Hallmarking questions

[ajda]

I have not yet registered for hallmarking, but intend to soon. In the meantime I am not selling any precious metal items unless below the weight thresholds. But I'd like clarification on a few points. I know these questions have probably all been asked before, but it is difficult to find clear, unequivocal answers. In some cases it would appear that different Assay Offices might interpret the law in slightly different ways - I'll probably register with London, in case that is significant. I have put these questions direct to the London Office via their online contact form, but no response.

1. I am not sure about some mixed metal pieces. If an item in silver, more than 1g and less than 7.78g, has a tiny dot of fine gold as an accent (or a bit of gold leaf/foil, as with keum-boo), does the item: a) not require a hallmark; b) only require a hallmark if 'gold' is included in any sales description; c) require a hallmark in any case?

2. A pair of silver earrings or cufflinks (for example) weighing less than 7.78g each, but more than that as a pair - is this treated as two separate under-weight items, or as a single unit thus requiring hallmarks?

3. This is specific to London. I'm looking at their pdf "2015 standard price list", 2nd page down "Hallmarking Charges". I understand the charges per item for applying the marks. I understand additional charges for priority service, non-standard marks, etc. But, apart from return postage, I do not understand the other charges labelled "Additional Services" - handling, processing, logistics, invoice corrections... If I send a package of 50 items by post, what am I actually going to end up paying?

Alan

[SteveLAO]

Hi ajda,

I'm sorry we've been less than attentive on the contact form on the website...we've been having some teething troubles with the website, but hopefully all is now ok!

Anyway, I can answer these questions for you now!:

1 Mixed metal marking can be a bit of a nightmare it's true! In your example, the tiny dot of gold will weigh less than 1g and so there is no requirement to hallmark the item, which is in silver and weighs less that the 7.78g. Mixed metal marking does not apply to gold leaf or gold plating.

2 Treat cufflinks and earrings as individual units, not as a pair. So if each silver cufflinks weighs (say) 5g and the total for the pair is therefore 10g, they will not need hallmarking, as each cufflink is treated as an individual unit, and, as they only weigh 5g each, they are underweight in the eyes of the act. When they are heavy enough, each cufflink and earring will receive individual hallmarks so treat them as individual units!

3 The additional charges at London relate to the following:

Handling charges:
Excessive (full) handling) - if items arrive with multiple layers of wrapping and bags then you will be charged extra for all the unwrapping and re wrapping. If you send in loose, or in a simple plastic bag, then there is no charge for handling

Processing of direct packets- If items are being sent to us direct from a manufacture and therefore the packet does not include a hallnote, we will sort the packet and complete the hallnote on your behalf, for which we charge £5 per packet


Postal packages:
Handling - you will be charged for the handling of post packets at the rate of £3.25 in addition to the post charge. If you deliver and collect in person, you are not charged this fee.
Packet logistics - if the customer changes their mind on multiple occasions as to how they want their packet returned, we levy an administration charge of £5 to cover multiple changes in paperwork

Invoice corrections for taxes and duties - this relates to packets being shipped in from abroad direct from a manufacturer by courier, where all the correct importation documentation has not been completed, or we are expected to pay for freight, taxes and duties (which, indecently we won't do!). The paperwork is extremely time consuming, and so we levy a high charge on this as an incentive for suppliers to ensure all the correct documentation and so on has been completed correctly.

hope this helps, but do let me know if you need further clarification.

[mizgeorge]

Now you've confused me Steve!

We'd always been led to believe that for mixed metals, if the total weight exceeded the threshold for the most 'precious' metal, a hallmark was required. So a bracelet of copper and sterling weighing 17g had to be marked even if the sterling element was below 7.78g, and a 6g pendant in sterling with a gold bezel had to be marked even though the bezel weighed less than 1g. You've confirmed this on a number of occasions in the past.

So how small does the 'dot' have to be before it's treated in the same way as plated/rolled/vermeil and not taken into account?


Can I also ask if you can clarify your answer to point 2. Do trading standards no long consider pairs of earrings or cufflinks to be a single unit (as so many offices have in the past)? I know of a number of people who've fallen foul of this little horror and found that despite following assay office advice, their trading standards offices didn't follow the same rules and considered two 5g earrings to be a pair weighing 10g and therefore above the threshold.

Thanks!

[SteveLAO]

OK to clarify:
In your example you have a silver and copper bangle weighing a total of 17g. The total weight of the whole article brings it over the 7.78g requirement for silver hallmarking so the item will require a mark. Full sliver hallmark "+metal" additional mark

The silver article with an accent of gold - the gold element weighing less than 1g - AND the total weight of the article weighing less than 7.78g will not need to be marked, as the total weight is under the silver threshold, and the gold element is below the gold threshold.

HOWEVER . if you have a silver article weighing 4g with a gold addition weighing 2g totalling 6g - then this will need to be hallmarked, because, although the total weight is less than 7.78g and therefore doesn't fall into the regulations for silver, the gold element is over the 1g threshold, and therefore the regulations kick in because of the gold element. You would, in this case, get the full silver hallmark and a part mark for gold.

hope that's clear?

The gold "dot" needs to weigh over 1g in order for the gold threshold to be exceeded and the regs for gold hallmarking kick in.

Trading standards enforce the hallmarking act, but it's the assay office that provide them with the expertise. cufflinks and earrings are classed as individual units NOT as pairs, and each link or earring will need to be hallmarked if they individually weigh over the weight threshold for the metal they are made of.

If over zealous TS officers query that, you can refer them to the assay offices for clarification. You can also point out that if you only get one hallmark per item, and you're trying to class cufflinks as pairs, how come they each have a hallmark? Answer.....because they are individual items!!

[ajda]

Thanks, Steve. That's very helpful - and great to hear it straight from the horse's (or should I say leopard's?) mouth.

[SteveLAO]

My pleasure...hope that's made it a bit clearer? Mixed metal marking used to be really complicated but nowadays hardly anyone understand the regulations!!

[ajda]

Much clearer, thanks. You've set my mind at rest on those first two issues - mixed metals and pairs - because I have sold a few pieces like that, only afterwards wondering if I'd interpreted the rules correctly. Understanding your pricing is important for me at this stage, so I can work out in advance how hallmarking will affect the prices I need to charge. Incidentally, do many people submit articles that are underweight or do most tend to hallmark only when legally required?

[SteveLAO]

Most tend to hallmark when they need to and tend not to send in non liable stuff. However, there are those who insist of having everything marked as they like to show the mark to their customer...they feel it adds value and allows them to charge more apparently.

[theresa]

Hi Steve,
Just had my hallmarking back and I asked for 3 elements of a necklace to be hallmarked because I thought it would look good for the customer, but only 1 was given the hallmark. Is this policy? Should I have presented the necklace in pieces to get multiple hallmarks?

[caroleallen]

And a question from me. If I were to add a gold element to a silver piece, how would I/the assay office/trading standards know how much that element weighs?