Goldsmiths' Company at 700: how to read a UK hallmark
Goldsmiths' Company at 700: how to read a UK hallmark
As the Goldsmiths' Company celebrates its 700th anniversary, its small stamps are worth a closer look before any jewellery purchase this Christmas.
The Goldsmiths' Company has announced Treasuring Brilliance, a programme to mark its 700th anniversary, Jewellery Focus reports. The celebrations will include a display of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewellery. For collectors of period jewellery, that alone is a draw. The anniversary is also a good moment to look at the Company's most familiar legacy. The word "hallmark" comes from Goldsmiths' Hall in London, where precious metal was taken to be tested and marked. The Company still runs the London Assay Office today.
What the stamps tell you
A hallmark is a set of small marks struck into gold, platinum, silver or palladium after an independent assay office has tested the metal. Assaying means checking the metal's purity, known as its fineness. A UK hallmark normally includes three compulsory marks:
- The sponsor's mark. These are initials inside a shaped border. They identify the maker, importer or business that sent the piece for testing.
- The fineness mark. This is a number showing the purity of the metal in parts per thousand.
- The assay office mark. It shows where the piece was tested. London uses a leopard's head, Birmingham an anchor, Sheffield a rose and Edinburgh a castle.
Many pieces also carry optional marks. A date letter shows the year of testing. Traditional symbols may also appear, such as a crown for gold or an orb for platinum. The date letter is common but optional on modern pieces, so an item without one has not necessarily been marked wrongly. Assay Office guidance sets out the full details for anyone who wants to check a specific mark.
Checking a hallmark on a pre-owned piece
- Use a loupe to find the marks, usually on the inside of a ring shank or near a clasp.
- Identify the sponsor's mark, the fineness mark and the assay office mark.
- Confirm that the fineness matches the metal the seller describes.
- Note any date letter and check it against the assay office's published charts.
What this means for luxury jewellery buyers
A hallmark is a reliable, independent record of the metal and of the business responsible for submitting it. That is valuable protection. It covers the metal only. It says nothing about who designed the piece or whether the stones are what they are claimed to be.
For a signed piece of branded jewellery, authenticity rests on other evidence too. Look at the quality of the signature and any serial number. Check the original box and paperwork, and the overall standard of the craftsmanship. It is also worth checking whether the sponsor's mark is consistent with the brand. A genuine UK hallmark on a copy only confirms that the copy is made of real gold. Treat the stamp as the first check and look for the rest of the story elsewhere.
