Current Affairs

Apr- 2013 -

25 April

£6.2 million world record for Bonhams blue diamond

An extremely rare fancy deep-blue diamond weighing 5.30 carats sold at Bonhams Fine Jewellery sale in London’s New Bond Street yesterday, for a record price of $1.8 million (£1.2 million) per carat.

24 April

Jewellery Focus Staff

Online watch sales stall in the first quarter of the year

Online sales of watches have had a slow start in 2013 with both volume and value declines when compared with Q1 2012.

17 April

Jewellery Focus Staff

The Princie Diamond sells for £25.5 million

An extraordinary 34.65 carat fancy intense pink diamond set a new record high at Christie’s New York on 16 April, selling for £25,560,438 ($39,323,750) with premium, or £737,674 per carat.

16 April

Jewellery Focus Staff

Fairtrade International to simplify Fairtrade gold labelling

Fairtrade International has announced that Fairtrade labelling on gold is set to become more straightforward as the formal partnership it has with the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) draws to a close this month.

10 April

Jewellery Focus Staff

Gemfields market value drops following Zambian government announcement

Following revelations that the Zambian government is putting plans into action to clean up its gemstone trade – to the detriment of many emerald producers – Gemfields has experienced its biggest one-day market value loss in four years.

9 April

Jewellery Focus Staff

Institute of Registered Valuers warns of hoax valuations

The National Association of Goldsmiths’ (NAG) Institute of Registered Valuers (IRV) is warning consumers and jewellers about valuers claiming to be IRV registered, when they are not.

Mar- 2013 -

19 March

Jewellery Focus Staff

Retailers beat green targets

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has launched a progress report that reveals retailers have surpassed a range of targets set to reduce their environmental impact.

19 March

Jewellery Focus Staff

Business confidence in local councils low, research suggests

Small firms are finding it difficult to get enthused by the Local Government Finance Act because of doubts surrounding the benefits supplementary business rate redistribution will provide, research has suggested.

15 March