Hallmarking is a scheme whereby precious metal articles are checked and certified (hallmarked) for their precious metal content by a qualified and independent office before the articles are released for sale.  

SAO offers two Hallmarking schemes. One is targetted at the retailers and the other at manufacturers, traders and wholesalers.  

The Hallmarking scheme for retailers is called the SAO Hallmarking Scheme (Retailers). This scheme ensures that precious metal articles sold by SAO certified retail outlets are of the stated fineness and quality. This is for the protection of the retailers and also for the consumers. Under the scheme, certified outlets are required to send all their jewellery to SAO. Tests using Fire Assay test method are made on small samples removed from the articles to ensure that the articles conform to the prescribed Fineness or Carat. If samples cannot be removed from the jewellery article, tests can be done using the non-destructive XRF spectroscopy test method. The SAO Hallmark is only stamped on an article if it has passed the tests. A certificate, which states that the outlet has attained a quality standard recognised by SAO and is authorized by SAO to sell hallmarked jewellery items will be prominently, displayed at certified jewellery outlets.

The Hallmarking scheme for manufacturers, traders and wholesalers is for them to get an independent party to certify that the precious metals produced or sold by them are of the stated finess and quality. It will help instill trust in their jewellery articles.
                                       

How can the SAO Hallmark be recognized?

A complete SAO Hallmark consists of the Assay Office Mark, followed by the fineness number in a rectangular frame for gold, a round frame for silver or a diamond-shaped frame for platinum.

Examples of the complete SAO Hallmark

A 916 Gold Article hallmarked bears the following stamps;

A Platinum article hallmarked bears the following stamps;

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How does the Hallmark protect consumers?

Precious Metal articles made from gold, silver or platinum are too soft to be used in the pure form. The addition of alloys (a mixture of inferior metals) tends to lower the intrinsic value of these articles and this varies according to fineness and prevailing price of the precious metals. Neither price, color nor weight will reveal the amount of alloying metals that have been added to your purchases. The only way to determine the fineness value of your precious metal is through a chemical analysis. This is how hallmarking protects consumers.

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