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
If you’re looking at buying an engagement ring or sparkling diamond jewellery piece you may be wondering how to get the best diamond for your money, and we’ve wrapped up all our top tips to help you do just that. With over 15 years of jewellery experience behind us we know a thing or two about diamonds, and all the tips and tricks to make sure you get the best possible diamond for your dollar.
White Gold Round Diamond Engagement Ring
From £502
White Gold Round Side Stone Diamond Engagement Ring
From £826
Prong Setting Halo Diamond Engagement Ring
From £1,315
Yellow Gold Trilogy Diamond Engagement Ring
From £1,368
Prong Setting Plain Engagement Ring
From £544
4 Prong Setting Side Stone Engagement Ring
From £715
Prong Set Round Side Stone Diamond Engagement Ring
From £881
Prong Setting Trilogy Diamond Engagement Ring
From £1,156
Prong Setting Side Stone Halo Engagement Ring
From £942
Prong Set Round Side Stone Diamond Engagement Ring
From £790
Prong Setting Round Diamond Hidden Halo Rings
From £829
Prong Setting Oval and Pear Trilogy Diamond Engagement Ring
From £979
It’s no secret that buying and investing in diamonds can be incredibly overwhelming, and there are many things to look out for that can significantly lower your cost. Firstly, it’s important to always keep in mind the importance of the 4 C’s, and as important as each one is in their own individual right, there’s ways around tweaking certain elements to get that diamond you’ve really got your heart set on.
Opt for Lab-Grown Diamonds instead
The ultimate money-saving tip is opting for a lab grown diamond as opposed to your traditional natural diamond. With lab grown diamonds becoming an increasingly popular choice, there’s often a lot of confusion around the legitimacy of lab grown diamonds and often on their differences to mined diamonds. In short, you physically can’t notice the difference between a lab grown diamond and a natural diamond. Only skilled craftsmen with the correct tools to hand would be able to tell the difference, and this is why choosing a lab grown diamond engagement ring is a great option if you’re looking to save some money. Another option to think about is opting for a gemstone or moissanite engagement ring instead, as these could significantly lower your total price too.
The Importance of Cut
Often confused with shape, a diamonds cut is all about the diamond’s overall symmetry, proportion, and polish. When shopping around for the perfect diamond engagement ring, your cut often determines its quality as the higher the cut, the higher the clarity and a well-cut diamond will look brighter and makes any imperfections a lot less noticeable. When thinking about the 4 C’s, cut is arguably the most important so if you’re looking to save yourself some money, our recommendation is not to compromise here. Keep your cut grade high and adjust other factors like carat or colour instead.
Go for a slightly lower diamond carat
The carat weight you opt for has a massive effect on the price of your diamond, and it’s a common misconception that the carat weight is the most important factor when choosing a diamond. Prioritising the cut grade and overall quality of your diamond is far more important and this handy tip could save you a lot of money when on the search for the perfect diamond. If you’re working on a particular budget, lower your carat and increase your cut grade instead.
Shapeshift your way to the top
Different shaped diamonds can really alter the cost of your purchase, and this is all down to how difficult the specific shape is to cut, alongside the diamond wastage that is produced thereafter. Often the most popular shape our customers go for (and for good reason) are round engagement rings, this is due to the intensified sparkle that bounces off its many facets, however this comes at a cost. If you’re on the fence about what shape to go for, if you opt for an oval engagement ring or something with a softer edge like a cushion or princess cut engagement ring, you can save yourself up to 25-50% less.