Hallmarking machine: All you need to know about the jewellery engraving machine

Personalization was always a part of the evolution of jewelry making. An early Stone Age man would have invented and created the first wedding rings for his wife. Jewels are synonymous with intense emotion, whether purchased on a whim or for a specific occasion. Initially, jewelry was engraved by hand when there was no technology. Computer-controlled (CNC) engraving machines, dot pins, and laser engraving machines for jewelry-making came into existence with advancements in technology.

In this quick guide, you’ll learn about hallmark techniques and recommended hallmarking machines, so you’ll know what to buy.

What Are the Advantages of Micro-Laser Jewelry Hallmarking Machines?

High Sharpness
A crisp and clear thin line is crucial for excellent laser hallmarking. Our laser hallmark machine is optimized for precise marking on gold, silver, and platinum, ensuring a sharp, accurate mark even on tough metals.

Increased Power
Traditional fiber lasers need two passes to mark gold, leading to less sharp results. Our machine is optimized for a single-pass marking, delivering clean and precise marks, making it ideal for hallmarking gold and silver jewelry.

Improved Field of Focal Distance
Marking on curved surfaces, like rings and bangles, can result in smudged edges due to focal point shifts. Our machine ensures precise marking on curves, even when multiple rings are marked together.

Special Effects
Our machine easily handles intricate logos, signatures, and holographic effects, making it perfect for creating micro-textures and detailed designs on gold jewelry.

Hallmarking Techniques and Machine Prices

Dot Pin Hallmarking Machine Marking
Dot Pin Marking is widely used for hallmarking gold and silver through serialization, creating dotted or line markings on flat surfaces. It’s common in industries for marking casting, machine parts, and VINs.

• Affordable and flexible
• Fully automatic and programmable
• Customizable depth
• Can mark through surface coatings
• Price: $1,500 to $4,000

Hallmarking Using Punches
Traditional hallmarking uses hardened steel punch dies to mark jewelry. Though accurate, this method can distort the piece, requiring refinishing afterward. CNC machining and laser engraving are now used to create more precise punch dies. However, punch dies wear out, making this method costly over time.

• High precision, but recurring costs
• Ideal for larger silver jewelry
• Price: Based on punch dies, with recurring costs

Laser Marking System for Hallmarking
Laser marking is the most advanced method for hallmarking, ideal for fragile or hollow pieces. It eliminates the need for refinishing, with both 2D and 3D marking options available.

• Precise and non-invasive
• Suitable for fragile jewelry
• Price: $5,000 to $8,000, plus an optional gold recovery unit

Essential Requirements to Qualify as a Laser Hallmarking Machine

The Heatsign Fiber Laser Marking System is ideal for hallmarking, branding, and traceability in jewelry production, offering precision and durability.

• Small Beam Diameter: Less than 30 microns, ensuring high precision.
• Backlash Protection: Prevents the laser beam from bouncing off polished metals and damaging the resonator, protecting lenses, mirrors, and optics for a longer lifespan.
• Longevity: Fiber lasers last over 100,000 hours, compared to under 10,000 hours for diode lasers, reducing maintenance costs.
• Single-Pass Marking: Conventional fiber lasers need two passes, but for hallmarking gold and silver, a single clean mark is preferred for better sharpness.
• Anti-Copying Features: Micropatterns on polished metals are designed to prevent reproduction, ensuring authenticity.

Heatsign continues to innovate cost-effective, high-performance solutions for jewelry labeling and hallmarking, offering top capabilities at competitive prices.

Laser Micro Marking

• Highest speed, Better sharpness
• Accurate Contour Laser Marking,
• More Backlash Protection on Gold and silver, Consistent quality
• Improved depth of focal distance
• Special effects, Single-shot can mark up to the depth of 5 microns
• White and black laser marking effects can be achieved

Traceability In Hallmarking Center With Heatsign

Cloud Database Integration

All the data must be stored in the database to trace the complete process of hallmarking, starting from the Web-portal for Jewelers who want their jewelry to be hallmarked. Until the time it is handed over to the Jewelry maker.

RFID Chip: The RFID chip is integrated with the box to trace and track the ornaments. And to find out on which stage it has reached.

XRF machine integration

XRF machine is integrated to identify the elemental composition of the metal under test. This helps in finding out the Purity of the gold. XRF and Assay will determine whether the jewelry will be hallmarked or not. Any time in the process of the Purity check, if it is found that the jewelry is not pure and does not follow the jewelry standards, the jewelry will be returned to the customer.

Special Laser hallmarking machine with Data Management system

Heatsign Laser marks the Hallmarking code and logo on the circumferential Surface Area, and the Vision System reads and validates the code for the genuineness of the product.

FAQs