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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Jun- 2022 -1 JuneRetailers
Deakin and Francis appoints business development manager
Deakin and Francis has announced the appointment of Mark Riddle as the company’s new business development manager. In his new role, Riddle will focus on working with existing UK accounts to build sales, secure compatible new UK wholesale distribution for the Deakin and Francis brand, and identify new corporate clients.…
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May- 2022 -25 MayRetailers
Birmingham Assay Office operations and business director to retire
Carla Goodfellow, operations and business development at the Birmingham Assay Office, is set to retire later this month. Goodfellow, who has been in the jewellery industry for 35 years, 18 of which working at the Birmingham Assay Office, started her career at Birmingham based jewellery manufacturer Gallery Jewellers. Goodfellow said:…
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19 MayRetailers
Birmingham School of Jewellery unveils Commonwealth medals
Birmingham School of Jewellery has unveiled the official medals which will be awarded to athletes at the Commonwealth Games this summer. The medals have been designed by three students from the school. The medals are being manufactured by Toye, Kenning and Spencer in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, a location which is…
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13 MayNews
Hallmarking surges 26% in April
The total number of hallmarked pieces climbed 26.3% to 660,006 in April 2022, up from 522,390 for the same period in 2021. According to the Birmingham Assay Office, Gold hallmarked pieces increased 18.6% to 280,067, against last year’s 236,089. Silver saw an increase of 30% year-on-year, from 268,993 to 349,654.…
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Apr- 2022 -19 AprilNews
TH March celebrates 135th anniversary
TH March, the UK specialist jewellery insurance broker, is celebrating its 135th anniversary with an updated brand and an enhanced offering “to meet its customers’ changing needs”. Founded in 1887 by the son of a Hatton Garden diamond merchant, the firm made its name providing specialist jewellery and watch cover…
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13 AprilRetailers
Number of hallmarked pieces reaches 11-year high in Q1
The total number of pieces hallmarked in 2022 Q1 is the highest in 11 years, with total pieces climbing 109.1% to 2,597,104 total pieces from 1,242,326 seen in the same period in 2021, according to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office. It comes after the total number of…
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Mar- 2022 -14 MarchRetailers
Hallmarking surges 127% in February
The total number of hallmarked pieces climbed 127.3% to 852,725 February 2022, up from 375,183 for the same period in 2021. According to the Birmingham Assay Office, Gold hallmarked pieces increased 72.8% to 304,854, against last year’s 176, 420. Silver saw the largest increase in hallmarked pieces, jumping 180.8% year-on-year.…
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4 MarchEvents
Birmingham jewellery school wins top honour at Goldsmiths Awards
Birmingham City University’s historic jewellery school has won the College Trophy at the Goldsmiths Craft and Design Council Awards 2022, recognising the institution with the “highest number of awards gained across the categories presented at the ceremony”. The School of Jewellery, which has been situated in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter since…
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3 MarchCurrent Affairs
Gold prices spike amid Russian invasion of Ukraine
Prices of gold have reportedly surged to the highest level in more than a year in the hours after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, which the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) said benefits from its appeal as a “safe haven” to investors. Bullion prices also rose…
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2 MarchEvents
Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards makes its return
The presentation of the annual Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship and Design Awards (GC&DC) returned to the Goldsmiths’ Hall in London on 28 Monday February 2022. The awards ceremony, reportedly known as the ‘Jewellery Oscars’, was hosted by British jewellery writer and editor Rachael Taylor. Overall, more than 300 guests were welcomed, including…
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