A Piece of History from The Diamond Setter

What is hallmarking?

Have you ever considered the hallmarks that are struck or lasered onto your jewellery?

Precious metals are rarely used in their purest form and usually alloyed with other metals for workability, durability, and wearability. But it isn't possible to detect an article's precious metal content by sight or touch.

Fortunately, it is compulsory in the UK that gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are independently tested and hallmarked by a third-party institution to make sure that every piece of jewellery made in this country conforms to all legal standards of purity or fineness. 

This guarantees provenance by telling you as a consumer where the piece was assayed or tested, what the article is made of and who sent the article for hallmarking.

Nowhere in the world are consumers more highly protected than in the UK.

 

(Image from London Assay Office)

 

Awareness

A consultation with The Diamond Setter can pave the way to learning more about hallmarking. "It is surprising to meet people who are unaware of hallmarking in the UK. People should always look for the hallmark when buying jewellery and ask the store what each symbol represents. This will ensure they are getting what they pay for." says Lorraine of The Diamond Setter.

Hallmarking also helps uncover the origins of older jewellery.  As Gavin, Master Jeweller and Diamond Setter says, “When customers bring us an inherited piece of jewellery, we can trace the year it was brought or made and even who the maker was. It is so heart-warming to uncover the history of a piece that a customer has inherited from a loved one. They find it fascinating."

 

Platinum Jubilee Commemorative Mark – the first and probably the last in our lifetime.

The British Hallmarking Council announced last year, "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, seventy years of service, having acceded to the throne in 1952. To celebrate the occasion, the body which oversees UK hallmarking, the British Hallmarking Council, has sanctioned a commemorative component mark."

We have been including this special mark since it launched in November last year. When The Queen sadly died in September, the commemorative mark was abruptly withdrawn, but public appeals from jewellers and consumers alike prompted the Assay Office to consult with the King's Assay Master. Consequently, the four Assay Offices of the UK brought back the Platinum Jubilee Mark and it will remain available until the end of 2022, as originally scheduled.

“We are so thrilled to be able to continue to offer this unique service to our valued customers. This is only the 7th commemorative mark to be released in history, the like of which we may never see again in our lifetime", say Gavin and Lorraine.

 

Image from the London Assay Office

The Memory Collection

So, if you wish to own or gift a one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery with Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Commemorative Mark, head to The Diamond Setter website or their Studio at Salomons Estate. There you can view ‘The Memory Collection’, a series of one-off pieces created by Gavin and Lorraine and perhaps treat yourself or a loved one to one of a handpicked selection of diamonds and gemstones to treasure for life and pass on to future generations.

Gavin has been creating jewellery for more than 20 years both in the UK and internationally. His wealth of experience includes working for the Rolex watch company in the early 2000s. The Diamond Setter offers a no-obligation consultation for creating bespoke jewellery, wedding and engagement rings, redesign and remodelling and any jewellery repair jobs.  Gavin’s workshop is onsite, meaning no jewellery leaves the property unless it is going for hallmarking. They also have an onsite laser engraving service.

Gavin and Lorraine look forward to welcoming you at The Diamond Setter Studio soon.

The Diamond Setter

01892 458 042

www.thediamondsetter.co.uk