September retail sales ‘worst since December 2008’, Christmas outlook remains positive

UK retail sales in September were down 2.1% on a like-for-like basis compared with September 2013, when they had increased 0.7% on the preceding year.  The new figures from the British Retail Consortium’s BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor found in total, sales were down 0.8%, against a 2.4% rise in September…

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100 million smartwatches ‘to be in use by 2019’

More than 100 million smartwatches will be in use worldwide by 2019, with a host of premium brand launches over the next 12-18 months bringing the category into mainstream consumer consciousness, according to new research. According to a report by hi-tech market research company Juniper, differentiation between products is now…

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Astrid & Miyu launches new collection to support Breast Cancer Awareness

Jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu has launched a new collection, the Rose Gold Initial collection, in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Some 20% of all sales of necklaces and bracelets from the range will be donated to Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Connie Nam, the owner of Astrid & Miyu, told…

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September hallmarking figures up 18%, 9ct gold continues to shine

Rising hallmarking figures showed no sign of abating in September, as the latest results compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office showed an overall rise of 18.2% across all precious metals, compared with September last year.The standout performer was, as has become the norm this year, gold, with 9ct rising 100,644 items to…

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GJEPC India deny reported effects of Antwerp Diamond Bank closure

The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) India has asserted that news stories claiming diamantaires are offering discounts of 5% to 20% in the wake of the Antwerp Diamond Bank Closure are “false and baseless”.  In a strongly-worded statement, GJEPC said that articles published were “without substantial understanding of…

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VOHS: Catherine Jones Jewellery

Vanessa Burkitt, of Catherine Jones Jewellery in Cambridge, tells Jewellery Focus about her career in the jewellery industry and the joys and challenges of keeping the brand in the family. Tell us a bit about the history of Catherine Jones Jewellery Our business was created in 1963 by a stroke…

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It’s amazing that it’s taken until now for a proper IP Act

The ideas economy sounds like something nebulous and ‘sound-bitey’ that people like to say because they’ve read it or heard it somewhere. But concept of the saleability of ideas, inventions, designs of any kind, is not a new one. We’ve had a patenting system since 1624 and indeed the British…

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Argenteus closes last high street store

Jewellery retailer Argenteus has closed the doors of its last remaining high street store, located on Cornmarket Street in Oxford.  The closure comes 20 years after its very first store was opened in Oxford, since that time Argenteus had opened and closed nine different stores across the country, including a…

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Retailers missing the mark on customers’ delivery expectations

Online retailers are providing unwanted delivery options and failing to offer wanted ones, according to new research from software company OrderDynamics and Opinion Matters.  The report, entitled ‘The mismatch of retailer services and consumer expectations’, surveyed 2,000 consumers and over 60 retailers and found more than half of online shoppers…

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Over 75% of RJC members are now certified

RJC has announced over 75% of its members have now achieved Certified Member status under the RJC Code of Practice (COP).  This means that more than 400 of the total 532 members are now certified, with the remaining members working towards their two-year deadline following joining RJC. These certified members…

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