blind ;)

mizgeorge
07-05-2013, 05:20 PM
It used to be somewhere on the knowledgebase - but I'd just give them a call. Perhaps one of the Cookson staff members on here could confirm this though!

LydiaNiz
08-05-2013, 09:05 AM
I'd say my business is just a few bits here and there unfortunately!
I'm not sure Cooksons do this now, a lady made her wedding rings with me, and wanted to get them hallmarked herself, but drew a blank when phoning Cookies. (I sent 'em off with my pieces in the end).
Incidentally, it's not that much hassle to register as self employed - even when only making a couple of bits I did that as I was taking money in return for goods. There's a load of advice here: https://www.gov.uk/browse/business/setting-up

ps_bond
08-05-2013, 10:06 AM
Odd. The info used to be at http://www.cooksongold.com/help/hallmarking.jsp but all I get is article not found now (it was valid about a month ago).

Truffle & Podge
09-05-2013, 01:14 AM
I emailed cookies and they said they don't offer the service, guess they have stopped it :(

Truffle & Podge
09-05-2013, 01:16 AM
And thanks for the info Lydia :)

Keia
09-05-2013, 09:51 AM
Hello Truffle & Podge. I had the same concerns about the costs as you when it came to registering for hallmarking. In the end, I teamed up with some friends - there were 3 of us that ended up registering together and splitting the registration fees 3 ways, but we take care of our own hallmarking jobs fees. If you do it this way you'll need to nominate one person to register and you become their agents, or vice versa =)

Edit: Do you have a friend that is already hallmark registered? Perhaps you could ask them to have an item hallmarked on your behalf and you pay them? It might work as a one-off favour?

ps_bond
09-05-2013, 10:19 AM
If Cooksons are no longer offering that as a service, does anyone else? I have some samples from China sat in front of me that I don't actually want my hallmark on (I didn't make them, so I don't really want my name down as the sponsor).

Goldsmith
09-05-2013, 10:42 AM
If Cooksons are no longer offering that as a service, does anyone else? I have some samples from China sat in front of me that I don't actually want my hallmark on (I didn't make them, so I don't really want my name down as the sponsor).

I am not sure if you can still do it Peter, but back in the old days we used to send unhallmarked import stuff for marking without a sponsers mark and it used to come back with just the LAO mark followed by the assay quality hallmark.

James

ps_bond
09-05-2013, 10:46 AM
I thought that the current minimum was the sponsors mark, millesimal fineness and assay office? We'll have to wait for Steve to get back for him to chip in.

medusa
09-05-2013, 12:49 PM
I thought that the current minimum was the sponsors mark, millesimal fineness and assay office? We'll have to wait for Steve to get back for him to chip in.

I know SAO will hallmark items without registering. I imagine they put their own sponsor mark on it.