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We’ve teamed up with Klarna to provide flexible payment options, allowing you to shop the way you want. With Klarna, you can split your payment into 3 instalments or choose to pay later, making your shopping experience smoother and more convenient. Your order total must be between £100 and £499 to qualify.
July 01, 2022 | by Admin
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)
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.
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.
What is an eternity ring?
Eternity rings, also known as eternity bands, feature a row of same-size diamonds or other gems that go all the way around the ring. Unlike traditional engagement rings, eternity rings don’t have a focal point such as a centre stone. This unbroken ring of gems symbolises eternal love and commitment, which makes them a popular choice to give to your significant other on weddings or for big milestones and anniversaries.Can you give eternity rings instead of engagement rings?
Yes! There’s no hard and fast rule that says that an engagement ring has to have an obvious centre stone. Due to their versatility meaning many different things, eternity bands are being given as engagement rings more and more often. One thing to consider if you’re thinking of buying your beloved an eternity ring is to ensure that the wedding band works well with it. Because of this, consider purchasing an eternity engagement ring set to make sure the set flows well together.How to choose the perfect ring
Usually, diamond engagement rings are given during proposals. However, personal taste plays a huge role and the most important feature of an engagement ring is that the wearer actually likes it and will want to wear it. Therefore, if your other-half prefers eternity rings over other types, isn’t a fan of diamonds, or likes jewellery that is a little more unique, perhaps this is the exact type of ring to consider for your engagement. Having your significant other in mind when deciding what type of ring to buy is always the best course of action rather than opting for whatever is traditional.How to wear an eternity ring
While eternity rings aren’t strictly defined to one hand or another, if you’re giving an eternity ring as an engagement ring, they would traditionally be worn on the ring finger on the left hand.Are there any limitations to choosing eternity rings instead of engagement rings?
While eternity rings make excellent alternatives to traditional engagement rings, there are some limitations to keep in mind.