November 2011 Assay Scores Are In .......

The scores are in …..

…. as they say in the TV programme ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. The scores in question are the monthly hallmarking figures for November, which were received today.

The total number of items hallmarked by the four UK Assay Offices was down again in November by 37.5%, representing nearly 700,000 less items than November 2010. Gold items were down by 42%, silver by 34%, platinum by 15% and palladium by 28%.

Well....we can dream, I suppose.

At Curteis we use the hallmarking statistics as a useful benchmark when looking at our own performance and that of our customers. In recent months we have seen these to be ahead of the market, which is a great boost to morale.  Wherever the main reduction in demand has fallen, it doesn't appear to be from amongst independent retailers.

History

Curteis was the first manufacturer in which a hallmarking sub-office was set up by the Birmingham Assay Office. The facility was granted to us in August 2002 after a rigorous review by Assay Office staff. The sub-office is subject to very strict criteria and is manned by two Assay Office staff based at our factory. The advantage is the greater control we have, and the shortening of the throughput time for our products from manufacture to the final delivery to the customer.

The UK hallmarking system has offered valuable protection against fraudsters for over 700 years – long may it continue to do so.

Posted by Ray Kenna Finance Director