Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office opens first retail hallmarking facility

The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office has announced the opening of its first hallmarking facility within a retail jeweller.

The in-house assay office, which opened in November, is located within a purpose-built facility at Graff Diamonds’ London workshop in Mayfair.

The facility, which has its own dedicated member of the assay office and features specialist equipment, will hallmark Graff’s jewellery pieces and will shorten the supply chain, which Graff said will “heighten efficiency levels of production”.

Graff will have its jewellery pieces marked with four hallmarks, – Graff’s sponsor’s mark (G and D to represent the company’s name), the metal fineness mark, the town mark and the Common Control Mark.

Robert Organ, deputy warden at the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office, said: “Opening our first hallmarking facility within the manufacturing premises of a UK retail organisation is a very special occasion.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Graff, a British company at the pinnacle of the luxury jewellery industry. The sub-office is equipped with state-of-the art assaying and laser hallmarking systems to best suit and align with their outstanding jewellery design and manufacturing processes.”

Raymond Graff, director of production at Graff, commented that having access to an on-site assay office will improve the company’s processes and in addition will provide Graff with the flexibility and accuracy it needs to “continue pushing boundaries and growing the business”

He added“We are delighted to be the first jeweller to have an on-site assay office and to partner with the Goldsmiths’ Company to combine our expertise and exemplary mark of quality.”