Jewelry Hallmarks Guide – Easily Identify gold, silver, platinum
In the Jewelry Hallmarks Guide, we will describe jewelry hallmarks in detail. So you will able to identify gold, silver, platinum, etc. jewelry quickly.
Jewelry hallmarking on precious metals has a brief history. It was a form of consumer protection in old Britain. Edward, I was first requiring hallmarking. Now, different country has different hallmark identity. American gold hallmark, Italian gold hallmark, Indian gold hallmark, etc. Is it only for gold? Not at all. Hallmark is different for different metal. Besides gold jewelry, silver has a hallmark. Even antique gold has a hallmark.
What Does Hallmark Mean?
Hallmark is the identification and indication of the purity of jewelry metal. If you can read the hallmark on jewelry, you easily can understand the quality of metal, when it was made and where it was made. You can also say it is like the maker’s brand staple on jewelry.
I hope you understand what is it. Simply, The Hallmark is a process of certification by the authority to ensure the purity of jewelry metal. Jewelry hallmarking has a brief history. You can check it here.
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What Does Jewelry Hallmark Denote?
A standard hallmark denotes all history of the metal. It represents the logo or code of the jeweler means who made this, what is its standard of fitness, the year in which the article marked.
Furthermore, it must denote the purity in KARAT, Assaying Center Identification Mark, and BUREAU of Country standard logo.
What Is Meant By Carat And Karat?
1. Carat:
This is a popular word used to describe diamond weight. It refers to describe the weight of gemstones, and A Carat equals two hundred milligrams.
2. Karat:
Karat is a unit used to estimate the purity of gold. We see different types of gold jewelry as 24 to 18 karat. You know, jewelers cannot create jewelry with pure gold. They need to mix it with the second bonding metal.
If you can see 18 karat gold written in your jewelry hallmark, it means your jewelry has 6 parts alloy metal. As 24K is standard pure gold.
Last update on 2023-09-20
How To Get Jewelry Hallmarked?
Now jewelry business owner has the right to make a decision where he is going to hallmarked or not. But hallmarking will build your brand value. If you like to hallmarks your jewelry, you can start the process by sending your jewelry to an Assay office.
What is the Process?
- After complete the jewelry making, you should have sent it to the Assay office to evaluate. You should send it to your near office,
- They will test and give a purity mark on the jewelry piece,
- After adding a purity mark, they will add a unique sponsor's signature. If you don't have your own sponsor mark, you should register your design for approval,
- Then, the Assay Office will add their identical mark. So anyone can understand which Assay Office provides your hallmarks.
Why Need Hallmark in Jewelry?
It is not only the form of consumer protection, but it will also increase the company brand value. Hallmarking on jewelry came in the USA whenever the mass production and sales began. In 1961, the National Gold and Silver Stamping Act1906 published in the USA. While hallmarking precious metal started since the 1300s in the UK. Whatever, if you like to increase your business as a brand, you need to hallmark your jewelry.
It is an official stamp of quality. So customer trust hallmark. What is well for both the business owner and customer. Anyone cannot misuse of hallmark.
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Gold Jewelry Hallmark
Gold jewelry hallmark or purity marks on gold is denoted by the letter K or three-digit letter. It can be a little bit confusing. Because there are different types of hallmark and each of them can appear on your gold.
We said above, pure gold is 24 Karats what is denoted as 24k. It can be also stamped as 999.
We write other hallmark lists in below.
Gold Jewelry Hallmark List
Hallmark | Gold Karat |
|---|---|
916 or 917 | 22K |
583 or 585 | 14K |
416 or 417 | 10K |
999 | 24K |
750 | 18K |
500 | 12K |
375 | 9K |
333 | 8K |
Silver Jewelry Hallmark
The hallmarking policy is the same as gold but hallmarks and signs are different. You know, silver has a different quality. Different quality has a different name and different hallmark code.
The pure silver is denoted as silver but when it mixes with another metal and made create sterling silver, coin silver, britannia etc.
Hallmark | Purity | Common Name |
|---|---|---|
999 | 99.90% | Pure Silver |
958 | 95.80% | Brittania |
925 | 92.50% | Sterling Silver |
800 | 80% | Jewelry Silver |
700 | 70% | Coin Silver |
Final Word
Buying hallmark jewelry is safe. That’s why always check a jewelry hallmark before purchase. But for a certain weight, it may not have a hallmark, and it is ok. If you buy gold jewelry which weight is less than 1g, there will be no hallmark. Similarly, for silver, the weight limit is 7.78g, platinum is 0.5g, and palladium 1g.
