Hallmark weight

[bode]

Hi,

I'm a little confused as I'm new to all of this. I design pendants using base metal but wish to sell them with ready made sterling silver chains. The pendants will be loose and attached with a jump ring.

Does the total weight of the chain and pendant need to be under 7.78g or just the silver chain?

[Dennis]

Provided that they are separate items and not soldered together, then it's just the chain which is normally quite light. Dennis.

[bode]

The pendant can be removed by twisting the jump ring apart. That's great because I can offer a heavier chain without restrictions.

[CJ57]

If the jump ring needs pliers to prise it apart then it is deemed to be part of the pendant. If you can slide the pendant off then they are 2 separate pieces

[Dennis]

That's interesting Caroline and jolly frustrating if you are right. After all you might need pliers when someone else could do it with fingers. However as you suggest the jump ring or bail might allow the chain to be slipped out.
Maybe DaveM/LAO will spot it and intervene on Monday. Dennis.

[CJ57]

I'm pretty sure that's what's been said in the past Dennis. If you can slip the chain off that's fine but it tools are required to remove the chain then it's part of the pendant.

[Stacey]

If you are buying ready made sterling chain that is complete with a clasp then it will already be hallmarked; if required by law. Take a look through Cookson at finished chain and you'll see that anything above hallmark weight states that the chain is hallmarked. If you are buying lengths of loose chain and finishing it off yourself with a clasp of some kind then you will have to have it hallmarked when required.

[CJ57]

This comes back to whether the chain can be removed from the pendant. If it can and is over weight then it has to be hallmarked separately. If it becomes an integral part of the piece and can only be removed with the use of tools then a mark on the pendant or a tag on the chain or mark on the clasp will do. That's what I have done at the Edinburgh office