High street health

Two interesting things struck me in our news coverage this month. First a new selling feature on photo-sharing social media app, Instagram, was ignored by more than 80% of retailers in its first week. A new ‘Shopping’ feature was rolled out to business accounts in the UK, as well as…

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British Society of Enamellers appoints new vice-chair

The British Society of Enamellers (BSOE) has appointed silversmith and enameller Monika Kamycka as vice-chair. She is skilled in ‘Plique-a-Jour’ enamelling, a technique which allows the enamel to become translucent, and is an advocate of enamelling education and promotion. Kamycka, who also owns the jewellery brand Mona Pink, said: “I’m…

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Average online order value rises for 14th consecutive month

The average order value for online purchases has increased for 14 months in a row, according to new data. Figures from the IMRG MetaPack UK Delivery Index showed UK shoppers fuelled most of the increase, with the value for each month increasing compared with the same month the previous year.…

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Versus Versace launches ‘Millennial focused’ timepieces

Fashion brand Versus Versace has launched its new summer watch collection, Buffle Bay, aimed at Millennial customers. The watches feature a 3D lion’s head, positioned on the right side of the timepiece in the 3 o’clock position, and is available in four colours: light blue, white, deep red or dark…

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De Beers to launch new fashion jewellery brand with lab-grown diamonds

De Beers Group has announced the launch of a new company called Lightbox Jewelry that will begin marketing a new brand of laboratory-grown diamond jewellery in September.   Lightbox lab-grown diamonds will retail from $200 (£150) for a quarter-carat stone to $800 (£603) for a one-carat stone. The line will…

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Diamnet trading platform officially launches following 12-month development

A new diamond trading platform has been launched by the former managing director of Chalfen of London, Howard Levine. The platform – designed for the wholesale market – aims to connect retailers with a wider number of dealers and manufacturers as well as helping them to sell more bridal jewellery…

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Chow Tai Fook and GIA to bring blockchain diamond grading reports to consumers

Jewellery brand Chow Tai Fook and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), a diamond grading authority, will use blockchain technology to deliver digital diamond grading reports to consumers for the first time. Clients of Chow Tai Fook’s diamond brand will receive a permanent and immutable blockchain record of their diamond’s…

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$17bn of emeralds gold and silver found in shipwreck

A shipwreck off the coast of Columbia has been discovered estimated to be carrying a cargo worth $17bn (£12.7bn), including gold, silver, and emeralds. The shipwreck is that of the San José, a Spanish ship that was sunk by British forces during the Spanish Succession in 1708. The discovery was…

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Signet jewellers joins De Beers blockchain platform Tracr

Signet Jewelers will be the first retailer to join Tracr, an end-to-end diamond blockchain being developed by the De Beers group in collaboration with the diamond industry. A project team at Signet will work alongside the Tracr team to ensure the platform meets the needs of the jewellery manufacture and…

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Forevermark unveils Millennial focused retail store in China

Forevermark, a diamond brand owned by De Beers, has launched Libert’aime, a new Millennial focused store at HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai, China. The group said the store has been created to “celebrate the spirit of a new generation of women who are strong, unique, and authentic”, and offers diamond…

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