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Published

fineness

vr.tr.fineness · thing-q1401905

Let an agent explain fineness and its notations, convert between millesimal fineness and carats, interpret hallmarks, and help buyers and sellers of precious metals understand purity.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context XCT.REL
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Convert Notations.

Scales

Millesimal and carat.

Scales

Scales.

  1. What is this fineness in carats, parts per thousand and percent? measurement
  2. Is carat purity or carat gemstone weight meant? boundary

Content

Metal content.

Content

Metal content.

  1. How much pure metal does this item contain, given weight and fineness? measurement
  2. What is its metal value at current prices, according to a quoted source? measurement
Marks Hallmarks.

Read

Reading hallmarks.

Read

Reading hallmarks.

  1. What do the marks on this item indicate about fineness, assay office and date? provenance
  2. Which country system applies? provenance

Fake

Counterfeits.

Fake

Counterfeits.

  1. Could the marks be counterfeit? boundary
  2. How can purity be verified independently? action
Assay Testing.

Methods

Assay methods.

Methods

Assay methods.

  1. Which assay methods are used, such as fire assay, XRF and touchstone? provenance
  2. How accurate is each? measurement

Services

Assay offices.

Services

Assay offices.

  1. Where can an item be assayed and hallmarked here? provenance
  2. What does it cost? measurement
Standards Legal standards.

Legal

Minimum standards.

Legal

Legal standards.

  1. Which fineness standards are legal for gold and silver here? provenance
  2. Must items be hallmarked before sale? provenance

Bullion

Bullion standards.

Bullion

Bullion.

  1. What fineness do bullion bars and coins have? provenance
  2. Is the user asking for investment advice? boundary

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Cross-cutting context
Entry kind
thing
Plane
XCT
Domain
XCT.REL

What it is Filled

The proportion of precious metal in an alloy, expressed as a mass fraction in parts per thousand, such as 999 for nearly pure gold or 925 for sterling silver, or in carats for gold where 24 carat is pure; fineness is verified by assay and shown by hallmarks and is central to bullion, jewellery and coinage.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent explain fineness and its notations, convert between millesimal fineness and carats, interpret hallmarks, and help buyers and sellers of precious metals understand purity.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Mass fraction of precious metal
  • Parts per thousand or carats
  • Verified by assay
  • Legally regulated marks

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Misstate or fake fineness, hallmarks or assay results.
  • Sell plated or lower-grade metal as higher fineness.
  • Help evade hallmarking law.

Only with a human decision

  • Certifying fineness for sale or valuation.

May

  • Report fineness from hallmarks and assay certificates.
  • Explain fineness scales and carat equivalents.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Buyers cannot judge purity by eye and depend on honest marking.
  • Precious metal fraud harms savers and small buyers most.

Who is affected

  • Buyers and sellers
  • Jewellers
  • Savers in precious metals

Owners Filled

Steward

The assay office or hallmarking authority that tests and marks the metal.

Master systems

  • Assay office hallmark records

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q899138 - registry parent class

related

  • mass fraction - category
  • hallmark - mark
  • Roman currency - historical coin fineness
  • amount-of-substance fraction - related fraction

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.fineness
  • Wikidata: Q1401905 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1401905)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Marks such as 925, 750 or 999
  • Carat marks like 18K
  • Plated items carry different marks
  • Not physical; numbers stamped on metal items.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • convert fineness to carat and percentage
  • interpret hallmarks and standards
  • explain assay methods
  • compute metal content of an item

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Counterfeit marks
  • Confusing carat purity with carat weight
  • Mispriced items

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • National hallmarking laws
  • Vienna Convention on the Control of Precious Metals
  • LBMA good delivery standards

Context of use required Filled

  • Stating and verifying precious metal purity.
  • gold fineness
  • silver fineness
  • platinum and palladium fineness
  • bullion standards
  • historical coin fineness

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q1401905: fineness - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Fineness - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should hallmarks be a separate entry?
  • How should national standards be linked?
  • How should assay services be localised?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1401905/spec.json