Hallmarked Gold Jewellery ? An Overview On Hallmarked Gold Jewellery

Posted by kumarabhi on March 2nd, 2013

What Is Hallmark?

Hallmark is the official mark or even a series of marks that are found on items made of precious metals like gold, silver and platinum. It is an indication of the purity and the quality of the precious metal. Hallmarks are usually confused with the term trademark or the makers mark. It has to be understood that hallmark is not the mark of a manufacturer, but of an independent authority or body that regulated the purity of the precious metals. Hallmarking is done in order to protect the customers of gold, silver and platinum and to ensure that they get the quality and purity that they are paying for. The hallmark is said to be your guarantee of quality.

How To Identify If Your Jewellery Is Hallmarked

Whenever a piece of jewelry is hallmarked, it is sent to an independent body that will analyze and test the jewelry for its authenticity and purity. If the gold jewelry satisfies the standards, then it is hallmarked by the authorized agency using laser. Such hallmarking stamps cannot be done by the jewels as it is unique in its own sense. But nowadays there have been cases reported where jewelry hallmarks have been illegally copied. These fake hallmarks do not guarantee the quality a required by standards and can be way below par when it comes to the quality of the gold used.  So whenever you buy gold jewelry make sure that you look for the hallmark stamp carefully to see if they are genuine or go to a jeweler that only sells hallmarked gold Jewellery. Purity of gold is an important aspect of hallmarked gold jewelry and your investment in gold jewelry is safe when it is a quality product.

How Is Purity Of Gold Measured?

Purity of gold is measured in Karats (carats). It is represented by the symbol ‘K’. The ratio of gold to other metals that are mixed with gold is considered in 24 parts. A carat has a value of 1/24. Gold in its purest form is said to be 24 carats and that means the gold is 100 percent pure. Most of the gold jewelry is made less than 24 carats as gold in its purest form is very soft and not strong for daily wear. When we say 22 carat gold jewelry it means that there is 22 parts of gold to 2 parts of another metal. The gold jewelry of a lower carat value will tend to be cheaper because the amount of gold used will be less.

Importance Of Hallmarked Gold Jewellery

Hallmarked gold jewelry will retain its shine and brightness for a much longer period and will tend to have longer life. So you can pass on hallmarked gold from one generation to another and still not depreciate in value. With hallmarked jewelry you are assured of a basic value for your jewels at any point of time and this is a security for your investment. So it is essential for anyone who is looking to buy gold jewelry for them or for their loved ones to insist on hallmarked gold jewelry.