The British Hallmarking Council (BHC) is continuing its efforts to enhance hallmarking awareness and enforcement across the UK jewellery sector through its initiatives, the HALO (Hallmarking Awareness and Learning Online) Award and the Touchstone Award.
HALO Award: Encouraging Consumer Education
Launched in 2021, the HALO Award is now in its third year and remains a significant initiative within the industry. The award encourages online jewellers to accurately describe their products and to highlight the importance of hallmarking to customers, especially when purchasing from unfamiliar sources. Hallmarks play a crucial role in ensuring the authenticity and quality of precious metal items, particularly as online shopping becomes more widespread.
Jewellers entering the HALO Award are encouraged to find effective ways to engage customers and educate them about hallmarks. The initiative supports jewellers in improving website content, ensuring clear product descriptions, and using social media to spread awareness. Entries for the HALO Award are open until 16 September 2024.
Touchstone Award: Reinforcing Legal Compliance
The Touchstone Award, another key initiative of the BHC, focuses on enforcing hallmarking laws by encouraging Trading Standards Authorities to take action against those who mislead consumers with inaccurate jewellery descriptions. The award, presented annually, underscores the challenges of ensuring compliance within the jewellery sector.
In 2024, the Touchstone Award was presented to Hull City Council during the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s Annual Conference. Hull Trading Standards’ collaboration with the Sheffield Assay Office highlights the importance of vigilance against the sale of misdescribed jewellery. One case involved the investigation of an online trader selling large quantities of ‘gold’ chains that were later found to be base metal, with a potential retail value of £400,000. This case demonstrates the financial risk posed by such activities to legitimate jewellers.
Implications for the Jewellery Industry
The BHC’s initiatives underscore the need for both education and enforcement within the jewellery industry. As the sector continues to evolve, particularly with the growth of e-commerce, the importance of hallmarking remains critical. Jewellers must ensure that their products comply with hallmarking regulations to maintain consumer trust and protect the integrity of the market.
The HALO and Touchstone Awards highlight the ongoing importance of consumer awareness and legal enforcement in safeguarding the industry from unethical practices. Accurate product descriptions and adherence to hallmarking standards are essential for jewellers to build and maintain trust with their customers.
For more information on the HALO Award and how to apply, jewellers can visit www.naj.co.uk/halo or contact Louise Chambers, the Secretary of the British Hallmarking Council, at SecretariatBHC@outlook.com.
