Society General Meeting

Talk: Hallmarking: A Unique Blend of the Ancient and Modern

By Dr Robert Organ

The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office is responsible for the hallmarking of precious metal articles of jewellery and silverware. It also has a responsibility for testing the coins of the realm as part of the Trial of the Pyx.  Dr Organ has been the Deputy Warden since 2006.  He read Materials Science and Metallurgy at Cambridge University where he also completed a PhD. He also holds an MBA from Reading University, is a Member of the Institute of Metal Finishing and a Fellow and Chartered Engineer with the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.  Hallmarking started in the United Kingdom 700 years ago.  Some of the techniques used today for hallmarking date back to the period when hallmarking started; others  use leading edge technologies.  The lecture will provide a fascinating insight into the  development of hallmarks and the hallmarking process.