Hallmark and Copyright

Hallmark and copyright

Jewellery and Workshops

By Jane de Lacey Munday

Hallmark

It is UK law that all precious metal items over a particular weight (depending upon the type of precious metal) are tested for metal content and hallmarked accordingly by the Assay Office.

The jewellery that I make undergoes such testing and is hallmarked as 999 Fine Silver, with my personal hallmark, that of the Assay office who do the testing and hallmarking, and the year the item is made. (If an item has not been hallmarked it is because it is under the specified hallmarking weight.)

999 means that there are 999 particles of silver per 1000. As a comparison, Sterling Silver is 925/1000 because it includes other metal to increase it’s hardness. 999 Fine Silver is a softer but purer silver and, I have found, does not tarnish as quickly as Sterling Silver.

Nickel

I know that some people do have a sensitivity to Nickel in jewellery, and so I feel it appropriate to mention the EU Nickel Directive, which can be found online by typing ’EU Nickel Directive’ into your Search engine or visit www.nickelinstitute.org for more information. In a nutshell, the directive refers to the rate at which nickel is released from a product into the skin, when in prolonged contact, and what is legislated to be an ‘acceptable’ rate.

My Sister-in-law and I both have a sensitivity to Nickel to varying degrees, however neither of us have had any reaction wearing the fine silver jewellery that I have made.

All completed jewellery and tiara creations, commissions, photographs and contents of this website are copyrighted to me (unless stated otherwise) and as such can not be used by any other person or organisation without my written permission.

It goes without saying that I do not claim copyright of any texture plates, stamps, moulds, trinkets or any other items utilised in the design and creation of my work.