Global diamond demand reaches record levels, says De Beers

Global demand for diamond jewellery reached a record high of $79bn (£48bn) in 2013, according to the inaugural Diamond Insight Report published today by De Beers.  However the report claims that “substantial investment will be required in diamond production, technology, and branding, marketing and retail standards” if the industry is…

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TAG Heuer ‘to launch a smartwatch’

A swiss newspaper has reported that TAG Heuer is planning a smartwatch product, according to Reuters. The comments, purportedly made by Jean-Claude Biver, head of LVMH’s watch business, were published in NZZ am Sonntag, a major Sunday newspaper. Biver is alleged to have said: “We want to launch a smartwatch at…

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F Hinds joins 100 firms demanding rates overhaul

Britain’s largest independent family jeweller, F Hinds has joined more than 100 of Britain’s biggest companies calling for business rates to be overhauled. The signatories of the open letter, published in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, call the conversional tax a “critical problem”, saying that business rates “are no longer…

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Dazzle to return to London’s Gallery@oxo

Contemporary jewellery-selling exhibition, Dazzle, will return to London’s Gallery@oxo from November 9 to January 11.  Following the exhibition’s forced departure from its annual residency at the National Theatre, Dazzle is set to return the Gallery@oxo in the iconic Oxo Tower Wharf. Showcasing more than 90 contemporary jewellery designers from 20…

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Apple Watch could be a big hitter – traditional brands beware

A year ago Jewellery Focus ran a piece on smartwatches, wondering aloud whether they would destroy the mid-market for wristwatches. It was entirely conjecture, of course, because it was in response to Samsung’s launch of its ‘Galaxy Gear’ devices – the first time any tech company had launched such a product with…

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Shop vacancy rates improving but north vs south divide persists

Shop vacancy rates have seen an improvement in the first half of the year but a strong north/south divide remains, according to new research.  A new report published by the Local Data Company (LDC) said H1 shop vacancy rates have shown marked improvement towards the end of the year from…

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Footfall in August was down 1.1% compared to the same month last year despite the best sales growth since January, according to new figures.  The British Retail Consortium (BRC) Springboard Footfall Monitor said the high street was the worst performing area with footfall down 2.8% on the previous year –…

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Fairtrade announces consultation process on its Standard for Gold

Fairtrade International has launched a public consultation on its Standard for Gold and Associated Precious Metals for Artisanal and Small-scale Mining.  The consultation will explore how Fairtrade can best tackle new regulation and legislation in the gold industry. The aim is for Fairtrade to offer a small but scalable solution…

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Carat wins five new shop-in-shop partners at IJL

Carat exhibited three new collections at International Jewellery London in Olympia last week and has reported a “fantastic response”. In a statement, the firm said: “The collections have a modern twist of Fashion/ Fine and are beautifully crafted with CARAT*s trademark gemstones.” Collections are scheduled to launch just in time the…

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INFOGRAPHIC: The history of engagement rings

Engagement rings have been used as a symbol of partnership and commitment for millennia, and are know to date all the way back to pre-historic man. In this rather attractive infographic, Perfect Ring explains the history and all the points of significance.  For more information, go to www.perfectring.ie Featured image…

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