Birmingham
Birmingham has a rich heritage as a centre for jewellery manufacturing and trade, with its historic Jewellery Quarter still home to hundreds of workshops and businesses. For UK jewellers, wholesalers, and suppliers, the city remains a vital hub for production, design, and distribution. Jewellery Focus covers Birminghamโs role in the industry, from updates on local businesses and manufacturing trends to insights into policy developments and events shaping the trade. Our reporting helps professionals understand the cityโs continuing influence on the UK jewellery sector.
-
Jan- 2016 -20 JanuaryAppointments
NAJ to propose Simon Johnson as chairman
The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) saysย its current vice-chairman and co-owner of retail jeweller Marmalade, Simon Johnson, will be proposed as its new chairman at the next annual general meeting. At the associationโs first meeting of 2016 – held on 14 January at the Birmingham Assay Office – current NAJ…
Read More » -
20 JanuaryRetailers
BCU student’s jewellery collection goes on sale at Argos
A first-year student from Birmingham City Universityโs (BCU) School of Jewellery has seen her โWishesโ collection go on sale in Argos. Danielle Laurent, 39, who is originally from California, beat off competition from 50 other students last year to design an exclusive collection on behalf of of catalogue retailer Argos.…
Read More » -
18 JanuaryCurrent Affairs
2015 full-year hallmarking edges upwards
The total number of hallmarked items fell by 1% in December suggesting a flat Christmas, but the annual figures for full-year 2015 edged up by 1% compared with the previous year. Data from all four assay offices in the UK – compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office – showed the…
Read More » -
15 JanuaryCurrent Affairs
BCU teams with Birmingham Assay Office for gemmology hub
The Birmingham Assay Office has announced a new collaborative tenancy and partnership with Birmingham City Universityโs (BCU) School of Jewellery.ย As part of the agreement the universityโs gemmology department will move into new premises at 1 Moreton Street in the Jewellery Quarter, which it hopes will enable further development ofย gemmological…
Read More » -
14 JanuaryEvents
J&WB confirms over 30 new brands for Design Quarter
Jewellery & Watch Birmingham (J&WB) has announced that over 30 new names have been confirmed for its Design Quarter at the upcoming event. With the launch of โBritish Born & Madeโ – a new dedicated area to showcasing the best of British jewellery design – the Design Quarter is set…
Read More » -
Dec- 2015 -23 DecemberOpinion
Another step forward in an ongoing challenge
Diamond grading issues have been a hot topic in recent months, but a new ISO Standard could benefit the consumer and retailer. STELLA LAYTON, chief assay master at the Birmingham Assay Office, explains.[divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] The industry has come a long way since we staged our first Great Debate…
Read More » -
23 DecemberAnalysis
RIDING HIGH: Will the gold price ever return to its pre-recession levels?
This year has been defined by a sense that we have finally escaped the clutches of recession. But with Chinaโs growth slowing dramatically and stock markets gripped by panic in recent weeks, some are suggesting weโre on the verge of another, much worse, crash. MICHAEL NORTHCOTT explores where we currently…
Read More » -
16 DecemberEconomy
Hallmarking up 13% in November
Hallmarking figures in November were up 13% as all metals recorded an overall increase in the amount of articles hallmarked. That is according to the latest data released today by the four UK assay offices, and compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office, which found the total number of articles hallmarked…
Read More » -
14 DecemberEditor's Blog
Every reason for Christmas cheer
The industry has done a good job of holding steady and ending a decade of contraction this year. The hallmarking figures graph โbottomed-outโ showing modest but definite increases in almost every month of the last 12. If you take the year-to-date from the latest figures available, we are only down…
Read More » -
14 DecemberEvents
Weston Beamor to showcase model-versions of 3D printing team at JWS
Birmingham-based Weston Beamor (WB) is to showcase model versions of the members of its 3D printing team at the upcoming Jewellery and Watch Show (JWS) in February. The casting house, 3D printing and bespoke manufacturing company will be demonstrating its skill in model making and rapid prototyping by scanning its…
Read More »
