Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 3rd September, 2019.

I, HEATHER HUMPHREYS, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 7 of the Hallmarking Act 1981 (No. 18 of 1981), as adapted by the Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 364 of 2017), and after consultation with the Company referred to in the said section 7, hereby make the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations 2019.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1^st day of October 2019.

3. The following standards of fineness are prescribed for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing silver and comprising silver vessel, silver plate or manufacture of silver:

(a) the standard of 800 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(b) the standard of 925 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(c) the standard of 958.4 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article; and

(d) the standard of 999 parts of fine silver in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article.

4. The following standards of fineness are prescribed for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing palladium and comprising palladium vessel, palladium plate or manufacture of palladium:

(a) the standard of 500 parts of palladium in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(b) the standard of 950 parts of palladium in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article; and

(c) the standard of 999 parts of palladium in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article.

5. The following standards of fineness are prescribed for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing gold and comprising gold vessel, gold plate or manufacture of gold:

(a) the standard (which shall be known as “the standard of 9 carats”) of 375 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(b) the standard (which shall be known as “the standard of 10 carats”) of 417 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(c) the standard (which shall be known as “the standard of 14 carats”) of 585 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(d) the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 18 carats”) of 750 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(e) the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 20 carats”) of 833 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(f) the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 22 carats”) of 916 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(g) the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 23.78 carats”) of 990 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article; and

(h) the standard (which shall be known, and is referred to in these Regulations, as “the standard of 23.98 carats”) of 999 parts of fine gold in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article.

6. The following standards of fineness are prescribed for articles of precious metal consisting of or containing platinum and comprising an article or manufacture of platinum:

(a) the standard of 600 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(b) the standard of 850 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(c) the standard of 900 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article;

(d) the standard of 950 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article; and

(e) the standard of 999 parts of platinum in every 1,000 parts by weight in the article.

7. The following standards of fineness are prescribed for the solder of articles of precious metal:

(a) Silver—

(i) in the case of silver articles of the 925, 958.4 and 999 standard, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 650 parts per 1,000 parts, and

(ii) in the case of silver articles of the 800 standard, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 550 parts per 1,000 parts;

(b) Palladium—

(i) in the case of palladium articles of the 950 and 999 standard, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 700 parts per 1,000 parts, and

(ii) in the case of palladium articles of the 500 standard, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 500 parts per 1,000 parts;

(c) Gold - the same standard of fineness as that prescribed for the article under Regulation 5, subject to the following exceptions:-

(i) in the case of gold articles of the standard of 20 carats, the standard of 22 carats, the standard of 23.78 carats or the standard of 23.98 carats, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 750 parts per 1,000 parts;

(ii) in the case of gold articles of filigree work and watch cases of the standard of 18 carats, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 740 parts per 1,000; and

(iii) in the case of articles of white gold of the standard of 18 carats, the solder shall be of a fineness of not less than 585 parts per 1,000 parts;

(d) Platinum - the solder shall be not less than 995 parts per 1,000 parts of silver, palladium, gold or platinum.

8. Notwithstanding Regulation 7, solder below the appropriate prescribed standard of fineness of the article may be used for joining, and shall not be used for strengthening, weighting or filling.

9. The Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations 2001 ( S.I. No. 561 of 2001 ) are revoked.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

29 August, 2019.

HEATHER HUMPHREYS,

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations prescribe standards of finesses for articles of precious metal and for the solders of such articles.

These Regulations revoke the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations 2001 ( S.I. No. 561 of 2001 ).

These Regulations may be cited as the Hallmarking (Irish Standards of Fineness) Regulations 2019.