We are looking forward to the British Jewellers' Association Members Day and AGM at the Goldsmiths' Centre London on 20th May.
The Annual General Meeting of the BJA will be held at The Goldsmiths’ Centre in London at 2.30pm on May 20th 2013 and additionally the BJA are holding their first Members Day.
The Members Day will give members and Industry individuals who work closely with the BJA the opportunity to briefly discuss topics covered by the Association during 2012/2013.
In keeping with the Association’s push to embrace education and training opportunities, Peter Taylor Director of The Goldsmiths Centre will talk about developments at the National Skills Academy and B.... More >
posted: in Birmingham Assay Office news
May 18, 2013
Looking forward to visiting the Museums & Heritage Show at Olympia tomorrow. Hope to attend some interesting and thought provoking seminars and to see some innovative ideas to help bring history and heritage to life and make it more relevant and meaningful to today's audience.
www.museumsandheritageshow.com
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Would you like to learn more about the diverse and fascinating history of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter and its surrounding area? This year’s joint Birmingham Assay Office and University of Birmingham Day School will take place at the University of Birmingham on Saturday, 15th June from 10am until 4.15pm. Tickets are available now.
‘Made in the Jewellery Quarter: People, Place and Things’ will feature talks from six speakers from the Assay Office, the University of Birmingham, local heritage organisations and local industry. Firstly, Sally Hoban will provide an update on the Assay Office’s new building and Dr Sue Tungate will speak about Matthew Boulton’s Soho Mint.
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Do you need to understand new and current EU and USA product legislation and testing requirements BEFORE supplying products for sale to consumers?
The Birmingham Assay Office is pleased to announce a new, one-day course aimed at jewellery technologists and costume jewellery and fashion accessories buyers that will tell you what you need to know.
The course focuses on Nickel, Lead and Cadmium, including why each metal is harmful as well as current testing regulations. It also covers the range of testing available and explores reasons why products may be non-compliant.
The course is delivered by industry experts from The Birmingham Assay Office’s UKAS accredited Laboratory. It p.... 
Last week saw the Assay Office team travelling far and wide representing the diverse activities of The Birmingham Assay Office and enjoying warm hospitality in three different countries.
Penny Parkes and Anu Manchanda were immersed in the expertise, swinging kilts and stunning scenery of the Scottish Gem A Conference in Peebles.
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Following the death in March of Bernard Ward, former Assay Master, The Birmingham Assay Office will be holding a Memorial Service to remember Bernard at 1.00 p.m. on Tuesday 9th July 2013 at St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Square, Birmingham.
Bernard will be fondly remembered for many years to come not only by his friends and colleagues at The Birmingham Assay Office but by the whole of the UK jewellery and precious metals industries. The Service will enable everyone to pay tribute to a man who achieved so much during his working life within the jewellery industry.
Full details about the Service will be announced in due course, so for now, please keep the date free in your diary..... 
Centrepiece will be hosting a one day 'Spring Showcase' on Saturday May 18th at the Museum of the jewellery Quarter.
The event will be open between 11am and 3.30PM and it offers an opportunity to view and purchase a stunning array of jewellery direct from the makers and observe a range of jewellery making skills at the jewellery bench.
Visit http://www.bmag.org.uk/museum-of-the-jewellery-quarter for more information about the venue.
Entry to the exhibition and gallery is FREE..... 
Saturday in Peebles. This morning Spinel and Emeralds. This afternoon Opals. This evening a traditional Ceilidh. A great day at the conference.
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JQ BID in talks to ease travel disruption during tunnel closures
The Jewellery Quarter BID (JQ BID) is working with Amey, the company that manages and maintains the city’s roads in partnership with Birmingham City Council, to ensure that major roadworks planned for the city centre this summer will cause minimal disruption to businesses in the area.
The planned roadworks will see the A38 St Chad’s and Queensway tunnels completely closed to all traffic from 19 July to 2 September while necessary improvements are carried out. The closure will be preceded by four weeks of overnight closures, from 10pm to 6am, and followed by up to two weeks of similar overnight closures.
Alterna.... 
The Birmingham Assay Office is pleased to announce that the British Hallmarking Council has authorised the opening of a Sub-Office at Hockley Mint, located in Warstone Lane, right in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
The Birmingham Assay Office is always keen to respond to the changing demands of the market and improve customer service. This latest advance is the opening of a “Sub-Office” hallmarking facility for Hockley Mint.
A Sub-Office is effectively the extension of an Assay Office to other premises, typically within a manufacturers or importers premises. There are obvious benefits for larger operations, and in line with the continuing redevelopment of the H.... 
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO VISIT THE BIRMINGHAM ASSAY OFFICE AND VIEW ITS PRIVATE SILVER COLLECTION
THURSDAY 27th JUNE, THURSDAY 26th SEPTEMBER & THURSDAY 5TH DECEMBER 2013
- BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY –
Tickets are selling fast for 27th June visit – so don’t delay, book your place today!
Call now to reserve a place – £12.00
Tel 0871 871 6020 or email silver@theassayoffice.co.uk
The Birmingham Assay Office is pleased to announce that it is uniquely opening its doors to the General Public and offering limited places on its popular Silver Collection Visits programme – on ONE DAY ONLY.
Usually these Visits are only available to organised .... 
The new Nickel Release method is now live in the EU, having entered into force on 1st April 2013. The old testing method EN 1811: 1998 has been superseded by EN 1811: 2011 and testing via this new method will, in effect, reduce the compliance level significantly. For full details click here.
All items which are to be sold in the EU which are intended to come into prolonged and direct contact with the skin must comply with the new regulations from 1st April 2013.
The Laboratory at The Birmingham Assay Office has therefore withdrawn Nickel release testing to EN 1811:1998. Any items received for nickel release testing will now automatically be tested to EN 1811:2011.
Regulatio.... 
A 9 strong team of staff across all trading divisions have signed up to run 8.5 miles in the Great Midlands Fun Run on Sunday 2nd June to help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Charity. Serious training is now underway!
A Virgin giving page has been opened and can be accessed at www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/BirminghamAssayOffice. All donations will be very much appreciated.
Please help to support this gallant effort by Michael Allchin, Marie Brennan, Steve Franklin, Sophie Whitehouse, Anu Manchanca, Karen Reilly, Liz Brogan, Antony Charalambous and Luke Summlar.
The more we raise the more people we can help. Encouragement from cash and cheque donations ar.... 
It has been formally announced this week that the 18th century Birmingham industrialist Matthew Boulton will be honoured with a memorial in Westminster Abbey in 2014.
The Birmingham Assay Office was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1773 thanks to a vigorous lobbying campaign by Boulton. We are the last surviving business enterprise that can be traced directly back to him and we are enormously proud of this heritage.
Boulton (1728-1809) was an important figure in the early Industrial Revolution. He was a silversmith, button and buckle manufacturer, steam engineer, coin minter, entrepreneur, Fellow of the Royal Society and one of the founder members of the Lunar Society of Birmingham.
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