S.I. No 561 of 2001

Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations, 2001

I, Tom Kitt, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 7 of the Hallmarking Act, 1981 ( No. 18 of 1981 ), as adapted by the Enterprise and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order, 1997 ( S.I. No. 305 of 1997 ), and the Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order, 1997 ( S.I. No. 330 of 1997 ), and after consultation with the Company referred to in the said section 7, hereby make the following regulations:

1.       These Regulations may be cited as the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations, 2001.

2.       The following standards of fineness are prescribed for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing gold and comprising gold vessel, gold plate or manufacture of gold:

(a)  the standard (which shall be known as “the standard of 9 carats”) of 375 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(b)  the standard (which shall be known as “the standard of 10 carats”) of 417 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(c)  the standard (which shall be known as “the standard of 14 carats”) of 585 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(d)  the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 18 carats”) of 750 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(e)  the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 20 carats”) of 833 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(f)  the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 22 carats”) of 916 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(g)  the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 23.78 carats”) of 990 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article, and

(h)  the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 23.98 carats”) of 999 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article.

3. The following standards of fineness are prescribed for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing platinum and comprising an article or manufacture of platinum:

(a)  the standard of 850 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(b)  the standard of 900 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(c)  the standard of 950 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article, and

(d)  the standard of 999 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article.

4.       The following standards of fineness are prescribed for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing silver and comprising silver vessel, silver plate or manufacture of silver:

(a)  the standard of 800 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(b)  the standard of 925 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article,

(c)  the standard of 958.4 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article, and

(d)  the standard of 999 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article.

5.       The following standards of fineness are prescribed for the solder of articles of precious metal:

(a)  Gold - the same standard of fineness as that prescribed for the article, subject to the following exceptions:-

(i)   in the case of gold articles of the standard of 20 carats, the standard of 22 carats, the standard of 23.78 carats or the standard of 23.98 carats, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 750 parts per 1,000 parts;

(ii)  in the case of gold articles of filigree work and watch cases of the standard of 18 carats, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 740 parts per 1,000;

(iii)  in the case of articles of white gold of the standard of 18 carats, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 585 parts per 1,000 parts.

(b)  Silver-

(i)  in the case of silver articles of the 925 and 999 standard, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 650 parts per 1,000 parts;

(ii)  in the case of silver articles of the 800 standard, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 550 parts per 1,000 parts.

(c)  Platinum - the solder shall be not less than 995 parts per 1,000 parts of gold, silver, platinum or palladium.

6.     Notwithstanding Regulation 6 of these Regulations, solder below the appropriate prescribed standard of fineness of the article may be used for joining, and shall not be used for strengthening, weighting or filling.

7.     The following regulations are revoked:

(a)       the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No. 328 of 1983 ), and

(b)       the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) (Amendment) Regulations, 1990. ( S.I. No. 138 of 1990 ).

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations prescribe the standards of finenesses for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing gold, silver and platinum. These Regulations revoke and replace the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No 328 of 1983 ), and the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) (Amendment) Regulations, 1990. ( S.I. No. 138 of 1990 ).

Published by the Stationary Office, Dublin 2.