The way in which economic operators are to submit precious metal objects to the National Authority for Consumer Protection for marking with the state hallmark.

Order on the procedures for assaying and hallmarking precious metals

This regulation will lead to a higher level of consumer protection.

The draft covers the following:

The way in which economic operators are to submit precious metal objects to the National Authority for Consumer Protection for marking with the state hallmark.

If physical or chemical assays reveal points of non-compliance such as non-uniform alloys or non-permitted solder and fillings, the economic operator shall be notified of the fact so that the objects can be withdrawn and the points of non-compliance remedied.

The situations in which components made from common metals are permitted in precious metal objects.

The types of coatings permitted for objects made from precious metals:

a) metallic coatings

b) chemical or long-term heat treatments

c) non-metallic coatings

Assaying/testing methods used to establish the fineness of precious metals:

(1) non-destructive methods

a) touchstone assay method

b) x-ray fluorescence spectrometry

(2) destructive methods

Precious metal hallmarking methods:

a) hand marking

b) press marking

c) laser marking

Location of hallmarks on objects made from precious metals.

The way in which precious metal objects are marked with the state hallmark, in certain cases:

- in the case of objects made from two precious metals, the state hallmark for the metal representing the higher proportion of the object's total weight is applied.

- in situations in which the assay establishes a fineness that is lower than the existing legal fineness, the state hallmark indicating a fineness lower than the legal limit may be applied, or the object may be returned to the economic operator for the situation to be remedied.

- in the case of objects made from precious metals and formed of multiple detachable parts, each constituent part shall be marked, with the exception of stud earrings with a pin and “butterfly” back, in which case only the pin shall be marked, not the butterfly.

- objects made from the same precious metals, but with non-detachable constituent parts with different finenesses, shall be marked with the state hallmark for the lowest fineness.

- in the case of objects and jewellery made from two different precious metals, in equal proportions, each precious metal shall be marked with the state hallmark for each type of precious metal.

keywords: precious metals