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Thread: Want to know ALL about hallmarking???

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by pearlescence View Post
    EBay is just a scam place for jewellery these days. I stopped trying to deal with the UK sellers of fake Tahitian and South Sea pearls (invariably freshwaters) They either knew exactly what they were selling and were rude or had themselves been scammed and were defensive. But the prob is, of course, that people go on there and see the prices and wonder why tahitians there cost £20 and mine in my website are hundreds or thousands (The answer is, of course, because mine are real!As the actress said to the bishop)
    and the teleshopping channels! I actually bought two SS pearls off ebay (I seem to recall you had good things to say about the seller) and my mother was horrified at the price saying that she'd seen pearls almost the same on the TV shop for about £20. Would have it that the TV channel could be scamming.

  2. #12
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    There are a couple of decent eBay sellers but you need to know who. There are some big companies selling pearls on shopping channels and the pearls are cack, talked up massively to be great quality (they aren't)
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
    www.pearlsapractical.guide
    www.Pearlescence.co.uk

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveLAO View Post
    The trading standards have the legal power to enforce the law, but no specialist knowledge of the subject, and the assay office is the other way round, so we work very closely together. Ebay is a real bugbear of mine as its full of stuff that's wrong in one way or another, and from what I can see ebay don't seem to be policing this. Everything from a Victorian sovereign dated 1918 (someone paid £300 for that), and then there were some 9ct sovereigns for sale!!! not to mention modern cast stuff sold as antique with cast hallmarks, stuff with fake marks and all sorts. I think the problem may be that TS departments are regional and ebay is on line so nobody appears to be taking responsibility. We've had some success by personally contacting the sellers of this junk and some have been withdrawn from sale, but i think that's just a drop in the ocean.
    TeeDee: I've tried asking a question to the guy selling the silver bangle, but it's bounced back saying due to the number of questions he's being asked, he's not able to answer my question!!!! That says it all I think!! Have a look in his feedback and someone has sent some stuff back to him back saying it wasn't Sterling!
    Steve,
    Thanks for your response. If you do fancy pursuing further, the seller should be contactable using the eBay messaging system (click on the sellers name and it should bring up basic details and a contact button)rather than email. Whether you would get a reply is another matter.
    Playing Devil's Advocate then, if TSOs and the Assay offices are not sufficiently resourced to tackle the problem should we just accept that there are plenty of scammers that will carry on scamming and dare I say it plenty of 'happy' and blissfully ignorant customers who are convinced they have just collared a bargain?
    I for one would be happy to report rogue sellers if I thought action could be taken, but wouldn't take the trouble if nothing can be done.
    As you may know I am relatively new to the trade but I do try to learn and play by the rules. Blatant flouting irritates me intensely. I'm fortunate that for me It's a hobby which may also provide a small income if I am lucky. For many who have spent years training and developing their businesses The rogue traders must be a major source of annoyance.
    Any advice welcome
    Many thanks
    Tim

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveLAO View Post
    TeeDee: I've tried asking a question to the guy selling the silver bangle, but it's bounced back saying due to the number of questions he's being asked, he's not able to answer my question!!!! That says it all I think!! Have a look in his feedback and someone has sent some stuff back to him back saying it wasn't Sterling!
    Because he's a business seller, his personal address and email address are actually displayed. Maybe his local TSO could pay a visit? If people didn't buy counterfeit cr@p like this, then maybe the market would dry up a bit

  5. #15
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    We're onto this guy having made a test purchase....so watch this space

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post
    Steve,
    Thanks for your response. If you do fancy pursuing further, the seller should be contactable using the eBay messaging system (click on the sellers name and it should bring up basic details and a contact button)rather than email. Whether you would get a reply is another matter.
    Playing Devil's Advocate then, if TSOs and the Assay offices are not sufficiently resourced to tackle the problem should we just accept that there are plenty of scammers that will carry on scamming and dare I say it plenty of 'happy' and blissfully ignorant customers who are convinced they have just collared a bargain?
    I for one would be happy to report rogue sellers if I thought action could be taken, but wouldn't take the trouble if nothing can be done.
    As you may know I am relatively new to the trade but I do try to learn and play by the rules. Blatant flouting irritates me intensely. I'm fortunate that for me It's a hobby which may also provide a small income if I am lucky. For many who have spent years training and developing their businesses The rogue traders must be a major source of annoyance.
    Any advice welcome
    Many thanks
    Tim
    It makes me cross too....flouting hallmarking regulations these days seems to be, for those who do it, no big deal.....but as we all know it IS a big deal! In the old days punishment for offenders included death!!! Some would say it's a shame they've abolished that, and the pillory and suchlike , but it does go to show how seriously the crime was taken in those days. I think far more public education and awareness is part of the answer, and there certainly seems to be a lot of interest in it, judging by attendance at our seminars on the subject, which are generally sell-outs. With the start of internet and so called annonymous trading on line, its opened the floodgates for the scammers though, as its so difficult to police. Just ask people like links of London, who apparently have a whole department dedicated to trawling the net finding fake sites.....

  7. #17
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    Many thanks for the feedback Steve. I'm sure many will be interested to know the outcome if you are permitted to reveal.

    As I seem to have diversified your original thread, just a quick reiteration of my original post.

    The Hallmarking Seminar was a really valuable experience which I would thoroughly recommend to anyone and in particular those who are new starters and considering marketing their work.
    Tim

  8. #18
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    I went on the day seminar tour of the London Assay Office and Goldsmiths hall and learned soooooooooooooo much. amazing day. I wrote all about it in the blog on my website (thanks to stevelao for pix)
    top tip from the assayers..please don't wrap items individually because they spend their lives undoing little plastic bags and getting things out of them and putting things back in them. When I checked with one, her eyes lit up at the suggestion of a compartmenty plastic box. Make your assayer happy!
    http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/blog/http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/blog/
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
    www.pearlsapractical.guide
    www.Pearlescence.co.uk

  9. #19
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    Steve, have sent you a PM re hallmarking info!

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