Hallmarking
Hallmarking is a cornerstone of the UK jewellery trade, ensuring the authenticity and quality of precious metal items through independent verification. For jewellers, manufacturers, and suppliers, staying up to date with hallmarking legislation, standards, and practices is essential to maintaining compliance and consumer trust. Jewellery Focus provides expert coverage on hallmarking, including updates from the UK’s assay offices, regulatory changes, innovations in testing, and insights into the role hallmarking plays in supporting the trade.
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Apr- 2023 -11 AprilNews
BHC reappoints chair for third three-year term
The British Hallmarking Council (BHC) has appointed its current chair, Noel Hunter OBE, to serve for a third three-year term. In his final term as chair, Hunter aims to improve the protection of UK consumers buying from the internet, where an increasing level of non-compliance has been detected, and therefore…
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Mar- 2023 -2 MarchRetailers
Bradley’s Jewellers receives first King Charles hallmark
Independent retailer Bradley’s Jewellers York has become one of the first people to have a piece of jewellery with the new hallmark of King Charles II. Owner Kay Bradley was able to get a Fabergé Yorkshire Rose Egg Surprise Locket in 18k white gold stamped with the hallmark at the…
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2 MarchNews
New Trustmark Scheme relaunched in March
The world’s first consumer online assurance scheme for the jewellery industry, the Trustmark Scheme, relaunched on 1 March with the support of all four UK Assay offices for the first time. It was first launched in 2012 by the Edinburgh Assay office to reassure consumers that hallmarked jewellery was not…
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Feb- 2023 -1 FebruaryNews
Assay Offices approve new King Charles III coronation hallmark
The Assay Offices of the UK has announced the approval of a new hallmark for the coronation of King Charles III. Based on a medal by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS and using artwork supplied by Thomas Fattorini, the mark depicts the King’s head against an oval background. The mark can be…
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Nov- 2022 -29 NovemberNews
Birmingham Assay Office teams up with Aston University for KTP
Aston University has teamed up with hallmarking specialists Birmingham Assay Office (BAO) through a knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) aimed at developing a sophisticated intelligent business system. The system will aim to improve operational efficiency and increase BAO’s competitiveness, leading to significant improvements in customer experience. A KTP is a three-way…
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Oct- 2022 -19 OctoberEconomy
Hallmarking drops -15.8% in September
The total number of hallmarked pieces during September 2022 dropped by -15.8% year-on-year from 1,009,071 to 849,351, marking a decrease of -159,720, according to the latest figures from the four UK Assay offices. Overall, gold pieces dropped -1.1% in September from 390,638 to 386,433, and silver declined by -26.6% from…
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Sep- 2022 -16 SeptemberEconomy
Hallmarking rises 13.1% in August
The total number of hallmarked pieces during August rose by 13.1% to 886,746, up from 784, 078 from last year, according to the latest figures from the four UK Assay offices. However, the number of gold pieces fell slightly, down -0.3% from 365,664 to 364,652. Silver saw the only jump,…
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13 SeptemberEvents
NAJ partners with Sheffield Assay Office for futures event
The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) and Sheffield Assay Office have announced Striking Futures, a new collaborative event designed to help businesses and students get ahead in the jewellery industry. The event will take place on 3 November, and features a hallmarking presentation from Kerry Gregory of Gemmology Books, a…
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Aug- 2022 -30 AugustTrade Organisations
Sheffield Assay Office joins the NAJ
The Sheffield Assay Office has announced that it has recently become a member of the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), in a bid to engage “more fully and effectively” with the trade as a whole. The Sheffield Assay Office is currently looking at a number of collaborations with other NAJ…
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18 AugustNews
Hallmarking rises 27.4% in July
The total number of hallmarked pieces in July 2022 rose 27.4% to 876,281 from 687,952 compared to the same period 2021, according to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay Office. However, gold pieces dropped 9.6% from 339,167 to 306,535. Silver saw the highest jump, rising 71.2% to 536,154 from…
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