Who are the Singapore Assay Office?
The Singapore Assay Office is a division of Singapore Test Services responsible for the certification and hallmarking of precious metals in Singapore. Established in 1979, the Singapore Assay Office is headquartered in Boon Lay neighbourhood and operates under the purview of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The Singapore Assay Office conducts a range of services including hallmarking, which is the process of testing and certifying the purity and fineness of gold, silver, and other precious metals. For testing they apply the Singapore Standards (SS581) to determine the fineness (purity) of precious metals.
Assay Office works closely with the The Singapore Jewellers Association to ensure that all products meet the highest standards of quality and integrity. In addition to hallmarking, the office also provides a range of services including product testing, repairs, and valuations to consumers and businesses in Singapore.
Singapore Assay Office - Gold Hallmarking
The process of verifying and certifying the purity and fineness of gold jewellery and other gold items is referred to as hallmarking. This technique is done using gold. It is a system that assures that gold goods satisfy specific criteria of quality and purity and offers customers with a mechanism to verify the authenticity and worth of their own gold. This system is known as the Gold Standard.
The process of hallmarking often requires an assay office that is authorized by the government to perform a set of tests and assessments on the item in question, such as the Singapore Assay Office. During the process of hallmarking, a sample of the gold product is extracted and put through a series of tests to assess its purity and fineness, as well as the amount of gold that it comprises overall. The outcomes of these examinations are then used to the process of selecting an acceptable hallmark to affix to the product.
Hallmarks are symbols or markings that are stamped or etched on gold objects to signify their purity and fineness. Hallmarks may be seen on jewellery, coins, and other precious metals. These marks may consist of a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, and they may be accompanied by the logo of the maker or any other kind of identifying information. The particular hallmark that is used is determined both by the amount of gold that is included inside the product and by the restrictions that are in place in the nation in which the product is being sold.
The process of hallmarking gold gives customers some degree of security that the gold goods they buy are of a high grade and conform to specified purity criteria. Because hallmarking guarantees that gold items have correct labels and accurately represent their genuine worth, it also helps to defend against fraud and counterfeiting. This is because hallmarking ensures that gold products have accurate labels.
Singapore Assay Office - Fire Assay
In the process of fire assay, a sample of material, often a metal or mineral, is heated to a high temperature in a furnace, and then the ash or slag that results from this process is analysed for its elemental content. This approach is used to determine the chemical composition of the substance. This technique is frequently utilized to assess the purity of a gold or silver alloy, as well as the concentration of particular components in a sample, such as the amount of gold or silver present in the ore.
The first step in conducting a fire assay is to prepare a sample of the substance that is going to be examined. This is commonly done by grinding the material into a powder. After that, the sample is combined with a flux, which is a chemical agent that assists in the dissolving of the sample and the separation of the required components from the sample. After placing the sample and the flux in a crucible, which is a tiny container constructed of a material that can endure high temperatures, the crucible is then placed in a furnace and heated to a very high temperature.
The flux begins to melt when the sample is heated, and this causes it to react with the sample in a way that dissolves and separates the desired components. After this step, any residual slag or ash is gathered up and put through an analysis so that the concentration of the desired components in the sample may be determined.
Fire assay is a dependable and precise process for testing the chemical composition of a sample. It is frequently utilized in the mining, metallurgical, and jewellery industries to evaluate the purity and worth of gold, silver, and other precious metals. Fire assay was developed in the 18th century.
Singapore Assay Office - X Ray Fluorescence Element Analysis (XRF)
The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) element analysis technique is a technology that may be utilized to ascertain the elemental make-up of a piece of material being analysed. It accomplishes its purpose by subjecting the sample to high-energy X-rays, which in turn induce the atoms contained inside the sample to release secondary X-rays of their own. These secondary X-rays are indicative of the elements that are present in the sample, and as a result, they may be utilized to identify and quantify those elements.
In X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) element analysis, a sample of the material to be studied is put into a machine that is known as an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The sample is illuminated by a stream of high-energy X-rays that are produced by the spectrometer and focused in its direction.
After striking the sample, the X-rays cause the atoms in the sample to release secondary X-rays. These secondary X-rays are then detected by the spectrometer, which is then used to identify and quantify the elements that are present in the sample.
The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) element analysis technique is a method that can determine the elemental composition of a broad variety of materials, such as metals, alloys, minerals, and ceramics, in a quick, accurate, and non-destructive manner. It has a wide range of applications and is utilized in many different sectors, such as mining, metallurgy, quality control, and environmental analysis.
Additional Services the Singapore Assay Office provides to Individuals
- Engraving services (e.g. Name, date, purity; but no hallmarking)
- Precious metals jewellery screening / authenticity tests
- Knowledge workshops
- Small scale melting & valuation for gold & silver only (<1kg)
Singapore Assay Office Address & Telephone
Arthesdam Jewellery Pte Ltd
Address: 89, 95/97, 123 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217994
Telephone: +65 6299 1729
Website: http://arthesdam.com.sg/
Chip Lee Goldsmith Jewellery Pte Ltd
Address: 106 Yishun Ring Rd, #01-169, Singapore 760106
Gek Poh Goldsmiths & Jewellery Pte Ltd
Address:762 Jurong West Street 75, Singapore 640763
Gold Online Pte Ltd
Address: Blk 1013 Geylang East Ave 3, #06-166, Singapore 389728
Telephone: +65 9662 6994
Golden Chance Goldsmith Pte Ltd
Address: 845 Geylang Road, #02-42 Tanjong Katong Complex, Singapore 400845
Telephone: +65 6745 3577
Website: https://www.facebook.com/people/Golden-Chance-Goldsmith/100063332282824
Golden Watch Gold & Jewellery
Address: 1 Park Rd, People’s Park Complex, Singapore 059108
Heng Heng Gold & Diamond Jewellery Pte Ltd
Ming Seng (Joo Chiat) Goldsmith
On Cheong Company Private Limited
One Ounce
Poh Heng Jewellery Pte Ltd
Address: 1 Park Road, #01-17 People’s Park Complex, Singapore 059108
Telephone: 1800 – 764 – 4364
Website: https://www.pohheng.com.sg/
Other outlets:
Blk 186 Toa Payoh Central, #01-412, Singapore 310186
930 Yishun Ave 2, #01-23, Northpoint City, Singapore 769098
90 Hougang Ave 10, #01-30/31 Hougang Mall, Singapore 538766
80 Marine Parade Road, #B1-109/110 Parkway Parade, Singapore 449269
Blk 702 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8, #01-2523, Singapore 560702
Blk 214 Bedok North Street 1, #01-149, Singapore 460214
Tampines Central 5, #01-03/04 Tampines Mall, singapore 529510
1 Woodlands Square, #01-05 Causeway Point, Singapore 738099
2 Jurong East Street 21, #01-25 IMM Building, Singapore 609601
1 Sengkang Square, #01-02 Compass One, Singapore 545078
321 Orchard Road, #01-03 Orchard Shopping Centre, Singapore 238866
3155 Commonwealth Avenue West, #03-46 The Clementi Mall, Singapore 129588
50 Jurong Gateway Road, #01-51 JEM, Singapore 608549
3 Temasek Blvd #01-367 Suntec City, Singapore 038983
Raja Kings Goldsmith & Jewellers Pte Ltd
Address:149 Rochor Rd, Singapore 188425
Teng Huat Jewellery Pte Ltd
Wanmei Goldsmith & Jewellery Pte Ltd
