Originally Posted by
Patstone
Hallmarking is also my bone of contention. I live in Devon so chose the London Assay office, look out Steve here it comes. We chose London because we liked the hallmark!!!!!, and the people seemed really nice when I rang up initially. Here is my opinion, the Assay Office is a bit naughty putting a price for 5 items or under at £15 or whatever it is. Very often I get a commission and as I am a bit slow making and finishing, a job can take me up to a week, (its a hobby, not a 12 hours a day job, ) I do work most afternoons but only for a couple of hours if that depending on what else I or hubby wants to do. During that week, I dont normally make anything else, apart maybe for a pair of little earrings or something just for a change from something a bit more challenging. To send commission up to be hallmarked is £15 for 5 items or under, then add £5 for registered post to send up (normally in a chinese takeaway box with padding and in a jiffy bag). There is a nominal charge for hallmarking which I am fine with, but then they charge about £13 to send it back in the same box and jiffy bag that I sent up to start with, which I bought in the first place. It isnt as if it comes back by courier, its just the same post as I sent it up in so cost is £5, and they didnt have to supply packaging either. So an item that should have cost about £15 costs about £30. Most of the items I make I try to keep under 7.78 grams simply because the cost of the Assay office, so they are losing out, I would love to get all my things hallmarked but if I add £30 onto the cost of the item, it wouldnt sell in the craft markets. If I could spread the cost by putting more things in the bag, that would be different, but most of my things are pendants, rings and earrings, and as a hobby I dont spend all my spare time doing jewellery, I have retired and I plan to enjoy it.
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