Whilst the rest of the UK were building bonfires and preparing to let off their fireworks AnchorCert gemmologists Anu Manchanda and Beccy Share, and SafeGuard Valuer Craig O'Donnell, were enjoying sparklers of a different kind. [caption id="attachment_1137" align="alignnone" width="224" caption="Beccy Share & Anu Manchanda"] For Anu, the highlight was the privilege of attending the private viewing of the Vault at the National History Museum with Alan Hart as well as the guided tour of …

HALLMARKING VOLUMES CONTINUE TO FEEL THE EFFECT OF HIGH PRECIOUS METAL PRICES THROUGHOUT 2011 The total number of untis hallmarked by the four UK Assay Offices in the year totalled 10,681,714 compared to 14,841,840 in 2012, a reduction of 26.8%. All categories of metal have been affected with Gold down 24.1%, Silver down 29.4%, Platinum down 10.3% and Palladium down 6.7%. For the third year running more silver articles were hallmarked than gold, but the increase in the price of silver thro…

The Birmingham Assay Office was pleased to support jewellery designer Fei Liu, along with eight selected British jewellery designers, to showcase at the Shin Kong Place department store in Beijing in November last year. As well as demonstrating the brilliance of UK jewellery design to consumers and trade buyers, Fei Liu wanted to showcase the UK's long heritage of jewellery manufacturing and The Birmingham Assay Office. The Assay Office lent a silverware piece, the Warwick Vase, from it's…

TONI COLLINS - 25 YEARS Congratulations to Toni Collins, pictured below at her desk in the Accounts Department at The Birmingham Assay Office, on completing 25 sterling years of hard work and dedication at the office. [caption id="attachment_1121" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Toni Collins"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1122" align="alignnone" width="199" caption="Tim Smith"] Manpreet & Ryan, who weighed in at 8 and a half pounds, are pictured above. ASSAY OFFICE…