Belgium
Belgium requires a fineness mark and a registered maker's mark — set in shapes that code the metal — while the independent State hallmark is an optional extra.
In the atlas: Antwerp Diamond District
Mandatory maker's mark
Compulsory state control was abolished in 1868; the current self-declaration regime runs under the Royal Decree of 1990. There is no Antwerp town mark.
Fineness + maker's mark + annual registration required; State assay optional.
What you'll see struck
Fineness mark
Metal-coded shape
The fineness number in a shape that codes the metal — rhombus for gold, oval for silver, cut-corner hexagon for platinum — prefixed au / AG / PT.
Maker's stamp
Responsibility mark (required)
A symbol inside a barrel-shaped (tonneau) outline — the signature Belgian frame — identifying the maker.
State hallmark
Optional State guarantee
An optional independent assay mark applied by the government inspector. A voluntary four-petal flower has marked guaranteed silver since 1942. *
Fineness
- Gold
- 585 · 750 · 833
- Silver
- 835 · 925
- Platinum
- 950
Decode a mark you've found
Seen a number struck inside a piece? Read what it means, and how Belgium marks it.
Heading there to buy? These district buyer's guides show how to read a hallmark at the counter, what a fair price looks like, and how to spot a fake.
- Hallmarking legislation FAQ Verified
- Assay Office Register Verified
* The exact imagery of the optional State hallmark and the four-petal silver flower is not verified in official sources and is not drawn here.
A reference guide, not an authentication service. Marks vary by date and metal; consult the relevant assay office or standards body for definitive identification.