It is law within the UK that every item of precious metal sold such as Platinum, Gold, Silver is stamped labelling the item with the type of metal it is. Platinum pieces which weigh less than 0.5 grams, 18ct Gold and Palladium pieces weighing less than 1.0 gram and Silver pieces weighing less than 7.78 grams are except from hallmark.
At Diamonds Factory all our products are hallmarked as per UK hallmarking law from London Assay Office (The GoldSmith Company)
Where Hallmarking Began
The Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office is the oldest assay office in the United Kingdom. It has provided hallmarking services since The Goldsmiths' Company was founded in the 1300s. The company received its royal charter in 1327 and ranks 5th in order of precedence of the 12 Great Livery Companies of the City of London.
Hallmarking dates back to the 1300s when Edward I of England passed a law requiring any item made of silver, which was offered for sale, to be at least of equal quality as that of the coin of the realm (silver currency). The wardens of The Goldsmiths' Company were tasked with visiting workshops in the City of London to assay (test) silver articles. If these articles were found to be below standard they were originally destroyed and the metal forfeited to the King. If they passed, each article received the King's mark of authentication - the mark of a leopard's head. By 1478, there were several hundred workshops and merchants manufacturing silver articles in the City of London. It was not possible for the wardens to visit them all so the merchants were ordered to bring their items to Goldsmiths' Hall for testing and marking and a permanent Assay Office was established in the building. This is the origin of the term hallmark - struck with the King's mark at Goldsmiths' Hall.
In 1544 the Goldsmith's Company adopted the King's mark as their town mark and the mark of the leopard's head is now internationally recognised as the mark of this assay office.
Today
The Goldsmiths's Company Assay Office is still based at Goldsmiths's Hall and remains the oldest company in Britain to be continually trading from the same site. However, it also has two satellite offices; at Greville Street in Hatton Garden in the heart of the London jewellery quarter and within a high security complex near London's Heathrow airport. It now has a new off-site facility within the Dalston-based jewellery manufacturer, Allied Gold. This is the first time in the Assay Office's 700 year history that it has opened permanent hallmarking services on a customer's premises.
In addition to hallmarking, the office has now expanded its range of services to support the jewellery trade and enforcement authorities. It offers a variety of specialist analytical services including nickel, lead & cadmium testing, antique silver dating, non-destructive compositional analysis, plating thickness measurement and a melt and assay service for scrap precious metal carried out in their fully independent on-site laboratory. Other services offered are a jewellery valuation service, laser marking, trading standards assistance, high quality photography and a comprehensive range of training and educational seminars, lectures and specialist events.
Know More
Every couple is different so choosing the right song for that unforgettable first dance is truly important. Are you super romantic? Or do you rather dance your heart out with your partner?
Sometimes it’s an easy decision; the first song you listened to together, the song that was playing when you first kissed but what happens if you don’t enjoy the same music? Then the decision becomes harder! But don’t panic, we are here to help you!
We made a list of 100 songs that are first dance-worthy for you to chose from.
Classic First Dance Songs
1. Amazed – Lonestar
2. As Time Goes By – Dooley Wilson
3. By Your Side - Sade
4. Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You – Frankie Valli
5. Everything – Michael Bublé
6. Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel
7. Wonderwall -Oasis
9. Maybe I’m Amazed – Paul McCartney
10. My Girl – The Temptations
11. God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
12. Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John
13. Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
Romantic First Dance Songs
14. Work Song – Hozier
15. Endless Love – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
16. Stay With Me – Sam Smith
17. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
18. The One – Kodaline
19. Let It Go – James Bay
20. Make You Feel My Love – Adele
21. Lovesong – Adele
22. Not About Angels – Birdy
23. Poison & Wine – The Civil Wars
24. Stay – Rihanna
25. Higher Love – James Vincent McMorrow
26. Ho Hey – The Lumineers
27. Come Home – OneRepublic
28. Jealous – Labrinth
29. At Last – Etta James
30. Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
31. Cheek to Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald
32. I Have Nothing - Whitney Houston
33. Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
34. The Way You Look Tonight – Tony Bennett
35. I’ll Make Love To You – Boyz II Men
36. A Million Love Songs – Take That
37. All My Life – K-Ci & JoJo
38. Save The Best For Last – Vanessa Williams
39. All of Me – John Legend
40. When I Fall In Love – Nat King Cole
41. There You’ll Be – Faith Hill
42. (I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You – UB40
43. When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
44. Your Song – Ellie Goulding (Chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge)
45. Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
46. She – Elvis Costello
47. Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra
48. The Scientist – Coldplay
49. Halo – Beyoncé
50.