Hi all, sorry if this is a common question, i can navigate the
archives!
I have recently started marking silver jewelry, and have a few items
that I would like to sell at a local craft fair. I cannot afford to
get these items assayed and hallmarked , but have seen a 925 stamp
which i would like to use to begin with.
Is there any reason that I couldnt stamp my work up with this?
look forward to hearing from you Regards
Nikky
Hi Nikky,
I cannot afford to get these items assayed and hallmarked , but have seen a 925 stamp which i would like to use to begin with. Is there any reason that I couldnt stamp my work up with this?
The ‘stamping laws’ vary from country to country, so you’d better
see what the law is where you’re located.
In the US the stamping or marking law is administered by the Federal
Trade Commission. Basically what it says is this: Any item marked
with a quality stamp must also have the maker’s mark inscribed near
the quality stamp.
Dave
Nikky
I am presuming you are in the UK because you mention the assay and
hallmark. I would think you should check with the assay and hallmark
office as to what is allowable. In Canada, where I am, it is my
understanding that if you mark a piece with a stamp designating the
metal ( 925, 14k etc) you have to have a trademark stamp on it to
sell it. This presumably is so that they can find who has made the
piece and who to find if it is not actually what it is stamped. I
guess so that people can’t just stamp a piece of base metal or a
lower karat gold and sell it to the unassuming public. The other
option is to not stamp it at all but then you have only your word
that it is what it is and would have to convince each and every
customer that it is in fact sterling and that might strike some
customers as being a bit dodgy. Probably best to check with the
Assay office, because if you are found to be doing something
improper, you can’t use ignorance of the rules as an excuse. Best of
luck
Brigid Ryder
In the UK It is illegal to sell a piece of jewelry as silver, gold
or platinum without a hall mark. This consists of three marks.
Who made the article - the initials of the maker What the metal is,
and its purity - the fineness mark Where it was tested (Assayed) and
marked - the Assay Office mark.
The piece has to go out to the hall and they will place the quality
stamps on it. You may mark it beforehand with your own mark.
If it fails the hall’s test they crush the article and return it to
you. It happens! Yu can’t get away with flooded solder, they will not
mark mixed metals as mixed.
You need to talk to the hall beforehand so that they place the marks
where you want them. Sometimes they seem to go to extraordinary
lengths to put the marks exactly where they shouldn’t be!
There are exceptions for very light pieces weigh less than 0.5 grams
in platinum, 1 gram in gold or 7.78 grams in silver.
See
I much prefer the adult sytem of the USA.
Tony Konrath
Gold and Stone
http://www.goldandstone.com
Nicky I encourage you to get a mark and the stamps - the mark
registration is =A340 which lasts for 10 years and stamps are about
=A350 each if you get the assay office to have them made for you. the
buzz you will get the first time a finishe dpiece gets your mark and
then the assay office stamps is unbelievable and it still thrills me
to this day. There is a weight limit of 7.9g below which silver does
not have to be hallmarked (the limit for gold is 1g) but I have had
differing advice from the assay office as to what can be done on
items below the limit. One set of advice says that it cannot be sold
as silver unless it is hallmarked and the other was that I can sign
it, with my sponsor’s mark, and sell as sterling silver. The latter
is what I do if I don’t bother to send it off for assay. I know a lot
of, especially imported, silver jewellery is just stamped 925 and
that all the supply houses sell the stamps but don’t believe the mark
has any standing without the assay office mark. The assay offices are
all on-line, I seem to remember that Birmingham’s was the best site,
why not try asking there, I would be really interested to know what
the response was just in case I am breaking the law! It is expensive
to assay - =A312 silver minimum charge with VAT and carriage 2 ways
comes to about =A324 for me and the per item charge is about 20p. The
chances of me having 60 pieces ready for assay at any one time are
nil but it is worth it for the buzz and the customer assurance. I have
heard that there is a movre to harmonize us with the rest of Europe
and move to the syatem where the maker stamps and assures the quality
with no external test. Whilst I would relish the speed that would
give us I also think it will lead to a lot of unscrupulous marking of
complete crap, but then thats Europe for you - straight banana
anyone?
Hope some of this helps
Andy Parker, Agate House Lapidary
Ulverston, Cumbria, England
@Andy_Parker
Tel: 01229 584023
have seen a 925 stamp which i would like to use to begin with. Is there any reason that I couldnt stamp my work up with this?
Hi Nikky, Assuming you are in the U.S., you are not required to have
your work assayed or hallmarked by an outside entity. You, as the
artisan, are certifying the work yourself when you stamp it and
hallmark it. You are in essence stating that you, as the maker, vouch
that the piece, if melted down, would assay as you have marked it.
As a side note, I have both “.925” and “Sterling” stamps. I prefer
using the Sterling stamp whenever possible, as it is more clearly
understood by the public. It seems whenever I start to explain fine
metals vs. alloys vs. karat golds I people’s eyes begin to glaze
over.
Hope his helps!
Dave
Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio and
Carolina Artisans’ Gallery
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave@sebaste.com
http://www.CarolinaArtisans.com
Hi,
Where would one come across one of these or the sterling stamps?
Does anyone have any resources, preferably with Internet presence?
I have also been trying to find metal stamps with native American
themes. Does anyone know where I can find these?
Thanks so much in advance. I have learned a lot from this list and
enjoy it quite a bit!!
Laura
Laura,
Where would one come across one of these or the sterling stamps? Does anyone have any resources, preferably with Internet presence? I have also been trying to find metal stamps with native American themes. Does anyone know where I can find these?
You can get the stamps you seek at Indian Jeweler's Supply, Rio
Grande, Swest, and (I think) from our own Kenneth Singh. Speak up
here Kenneth - I don’t have your company name at hand. Put the
company name into Google and you should find the websites. Good
luck, Judy in Kansas
Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
237 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan KS 66506
(785) 532-2936
We stock the ‘925’ stamps all the time. The price for a Ring stamp
925 is $12.00 each and the shipping is $4.00. Lately it has become a
fast mover.
regards Kenneth Singh
Hi Laura, Rio Grande has alot of different stamps…you can even have
them make one of your logo.
Take care…Patty
PLJ Glass Art
www.pljglassart.com
Laura, I get my stamps from Thunderbird Supply Company.
http://www.tbscorp.com There is a min order of $50.00 on every order.
William Gray Thunder
Gray Thunder Silversmith