Published 2 June 2026
The British hallmarking rule, in plain terms
Since 1973, British law requires items above a small weight (currently 1g for gold) sold as gold in the UK to carry an assay-office hallmark. The rule covers what can be sold as gold in a UK shop. It does not affect whether the item is actually gold. Plenty of real, solid gold jewellery in the UK is unhallmarked because it was made abroad, made before the rule, made under the weight threshold, or made by a jeweller who omitted the mark.
XRF reads the metal itself, so the absence of a hallmark is not an obstacle to selling. Many of our postal parcels are partly or wholly unmarked.
Common sources of unhallmarked gold
The most common sources we see: Indian, Pakistani and Bengali jewellery (often 22ct, sometimes with BIS marks rather than British hallmarks); Saudi, Bahraini and Dubai jewellery (often 21ct or 22ct, sometimes marked 875 or 916); foreign-holiday purchases from Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Italy (often 14ct or 18ct with local marks); pre-1973 British pieces (older marking conventions, sometimes worn smooth); small pieces under the 1g threshold (single small charms, fine ear-studs); workshop pieces and one-off goldsmith commissions where the mark was never applied.
Foreign marks: what they usually mean
On Indian pieces, BIS hallmarks (BIS triangle plus 916 or similar) indicate certified 22ct. On Saudi pieces, "750" or "916" stamps with Arabic letters indicate 18ct or 22ct. On Italian pieces, "750" alongside a small fineness number and an oval star with a province code (VI, AR, MI) indicates 18ct. On Turkish pieces, "14K" or "18K" alongside the maker stamp is common. On Cypriot pieces, small worn marks of variable reliability.
None of these are British assay-office hallmarks. None of them prevent the piece from being real gold. XRF confirms the actual purity in every case.
When XRF is your friend
The single most useful tool for unhallmarked gold is XRF. It reads the metal composition through dirt, tarnish and superficial plating, and gives a verified purity number. We test in front of the piece, not based on its hallmark or its origin story. If a Greek holiday chain that "looks like 9ct" tests at 14ct, we pay 14ct. If an Indian wedding bangle that "looks like 24ct" tests at 22ct, we pay 22ct.
You are paid what the metal is, not what someone in a souk or a hotel jewellery shop told you it was.
How to post an unmarked parcel safely
- Photograph each piece in daylight, front and back.
- WhatsApp 07763 741067 with the photos and a note on origin if known.
- We email a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label.
- Place each piece in its own zip-bag and pad the box.
- Drop at the Post Office counter and keep the receipt.
- On arrival we XRF-test each piece and email a written per-piece offer.
There is no extra fee for unhallmarked pieces and no penalty in the offer. The postal-gold service handles marked and unmarked parcels the same way.
When unmarked turns out not to be gold
A portion of unmarked "gold" jewellery turns out to be gold-plated, gold-filled or pinchbeck (a copper-zinc alloy that looks gold). XRF identifies these in seconds. We tell you on the written offer and return the pieces at our cost if you would prefer to keep them.
There is no charge for testing a piece that is not gold. We test honestly and report honestly.
Common questions
My ring has no hallmark. Is it gold?
XRF will tell us either way. Many unmarked pieces, especially from abroad or pre-1973 Britain, are real gold.
Does an unmarked piece pay less per gram?
No. The offer is built on tested purity, not on whether the hallmark is present.
My piece has Arabic or Indian letters. Can you read those?
Yes. We routinely test BIS, Saudi, Dubai and Bahraini stamped pieces. The marks are helpful but XRF is the determining factor.
What if my piece is a foreign holiday souvenir?
Send it. Holiday pieces vary widely (some real, some plated). XRF confirms which.
How is the parcel insured?
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery.
When am I paid?
Same UK working day you accept the written offer, by bank transfer.
Is there a charge if my piece is not gold?
No. There is no testing fee. Plated pieces are returned at our cost if you would like them back.
Can you also test silver in the same parcel?
Yes. We test silver alongside gold and offer it separately on the same written offer.