HALLMARKS,
STAMPS OF AUTHENTICITY
A little history....
The hallmark, as a means of guarantee, is required since the 13th century to endorse the titling of works produced by silversmiths. The legislation surrounding the hallmarking of goldsmiths' pieces has constantly evolved over the centuries. In France, the "certification" of the precious metal was put in place by the kings, first, under Louis IX around 1260. The conditions to authenticate a piece will change according to his different successors until Colbert, in 1674, reforms the system.
From then on, four punches appeared on each piece of work: the master punch, the charge punch, the jury punch and the discharge punch. 1789, the storming of the Bastille, the French revolution, the privileges of the goldsmiths are abolished and therefore in the wake of the need to authenticate the pieces with the loss of taxes for the state. As a result, it is the feast of fraud in precious metals and they are numerous. In 1797, France put in place a system of guarantee, titling of the metals, and collection of the precious metals. In Switzerland, a hallmark appears to indicate the place of origin and the identity of the goldsmith from the 16th century.
"THE MASTER STAMP IS THAT OF THE CRAFTSMAN WHO MADE THE JEWEL".
What does the law tell us...
...TODAY?
Today, hallmarks as we know them date back to 1838 and are mandatory for all watchmaking, goldsmithing, jewellery and jewellery. There are some nuances that differ from country to country, but here we will focus on the Swiss legislation.
In Helvetia, every piece of gold, silver or platinum work must be marked with two hallmarks:
- The so-called master stamp is the "signature" and makes the person who puts the stamp on the work responsible for its authenticity.
- The titration which indicates the proportion of precious metal contained in the alloy used to manufacture the jewel. The legal titles are expressed in thousandths.
OUR POINÇON
The hallmark you will find at Ôkami is that of our designer who imagines each of the pieces that make up our collections. The latter features his initials and the silhouette of his most loyal assistant. And we promise, we'll be sharing an exclusive photo of the assistant soon 🙂
THE BALANCE
In order to standardize legislation and facilitate international trade, various countries, including Switzerland, have signed a convention on the control and hallmarking of objects made of precious metals. As for the "Saint Bernard's head", this hallmark can only be affixed by the CMP. This hallmark is called the "common hallmark" and allows the export of the coins.
THE SAINT BERNARD
This hallmark can only be applied by the Precious Metals Control Service (CMP). The inscription of the "Saint Bernard's head" guarantees the owner of the object that the composition of the precious metal of the latter is in conformity with the legislation. This is mandatory for watch cases, but not necessarily for other items.
OUR POINÇON
The hallmark you will find at Ôkami is that of our designer who imagines each of the pieces that make up our collections. The latter features his initials and the silhouette of his most loyal assistant. And we promise, we'll be sharing an exclusive photo of the assistant soon 🙂
THE SAINT BERNARD
This hallmark can only be applied by the Precious Metals Control Service (CMP). The inscription of the "Saint Bernard's head" guarantees the owner of the object that the composition of the precious metal of the latter is in conformity with the legislation. This is mandatory for watch cases, but not necessarily for other items.
THE BALANCE
In order to standardize legislation and facilitate international trade, various countries, including Switzerland, have signed a convention on the control and hallmarking of objects made of precious metals. As for the "Saint Bernard's head", this hallmark can only be affixed by the CMP. This hallmark is called the "common hallmark" and allows the export of the coins.
Ring from the Shino collection
made of 18 carat rose gold
IN CONCLUSION
At Ôkami, all our jewellery bears the master stamp, the "Saint Bernard's head" and the scale, as well as the Au750 title. For each of our customers, this is a guarantee of our know-how, the quality of the work carried out and the authenticity of Swiss Made production.
Of course, we could have simplified our lives by keeping it to a minimum, but in our quest for transparency, it seemed obvious to us to submit to official controls.
On the right, as usual and for those who are curious, you will find some links to learn more about the history of hallmarks, but also about the legislation in force in Switzerland