Using your name with a quality mark in USA

Jewelry Discussion
1

I want to stamp my work indicating that it is sterling silver, but it
is my understanding that, according to 15 USC 297 and this website:
Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries | Federal Trade Commission (see Note #2 to 23.9)

if I use a quality stamp for sterling or fine silver or a karat mark
for gold I must also stamp nearby a registered trademark or my name.

I looked into getting a trademark, but it is complicated to do the
search to be sure yours is unique and the fee for applying is, I
think, $325, so I’d like to just use my name instead. What I’m
unclear about is what would constitute my name to the FTC. Is my first
and last name required, even though there are a number of other
people with the same name, or would my first initial and last name
work, or just my last name?? Or would it be best to get a business
license with a short business name and use that?

Anyone got any ideas on this?

2

Roy- the simpler and shorter the better.

Before you decide what you want on your maker’s stamp, draw out the
design life size and see if you could stamp it on the inside of a
ring shank and or be able to read it. That’s why so many makers
stamps just have initials.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com

3 
or would my first initial and last name work, or just my
lastname??

Roy, I’ve been marking my work with an interwoven JD for 40years and
the trademark police have never come knocking. There are things you
are supposed to do and sometimes there are things you just do, ya
know? If and when you go national is when I’d get all nervous about
such things. Surely others might be more strict and good for
them… John

4

I would like to know the same thing. I would rather not use my full
name or the full name of my business as both are lengthly and will
only fit on my larger pieces. It’s frustrating how little information
is readily available on this directly from the government. In as far
as I can tell the stamping act does not address initials or
abbreviations.

Kaleb

5

You should be as worried about this as you should about taking the
label off your mattress that says do not remove. I like to take a
scribe and sign my work.