Where do I stand?

Hi all

I've got a bit of a problem concerning the old Millennium mark. A customer
had his Millennium wedding rings stolen and obviously wants to replace them
'exactly' as they were, with the stamp on the outside of the rings. Now, at
first, I thought that this wouldn't be a problem, and said "yes, I'm sure
that the assay office would still be able to stamp the old (2000) mark".
But, as it turns out, they won't. (I was thinking they would, and still add
the proper current date letter).

My other reason for thinking they would, is quite simply that if the new
rings were being claimed on insurance, then, yes, the rings could be
produced *exactly* as they were, i.e., *with* the Millennium mark. Does this
make sense so far? So, if the assay office won't stamp the mark, then where
does that leave the customer who has paid insurance to have exactly the same
rings as he had before??

Anyway, to my more important question: The upshot of this is that I made my
own stamp, it's not exact, the zero's are circular and not oval, and the
arms of the cross are shorter, but having said this, I think it's a pretty
good attempt at making a stamp, especially as I haven't done this before.

Now, where do I stand if I use it? What's the difference between me
carving the stamp in the metal, (if that's the design the customer wants to
commission), or actually stamping the mark itself?

Will I be locked up for it?

John

"John" wrote in message
...

Anyway, to my more important question: The upshot of this is that I made
my
own stamp, it's not exact, the zero's are circular and not oval, and the
arms of the cross are shorter, but having said this, I think it's a pretty
good attempt at making a stamp, especially as I haven't done this before.

Now, where do I stand if I use it? What's the difference between me
carving the stamp in the metal, (if that's the design the customer wants
to
commission), or actually stamping the mark itself?

Will I be locked up for it?

If it's not a hallmark, and doesn't look like one, you should be ok.

If it looks like the hallmark then you're in trouble.

--
William Black

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe
Barbeques on fire by chalets past the headland
I've watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off Newborough
All this will pass like ice-cream on the beach
Time for tea

According to british hallmarking laws you will be drawn and quartered, then,
with this years assay mark, (greatly enlarged ) burned (appropriatly) into
each quarter.

Robert Merritt


"John" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I've got a bit of a problem concerning the old Millennium mark. A
customer
had his Millennium wedding rings stolen and obviously wants to replace
them
'exactly' as they were, with the stamp on the outside of the rings. Now,
at
first, I thought that this wouldn't be a problem, and said "yes, I'm sure
that the assay office would still be able to stamp the old (2000) mark".
But, as it turns out, they won't. (I was thinking they would, and still
add
the proper current date letter).

My other reason for thinking they would, is quite simply that if the
new
rings were being claimed on insurance, then, yes, the rings could be
produced *exactly* as they were, i.e., *with* the Millennium mark. Does
this
make sense so far? So, if the assay office won't stamp the mark, then
where
does that leave the customer who has paid insurance to have exactly the
same
rings as he had before??

Anyway, to my more important question: The upshot of this is that I made
my
own stamp, it's not exact, the zero's are circular and not oval, and the
arms of the cross are shorter, but having said this, I think it's a pretty
good attempt at making a stamp, especially as I haven't done this before.

Now, where do I stand if I use it? What's the difference between me
carving the stamp in the metal, (if that's the design the customer wants
to
commission), or actually stamping the mark itself?

Will I be locked up for it?

John

John wrote:
Hi all

I've got a bit of a problem concerning the old Millennium mark. A customer
had his Millennium wedding rings stolen and obviously wants to replace them
'exactly' as they were, with the stamp on the outside of the rings. Now, at
first, I thought that this wouldn't be a problem, and said "yes, I'm sure
that the assay office would still be able to stamp the old (2000) mark".
But, as it turns out, they won't. (I was thinking they would, and still add
the proper current date letter).

My other reason for thinking they would, is quite simply that if the new
rings were being claimed on insurance, then, yes, the rings could be
produced *exactly* as they were, i.e., *with* the Millennium mark. Does this
make sense so far? So, if the assay office won't stamp the mark, then where
does that leave the customer who has paid insurance to have exactly the same
rings as he had before??

Anyway, to my more important question: The upshot of this is that I made my
own stamp, it's not exact, the zero's are circular and not oval, and the
arms of the cross are shorter, but having said this, I think it's a pretty
good attempt at making a stamp, especially as I haven't done this before.

Now, where do I stand if I use it? What's the difference between me
carving the stamp in the metal, (if that's the design the customer wants to
commission), or actually stamping the mark itself?

Will I be locked up for it?

John

Your going to have to read your customers insurance policy conditions.
In these you will find that the ability to replace exactly will be
subject to availability.
youll be able to replicate the design weight metal etc, but the
millenium mark you wont. If you do put on a millenium type mark youll
be breaking the hallmarking laws. I suggest you say to your customer
that the assay office wont do as he wants. the problem is not of your
making. Id suggest you get your customer write to the assay master
asking for special dispensation in this case. He might just get it..

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I had a feeling I would get hung, drawn and
quartered if going ahead with it. I'm not going to, I'm going to follow
Ted's advice and get the customer to write to each assay office, and then
see what they say about it, and if one of them says yes, (which I doubt very
much), then bingo, job done.

I'll keep you updated.

John