A buyers guide to hallmarking in the UK: How to Read Gold & Silver Hallmarks

What is a hallmark and why does it matter for silver and gold jewellery in the UK?

If you've ever purchased or admired a piece of silver or gold jewellery, you might have noticed a tiny but powerful sequence of markings that are known as the hallmark. These markings are made up of numbers, letters and pictures and are often so small, you may need magnification to read them clearly. 

So what exactly is a hallmark? And why should you care about it when buying handmade jewellery?

In the simplest terms, a hallmark is a legally recognised stamp that confirms the precious metal content of an item. In the UK, hallmarking is regulated by law (Hallmarking Act of 1973) and has been part of British tradition for over 700 years. It’s a guarantee of quality and authenticity, applied by an official assay office (there are four in the UK: London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh).

Each hallmark usually includes:

• The maker’s mark – a unique symbol registered by the jewellery maker (like us!). Our unique maker's mark are the letters HMC inside a chamfered oblong, so if you see this on a piece of jewellery, you will know for sure it was made by us!
• The purity/fineness mark – showing the metal's purity, such as 925 for sterling silver or 375 for 9ct gold
• The assay office mark – identifying where the item was tested and marked. All our jewellery is hallmarked in Edinburgh, which is represented in the hallmark by a castle symbol.
• An optional date letter – indicating the year it was hallmarked. For jewellery hallmarked in 2026, this will appear as a letter B. 
• You may also find a rampant lion on our sterling silver items, this is a optional mark, showing that the item was made in Scotland.

Why Is Hallmarking Important?

For us as makers – and for you as a buyer – hallmarking is about trust.

When you buy handmade jewellery, you’re investing in more than just a beautiful object. You're supporting sustainability, and skilled craftsmanship. Hallmarking helps protect that investment by giving you confidence that what you’re buying is exactly what we say it is.

Unfortunately, without a hallmark, even experienced eyes can’t tell for certain if something is solid gold, plated, or something else entirely. That’s why, in the UK, it’s actually illegal to sell precious metal items (above certain weights) without an official hallmark.

What requires a hallmark?

• Gold items – must be hallmarked above the weight of 1 gram
• Silver items – must be hallmarked above the weight of 7.78 grams
• Platinum items - must be hallmarked above the weight of 0.5 grams

However, if they wish jewellers can still apply for a hallmark on precious metal items that are below these weights, to add traceability and authenticity to a jewellery item. 

What about gold and silver plated items?

Gold and silver plated items, where the base metal is not a precious metal (e.g. gold plated brass or steel) cannot be hallmarked. If the base metal is a precious metal (e.g. 18ct gold plated silver), then the item will be hallmarked based on the fineness of the silver e.g. '925'.

What does the 925 mark mean on silver items?

This is the purity mark, which confirms the silver item is 92.5% pure silver, also known as sterling silver. You may also see 999 marked on silver items, this is 99% silver and is also known as fine silver. Fine silver is very soft and can easily scratch; adding another metal (e.g. copper) to the silver increases its strength, resulting in more durable silver suitable for jewellery. 

What Hallmarking Means to Us

At inOre jewellery our silver and gold items (above the required weights) are fully hallmarked at the Edinburgh Assay Office. Not only does this meet our legal requirements as a responsible manufacturer, but it’s also part of our promise to you: that your jewellery is genuine and authentic.

We also love that our hallmark (this little piece of British tradition) stamped into the DNA of our design, enables each piece of jewellery to be traced back to its origin. 

A Final Thought

In a world of mass production and fast fashion, choosing handmade jewellery is a beautiful way to connect with something meaningful. Hallmarking might seem like a small detail, but it’s a big part of what makes that connection trustworthy.

So next time you’re admiring a ring, bracelet or necklace – whether it’s from us or another artisan – take a peek at the hallmark and see which symbols you can recognise.

And if you ever have questions about hallmarking or your jewellery, just get in touch. We love talking about what we do – and we’re always here to help you shop with confidence.