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Thread: UK Hallmarks being struck in India?

  1. #11
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    Apart from objections by nearly all the Birmingham makers, heard that other assay offices and government not happy with BAO using same mark in India and that it was 'not in spirit' of what was agreed when the Act was changed. British Hallmarking Council reviewing its decision and may require offshore sub-offices to use something different to the traditional UK city marks for London, Edinburgh etc.

  2. #12
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    To what are nearly all Birmingham makers objecting?
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
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  3. #13
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    It seems to me that this will mostly affect high street jewellers as it might cast doubt on the provenance of their stock.
    It could also challenge other assay offices to venture abroad
    But for studio jewellers who have their own sponsors mark, I can hardly see the problem. Dennis.

  4. #14
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    Dennis, I suspect that this is directed at the vast production of the Genuine Gemstone company which produces most of its jewellery in India. Steve Bennett is on the board of Birmingham assay, and since this is being done by Brum assay what is the problem, unless the complainers are alleging that the indian assayers are somehow not as exacting and precise.
    After all a London assay office was established at the Royal Mint in Wales to mark all the Olympic medals and don't some ports have assay offices for big importers too.
    If the other assay offices don't like it that is probably because they didn't think of it first
    Given that mandatory assaying is probably against European law anyway while we are still bound by it...
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
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  5. #15
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    If it's going to be a permanent assay office, why not just design a Mumbai (or whatever city it's located in) hallmark and put that on all items assayed there instead of a Brum mark? People who look at hallmarks at all generally do want to know where the hallmark was applied. If location were of no consequence then the BAO might just as logically relocate to Sheffield and the SAO to Birmingham and the two continue issuing the same hallmarks from the "wrong" locations.

  6. #16
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    The point is to get items destined for the UK market marked at the appropriate stage in manufacture. An Indian mark would not be valid under the Hallmarking Acts
    Gemporia probably puts many 100s of items through it a day.
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
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  7. #17
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    This is in the Birmingham Post. Looks like Birmingham Assay might have been getting ahead of themselves.

    http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/busi...arter-13085354

  8. #18
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    An India 'symbol' approved by the Hallmarking Council to replace the Anchor on items struck by Birmingham Assay's Indian subsidiary would be legal for sale in the UK and EU under the hallmarking act - and this was what was intended to happen. The point about Gemporia is that between them and a couple of other manufacturers, the bulk of the Assay work will leave the UK. Or rather, the bulk of Birmingham's assay work will eventually transfer to the two Indian assay offices they plan to have. Makes it a bit misleading to call it a 'Birmingham' mark after that. Shame to kill off a local industry and centuries of tradition just so a couple of importers can skim a bit more margin and BAO can offshore its work to a place where they can pay minimal salaries. Probably turn the assay floor in Birmingham into a trendy new cafe ;-)
    Last edited by FailedAssay; 27-05-2017 at 11:32 AM.

  9. #19
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    Looking at things logically I don't understand why an Indian manufacturer needs to have their work Assayed in Britain.
    If this is done because the British standard of hallmarking is seen as the gold standard then the system needs to continue as it is and BAO need to employ more people and increase their capacity on their home soil.
    If Indian work is assayed here because there is no standardisation in India then perhaps they should pay BAO an advisors fee to help them set up their own, independent Assay office with their own mark and work as hard as the Assay offices of UK have done to create and keep a reputation for honesty and integrity.
    Or better still, ask the London, Sheffield or Edinburgh offices to advise as they are not so closely linked to the Indian manufacturers and are therefore more likely to be seen as independent advisors.

  10. #20
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    The British Hallmarking Council have launched a public consultation to gather opinions from members of the trade and public about striking identical or very similar versions of traditional UK Hallmarks in other countries. Everyone can make their views known on how they feel about this and how different overseas struck Hallmarks by subsidiary offices of UK Assay Offices should be from those struck in the UK. Interesting document with some interesting questions about the future of UK Assay. I am working out my responses.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/consul...fices-overseas

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