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!
A legal UK hallmark consists of:
- Sponsors Mark:
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:
Standard Mark - this mark denotes the standard of metal, eg. 925 for sterling silver, 375 for 9ct gold.
- Assay Office Mark:
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:
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
Strong quality solid sterling silver heavy pendant chain. Rounded curb chain ideal for heavier pendants. Massive choice of lengths up to 42 inches.
from £14.90
Solid sterling silver hallmarked curb chain 4.5mm width, superb quality high polished finish, fitted with a premium lobster class. This is one of our best selling silver curb chains.
from £25.40
4mm 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 £43.00
A beautiful highly polished silver chain, this stunning chain is great to wear on its own or for use with a pendant. The round braided link is very flexible and smooth, perfect for larger pendants. We offer this Spiga chain in two different widths, this one being the largest at 2.50mm diameter. 16 to 36 inch lengths available.
from £18.40
Solid sterling silver men's curb chain. A good medium weight chain with 6.5mm wide links. Available in large range of lengths from 18 inches (46cm) through to 30 inches (76cm)
from £49.90
This unusual design of silver chain is a square box design. A great alternative to the basic curb chain, these chains are of superior quality and fitted with quality square end caps and shackle clasp for extra durability. This Franco chain width is 3.70mm and available in lengths from 18 inch to 32 inch.
from £59.90
Solid sterling silver men'scurb chain. Available in a wide range of lengths from 18 inches (46cm) through to 30 inches (76cm). A nice quality weighty curb chain at a very competitive price.
from £72.00
11.3mm width solid sterling silver curb bracelet, fitted with quality lobster clasp. Available in 7.5 inch, 8 inch, 9 inch and 9.5 inch lengths weighing up to 45 grams. This is one of our best selling wide curb bracelets since we introduced it in 2011.
from £56.90
Super heavy and super shiny rope chain! This is the largest rope chain we offer, this is a unisex chain suitable for men and women. The links are diamond cut which adds to the reflection of the chain, the chain links are 7.20mm in diameter, fitted with a quality lobster clasp.
from £134.00
Heavy men's solid sterling silver rope bracelet. An impressive rope bracelet with diamond cutting to the edges giving a more masculine look and extra shine with a diameter of 7.20mm. Fitted with a premium quality lobster clasp, available in 22cm and 25cm lengths, 8.75 inch - 9.75 inch.
from £50.00
Highly polished 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, 24 and 26 inch lengths - 40cm to 66cm lengths.
from £72.90
Sterling silver curb bracelet, currently available in: 8.5 inch (21.5cm) length - 22g and 9.5 inch (24cm) length - 24g. Fitted with a quality lobster clasp and highly polished finish.
from £34.90
Beautiful high quality, highly polished finish heavy 5mm solid sterling silver slave bangle. Bangles are back in fashion, layer them up to get that celebrity on trend look!
£49.90
Solid sterling silver belcher chain necklace, medium gauge 5.10mm diameter, high quality British hallmarked, British made, this is our best selling and most popular silver belcher chain. Available in lengths of 18 inches through to 32 inches.
from £60.00
Mirror finish highly polished curb chain, 9.2mm width which is medium to heavy gauge. Classic shaped flat diamond cut curb links, stunning quality. Available in lengths from 18 inches - 46cm through to 32 inches - 81cm weights from 62 to 108 grams depending on chosen length.
from £109.00
Italian made 4.5mm 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 20 grams to 36 grams. Suitable for men and women.
from £35.90
Premium quality diamond cut solid sterling silver curb chain with a good depth of 1.90mm and a width of 5.10mm.
from £36.00
Solid 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: 8.5mm. available in various lengths. 50 grams - 85 grams depending on length.
from £84.00
Men's 9mm wide Heavy Byzantine silver bracelet, 8.5 inches weighing 40 grams. This stunning handmade silver bracelet features a superb highly polished finish. This is one of our most popular men's silver bracelets. Matching neck chain also available.
from £89.90
Heavy men's solid sterling silver curb chain, 11.3mm wide curb links. Superb quality finish fitted with a quality durable lobster clasp. 86 grams - 137 grams which is 2.7 to 4.4 troy ounces depending on length chosen.
from £139.00
