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Hi folks,
Does anyone know of a supplier for a 750 sunk punch please? I mean one where as you look at the punch, the numbers are engraved, and the resulting mark is a sunken rectangle with the numbers raised on the gold.
I can only find cut-in punches , i.e. the punched gold has the 750 as though engraved into the metal.
Skeleton Punch https://www.jewellerssupplies.com.au...12-hallmarking I don't know of a ready made supplier in the UK
I was under the impression they had to marked at a Assay Office in UK. I have all my punches custom made these days so I can keep on top of the quality. The latest punch I had made was a Makers Mark at the Birmingham Assay Office, they did a superb job
You might want to check the Hallmarking Act provisions but I think it is illegal to make any claims yourself on quality of metals. Gold, silver, platinum must be assayed and marked by a proper office if over certain specific weights. Otherwise it is not lawful to sell them.
Thank you China and pearlesence. Good to know that fellow jewellers are looking out for each other....
My situation is a little different. I am registered at the Assay Office in London where I lived for years and happily hallmarked and sold my stuff as we all do. Now, I am living back home in the Channel Islands, where there is no legal requirement to have any goods hallmarked. I am perfectly entitled to mark my goods with my maker's mark and a fineness mark. But it's a small place and if I were to make a false claim, I'd be sued, pursued by Trading Standards and be out of business.
I would much prefer to have my pieces fully hallmarked. However, if I send anything to the UK from here, I will have to pay 20% VAT plus any other duties and as I don't have a business base in the UK, that money is not reclaimable. To say nothing of the fact that not a single postal service or courier will now accept jewellery, as too much went missing. The clue is in the customs declaration stuck to the outside of the packet..... Ok, I can get cover through my business insurance, but the premium for this is bound to be hefty, to say nothing of the hassle! Believe me, I have spent too many hours trying to find a way around this with customs and the Assay Office, who were very helpful.
So I've decided to build my business locally and will have to say goodbye to many loyal customers in London.
Back to the punch - I believe Germany has no official hallmarking requirements and makers stamp fineness marks themselves? Is there maybe someone out there who can recommend a German punch maker please?
Most of us purchase our makers punch through our assay office and don’t have a need for another punch. If we do that for underweight items in the U.K. it doesn’t actually mean anything by law and is often used to give the impression something is better than it is by unscrupulous sellers.
Have you done a search for 18ct?
Thanks Caroline - I have. There are plenty of 750 or 18ct cut-in punches, but I prefer the sunk design like Cookies does for 925 and 9ct. I'll keep looking and post here if I find anything for the benefit of other makers outside the UK.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJ57
I'd suggest M Shaw Engraving, based in Sheffield - I've used him a couple of times and excellent quality.
Thanks Jules, I'll check them out.