How to read a UK Hallmark
When you pick up a vintage piece of jewellery or peer closely at your own items do you wish you had any idea about the hallmark marks inside?
We have a basic guide to understanding your hallmarks.
A hallmark - an official quality control mark- is a set of certain marks applied to items of the precious metals gold, silver, platinum or palladium. They are very important - they tell you the piece has been independently tested, and reached the legal standard for purity.
They tell you where it was hallmarked, what metal the item is made from and who made or sent the item in to the Assay Office for hallmarking.
A standard hallmark is made of 3 compulsory symbols:
- The sponsor or maker’s mark
- The metal and fineness (purity) mark
- The assay office mark
A more traditional hallmark is made of five marks :
- The sponsors mark, {this is compulsory}
- Traditional fineness mark
- The millesimal fineness mark {this is compulsory}
- The Assay Office mark {this is compulsory}
- Date letter mark
The Sponsor’s mark
Also known as the Maker’s Mark. You must have this mark for it to be a full UK hallmark. This is the registered mark of the company or person that submitted the item for hallmarking. It's made up of the initials chosen by that person or company inside a shield shape. The shield shape varies with between two and five initials inside.
This makes the piece of jewellery completely traceable, as they are completely unique.
Traditional fineness mark
This is optional but required in a full UK hallmark.
The millesimal fineness mark
This compulsory mark tells you what quality your metal is, as well as the metal type. The number is the precious metal content in parts per thousand, and the shape of the shield indicates the metal type.
The Assay Office mark
This compulsory mark tells you which Assay Office tested and marked the item. For example the image of the leopards head is the town mark for London.
Date Mark
A non-compulsory mark, the date letter changes annually on January 1st. The font, case, and shield shape all change so each can only indicate one specific year. Did you known all date punches are destroyed at the end of the year, to prevent any item being able to ‘pretend’ to be from earlier.
You can also have part or mixed metal items hallmarked.
It’s worth remembering that other countries have their own hallmarking standards, so the hallmark you see on your gold may well differ slightly.
Historically, special commemorative marks have been added to the regular hallmark to mark special events, such as the Coronation and Jubilee.
Its relatively easy to find out your hallmark using online guides, if not pop into your local jewellers and they will help you out.
Did you know here at Almagrove Jewellers we have our own Makers mark? It joins the official makers mark register stretching back centuries.