Birmingham Assay Office reveals new building plans

The Birmingham Assay office has unveiled its submission for a planning application to build a new Assay Office building in the Jewellery Quarter.

The new building proposal has been 18 months in the pipeline and was designed “to ensure that it addresses the needs of the Assay Office as a secure, flexible facility”.

The proposed new Assay Office building will allow the business to continue to diversify and widen its range of services and innovative initiatives.

A snapshot of the render of the new proposed Birmingham Assay Office building.         

 

 

 

Read More - http://www.professionaljeweller.com/article-11980-birmingham-assay-office-reveals-new-building-plans/

Campaign group formed to save Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter

CAMPAIGNERS have formed a group to try and preserve Birmingham's under-threat Jewellery Quarter.
English Heritage had expressed concern over the preservation of buildings and a loss of skills in the 300-year-old district after it featured on its Conservation Areas At Risk 2011 list as being of ‘medium’ vulnerability.
Marie Haddleton has established Jewellery Quarter Heritage to work with Birmingham City Council to create ‘affordable workspace’, encourage businesses to the area and convert empty buildings back to workshops.
The 84-year-old said the quarter’s heritage is being eroded despite being a conservation area under the protection of the Jewellery Quarter Conservation and Management Plan.


Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/09/13/campaign-group-formed-to-save-birmingham-s-jewellery-quarter-97319-31830645/#ixzz26jPyTMWz

Jewellery Quarter Bullion seeks finance for growth

Birmingham-based gold dealer Jewellery Quarter Bullion could be put up for sale after it announced it has appointed Grant Thornton to assist in exploring sale options beyond the UK.

The firm is behind Bullion By Post, the internet dealer of gold and silver in the UK. According to a report in The Telegraph, its founder Rob Halliday-Stein said a sale would make way for international expansion and meet the need for buying physical gold and silver bars and coins in the UK.

Jewellery Quarter Bullion purchases bullion from traditional dealers and sends it on to retail investors the next day.

In its first year Jewellery Quarter made £6 million in sales and pre-tax profits of £20,000. In the year ending April 2012 it reported sales of £55 million with a pre-tax profit of £1.5 million.

Read More - http://www.professionaljeweller.com/article-11665-jewellery-quarter-bullion-seeks-finance-for-growth/

Birmingham jewellers celebrates 125th anniversary

A family jewellery firm which has supplied the likes of the Sultan of Brunei, Roman Abramovich and Lewis Hamilton has celebrated 125 years in business.
Alabaster & Wilson was founded by Arthur Alabaster and Thomas Wilson on Vyse Street, Birmingham, in the same year as the British Jewellers’ Association, and also Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.
The company made the move to 9-11 Legge Lane, Jewellery Quarter, three years later in 1890 and since 1983 has been run by Arthur’s great grandsons, Paul and Stephen, and great granddaughter, Wendy.
Over the last 125 years Alabaster & Wilson has manufactured high quality products for many of the UK’s leading jewellers and also exports across Europe, the USA and Australia.

It has also supplied exclusive pieces for the British Royal Family, the Sultan of Brunei, along with Roman Abramovich and Eric Clapton, the British Racing Drivers’ Club and Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
The company is also the among leading jewellery suppliers to the horse racing world.


Read More http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/manufacturing-and-skills-business/2012/07/27/birmingham-jewellers-celebrates-125th-anniversary-65233-31487949/#ixzz22m8FFXeM

DJ left screaming in agony after being impaled by spikes while trying to scale metal fence as he attempted to leave friend's flat

A man who tried to climb up 8ft high iron railings was left dangling in agony after he became impaled on jagged spikes.

Paramedics had to hold Richard Bamber up to reduce the pressure on his wounds when they arrived at the scene near luxury flats in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter on Saturday morning.

It is believed the 37-year-old, who is a fork-lift truck driver by day and DJ by night, got trapped in the car park after leaving a friend's flat before deciding to scale the iron fence.

Fire crews placed Mr Bamber in a harness - but attempts to free the unlucky victim using hydraulic cutting equipment failed.

Another attempt to rescue him also went dangerously wrong when hot cutting equipment set fire to blankets being used to shield the man's legs.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163911/DJ-left-screaming-agony-impaled-spikes-trying-scale-metal-fence-attempted-leave-friends-flat.html#ixzz1zqOzTB5T

Fellows to Host ‘The Greatest Adventure: Around-the-World in 19 Days’

On Tuesday 10th July from 6 – 8pm Fellows auctioneers, based in the Jewellery Quarter, will be hosting an evening with aeronaut Brian Jones OBE.

Brian will be giving a talk about his record-breaking round-the-world experience, which will be followed by a viewing of the Vintage & Modern Wrist Watches auction taking place on Monday 23rd July.
In this auction Fellows are pleased to offer the Breitling Emergency that Brian Jones wore during his adventure which, like the envelope that carried them aloft, is truly a piece of aviation history.

Tickets are priced at £20 which includes champagne and canapés. All proceeds will be donated to the charity Winds of Hope.

If you would like to join us at this exciting event please contact Adrian Hailwood on 0121 212 6304 or email adrianh@fellows.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you there!

www.fellows.co.uk

Article source - http://www.jewelleryquarter.net/news/fellows-to-host-the-greatest-adventure-around-the-world-in-19-days/

Rise in sales of family silver seen in Birmingham Jewellery Quarter

The price of silver reached nearly £30 per ounce in 2011

Increasing numbers of people have been selling off the family silver amid rocketing prices, according to Birmingham jewellery traders.

Terry Ann Stephenson, of Lois in the city's Jewellery Quarter, said the high prices meant many items were more valuable sold as scrap rather than for their antique value.

"It's such a shame, but at the end of the day it's just a sign of the times," she said.

"You know people are struggling for money and it's just a way of getting money together to pay bills."

UK silver prices, which were below £4 per ounce in 2003, reached an all-time high of nearly £30 per ounce last year.

The price is currently about £19 per ounce, but selling old silver is still considered a profitable outlet for many people.

Jewellery Quarter traders say they have seen increasing numbers of people turning up with bags containing items such as trophies, cutlery, bracelets and necklaces.

Read More - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-18003924

Jewellery Quarter a perfect location for first-time buyers

First-time buyers who think that they can’t afford their dream home in Birmingham are being offered a solution by local housebuilder Morris Homes.
According to new research, high on the wish list for first-time buyers when looking for a home is a great location, good local amenities and access to open space.
With many first-time buyers struggling to save the deposit needed to bag their ideal home, Morris offers the Government-led FirstBuy scheme on its stylish city centre apartments at The Quarter development on Warstone Lane.
Using the scheme, first-time buyers are able to purchase a property for 80 per cent of its market value. This means househunters need a much smaller deposit and will benefit from lower mortgage repayments.
Cindy Vials, regional sales director for Morris, said: “FirstBuy is a cost-effective way for househunters who want an easy commute and a stylish apartment in a prominent area to get on the property ladder.”

Read More - http://www.easier.com/101271-jewellery-quarter-perfect-location-first-time-buyers.html

New square named after Birmingham author Kathleen Dayus

A new public square dedicated to a Birmingham author has been opened in the city.

Dayus Square in the Jewellery Quarter has been named after the late Kathleen Dayus who was born in Hockley in 1903.

Her works include novels about her experiences growing up in the city's back-to-back houses.

Birmingham City Council said her books won critical acclaim for the way they described the social history of the city.

It said the author grew up near the newly-named square, which is at the junction of Carver Street, Legge Street and Albion Street.

The square includes a bronze sculpture of book pages containing passages about the Jewellery Quarter from Kathleen Dayus' work.

Read more - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-17339653

Gold price will plunge below $1,000 an ounce, bears claim

Sharp falls in the gold price have prompted some bears or pessimists to predict it will plunge below $1,000 (£625) an ounce.
Even specialist dealers, such as GoldCore, talked of “blood in the gold and silver trading pits as leveraged longs got their heads handed to them on a plate”.
Goldcore priced bullion at $1,721 or £1,079 per ounce this morning, compared to yesterday’s fix of $1,788 or £1,121 per ounce. A spokesman said: “The massacre is attributed to a host of different reasons – from month end book squaring to Bernanke’s suggestion that ultra loose monetary policies may soon come to an end.
“None of these reasons would justify the scale of the massive sell offs seen in gold and silver yesterday. Gold and silver markets saw massive sell orders from large institutional sources – as only large institutions selling could have caused a price falls of the magnitude seen yesterday.”

Read More - http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ianmcowie/100015378/gold-price-will-plunge-below-1000-an-ounce-bears-claim/

CATWALK OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY SHOW

Exhibitors can host their own catwalk show as one of the new features of the International Jewellery Show (IJL) later this year.
The show at Earls Court 2 on 2-5 September, will allow exhibitors to invite key contacts on a guest list only basis, followed by a champagne networking reception, providing visitors with a close-up view of the jewellery worn by models.
The Diamond Club International is also being launched, an extension of the Diamond Club, which will now offer a more luxurious experience for both key UK buyers and international VIP buyers at the show.
As an added bonus for visitors, complimentary IJL coaches will run from two key jewellery regions – Hatton Garden in London and Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

Read more - http://www.exhibitionnews.co.uk/newsdetails/2030/catwalk-opportunity-for-international-jewellery-show

Jewellery Quarter nightclub Subway City says it is too noisy to have residents living across road in Livery Street

A BIRMINGHAM nightclub claims it faces closure on noise grounds after plans for four luxury loft apartments across the road were approved.
Subway City, under the railway arches in Livery Street in the city centre, pumps out loud music until 4am.
Now bosses fear that residents moving into the flats could have it shut down.
The venue also claimed that developer Javelin Block Ltd, which wants to convert the empty Viceroy House office block into apartments, had underplayed the noise levels which came from the club to secure permission for the scheme.
Club spokesman Roger Page said the noise readings were taken when just 270 people where in the 750 capacity venue.
“It can reach 110 decibels in there, and the club is just nine metres from Viceroy House,” he said.
Mr Page highlighted the Fiddle and Bone and Nightingale clubs as city centre venues which had been affect by noise complaints.
Speaking for the developer Altine Topping said the bedrooms would be on the opposite side of Viceroy House, away from the club, and that the best double glazing would keep out the noise.


Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/02/18/jewellery-quarter-nightclub-subway-city-says-it-is-too-noisy-to-have-residents-living-across-road-97319-30353405/#ixzz1n1Syq2VD

Buyers stream to Jewellery Quarter launch event

Househunters from across the city attended a champagne launch event last weekend to toast the brand new courtyard at a stylish Birmingham development.
The new courtyard at The Quarter, Morris’ city centre development of cosmopolitan one and two bed apartments in the Jewellery Quarter, has a communal terrace and timber seating and provides a great location for residents to relax away from the hustle and bustle of work life.
Buyers at the development’s event that reserved an apartment also bagged a floorings and blind package, a £1,000 Selfridges voucher to kit out their new home and will have their legal fees paid by Morris.
Cindy Vials, regional sales director for Morris, said: “The event was a great success, and househunters came from across Birmingham. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the brand new courtyard to prospective buyers, and we have already seen an increase in reservations at The Quarter.”
The apartments at The Quarter are available using the Government-led FirstBuy scheme. Under the scheme, first time buyers are able to purchase a property at 80 per cent of its market value. This reduces the size of the deposit needed and lowers mortgage payments.
Read More - http://www.easier.com/99410-buyers-stream-to-jewellery-quarter-launch-event.html

New York Times 'hearts' Birmingham

The FINANCIAL -- Birmingham is firmly in the hearts of the Big Apple, with a recent article penned by The New York Times lauding “England’s heartland metropolis” as “big-shouldered, friendly and fun” , according to Aston University.
 ‘36 Hours in Birmingham’ – the second New York Times article praising Birmingham to be published in less than a month – is a whistle-stop tour of the city’s heritage, lesser known ‘hidden gems’ and its sprawling suburbs, teeming with culture.

Written by travel writer Mark Vanhoenacker, the city’s burgeoning culinary scene, beautiful canals, fantastic shopping offer and heavy metal heritage are just some of the highlights to be named, with Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter district – where an estimated 40% of the UK’s jewellery is made – and world-famous Balti Triangle tipped as ‘must-sees’.

Read More - http://finchannel.com/Main_News/B_Schools/102812_New_York_Times_'hearts'_Birmingham/

Jewellery Quarter apartments re-launching after courtyard completed

Morris is re-launching its modern city centre apartments in the heart of Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter following the completion of its landscaped courtyard with a special weekend event.
On the 11th-12th February Morris is offering all buyers that reserve an apartment at The Quarter development that weekend a flooring and blinds package, their legal fees paid by the developer and a £1,000 Selfridges voucher as it celebrates the completion of its new courtyard.
The stylish development of luxury apartments now boasts a courtyard that features a communal terrace and timber seating, providing a great location to relax and socialise for residents whilst still in the heart of the city.
Cindy Vials, regional sales director for Morris, said: “Properties at The Quarter are finished to an exceptionally high standard, and are complimented by a nearby bustling mix of restaurants, bars and galleries. The event will showcase the new courtyard, which provides an oasis of relaxation for residents, a rare perk for a city centre development.

Read more - http://www.easier.com/98853-jewellery-quarter-apartments-re-launching-courtyard-completed.html

Jail for drug dealing gang who struck gold

FOUR members of a gang who bought gold bars with the proceeds of their drug dealing have been jailed for a total of more than 11 years.
Police had kept the six-strong gang under surveillance for 18 months after learning some of them were dealing Class A and B drugs throughout Crewe.
Officers then followed members to Birmingham's jewellery quarter where they bought gold bars for cash earned through dealing illegal drugs.
The gang was laundering between £7,000 and £14,000 a time by buying fine gold ingots with their drugs cash.
Police arrested three of the gang members, Bobby Palin, Andrew Arrowsmith and Shane Arrowsmith, on the M6 in April last year on their way back from Birmingham. And the next day police caught another gang member, Carl Arrowsmith, back in the jewellery quarter with four gold bars valued at £27,650.

Read More - http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Jail-drug-dealing-gang-struck-gold/story-14995354-detail/story.html

Concerns over rise in Asian gold jewellery thefts after Oldbury woman robbed

A JUDGE has expressed his concern at the growing number of robberies on Asian women for their gold jewellery after an Oldbury victim had her £2,000 necklace snatched as she waited for a bus.

The woman had been worshipping at a temple and was in Dudley Road East when 18-year-old Theo Josephs pounced and grabbed the necklace which broke as he pulled it from around her neck.

The teenager then drove away but he was arrested after Candice Morton, also aged 18, sold the necklace for just £280 to a shop in Birmingham's Jewellery quarter.

Judge John Wait said it was clear robberies on Asian women for their gold were becoming "prevalent" since the price of the precious metal had rocketed in recent months.

Article source - http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/9477712.Concerns_over_rise_in_Asian_gold_jewellery_thefts_after_Oldbury_woman_robbed/

Medals: from collecting them to making them

Former collector Phil McDermott has beaten the Royal Mint to the contract for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Many nine-year-old boys dream of being a train driver or an astronaut – and end up with a career in accountancy or health and safety management instead.

Phil McDermott, a 51-year-old from Birmingham, has stayed rather truer to the dreams of his youth. When he was nine, he started collecting medals. Forty-two years later, he has landed a £7 million contract to make 450,000 medals for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year.

Worcestershire Medal Services, the small firm McDermott set up with his former wife in 1988 with a lump sum of £120, beat off competition from a stunned Royal Mint, which was founded more than 1,100 years ago. “This has caused one hell of a shock,” an insider recently told the Telegraph’s Mandrake column.

McDermott looks a little shocked himself. “It’s amazing,” he says in a soft Brummie accent, showing us round his factory in the city’s jewellery quarter. “I can’t believe I’m sat here making the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.”

Article source = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8978346/Medals-from-collecting-them-to-making-them.html