ADVICE: Returns could cause jewellery retailers a Valentine’s break up

With spending from this Valentine’s Day anticipated to have exceeded £980m – £15m more than in 2015 – according to the latest figures from Verdict Retail, there’s no denying that the 14 February is a well-established retail ‘event’.  For jewellery retailers it marks not only a peak trading period, but the…

Read More »

Armed man attempted to raid Surrey jewellers in women’s clothes

Surrey Police officers are appealing for witnesses after a man was arrested following an attempted armed robbery at a jewellery store in Leatherhead on Friday evening. Shortly after 5pm on Friday, 19 February, two men – one wearing a crash helmet and one dressed in women’s clothing – entered Cradlers…

Read More »

WFDB warns of synthetic diamonds fraudulently marked as natural

The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has announced it has been informed that a vendor on online wholesale trading platform, Alibaba, is offering fraudulent diamonds. WFDB said the vendor is offering CVD lab-grown synthetic diamonds inscribed with the numbers of genuine GIA-graded natural diamonds reports. The seller on Alibaba,…

Read More »

Executive Development Forum retail sales hit £41m

The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ)’s Executive Development Forum (EDF) has reported combined retail sales exceeding £41m in 2015. The sales are a like-for-like growth of 4.7% compared with the previous year. Despite this, 42% of the individual members businesses were down, 42% up and 16% level with the previous…

Read More »

Hallmarking down 9.1% in January

The total number of hallmarked items fell 9.1% in January, a decrease of 67,252 articles when compared with January 2015. That is according to latest figures released today by the four UK assay offices, and compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office, which found during the month there was a total…

Read More »

Massive 404-carat diamond discovered in Angola

Lucapa Diamond Company has announced the discovery of a massive 404.2-carat, which it claims is the 27th largest diamond ever discovered. The type IIa D-colour diamond, which was discovered at the firm’s Lulo Diamond Project in Angola’s Lunda Norte Province, is the biggest recorded diamond ever found in Angola –…

Read More »

First safe deposit box service launches in Scotland

Scotland’s first independent safe deposit box service has launched in Glasgow following an investment of more than £1m. Based in the city’s southside, Glasgow Vaults claims it has been introduced in response “to the major banks withdrawing the service that safeguards people’s valuable possessions”. The venture is being led by…

Read More »

Swarovski to unveil its first automatic watch for women

Jewellery and watch brand Swarovski has announced it will unveil its first automatic watch for women at Baselworld 2016. The timepiece – named Crystalline Hours – was created in collaboration with watch designer Eric Giroud, and features a round face and curvy domed case containing some 4,000 tiny faceted crystals.…

Read More »

Stephanie Holt wins Weston Beamor design competition

Stephanie Holt, a mature student at Birmingham City University (BCU), has been named as the winner of Weston Beamor’s annual jewellery design competition. Holt, who won the award for her “elegant and unusual” matching wedding ring and engagement ring set, received a cash prize of £500 and a week’s worth…

Read More »

Watches worth ‘five-figure sum’ stolen in Edinburgh jewellery store raid

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following a break-in and theft at a jewellers on George Street, Edinburgh. The incident took place at around 1am on Friday, 12 February, when entry was forced through a window of Laing Edinburgh, which recently opened what is believed to be the largest…

Read More »