Hallmarking plummets 75% in May as lockdown impact is revealed

The impact of the coronavirus on UK hallmarking has been made clear to see thanks to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office, with the total number of pieces hallmarked during the month down by 75%. The number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked in May 2020 decreased by…

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Hong Kong jewellery shows postponed until 2021

The HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem and Pearl Show and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show have been postponed until next year in light of ongoing travel restrictions.  The shows were initially scheduled to take place in March. In light of the escalating pandemic, however, organisers announced that…

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Patek Philippe celebrates new manufacture building with exclusive Calatrava

Patek Philippe has celebrated the completion of its new production building in Geneva with an exclusive Calatrava in stainless steel. To pay tribute to the commissioning of the new production building, a flagship of impressive size for the creation, development, and production of Patek Philippe watches, the manufacturer reasserted its…

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Bira welcomes extension of government protection scheme

Bira has “welcomed” the government’s decision to extend protection for businesses from aggressive debt collection until September. The extended measures will prevent struggling retailers from being evicted with the current protection originally due to expire on June 30. The association said the decision was made by the government after Bira…

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Chancellor mulls VAT cut and could follow up with autumn tax rises

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering cutting VAT in order to help stimulate the economy but could follow the move up with a set of Autumn tax rises. According to the Financial Times, Sunak is planning deferred tax rises and cuts to public spending in his autumn Budget as a follow up to further stimulus…

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The Camden Watch Company to reopen flagship store

The Camden Watch Company has announced it will open its doors on 27 June with a soft reopening.   Its flagship site will open on weekends with reduced hours, from 12pm until 5pm on both days.  The retailer will then slowly open on more days throughout July.  The group said that…

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NAJ welcomes new chair

The NAJ has confirmed the appointment of its new chair, with Gary Wroe, managing director of Hockley Mint assuming the role following its 2020 AGM.  Stepping down as chair, Harriet Kelsall will now move to the deputy chair position, while Wroe will serve a one-year term up until June 2021. …

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Retailers in Scotland allowed to reopen on 29 June

All retailers in Scotland will be able to reopen from 29 June, as long as they have outdoor entrances and exits. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans for non-essential retail under Phase 2 in Scottish Parliament yesterday (18 June). She said that from 29 June retail premises of all sizes…

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92% of shopworkers oppose longer Sunday working hours, says Usdaw

Some 92% of retail staff in England have opposed large shops opening for more than six hours on a Sunday, as the government considers deregulating Sunday trading. According to a survey by shopworkers trade union Usdaw, 66% of the 11,000 retail staff said they feel they are pressured to work…

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Employers given 30 days to ‘confess’ to furlough abuses

Legislation is currently being fast-tracked to allow HMRC to reclaim any furlough money overpaid to employers, or not spent on wages as intended. Although we do not have the final version of the legislation, employers should start addressing their minds to the claims they have made to date as soon…

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