Differences in Hallmarks between United Kingdom and Europe
Often in the world of jewellery collecting, there is confusion about what a hallmark is, and how it differs from a purity mark or a maker’s mark. Gold hallmarking standards means a mark that is placed on a piece of jewellery by a third party body, which has tested the piece for metal content and found that the maker is advertising the piece honestly. Not every country requires hallmarks legally - the UK and a handful of European nations do, however. So, how do you tell the difference between UK and European hallmarks? Hallmarks in the United Kingdom In the UK, hallmarks are placed on a piece of jewellery by one of four Assay Offices. These offices are located in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London, and Sheffield. Each office has their own symbol, which they laser etch into the piece after doing a scratch test. The symbols are a castle, a leopard’s head, a rose, or an anchor. These marks will appear in addition to any purity marks or maker’s marks that are added to the piece. In additi...