Certificates

Filigree, the production of traditional handmade jewelry, has a long history in Portugal. Filigree production is concentrated in two areas in the north of Portugal - Gondomar and Póvoa de Lanhoso.

The municipalities of Gondomar and Póvoa de Lañoso, where this ancient technique is of particular importance, have jointly introduced the certification program “Filigrana de Portugal”. These two municipalities have united with the aim of enhancing the value of the filigree technique characteristic of both territories, protecting its producers and protecting this unique handcraft from industrial imitations that mislead consumers and discredit this art.

Starting from the afternoon of July 12, 2018, the "Filigrana de Portugal" certificate appeared. From now on, 21 innovative craft production companies have the opportunity to display the "Filigrana de Portugal" certification mark on their products.

The certificate is issued by Aderecertifica, an organization accredited by the Portuguese Institute of Accreditation, and meets all the requirements of the National Certification System for Traditional Crafts.

The purpose of the Filigrana de Portugal certification is to provide the consumer with a new guarantee of quality.

Control and marking of products made of precious metals is the oldest form of consumer protection.

In accordance with the legal framework for jewelers and assay offices, approved by Law No. 98/2015 of August 18, 2015, products made of precious metals such as gold and silver must be assayed in order to guarantee the consumer the quality and authenticity of the metals/alloys used , which, of course, is a prerequisite for assigning the “Filigree from Portugal” certificate to products.

To confirm the quality of the alloys used, there is a control system, which consists of applying a stamp (punch) to the products by the Portuguese Assay Office Contrastaria (an organization authorized at the national level to check and guarantee the metal content of alloys).

All precious metals in Portugal go through Contrastaria, where they are stamped with a stamp. Control and marking of products made of precious metals is the oldest form of consumer protection.
The presence of an hallmark for products made of precious metals is a prerequisite for the sale of these products.

A product made of precious metals must have 2 hallmarks. The Contrastaria mark, which is applied in accordance with the analysis carried out, indicates the type and quality of the metal. The second mark is placed by the manufacturer of the product. In some cases there may be a third and fourth mark. If the product consists of different metals, then a mark is placed for each metal.

In 2021, Contrastaria introduced new hallmarks.
The new hallmarks of the Assay Office came into force on January 1, 2021.

Since 1982, Portugal has been a member of the Vienna Convention on the Control and Marking Articles of Precious Metals. This convention harmonizes the placement and use of the Common Indicator Mark. Such markings facilitate international trade in precious items. Thus, countries party to the convention can export products made of precious metals to other countries party to the convention without additional formalities. These marks have the same legal status as national official marks.

Contrastaria, an official service affiliated with INCM - Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda, ensures the verification and hallmarking of precious metal products with complete impartiality, protecting consumers from counterfeits and guaranteeing fair competition between economic agents in the sector.

Filigree products (as in all objects of art and luxury) use alloys.

In Portugal, the percentage of gold in the alloy per kilogram is 800 g for pure gold (80%) and 200 g for the rest of the alloy (20%). This is known as 19.2 carat gold.