Military-issue Rolex could fetch £70,000 at auction

A military-issue Rolex wristwatch, originally purchased for under £1,000, could be auctioned for £50,000 to £70,000. The watch was discovered when the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow visited Lincolnshire in early 2015. The owner, who had seen a similar watch valued at a considerable amount more than he’d anticipated, took the timepiece…

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Britain’s shop vacancy rate falls to its lowest level since June 2010

The number of vacant shops in Britain stayed the same in October when compared with September, a month in which vacant shops fell to their lowest level since April 2010. That is according to the latest figures from the Local Data Company (LDC) which found that shop vacancy in October…

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Huawei launches smartwatch in UK

Chinese electronics company Huawei has announced the launch of its new smartwatch in the UK. The Huawei Watch takes its design and inspiration from traditional wristwatches. It measures 42mm in diameter and has a fully circular face with the crown located at the two o’clock position. Powered by Android Wear,…

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Gems of Time to return to SalonQP

Gems of Time, an exhibition celebrating the art and craft of high-jewellery watches, is set to return to SalonQP. Building on the success of its inaugural exhibition last year, Gems of Time: The Art of Colour aims to explore the jewelled watch and will highlight the current mood for unique…

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Retailers ‘confident’ for Christmas and Black Friday trading

A record number of retailers are confident about the fast-approaching Christmas trading period and Black Friday, according to new figures from Barclays. The bank’s Christmas Survey found that more than three quarters (77%) reported they are more confident about Christmas trading this year. An even higher proportion (79%) said they…

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Margaret Thatcher’s jewellery to be auctioned by Christie’s

Auction house Christie’s is set to auction a collection of jewellery owned by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Some 350 historic and personal lots will be offered across two sales by the auction house. A flagship auction will present 150 lots and take place in London at Christie’s headquarters on…

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Shop price deflation continues into 30th-consecutive month

Shop prices reported deflation for the 30th consecutive month in October, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen’s latest Shop Price Index. Overall shop prices reported deflation of 1.8% in October compared with a 1.9% drop in September. On a 12-month average basis, the index reported deflation of…

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Pre-tax profits up 29.6% for Chisholm Hunter

Scottish jeweller Chisholm Hunter has reported a rise in pre-tax profits of 29.6%, according to its latest financial update. In its full-year financial update ending March 2015, Chisholm Hunter reported that pre-tax profits rose from £2.7m in the previous year to £3.5m in 2015. Revenue stood at £29.6m during the…

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WFDB announces new ‘strategic direction’

The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has agreed a new strategic direction at its recent meeting in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. In a discussion about how the organisation can increase its global footprint, the WFDB talked about expanding its membership by accepting associate and other members. The WFDB also discussed the…

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Falling diamond prices continue in October despite trading uplift

Trading of diamonds improved in October but prices continued to fall, according to the latest figures from Rapaport. The latest RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) for 1-carat, laboratory graded diamonds fell 1.3% in October as suppliers held on to large polished inventory and dealers tried to buy select goods at deep…

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