Hallmarking
Hallmarking your jewellery To begin with I am going to define what a hallmark actually symbolises in the eyes of the British Law. It is a marked stamp on metals of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium given by the British assay offices which certify their standard of purity. The British assay offices are located in Edinburgh, Sheffield, Birmingham and London, all owning their own trademark. Up to 1998 there were four compulsory marks for a hallmark, however, after 1998 the d
What is Palladium? - in the goldsmith industry
Discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston, palladium is becoming increasingly popular within the jewellery industry. This chemical element is a rare, natural, lustrous silver-white metal and does not need to be plated. As palladium is a part of the platinum group of metals, it shares many of the same chemical properties as platinum, one of them being they are both naturally hypoallergenic materials. It is a hard-wearing metal and does not tarnish. However unlike platinum
