Antique Wedding Ring (Hallmark)?
Antique Wedding Ring (Hallmark)?
Question: I have a wedding ring which would be from the early to mid 1800’s (I believe).
Price: $40.00 USD
The mark inside looks like a sideways M or W and a mark like this >H< (kinda like that) looks like a little tree or something.
I am assuming it is how the used to mark gold like 14k or 18k, but I can’t find any info online for how gold used to be marked.
Answer: G’day Amy and many thanks for your query
The problem with Hallmarks is that there in NO WORLD CENTRAL REGISTRY to which all countries (or individual jewelers) have to comply.
The marks for Britain or Europe are older (since 1300) while in the States they have had marks for the last couple of hundred years, but by no means are they very clear.
So it depends where you live too.
Which makes things extremely difficult as it is THE most asked about question AFTER ‘What’s it Worth?’
The other problem is YOU can see the Marks and I can’t.
You might like to pop over to this website where there is a complimentary Hallmarking Course which will explain the general principles behind hallmarks. It is at:
http://hallmarks.jewellery-antiques.com/
You might also like to add this query to my blog at http://how2valuejewelry.com/ as other may have had a similar problem. Can’t hurt anyway and who knows what answers you may get.
Hope this helps…
Posted
on
Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 at 2:35 pm under
Thank you so much for your help.
I will do what you suggest.
I do know the family has always been in the south, whether Texas or Louisiana.
I’m not really interested in what it’s worth, I just would like to be able to tell my mother what the mark means.
On my way to take the course. Thanks again.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:37 pm