Watches of Switzerland preps for reopening 

Watches of Switzerland has announced that it will reopen its stores across England on 15 June.  All Watches of Switzerland, Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths stores in the country will reopen, while its showrooms in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and UK airports are expected to open at a later date.…

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UK GDP slumps over 20% in April as full impact of Covid-19 is felt

GDP slumped by 20.4% in April 2020, following a fall of 5.8% in March, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is the biggest monthly fall since the ONS’ series began in 1997, with the measure also falling by 10.4% in the three months…

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Tectonic shifts: Covid-19 will accelerate changes in the jewellery industry

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the world and businesses are searching for future trends and strategies in a post-COVID-19 world. For platinum jewellery, the drivers of business growth in 2019 have been thrown into even bolder relief by the pandemic, and point the way to a post-Covid 19 recovery. Digital…

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Christie’s to launch Anna Hu auction

An online auction of three Anna Hu jewellery pieces will take place at Christie’s from 3 July to 13 July, with proceeds going towards frontline workers amid the pandemic.  The pieces will be sold by Diamonds That Care, a newly-launched social responsibility initiative of Alrosa, the world’s largest diamond mining…

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Lark and Berry unveils reopening procedures

Lark and Berry has unveiled the new procedures that will be implemented in its flagship London store upon reopening next Monday (15 June).  After being closed for more than 10 weeks, the jeweller has implemented a number of health and safety procedures in line with government guidelines to “ensure a…

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De Beers launches new e-commerce site

De Beers has announced the launch of a new “customer-centric” website, debeers.com, that is set to provide a “unique offering” among the fine jewellery industry. The e-commerce site will be available in English, French and Chinese, and will expand the group’s product selection that is available for purchase, including a…

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Majority of SMEs believe UK is headed for deep recession post-pandemic

Almost seven in 10 (69%) small business owners believe the UK is heading for a deep recession following the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdown, according to new research from FreeAgent. In addition, almost three quarters (73%) believe many small businesses will struggle to make enough money to survive and two…

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70% of shoppers ‘not comfortable’ returning to shops

Consumers remain “deeply cautious” about returning to shops, the latest EY Future Consumer Index has revealed ahead of retailers opening next week (15 June).  According to the survey of 1,017 consumers, 80% said they would be “uncomfortable” trying on clothes in a store, while only 25% are “currently comfortable” visiting…

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Laings introduces appointment-only system in Southampton

Laings has announced it will announce that it will reopen its Southampton store on 16 June, following the latest government guidelines for retailers.  The site will now operate on an appointment-only basis in order to ensure the health and safety of its staff and customers. Laings stores in Glasgow, Edinburgh…

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UK GDP expected to decline 7.2% in 2020 amid ongoing pandemic

The continuing impact of the Covid-19 virus is expected to see the UK economy contract by 7.2% in 2020, with the economy unlikely to be able to fully restart until a vaccine or effective treatments for the virus are available. This is according to KPMG UK’s latest quarterly Economic Outlook, which considered…

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