S.I. 560 of 2001

Hallmarking (Approved Hallmarks) Regulations, 2001

I, Tom Kitt, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the Hallmarking Act, 1981 ( No. 18 of 1981 ), as adapted by the Enterprise and Employment (Alternation of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order, 1997 ( S.I. No. 305 of 1997 ), and the Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order, 1997 ( S.I. No. 330 of 1997 ), and after consultation with the Company referred to in the said section 3, hereby make the following regulations:

1.      These Regulations may be cited as the Hallmarking (Approved Hallmarks) Regulations, 2001.

2.      In these Regulations -

“Common Control Mark” means the mark described in Annex II of the Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals, done at Vienna on 15 November, 1972, as amended, to which the State is a party;

“the Company” has the meaning assigned to it by the Hallmarking Act, 1981 ;

“Dublin Assay Office” means the assay office of the Company;

“standards of fineness” means standards prescribed by the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulation, 2001 (S.I. No. of 2001).

3.      (1)      The following marks are prescribed as approved hallmarks to be applied to all articles of precious metal other than imported articles to which international hallmarks, as defined by paragraph (3) of this Regulation, have already been applied:

(a)      the appropriate mark used by the Dublin Assay Office, that is to say for articles of gold, silver or platinum the figure of Hibernia in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners, illustrated as follows:-

(b)      a mark denoting the relevant standard of fineness and applied in the Dublin Assay Office, and

(c)      a sponsor's or market's mark.

(2)      A mark or letter denoting the year of hallmarking of the article may be applied in the Dublin Assay Office.

(3)      The following marks are prescribed as international hallmarks:

(a)      a mark that has been notified in accordance with the Convention as being the mark of an assay office for the purposes of the Convention in the territory of a Contracting State (other than the State), and

(b)      a mark consisting of a Common Control Mark applied in an assay office referred to in paragraph (a) of this Regulation, that is to say a mark consisting of the representation of a balance together with the number in Arabic numerals showing the standard of fineness of the article in parts per thousand in relief on a lined background surrounded by a shield indicating the nature of the precious metal as follows:

-for platinum articles:

-for gold articles:

-for silver articles:

4.      The following fineness marks are prescribed as approved hallmarks to be applied to articles of precious metal consisting of or containing gold and comprising gold vessel, gold plate or manufacture of gold:

(a)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 9 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “375” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

(b)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 10 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “417” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

(c)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 14 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “585” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

(d)      where such an article is of a standard of 18 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “750” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

(e)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 20 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “833” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

(f)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 22 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “916” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

(g)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 23.78 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “990” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

(h)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 23.98 carats, a mark consisting of the figure “999” in a rectangular shield with chamfered corners at one side, illustrated as follows:-

5.      The following fineness marks are prescribed as approved hallmarks to be applied to articles of precious metal consisting of or containing silver and comprising silver vessel, silver plate or manufacture of silver:

(a)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 800 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article, a mark consisting of the figure “800” in an oval, illustrated as follows:-

(b)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 925 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article, a mark consisting of the figure “925” in an oval, illustrated as follows:-

(c)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 958.4 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article, a mark consisting of the figure “958.4” in an oval, illustrated as follows:-

(d)      where such an article is of a standard of fineness of 999 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article, a mark consisting of the figure “999” in an oval, illustrated as follows:-

6.      The following fineness marks are prescribed as approved hallmarks to be applied to articles of precious metal consisting of or containing platinum:-

(a)      Where such an article is of the standard of fineness of “850” parts in every 1,000 parts, a mark consisting of a pentagonal shield, illustrated as follows:-

(b)      Where such an article is of the standard of fineness of “900” parts in every 1,000 parts, a mark consisting of a pentagonal shield, illustrated as follows:-

(c)      Where such an article is of the standard of fineness of “950” parts in every 1,000 parts, a mark consisting of a pentagonal shield, illustrated as follows:-

(d)      Where such an article is of the standard of fineness of “999” parts in every 1,000 parts, a mark consisting of a pentagonal shield, illustrated as follows:-

7.      Where a person who brings or causes to be brought to the Dublin Assay Office an article of precious metal consisting of platinum imported into the State for an application to the article of a mark prescribed by Regulation 6 of these Regulations he or she shall duly complete a statement in the form set out in the Second Schedule to the Hallmarking of Imported Plate Order, 1935 (S.R. & O., No. 254 of 1935 ), and that form shall from the commencement of these Regulations apply to gold, silver and platinum.

8.      The following Regulations are hereby revoked:

(a)      the Hallmarking (Approved Hallmarks) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No. 327 of 1983 ), and

(b)      the Hallmarking (Approved Hallmarks) (Amendment) Regulations, 1990 ( S.I. No. 139 of 1990 ).

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This not is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal instrument.)

The purpose of these Regulations is to prescribe the hallmarks and fineness marks which can be applied to articles of precious metal consisting of or containing gold, silver and platinum by the Dublin Assay Office. These Regulations revoke and replace the Hallmarking (Approved Hallmarks) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No. 327 of 1983 ), and the Hallmarking (Approved Hallmarks) (Amendment) Regulations, 1990 ( S.I. No. 139 of 1990 ).

Published by the Stationary Office, Dublin 2.