Quality & Hallmarking
Nothing Leaves Without Passing First
Physical quality control within our secure chain, official hallmarking by Waarborg Holland, and gemstone grading by GIA or IGI. Every product runs through every gate before it reaches a retail partner or a B2C customer.
Quality Control, Step by Step
All inbound shipments from production partners are received within our secure chain and go through a structured quality-control process before any further action is taken.
01.
Arrival inspection
Every shipment is physically inspected on arrival against its product-data dossier. Quantities, packaging integrity and shipping documentation are verified.
02.
Material verification
Precious metals are checked for fineness and material composition against the stated specification. Gemstones are verified against the data dossier: type, dimensions and condition.
03.
Craftsmanship assessment
Every item is assessed for construction quality, finish, setting security where applicable, and adherence to the agreed quality standard.
04.
Non-conformity reporting
Any item that does not meet the standard is recorded in a Non-Conformity Report and quarantined within the same secured chain, without a custody break. The production partner is informed, and the handling is agreed before any further action.
05.
QC status update
Results are recorded in the platform and communicated to the production partner and, where relevant, to the receiving retail partner.
Hallmarking by Waarborg Holland
Waarborg Holland is the statutory Dutch assay office, designated under the Dutch Hallmarking Act. EU market requirements stipulate that precious-metal articles carry an official hallmark before sale. We manage the full hallmarking process for every eligible product in our network: submission, delivery, turnaround and certificate handling. Waarborg Holland performs the assay.
Fineness Mark
Confirms the metal purity of the item, for example 18K or 750 for gold. Struck by Waarborg Holland after physical assay.
Responsibility Mark
Identifies Apotropaeon as the party submitting the item for hallmarking. Carried on every hallmarked item.
Hallmarking Certificate
Issued per item or per batch by Waarborg Holland. Accompanies every delivery to retail partners and is available to B2C customers on request.
Scope
All precious-metal articles in gold, silver and platinum destined for the EU market. Loose gemstones are not hallmarked and carry grading reports instead, in a future phase. Investment-grade gold carries refinery assay certification to the LBMA standard rather than a hallmark.
Hallmarking Close to the Chain
We keep the hallmarking step tight to the rest of the sequence. We coordinate submission and assay ourselves and avoid unnecessary handovers of high-value goods, which shortens the lead time and keeps time-to-market predictable.
Gemstone Certification
Loose gemstones, including diamonds, are a first-class category in the network.
Admission is conditional on a mandatory grading report from GIA or IGI.
GIA Grading Report
The reference standard for diamond and coloured-stone grading. Report data are carried in our Product Data Standard: lab, report number, carat weight, cut, colour, clarity and origin.
IGI Grading Report
Accepted equivalent for laboratory-grown diamonds and coloured stones, with the same data fields and the same gate requirement.
Kimberley Process
All diamonds in the network carry mandatory Kimberley Process documentation confirming conflict-free origin, alongside the grading report.
Appraisal
Gemstone appraisal is separate from the grading report. Where required, an independent appraisal is prepared and carried in the product dossier alongside the grading data.
Photography and Catalogue Listing
Products that pass the quality control and hallmarking steps are photographed according to our visual standard: multiple views per item against a consistent background and lighting. Products are not published until the image set meets that standard. Files are named to our media-naming convention and stored in the product-data dossier.