Consignment sales, repairs, items entrusted to someone: should it be recorded in the police register?
The police register isn't just for buybacks. Jewelry on consignment, watches entrusted for repair, or lots received from a colleague may also need to be recorded. It all depends on the specific register being discussed.
- THE consignment shop is registered in the register of second-hand items, with the identity of the depositor and the estimated value.
- A repair does not fall under the register of second-hand goods, but may fall under the register of precious metals.
- For the items entrusted, the simplified forms exist: overall registration at the end of the day, repair forms.
- THE second-hand watches Those bearing the current hallmarks are exempt from this registration.
Two registers, two logics
THE register of second-hand items (Penal Code, art. 321-7) refers to used items, or items acquired from private individuals, that you possess for sale or exchange. Its goal is to combat the receiving of stolen goods.
THE precious metals register (Commercial Code, art. L. 834-6) covers all movements of works in gold, silver or platinum Purchases, sales, receipts, deliveries, and works entrusted to you. Its purpose is to control the guarantee.
The same object can therefore fall under one category, both, or neither.
The consignment shop
An item received on consignment is held for the purpose of sale: it is registered in the register of second-hand items. It includes the depositor's identity, a description of the item and, if no purchase price is given, a estimate of its value (Penal Code, art. R. 321-3 to R. 321-5).
If it is made of gold, silver, or platinum, it is also registered in the precious metals register, which tracks the entries and exits of works deposited for sale.
If the consignment sale turns into a purchase, the transaction changes in nature and must be recorded as such. See our tutorial How to turn a consignment into a buyback on Jewely Retail.
Repair and after-sales service
A watch or piece of jewelry entrusted for repair is not held for sale: it does not, in principle, fall under the register of second-hand goods.
On the other hand, precious metal items entrusted for repair fall within the scope of precious metals register. Annex IV of the French General Tax Code (art. 56 J septdecies) provides for several simplified forms:
- a global registration at the end of the day entries and exits, if each item can be justified at any time (labels, individual bags, receipt books); ;
- A deposit contract or "Repair-Invoice-Watchmaking" fact sheets« instead of the register, mentioning in particular the parties, the date, the designation of the object, its metal and its title; ;
- A software, under the conditions stipulated in the text.
Second-hand timepieces bearing the hallmarks in force are not subject to this registration (Commercial Code, art. L. 834-6, para. 2).
Items entrusted by another professional
New books received from a manufacturer or a colleague, for example on a consignment note, are not second-hand goods: they are not subject to the Penal Code. They remain subject to the precious metals register, which covers new and used works "entrusted for any reason whatsoever", with the same possibility of global registration at the end of the day.
The summary
| Situation | Register of second-hand items | Precious Metals Register |
|---|---|---|
| Buyback from a private individual | Yes | Yes, if the object is made of precious metal |
| Consignment shop | Yes, with the estimated value | Yes, if the object is made of precious metal |
| Repair, After-Sales Service | No, in principle | Yes, a simplified form is possible; exemption for hallmarked second-hand watches |
| New item supplied by a professional | No | Yes, global registration is possible |
For general rules and control, see also Police register: the obligations of the jeweller-watchmaker And Police log check: what officers check.
Consignment sales and after-sales service at Jewely Retail
Consignment sales, buybacks, trade-ins and after-sales services recorded in Jewely Retail feed into the police register, without additional entry.
Sources: Penal Code, Articles 321-7 and R. 321-3 to R. 321-5; Commercial Code, Article L. 834-6; Appendix IV of the French General Tax Code (CGI), Articles 56 J quindecies to 56 J septdecies. This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace applicable laws or legal advice. Handling a specific situation may require consultation with customs or legal counsel.