Current Affairs

LDB to offer support to those affected by Hatton Garden Raid

The London Diamond Bourse (LDB) has today announced it will act as centralised point of contact for members of the trade affected by the recent robbery in Hatton Garden.  The LDB said that it is concerned that there is no “coordinated effort” to manage the situation outside the consumer press…

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London Diamond Bourse ‘greatly concerned’ by Hatton Garden robbery

The London Diamond Bourse (LDB) has said it is “greatly concerned” by the Hatton Garden jewellery raid which took place over the Easter weekend.  In the statement Victoria McKay, chief operating officer at LDB expressed particular concern about the “incorrect information” being reported in the media. LDB said that it…

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Bonhams proclaims 2015 as ‘year of the coloured gemstones’

Coloured gemstones, such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds are this year’s must-have gems, according to Bonhams.  The auction house said that this demand was thanks to their being sported by A-list celebrities such as the Duchess of Cambridge, Beyonce, Naomi Watts, Rosamund Pike and Mila Kunis. Jean Ghika, head of…

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NAG and BJA respond to Hatton Garden raid

Michael Rawlinson, chief executive officer of the National Association of Goldsmiths (NAG) has released a response following the recent raid in Hatton Garden.  The response, which was released on behalf of NAG and the British Jewellers Association (BJA), follows the recent robbery in Hatton Garden where raiders took, according to…

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BUDGET: BRC welcomes Osborne rates review, NI abolition for under-21s

The Chancellor has used his last budget of this Parliament to reconfirm his commitment to carry out the most “far-reaching” and “radical” review into the business rates system in a generation. The government first revealed that it would carry out a “comprehensive review” of the current outdated system during last…

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Firms to ‘overpay £221m in business rates’

More than 110,000 firms in England and Wales are likely to miss 31 March deadline for appeals over business rates, and at least £221 million in potential relief will lie unclaimed. This is according to CBRE, the commercial property and real estate services advisor, which conducted research into the “scramble to…

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‘Radical’ review of business rates underway

A “radical” review of the business rates system has been launched which could pave the way for changes to how businesses across England pay tax, the Treasury has said.  The review, which is set to report back for the Budget in 2016, will examine the structure of the current system…

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Jewellery sales set to rocket for Valentine’s Day

Jewellery retailers are set to find themselves inundated with ‘panic-stricken’ shoppers, according to payment processing company Worldpay.  According to Worldpay’s analysis of retail spending in 2014, trading in jewellery stores remains fairly flat right up until the day before Valentine’s Day where sales suddenly rocket by 70% versus the season…

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Sotheby’s unveils 100-carat ‘perfect’ diamond

Today global art business Sotheby’s has unveiled a 100-carat ‘perfect’ diamond, which is set for auction later this year.  The diamond, which is reportedly the largest perfect diamond with a classic emerald cut ever to be offered at auction, is currently being unveiled in Sotheby’s new Bond Street Galleries. The…

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Birmingham Assay Office receives RJC recertification

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has announced that the Birmingham Assay Office has achieved re-certification.  The re-certification was achieved by meeting the “highest ethical, social and environmental standards” established by the RJC. Stella Layton, chief executive and assay master, who was recently appointed chairman of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, said: “[The…

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