Sheffield Assay Office - HallMarking, Laser Marking and Analytical Services

HALLMARK FOR PALLADIUM BECOMES COMPULSORY – the facts

Palladium Hallmark compulsory from 1ST JANUARY 2010

There has been a voluntary hallmark for Palladium since July 2009.
From January 1, 2010 hallmarking becomes a compulsory legal requirement for all palladium articles weighing over 1 gram.
The recognised fineness standards are 500, 950, 999.
Over 40,000 pieces have been voluntarily hallmarked in the last six months, demonstrating the potential popularity of this newly recognised precious metal. At a time when the white metal look is very popular, and gold prices are at a record high, Palladium meets current trends and opens up huge opportunities to create inexpensive but innovative pieces.

Change to the Fineness mark shape

Palladium has much in common with Platinum - it is very white, does not require plating and does not tarnish. However, it is less dense and less expensive and the consequences of mistakenly identifying Platinum as Palladium or vice versa could be costly.
There is no quick acid test available to identify Palladium.
As with Platinum the most popular fineness is 950 and the trade has expressed so much concern that the two metals will be confused that the four UK Assay Offices have taken the unprecedented step of changing the original fineness mark to make it more distinguishable.
The first shape was a trapezium, clearly different from Platinum when perfect but with potential to be reduced to fainter straight lines as the hallmark becomes worn. After many key businesses voiced their worries the outline has been amended to three adjoining circles, so all lines are curved.
The new shape will be introduced from January 2010 when the mark becomes compulsory but the trapezium will remain legal and there is no need to re hallmark anything.

New Dealers' Notice

Under the Hallmarking Act 1973, every person "dealing" in precious metal is legally required to display the statutory Dealers Notice and this has now been redesigned to include Palladium.
A new statutory "Dealers Notice" which all those dealing in precious metals are legally required to display is available from the Assay Offices from January 2010, clearly showing both versions of the Palladium mark.
The new version is available as a free download from any of the Assay Office websites, and high quality printed versions are also available. For those requiring large quantities of notices the artwork is available for retailers to produce their own signs.
Dealers have twelve months to change to the new Notice, which becomes compulsory from 1st January 2011.
The new Notice features strongly an image of a hallmark including the three compulsory symbols. In recognition of the regional and national bias of some jewellery and precious metal articles and retailers, which is integral to their branding, the new Notice will appear in four different versions, according to whether a mark from Birmingham, Edinburgh, London or Sheffield is deemed more appropriate.

For more information about Palladium hallmarks and to obtain your new Dealers Notice use our on-line enquiry form or contact...

Sheffield Assay Office
Guardians' Hall
Beulah Road
Hillsborough
Sheffield
S6 2AN
Tel: 0114 231 2121
Fax: 0114 233 9079