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 Birmingham’s 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 city’s continuing influence on the UK jewellery sector.

Jul- 2015 -

24 July

Trade Organisations

Michael Northcott

AnchorCert backs new Diamond ISO Standard

The Birmingham Assay Office’s AnchorCert Gem Lab has welcomed the recent publication of a new diamond ISO Standard. The standard, entitled ‘Consumer Confidence in the Diamond Industry’, was published on 1st July, and AnchorCert described it as a “refreshingly simple and concise document intended to help the consumer understand the different choices available to them”.…
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22 July

Retailers

Michael Northcott

Watchfinder & Co to open flagship store in Leeds

Watchfinder is to open a two-storey retail premises in Leeds, its third bricks and mortar boutique in the UK. The boutique will be situated in the historic Grade II* listed Victoria Quarter arcade and is due to open in late September 2015. With two stores in the South East already, Watchfinder’s…
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17 July

Auctions

Tom Davis

Rocks & Co set for rebrand and relocation

Jewellery shopping channel Rocks & Co has announced it is in the process of ‘major’ expansion and rebranding plans, which will see the company relocate to Birmingham. The company – which is part of Eumelo, a large multinational group which broadcasts live from cities including Rome and Berlin – has…
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16 July

Q&A Sessions

Tom Davis

Q&A with Martin Russell, Phantom Watches

Officially launched last year, Phantom is a new British watch brand with a contemporary and minimalist style. TOM DAVIS caught up with founder Martin Russell to learn about the firm’s early stage growth Tell us about your background and how you got into watchmaking? I have been in the watch industry…
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14 July

Economy

Tom Davis

June hallmarking jumps 12.3%

The total number of hallmarked items surged 12.3% in June, an increase of 94,023 articles when compared with the same month in 2014. This is according to data released today by the four UK assay offices – and compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office – which found the total number…
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2 July

Designers

Michael Northcott

BJA Fairtrade ‘I Do’ competition winner announced

Jessica Mead, design assistant at Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery has won the BJA Fairtrade ‘I Do’ competition. UK designers were asked to draw up a matching wedding and engagement ring set in Fairtrade gold featuring a 50pt round brilliant-cut lab certified diamond and up to ½ a carat of small…
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Jun- 2015 -

26 June

Current Affairs

Tom Davis

‘Human hair’ used for jewellery by design student

A student has taken ‘upcycling’ to a whole new level, designing a jewellery collection made from unwanted human hair. Designed and made by Olivia Hawley, a final year student at Birmingham City University’s (BCU) School of Jewellery, the collection aims to “challenge society’s perception of jewellery and to play on…
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23 June

Events

Tom Davis

Argos to stock range from first-year BCU student

A first-year Birmingham City University (BCU) student, Danielle Laurent, has been selected by Argos to produce an exclusive jewellery collection. Laurent, aged 39 and originally from California, beat competition from 50 other students at the Birmingham School of Jewellery, to design a collection for the catalogue retailer. The award, which…
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12 June

Product Launches

Tom Davis

Birmingham Assay Office launches historical Assay Archives online

The Birmingham Assay Office has launched its Assay Archives online, showcasing its historical silver, coin and library collections to the wider public. After receiving a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund – which enabled the assay office to transfer paper records of its museum collection online – the public can…
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11 June

Economy

Tom Davis

Hallmarking up 3.1% in May

The total number of hallmarked articles in May grew by 3.1% compared with the same time last year, according to new figures released from all four of the UK’s assay offices. According to the data, which was compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office, there was a total of 770,075 articles…
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