ANNEX I
Definitions and Technical Requirements

1. Definitions

For the purpose of this Convention the following definitions apply:

1.1 Precious metals

Precious metals are platinum, gold, palladium and silver. Platinum is the most precious metal followed by gold, palladium and silver.

1.2 Precious metal alloy

A precious metal alloy is a solid solution containing at least one precious metal.

1.3 Precious metal article

A precious metal article is any item of jewellery, goldsmith's, silversmith's or watchmaker's ware or any other object made entirely or in part from precious metals or their alloys. "In part" means that a precious metal article may contain

i. non-metallic parts

ii. base metal parts for technical reasons and/or decoration (see paragraph 1.5 below).

1.4 Mixed precious metal article

A mixed precious metal article is an article consisting of two or more precious metal alloys.

1.5 Multimetal article

A multimetal article is composed of parts of precious metal and parts of non-precious metal.

1.6 Fineness

The fineness is the content of the named precious metal measured in terms of parts per thousand by weight of alloy.

1.7 Standard of fineness

The standard of fineness is the minimum content of the named precious metals measured in terms of parts per thousand by weight of alloy.

1.8 Coating / plating

Coating or plating is one or more layers of a material, permitted by the Standing Committee, applied to all, or part, of a precious metal article e.g. by a chemical, electrochemical, mechanical or physical process.

1.9 Base metals

Base metals are all metals except platinum, gold, palladium, and silver.

1.10 Assay

An assay is a quantitative analysis of a precious metal alloy by a method defined in paragraph 3.2 of Annex II.

1.11 Other definitions and further details

The Standing Committee may decide on other definitions as well as further details.

2. Technical requirements

2.1 Articles not covered by the Convention

The Convention does not apply to:

a) Articles made of alloys of a fineness not defined by the Standing Committee;

b) Any article which is intended to be used for medical, dental, veterinary, scientific or technical purpose;

c) Coins which are legal tender;

d) Parts or incomplete semi-manufactures (e.g. metal parts or surface layer);

e) Raw materials such as bars, plates, wire and tubes;

f) Base metal articles coated with precious metal;

g) Any other object decided by the Standing Committee.

Consequently, the articles referred to in a) to g) above cannot be marked with the Common Control Mark.

2.2 Standards of fineness applied under the Convention

Subject to Article 1, paragraph 2 of the Convention, the standards of fineness applied under the Convention shall be those defined by the Standing Committee.

2.3 Tolerance

No negative tolerance is permitted in relation to the standard of fineness indicated on the article.

2.4 Use of solder

2.4.1 The principles are:

a) Solder may be used only for joining purposes.

b) The standard of fineness of the solder shall be the same as the standard of fineness of the article.

c) If a solder of a lower standard of fineness is used, the whole article must be to a permitted standard of fineness.

2.4.2 Practical exceptions from these principles and other methods of joining are defined by the Standing Committee.

2.5 Use of base metal parts and non-metallic parts in precious metal articles

2.5.1 Base metal parts and non-metallic parts are permitted in precious metal articles as a mechanical function for which precious metals are unsuitable either for strength or durability, subject to the following conditions:

a) When visible, base metal parts and non-metallic parts shall be clearly distinguishable by colour from the precious metal.

b) They shall be neither coated nor treated to give the appearance of a precious metal.

c) They shall not be used for the purpose of strengthening, weighting or filling.

d) Where practical, base metal parts shall be marked "METAL".

2.5.2 The Standing Committee may decide on further details or exceptions on base metal parts as well as non-metallic parts and substances.

2.6 Multimetal Articles

2.6.1 It is permitted to use base metal parts and non-metallic parts in precious metal articles for decoration, subject to the following conditions:

a) Base metal parts and non-metallic parts shall be clearly visible by their extent.

b) They shall be distinguishable by colour from the precious metal (i.e. they shall be neither coated nor treated to give the appearance of a precious metal).

c) Base metal parts shall be marked "METAL".

2.6.2 The Standing Committee may decide on further details or exceptions.

2.7 Coating of precious metal articles

The Standing Committee decides on permitted coatings and exceptions for technical reasons.

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ANNEX II
Control by the authorised assay office(s)

1. General

1.1 The authorised assay office (thereafter referred to as "assay office") must comply with the conditions and requirements, as stated in paragraph 2 of Article 5 of the Convention, not only at the moment of the notification to the Depositary but at any time of operation thereafter.

1.2 The assay office shall examine whether articles of precious metals, which are presented to it in order to be marked with the Common Control Mark, fulfil the conditions of Annex I to the Convention.

1.3 To examine articles of precious metals, the assay office shall in principle have a competent testing laboratory. The laboratory shall in principle be able to analyse those articles of precious metals, which are to be marked with the Common Control Mark, in line with approved testing methods (see paragraph 3.2 below). An assay office may subcontract testing. The Standing Committee shall define the conditions for the subcontracting of testing. It shall also issue guidelines for the assessment requirements of a testing laboratory.

1.4 To demonstrate its competence, the laboratory shall either be accredited according to ISO standard 17025 or demonstrate an equivalent level of competence.

1.5 An equivalent level of competence is achieved when the assay office operates a management system, which fulfils the main requirements of ISO standard 17025, and successfully participates in the international proficiency testing scheme on precious metals called "Round Robin". The Round Robin is run by the Standing Committee or another body designated by the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee shall define how an equivalent level of competence shall be achieved and verified. It shall also issue guidelines on Round Robin, including the level of participation and the performance criteria.

1.6 The Standing Committee shall provide further guidance on the requirements mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 5 of the Convention, notably on the independence of the assay office staff.

2. Testing

2.1 If an article is found by the assay office to be complete as to all its metallic parts and if it complies with the provisions of Annex I to this Convention, the assay office shall, on request, mark the article with its assay office mark and the Common Control Mark. In cases where the Common Control Mark is applied the assay office shall, before the article leaves its custody, ensure that the article is fully marked in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs below.

2.2 The testing of articles of precious metals submitted for marking with the Common Control Mark consists of the two following steps:

a) the evaluation of the homogeneity of the batch, and

b) the determination of the fineness of the alloy (assay).

2.3 The purpose of an assay is to assess the conformity of an alloy or a precious metal article.

3. Test methods and methods of analysis

3.1 The assay office may use any of the test methods to evaluate the homogeneity of a batch as defined by the Standing Committee.

3.2 The assay office shall use any of the approved methods of analysis in assaying articles of precious metals as defined by the Standing Committee.

4. Sampling

The number of items taken from a batch and the number of samples taken from these items for testing and analysis shall be sufficient to establish the homogeneity of the batch and ensure that all parts of all articles controlled in the batch are up to the required standard of fineness. Sampling guidelines are established by the Standing Committee.

5. Marking

5.1 Principle

5.1.1 Articles, which satisfy the criteria in Annex I, shall be marked with the Common Control Mark (CCM), as described in paragraph 5.5, in line with the requirements set out in the present Annex.

5.1.2 The CCM is applied together with other marks (some of which can be combined), which together provide the following minimum information on:

a) who has produced (or imported) the article: this is indicated by a registered responsibility mark as described in paragraph 5.4;

b) who has controlled the article: this is shown by the mark of the assay office;

c) what the precious metal content of the article is: this is indicated by a fineness mark in Arabic numerals; and

d) what precious metal the article is made of: this is shown by a mark, symbol or shape indicating the nature of the precious metal.

5.1.3 The Standing Committee determines which of these marks must be applied on articles and which can be combined.

5.2 Methods

The following are accepted methods of marking: punching and laser. The Standing Committee can decide on other methods of marking articles.

5.3 Display

Whenever possible, all marks shall be placed in immediate proximity to each other. Other marks (e.g. year mark), which are not to be confused with the marks mentioned above, are allowed as additional marks.

5.4 Register for responsibility marks

The responsibility mark referred to in letter a) of paragraph 5.1.2 shall be registered in an official register of the Contracting State and/or one of its assay offices, which controls the article in question.

5.5 The Common Control Mark (CCM)

5.5.1 Description

5.5.1.1 The CCM is a conformity mark indicating that the article of precious metals has been controlled in accordance with the Convention's requirements, as contained in the present Annexes and the Compilation of Technical Decisions. It shall consist of the representation of a balance in relief on a lined background surrounded by a geometrically variable shield.

5.5.1.2 The CCM can be combined with a fineness and precious metal mark: in this case, it is surrounded by a shield indicating the nature of the precious metal and contains a number in Arabic numerals showing in relief the standard of fineness of the article in parts per thousand, as described below (Type 1).

5.5.1.3 The CCM can be a conformity mark only: in this case, it is surrounded by a standardised octagonal shield, as described below (Type 2).

5.5.2 Approved sizes

The approved sizes of the CCM and other compulsory marks are defined by the Standing Committee.

5.6 Articles consisting of more than one alloy of the same precious metal

Where an article consists of different alloys of the same precious metal, the fineness mark and the CCM applied shall be that of the lowest fineness present in the article. Exceptions can be decided on by the Standing Committee.

5.7 Articles consisting of parts

If an article consists of parts which are hinged or readily separable, the above marks shall, when possible, be applied to the main part. Where practicable the CCM shall be applied also to the lesser parts.

5.8 Mixed precious metal articles

5.8.1 If an article consists of different precious metal alloys, and if the colour and extent of each alloy are clearly visible, the marks referred to in paragraph 5.1.2 shall be applied on one precious metal alloy and the appropriate CCM (Type 1) on the other(s).

5.8.2 If an article consists of different precious metal alloys and if the colour and extent of each alloy is not visible, the marks referred to in paragraph 5.1.2 and the corresponding CCM shall be applied on the least precious metal. The CCM relating to the more precious metals may not be applied.

5.8.3 Additional rules as well as exceptions justified by technical reasons are decided on by the Standing Committee.

5.9 Multimetal articles

5.9.1 The marks referred to in paragraph 5.1.2 shall be applied on the precious metal part of a multimetal article. The mark <METAL> (or equivalent) shall be applied on the metallic part in line with paragraph 2.6 of Annex I to the Convention.

5.9.2 The Standing Committee may decide on further details or exceptions.