If you've been searching for something beautiful, shiny, and (hopefully) ethical to add to your jewellery box, you may have come across the term 'hallmarked' or 'hallmarking'. But what exactly is it, and why does it matter? Today we're breaking down what you need to know about this process and what it means for you when you're shopping for new pieces.

What is hallmarking?

Hallmarking is a way of confirming the quality of precious metals by testing and marking them accordingly. Put simply, the hallmark is a selection of symbols that are physically applied directly to precious metal jewellery to certify the purity of the gold, silver, platinum or palladium used.

What this mark symbolises is important for both the jewellery industry and consumers. Hallmarking verifies that the piece has been independently tested in a specialist location and therefore is what the jeweller says it is. Testing precious metals is called 'assaying', so the locations that this takes place in are called 'assay offices'.

You may have come across hallmarks before on pieces that you own - they can often be found on the inside or in a hidden area such as a clasp. You may also have seen marks that were not necessarily hallmarks, such as the 925 symbol for sterling silver. In isolation, this mark is not a hallmark - but the number itself, which indicates the purity of the metal, is part of the full hallmark when used in combination with other things.

It is thought that the term 'hallmark' comes from the history of the practice; in the 15th Century, the Goldsmiths' Company, working from Goldsmiths' Hall, was responsible for assaying, and this hall became home to an assay office. This is likely why the symbol came to be called a hallmark.

Is hallmarking jewellery compulsory?

Yes, hallmarking is compulsory - it's actually a legal requirement in the UK - but not necessarily for every single jewellery item. For example, a small or light piece may not need to be hallmarked; it all depends on the weight of the precious metal content.

The metals and item weights that are required to be hallmarked in the UK are:

• Silver (when the item weighs over 7.78g)

• Gold (when the item weighs over 1g)

• Platinum (when the item weighs over 0.5g)

• Palladium (when the item weighs over 1g)

For jewellery pieces that fall within these parameters to be sold in the UK, they must carry an officially registered British or international hallmark. Items that don't require a hallmark are those that fall under these weights; gold or palladium pieces that weigh less than 1g, silver pieces weighing less than 7.78g, or platinum pieces weighting less than 0.5 grams.

The British Hallmarking Council are responsible for hallmarking, with each assay office represented by one or two councillors.

How is hallmarking done in the UK?

For an item to be hallmarked, it must go to one of four UK assay offices which are based in London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh.

Assay offices test precious metal purity using a variety of methods and technologies, including x ray and laser analysis. There are also a variety of traditional tests that can occasionally be used, such as cupellation (treating under very high temperatures) and testing using a touchstone.

Following what is nowadays a fairly technical process, the official stamp is applied to the jewellery, sometimes by hand as it traditionally would have always been, although it can also be applied using lasers.

The traditional full hallmark consists of five parts which represent different elements.

The sponsor's mark, or maker's mark, is included to represent the company supplying the item. This is followed by a traditional fineness mark and a millesimal fineness mark (numbers that reflect the purity of the metal content - for example, 9 carat gold should be hallmarked with 375 as its fineness mark). Finally, the assay office mark (to show which assay office tested and hallmarked it) is applied, sometimes with a date letter mark.

Three of these marks make up the compulsory elements of a hallmark: the sponsor's mark, the millesimal fineness mark, and the assay office mark.

Generally, the mark itself will be placed in a subtle area of the piece where it will be as minimally visible as possible. For example, our ethical engagement rings and wedding bands are hallmarked on the inside, so that it sits against the finger where it can't be seen, but still provides your reassurance that your piece is made of exactly what we've said it is.

Why do jewellers use hallmarks?

Jewellers not only hallmark because they have to; its also an important measure of protection for their customers and themselves. You cannot tell the precious metal content of an item with the naked eye, which opens up the industry to fakes and fraud.

The benefits of hallmarking

Hallmarking may seem like a formality, but it's more than just a legal hoop for jewellery brands to jump through. There are important benefits for the integrity of our industry and your peace of mind as a shopper:

• It lets you know that the piece is what it says it is, so that you know exactly what you're buying

• It acts as a line of defense against fake and low quality items, stopping people passing something off as a certain purity and charging the price to match

• Because of this, it's a key part of defending the jewellery industry against people and businesses who aren't acting in the best interests of either shoppers or jewellers

At Wild Fawn, our team work with solid recycled metals in our London studio to create beautiful ethical jewellery pieces, and many of these must be hallmarked due to their weight. We have these tested at the London assay office, confirming their authenticity and ensuring you know exactly what you're buying.

Browse our sustainable rings, earrings and necklaces today, or get in touch if we can help with a bespoke jewellery piece.