- The provisions about precious metals control regulate the trade with articles in gold, silver, platinum, palladium and articles coated with precious metals.
- The prescription are valid as well for precious metal articles, as for articles coated with precious metals.
- In Switzerland, precious metals articles must bear the mark for a standard of fineness and a responsibility mark registered at the Central Office for Precious Metals Control.
- Precious metal watch-cases must be officially hallmarked (official hallmark for all precious metals and for all legal standards is the "head of a St. Bernhard dog").
- Switzerland is member of the "Vienna Convention", which means that the "Common Control Mark" stamped in addition to the "head of a St. Bernhard dog" on gold, silver, platinum and palladium articles facilitates the exportation of goods to the other contracting States of this international agreement.
- On importation, the Precious Metals Control carries out risk-based controls; it supervises the internal market of precious metals articles.
- The Swiss Precious Metals Control is accredited in accordance with SN ISO 17025 as testing laboratory STS 071 for analysis of gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Observations
Services
- Determination of the fineness of gold, silver, platinum and palladium alloys.
- Examination of the precious metal coatings.
- Control and official marking.
- Market supervision and border control.
On request
- Analyses of ores, salts, waste and solutions containing Au, Ag, Pd, Pt.
- Semi-quantitative (non-destructive) analyses on finished articles.
Contact
Precious metal control offices
Addresses of the precious metal control
The Science of Gemstone Testing
SSEF Swiss Gemmological InstituteAeschengraben 26
4051 Basel