If anyone has purchased fine jewelry before, they have undoubtedly come across notations inscribed on the metal. One feature which may be inscribed on the jewelry piece is the jewelry trademark. The jewelry trademark is a feature which tells the purchaser whom their item is made by. The following will describe more about jewelry trademarks as well as show how they differ from hallmarks.

What Jewelry Trademarks Are

The jewelry trademark is the marking on the piece of jewelry which dictates who in fact manufactured the piece of jewelry. It is a way for the artisan or jewelry manufacturer to protect their work and ensure that exact copies thereof are not made without their permission. When someone picks up a piece of jewelry, turns it over and sees a specific jeweler's trademark, they have peace of mind in knowing that the item is almost certainly what it is claimed to be. However, it is important to note that although an item of jewelry with a trademark on it should have been made by the company or artist which it is supposed to represent, there is always that slim chance that it may not be what it is stated to be.

How Jewelry Trademarks Differ From Hallmarks

Jewelry trademarks differ from hallmarks in a few different ways. First, trademarks are items which protect a jewelry manufacturer's work whereas hallmarks do not. For example, should a trademarked piece of jewelry be reproduced without the manufacturer's permission, the manufacturer can take the issue to court and present the existence of a trademark to be used on their behalf. A trademark allows the jewelry maker to protect his/her work.

Secondly, trademarks simply show who the manufacturer of the jewelry item is and hallmarks tend to provide a few other pieces of information as well. Hallmarks will often tell the jewelry owner what type of metal content the jewelry item is comprised of, the approximate date of origin and perhaps even who made the jewelry piece. Whereas trademarks are often for the benefit of the jewelry maker, hallmarks are used to provide informative details to the individuals who buy the items.

Why Jewelry Trademarks Are Important

Jewelry trademarks are important for a few different reasons. One reason why trademarks of this type should be put to good use is that they can be used to protect the jewelry maker who puts their time and effort into crafting the product. For someone to spend time, money and creative abilities on making this kind of item and not protect it, it might not be in the best interest of the jewelry designer. Trademarks and copyrights provide a great way for the jewelry maker to protect their intellectual property. Hallmarks were also used as a way of collecting taxes on the items of jewelry.

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Jewelry pieces are items which have their own unique traits and characteristics about them. Whether this has to do with the stones which are inlaid within the item itself or due to the original design surrounding the piece of jewelry, every piece has its own individual qualities which make it special to the owner thereof. One feature of jewelry pieces which many individuals may be unaware of when they purchase the item is the jewelry hallmark. Jewelry hallmarks are important features when it comes to these products and the following will describe what these are and why they are important to the one possesses the item.

What Are Jewelry Hallmarks?

The jewelry hallmark is what describes the item's metal content as well as the quality thereof. If you happen to own a piece of precious jewelry, your accessory should have a jewelry hallmark on it. It is usually found on gold, platinum or silver jewelry pieces and will detail the karat content of the metal. Some jewelry hallmarks will also show the maker's mark or country of origin on the item. To sum it up, the jewelry hallmark is the identifying mark on the piece of jewelry which details the quality of the item and often cites where it came from.

Why Are Jewelry Hallmarks Important?

Jewelry hallmarks are important in the jewelry world for a few different reasons. First, they signify what the item is made of which helps the wearer to determine the metal content of the jewelry piece that they have on. It is important to note that although hallmarks are used to identify the metal content, this does not in and of itself dictate the true authenticity of the item. Jewelry hallmarks can be easily duplicated and the jewelry item can be sold as something other than what it really is. With that said, it does provide a way for the purchaser of an item to look at a gold necklace or bracelet on sale at a jewelry store, turn the item over and determine what the metal content supposedly is, simply by looking at it.

Another reason for having jewelry hallmarks on rings, necklaces, bracelets and other beautiful jewelry pieces is to show the maker's mark on the item. If you decide that you want to buy a ring designed by a specific jewelry designer, you will most likely want the item to have the jewelry hallmark on it which shows the maker's mark as well. Not every piece will have a maker's mark, or even a hallmark for that matter, but many items do which provides the buyer with some shred of evidence to go by when trying to purchase a specific item.

Hallmarks are a way for the jewelry owner to determine the period in which they were crafted. There are a few different ways to determine the time period factor and the hallmark is one such way. If you are searching for a jewelry item from a certain time period, a jewelry hallmark which shows such information is probably very important to you.

The United States does not have nor does it require a hallmark system of any kind as do most countries. Jewelry can be manufactured in the US and legally sold without a hallmark, trademark, or quality stamp of any kind. However, if a piece of jewelry has a karat stamp (14k 18k Platinum) then it must have a trademark, as is required by law. Therefore, if you have a piece of jewelry with no markings at all the only way to find out for sure is to have it tested by someone who has the knowledge and equipment to do so.

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