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
Victoria and David Beckham are one of the most influential and long-lasting celebrity couples so it is no surprise that their anniversary gifts are extra sparkling. They have been together for 20 years and on almost each one of those David gifted Victoria with a ring. Of course, not any ring but a diamond ring.
We made a list with all her 14 diamond rings, so keep on reading to see them.
1998 - The Engagement Ring
David Beckham chose a delicate three-carat marquise-cut diamond set on a plain yellow band to propose to Victoria in 1998. The beauty of this cut is that it visually elongates the fingers and grants elegance to the classic solitaire style. This ring reportedly cost around £65,000.
2001 – The Eternity Band
After the wedding, Victoria stopped wearing her marquise-cut diamond ring and started wearing a platinum set eternity band. This was going to be her ring of choice for 18 months.
2003 – The Emerald-cut Ring
2003 is when the tradition started. The Emerald-cut diamond with side baguettes set on a platinum band was also a major upgrade and it is one of the most extravagant of her engagement rings’ collection. This stunning ring reportedly cost around £1.2 million.
2004 – The Champagne Pink Diamond
Unlike previous years, this ring wasn’t to celebrate a wedding anniversary but to celebrate Victoria’s 30th birthday. For this occasion, David chose a delicate pink champagne oval-cut diamond ring in a halo setting. The ring reportedly cost £1 million.
Featuring a 17-carat pear-cut set on a diamond pavé band, this ring is the biggest of all 14! It is also one of her favourites since she still regularly wears it. This ring reportedly cost £2 million.
For her sixth engagement ring, David Beckham chose a yellow emerald-cut diamond set on a yellow gold pave band. She usually wears it with two-eternity bands to flank it.
It’s not always diamonds! For her seventh engagement ring, Victoria received a huge cushion-cut emerald sitting inside a diamond spiral. This ring reportedly cost £700,000.
2009 – The Ruby
For her ninth engagement ring, Victoria was gifted an oval-cut ruby mounted in a white-diamond setting. She might be a fan of black but she doesn’t mind a pop of colour in her jewellery.
Continuing with the gemstone style, David chose an oval-cut sapphire set on a skinny pave band. With this last addition, she completed her precious gemstones collection!
2011 – The Pink Diamond
For her eleventh engagement ring, Victoria received a beautiful and feminine oval-cut pink diamond set on yellow gold pave band.
2015 – The Moonstone
One of the most unexpected rings was her twelfth engagement ring, which featured a moonstone and cost £10,000.
Going back to her first love, David gifted Victoria an elegant square-cut diamond set on a platinum pave band.
2018 – The Yellow Diamond II
Quite similar to her last one, this ring features a square-cut yellow diamond set on a pave band.
What style do you think she should get for her fifteenth engagement ring? Let us know!
Pave Setting Full Eternity Diamond Ring
From £397
Pave Setting Half Eternity Diamond Ring
From £484