Jewelry Appraisal Center

Jewelry hallmarks

Professional jewelry appraisals completed by gemologists and valuers often have to take into account the effect the jewelry hallmarks have on the value of each item being appraised. Do they alter the price, up or down, depending on the hallmark. The simple answer is yes - and no. It depends on the hallmarks themselves and where they come from.

I get similar questions on forums and 'expert' websites, together with my own members discussion group. They are usually in the following format, and in general the same questions get asked over and over again. They go something like this...

Question: "I was very dissatisfied with the other so called 'expert' I ask a question of, as it relates to Gold Hallmarks"
(Authors Note: NOT at my site. The expert was on a well known website based around general questions and answers). The client continued...

"My question pertains to Silver, Gold or any jewelry hallmarks. Can you provide a link to a list/catalog/directory of manufacturer's hallmarks?"

As you can see, a very typical and general question that this member of the public thinks would be an easy one. Not so unfortunately. I have given my answer below in the hope that it reaches more people and helps them to realize just how complex a subject this really is.

Answer: G'day Gary and many thanks for your query

Jewelry Hallmarks are under no control on the World Market. There is no governing body to regulate their implementation.

Great Britain in particular has had a superb hallmark system in place beginning in the 12th Century and evolving into the wonderful and very informative system in we have today. However not all countries followed in their footsteps, especially those outside of Europe where a simple 14ct or 18K (both meaning carat or Karat - a measure of quality - not weight) is considered normal.

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Just to add further confusion - many countries in South East Asia for example, have a HUGE manufacturing base, yet no rules or regulations when it comes to Hallmarks, Store names, Manufacturers or Maker's Marks. It leaves a huge gap in the valuation process because it basically means that anyone - anywhere - can make and stamp their jewelry with whatever they want.

Even in the United States and European Union Countries, this is becoming normal, with no regulated stamping or hallmarking as was their compliance in the past.

Can you imagine the millions of Hobby Jewelers,  some very good, who make for a small local market. They stamp their items with no thought to 'How people are going to find them' years from now. This has been the bain of Jewelers and Valuers (myself included) for many years, and I do not see the situation changing in my lifetime. We simply have to adapt and work with what we've got. When it comes to value, I'm afraid the end result often is: 'If in doubt - discount it out'.

So we all have to scramble for whatever info we can find in books from all over the world, and the few websites which provide just a SMALL amount of data. You can do a search on sites like Amazon, for example, where there are a few good hallmarking books - some I personally would not be without. But unless you are dealing with quality jewelry from say, Great Britain, you are going to get very frustrated, very quickly.

Hope this helps Gary - and welcome to the frustrating world of Hallmarking. Just remember that once you have all the details, you can record them in our Jewelry Appraisals Online Database which actually does take into account the value difference assuming the item being appraised has a readable and recorded hallmark in the first place.

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