QuestionHello. I am hoping that you can help me to identify the manufacturer and approximate date of a garnet necklace. The reverse of the necklace is marked STG.SIL (all upper-case) and FBW (all upper-case). After some research, I believe that the silver hallmark may indicate that this was manufacturer in Australia or NZ. Since you are from Australia, I was hoping that you could help me identify the maker and period. I would greatly appreciate any help that you could provide. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
AnswerG'day Barbie and many thanks for your query
The STG.SIL mark is as you suggested - the Hallmark for Sterling Silver. This is a grade of silver being 925 parts per thousand of pure silver (normally stamped .925) and is the standard for jewelry throughout the world.
The other stamp FBW is not part of a Hallmark at all, but just the Maker's Mark, Design ID or Store name. It has no relevence as to value - just for identification.
But as there is no central or world registry of hallmarks it basically means that anyone - anywhere - can stamp and mark their jewelry with whatever they want.
The largest manufacturing base in the world today is South East Asia and China. Can you imagine a jewelry manufacturer there complying with British or European or American Standards - I don't think so....
This mark doesn't mean anything to me but it might be worth adding a comment to my blog at: http://how2valuejewelry.com/ as someone might be able to add more. Can't harm anyway...
Hope this helps.
