Accuracy

See “measurement accuracy”

ALLOY

See “precious metal alloy”

ANALYSIS

Determination of the constituent elements of an alloy (The testing of a substance or mixture to determine the amounts and proportions of its chemical constituents)

ASSAY

Analysis of a precious metal alloy by a destructive or non destructive method

Assay Office

Official control body which assays and usually marks articles of precious metals.  An Assay Office must be independent to ensure third-party control. 

assay office (Authorised)

An official control body, which has been appointed by a State party to the Precious Metals Convention in line with Article 5 (1).

ASSAY OFFICE MARK

Control mark which identifies the Assay Office which undertook the control and which is unique to the Assay Office. The control mark can be a combined control and fineness mark.

ASSAYER

Person qualified by education, training and experience to carry out an assay.

BASE METAL

All metals except platinum, gold, palladium, and silver (Article 1.7 of Annex I to the Convention)

BRANCH OFFICE

A part of an Assay Office which is separate from the main office / headquarters.  Normally, a branch office has permanent staff and a distinct Assay Office mark.  The assaying (e.g. chemical) may be performed at the main office.  See also “Sub-Office”.

Calibration

(i) “The process of determining the performance parameters of an artefact, instrument, or system by comparing it with measurement standards. Adjustment may be a part of a calibration, but not necessarily. A calibration assures that a device or system will produce results which meet or exceed some defined criteria with a specified degree of confidence.” (McGraw-Hill Encyclopaedia of Science and Technology)

(ii) “A set of operations which, under specified conditions, determines relations between quantitative values indicated by a measuring system (or tested instrument) and corresponding values represented by standards” (T. Juška & Czech Wikipedia)

(iii) “Operation that, under specified conditions, in a first step, establishes a relation between the quantity values with measurement uncertainties provided by measurement standards and corresponding indications with associated measurement uncertainties and, in a second step, uses this information to establish a relation for obtaining a measurement result from an indication.” (BIPM[1])

CHIEF ASSAYER

A laboratory manager with appropriate qualification and/or professional experience, who is in charge of running the laboratory, managing and supervising assaying activities including the interpretation of laboratory results. 

COATING

1) The process of putting a visible or invisible covering layer over an inner core

2) The name for a visible or invisible covering layer over an inner core

COMMON CONTROL MARK (CCM)

An official control mark, as described in Annex II of the Convention, which is applied by an authorised assay office; which certifies that a precious metal article has been assayed and marked in line with the Convention’s requirements; and which indicates (i) that the alloy meets the mini-mum standard of fineness and (ii) the type of metal.

CONTROL

Order and regulate the system. (A system for ensuring the maintenance of proper standards in manufactured goods, especially by periodic random inspection of the product)

CONTROL MARK

A mark which shows / guarantees that an article of precious metal has been verified by an independent, third party (see also “Hallmark”).

DEPARTMENT

Specialised division (operational or functional) within an organisation / government.

Depositary

The Government which is designated under an international treaty and which is entrusted with archiving the said treaty and all ratification instruments

DEROGATION

1) Non-application of a rule in a specific case

2) Partial suspension of a legal act

ELECTROFORMED ARTICLE

An article built up in layers on a moulded form by electrolytic deposition of the metal. (In line with the Convention’s requirements, an electroformed article must be hollow.)

EXEMPTION

The act or state of not being covered (e.g. by a regulation) / of being outside the scope (e.g. of the Convention)

FILLED ARTICLE

An article filled with a non metallic substance (e.g. wax) to make it stronger and give it stability.

FINENESS

The content of the named precious metals measured in terms of parts per thousand by weight of alloy (Article 1.4 of Annex I to the Convention)

FINENESS MARK

A distinctive symbol which indicates the (minimum) purity of a precious metal article (normally in Arabic numerals or in carats)

FINENESS MARK (CONVENTION)

A distinctive figure in Arabic numerals which indicates the minimum fineness (for “fineness”, see above)

GUARANTEE MARK

See “Hallmark”

HALLMARK[2]

An official control mark (or combination of marks), applied by a State-appointed, independent assay office.  See also “Control Mark”.

Hallmarking

The process (i) to assess the conformity of precious metal article and (ii) to certify that it is in compliance with national requirements, which is confirmed by applying a control / guarantee mark.

HALLMARKING / MARKING DEPARTMENT

The unit / division within an Assay Office, which is responsible for applying control marks on precious metals articles

Hallmarking System

A set of legal prescriptions in a country, which provide for the control / verification of precious metals articles by an independent, third party.  The control can be either compulsory (all articles are controlled) or voluntary (only articles presented to the Assay Office are controlled).  There are also some hybrid systems (e.g. only gold articles or only watch cases are subject to compulsory control while other precious metals articles are only checked on a voluntary basis).  See also “Marking System”.

INDEPENDENT

Free from the influence, control or authority of any other party (see also ISO 17020 for the definition of an independent inspection body)

INSPECTION

Examination of a product design, product, service, process or plant, and determination of their conformity with specific requirements or, on the basis of professional judgement, general requirements (ISO 17020)

INSPECTION BODY

Body which performs an inspection (ISO 17020)

ISO STANDARD

A standard issued by the International Standards Organisation which is internationally recognised (see also definition of “standard”)[3]. 

Laboratory (FOR PRECIOUS METALS)

The unit / division within an Assay Office, which is responsible for testing and analysis of precious metals articles, either by destructive or non-destructive methods.

LABORATORY MANAGER

See Chief Assayer

LASER MARK

A mark(s) applied by a laser rather than by a punch, engraving or casting

LOT

A collection of units of product from which a sample shall be drawn and inspected to determine conformance with the acceptable criteria, and which may differ from a collection of units designated as a lot for other purposes (for example production, shipment, etc.)  (ISO 2859-1)

MANUFACTURERS

Person or organisation which produces or assembles a product for sale.

MARK

A distinctive feature, sign or character providing information on the article (e.g. maker, fineness, precious metal type, etc.), often applied by the manufacturer on the article.

MARKER

Person qualified by training and experience to apply marks and hallmarks.

Marking

The action of applying a mark on a precious metals article

MARKING DEPARTMENT

See Hallmarking Department

Marking system

A set of legal prescriptions in a country, according to which precious metals articles must be marked with at least the fineness mark and the responsibility mark.  See also “Hallmarking System”

MARKET SURVEILLANCE

The action which is carried out by public authorities in order to check whether a product on the market (or to be marketed) is in conformity with the relevant regulations and requirements.

measurement

Process of experimentally obtaining one or more quantity values that can reasonably be attributed to a quantity (BIPM)

Measurement accuracy

(i) “Closeness of agreement between a measured quantity value and a true quantity value of a measurand” (BIPM)

(ii) “Approximation of a measured value and a true value of a measurand” (Guide ISO/IEC 99:2007)

measurement Repeatability

“Measurement precision under a set of repeatability conditions of measurement” (BIPM)

measurement Reproducibility

“Measurement precision under reproducibility conditions of measurement” (BIPM)

measurement uncertainty

“Non-negative parameter characterizing the dispersion of the quantity values being attributed to a measurand, based on the information used” (BIPM)

Method robustness

The capacity of a method to withstand varying and disturbing conditions (see also “Robust Method”).

METHOD OF ANALYSIS

A procedure which is used in order to determine the content of a material.  The method can be destructive or non-destructive. 

MIXED PRECIOUS METAL

An article made of a combination of two or more precious metals, platinum, gold, palladium and silver.

Multimetal Article

An article made of a combination of a precious metal of a legal fineness and non-precious metals (for a more detailed definition, see Article 1.8 of “Technical Decisions regarding Annex I”)

NEGATIVE TOLERANCE

A legally defined amount or percentage by which the fineness of a precious metal can be below the stated title and still be hallmarked.

OFFICE MARK

See Assay Office mark

OFF-SITE MARKING

The authorised assaying and hallmarking of precious metals articles in a sub-office located on a manufacturer / supplier’s site within the national boundaries.

Off-shore marking

The assaying and hallmarking of precious metals articles in a sub-office located on a manufacturer / supplier’s site outside the national boundaries (off-shore marking is not permitted under the Convention).

PLATING

The coating of precious metals articles (plating is synonymous to coating)

PRECIOUS METAL

Platinum, gold, palladium and silver. Platinum is the most precious metal followed by gold, palladium and silver (Article 1.1. of Annex I to the Convention)

PRECIOUS METAL ALLOY

A precious metal alloy is a solid solution containing at least one precious metal (Article 1.2 of Annex I to the Convention)

PRECIOUS METAL OPERATOR

Individual or company involved in commercial activities of precious metals

Proficiency Testing

(i) An exercise in which a laboratory is subject to a blind evaluation aiming at verifying the level of knowledge and expertise in a particular field.  See also “Round Robin”.

(ii) “Evaluation of participant performance against pre-established criteria by means of interlaboratory comparisons” (ISO/IEC 17043:2010)

PUNCH

A stamping tool/die used for applying a mark.

Purity

See fineness

QUALITY SYSTEM

“The sum of all that is necessary to implement an organisation's quality policy and meet quality objectives. It includes organisation structure, responsibilities, procedures, systems, processes and resources. Typically these features will be addressed in different kinds of documents as the quality manual and documented procedures, modus operandi etc.” (PIC/S[4] PI 002)

Reference material

“Material, sufficiently homogeneous and stable with reference to specified properties, which has been established to be fit for its intended use in measurement or in examination of nominal properties” (BIPM)

Reference material (Certified)

“Reference material, accompanied by documentation issued by an authoritative body and providing one or more specified property values with associated uncertainties and traceabilities, using valid procedures” (BIPM)

robust method

A procedure which is capable of producing reliable results under varying and perturbing conditions (see also “Method Robustness)

RESPONSIBILITY MARK

Under the Convention: a registered symbol which identifies the responsible precious metal operator (e.g. manufacturer or importer) that has produced or submitted the article to the Assay Office.

ROUND ROBIN

Sequential or simultaneous interlaboratory proficiency testing scheme on precious metals, during which pieces of homogeneous material are submitted to laboratories for testing (see also “Proficiency Testing”)

SAMPLER

Person qualified by training and experience to take samples for assaying.

SAMPLING

The process or technique of obtaining one or more representative samples.

SCREENING

The inspection process of a lot which may consist of one or more of the following operations: e.g. visual inspection, preliminary test, magnetic test, touchstone testing, XRF-examination for homogeneity of lot, testing of scrapings combined from several articles, identification of coating, identification of alloy type.

SOLDER

A metal alloy used (in the molten state) for joining metals together

SPONSOR

The term used in Ireland and the UK for the responsible precious metal operator.

SPONSOR MARK

The mark identifying the sponsor.  Equivalent to “responsibility mark”.

STANDARD

“A published specification that establishes a common language, and contains a technical specification or other precise criteria and is designed to be used consistently, as a rule, a guideline, or a definition” (BSI[5]).  See also “ISO Standard”.

STANDARD OF FINENESS

The minimum content of the named precious metals measured in terms of parts per thousand by weight of alloy (Article 1.5 of Annex I to the Convention)

SUB-OFFICE

A satellite office of an Assay Office, located on the premises of a manufacturer / supplier.  See also “Branch Office”.

TOUCH ACID

An acid used to give a good early indication of fineness as part of the screening process.

TOUCH ACID TESTING

A testing process using specific acids which when applied to some precious metals gives a good early indication of fineness as part of the screening process

TOUCHSTONE

A special stone which when used with precious metals and acids gives a good early indication of fineness as part of the screening process.

TOUCHSTONE TESTING

A process using a special stone which when used with precious metals and acids gives a good early indication of fineness as part of the screening process.

TRADE

(i) Persons and organisations which derive income from the precious metal industry.

(ii) Commercial transaction; the action of buying and selling precious metals articles.

validated method

A procedure which was systematically verified and documented for its performance and robustness within a defined scope

Validation

(i) A systematic process determining the degree of conformity of a method

(ii) “Verification, where the specified requirements are adequate for an intended use” (BIPM)

Verification

“Provision of objective evidence that a given item fulfils specified requirements” (BIPM)

X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF)

A spectroscopic method commonly used for the non-destructive testing of precious metals.