Price match guarantee
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.
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.
May 28, 2020 | 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.
There are many reasons you may wish to buy your significant other a ring in a relationship, the most common being engagement rings, which are offered in a proposal of marriage. Then there are wedding rings, eternity rings and promise rings (also known as commitment rings). In this guide to promise and commitment rings, we discuss the reasons you may wish to buy one and what they symbolise.
What is a promise ring?
A promise ring, or commitment ring, is a type of ring given to symbolise fidelity and commitment within a relationship. It is not unheard of for both partners to wear a promise ring to symbolise their romantic bond.
What does a promise or commitment ring symbolise in a relationship?
The exact meaning of a promise ring can vary from couple to couple, but ultimately it can be anything such as a promise to always be in love, to stand by the other person or to always be faithful.
In a romantic relationship, a promise ring should probably be given after a significant amount of time has been spent with your partner, maybe at least a year, to show them that it is serious and that you’re committed for the longer term. It is then up to the couple whether they wish to propose with an engagement ring later on in their relationship.
It may be the case that for the romantic couple that may not wish to marry in the future, a promise ring can symbolise that this is something a little more than casual and that you’re perfectly content with the way things are. On the flip side, a promise ring could be a beautiful gesture for a couple that have already been married for many years, who wish to show that that romantic fire still burns brightly.
What should a promise ring look like?
Promise rings tend to be a little more subtle than your typical engagement ring, with less obvious smaller stones, or none at all. A popular variation is of two hands intertwined made in either silver or gold, or even just a plain slim band. It’s helpful to view a promise ring as more of a fashion ring when it comes to their appearance.
How to give a promise ring
Most commonly, promise or commitment rings are given on special occasions such as a birthday, holiday or Valentine’s Day. There is no right or wrong moment to give a promise ring. Some couples choose to shop for the rings together as the most important thing is the meaning behind the promise ring, rather than the gifting process.
Which finger do you wear a promise ring?
Promise rings can be worn on any finger, as long as it’s comfortable. Most people would opt for their ring finger on their left hand if not married, and on the right, if already married. There is no right or wrong answer to this though. For a man, you may even opt to wear the ring on a chain around your neck!
For most couples, a promise or commitment ring is often upgraded to an engagement ring ahead of marriage.
Check out our range of beautiful promise rings or head to our other article to find out how to clean your diamond ring safely at home.