Thankfully for the antique collectors of this planet, a small handbook on UK Hallmarks is more than up to the task of identifying that mysterious hallmark. When you couple that information with that very useful plastic 10X eyeglass I keep on hinting you to buy, it will show you that the item has been verified and marked, to prove it is – what it says it is (14ct or 22ct etc). Hallmarks from Great Britain are the greatest in the known jewelry and antique world. Who says so – the rest of the Planet. Although to be fair, other countries have specific hallmarks too, it is just that they are NOT so regularly seen.
British Jewellery with its full UKHM (United Kingdom Hall Mark) is always stamped and clearly identifyable once you clean it. For more advisory reports such as this one, like: ‘How to Clean your Jewellery at Home or Work’ is available at the 20th Century Antique Jewelry website at: http://www.jewellery-antiques.com/
Once there were many Assay sites around Great Britain and Ireland, the Chester mark for instance. Now there are just three offices left in Great Britain, Sheffield being the last using a ‘Rose’ on gold Jewelry (DO NOT CONFOUND THIS WITH ‘ROSE GOLD’ JEWELLERY) as that is a shade, not a stamp.
In Scotland there is Edinburgh, while in Ireland there is Dublin. Pity the poor Welsh are left out again!
So is that mark a Lion or a Leopard walking sideways?
Could it have be made in France or Italy?
Why does the Mexico stamp have Aztec symbols on it?
With stamped Hallmarks it’s all about how you know or ‘think you know’ just what the mark really is. A book on World Marks for any precious Metal Jewellery is an absolute must for any professional merchant or general antique dealer.
Even if you simply buy and sell a little jewelry on eBay or Yahoo. But these marks can certainly be quite tricky yet a huge waste of resources and frustrated time lost in many cases.
Did you know there is a special ‘f’ hallmark which can tell you something very special about your hallmarks?
To see if you’ve got it – go to David’s website here:
http://www.jewellery-antiques.com
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- Rose Gold Engagement Rings
- Antique Jewelry Wholesale
- Antique Cut Diamond Jewelry
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