Deadline Extended to 6th October for HALO Award entries
Published: 19th September 2024
After a flurry of opportunities to win a Jewellery Industry Award during the summer there is still one more Award open for entries and that is the HALO Award for promoting Hallmarking Awareness and Learning Online. Sponsored by the British Hallmarking Council (BHC) and National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) HALO is in its third year and has attracted some excellent entries so far.
Promotion of the Award was halted after its prestigious trade launch at the Tower of London in June as the BHC , a government body, are prevented from Press activity during a General Election. The closing date for the HALO Award has now been extended until Sunday October 6th to give more businesses a chance to enter.
Eye-watering high gold and silver prices mean the hallmark is more important than ever, adding reassurance and value for those buying precious metals. However, the benefits of a hallmark depend upon the consumer understanding the difference between fine and fashion jewellery and knowing what to look for when buying online. The level of hallmarking awareness amongst the under 54’s is extremely low and the potential for fraudulent traders to mislead and cheat uninformed customers is increasingly worrying. Jewellers and Silversmiths are the people best placed to educate the customer and a knowledge of hallmarks can only be of benefit to the business.
The HALO Award seeks to improve awareness by encouraging information at the point of purchase online and throughout every jewellery retailer’s social media marketing and websites. Previous HALO winners have demonstrated excellent ways to convey the message such as pop-ups beside each hallmarked product, high visibility information throughout the website, blogs, competitions, social media quizzes, surveys and stories.
The basic entry requirements for the Award, beyond the legal requirement of a Dealers notice, are accurate product descriptions and clear information. Beyond that judges are looking for ways in which the jeweller or silversmith has brought attention to the Hallmark during the customer’s journey, from online research to online purchase. This could vary from simple information within the product description to innovative use of media.
The HALO Award is simple to enter and material can be submitted via links to your website or social media pages. Find out more at www.naj.co.uk/HALO where you can apply online, or request a hard copy form. Apply now and you could be receiving the Award at the prestigious Benevolent Society Ball at Birmingham’s Grand Hotel in Birmingham on Thursday 5th December 2024. You do not need to be an NAJ member to enter for the Award.
The Sheffield Assay Office was established in 1773, under an Act of Parliament and today the company assays and hallmarks the precious metals - silver, gold, platinum and palladium. Sheffield Assay Office is one of only four UK assay offices who all work to uphold the Hallmarking Act of 1973 and continue to ensure consumer protection for customers purchasing precious metals.
To find out more about the whole range of services offered by Sheffield Assay Office, such as our hallmarking and analytical services, please email us at info@assayoffice.co.uk or complete the contact form on our website at http://www.assayoffice.co.uk/contact-us ,
Sign up here to all the latest news from Sheffield Assay Office direct to your inbox