Confidence in
Every Test.
From hallmarking and General Product Safety Regulation testing to luxury goods authentication and EV battery analysis: independently certified, legally accountable, and backed by 253 years of continuous operation.
What makes us different?
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Statutory Authority. Established under the Hallmarking Act 1973. One of four assay offices with legal duties under UK law.
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UKAS Accredited Laboratory. ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. Our analytical results are audited by the national accreditation body.
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Trading standards Accepted. Our certificates are recognised and cited by Trading Standards Officers in enforcement proceedings.
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All the expertise, Always Independent. From precious metals to product safety and authentication, impartial expertise all in one place.
- Statutory Authority
- Hallmarking Act 1973.
- You Send it, We Certify It
- From Birmingham. For the world.
- ISO/IEC 17025
- UKAS Accredited Laboratory.
- 250+ Years of Heritage
- Established in 1773.
“For over 250 years, Birmingham Assay Office has protected consumer trust through independent hallmarking and testing, with millions of pieces bearing our iconic anchor mark. Today, we bring that same independence and expertise to advanced elemental analysis for black mass recycling, rare earths, mining, and advanced alloys.”
- DCK Group
Submit gold, silver, platinum or palladium items for legal hallmarking. Fast turnaround, laser and punch application, postal service available nationwide.
Meet General Product Safety Regulations with our comprehensive suite of analytical tests, delivered by our independent laboratory, UKAS-accredited to ISO/IEC 17025.
AI-assisted authentication for pawnbrokers, auction houses and luxury resale platforms. Birmingham Assay Office backed digital certificates. Available UK-wide.
How Birmingham Assay
Office Supports
Your Business
For over 250 years, Birmingham Assay Office has protected consumer trust through independent hallmarking and testing, with millions of pieces bearing our iconic anchor mark.
Today, we bring that same independence and expertise to advanced elemental analysis for black mass recycling, rare earths, mining, and advanced alloys.
Using cutting-edge techniques including ICP-OES and XRF, we help industries ensure compliance, verify materials, and drive innovation with confidence.
Analytical Testing Laboratory
Independent material testing for jewellery and wearable products, consumer goods and regulated products.
- Waterproof and performance testing
- Skin safety & irritant assessment
- General product safety regulations & compliance testing
Elemental & Critical Materials
Analysis
UKAS-accredited elemental analysis for industrial, environmental, and advanced materials.
- ICP and XRF elemental analysis
- Regulatory and product safety support
- Sustainability and circular economy applications
Hallmarking Services
Statutory hallmarking for precious metals, combining centuries of heritage with modern efficiency.
- Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
- UK legal compliance and consumer protection
- Express and laser hallmarking services
Diamond, Gemstone & Jewellery Assessments
Independent gemstone identification and valuations for jewellery & watches.
- Diamond, pearl, and coloured gemstone certification
- Insurance, probate, and commercial valuations
- Digital valuation and authentication services
Analytical Testing Laboratory
Independent material testing for jewellery, and wearable products, consumer goods. and regulated products.
- Waterproof and performance testing
- Skin safety & irritant assessment
- General product safety regulations & compliance testing
Elemental & Critical Materials Analysis
UKAS-accredited elemental analysis for industrial, environmental, and advanced materials.
- ICP and XRF elemental analysis
- Regulatory and product safety support
- Sustainability and circular economy applications
Hallmarking Services
Statutory hallmarking for precious metals, with centuries of heritage with modern efficiency.
- Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
- UK legal compliance and consumer protection
- Express and laser hallmarking services
Diamond, Gemstone & Jewellery Assessments
Independent diamond, gemstone identification and valuations for jewellery, and watches.
- Diamond, pearl, and coloured gemstone certification
- Insurance, probate, and commercial valuations
- Digital valuation and authentication services
Supporting industries from retail and luxury to manufacturing and enforcement.
Why Choose us?
10,000+
Customers Served Across 50+ Countries
250+
Years of Heritage Established in 1773
Quality Certified
Continuously Since 1994
1M+
Items Hallmarked Annually with Precision
Contact us
Our Services...
Businesses today face growing pressure to demonstrate authenticity, compliance, safety, and sustainability. Whether you’re selling high-value goods, meeting regulatory requirements, or working with complex materials, independent evidence and trusted expertise are essential.
Birmingham Assay Office supports organisations across the UK and internationally with independent testing, certification and valuation services that go far beyond hallmarking. From statutory hallmarking and digital valuations to UKAS-accredited analytical and elemental testing, we help businesses reduce risk, meet compliance obligations, and build trust with customers and regulators.
Supporting Organisations Across Key Industries
Jewellery & Luxury
Hallmarking, valuations, gemstone identification and compliance testing for jewellery brands, retailers and luxury goods.
Precious Metals & Manufacturing
Materials analysis and metals testing supporting manufacturing, refining and industrial supply chains.
Technology & Advanced Materials
Analytical testing supporting electronics and wearable technology.
Consumer Products & Safety
Compliance testing helping businesses meet REACH, RoHS and General Product Safety Regulations.
Insurance & Legal
Valuations and authentication expertise supporting insurers, legal professionals and cultural institutions.
Firstly, I feel that it doesn’t give a good impression to be so casually dressed and badly turned out.
Secondly, if you’re dealing with a customer, give them your full attention. Don’t sit chatting to your work colleague about your boyfriend whilst the customer barely gets a half a second of recognition. It’s rude and very unprofessional!
All that being said, they did the valuation, I have no complaints about that and I appreciated the call to keep me informed.
Previous review: I wrapped my pieces, as instructed in a run of bubblewrap, folding between pieces so they wouldn’t move while travelling to the Birmingham Assay office.
They returned to me after lazer hallmarking, 21 pieces in two layers of bubble wrap, with 1 sheet of bubble wrap between each grouping of pieces, lots of layers of bubble wrap above and below the pieces, the pieces had tangled together into 2 clumps, 1 clump on each layer. It took me over 2 hours to untangle and polish the pieces, two of the pieces had scratches I wasn’t able to remove, one being a scratch on the stone the other a scratch on the metal which needed a more intense polish than the lazer hallmark would allow.
Birmingham Assay office refused to accept responsibility stating that it was movement during transport by royal mail that damaged the pieces. My suggestion that being packaged in a way that allows for free movement of the pieces during transport, placing all the pieces between 2 flat sheets of bubble wrap with no bend in the bubble wrap to block movement between pieces, is packing that is unfit for purpose was ignored. No responsibility was taken, no reimbursement for my damaged, now unsellable, pieces and no evidence given for why they should not be responsible.
I will be changing Assay office when my 10 years is up, I will pay extra and package pieces in individual bags in the meantime in hopes it will mean my pieces are safe on their return to me, I would change Assay office now if I had the money to lose what I paid to join the assay office but being a small business still starting off that’s not really an option at the moment.
In addition, the whole experience of talk combined with tour was excellent. A business established in the 1770’s with roots in the middle ages, but operated today by the use of modern technology combined with age old processes that are still relevant in today’s world.
The staff that we met were very welcoming, committed to the business and very highly skilled. The work is clearly carried out to the very highest of standards. That is something to be very proud of.
Thank you for a wonderful day.
All staff were super friendly, very knowledgeable and clearly very proud of the work they do performing this very important task for the industry.
Would definitely recommend the Discover Day event to anyone with an interest in Birmingham Jewellery Quarter or indeed the jewellery industry in general.
The tour of the Assay area was most interesting and members of staff explained the process that they were involved with in a most enthusiastic and informative manner. Highly recommend
Excellent and knowledgeable guide.
I attended the public tour last month which was hugely enjoyable.This occasion was important to me in my 80th year ***
The whole tour & presentation was admirably and professionally conducted by Mrs Brennan,as I expected.
Mr Henry,The Assay Master and I exchanged letters and he very kindly replied.Both letters are kept as mementoes of my visit.
*** I wrote that I was a ” native” of the area, having spent my entire childhood in nearby Ladywood. Many neighbours worked their entire lives in the JQ. Kind regards
Donald Newis
We enjoyed a captivating session led by the curator, whose expertise and enthusiasm brought the collection to life. We were privileged to view not only the exquisite pieces on display in the silver room but also other carefully-selected treasures from the reserve collection and original archival documents that offered deep insights into the Office’s storied past.
This visit was more than a glimpse into silver history—it was a reminder of the enduring cultural and artisanal significance preserved within the Assay Office’s walls.
Warm thanks to the whole team for making the experience both enriching and memorable.
One was accurate and about as expected.
The second, pricing a large Zultanite, (like a Csarite, but with no inclusions and better colour change), as a Csarite was rather disappointing.
The valuation came out less than 40% of the cost of a replacement stone, forget the ring. Obviously there is a significant gap in their experience of top grade diaspores on this site.
Not even seeing that the stone is a gemstone is questionable. The Zultanite is the only diaspore gem stone, per the GIA. But missing the real give away, the very much greater colour changing seems rather sad
Great for the rest, but with diaspores, go somewhere else.
Contact us
Birmingham Assay office
0121 820 0773
Address
1 Moreton St, Birmingham, B1 3AX