18 months is a swift turnaround to conjoin the two associations

Amongst the more sceptical jewellers out there, for a decade the subject of the trade associations merging has drawn sarcasm and mirth in equal measure.

But in a candid interview with newly elected NAG chairman, Andrew Hinds, I discovered how closely the two bodies appear to be co-operating. One of the aims of the merger is to retain most, if not all of the staff on both sides by creating more functions and services to deliver to members, instead of trimming headcount. There’s a lot more of interest in that inteview, too.

To hear details of how the merger will actually be achieved, from the horse’s mouth, is surprising mostly because no-one really believed that either organisation was genuinely willing to pursue it. Memoranda of understanding, announcements at trade shows, the variously ‘conciliatory’ comments from management on both sides…it’s fair to say the two bodies have been dancing with each other for a long time. And the longer such a dalliance goes on without a kiss, the less people are willing to regard it as plausible.

After recent announcements, it looks like one has finally asked the other out. I wouldn’t like to guess whose overtures were the most earnest, and management on both sides make out as though they have been engaged and planning a wedding the whole time. But as the NAG’s Andrew Hinds put it at the BJA’s annual general meeting earlier this year, the concept of entertaining an intensifying “turf war” for members was beginning to look like a very silly prospect indeed, especially given the tough time the industry has been having.

Excitingly, Hinds also told me that the new trade body might be fully merged and all loose ends tied up within 18 months. Let’s hope it’s clean, well-managed and, let’s also hope they come up with a catchier name than ‘The National Association of British Jewellers & Goldsmiths’.