Ground broken on new Birmingham Assay Office site

Birmingham Assay Office bosses joined members of their building project team to begin work on the site of the new building at Icknield Street last week.

The Assay Office has been at its current home in Newhall Street since 1877, and says that the move within the Jewellery Quarter “demonstrates the confidence and commitment of one of Birmingham’s oldest businesses as it continues to invest for the future.”

Founded by an Act of Parliament in 1773, the Assay Office still carries out its statutory duty of testing and hallmarking precious metal but has widened its scope considerably in the past decade, now offering assessment, authentication and valuation of precious metals, jewellery, watches, fashion accessories and gemstones.

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$21m blue diamond up for auction at Christies

Auction house Christies has announced the sale of the largest flawless vivid blue diamond in the world, ‘The Blue’ estimated to fetch $21m (£12m) at auction.

The diamond, which weighs 13.22 carats, will lead Christie’s auction of Magnificent Jewels to be held in Geneva on May 14.

The gem will feature alongside other coloured and colourless diamonds including ‘The Ocean Dream’, a 5.50 carat fancy vivid blue-green diamond and ‘The Light Pink’, a square-cut diamond weighing 76.51 carats set as a necklace centrepiece, estimated at $7m (£4m).

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