Thankfully for the antique collectors of this planet, a small handbook on UK Hallmarks is more than up to the task of identifying that mysterious hallmark. When you couple that information with that very useful plastic 10X eyeglass I keep on hinting you to buy, it will show you that the item has been verified and marked, to prove it is - what it says it is (14ct or 22ct etc). Hallmarks from Great Britain are the greatest in the known jewelry and antique world. Who says so - the rest of the Planet. Although to be fair, other countries have specific hallmarks too, it is just that they are NOT so regularly seen.

British Jewellery with its full UKHM (United Kingdom Hall Mark) is always stamped and clearly identifyable once you clean it. For more advisory reports such as this one, like: ‘How to Clean your Jewellery at Home or Work’ is available at the 20th Century Antique Jewelry website at: http://www.jewellery-antiques.com/

In Scotland today the assay mark is for Edinburgh, while in Ireland they use Dublin as the centre for marking jewellery. Pity the poor Welsh are left out again.

If it wasn’t for the famous welsh gold in the Royal Wedding bands we would never have heard of them!

There used to be many Assay offices around the United Kingdom and Ireland, the Chester mark for example. Now there are just three sites left in England, Sheffield being the last, using a ‘Rose’ on gold Jewellery (DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH ‘ROSE GOLD’ JEWELRY) as that is a shade, not a hallmark.

Is that seal a Cockerel or a Tree? Could it be made in France or Germany?

Remember these Hallmarking Stamps can sometimes be incorrect, but if we are in the ballpark, so to speak, we won’t be too far out.

It is interesting to note that the phrase ‘Circa’ or ‘c’ actually means ‘around’ so don’t get too pedantic or exact. Work with what you have and go from there, because there is no such thing as a faultless structure.

Maker’s Marks are next hardest thing to classify after Hallmarks in general. Subscribe to David’s Bonus Hallmark Course available from his website at:
http://www.jewellery-antiques.com