Hi there
I would like to know if wirewrapped jewellery items have to be hallmarked? Where would the hallmark go and how would you weigh it before sending in?I never had anything hallmarked before, but have a halltmark.
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Hi there
I would like to know if wirewrapped jewellery items have to be hallmarked? Where would the hallmark go and how would you weigh it before sending in?I never had anything hallmarked before, but have a halltmark.
Hallmarking is based on the total weight of the precious metal within an item. For silver, any content that adds to over 7.78gms must be marked. I should think it is unlikely you will reach this weight if you're just wireworking. Having said that, however, you would be surprised how little silver it takes to weigh 7.78gms!
The smallest hallmark is 0.5mm, so it can fit on quite slender wire. However, you might be better to attach a tag - which must be soldered onto the finished item. The only way I can think of to weigh your silver content is to weigh it in advance or to calculate how much you have used by calculating the weight per length of wire you have used. If you buy from Cookies the weight of the silver you have bought is clearly marked on your pack when you receive it.
Where is your mark registered Helenka? I send my work off to London, and they do allow you to send the tag separately and solder it on after marking as long as you send the whole piece as well so that they can assay that. It's a useful thing to do if, for example, the wirework contains lampwork beads that you don't want to risk any where near the stamps and hammers! That does depend on how confident you are about soldering the tag onto a piece with beads in it. I've never had any problem is I protect the beads nearest the soldering with heat paste, use easy solder and solder very quickly!
I usually find it easier to weigh the beads first, and then weigh the whole piece after it's finished and calculate the weight of the silver from that, but it's really a matter of preference.