Filling in the Edinburgh assay office form this morning. What does 'sponsers registration name' mean exactly?
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Filling in the Edinburgh assay office form this morning. What does 'sponsers registration name' mean exactly?
Guessed it was just my name :)
You will be famous now Sheena, you'll be a sponsor.
That means you can send in other peoples work too, at your peril of course.
Famous???? I'm not worthy :) I wonder what's going to happen next? It's very exciting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dennis
I'm just registering too - but with Birmingham. I was amazed to get my first choice of letters and shield shape - that has got to be an auspicious sign
Definitely exciting!
I didn't realise about the shape so I just plumped for the first shape that drew my eye. Hopefully it'll be okay. I would have liked to have gone for three letters but as they recommended two that's what I went with. Be interesting to see your one once you're set up. I feel like I'm really moving forward in getting myself set up properly :).Quote:
Originally Posted by Caro
Yes, it is a good feeling to know you will indeed be 'making your mark'
Just got a message that my punch has been despatched and will be here tomorrow morning! I went for my 3 first name initials. I'd love to see yours too once it arrivesQuote:
Originally Posted by Sheen
No message for me so far. I'd love to know how you get on with 3 initials as I think that would be really cool. I'm just a little tempted to change mine :)
Hi Sheena,Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheen
Lovely to hear you are getting your hallmark set up. Its an amazing feeling. When I first started over 10 years ago I hallmarked everything, whether it was over the weight or not. Now I just hallmark things over the weight, or items that I've spent a lot of time on.
If you prefer to have 3 letters - go for it!! Its your hallmark !!
xxxx
I wonder if I can contact them and get it changed? Might try on Monday. You never know :) my great great grandfather was a watchmaker and jeweller in Aberdeen, I now know for sure that he never got himself a hallmark, bit of a shame as it's going to be difficult to find any of his jewellery. But on the other hand his watches are signed :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Petal
As far as I know they order them out with the office so it’ll depend how far on the order is. My 3 initials would have been rubbish especially in the Scots language CAJ or CAK, just doesn’t flow!
I was successful in changing my order to three initials this morning :) The ladies at the Edinburgh assay were all lovely.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJ57
They are all very patient!Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheen
That's great - my punch has arrived but I'm struggling to get a good clear impression. I've never been keen on stamping so I guess practice is needed!
You need to whack it quite hard on lots of scrap!Quote:
Originally Posted by Caro
Another way to gain consistent results is to use a press, but that will cost more money
I've pinched a gurt big 'ammer from my husband and that's working better. Still need to practice! I need a loupe to read it at 1mm.
Yes you need a firm whack with an engineers hammer. I can’t read mine anymore either. I get in such a sweat marking mine even after decades that I have mine mostly laser marked
I've always had my pieces stamped by the Assay Office and never went with having my own stamp. However, why would you want to stamp your own pieces? They have to go in for assaying anyway, or is it much cheaper??
It’s purely a personal choice and gives you total control of where you want it marked.I’m not sure back in the day there was a choice of leaving it with them.Given that they vandalised your work anyway, the last think you’d want them to do was decide where is should be marked! When I was at ECA we used the college punch and did it ourselves before we registered. It was all part of our training I suppose. I’ve always had mine at home, it’s part of the final process of making my mark on something I’ve designed and worked on for hours. I seem to make a lot that can’t easily be marked like that so thank goodness for laser marking
Thanks for that Caroline. So you just stamp your makers mark and it gets sent in for testing and the rest of the stamps..
Yes, when I first had my assayed they came back in a shocking state, but we now have a good arrangement, where they stamp it where I have marked it and its only a light stamp and no major hammering going on!
Yes you just stamp your makers mark and send in. I’m not sure if there is an extra cost to them doing it all.
Back in the day before technology they took a scrape of each surface so it was all usually sent in only just soldered together and not even filed down as there would be so much work to bring it back. Sending in a finished piece wouldn’t have been considered. Now you wouldn’t know they had been as it were!
Do they always put the official hallmark next to the sponsors mark?
I was planning on stamping the backplate of some pendents but it will be behind the stone. If I sent them set they could break the stone but if I sent unset then stamping surely would crush the unsupported bezel - or do they have ways round this?
I wouldn't have a hallmark around any set items myself and would plan on marking it somewhere else, or sending it unset?
Set or unset they can’t punch mark behind a setting only on a flat or curved area of your work. The only way you could have your marks behind a setting would be to laser mark and then I’d set afterwards. If it’s on rings you’d want the mark on the shank opposite the setting. They usually have guidelines on where best to mark, I’m sure Edinburgh do. I usually put mine centre of a piece for laser marking or on outer edge for a punch mark. It depends on the design and where it can be supported so as not to distort the piece of work when it’s struckQuote:
Originally Posted by Caro
Thanks CarolineQuote:
Originally Posted by CJ57
The only info they've sent me are the hallmarking rules and some sketchy advice on completing the submission notes. No useful practical information on how to place a HM or even how much space a full punched hallmark needs. Really basic newbie stuff! I've now sent a list of questions to the very nice customer service person.
If you think of marking any metal with a punch then think how it will be supported from behind so that there is metal behind your work to take a hammer blow without denting or deforming the shape. On a flat metal plate or on a stake in a vice? You won’t always have the right stake or surface for everything so choose an area that will suit your needs. If that’s too much of a problem then give your punch to the assay office and mark the spot and they have the equipment to suit everything. The marks always run in a line starting with yours I think
This might help you from the Edinburgh office, it’s all downloadable so perhaps do a search on your office website too or look through the Edinburgh site as there are a lot of downloads.
https://www.edinburghassayoffice.co....king_Guide.pdf
Dear All,
I just wonder how hallmarking works. Do my pieces have to go through London Assay office Goldsmiths or is there a way I can get 925 printed on them as in market silver jewellery... I am trying to find a low cost or easy way instead of taking everything to Farringdon each time I make jewellery and it has to be bulk too? Just what happens when you have five pieces or less.. Can I get a punch and punch it myself? Also If my 925 piece has a stone, how is it all weighed to check over 7g approx. Is there a guide as I don't have much idea.. Are there other offices that are cheaper or....I really appreciate the help and this is a great forum. Thanks
Short version is every silver item over 7.78g (excluding stones) sold in the UK legally needs to have a hallmark; 925 is not. If your pieces are under 7.78g then you can mark them 925 and sell them like that, but it still isn't a hallmark (a while back I stamped a piece of copper with 925 to try and demonstrate the folly of trusting it).
It's more economical to send multiple pieces for assay at the same time; all the offices have broadly similar charges, although they all operate their own pricing structure.
The Hallmarking Act & the guidance notes from London Assay Office are a good thing to read up.
Ok I see. Thank you... Looks like all roads point to London Assay Office. I shall re-register. Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.