Another Hallmarking Question

[madsally]

Afternoon all,

A little question about hallmarking for you. Currently I have all my pieces hallmarked, despite many being small and under the weight limit, but obviously this is a considerable outgoing for me since I'm still working hard to get established.

How do you deal with jewellery items that don't legally require hallmarking due to their weight? Do you mark everything, as a sign of quality, or do you save yourself vital money by not having it done if it's not strictly necessary?

I'd love to know,

thanks!

[CJ57]

There would seem to be quite a split on this Sally it came up in another post recently. Some of us go down the sign of quality route and use it as another selling aspect, others working from a much more focussed business point of view remove that cost if it isn't necessary. It would seem to be very much down to the individual and a decision you have to make for yourself If it's going in for assay in a large batch and you can therefore spread the cost.....

[enigma]

I think a big issue is whether everything you make is one -off or whether you can make batches and send in a quantity at a time for hallmarking.
Anything that I can do the latter with is hallmarked even if under weight- so for example ring shanks where I know I will sell a reasonable amount I send a batch in every so often and it works out cost effective.
Items that are made on a one off basis are only marked if over weight or requested by the customer ( and therefore charged accordingly ).

[Patstone]

We only hallmark items over the required weight unless its more expensive items or a commission, on day-to-day items i.e things under £25 we don't bother.

[madsally]

Thanks for your thoughts! Up to now, I've been in the habit of hallmarking everything, but I can't afford to assay very often, and it's frustrating to have finished work sitting around that I can't sell because I've decided it has to be hallmarked first - even though it's under the weight limit.

It could be said I should save money wherever I can at the this stage, and go back to hallmarking everything in the future. I just don't know!

[CJ57]

I think you are right, sometimes at the beginning we've all had to make decisions that are better for the purse! Get some sales under your belt and once you start making bigger pieces at a better price then it all slots into place. So. Any decisions to make

[Mehefin]

Just a quick question.

Cookson sells a Sterling Silver keyring (30mm split ring).......Would this be hallmarked as it weighs 8.4g? Or would a jeweller have to hallmark it?

Might seem odd, but it'll become clearer later.

Thanks a bunch in advance for your thoughts!

Caru

[SteveLAO]

It should be hallmarked.