Birmingham Assay Office
The Birmingham Assay Office is a cornerstone of the UK jewellery trade, providing hallmarking, testing, and certification services that ensure the quality and integrity of precious metal goods. For jewellers, manufacturers, and suppliers, staying informed about its developments is essential to maintaining compliance and understanding industry standards. Jewellery Focus offers in-depth coverage on the Birmingham Assay Office, including regulatory updates, innovations in testing and hallmarking, and its role in supporting the jewellery sector’s operational and ethical standards.
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Feb- 2021 -24 FebruaryEconomy
Hallmarking plummets 45.5% in January
The total number of pieces hallmarked during January 2021 plummeted 45.5% against last year, according to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office. Total hallmarked pieces fell from 685,768 in January 2020 down to 373,720, with the rate of decline significantly lower than figures recorded in December 2020, when…
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19 FebruaryTrade Organisations
Birmingham Assay Office launches search for new guardians
The Birmingham Assay Office has announced it has begun its search for “seasoned individuals” to become the organisation’s new guardians. Controlled by a group of 36 elected guardians of the Standard of Wrought Plate in the city of Birmingham, the Assay Office was founded by an Act of Parliament in…
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Jan- 2021 -15 JanuaryEconomy
Hallmarking down by 12.1% in December
The total number of pieces hallmarked during December 2020 decreased by only 12.1% compared with the same month last year, according to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office. Gold hallmarked pieces decreased 4.7% from 290,186 to 276,475 and silver items decreased17.7% from 326,442 to 268,709. Platinum hallmarking also…
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Nov- 2020 -16 NovemberEconomy
Hallmarking slightly improves in October
The total number of pieces hallmarked in October 2020 fell by 17.5% compared with the same month last year, according to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office. This marked a total improvement against September’s figures, where total hallmarking was down by 19.5% against the prior year. Gold hallmarked…
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3 NovemberCoronavirus
Assay offices to remain open in England
The three assay offices based in England are set to remain open during the upcoming nationwide lockdown, they have confirmed. It comes after prime minister Boris Johnson announced that the country would enter a nationwide lockdown from 5 November to 2 December. The Edinburgh Assay Office in Scotland is exempt…
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Oct- 2020 -14 OctoberQ&A Sessions
Q&A with 247 Diamonds
Tell me about the history of the business? We started the very first UK jewellery presence on the Internet, launching a ‘net based B2B service in the text based black hole that was the Internet before the World Wide Web, we are talking late 1980’s, way too early, we must…
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13 OctoberEconomy
Hallmarking falls 19.5% in September
The total number of pieces hallmarked during September 2020 decreased by 19.5% compared with the same month last year, according to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office. Gold hallmarked pieces decreased 17.2% from 355,522 to 294,451 and silver items decreased 24.1% from 377, 587 to 286,401. Palladium hallmarking…
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Aug- 2020 -14 AugustNews
UK hallmarking slumps 42.7% in July
The total number of pieces hallmarked during July 2020 decreased by 42.7% compared with the same month last, according to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office. Gold hallmarked pieces decreased from 308,297 to 212,620 and silver items decreased from 372,259 to 1741,592 during the month – a decline…
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Jun- 2020 -22 JuneCoronavirus
Hallmarking plummets 75% in May as lockdown impact is revealed
The impact of the coronavirus on UK hallmarking has been made clear to see thanks to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office, with the total number of pieces hallmarked during the month down by 75%. The number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked in May 2020 decreased by…
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18 JuneCoronavirus
The Birmingham Assay Office launches Rainbow Logo mark to raise funds for the NHS
The Birmingham Assay Office has launched its rainbow logo mark to be applied as an optional mark alongside the hallmark and date letter for 2020 to raise money for the NHS. The rainbow logo mark will be available for a limited period from the 1 July until December 2020. The…
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