Hallmarking Queries

[DaveM/LAO]

Hi Everyone,
If you have any hallmarking related problems/queries/or questions I'll be more than happy to help.
Best
Dave

[ps_bond]

Hi Dave - might be worth doing a bit more of an intro; I know who you are, but others may not.

Glad to have you here.

[DaveM/LAO]

Well,........ Peter has asked that I might further introduce myself to the uninitiated, so here goes! Nothing like blowing your own trumpet!!!
I am currently Head of Training, Education & TS Liaison for The Goldsmiths Company Assay Office (in short LAO)
Master to three working apprentices at the moment, Expert witness for TS in court, Member of the BHC 'Touchstone Awards' panel, part of the analytical back up team for the Antique Plate Committee, Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths, Honorary Member of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths & of the City of London, and lastly..... longest serving member of the Goldsmiths Company, 44 years and 4 months, but who's counting! Phew..!
I'm sure there was something else!! ......bet you wish you hadn't asked, Peter!

[Goldsmith]

Welcome Dave, I am sure you will get lots of queries.

James

[Dennis]

Welcome to the forum Dave. The hallmarking questions are endless. Dennis.

[ps_bond]

......bet you wish you hadn't asked, Peter!

Not at all!

[ajda]

Welcome Dave. I met you at the last hallmarking info day - remember the gold nugget brooch? I've already got a few new questions to pester you with but will come back fresh in the morning...
Alan

[LydiaNiz]

Hello! Strap in Dave, you're going to get plenty of questions!.
I am also secretly hoping you have the LAO equivalent of a scout jumper with all those badges ;-)

[ajda]

Here goes... When submitting silver for laser hallmarking:

1. Does it make any difference to you what temper the silver?
2. Can you apply laser marks at different intensities - ie lighter/shallower or heavier/deeper - if you see what I mean?
3. At the hallmarking info day Steve mentioned new laser-marking machinery that you are introducing for making deeper marks, closer in appearance to punched marks - when do you expect that to be an available option (and will it cost the same)?
4. Just out of interest, as an old hand in the business, do you have a personal preference for punch-marking over laser-marking?

Alan

Edit - re #2 above, looking back through old posts I think I've found the answer to that one - it seems it's possible to request 2D, 3D, 3D deep or 3D extra deep, the extra deep costing more but the others at the normal standard charge. Is that correct?

[DaveM/LAO]

Hi Alan,
I remember it well.....
in answer to your questions ...1. the physical harness of the silver doesn't have an effect on the lasers, as the metal itself is being vapourised, if it was being struck we're talking a whole different kettle of fish though as we would prefer annealed, especially with large display marks, for obvious reasons.
2. your footnote at the bottom of your post is correct.
3. We are still working on the software of the new lasers, initially the problem was trying to create the first true 3D laser marks,(at the moment all the Assay Offices 3D marks are in deeply cut 2D to give the appearance of 3D) we think we may have now conquered this problem, but as is usual a new problem has arisen, in that it takes 30 minutes to create a single mark, this timing is obviously unacceptable so we are continually striving to create an even balance between time and detail. To get it just right we are employing a young lady expert in the field (GC&DC winner) to help.
Pricing for this will be time based as it is for our deeper laser marks at present.
4 .My personal preference is for Handmarking, purely as a traditionalist, as I collect antique silver on a small scale, and the fact this is one of the first things after 'touchtesting' that my apprentices learn.
Best
Dave