Rules
Silver guide: US hallmarking and FTC silver stamping rules
This silver guide explains US hallmarking, the FTC Jewelry Guides and what stamp must appear on sterling, fine silver, silver plate and imported silver.
Desk
Standards Desk
Requirements, terms and the paperwork that decides whether the work stands up.
Rules
OSHA ventilation rules for a home silver studio and what they require
Silver craft home studios face OSHA ventilation rules: exposure limits, bench hoods, cadmium and silica controls, respirators, and recordkeeping.
Rules
Silver craft labeling and the Indian Arts and Crafts Act
See how the Indian Arts and Crafts Act shapes silver craft origin claims, records, and seller practices in Santa Fe and Tucson.
Rules
Silver stamping problems: double strikes, drifting patterns and uneven depth
Silver stamping problems guide for double strikes, drifting patterns, torn edges, distorted sheet, uneven depth, evidence checks, controlled trials, and rejection.
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Silversmithing workmanship problems: poor fit, distorted metal and heat damage
Silversmithing workmanship problems diagnosed through fit, distortion, scratches, heat history, lost dimensions, controlled corrections, and stop points.
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Silver soldering problems: diagnose failed joints
Silver soldering problems can involve poor fit, flux, filler, heat, or contamination. Learn how to inspect failed joints and assess rework risks.
Rules
Jeweler's Saw Problems: A Diagnostic Overview
An overview of common jeweler's saw problems, including blade breaks, wandering cuts, seized corners, burrs, sheet distortion, and holding faults.
Rules
Silver forming problems: cracks, wrinkles, springback and tool marks
Silver forming problems guide for cracks, wrinkles, springback, uneven thickness, dents, tool marks, root-cause evidence, correction limits, and rejection.
Rules
Silver Firestain Porosity Problems: Safe Triage
Silver firestain porosity problems: learn to distinguish surface change, casting voids, contamination, mixed alloys, and misleading marks before repair.
Rules
How to Buy Real Sterling Silver Online: US Hallmark and Seller Checks
Buying real sterling silver online in the US means reading the mark and the listing. Here are the checks that separate sterling from plated metal.
Rules
Canadian Silver Hallmarking Rules: What Makers Must Know Before Stamping
Canadian silver hallmarking rules stem from the Precious Metals Marking Act, not UK or US assay law. Here is what makers may stamp and the risk of errors.
Guides
How to Read a US Silver Maker's Mark When There Is No Assay Office
How to read a US silver maker's mark with no assay office: use state historical societies, trade catalogs and maker registers, plus what federal law allows.
Guides
How Can You Tell Sterling Silver from Silver Plate at a US Thrift Store?
How to tell sterling silver from silver plate: what marks to read, what a magnet and a scratch test show, and where each method fails at a US thrift store.
Rules
US silver hallmarking laws: who can challenge a sterling claim
US silver hallmarking laws are enforced after the sale. See who can challenge a sterling claim, on what legal ground, and how a seller answers.