A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of noble metals to certify their content. All Thomas Lyte bespoke hallmarked silver and gold items comply with this standard. In the UK it is illegal to sell or describe any item as Gold, Silver or Platinum unless it is hallmarked. A hallmark is your guarantee of quality. It means that the item has been independently tested by one of four UK Assay Offices authorized by the UK government to apply the hallmarks.
A hallmark is not proof of origin or place of manufacture of an item. Needless to say, however, all Thomas Lyte hallmarked silver and gold commissions are handmade in London. The hallmark of a UK Assay Office does guarantee the provenance of the hallmarked item in question, and that it conforms to all legal standards of purity and fineness.
Our hallmark is a full traditional British hallmark. The instantly recognisable leopard’s head that represents the London Assay Office is used on the majority of our hallmarked silver and gold trophies, awards, medals and bespoke commissions. Each hallmark tells its own story through a series of symbols. The letters “TL” in the surrounding shape are our maker’s mark and identify the commission as Thomas Lyte. The numbers identify both the type and purity of the metal. The lion that represents sterling silver or the crown that represents gold are the traditional fineness marks found on the majority of Thomas Lyte-made articles. The leopard’s head identifies that the piece was hallmarked in London. The final letter represents the year in which the piece was tested and marked.
A new commemorative mark has been designed to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The mark depicts an orb, a reference to the traditional fineness mark for platinum. In 2022, Her Majesty The Queen became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, seventy years of service, having acceded to the throne in 1952. As Royal Warrant Holders, silversmiths and goldsmiths to Her Majesty the Queen, all Thomas Lyte clients commissioning items that are assayed before 31st December 2022 will be given the option for their item to carry this mark next to the date letter, X, that identifies the year 2022.
