Wednesday - Kinda Done

So today I had to take photos and price and label everything up. I'm halfway there having taken about a gazillion photos but I'm yet to do the pricing. Ill have to do that this evening now as the kids are home from school and have already started fighting over the remote control (I cant wait for the warm weather to get here).

I managed to nab back the cuff links from my dad so I could take a couple of photos for my records and to show you. My Dad is a big Star Trek fan, which in turn was passed down to me. I remember when I was a child having a bath and getting out just in time to watch the Original Series (re runs obviously) and loving it. Even hubby is a massive fan and were all really looking forward to the new film coming out this year, which is made even better by the fact that Zachary Quinto is playing Mr Spock.

So, what do you think ?

Its here..... its arrived

I received all my silver work back from the Assay Office this morning - the Silver and Men's sections on the website are now live !

Yippeeee !!!!!!!!

Hallmarking Headache

Ive received a few emails this week from people asking why I haven't put any of my silver jewellery up for sale on the website yet, so I thought it best to come here and explain why.

One word.........Hallmarking !

After my silversmiths course I decided that if I wanted to be taken seriously (and not to court) about my silver pieces that I would need to register myself a hallmark. By law jewellery that contains over 7.78grams of sterling silver needs to be hallmarked otherwise you can not sell it as sterling silver. I will point out here though that items under 7.78grams can still be hallmarked but its not required.

Now the world of hallmarking does seem to be a minefield. It was easy enough to register and as I had done a part-time course I was eligible for the discounted registration fee, but the pricing structure is like something out of the dark ages and the best cause of a headache.

Basically there is a price per piece but there is also a minimum price that you will pay regardless of size so it is more cost effective to send as many pieces as you can at the same time. Then adding on the registered post there and back, handling charges, excess bagging charges (whats that all about?) and vat it would be extremely expensive to be sending them off a few at a time. I can now understand why jewellers launch "collections" rather than a few bits at a time !.

So I've been stock piling up my work, which I hate to do as I want to get it out into the world, but 20 or so pieces whizzed off to the Assay Office on Wednesday we just have to wait and see how long they take to come back, but they have all been priced up and had there pictures taken, so as soon as they are back with there new marks they will be up on the website.