The National Association of Goldsmiths
Representing Jewellery Retailers Since 1894

Choosing your Jeweller

Your choice of jeweller should be as important as the careful choice of your jewellery

A good starting point is to look for a jeweller who is a member of the National Association of Goldsmiths (N.A.G.), the trade association for professional retail jewellers.

A member can be distinguished by the N.A.G. grant of arms displayed in their shop. This indicates that they have been independently vetted and found eligible to join the Association as jewellery professionals.

There are some 2,700 member stores: check the N.A.G. web
site www.jewellers-online.org for your local N.A.G. member who will have the knowledge and experience to guide you in your purchase

The N.A.G. and its members
(reproduced from the N.A.G. website: http://www.jewellers-online.org/pages/aboutus.htm)

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOLDSMITHS (N.A.G.) was established in 1894 to serve and support the Jewellery Industry of Great Britain and Ireland. The Association promotes high professional and ethical standards among its membership to inspire consumer confidence and to enhance the reputation of its members. There is a Code of Practice to which elected Members must agree to adhere to and by which applicants for membership are judged.

Government, Trading Standards, industry and the media turn to the Association for advice and we also have a strong international presence, in particular through our very close association with the International Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO).

The potentials and pitfalls of our industry today are as complex as they are challenging. How jewellers meet those challenges will be dependent upon their ability to develop and harness the necessary business skills and to keep abreast of new developments and information. The Association is committed to encouraging communication within the industry and to helping members to adopt modern technology.

A prime focus of the Association is Education and its distance learning courses, seminars and tutorials are world leaders. Our information and business resource departments provide unrivalled information to members on matters ranging from product supplier details to legal and technical advice. The website is a substantial resource, helping jewellers improve their business through information access, cost efficiency, and legislation compliance.

Over the coming years the most vital aspects of running a jeweller's shop will be maximising customer service, staff education and management efficiency. The National Association of Goldsmiths is there to help jewellers on all these counts. The Association publishes a bi-monthly magazine, the Jeweller that contains a wealth of information and news about the industry, Association events, education and articles on the varied aspects of running a jewellery business. There is also n:gauge, a monthly fact sheet packed full of up to the minute information on new legislation, business resources and initiatives, and anything else that will keep jewellers ahead of the game.

The Association has negotiated a range of membership advantages that provide financial benefits from savings on credit card transactions, to interest free credit facilities, to business finance. Members of the Association can more than recoup their annual subscription by use of one or more of these. In fact in any one year, if members took advantage of just a few of these benefits, they could save ten times or more of their subscriptions.

The Board of Directors, which is democratically elected from among the membership, governs the Association. The Board usually meets four times per year to discuss the Association’s performance, strategy and industry issues. There is also an advisory Council composed of prominent representatives from different sections of the retail jewellery trade, independents and multiples. This Council helps to define the Association’s priorities and to harmonise views of the various perspectives of the retail jewellery trade.

The day-to-day running of the Association is in the hands of its Chief Executive and the team at the Association's London headquarters.

Membership comprises professional retail jewellers, both independents and multiples, who are committed to an honest and knowledgeable approach to their business. Prospective members pass through a vetting stage prior to election. Once elected, members receive an unparalleled series of support and information services and can feel that they have a voice in the advancement of an historic profession.