I recently purchased this bracelet and would like to understand the hallmarks which are on the clasp ring and very small can only been seen by a microscope. Anchor on its side Birmingham since 1999? 925 in an oval no Lion. Separate 925 stamp on the other side does this mean European silver asseyed in Birmingham?? 2 H stamps in square can’t find any Birmingham maker with H would they use the Europeans mark if free? and date stamp doesn’t make sense as would be 2032. Thank you
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The hallmark requirements were changed significantly in 2000. The only required marks are now the maker’s mark (HH in your case), the 925 in an oval, and the assay city mark (your sideways anchor, for Birmingham). The lion passant is optional.
But worse, the date letter is now optional. Future collectors will curse this decision - it will be like American sterling, which usually can’t be dated more accurately than a few decades.
If the second 925 mark looks like this, that’s the “common control mark,” which is recognized by all of the signatories to the International Convention of Hallmarks. So, useful for exporting.
The Birmingham assay office could probably identify the HH maker - the standard lookup charts we use don’t get updated until marks start showing up among collectibles. So the newer marks are often lacking.
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Thank The 2 H marks are separate stamps both in a square, sorry the second mark is just separate 9 2 5 no background
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Definitely the maker’s mark, but since this is a modern silversmith, it will be tough to ID. The people here are more accustomed to dealing with antique silver, or at least “vintage.” More recent maker’s marks are unfamiliar.
Probably just the jeweler using an additional indication that it’s sterling silver (92.5% pure).
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Jeff’s excellent summation of the hallmarking process provides a useful starting point for the task with which you ask this panel to assist you.
The Birmingham Assay office website produces a rather more detailed look at the process:
It shows, among other matters, as an alternative to the traditional punched hallmark, a lasermark and the ability to create an outline mark rather than a punched mark. I have no idea, since you show no marks, which you have or indeed if you have both for the .925/ 9 2 5 duplication
The website also provides an online table for forward date letters through to 2038 which may be of some help for the voluntary date lettering of modern marks.
The "lazy"or sidewards anchor goes back to 1974/5.
You will may well find a more definitive comment on your " microscopic" (I wonder if you mean needing a magnifying glass?) hallmarks if you do provide a picture. The modern camera seems fairly good at taking and enlarging smaller marks and I find myself routinely using that lens for even standard marks.
CRWW
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