Article 2
1. The Hallmarking Act 1973(1)is amended as follows.
2. In section 1 (prohibited descriptions of unhallmarked articles), in subsection (1)(a), for “or platinum” substitute “, platinum or palladium”.
3. In section 4(3) (approved hallmarks: requirements relating to use of solder), after paragraph (b)(iii) (but before the “and” after it) insert—
“(iv)palladium, is gold, silver, platinum or palladium or a combination of two or more thereof and is of a fineness or (as the case may be) of a combined fineness not less than the standard of fineness of the article:
Provided that solder used in any article of a standard of fineness of 950 or above may be of a fineness not less than 700;”.
4.—(1) Section 5 (alterations to hallmarked articles) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (4)(c)(i) for “or 0.5 grams of platinum,” substitute “, 0.5 grams of platinum or 1 gram of palladium,”.
(3) In subsection (5)—
(a)in paragraph (c), after “gold” insert “or palladium”;
(b)before paragraph (d) insert—
“(ca)an article of palladium, if the coating is of palladium of a fineness not less than the standard of fineness of the article; or
(cb)an article of palladium, if the coating is of gold or platinum of not less than the minimum fineness; or”; and
(c)in paragraph (d), for “or platinum” substitute “, platinum or palladium,”.
5. In section 22(1) (interpretation), in the definition of “minimum fineness” (contained within the definition of “fineness”)—
(a)omit “and” after “800”, and
(b)after “850” insert “ , and for palladium the standard of 500”.
6.—(1) Schedule 1 (unhallmarked articles) is amended as follows.
(2) In paragraph 1(1) of Part 1 after paragraph (c) insert—
“(d)“palladium” is permissible if qualified by the word “plated”.”.
(3) In paragraph 6 of Part 2 for “or silver” substitute “silver, or palladium”.
(4) After paragraph 9 of Part 2 insert—
“9A. Any article which is wholly or partly of palladium, and which was manufactured before 1st January 2010.”.
(5) In paragraph 12(1) of Part 2 after the entry for platinum insert—
“palladium .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 gram.”.
(6) In paragraph 12A(2)(a) of Part 2 for “or platinum” substitute “platinum or palladium”.
(7) After paragraph 12C of Part 2 insert—
“12D.—(1) Subject to paragraph 14AA, any article—
(a)which contains palladium of minimum fineness, and
(b)in which the total weight of the metal is less than 1 gram.
(2) This paragraph does not apply to any article—
(a)which contains gold, or platinum, of the minimum fineness,
(b)which contains any precious metal that is not of the minimum fineness, or
(c)which contains materials other than precious metal, unless the article satisfies the conditions for hallmarking of Part 3 of Schedule 2 to this Act.”.
7.—(1) Schedule 2 (approved hallmarks) is amended as follows.
(2) In paragraph 2 after the last entry insert—
| “Palladium | 500 | The figures 500 |
| Palladium | 950 | The figures 950 |
| Palladium | 999 | The figures 999”. |
(3) In paragraph 3 after the last entry insert—
| “Palladium | 500 | The head of Pallas Athene |
| Palladium | 950 | The head of Pallas Athene |
| Palladium | 999 | The head of Pallas Athene”. |
(4) In paragraph 13 for “or platinum” substitute “, platinum or palladium”.
(5) In paragraph 14 for “or platinum” substitute “, platinum or palladium”.
(6) In paragraph 15 for paragraph (a) substitute—
“(a)the ranking of precious metals (with platinum being the most precious and silver the least precious) is—
platinum
gold
palladium
silver,
and “least precious” and “less precious” shall be construed accordingly,”.
(7) In paragraph 19(a) for “or platinum” substitute “, platinum or palladium”.
1973 c.43; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1986/1757, 1998/2978 and 2007/2493.