Anchorcert in Demand:
Sales over 50% up in last Quarter

AnchorCert Diamond Certification has enjoyed its most successful Christmas ever with sales over 50% up on last year during the last three months of 2006.
 
Additional staff had to be recruited to maintain the five-day turn round time and ensure that every customer received the high standard of service they deserved. The growth of the business is the result of a number of factors, particularly the growing authority and higher profile of the AnchorCert brand. Retailers are also under pressure from the ever-increasing need to offer the consumer something extra and verify that they are offering good value for money.
 
The continual increase in internet sales is also a major driver. As Marion Wilson, Marketing Director explains “Independent research undertaken by The Birmingham Assay Office showed that the reputation of the jeweller was the most important factor in establishing customer confidence. This was closely followed by an independent certificate. Without the personal interaction and physical reassurance offered by a well-established ‘bricks and mortar’ business, internet sellers rely on independent certificates to add credibility to their products. Those customers who check out products and prices on the internet before going to shop in the High Street then expect to find the same kind of “guarantee” elsewhere. The amount of regular repeat business which AnchorCert is seeing confirms that Independent Diamond Certification is definitely adding value and helping sales at every level of the market and through every sector whether it be High Street, Internet or TV shopping.”
 
Using AnchorCert has other advantages too. Fiercely proud of its independence and integrity AnchorCert graders will only grade the stones as they find them. Some new customers to the service have been surprised to find that the stones they are submitting do not match up to the grades they requested from their supplier and have been charged for. Laser drilling and fractures filling is regularly exposed in parcels which are meant to be untreated. Just as hallmarking controls the level of under-carating in precious metals so the knowledge that diamonds are to be sent for independent certification will control the quality of stones supplied in in the long term.

New Anchorcert Advertising Available:

AnchorCert diamond certification is currently enjoying a highly successful period with a growing number of retailers using and promoting the service.

This success is due in part to its growing reputation based on the expertise of the AnchorCert team and the high level of investment in sophisticated equipment used to provide a service of unmatched quality. There has also been increased investment in marketing materials used to promote the service and to support retailers who sell the service. The latest example of this is this striking new advertisement which takes “Rock Solid Reassurance” as its theme and will be published in a wide range of both trade and consumer journals over the course of the coming year.  For more information Tel: 0121 262 1010 or email: gem@theassayoffice.co.uk

The new AnchorCert full certificate has had a very positive response from the jewellery and gemstone trade since its launch at Spring Fair. Small, neat, smart and customer friendly the report includes full information about the diamond and plotted facet diagrams. As with all AnchorCert services, every diamond is subjected to a screening process to identify synthetic and HPHT treated diamonds to ensure that the stone is natural and all reports are completed within five working days.

For modern round brilliants the Full AnchorCert report also includes a cut grade and a schematic diagram showing measurements and proportions.  Why grade the Cut?  The cut grade for modern round brilliant diamonds was introduced by GIA in January and offers another Important classification in the assessment of stones.  Grades range from ‘Excellent’ to ‘Poor’ and the  classification indicates the overall cut quality. It is a relevant measure in determining quality because, like colour and clarity, the cut has a major impact on how visually pleasing the diamond is.  Cut and proportion are directly linked to the appearance of a diamond and are an indication of how well light is returned to an observer’s eye. In order to establish the Cut grade the proportions of a diamond are analysed. Total depth, table size, crown angle, pavilion angle, star facet length, lower girdle facet length, girdle thickness and culet size are all measured and assessed.  Other related factors are also taken into account:

• Brightness 
• Fire (Technically known as dispersion, this is the degree to which white light is broken into rainbow flashes and colours)
• Scintillation (sparkle)
• Weight Ratio (very shallow or thick and heavy cuts affect proportion)
• Durability (eg, an extremely thin girdle is more prone to damage thus affecting durability.)
• Polish and Symmetry

The AnchorCert team are very upbeat about the new full report. General Manager for AnchorCert and SafeGuard, Carla Goodfellow, says “We are all really pleased with the look of the new report and we have had some great feedback from our customers. They like the smaller format and retailers are finding it much easier to sell to their customers because the presentation of the information is very clear and straightforward and therefore easy to understand.”

New Reporting Policy for Set Stones In addition to the new report, the AnchorCert Mini report remains very popular, particularly for set stones. Many multi stone items are assessed in AnchorCert’s Birmingham and London offices and in response to feedback from customers the way that these grades are reported has recently been revised. Clarity grades on all mounted jewellery whether single stones or multi-stone diamond jewellery, will now be reported as VVS, VS, SI, I1, I2, or I3 as appropriate (AnchorCert will not assess a mounted stone as FL or IF). Previously a multi stone mini report would have shown the minimum clarity and colour, ie the lowest of each grade. Now the full range of grades are reported so for example a ring with three diamonds, which if looked at loose would be graded as say G SI2 H SI2 and H VS2 will have an AnchorCert Mini

Report stating Colour G – H and Clarity VS – SI. This new reporting procedure gives a clear representation of the quality of diamonds which the piece contains and has been very well received. For further information please contact us on: Tel: 0121 262 1007 Email@:gem@theassayoffice.co.uk.

New Cut Grade – Grading Now Available From AnchorCert

In January 2006, the new GIA ‘Cut Grade’ was introduced.  It is an assessment of the overall cut quality of modern round brilliant diamonds and is represented on a scale from Excellent down to Poor.  Cut and proportion are directly linked to the appearance of a diamond and are an indication of how well light is returned to an observer’s eye.

A diamond with a pleasing appearance is indicative that it is cut to good proportions.

The GIA ‘Cut Grade’ software analyses the proportions of a diamond.  Total depth, table size, crown angle, pavilion angle, star facet length, lower girdle facet length, girdle thickness and culet size are all measured and assessed.  In addition, other related factors are taken into account to determine the ‘Cut Grade’.  These include.

• Brightness
• Fire (Technically known as dispersion, this is the degree to which white light is broken into rainbow flashes and colours)
• Scintillation (sparkle)
• Weight Ratio (very shallow or thick and heavy cuts affect proportion)
• Durability (eg, an extremely thin girdle is more prone to damage thus affecting durability.)
• Polish and Symmetry 

The GIA ‘Cut Grade’ is a representative assessment of the overall proportions, cut and appearance of a diamond, its fire, brightness and scintillation, and the quality of polish, symmetry, shape, size and alignment of its facets.

Rock Solid Reassurance

New point of sale material for AnchorCert retailers.

AnchorCert® has been part of the Birmingham Assay Office since 2000 and provides a unique UK-based Diamond and Gemstone Certification, Grading and Testing service.

AnchorCert aims to provide both diamond and gemstone traders and consumers with fast, fair, efficient and totally unbiased appraisals of the diamonds and gemstone they are buying and/or selling.

The AnchorCert diamond grading laboratory is the only facility of its kind in the UK. It is staffed by a highly qualified team of Gemmologists and Diamond Graders and is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment ranging from 10x diamond magnification lenses to the sophisticated Raman spectrometer.

It is also the only facility in the UK equipped to ensure that diamonds are natural.   AnchorCert’s unique facilities can detect synthetic diamonds and can identify HPHT-treated diamonds and diamonds with other enhancements such as laser drilling, fracture filling and colour treatments.

The service provides the option of two types of report. The Full Diamond Report includes the new GIA “Cut Grade” and a complete set of facet diagrams and is the right choice for higher value diamonds.  The minicertificate is ideal for smaller, loose stones and set diamonds.  An optional service available from AnchorCert is the laser inscription of the certificate number on the diamond.

Since its inception six years ago, AnchorCert has grown steadily.  Now, with its expertise proven, the Birmingham Assay Office is launching a new marketing campaign targeted at enhancing the number of trade clients as well as increase the knowledge and understanding of diamond certification amongst consumers.