Now the Assay Offices in Birmingham and London have launched an appeal to persuade as many people as possible to object to the proposals, which form part of a consultation called The Red Tape challenge. Launched on April 7, comments are invited online until May 5.
"The Red Tape Challenge aims to reduce regulation which stifles enterprise and industry," said an Assay Office spokesman.
"The message from the Government appears to be that every regulation highlighted will be abolished – unless visitors to the website express sufficient good reasons to convince ministers that this particular regulation must be kept."
Hallmarking is one of eight key topics under scrutiny.
"We believe it is imperative to the British consumer for the current and future UK jewellery industry to maintain hallmarking as a statutory independent service," the Assay Office argues.
They want people to log on to www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/hallmarking and register their objections.
