Our hallmark is your guarantee of purity. We use only sterling silver 925.
In 1327 King Edward I decreed that all precious metals worked in his realm should be tested and marked for purity. Since 1327 The Goldsmiths’ Company in London have been doing just that. All objects made of precious metals were taken to the Goldsmith’s Hall, tested and then marked – thus hallmarked.
Our own unique Sponsors Mark
All our silver pieces are sent to the London Assay Office, based at Goldsmiths’ Hall, tested and hallmarked with the Traditional Mark and our own unique stamp. AJD for Alban John Depper who is the artist and maker of our jewellery. Every maker’s stamp issued by the London Assay Office is unique and therefore identifiable.
We are proud that our stamp joins a register of makers that stretches back through the centuries.
What do the stamps mean?
Traditional Fineness: The Lion is a symbol for Sterling silver, and this stamp is optional.
Millesimal Fineness: This stamp tells you how fine, or what quality the metal is, and indicates the precious metal content of the article. As we use Sterling Silver 925, you will see it here.
Assay Office: The leopard’s head tells you which Assay Office, tested and hallmarked the article. The leopard’s head denotes London and was first used in 1300 as the King’s mark of authentication. It was introduced by Edward I to protect and preserve the standards of gold and silver wares. Although there are 4 Assay Offices in the UK, London is the oldest and the leopard's head mark has been used by some of the finest craftsmen in history, on some of the most prestigious and celebrated works.
Date Letter Mark: This is also non-compulsory. The date letter changes each year on the 1st January. The font case and shield shape all change so it can only indicate one specific year. All date punches are destroyed at the end of the year.
This Traditional Mark gives you the complete assurance that the precious metals we use have been scrutinised and fully assessed for their purity and quality.
What is a hallmark?
Hallmarks are marks applied to precious metals to indicate the amount of pure metal in the alloy.
It is a legal requirement when selling precious metal in the UK?
Yes, if the item is over 7.78g in weight, for silver.
Precious metals are rarely used in their purest form but are usually alloyed with other metals for workability, durability, wearability. It isn't possible to detect an article's precious metal content by sight or touch. Therefore, it is a legal requirement for an Assay Office to hallmark articles containing precious metals if they are described as such.
What is sterling silver 925?
The 925 stands for 92.5% pure silver. The remaining 7.25% is an alloy. Pure silver is too soft for casting jewellery, so this additional alloy increases the workability and durability of the silver.
How is the hallmark applied?
The hallmark was traditionally applied by striking with a punch or stamp, however hallmarks can now also be applied using lasers. We use a laser application as it works better with our finished pieces.
