Gold and platinum up single digits in January hallmarking

The number of gold and platinum pieces hallmarked in January 2020 increased by 1.4% and 7.6% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. Gold hallmarked pieces increased from 281,752 to 285,647 and platinum items increased from 24,900 to 26794 during the month. However, this was offset slightly…

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Nikita by Niki turnover reaches £1m in 2020

Jewellery and fashion brand Nikita by Niki has seen its turnover reach £1m in 2020. Found by Niki Mahon, a young female entrepreneur who started the brand at the age of 23, the company sells through its own website, as well as retailers Amazon, QVC and Harvey Nichols. The brand…

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Papa Johns launches 18k gold ‘crust-links’

Pizza chain Papa John’s has launched a new novelty £5,000 18k gold one-of-a-kind pair of ‘crust-links’. Papa John’s has partnered with London-based DC Jewellery in Hatton Garden to create the handmade 18k gold cufflinks. The cufflinks have been created in a bid to encourage women to make their move by…

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Merci Maman launches Mother’s Day collection with Cath Kidston

Personalised jewellery brand Merci Maman has teamed up with British retailer Cath Kidston to launch a new mix and match collection for Mother’s Day. Merci Maman said the collaboration “honours” motherhood and is the first time Cath Kidston has released personalised jewellery. The collaboration sees customers given the opportunity to…

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German stagnation, Javid out, RBS gets environmental, Norton no-show

The German economy has stagnated due to significant falls in spending and exports. New figures show that GDP ‘flat lined’ (financial jargon for neither growing nor contracting) in the final quarter of 2019, bad news since economists and analysts had hoped that it would grow about 0.1%. It means Germany’s…

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Parasite boosts Spanish crisp sales

Now that’s the kind of headline journalists like to write. But unfortunately, now that you’re reading the article, the subterfuge must be exposed. We’re not talking about parasites that look for hosts, and we’re not talking about infected food. Instead we’re talking about the Korean movie sensation that just won…

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Is gold jewellery coming back in style in 2020

Not all that glistens is gold, but when it comes to the jewellery industry, gold pieces have cemented its lifetime mark in the fashion landscape. Jewellery is a transformative accessory that can elevate any outfit or style – be it to add a bold touch to minimalistic ensembles or support…

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Yes, the trade barriers are coming

I think both Leavers and Remainers probably expected this in the long run – Michael Gove announced yesterday that businesses should “accept” that frictionless trade with the EU will be impossible whatever agreement is finally reached by the deadline of 31 December this year. This is the cost, he says,…

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Ocado ditches Waitrose; Bill gates orders £500m beast-yacht; Boris to lower immigration wage threshold

A busy start to the week in the business pages. As the coronavirus story unfolds I am reluctant to spend every day providing updates on it, but it is worth noting quickly that there is likely to be some worldwide economic turbulence due to the latest developments. A slew of…

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HMRC yields £16 from small businesses for every £1 spent on staff

HMRC’s investigations into individuals and small businesses produced a yield of approximately £16 for every £1 spent on staff last year, according to research by international law firm Pinsent Masons. The firm said the “huge” return on investment in staff outweighs returns seen by other private sector businesses. Whilst HMRC’s…

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