Assay Office Birmingham News

ARCHDUKE JOSEPH DIAMOND[/caption] The top lot of the sale was the historical 76.02 carats cushion-shaped ‘Archduke Joseph Diamond’ which sold for US$21,474,525 / SFr.20,355,000 (US$282,545 per carat), setting a new world record at auction for a colourless diamond. Over the seven hour long sale a total of 19 lots sold above $1 million with 147 buyers coming from 28 countries, competing enthusiastically in the room, on the telephone and online. Alfredo J. Molina, the diamond’…

Hallmarking is clearly a hot topic as just a few days later 20 Trading Standards delegates arrived from near and far for a bespoke training course.  Trading Standards Officers came from Councils as far flung as Plymouth,  Oldham, Surrey and Ceredigion as well as the Midland counties of Leicestershire, Sandwell , Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Warwickshire. The course  included the history of Hallmarking and current legislation, a hands on session to identify Hallmarks on new a…