Assay Office
Assay offices are central to the UK jewellery trade, ensuring the integrity of precious metal goods through hallmarking and quality assurance. For jewellers, manufacturers, and suppliers, staying informed about the activities and developments of the UK’s assay offices—Birmingham, London, Sheffield, and Edinburgh—is vital. Jewellery Focus provides comprehensive coverage on hallmarking standards, regulatory updates, innovations in testing and certification, and the broader role assay offices play in supporting the trade.
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Nov- 2018 -22 NovemberFeatures
What is x-ray fluorescence testing?
The change in the UK jewellery market during the past 15 years has been dramatic and irreversible. Items made outside the UK now outnumber UK manufactured articles by about nine to one and there has been a significant increase in silver and mixed metal articles and those which are hollow…
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16 NovemberFeatures
Saying ‘Yes’ to platinum
Platinum has been successfully marketed as the ultimate precious metal and has proved relatively resilient to recent financial turmoil. Volume in the platinum market is very much driven by the bridal market and it has fared slightly better than gold and silver. Platinum is firmly established as the luxury option…
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14 NovemberMetal Prices
Strong double-digit growth for gold and platinum in October hallmarking
Hallmarking increased by an average of 1.6% in October 2018 compared with the same period the previous year, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. This was supported by double-digit growth in gold, increasing by 60,849 to 509,390 hallmarked pieces, and platinum, rising by 4,593 to 28,652 items…
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9 NovemberCrime
Birmingham gold bangle scam trio jailed
Three jewellers who falsely claimed that sets of gold bangles they manufactured and sold were made from higher quality gold have been jailed for a total of 14 years. Ibrar Hussain, 38, and Sabhia Shaheen, 40, of Shiza Jewellers, based at 681 Stratford Road, together with 47-year-old Mohammed Afsar, known…
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Oct- 2018 -12 OctoberEconomy
Hallmarking drops 11% as silver and platinum struggle
Hallmarking fell by an average of 11.7% in September 2018 compared with the same period the previous year, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The number of silver and platinum pieces hallmarked decreased by 22.2% and 7% respectively. However, gold did increase 1.5% up from 364,440 to…
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Sep- 2018 -25 SeptemberFeatures
Getting the Most from your Hallmark
While the hallmark is regarded as the oldest form of consumer protection, it can also be used creatively as a marketing tool. Not only does it provide provenance, but it can also be used as a mechanism to commemorate special occasions or events; yet many people still don not understand…
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18 SeptemberMetal Prices
Hallmarking figures drop 2.3% in August
Hallmarking fell by an average of 2.3% in August 2018 compared with the same period the previous year, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The number of gold and platinum pieces hallmarked increased significantly by 7.9% and 29.3% respectively. However, silver and palladium both dropped by a…
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Aug- 2018 -14 AugustEconomy
Gold and Platinum up double digits in latest Hallmarking figures
The number of gold and platinum pieces hallmarked in July 2018 increased significantly by 12.5% and 20.2% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. However, the average volume of silver fell by 22.2% to 331,498 compared with 426,156, while palladium decreased by 21.4% to 6,252 hallmarked items.…
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6 AugustFeatures
Understanding international jewellery
The first month at the School of Jewellery in Birmingham is well underway. Bustling workshop demonstrations and creative experimentations are taking place, contextual study-trips and talking practice events are stimulating minds and the students are settling into the routine of formative lectures and seminars. But there is nothing routine about…
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Jul- 2018 -18 JulyMetal Prices
Hallmarking figures drop 9.3% in June
Hallmarking fell by an average of 9.3% in June 2018 compared with the same period the previous year, according to the latest figures from the four UK assay offices and compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The average volume of all precious metals apart from platinum fell this month, with…
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