British Hallmarking Council
The British Hallmarking Council (BHC) is the statutory body overseeing the hallmarking system in the UK, ensuring precious metals adhere to legal standards of purity and authenticity. Its decisions directly influence assay office operations, hallmark integrity, compliance burdens, import regulations, and retailer liability. Jewellery Focus delivers thorough coverage of the BHC’s policy updates, statutory reviews, consultation outcomes, and enforcement actions, offering insight into how changes to hallmarking rules impact design, manufacturing, sourcing, and retail risk. Our specialist reporting helps jewellers, manufacturers, assay offices, and suppliers understand and adapt to evolving hallmarking legislation, maintain compliance, and uphold consumer confidence across the UK market.
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Jun- 2021 -21 JuneNews
The British Hallmarking Council is seeking new members
The British Hallmarking Council is seeking new members! If you are interested in the historic practice of Hallmarking, which protects consumers by the assay (testing) of the precious metal content of an item such as jewellery, then you may be interested to hear that the British Hallmarking Council is looking for…
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Dec- 2020 -8 DecemberCurrent Affairs
British Hallmarking Council updates EU guidance
The British Hallmarking Council has updated its guidance on hallmarking requirements from 1 January 2021, ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU. The council said that obligations to recognise equivalent EU hallmarks will end in Great Britain. EU hallmarks will continue to be recognised in theNorthern Ireland market, however,…
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Oct- 2020 -23 OctoberTrade Organisations
Poll launched for new Platinum Jubilee marks
The Four UK Assay Offices have published two marks to commemorate the Queen’s platinum jubilee. The offices are now asking NAJ members and their customers their opinion on the two separate designs. The two Platinum Jubilee marks have been created by the British Hallmarking Council (BHC), made up of the…
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May- 2020 -18 MayCoronavirus
Assay offices reopen following temporary closures
All four assay offices across the UK have now resumed assay services following their temporary closure in light of the ongoing pandemic. The British Hallmarking Council confirmed that opening hours and arrangements are now being “managed carefully in line with government advice to ensure the welfare of staff and the…
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Mar- 2020 -25 MarchCoronavirus
Assay offices close their doors
All four assay offices across the UK have closed their doors amid the coronavirus crisis. The assay offices, in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and Sheffield, will now be closed for business for “at least” three weeks. In a statement, the British Hallmarking Council said: “The pandemic has caused many disruptions to…
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Dec- 2019 -4 DecemberFeatures
What to do if you see someone breaking hallmarking law
A real frustration for jewellers who make sure they comply with hallmarking law is seeing instances of others flouting the law and apparently getting away with it, selling items without a valid UK hallmark. The hallmark is a vital form of consumer protection because you can’t judge the composition of…
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Nov- 2019 -4 NovemberCurrent Affairs
Third of UK gold jewellery sold online suspected as fake, warns BHC
A third of “gold” jewellery being sold online is suspected to be unhallmarked and therefore may be fake, raising concerns that UK consumers are being duped by internet traders, according to data released today from the British Hallmarking Council (BHC). A 10-day internet sweep by WRi Group in partnership with…
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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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Nov- 2018 -22 NovemberFeatures
What is x-ray fluorescence testing?
The change in the UK jewellery market during the past 15 years has been dramatic and irreversible. Items made outside the UK now outnumber UK manufactured articles by about nine to one and there has been a significant increase in silver and mixed metal articles and those which are hollow…
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Jun- 2018 -8 JuneFeatures
What does the offshore hallmark mean for the jewellery industry?
“We were extremely happy when the British Hallmarking Council (BHC) finally, after a great deal of pushing and shoving from all sides, agreed that jewellery pieces hallmarked overseas should have a different mark to the ones we strike domestically,” says John Langford, director of Braybrook and Britten, triumphantly. For many…
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