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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Jan- 2020 -29 JanuaryTips
Important factors to consider when buying gold jewellery – What to know
Considered as the ultimate when it comes to luxury, gold will never run out of fashion. The mere mention of this elegant metal is already enough to catch anyone’s attention. After all, who doesn’t adore or love shining pieces of gold jewellery? They make an elegant fashion accessory for people…
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17 JanuaryEconomy
Gold and silver fall in December hallmarking
The number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked in December 2019 decreased by 7.1% and 12.7% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. Gold hallmarked pieces decreased from 312,281 to 290,186 and silver items decreased from 373,756 to 326,442 during the month. Additionally, palladium decreased by 37.7%…
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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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3 DecemberAdvice
How jewellery retailers can ride the Brexit storm
As we enter the next chapter of Brexit, and negotiations face the hurdle of a general election, how can UK jewellery retailers stay profitable and prepare themselves for the final outcome next year? We recently conducted research which found that there is already a great deal of uncertainty in the…
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Nov- 2019 -12 NovemberMetal Prices
Platinum hallmarking increases 22.2% in October
Platinum hallmarking increased by 22.2% in October 2019 compared with the same period the previous year, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The number of platinum pieces hallmarked increased from 28,652 in October 2018 to 35,026 in 2019. Despite overall volumes decreasing by 5.6% during the month,…
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12 NovemberFeatures
15 Minutes with Scott Walter, Edinburgh Assay Office CEO
Tell me about your appointment as chairman of the Convention on the Control & Marking of Articles of Precious Metals? On 1 November I will take up the Chair of the Convention. The Convention is an international treaty between contracting states. It’s purpose is to create a mechanism for cross…
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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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Oct- 2019 -15 OctoberMetal Prices
Silver and platinum up in September hallmarking
Both the number of silver and platinum pieces hallmarked in September 2019 increased by 4.5% and 14.4% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. Silver hallmarked pieces increased from 361,441 to 377,587 and platinum items increased from 23,055 to 26,383 during the month. However, this was offset…
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3 OctoberAppointments
Edinburgh Assay Office’s CEO assumes international chairman role
The Edinburgh Assay Office’s chief executive and master, Scott Walter, will take up the role of chairman of the Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals (CCMAPM) at the end of November. Walter held previous roles within the Convention sitting on the Standing Technical committee and…
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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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