Heathrow Airport for importation
Heathrow Airport is one of the world’s largest airports and a global importation hub for the UK’s network of jewellery manufacturers and clients.
As of July 2023, Heathrow has been attributed the title of the UK’s largest port by value, with a network of 234 locations globally, importing and exporting goods from the Heathrow base. In 2023, Heathrow Airport handled more cargo shipments than all other UK airports combined, totalling an overall shipment value of £198.5bn, which correlated to 70% of all UK air cargo.
In 2022, the UK imported £3.77bn worth of jewellery, becoming the 7th largest importer of jewellery in the world. Heathrow is ourt most prominent cargo sorting hub, making it highly likely that the majority of this jewellery passed its way through Heathrow airport before being distributed across the network of UK sellers and recipients.
The majority of jewellery imports that come through Heathrow originate in Switzerland, America and Thailand. This is to accommodate the importation of goods such as Rolex watches from Switzerland, Buccellati, Tiffany & Co and Cartier jewellery ranges from America, and artisan/fine jewellery imports from Thailand.
Starting out as a freight company – Ferrari Express – and therefore working closely with cargo shipments, we began to see the trend of the value of jewellery importation to the UK increase. This presented an opportunity to build a trustworthy network for UK clientele and recipients, making the final transport system from plane to door seamless and luxurious.
Edinburgh Assay Office Hallmarking at Heathrow
Strategically based near Heathrow Airport, our fully integrated discreet transport network expedites the process from cargo landing to client receipt of goods.
This includes the placement of an on-site sub-office operated by Edinburgh Assay Office (EAO) at our Heathrow logistics hub. This allows your jewellery shipments to move directly from the plane cargo hold to this laser hallmarking facility based just a nine-minute trip away from the airport. Here, shipments are made ready for UK sale in the UK via a variety of Edinburgh Assay Office’s testing and authentication methods, laser engraved hallmarked with the relevant marks, and then moved to our contained transport team, working the By Appointment wing under affiliation with Ferrari Express.
All items made from precious metals such as silver, gold, platinum or palladium (over the stated weight requirements) earmarked for sale in the UK must be hallmarked before being made commercially available. As part of the hallmarking process, items are ‘assayed,’ or tests and to verify the metal fineness of an imported piece of precious metal jewellery. This fineness value (e.g. 925 for sterling silver) is then laser hallmarked onto the inside of the finished article, assuring the buyer that the metal content is the same as what was disclosed at the point of sale. Each piece that passes assay will be marked with Edinburgh Assay Office’s iconic castle hallmark, noting that it has been tested and verified by this government-authorised Assay Office. Alongside these marks sits the Sponsor or Maker’s Mark, denoting the maker or company that has sponsored the item through the hallmarking process.
Once the metal content of the jewellery piece has been verified and the legally required marks have been added, each item is then ready to be packaged up and transported to either the seller or the final recipient.
Transporting Jewellery with By Appointment
When moving precious metal goods there are a few non-negotiable requirements embedded into choosing By Appointment for logistical fulfilment.
We have two main transport options available for the movement of precious metal pieces.
Luxury goods logistics
- Updates for all luxury goods shipments.
- Locked and monitored packaging.
Boutique Experience
All of the above, plus:
- Jewellery/watch experts to provide a demonstration upon arrival.
- Delivered in discreet black vans for security control.
- Electric vehicle fleet
- Ability to choose preferred location and time of delivery.
- Assistance in discretion regarding proposal set-ups, and special gifting.
- Access to By Appointment booking system to amend scheduling.
- Complete tracking available at every stage.
The boutique experience is a premium white-glove luxury concierge service used for specialised delivery of high-end goods. For brands there is a plethora of benefits, and for consumers, it adds that touch more elegance to their high-end buyer journey.
Whether you are looking for a standard delivery or a more bespoke and premium experience, get in touch with By Appointment.
We are here every step of the way to ensure that your precious gold and silver jewellery pieces make it off of the cargo hold, into verification and hallmarking at the on-site assay office, and into the buyer’s hands with the utmost ease, precision and care.
Trust By Appointment with your imported pieces today.
Complete a Hallnote to start the process.
