Supporting the HALO Awards at the Benevolent Society Ball

One of the initiatives that the British Hallmarking Council have been working on, as we have reported previously, is the Halo Awards and we have been very much involved at Sheffield Assay Office to promote this throughout the industry and raise consumer awareness. 

The objective of the HALO initiative launched by the BHC in 2021 is to encourage jewellers to view every hallmark as a selling point and ensure the customer is aware of its meaning and importance.

The awards were this year presented at the Benevolent Society Ball, held at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham on Thursday the 8th of December.  There was a great attendance from all across the industry and therefore it was a very fitting event for the awards to take place.  The society is also such a great cause and helping those in need and the Ball is a great way to bring the trade together whilst at the same time raising money for those in need. 

The Benevolent Society, charitable society of the British Allied Trades Federation financially assists individuals that have worked within the giftware, jewellery, surface engineering, travel goods and fashion accessories industries. The society also helps individuals starting or progressing their career journeys in these industries through bursaries to help with their studies.

Following the many entries that had been received, an experienced judging panel finally identified four finalists and all were praised for imaginative use of social media as well as providing excellent, clearly worded and interesting information online. 

The inaugural Award for promoting Hallmarking Awareness and Learning Online (HALO) was presented to the jubilant winners, Alex McMillan and Nathan Amery of jewellerybox.co.uk.

The prize was a magnificent Silver Salver, which will be held for a year and a year’s subscription to the Assay Assured Scheme, the Trustmark for online jewellery retailers.  The winner and retailers who were highly commended also received a set of approved digital assets to promote their success across all retail channels and social media. 

The two companies who were highly commended were CW Sellors and Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery.  Finally, a designer, Serge Denimes, also received a special recognition award. 

We offer our congratulations to the winners and runners up as well as to all those who entered who recognise the huge importance this holds within the industry.

We are very proud to have marked the Silver Salver here at Sheffield Assay Office, and as part of the prizes also presented the Bradbury’s Book of Hallmarks in the current edition and the new edition for 2023.  This is also something which we are delighted to own the rights to as it is such a great part of the heritage of the trade.

Click here to read the full press release from the BHC 

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 ,

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