Emblem: What does the gold on the watch tell us?

     The creation of this Hallmark system was introduced in the mid-1920s to control and oversee the production and certification of various precious metals in Switzerland. Prior to 1934, the management system was organized separately in each canton; it was not until after 1934 that it was consolidated to establish a nationwide standard. In 1995, the Swiss hallmark system was updated with new symbols and marks to be more internationally recognized, a standard that remains in use today.

Many people may still wonder what hallmarks are seen on gold or platinum watch cases and what they mean. Today, we will explain them as follows:

The most commercially traded items in the past were silver and gold, so it was necessary to guarantee materials such as silver, gold, or platinum by applying a hallmark to show the details of the metal and the mark of the manufacturer or craftsman. The term "Hallmark" has been used since the 16th century, when precious metals were sent to the London Goldsmiths' Hall to be tested to ensure they met the correct standards. The Goldsmiths' Hall is the headquarters of the Goldsmiths' Company and an assay office. In some countries, the testing of precious metal objects and the application of descriptive marks are regulated by national assay offices, depending on the laws of each country. The use of certification marks may be mandatory, voluntary, or based on manufacturer declarations, such as the Swiss hallmark system, which is mandatory and regulated by specific acts of parliament.

Since 1995, the Swiss Hallmark system has consisted of three main components:

1. (Official National Hallmark) The official national emblem, which may vary depending on national requirements, but for Switzerland, it is the St. Bernard dog head.
2. (Common Control Mark) This mark indicates the fineness or quality of the metal and identifies the type of metal. This style of hallmark was introduced in 1999 and shows the value of the metal in parts per thousand, with the following levels of fineness:

• Gold - 375, 585, 750, 916, 999
• Silver - 800, 925, 999
• Platinum - 850, 900, 950, 999
• Palladium - 500, 950, and 999

The official national hallmark also provides further details, indicating both the size of the hallmark and the assay office that performed the test.

The (St. Bernard dog head) hallmark comes in 2 sizes:
1.) Width 2.00 mm., Height 1.60 mm.
2.) Width 1.00 mm., Height 0.80 mm.

Most hallmarks found on gold or platinum watches are 1.00 mm. wide and 0.80 mm. high, and feature the symbol of the assay office in the position marked with an X.

The assay office mark is the symbol appearing in the "X" position on the ear of the St. Bernard dog, which identifies the office that performed the test as follows:

Location // Symbol
Biel, Bienne // B
Basel // *
Chiasso // T
Geneva // G
La Chaux-de-Fonds // C
Lausanne // V
Le Locle // L
Le Noirmont // J
Neuchâtel // N
Romanshorn // R
Schaffhausen // S
Zurich // Z

The (Common Control Mark) indicates the fineness or quality of the metal as well as its type. This hallmark style was introduced in 1999 and shows the metal's value in parts per thousand, as follows:

• - Gold - 375, 585, 750, 916, 999
• - Silver - 800, 925, 999
• - Platinum - 850, 900, 950, 999
• - Palladium - 500, 950, and 999

Items in Switzerland must bear a Responsibility Mark (RM), which must be registered with the Central Office for Precious Metals Control to ensure standard production. Currently, there are approximately 15,000 registered companies, each with its own unique hallmark.

The St. Bernard dog head hallmark, which confirms the item is from Switzerland, features a letter "G" on the dog's ear, indicating that it was tested at the assay office in Geneva. The balance scale symbol with the number 750 means that this piece is made of 18-karat gold.

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References

: http://www.silvercollection.it/
: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark
: https://www.assayofficelondon.co.uk/
: https://theassayoffice.com/