Hallmarking and Marking Rules for Gold Jewellery Sold in Germany

150 150 Golden Planet

Published 14 October 2026 · By Golden Planet

Buyers who know systems with a state assay office, such as Poland’s Urząd Probierczy, often expect the same in Germany. Germany works differently. There is no compulsory state hallmark for gold jewellery. Instead, a short law from 1884 sets out how a fineness may be stated and who is liable if it is wrong.

This guide summarises those rules for jewellers, wholesalers, buying groups, department stores and online retailers that import gold jewellery into Germany. It is a practical overview, not legal advice. For individual cases, check the current text of the law or ask a lawyer.

The legal basis: the Feingehaltsgesetz

The Gesetz über den Feingehalt der Gold- und Silberwaren (FeinGehG) dates from 16 July 1884 and was last amended in 2015. It has ten sections and distinguishes between three groups of goods: articles (Geräte) such as cutlery, watch cases, and jewellery (Schmucksachen). The rules below are those for jewellery.

Is a fineness stamp compulsory in Germany?

No. Section 1 allows gold goods to be made and sold at any fineness, and the Act does not oblige anyone to apply a fineness stamp. The German Bundestag’s research service confirms this reading, citing a 1983 ruling of the Federal Court of Justice (BGH, I ZR 47/81).

Once a stamp is applied, however, it must follow the Act. Applying a fineness mark where none is allowed, or in a form the Act does not permit, is an administrative offence. Under section 9, fines can reach EUR 5,000, and the goods concerned can be confiscated.

For a trade buyer, the real question is therefore not whether a stamp is required, but whether the stamp on the goods you receive is lawful and accurate.

What a lawful fineness mark on jewellery looks like

Element Rule for gold jewellery in Germany FeinGehG
Fineness figure (Feingehaltsstempel, often called Punze) Optional. If applied, it must be in thousandths, for example 333, 375, 585, 750 or 875. Any fineness is allowed on jewellery. § 5(1)
Accuracy Margin of error of no more than ten parts per thousand when the whole piece is melted down. § 5(2)
Karat-only mark, for example 14K or 21K Not a designation in thousandths. Imported goods with a non-compliant designation may only be offered for sale if they also carry a compliant stamp. § 5(1), § 6
Official stamp for articles (Geräte) Must not be applied to jewellery. § 5(3)
Maker’s or responsibility mark (Herstellerzeichen) The firm-name requirement in § 3 is written for articles (Geräte); § 5 does not require it for jewellery. Still useful for traceability. § 3, § 5
Items filled with other metals, or with base-metal reinforcements metallically joined No fineness mark allowed. § 8(1), (2)
Visible parts in other metals used for decoration or mechanisms, such as a clasp spring Disregarded when fineness is assessed. § 8(3)

Karat stamps on imported jewellery

Jewellery made for markets that think in karats often carries marks such as 14K or 21K. Section 5(1) requires a fineness on jewellery to be given in thousandths, and section 6 deals with imports directly: goods from abroad whose fineness is stated in a form that does not comply with the Act may only be offered for sale if they also bear a stamp that does.

The practical rule for German orders is simple: ask your supplier to stamp the fineness in thousandths, such as 585 for 14K and 875 for 21K. At Golden Planet, we stamp the mark the buyer requests: a fineness in thousandths, such as 585 or 875, or a karat mark, such as 14K or 21K. For goods to be sold in Germany, we recommend thousandths. The relationship between the two scales is explained in our guide to gold karats and fineness.

Who is liable for a wrong fineness?

Section 7 makes the seller of the goods liable for the accuracy of the stated fineness. If the stamping was done in Germany, the business for which it was done is liable as well.

For jewellery stamped abroad, this places the risk on the German business that sells it. Three habits reduce that risk:

  • Put the fineness in thousandths on every order line, and ask for it on the invoice.
  • Keep the supplier’s product specifications and delivery documents.
  • Have a sample of each new supplier’s first deliveries checked by an independent laboratory.

Germany and the Hallmarking Convention

The Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals, usually called the Hallmarking Convention, created the Common Control Mark (CCM). National assay offices in the contracting states apply the CCM, and articles carrying it are accepted in the other contracting states without further testing or marking. Using the CCM is voluntary.

Germany is not a contracting state. In October 2026, the Convention’s website lists 22 contracting states: Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

For a German retailer, a CCM therefore has no special legal role at home; what counts is the Feingehaltsgesetz. It becomes relevant when you resell into contracting states, where national rules apply. Two gold finenesses, 585 and 750, are legal in all contracting states. Poland is one example of a stricter system: jewellery we sell there carries the fineness mark and the Polish state assay mark.

There is no single EU hallmarking law

Hallmarking has never been harmonised at EU level. In a 2008 answer to a parliamentary question, the European Commission explained that it had proposed common rules for precious metals in 1975 and 1993 and had to withdraw both proposals for lack of support. Rules therefore remain national, which is why Germany and Poland handle marking so differently.

Other EU rules that apply to gold jewellery

  • General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988. Since 13 December 2024, manufacturers must give products a type, batch or serial number or another identifier (Article 9(6)). Importers must show their name, registered trade name or trade mark, and postal and electronic address on the product or, where that is not possible, on the packaging or an accompanying document (Article 11(3)). If you import directly from Türkiye, these importer duties fall on your business.
  • REACH, Annex XVII, entry 27 (nickel). Articles intended for direct and prolonged contact with the skin, such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets, chains and rings, must not release more than 0.5 µg/cm²/week of nickel, and posts inserted into pierced ears or other pierced parts of the body no more than 0.2 µg/cm²/week. This matters mainly for white gold alloys, so ask your supplier which alloy is used. Golden Planet does not use nickel in its white gold alloys.

How to brief your supplier

  1. Fineness: in thousandths on the stamp, the order and the invoice.
  2. Brand: on private label orders, we stamp your brand on each piece.
  3. Identification: an article number or model code on the product, packaging or documents.
  4. Importer details: your company name and addresses for packaging or accompanying documents.
  5. Alloy: for white gold, the alloy type and any test reports you need.

Golden Planet is an Istanbul-based gold jewellery manufacturer and exporter that sells only to trade buyers. Our responsible sourcing and due diligence documents are published on our policies page. To compare suppliers, use our buyer’s checklist for sourcing from Türkiye, or see our wholesale page and contact our sales team.

Frequently asked questions

Is hallmarking compulsory for gold jewellery in Germany?

No. The Feingehaltsgesetz does not require a fineness stamp, and there is no compulsory state hallmark for jewellery. If a fineness is stamped, it must be given in thousandths and must be accurate within ten parts per thousand.

Can I sell gold jewellery stamped only “14K” or “21K” in Germany?

A karat mark on its own is not a fineness in thousandths. Under section 6 of the Act, imported goods with a non-compliant designation may only be offered for sale if they also carry a compliant stamp, such as 585 or 875.

Is Germany a member of the Hallmarking Convention?

No. Germany is not among the 22 contracting states listed by the Convention in October 2026. The Common Control Mark has no special legal role in Germany, but it can help when you resell into contracting states.

Who is responsible if the stated fineness is wrong?

The seller. Section 7 makes the seller liable for the accuracy of the stated fineness. If the goods were stamped in Germany, the business for which they were stamped is liable as well.

Which mark does Golden Planet stamp on jewellery for Germany?

The mark you request. We can stamp a fineness in thousandths, such as 585 or 875, or a karat mark, such as 14K or 21K. For goods to be sold in Germany, we recommend thousandths, because the Feingehaltsgesetz requires a fineness mark on jewellery to be given in thousandths.

Sources