Hallmarking a Cuff Bracelet

[WealdenWoodsman]

Hello all,

First post so please go easy on me!

I have some questions regarding the hallmarking of a Sterling Silver cuff bracelet. Should I have it sent off to be hallmarked before or after shaping (ie as a flat piece of silver sheet or as the finished article)?

Also, I will be applying some punch decoration to the piece so would I need to get it hallmarked before punching the decoration or after? My concern is that the punches will either interfere with the hallmark or the hallmark will interfere with the punch design.

The silver will be approximately 2.5mm think.

Many thanks for you help in advance.

Kindest regards,
Cameron

[CJ57]

Hi Cameron welcome.
That is a thick cuff and will take a lot of hammering! I don't think I've ever used more than 1.2 and often .9 as I fold form before forming into a cuff on some. I'm a bit of a cuff addict at the moment
Anyway that's not what you were asking. I would form and texture before hallmarking although with that thickness of metal I doubt that it would have any impact on your pattern. If you have concerns then you could always have it laser marked which of course doesn't involve striking. The punch design would be more likely to interfere with the hallmark making it unreadable I would imagine
Hope this helps. Caroline

[Dennis]

Yes Caroline has answered it for you. Unless your metal is only around 5.0-6.0mm wide, 1.2 mm in thickness would be ample.

Yes, stamp it and bend it before sending it off, but make sure that there is a smooth place (indicated with a red waterproof pen) for hallmarking. Dennis.

[WealdenWoodsman]

Thank you both for the help and advice. Having only worked on smaller items, your advice regarding thickness was especially helpful.