Hello Jo  -    Welcome to another newsletter. 

Happy New Year to you.  Well 2009 seems to have come and gone extremely quickly but the year was spent busy creating what I believe is an industry "first" and sets new levels of client protection and service.  Read on for more details.

Kind regards.

Adrian Smith FGA, AJA, MIRV

New Precious Metal

Valuations to your Kindle

Unashamed plug for Our Scots

An industry "first"

New valuation format

Fact #1:
Old folklore stated that crushed diamond cured lunacy if taken by mouth.

Fact #2:
Synthetic diamond was first made in 1955 but cost several hundred times the value of its natural counterpart.

Fact #3:
Adrian Smith is the only member of the AGA in the UK with Senior Accredited Gemmologist status.

Fact #4:
The "Black Prince's Ruby" in the sceptre of the crown jewels is not a ruby at all, it is a red spinel.

Home

Join us

Connect to us

Follow us

Post a link to this newsletter on your page for others to read

Palladium - The new precious metal

Palladium is a bright white, tarnish-free, lightweight metal and now joins the ranks of the other precious metals - gold, silver and platinum.  From January 1st 2010 palladium is required by law to be hallmarked if over 1 gram in weight and is available in 3 grades, 500, 950 and 999 parts per 1000.

Palladium is only the second precious metal to be introduced and require hallmarking since 1798.  Value wise, it nicely fills the white metal gap between silver and platinum, being priced between 9ct and 14ct gold.  I believe that palladium will fairly rapidly replace white gold as it doesn't require rhodium plating to maintain its white colour.

Yet again, the UK is leading the world in the hallmarking of precious metals, as we have done since the 1300's.

We are pleased to announce that any future valuation reports we produce for you can be sent directly to your Kindle device in addition to the normal printed version. 

Just give us your Kindle address and it will be waiting for you, the next time you turn on your device.

To enable us to better gauge the demand for this service, it would be very helpful if you would participate in this 3-question survey.

Click here to participate in our survey

The long awaited new valuation format has finally been completed.  It offers a departure from the norm by presenting the information in a more "friendly" readable fashion while still retaining the clarity of the more scientific "linear" approach.

• More detail
• Larger, superior images
• Double-sided printing

We also now offer a Premium Presentation option using hand-made hard-backed binders and beautiful quality paper - for those most treasured items.... more on this subject in the next newsletter.

Stored data helps us in many ways but one of its weaknesses is that it is very portable and extremely valuable, as we all have seen in recent cases of banking details left on trains and the like.

Can you imagine how useful a database recording your name, address and a detailed list of your most valuable possessions would be in the wrong hands?

After nearly two years' development, our new data handling procedures ensure that your address does not appear on any of our databases.  In addition, if you receive a valuation via one of our retailers your address will not appear in the data we pass to them either.

Your address can only be revealed by an authorised person who has access to a special device to unscramble the encrypted data and what is more, should the system detect any foul play, it will erase this data completely.  Even you won't see your address on anything except the printed version of Insurer's Summary Report.

No other jewellery appraisal service has this level of client security.  The standards are far in excess of those required for the Data Protection Act and we believe that this is the direction that all other similar businesses should follow.

I trust that this newsletter has proved interesting and informative to you. May 2010 be a fabulous year for you and your loved ones.

Kind regards
Adrian