What is a silver jewellery hallmark?

Hallmarks are very small marks on precious metals that are a legal requirement when jewellers or jewellery makers use sterling silver, Britannia silver, fine silver 999, gold (various carats), palladium and platinum.

I have been asked many times ‘How do you put a hall mark on your jewellery?’ The short and sweet answer is ‘I don’t’ - I send my jewellery to the Assay Office where the hall mark is lasered onto my work.

I have my work delivered to the Assay Office in London where I have an account. Yes we have to pay to have jewellery hallmarked.

There are four Assay Offices in the U.K. and each of those offices have their own distinguished mark.

My Own Special Hallmark

My jewellery has the leopard’s head from the London Assay Office on along with the type of silver, in my case 999 which is 99.9% silver, my own personal mark or as it is officially called a sponsorship mark. My sponsorship mark looks like an upside down Mickey Mouse head with my initials SS (Susan Studd).

Each precious metal has its own mark too. Also there are special symbols for every year.

So now we have the possibility of having four different marks, the Assay Office mark, the type of precious metal, our own sponsors mark and the date mark.

Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Hallmark

This year is an exception as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee a few months before she passed away.

A special hall mark to mark this incredible occasion was introduced but sadly was stopped after Her Majesty passed away. However the palace decided that us jewellers could continue having the Jubilee mark on our work up until the end of this year. I for one was delighted to hear that!

I have recently sent a lot of my work to the Assay Office in London to have hallmarked and have requested the Jubilee mark to be added too.

There are different ways that your hall mark can be added to your jewellery. I have mine lasered but you can also have it struck which is impressive but expensive!

When you sell jewellery made from precious metals it is a legal requirement to display this document.

So if you are buying precious metal jewellery please look for hallmark document even at fairs.

When you buy my jewellery check out my sponsor mark.