Is Palladium Hallmarked?

[alia]

Do you get hallmarks for palladium? Doesn't seem right to me... maybe it's just a makers mark or something...?

Alia.

 

[oldmancoyote]

Your link doesn''t work for me, but:

1. Stock photos may have been taken for one ring metal only, to illustrate the style, and so may not change when you change metal

2. Palladium marks may be compulsory or not depending on which country you live in. In the US, all metal marking is done on a self-certification basis (and thus it is not "hallmarking" proper), and for palladium it is generally "Palladium" or "Pd" followed by the purity level (usually 950) - I''d expect most good quality palladium jewellery to be marked.

 

[Imdanny]

Does the US have hallmarking proper? Serious question, not snarky.

Come to think of it Tiffany (et al, etc.) seem to mark brand, metal, and (sometimes) copyright symbol, but I don''t recall seeing hallmarks. I wonder why?

Thanks.

 

[oldmancoyote]

Hi Danny, no the US does not have a true hallmarking system, meaning an indipendent organisation that certifies the metal type and purity. The maker is supposed to stamp the object with appropriate standard information, but it is a self-certification system that relies on the maker''s honesty and strong consumer protection legislation to make it stick. Italy is another country where no true hallmarking exists, despite it being the base for many of the largest (mass market) jewellery makers.

France and the UK (among many others) have a true hallmarking system - largely as a descendant of coinage and taxation systems that lasted hundreds of years in a world that had slow communication channels and no other consumer protection. France in particular used to have a very complex system particularly for silver, but in recent years it has simplified its convoluted processes causing a bit of a hoo-haa initially, but no great change in consumer protection levels.

Interestingly, if Tiffany sells an object in France or the UK, it has to get it hallmarked - even though the item is absolutely identical to another one being sold in the US without a hallmark.

 

[Imdanny]

Hi! That's interesting information! Thanks!

I know the most important seal a watch can have is the seal of Geneva. I've seen it in pictures. Standards have to be met, of course, and then it gets put on the movement. According to Wikipedia, though, it's not technically a "hallmark," but it looks like one.

Thanks again.

"Geneva seal
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The Geneva Seal (English), Poinçon de Genève (French), or Genfer Siegel (German) is the official seal of the City and Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. When a variation of the official seal is applied to wrist watch movements, the Geneva Seal is the quality seal of the Geneva School of Horology and it has an official purpose as defined by the law."

 

[Adah]

Date: 5/21/2009 1:17:19 PM
Author: oldmancoyote
Hi Danny, no the US does not have a true hallmarking system, meaning an indipendent organisation that certifies the metal type and purity. The maker is supposed to stamp the object with appropriate standard information, but it is a self-certification system that relies on the maker''s honesty and strong consumer protection legislation to make it stick. Italy is another country where no true hallmarking exists, despite it being the base for many of the largest (mass market) jewellery makers.

France and the UK (among many others) have a true hallmarking system - largely as a descendant of coinage and taxation systems that lasted hundreds of years in a world that had slow communication channels and no other consumer protection. France in particular used to have a very complex system particularly for silver, but in recent years it has simplified its convoluted processes causing a bit of a hoo-haa initially, but no great change in consumer protection levels.

Interestingly, if Tiffany sells an object in France or the UK, it has to get it hallmarked - even though the item is absolutely identical to another one being sold in the US without a hallmark.

Pretty much everything said here!!