Hallmarking
A mark of trust
Every piece of my jewellery is independently tested and hallmarked at the London Assay Office, one of the UK's four official Assay Offices.
British hallmarking has a remarkable history stretching back more than 700 years. Established in 1300 during the reign of Edward I, it is one of the oldest forms of consumer protection in the world, created to safeguard buyers against precious metals of inferior quality.
Today, the hallmark continues to provide the same independent assurance of a precious metal's authenticity and purity — a small but enduring mark of trust.
Understanding my hallmark
The photograph above shows the hallmark on one of my sterling silver pieces. Reading from left to right:
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MH — My sponsor's mark: My registered sponsor's mark, identifying me as the person responsible for submitting the jewellery for hallmarking and linking the jewellery to me.
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The lion passant: The traditional British symbol for sterling silver.
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925 — The fineness mark: Confirms that the silver has a minimum purity of 925 parts per thousand, or 92.5%.
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The leopard's head: The distinctive symbol of the London Assay Office, where the silver has been independently tested.
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The date letter: Identifies the year in which the piece was hallmarked, in this case, B for 2026.
In the UK, silver jewellery weighing less than 7.78 grams is generally exempt from compulsory hallmarking. Nevertheless, I choose to have all my jewellery hallmarked, including my smaller and lighter pieces.
I believe every piece deserves this assurance, regardless of its size or weight.
