Polished diamond prices increase for first time in six months

Polished diamond prices increased in November for the first time in six months, boosted by shortages of select categories and seasonal holiday demand. That is according to the latest RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) which found 1-carat, GIA-graded diamonds rose 0.7% in price in November – its first increase in six…

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NPA urges Welsh government to ‘crack down on crime’

The National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA) has urged the Welsh government to crack down on illegal money lending. The call for action, which has urged the government to join forces with police and other enforcement agencies, was a result of the NPA responding to the Welsh Government’s consultation regarding its Financial…

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A case in point

Celebrating history, cultivating quality and offering value for money simultaneously is no mean feat, but family-owned watch manufacturer Pointtec has hit the mark. TOM DAVIS sits down with managing director of Pointtec UK, the company’s UK distributor, to learn about the brand’s ambitions. [divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] It’s rare for…

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ADVICE: Christmas tips

There will be a lot of requests for annual leave over the Christmas period and if you cannot close the business, you will need to apply a fair and consistent approach to authorising and rejecting annual leave requests. Consider what you did last year, particularly in terms of holiday requests. If it…

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Bonhams jewellery sale sets three world records

Bonhams’ last London Fine Jewellery sale of the year, which took place on Saturday 5 December, set three new auction world records. Jewellery from renowned designers including Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, along with a pair of Kashmir sapphires belonging to a European princess, went under the hammer. The…

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Gang jailed for 51 years over £1m of watch thefts

An organised gang of criminals from Estonia who flew into the UK in order to steal more than £1 million pounds worth of watches have been jailed for 51 years. Taimar Uibopuu, 30, from Estonia was found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment; Alar Kalyurand, 43, from…

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Goldsmiths WestQuay to reopen after £1m refurbishment

Goldsmiths WestQuay in Southampton is to reopen this week after an extensive £1m refurbishment. The high street jeweller has carried out a ‘luxury refit’ and also introduced a brand-new ’boutique.Goldsmiths’ iteration. The premises will be open to the public on 10 December. The refurbished Goldsmiths store will feature dedicated Omega, Breitling,…

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De Beers suspends Canada Snap Lake mine operation

De Beers has announced it has suspended operations at its Snap Lake diamond mine in Canada due to poor market conditions. The company said work to suspend production at the mine has begun, a process which could take up to nine months. It will evaluate market conditions over the next…

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Inaugural NAJ Awards incorporated in Benevolent Society Ball

The 80th British Jewellery Giftware & Finishing Federation Benevolent Society Ball, incorporating the NAJ Awards, took place in Solihull on December 3. This year’s event incorporated very first National Association of Jewellers Member Awards, designed to “flag up all that is most excellent about the UK’s extremely diverse jewellery industry”. The NAJ…

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GVUK: Gemvision to launch CounterSketch International

Get Ready for a New Way to Create Bespoke Jewellery Personalisation has become the norm and bespoke jewellery design is at the heart of this. In January Gemvision will launch CounterSketch International allowing you access to over a thousand fully adjustable parametric CAD files, then to download that file model…

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