What a hallmark is
A UK hallmark is an independent test. An assay office analyses the metal and strikes a set of marks confirming its fineness. It is not a maker vouching for their own work — that is the whole point of it, and it is why the Hallmarking Act 1973 makes it a criminal matter rather than a trading standards courtesy.
The exemption weights
Below a statutory weight, an article of precious metal may be sold without a hallmark. These weights are set out in the Act:
| Metal | Exemption weight |
|---|---|
| Silver | 7.78 g |
| Gold | 1 g |
| Platinum | 0.5 g |
| Palladium | 1 g |
The weight that counts is the weight of one earring, not the pair. Each earring is a separate article. Two silver hoops of 5 g each weigh 10 g on the scales, but they are two 5 g articles and neither needs a hallmark. This is exactly why we publish weight per single piece everywhere on this site instead of a pair weight — it is the figure the law works from, and it is also the figure your earlobe works from.
How this plays out across our range
Earrings are small. Most of ours weigh between 0.3 g and 3 g each, which is well under every exemption weight above — so most of what we sell carries no hallmark, and that is entirely normal for the category.
3 pieces are above the exemption weight per single piece and carry a UK hallmark:
| Piece | Metal | Weight, one piece | Exemption |
|---|---|---|---|
| 925 Silver Chunky Hoop 25 mm | 925 sterling silver | 8.4 g | 7.78 g |
| 9ct Gold Hoop 12 mm | 9ct gold (375) | 1.2 g | 1 g |
| 9ct Gold Fine Drop 20 mm | 9ct gold (375) | 1.1 g | 1 g |
Every product page states whether the piece is hallmarked and, if not, which exemption weight it falls under. We do not leave that field blank and hope nobody asks.
Being under the exemption weight does not license vague description
This is the part that matters. A piece too light to require a hallmark must still be described accurately. Selling something as 925 sterling silver when it is silver-plated base metal is an offence under the Hallmarking Act and under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and the weight of the piece makes no difference to that.
Where we state 925, the piece is 925 throughout. Where we state 9ct gold, it is solid 375 gold including the post — not plated, not filled, not vermeil. Where a piece is not a precious metal at all, such as our titanium, we say so plainly and do not imply otherwise. See materials for the full description of each.
Reading a UK hallmark
Three marks are compulsory on a UK hallmark:
- The sponsor’s mark. Identifies who submitted the article for assay. Registered to one company at one assay office.
- The fineness mark. A number in a shaped surround giving parts per thousand of precious metal — 925 for sterling silver, 375 for 9ct gold, 585 for 14ct, 750 for 18ct. The shape of the surround tells you which metal.
- The assay office mark. Which office tested it: a leopard’s head for London, an anchor for Birmingham, a rose for Sheffield, a castle for Edinburgh.
A date letter may also be struck, which is optional in the UK. On an earring the marks are tiny and often on the post or the inside of a hoop — a loupe is usually needed to read them.
Dealer’s Notice
Statutory notice on hallmarking, displayed as required by the Hallmarking Act 1973
It is an offence for any person in the course of a trade or business to describe an unhallmarked article as being wholly or partly made of gold, silver, platinum or palladium, or to supply an article to which such a description is applied.
The following are approved hallmarks struck by UK assay offices, and the compulsory marks comprise the sponsor’s mark, the fineness (purity) mark and the assay office mark. Articles below the following weights are exempt from hallmarking: gold 1 g, silver 7.78 g, platinum 0.5 g, palladium 1 g.
The British Hallmarking Council and the four UK assay offices publish full guidance on hallmarking and on reading the marks.
How we enforce this in the shop itself
The rule is applied in code as well as in policy. If a precious metal piece is recorded above the exemption weight for its metal, judged on the weight of a single piece, and has no hallmark recorded against it, it is removed from the catalogue automatically — it cannot be browsed, and it cannot be ordered even from a saved basket. That is a hard filter, not a warning flag.