Signet sales fall 4.6% over festive holiday season

Signet Jewelers, the parent company of UK-based H Samuel and Ernest Jones, has reported a fall in sales over the festive holiday period. For the nine weeks ending 31 December 2016 the company reported that same-store sales had decreased 4.6% compared with an increase of 5.1% in the nine-week period…

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Asprey reports jump in jewellery and watch sales

Luxury goods retailer and jewellery designer Asprey has reported a jump in retail sales in the first three quarters of the financial year. Asprey has seen “strong momentum” in the period from 1 April 2016 to 31 December 2016, with the company’s retail channel reporting a year-to-date increase of 65%…

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Staff threatened with handgun in jewellery store raid

Members of staff have been threatened with a handgun during a raid at a luxury watch store in Buckhurst Hill, Essex. Police were called yesterday (Tuesday, 10 January) at around 5:30pm to Luxe Watches on Queens Road after a member of staff was threatened by two men and was forced…

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Last-minute Christmas rush boosts retail sales in December

UK retail sales continued to grow in December after consumers left their shopping until the final week before Christmas. The latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG Retail Sales Monitor found UK retail sales increased 1% on a like-for-like basis from December 2015, when they had increased 0.1% from the…

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Pound falls on Theresa May’s Brexit comments

The value of the pound has fallen to its lowest point in two months following Prime Minister Theresa May’s announcement that the UK would seek a “hard Brexit”. Sterling fell by about 1% on average, with the pound being 1.06% against the dollar at $1.21 this morning. In an interview…

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Period jewellery soars 80% in value over past decade

Period and designer jewellery has grown more in value than the housing market, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The research revealed the most rare and sought-after pieces of vintage jewellery have soared in value by more than 80% during the past 10 years. It…

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Hatton Garden raid: Woman claims to be missing £7m in gold

A woman has come forward after realising she is missing £7m of gold following the Hatton Garden heist in April 2015. The woman, who claims one of her safety deposit boxes was stolen during the raid, only realised it was missing after the trial of the gang last year, according…

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Aurum Holdings set for auction amid sales boom

The owner of luxury watch and jewellery group Aurum Holdings is reportedly preparing to sell the business after posting “strong sales” following the EU referendum. The company, which owns Goldsmiths, Mappin & Webb and Watches of Switzerland, could be sold later this year after its controlling shareholder Apollo Global Management…

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Shop prices show first sign of ‘upward trend’ in December

Shop prices have shown their “first sign of an upward trend” after deflation slowed during December. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen Shop Price Index revealed overall shop prices fell 1.4% in December, a deceleration from the 1.7% fall during the preceding two months. Non-food deflation accelerated to 1.9%,…

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Diamond prices decline in December amid ‘India liquidity crisis’

Polished diamond prices softened in December as Indian liquidity dried up due to the government’s demonetisation policy, which eliminated 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI), from the Rapaport Group, found the price of 1-carat, GIA-graded, polished diamonds fell 1.3% during the month, while 3-carat diamonds and…

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