Any person making for sale, selling, or offering to sell or dispose of, or having in possession with intent to sell or dispose of, any article of merchandise made, in whole or in part, of gold or any alloy of gold, and having stamped, branded, engraved, or imprinted thereon, or upon any tag, card, or label attached thereto, or upon any container in which said article is enclosed, any mark indicating or designed to indicate that the gold or alloy in such article is of a greater degree of fineness than the actual fineness or quality thereof, unless the actual fineness thereof, in the case of flatware or watchcases, be not less by more than three one-thousandths parts, and in case of all other articles be not less by more than one-half carat than the fineness indicated by the marks stamped, branded, engraved, or imprinted upon any part of such article, or upon any tag, card, or label attached thereto, or upon any container in which such article is enclosed according to the standards and subject to the qualifications hereinafter set forth, is guilty of a fraudulent practice.