Hallmark finder identifies antique jewellery
A free online Hallmark Finder tool could help collectors, dealers and jewellery-trade professionals identify pieces, thanks to a UK-based antique ring specialist, Antique Jewellers Ltd.
The digital tool allows users to determine a piece’s gold or platinum purity, locate the UK assay office where it was tested and pinpoint the exact year of its hallmark — all in a matter of seconds. By guiding users through a visual step-by-step process, the Hallmark Finder provides a fast and reliable way to decode the tiny symbols stamped on antique and vintage jewellery.
Hallmarks are the official stamps that certify precious-metal items, and understanding them is crucial for authenticating and valuing pieces. Britain’s hallmarking system dates back to 1300 and remains one of the most stringent in the world. Identifying these markings correctly is essential in the trade, yet it often requires expert knowledge or extensive reference materials. “Decoding those symbols used to mean laboriously consulting hallmark reference books or charts,” noted Drew, the managing director of Antique Jewellers. “We wanted to create a quick, accessible solution for everyone — whether you’re verifying a family heirloom or cataloguing stock for an auction.”
The Hallmark Finder tool is free to use on the Antique Jewellers website and does not require any log-in or app download. Using a simple interface, it lets users select the symbols and numbers seen on a jewellery item. The tool then instantly displays what each mark means — for example, identifying a “375” stamp as 9-carat gold and an anchor symbol as the Birmingham Assay Office. It covers all major UK hallmark symbols and date letters, drawing from over 300 years of official hallmark records. If a user isn’t sure about a letter or symbol, the interface provides options to browse through all possibilities, making the process an easy one for newcomers.
The creators of the tool said that collectors and professionals are already praising it for its speed and accuracy. Being able to verify a hallmark on the spot — for instance, at a fair or during an appraisal — can save time and prevent mistakes in assessing an item’s authenticity or value. For example, a dealer at an antiques fair can enter a ring’s hallmark on a smartphone and immediately confirm if it is, for example, 15-carat gold assayed in Chester — information that might otherwise take considerable time to verify. Because the Hallmark Finder references verified data from the UK’s assay offices and hallmarking history, users can trust the results to be as reliable as consulting a traditional handbook. The tool’s database was compiled using official assay-office charts and historical hallmark guides, ensuring its interpretations align with established standards.
The free Hallmark Finder tool is now live on the Antique Jewellers’ website By modernising hallmark identification, Antique Jewellers aims to support the wider trade and collecting community, making the historically complex process of reading British hallmarks simpler than ever. Antique Jewellers plans to keep the Hallmark Finder updated as hallmarking conventions evolve, aiming to make it a go-to digital reference for the jewellery community.