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.
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Low Dome Comfort Fit Classic Plain Wedding Band
From £58
Prong Set Diamond Half Eternity Ring
From £449
2.20mm Studded Flat Profile Diamond Shaped Band
From £277
Prong Set Diamond Half Eternity Ring
From £984
Open Wedding Bands
A popular choice and trending for 2024, open wedding bands are becoming more loved and adored as the years go by. They add something a little different to your jewellery collection than the traditional band and can sit beautifully with the right engagement ring as they don’t close completely in a circle, as opposed to your standard wedding ring. With plenty of new styles and designs on offer, our open wedding bands come with various diamond shapes incorporated on the ends. From pear, to round, marquise, and unique studded styles with all over diamonds too, the possibilities really are endless with our new selection of open wedding bands.Hidden Diamond Wedding Bands
If you’re not one for bling, a hidden diamond wedding band could be the one for you. With its plain exterior, hidden diamond bands are all about the finer details, and with a diamond embedded on the inside of the band, this type of design is perfect if you’re on the hunt for a more subtle yet still statement type of feel. A hidden diamond on the inside of the band elevates a plain band and makes it even more special, whilst marking your love for one another.Shaped Wedding Bands
Shaped wedding bands are often the first thing our customers opt for when trying to find a wedding ring with a different type of allure than the traditional plain band or eternity style wedding ring. They’re often popularly loved for their effortless ability to enhance the current engagement ring you may already have. Whether that be a u-shaped wedding band that cups the gemstone on your engagement ring, or a tiara wedding band that elevates the look as soon as you slide it on and pair it together with your other rings, there are multiple benefits to opting for a shaped wedding band, and our newest additions are full of sparkle and style.Vintage Wedding Bands
There’s something incredibly special about the way a vintage wedding band looks, and that’s why we’ve worked hard with our design team to expand our current range even further for 2024. The beauty of a vintage wedding band is that they can also be worn entirely on their own too, so if you’re looking to upgrade your engagement ring or you just prefer the look of wearing one singular ring, a vintage wedding band could be the perfect choice for you. Plus, so much more! So be sure to check out our full selection of wedding bands over on our website today.