With many brands intentionally misleading customers, it can be challenging to determine which gold jewellery is truly worth its weight in gold. So, we've put together a guide to help you make informed purchases when shopping for solid gold jewellery in the UK.  

A hallmark is the key indicator of authenticity for precious metals in the UK, and it is a legal requirement.

Hallmarking
 
Under the UK Hallmarking Act 1973, articles made of platinum, gold, palladium, or silver must be authenticated by one of four assay offices in the UK.
 
Jewellery below a certain weight is exempt from hallmarking. Any items weighing 1 gram per piece or more must be hallmarked for gold. A pair of earrings has an allowance per piece, so earrings with a combined weight of 1.5 grams don't need to be hallmarked, but a pair weighing 2.5 grams do.
 
A hallmark contains three compulsory symbols:

• The Sponsor's Mark: This contains at least two letters, and no two sponsors' marks are identical at any office. The sponsor's mark is a unique identifier for the jeweller or manufacturer, ensuring traceability and accountability. Umara's mark is UMR.
• Metal and Fineness (Purity) Mark: indicates the precious metal content. 585 is 14 karat gold, 750 is 18 karat and 916 is 22 karat.
• Assay Office Mark: This indicates where the jewellery was tested and marked. The UK has four offices: London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Sheffield. 

Gold-plated jewellery cannot be marked as gold, as this can be misleading to consumers. However, if the base metal of gold-plated jewellery is silver, it can be hallmarked as silver.

The process of hallmarking jewellery

All jewellers should register at a UK office of their choice. Once registered, they can send off jewellery to be authenticated. 

When the jewellery is sent to the assay office, jewellers can specify the karat of the gold, which is then tested for purity. If it passes, the piece will be hallmarked using a laser method with the three compulsory symbols.

Hallmarks are typically stamped on the inside of rings, the stem of earrings and on the clasp of bracelets and necklaces. While not always visible to the naked eye, you should be able to see them with a magnifying glass.

Once the items are stamped, they're returned to the jeweller and can be legally sold in the UK.

Shopping for solid gold jewellery

It can be challenging to know what you're really buying when it comes to jewellery, particularly if you're shopping online.

So, in addition to checking for hallmarking information, here are a few more top tips to help you shop with confidence:

• Search for customer reviews on independent sites like Trustpilot.
• Read the product description carefully: Many brands list products as '18 karat gold', but they're gold plated, so always double-check.
• Look for brands that are transparent about weight. Some brands cut costs by selling very low-weight solid gold pieces, which can mean they're not very durable.
• Check and understand the purity: Gold's purity is measured in karats. 18-karat gold is 75% pure gold, while 9-karat gold is just 37.5%. 

Thankfully, you're in good hands with Umara. All our jewellery is made of solid gold, hallmarked in London, and the product description specifies its weight. If you make a purchase, you'll receive a certificate of authenticity detailing your investment.

Ready to shop with confidence? Discover our solid gold jewellery.