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.
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Jan- 2015 -20 JanuaryAppointments
Stella Layton named new Jewellery Quarter chairman
Stella Layton, the chief executive and assay master of the Birmingham Assay Office, has been named as the new chairman of the town’s Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT). Layton succeeds David Mahony, managing director of PCPT Architects. The JQDT, formed in May 2011, is a community interest company that operates…
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Dec- 2014 -9 DecemberEvents
Benevolent Society Ball raises £30,000 for charity
The 79th British Jewellery & Giftware Federation Benevolent Society Ball has raised some £30,000 for the charity, the Benevolent Society. The Benevolent Society Ball, which took place on December 4 at The St John’s Hotel, Solihull, attracted over 370 guests from the jewellery trade, The Giftware Association and other member…
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8 DecemberProduct Launches
Domino set to launch new wedding ring collection at Spring Fair
Domino has announced that it will use its stand at Jewellery and Watch Birmingham to launch its new wedding ring collection. The collection will include a selection of bi-colour bands available in platinum as well as 18ct white, yellow and rose gold, and is entirely British-made. The company has also…
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8 DecemberEconomy
Hallmarking set to top 10m items for first time in three years
The total number of hallmarked items is set to top 10 million for the first time since 2011, the latest data from the four UK assay offices suggests. Overall hallmarking figures, collated by the Assay Office Birmingham, dropped by 7.8% in November compared with the same period last year, mainly…
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Nov- 2014 -28 NovemberCurrent Affairs
Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall visit Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter
HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall made a visit to Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter after being invited by the group tasked with its regeneration. The visit, organised by the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT), saw the royal couple welcomed to Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery where…
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20 NovemberUncategorized
Deakin & Francis reveals limited edition Christmas penguins
Birmingham-based cufflinks manufacturer Deakin & Francis is taking pre-orders for 10 limited edition Christmas Penguin cufflinks. The Christmas penguins are sterling silver and enamelled in white and black, with bright blue eyes and a black belly button, finished off with a red and white Santa hat. As there will only be 10 pairs of…
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18 NovemberCurrent Affairs
Body found in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter
West Midland police officers are investigating the discovery of a man’s body found in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter on Monday morning. The man, believed to be in his 40s, was found with serious injuries in Icknield Street, Hockley on Monday morning at 4am and was pronounced dead at the scene. West…
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17 NovemberEvents
Harriet Kelsall apprentice named UK ‘fine jewellery champion’
An apprentice working for bespoke jeweller Harriet Kelsall has been named the UK ‘champion for fine jewellery making’ at the World Skills UK competition. Will Lander, who fended off competition from six other competitors to pick up the gong, had to create a sterling silver pendant to a very specific…
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12 NovemberEconomy
HALLMARKING: Gold keeps climbing, silver lets the side down
Gold continued its upward trajectory in the month of October with a 22.1% rise in the number of articles hallmarked, totalling 115,815 overall. The figures, released by the Birmingham Assay Office using data collated from the four UK assay offices, showed that 9ct remained the strongest performer of all metal…
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3 NovemberEvents
Harriet Kelsall apprentice in final of World Skills UK competition
An apprentice working at bespoke jeweller Harriet Kelsall is through to the final of the Fine Jewellery Making category at the World Skills UK competition. Will Lander, 23, is currently 18 months into a five-year apprenticeship at the Hertfordshire based jewellers. After impressing at the initial stages, Lander will now…
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