The Birmingham Assay Office in the 21st Century

The Birmingham Assay Office has a long established reputation within the jewellery trade as an independent centre of quality assessment and expert opinion.

Founded by an Act of Parliament in 1773, Birmingham is now the largest Assay Office in the world.  Twelve million articles of gold, silver or platinum arrive here every year to be tested, to ensure that they contain the legal amount of precious metal, prior to being hallmarked.  This statutory duty, one of the earliest forms of consumer protection, is still carried out in much the same way it has been for 230 years, although the process is now assisted by the latest technology such as X-Ray Florescence testing and laser marking.

In the late 20th Century two major factors encouraged the Assay Office to expand its services beyond its statutory Assaying and Hallmarking duties.

The first is the continuing expansion of the thriving UK retail jewellery market.  Consumers are becoming increasingly demanding; they have more disposable income but there is also more competition for it and jewellers need to give their customers reassurance that they know what they are buying.  As the average spend increases, so does the need for independent Diamond Certification, Quality Assurance and expert opinion in a number of areas from Precious metal testing to jewellery Valuations.

The second factor was the danger of the proposed EU Directive in 2003 that threatened to remove the legal requirement for the compulsory independent testing and Hallmarking of Precious Metals.  Although the Directive was defeated, sometime in the future we could still be facing the end of compulsory hallmarking.

In response to these two factors, the Birmingham Assay Office has developed a range of new services for the jewellery industry, all bearing their well established mark of independence, integrity and expertise:

The Laboratory is one of the UK’s leading test houses for Precious Metal Analysis and Nickel Compliance.  Thousands of watches and pieces of jewellery, both precious and costume, are tested here every year to make sure they comply with the European regulations for nickel release.

The laboratory also carries out precious metal analysis for all sectors involved in manufacturing and selling precious metals on a daily basis.

SafeGuard Valuations are the leading brand of independent jewellery valuations in the UK with a network of over 1,000 retailers offering the service.  Most of this appraisal work is carried out within the Assay Office.

AnchorCert Diamond Certification has developed into a major new brand in the jewellery trade.  Thousands of diamonds are graded and certificated every year, once again offering the consumer the reassurance that they know exactly what they are buying.  In 2004 The AnchorCert Gemmological Office in Hatton Garden, London was opened.