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
Beautiful diamond wishbone rings hold plenty of symbolism and meaning. The elegant shape of this ring design is what makes it so unique. Our diamond wishbone ring meaning guide reveals the true meaning behind this beautiful jewellery style.
What is a wishbone ring?
A diamond wishbone ring is a ring that has a ‘V’ shape. The shape of wishbone rings resembles that of a wishbone in a turkey or chicken - which is how it received its name. The tradition states that when two people break the wishbone in a chicken or turkey (usually on Thanksgiving), the person left with the bigger part of the bone will receive what is called a ‘lucky break’, meaning their wishes will come true. For this reason, wishbone rings are believed to bring good luck and fortune to the wearer.
Wishbone ring meaning
Wishbone rings represent love and luck. It was in the 1900s that wishbone jewellery started to become popular. People would hang an old wishbone ring on their door in the hopes of finding a partner. Today, wishbone jewellery is a popular choice for women’s wedding rings.
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How should you wear a diamond wishbone ring?
If you have chosen a wishbone wedding ring, you should put it on first and wear it with the ‘V’ shape pointing toward the wrist. Alternatively, a diamond wishbone ring can be worn as a fashion piece on any finger with the ‘V’ shape pointing either way. Wishbone rings are ideal for stacking with other jewellery pieces due to their versatile nature.
Popular wishbone rings
Wishbone rings are popular for several occasions. They are worn as eternity rings, fashion jewellery or more commonly as wedding rings. Wishbone wedding rings are a good choice for symbolising the love you have for each other. Some say that wishbone wedding rings provide luck to the married couple and make all their wishes come true.