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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Sep- 2019 -27 SeptemberEconomy
BHC introduces new Hallmarking Dealer’s Notice
The British Hallmarking Council (BHC) has introduced a new Hallmarking Dealer’s Notice which is now available and becomes compulsory on 1 May 2020. The Dealer’s Notice, which must be displayed by all dealers supplying precious metal jewellery, has been updated to add two new marks. The updated version incorporates a…
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Aug- 2019 -20 AugustEconomy
Gold slumps 7.3% in July hallmarking
The number of gold pieces hallmarked in July 2019 decreased by 7.3%, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. Palladium also decreased by 30.3% to 4356 pieces hallmarked, and the amount of platinum pieces hallmarked during the month decreased by 2% to 26,599 items. However, the average volume…
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Jul- 2019 -17 JulyEconomy
Hallmarking figures slump 4.7% in June
Hallmarking figures fell across all major categories in June 2019, compared with the same period the previous year, with overall volumes decreasing by 4.7% according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The number of gold pieces hallmarked decreased from 289,377 in June 2018 to 263,881 in 2019, down…
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Jun- 2019 -13 JuneEconomy
Gold and platinum up in May hallmarking
Both the number of gold and platinum pieces hallmarked in May 2019 increased by 1.4% and 12.4% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. Gold hallmarked pieces increased from 294,530 to 298,654 and platinum items increased from 24,768 to 27,847 during the month. However, this was offset…
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May- 2019 -16 MayMetal Prices
Gold, silver and platinum up in April hallmarking
Both the number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked in April 2019 increased by 6.6% and 3.3% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. Gold hallmarked pieces increased from 299,542 to 319,410 and silver items increased from 335,827 to 346,798 during the month. Additionally, the average volume…
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Apr- 2019 -16 AprilEconomy
Gold and platinum up in March hallmarking
Both the number of gold and platinum pieces hallmarked in March 2019 increased significantly by 4.5% and 19.1% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The average volume of silver also grew by 1% from 321,910 to 325,093 however palladium decreased by 36.8%% to 3,458 hallmarked items.…
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Mar- 2019 -14 MarchMetal Prices
Gold hallmarking drops 10.1% in February
Gold hallmarking fell by 10.1% in February 2019 compared with the same period the previous year, with overall volumes decreasing by 5.4% according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The number of gold pieces hallmarked decreased from 313,532 in February 2018 to 281,938 in 2019. Additionally, silver and…
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Feb- 2019 -13 FebruaryEconomy
Gold and platinum up double-digits in January hallmarking
The number of gold and platinum pieces hallmarked in January 2019 increased significantly by 17.9% and 19.1% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The average volume of silver also grew by 2.1% from 425,631 to 437,344, however palladium decreased by 31.4% to 4,481 hallmarked items. Overall…
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Jan- 2019 -14 JanuaryMetal Prices
Platinum up 9.4% in December; Overall 2018 results revealed
Platinum hallmarking increased by 9.4% in December 2018, compared with the same period the previous year, despite overall volumes decreasing by 2.1% according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The number of gold pieces hallmarked decreased from 322,033 in December 2017 to 312,281 in 2018. Silver and palladium…
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Dec- 2018 -18 DecemberManufacturers
Gold drops 2.8% in November hallmarking
Gold hallmarking fell by 2.8% in November 2018 compared with the same period the previous year, this is despite overall volumes increasing by 1.8% according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The number of gold pieces hallmarked decreased from 492,537 in November 2017 to 478, 589 in 2018.…
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