Today, jewellery made of precious metals is hallmarked in nearly every country. These hallmarks certify the fineness of the used metals and can have many different shapes.

In Germany for instance, numbers indicate the fineness of the metal. There are three standards of “333”, “585” and “750” which indicate 8, 14 and 18 carat gold. For silver, sterling silver or “925” is the most common alloy.

In former times and in other countries, however, other hallmarks have been and are still in use. In France, for example, an extensive system of hallmarks uses images of animals and mythological figures. It was introduced in 1838, while in Germany, on the other hand, gold marks were introduced as mandatory only in January 1888.

Historic jewellery thus often shows a wide array of hallmarks, which often seem confusing. Reading them requires special investigations. It is also very common that old pieces are not marked at all. Sometimes there have been no laws requiring special hallmarks and sometimes the existing marks have vanished due to wear and resizing. We therefore examine carefully every piece of jewellery before we offer it in our shop.