New to Hallmarking - can unfinished items be hallmarked?

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but have been making silver/gold jewellery on and off for many years. I've previously only made for myself and as gifts for close friends so Hallmarking hasn't really come into it, but other people are now asking if they can order. Question is: I may start making cuff style bangles and want to ask is it possible for them to be hallmarked in an unfinished state i.e. Filed and polished but still flat and not stamped with the clients personal message? It would be easier and also more cost effective for me to send off a number of these 'blanks' in advance of customising for clients. Is that possible? Otherwise it will add a considerable amount to the cost of each if I have to send them in 'P individually when 'finished' Thanks in advance.

I'm pretty sure that's OK - unfinished blanks, even multi-piece items that have yet to be assembled, provided every part (including solder) is included and no extra metal is to be added after hallmarking.
Alan

Yes they can hallmark unfinished items, I do it all the time.

I have learnt something today too, didnt realise that you could get stuff hallmarked before finishing either. Never quite sure about stone set rings, I have always sent stuff up with the stones in it already, and couldnt work out how they know how heavy the actual silver is.

As with most of the trade, I have always sent my items unfinished for hall marking.

James

My recent bracelets were sent in as nothing more than flat sheets. A) they'd have been a pig to hallmark post-forming and B) it's a lot less aggro sending in a batch of flat strip than trying to box up a load of large cuff bracelets...

For example -

Attachment 9145

Hallmarked, then corrugated, then formed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Patstone

I have learnt something today too, didnt realise that you could get stuff hallmarked before finishing either. Never quite sure about stone set rings, I have always sent stuff up with the stones in it already, and couldnt work out how they know how heavy the actual silver is.

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I'm not sure they need to know how heavy it is as you can choose to have things marked even if they are underweight. I often add things to my parcel just to make up the numbers and get the lower batch rate

Thanks everyone! I was hoping that was the case as I can send off half a dozen (or more) at a time to keep the cost down �� Does anyone have knowledge of which assay office is best/most cost effective to use? I haven't registered at one yet as just looking into the implications of making commissions. Thanks again.

I think they all seem to have different pricing systems so you'd need to compare.
I'm with Edinburgh and find them quite reasonable but they did a one off charge for setting up a laser mark which London doesn't seem to. My batch costs seem to be lower than some have mentioned though, swings and roundabouts