Deakin & Francis launches ‘1786’ collection

Birmingham-based manufacturer Deakin & Francis is set to launch a new collection of cufflinks, signet rings and ID tags in celebration of its 228-year heritage.  The new 1786 Collection features signet rings stamped with the classic Deakin & Francis skull & crossbones design and the significant date, ‘1786’. The skull…

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Dansk Smykkekunst receives Danish Export Award

Danish fashion jewellery brand, Dansk Smykkekunst, has become one of five companies in Denmark to be awarded the King Frederik IX Honorary Award for Excellence for “exemplary efforts” in the Danish export market.  Managing directors, Christian and Malene Storm were presented with the esteemed award aboard the Royal Yacht, ‘Dannebrog’,…

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London’s Dorchester Hotel hit by second raid in four weeks

Three men and a woman have been arrested in connection with a smash-and-grab raid at the Dorchester Hotel in London.  Detectives from the Flying Squad launched an investigation following the incident in the early hours of Thursday, 10 July. Police reports claim at approximately 2:20am, six men on three mopeds…

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Field expedition leads GIA to significant gem mines

The Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) has revealed the a team of its field researchers journeyed to important gemstone mining areas in Brazil to document the current state of coloured stone mines.  From March 31 to April 17 the researchers visited the states of Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Nort,…

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Five winners of IJL ‘Editor’s Choice’ revealed

The winners of International Jewellery London’s (IJL) sixth Editor’s Choice competition were announced today.  Claire Adler, Editor’s Choice judge, luxury brand consultant and Financial Times contributor, said she was impressed by the winning five. “IJL’s 2014 Editor’s Choice winners are a set of gifted, daring and ambitious jewellers,” she said. “A big thank you to all the entrants to Editor’s Choice this year who…

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High street retailers struggle to keep up with online shopping

Bricks-and-mortar retail stores are struggling to keep up as footfall falls while online retail grows, according to a new report by ‘the voice of e-retail’, IMRG.  The report, entitled ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ which used index data from various sources including ONS, IMRG and BRC, discovered that town and…

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F Hinds’ summer of business accolades and influence

Family jewellers F Hinds has been awarded two separate business accolades, mere weeks after director Andrew Hinds succeeded Pravin Pattni as chairman of the National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG). First up was a nod from Family Business United (FBU), which awarded F Hinds the ‘Business of the Year’ in the London and South…

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Shop price inflation hits record low, says BRC

Shop price inflation fell for the 14th consecutive month in June, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).  The BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index 2014 discovered that overall shop price deflation accelerated to 1.8% in June, the deepest level of deflation since the report began in December…

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Falling vacancy rates are yet another beam of light

Rather excitingly, this week brought the news that high street retail vacancy rates are at their lowest since June 2010 – right at the height of the recession. As I have said before on this blog (enough times on this blog to be accused of sounding like a broken record),…

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London borough of Southwark wins Touchstone Award 2014

The British Hallmark Council and the four Assay Offices of the UK have announced the London borough of Southwark is the winner of the Touchstone Award 2014.  In its third annual presentation, the Touchstone Award recognises innovative initiatives undertaken in relation to hallmarking legislation. Southwark’s initiative was prompted by a…

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