HALLMARKING & DIAMOND GUIDE

Understand What You're Buying

Jewellery terminology can sometimes feel complicated. This guide explains UK precious-metal hallmarks, diamond quality and the information you may see within LG Aurelia product descriptions.

What Is a Hallmark?

A UK hallmark provides independent confirmation of the precious-metal fineness of an item. A complete compulsory UK hallmark normally includes a sponsor's mark, a fineness mark and an Assay Office mark.

Sponsor's Mark

Identifies the person or business responsible for submitting the item for hallmarking.

Fineness Mark

Shows the precious-metal purity in parts per thousand, such as 375 for 9ct gold, 750 for 18ct gold or 925 for sterling silver.

Assay Office Mark

Identifies the recognised Assay Office that tested and hallmarked the item.

Hallmarking Weight Exemptions

Some lightweight precious-metal items are legally exempt from compulsory hallmarking. Current UK exemption weights are below 1 gram for gold and palladium, below 7.78 grams for silver and below 0.5 gram for platinum.

An item being below the legal weight threshold and therefore not hallmarked does not automatically mean that it is counterfeit or incorrectly described.

Hallmarks can be extremely small and may appear inside a ring, near a clasp, on an end connector or in another discreet location. Their appearance and placement can vary between products.
A compulsory UK hallmark contains the sponsor's mark, fineness mark and Assay Office mark. UK exemptions currently apply below 1g for gold and palladium, 7.78g for silver and 0.5g for platinum.

The Four Cs of Diamond Quality

Carat

Carat measures a diamond's weight rather than its visible dimensions. Two diamonds with the same carat weight may appear different in size depending on their shape and proportions.

Colour

For traditional colourless diamonds, colour grades describe how closely a diamond approaches having no visible colour. Fancy-coloured diamonds are assessed differently.

Clarity

Clarity considers the number, size, position and visibility of internal and external characteristics within a diamond.

Cut

Cut describes how effectively a diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish interact with light. It should not be confused with the diamond's shape.

The internationally recognised 4Cs framework covers carat weight, colour, clarity and cut.

Natural, Laboratory-Grown and Diamond Alternatives

Natural Diamonds

Natural diamonds form within the earth and are clearly identified as natural within LG Aurelia product information.

Laboratory-Grown Diamonds

Laboratory-grown diamonds are created in controlled conditions and must be clearly distinguished from natural diamonds.

Diamond Alternatives

Cubic zirconia, moissanite and other diamond alternatives may resemble diamonds but are different materials. These will be identified accurately within the relevant product description.

Diamond Reports and Certification

Selected diamonds may be supplied with an independent grading report containing information such as carat weight, colour, clarity, measurements and identification details. The grading organisation will be stated where applicable.
Not every diamond or diamond-set piece includes an individual grading report, particularly jewellery containing smaller accent stones. Any certification supplied with a product will be clearly stated.
Laboratory-grown diamonds and diamond simulants are distinct categories, and gemmological laboratories use testing and separate reporting to identify them appropriately.

Need Help Understanding a Product?

Contact our customer care team if you would like help understanding the hallmark, metal purity, diamond specification or certification supplied with a particular piece.


CONTACT CUSTOMER CARE