Silver Hallmarking and Quality
Silver jewellery is made from sterling silver - 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper.
Silver is a very soft metal and 100% pure silver is not suitable for jewellery because it is too soft and would easily bend and go out of shape.
There are very strict legal requirements that must be adhered to when retailing jewellery in the UK.
UK law requires any sterling silver product over 7.78 grams in weight to be hallmarked by one of the four UK independent Assay Offices.
A hallmark is not be to confused with a manufacturers '925' stamp. '925' stamped into a piece of silver jewellery does not guarantee quality or that the product is really sterling silver.
A UK hallmark must also be present by law, otherwise the product can not be legally sold as sterling silver!
One of the requirements of the Hallmarking Act 1973 is that all dealers supplying precious metal jewellery shall display a notice explaining the approved hallmarks.
A legal UK hallmark consists of:
- Sponsors Mark:
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Sponsors mark - this is the unique mark assigned to each maker/importer that is registered with the assay office.
Silvertime is registered with Birmingham Assay Office. All our silver jewellery that we import is sent to Birmingham Assay Office for independent testing and hallmarking as required by UK law. Our sponsors mark is 'ST'.
- Standard Mark:
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Standard Mark - this mark denotes the standard of metal, eg. 925 for sterling silver, 375 for 9ct gold.
- Assay Office Mark:
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The Anchor symbol is the mark to show the product has been hallmarked at Birmingham Assay Office.
When we send our jewellery to Assay random pieces are cut and scrapped so that the silver can be tested for purity.
- Silvertime Jewellery - Quality Guaranteed:
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All our products are Nickel free and regularly tested. All gems stones used in our jewellery are also randomly tested.
We have been retailing jewellery for over 20 years. We have been trading on the internet since 1999.
Our wealth of experience guarantees that we only select the finest quality jewellery to include in our product range. We work closely with British manufacturers, UK importers and overseas manufacturers.
The only reason our prices are affordable and highly competitive is because we buy in large quantities and our overheads are low due to now being an internet only business. Many of our products are produced by the same manufacturers that supply exclusive high street jewellers.
We really do offer quality and exceptional value for money together with unrivalled service and customer support.
Our Best Selling Jewellery in the last month
Ladies sterling silver snake chain ideal for pendants. Rhodium plated finish. 16 inch (41cm) length with an additional 2 inch extender
was £16.00
Sale Price £13.22
Superior quality British made heavy solid sterling silver belcher chain fitted with a premium quality lobster clasp, 7.5mm diameter, weights 98 grams to 112 grams, available in lengths 28 inches to 32 inches / 76cm to 81cm.
from £262.00
Highly polished solid sterling silver heart tag bracelet with t-bar fastening. One of our best sellers over the last 15 years. Available in a choice of three lengths
from £74.00
2.5mm sterling silver belcher pendant chain. Premium quality belcher pendant chain available from 16 inches (41cm) to 30 inches (76cm). Perfect belcher chain for use with medium to heavy pendants. Fitted with larger 6mm bolt ring clasp.
from £18.00
2.9mm diameter diamond cut solid 925 sterling silver rope chain necklace
from £46.00
Solid sterling silver hallmarked curb chain 4.3mm width, superb quality high polished finish, fitted with a premium lobster class. This is one of our best selling silver curb chains.
from £69.00
2mm wide solid sterling silver strong pendant chain. The highly polished chains are fitted with a good size 6mm clasp and are available in extra long lengths up to 34 inches (86cm). Perfect for medium sized pendants
from £19.00
Solid 925 sterling silver anchor curb chain. The anchor chain copies the style of the chain that holds large anchors on ships, an oval link with a dividing bar through the middle. Link width: 8mm
from £179.00
Highly polished 925 solid sterling silver heart tag necklace. With heart tag and T-Bar fastening, this is a timeless classic design available in 16 ,18 ,20, 22 and 24 inch lengths - 41cm to 61cm lengths.
from £129.00
Sterling silver triple set amber earrings set with three pear drop pieces of 8mm x 6mm Baltic amber. Vibrant honey, lemon and green colours - 38mm drop.
£32.00
Men's sterling silver flat link Byzantine chain 6.80mm x 3.12mm depth links. This hallmarked chain has a superb highly polished finish and is one of our most stunning Byzantine Chain's. Available from 18 to 32 inches, up to 81 grams.
from £174.00
British made 5mm diameter silver Belcher hallmarked chain. Specially made for us with better quality components and durable lobster clasp. This is a superb premium quality chain of medium weight from 16 grams to 23 grams. Suitable for men and women.
from £63.00
Silver spiral bangle design set with a large convex oval piece of amber measuring 18mm x 12mm. This amber is wrapped with the silver creating a unique spiral design leading to the warm rich genuine baltic amber.
£49.90
Quality silver pendant chain. Rounded curb chain (as opposed to diamond cut curb chain) suitable for use with pendants. This is a premium quality solid sterling silver curb chain fitted with a larger than usual clasp measuring 6mm. Finished with a patented anti tarnish finish 1.75mm wide and 1.10mm depth.
from £11.40
Honey, green, lemon and cognac Baltic amber dangling Dragonfly earrings. These pretty earrings hang down a total of 40mm and create plenty of movement as the dragonflies swing on the fastenings.
£32.00
4.8mm wide solid sterling silver diamond cut unisex rope chain. Available in lengths up to 30 inches (76cm), the diamond cut edges give extra sparkle and shine to this popular chain design. Rope chain is becoming much more popular and the diamond cut rope chain is the preferred choice.
from £149.00
Green, honey and lemon Baltic amber sterling silver bracelet. The pear cut pieces of Baltic amber are set into this substantial sterling silver bracelet.
£74.00
Sunflower honey Baltic amber sterling silver ring. Part of our new Baltic amber sunflower range of jewellery. This gorgeous finely detailed ring is set with a golden piece of round Baltic amber
£32.00
Sterling silver Baltic amber fox pendant with a lightly oxidised finish to enhance the detail. Set with a stunning honey Baltic amber tail. The total length of the fox pendant measures 27.5mm including bail.
from £29.90
Sterling silver heart link adjustable bracelet. Highly polished sterling silver adjustable bracelet created from small heart shaped links. An elegant and lightweight sterling silver bracelet available in a wide range of lengths. The pear shaped clasp is designed to fit into any of the heart shaped links which means that the bracelets length is adjustable up to the size bracelet you received.
from £9.99
