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Hallmarking requirements
Hi everyone, I wonder if anyone could confirm something for me regarding hallmarking. I live in the Isle of Man and we have no hallmarking laws here but does any jewellery I sell over 7.78g to a customer in the UK have to be hallmarked? I am registered and have my makers punch but it's just a subject which has come up in conversation with a friend. I just presumed that for my Manx customers hallmarking wasn't an issue but for anything going off island to the UK it had to legally be hallmarked.
Thanks! :)
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I don't know the answer to that...Steve of the London Assay Office will doubtless be along on monday to answer.
However - a fascinating example of jurisdiction - of how laws do and do not apply in different places. (I used to teach law! Clearly still a bit sad)
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I sent Steve a message earlier today to see if was able to advise me. The only bit of info I've managed to find is on the Birmingham Assay Office and it says....
The law applies to everything SOLD in the UK , regardless of where it may have been manufactured. The only exemptions are items which fall beneath the specified weight thresholds which are 1 gram for gold, 7.78 grams for silver, 0.5 grams for platinum and 1 gram for palladium.
I'm not entirely sure how to define "sold in the UK"....would I take it to mean items physically sold within the UK (in which case I'm not in the UK) or items sold to customers in the UK. Very confusing.
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If its sold to a customer in the Uk the regulations apply.
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No so sure. If it can be sold legally on the IoM without a hallmark then, because of free movement of goods it can be sold legally as is anywhere in the EU...But, without looking it up I have a notion that the IoM has an odd semi membership of the EU.
Just as a German item of jewellery has to comply with German regs and then can be sold here without a UK hallmark
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I am no lawyer but I think that the country of sale is determined by the jurisdiction under which the sale occurs. This would be determined by your terms & conditions if the sale involves a foreign country. If you do not have T&Cs and sell over the internet then it would be the T&Cs of the website where the sale was undertaken (e.g. ETSY). In the absence of any T&Cs then I have no idea.
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Enigma, is this 100% correct information? Is there somewhere this is stated, please?
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Its an interesting conundrum but from my perspective, a hallmarked piece of jewellery has more credability and the customer knows they are buying something which has been assessed by the Assay Office as being what it says it is. There are lots of online outlets where people sell things as 'sterling silver' which are clearly not. If Steve doesn't reply soonish, I'd give the other assay offices a call and see what they say?
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The credibility isn't my issue....I have my punch and specific designs are marked....I just want some concrete evidence of what the law is :)
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I'm guessing Steve will be 'in' on Monday if not sooner