For years I toiled in the hunt for a Rose Gold ring that I could call my own. I wanted something unique; standout; engaging, but it wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped to find what I had in mind, or even to know what I had found when I found it.
During my quest for aesthetic brilliance, I spent a short period of time researching hallmarks. Knowledge of hallmarking practices not only helps you ascertain whether what you’re buying is worth your wedge, but is also a neat little party trick.
Imagine your grand Aunt Doris sliding off her wedding ring and you, without the aid of a microscope or chemical testing, telling her it was made in 1949 in Birmingham – she’d be singing your praises all the way to her colostomy appointment. Britain signed the Hallmarking Act of 1973 and thus all jewellery made of precious metal has been conveniently stamped by one of four domestic assay offices (London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh) to prove its quality.
The act made trading in non-marked metal an illegal practise and guaranteed consumers a fair deal. In 1998 the BHC (British Hallmarking Committee) reviewed the 1973 document, which had been found to contain many inconsistencies and errors, and re-standardised the system. One notable change to the assaying of precious metal was the removal of the mandatory date stamp. A chart of symbols/dates from 1916-1974 can be seen below. In addition to the removal of date marks, seven new standards of fineness were added to the already stringent testing procedures that all assay offices are required to undertake.
Hallmarking has been around since the 1300s, but the current system is constantly being refined. Recently, Palladium was added to the list of metals that require a hallmark.
So here’s how to impress your friends and work out what that ring you’ve seen in your local antiques centre is made of and where it comes from.
Firstly, look for the assay office mark. There are four of these and very easy to identify. London has a Leopard snarling; Sheffield a Yorkshire Rose; Birmingham an Anchor; and Edinburgh a turreted castle.
Next your need to know what type of metal it is: the colour can be a clue but is often misleading. White gold is rhodium plated and can often be confused for silver or platinum, and what appears to be rose gold could just as easily be copper if it lacks a hall mark.
Attempting to divulge the following in an eloquent way would be cluttered and confusing, for both you and I, so here is a handy list of hallmarks and their meanings:
The following numbers may appear on metal of various colours. Yellow, Rose, White and all other varieties of gold carry the same numbers to denote their purity. Due to the impurities added to achieve different colours, the purest gold available is yellow – its natural colour. All the example charts below assume the piece was caste in Sheffield (check out that sweet rose!) Furthermore, the 990 rating for Gold is 24ct, and the 999 is ‘fine’ Gold. Also, the G is just an example date mark and the orb for platinum is optional. Just thought you’d like to know.
And as for Silver…
Not to be confused with its cheaper cousins, Platinum is one pricey metal. Anything made of platinum will carry the following:
Palladium has just joined the group and is identified by this rather cool hallmark:
Now, these rules apply to Britain only. Foreign countries have different system – few as exhaustive. I believe that other carats of gold are available the world over, but as far as the British Isles go, the above should serve you well. Visit www.assayoffice.co.uk/Services/UK_Hallmarks.asp for more information.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
No comments:
Post a Comment