It is law within the UK that every item of precious metal sold such as Platinum, Gold, Silver is stamped labelling the item with the type of metal it is. Platinum pieces which weigh less than 0.5 grams, 18ct Gold and Palladium pieces weighing less than 1.0 gram and Silver pieces weighing less than 7.78 grams are except from hallmark.
At Diamonds Factory all our products are hallmarked as per UK hallmarking law from London Assay Office (The GoldSmith Company)
Where Hallmarking Began
The Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office is the oldest assay office in the United Kingdom. It has provided hallmarking services since The Goldsmiths' Company was founded in the 1300s. The company received its royal charter in 1327 and ranks 5th in order of precedence of the 12 Great Livery Companies of the City of London.
Hallmarking dates back to the 1300s when Edward I of England passed a law requiring any item made of silver, which was offered for sale, to be at least of equal quality as that of the coin of the realm (silver currency). The wardens of The Goldsmiths' Company were tasked with visiting workshops in the City of London to assay (test) silver articles. If these articles were found to be below standard they were originally destroyed and the metal forfeited to the King. If they passed, each article received the King's mark of authentication - the mark of a leopard's head. By 1478, there were several hundred workshops and merchants manufacturing silver articles in the City of London. It was not possible for the wardens to visit them all so the merchants were ordered to bring their items to Goldsmiths' Hall for testing and marking and a permanent Assay Office was established in the building. This is the origin of the term hallmark - struck with the King's mark at Goldsmiths' Hall.
In 1544 the Goldsmith's Company adopted the King's mark as their town mark and the mark of the leopard's head is now internationally recognised as the mark of this assay office.
Today
The Goldsmiths's Company Assay Office is still based at Goldsmiths's Hall and remains the oldest company in Britain to be continually trading from the same site. However, it also has two satellite offices; at Greville Street in Hatton Garden in the heart of the London jewellery quarter and within a high security complex near London's Heathrow airport. It now has a new off-site facility within the Dalston-based jewellery manufacturer, Allied Gold. This is the first time in the Assay Office's 700 year history that it has opened permanent hallmarking services on a customer's premises.
In addition to hallmarking, the office has now expanded its range of services to support the jewellery trade and enforcement authorities. It offers a variety of specialist analytical services including nickel, lead & cadmium testing, antique silver dating, non-destructive compositional analysis, plating thickness measurement and a melt and assay service for scrap precious metal carried out in their fully independent on-site laboratory. Other services offered are a jewellery valuation service, laser marking, trading standards assistance, high quality photography and a comprehensive range of training and educational seminars, lectures and specialist events.
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A proposal marks the start of a new chapter in your life. Whether you are a man or woman, getting engaged is a significant milestone that you are unlikely to forget. Engagement rings symbolise love and commitment in a relationship, but who wears them? In this article we discuss, do men wear engagement rings?
Who wears the engagement ring?
Anyone can wear an engagement ring! It is typically more common for women to wear engagement rings, however, there has been a rise in the number of men choosing to wear them in recent years. Around 5% of men wear engagement rings, according to a survey created by The Knot. This small group of men wear engagement rings to show they believe in an equal partnership and to show their status to the rest of the world.
In what cultures do men wear engagement rings?
You may be surprised to know that, in some cultures, it is expected that men wear engagement rings. For example, in Chile, both men and women wear engagement rings. Men wear them on their right hand before marriage, and they are worn to symbolise lifetime and emotional commitment.
What do engagement rings for men look like?
We are probably all familiar with how traditional engagement rings for women look like. They tend to consist of a diamond on a beautifully polished metal band. Engagement rings for men look a little different. They look like men's wedding rings. They tend to consist of a thick metal band and can be either plain or adorned with diamonds. Some men choose bespoke engagement rings, so it depends on the individual's taste.
Who buys the engagement ring?
This completely depends on the individual. For example, a woman choosing to propose to a man may wish to buy the engagement ring ahead of the proposal. If getting engaged is a joint decision, you may wish to buy them together. In some cultures, the man will propose to the woman and once she has accepted, he would then wear a ring. In this instance, he may choose to buy his own ring. What you decide should be what feels good for you.
Which hand do men wear their engagement ring?
For both men and women, wearing an engagement ring is optional and depends on the individual. Men can wear their engagement on their ring finger on either hand. The hand they choose to wear it on may depend on where they live, their culture or social traditions. They then have the option to wear their engagement ring alongside their wedding ring or on the opposite hand.
If you are searching for an engagement ring, head to our range of diamond rings for men. Alternatively, why not head to our other article to find out how millennials feel about engagement rings.
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