scope:

This European Standard specifies a method of sampling precious metal jewellery alloys for fineness determination. It is applicable to raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products of the jewellery alloys of precious metals. Its aim is to define all the operations needed to obtain samples intended for the determination of the precious metal content (fineness) of a particular jewellery alloy. It is intended to be applied when sampling alloys are claimed to be homogeneous and exhibit no visible flaws or signs of possible heterogeneity. Alloys of precious metals used in industrial products, coins qualified as legal tender, dentistry or decorative coatings on some other material are outside the scope of this standard. It is not intended to apply to procedures employed for the purposes of production control nor for the provision of samples other than for the determination of fineness.