Platinum wedding rings from Hatton Garden Jewellers: Hallmarking
02/09/2016Platinum wedding rings from Hatton Garden Jewellers: Hallmarking
Platinum Wedding Rings and the Hallmarking Process
Take an interest in jewellery? You are likely to have come across the term ‘precious metals’ before. There are three precious metals used in the crafting of jewellery - gold, silver and platinum. But each of these metals possess distinct characteristics, making certain precious metals more suitable than others for particular uses. Wedding bands are most commonly made from either gold or platinum due to their durability and strength. But to the untrained eye, differentiating between silver, white gold and platinum can be rather difficult – after all, they are all white in colour! As such, it is important to establish that those two beautiful platinum wedding rings purchased from one of Hatton Garden’s jewellers is indeed platinum. This is why hallmarks on precious metals is critical.
Hallmarking
In the UK, hallmarking has been carried out over many hundreds of years. In fact, the hallmark is thought to be one of the earliest forms of consumer protection. The Hallmarking Act of 1973 (Amended 1998) explains that a hallmark means that the article has been independently tested by an Assay Office and guarantees that it conforms to a specified legal standard of purity. Unless specifically exempted, all silver, gold and platinum articles must be hallmarked by law. This applies not only to Hatton Garden jewellers, but to all businesses in Britain.
There are four separate Assay Offices used to submit articles for hallmarking: London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh. Once the hallmark has been applied to the inside of your platinum wedding rings, it is possible under magnification to see the location in which your ring was tested. The Leopard’s head symbolises the London office, located just thirty seconds from Hatton Garden’s jewellers. The Anchor represents the Birmingham branch which is the world’s largest Assay Office. Sheffield is identified by the Yorkshire Rose symbol, though its original icon was the Crown. The Edinburgh Assay Office is represented by a three towered castle.
What does hallmarking mean for you? When it comes to purchasing your wedding bands, whether classical or contemporary, it is imperative to ensure that your piece has been hallmarked. Ask your jeweller to point out where the mark can be located and view this under a loupe. This will allow you to confirm that this is the precious metal that you have ordered.
Rennie & Co sells a stunning collection of 18ct gold and 950 platinum wedding rings. An established Hatton Garden jeweller, our friendly jewellery experts can be contacted on 020 7405 4585 or emailed at diamonds@rennieco.com.
Find out more about Rennie & Co's platinum wedding rings in our blog.
