Jewelry that is made in Ireland is stamped on the inside with a special hallmark. It is a guarantee of quality. Once a piece is completed at a jewelers, it is sent to the National Assay's Office located in Dublin Castle. Each piece is individually inspected and tested to make sure the metal content is correct. If a piece falls short, it is destroyed on the spot and given back to the jeweler. A hallmark is stamped into pieces that are ready to be sold. A hallmark has several different symbols, a harp for Ireland, the Assay's mark, a mark for purity (for example 10kt, 14kt or 18kt) and a mark for fineness. There is also the jewlers mark which identifies who made the piece and a letter of the alphabet which refers to the year the piece was made. The office has been in operation since 1637, making it the first consumer protection agency.

Every piece of jewelry on the Faith and Begorra site that is made in Ireland can be identified by these special hallmarks. If you ever have any questions about the jewelry, where it is made or content, please feel free to call Susan at 973.625.0070.  Happy shopping!