News

Angola’s largest diamond sold for £11.5m

Lucapa Diamond Company has sold the record-breaking 404.2-carat diamond, which it recovered earlier this month in Angola, for $16m (£11.5m). The selling price of $39,580 (£28,574) per carat is a record price for a white diamond recovered at the Lulo mine, with the company saying it is “further evidence of…

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NAJ announces unification in two national papers

The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) had announced its unification in two national newspapers in a bid to help raise consumer awareness. To start making the wider public aware of the unification, which saw the British Jewellers’ Association and the National Association of Goldsmiths combine, a notice has been placed…

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Tunbridge Wells historic jewellers to close its doors

Historic jewellery store in Tunbridge Wells, Payne & Son, is set to close after becoming a ‘victim to the rise in online shopping’. The store, which originally started as Payne & Son (Silversmiths) in Kent in 1790 and then opened an outlet in the town 146 years ago, is being…

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Rapaport launches Investment Diamond Grading Report

The Rapaport Group has announced the launch of a new diamond grading report – the Rapaport Investment Diamond Report (IDR). The new report conservatively grades diamonds based on Gemological Institute of America (GIA) standards. It will also provide additional gemological information including tint, location and colour of inclusions as well…

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Mobile devices account for 51% of all online sales in Q4

The percentage of online retail sales in the UK exceeded 50% for the first time ever in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2015, according to new figures released. According to data from the latest IMRG and Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking report, smartphones and tablets accounted for 51% of UK online retail…

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Jersey Pearl sales jump 39% after creative Valentine’s campaign

Jewellery designer and retailer Jersey Pearl has reported a surge in sales over the Valentine’s Day period, following an innovative marketing campaign. The jewellers ‘Share the Love’ campaign, which culminated with an artist-lead window display, lead to a “peak in footfall” and a 39% increase in sales in the week…

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Armed man attempted to raid Surrey jewellers in women’s clothes

Surrey Police officers are appealing for witnesses after a man was arrested following an attempted armed robbery at a jewellery store in Leatherhead on Friday evening. Shortly after 5pm on Friday, 19 February, two men – one wearing a crash helmet and one dressed in women’s clothing – entered Cradlers…

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WFDB warns of synthetic diamonds fraudulently marked as natural

The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has announced it has been informed that a vendor on online wholesale trading platform, Alibaba, is offering fraudulent diamonds. WFDB said the vendor is offering CVD lab-grown synthetic diamonds inscribed with the numbers of genuine GIA-graded natural diamonds reports. The seller on Alibaba,…

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Executive Development Forum retail sales hit £41m

The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ)’s Executive Development Forum (EDF) has reported combined retail sales exceeding £41m in 2015. The sales are a like-for-like growth of 4.7% compared with the previous year. Despite this, 42% of the individual members businesses were down, 42% up and 16% level with the previous…

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Hallmarking down 9.1% in January

The total number of hallmarked items fell 9.1% in January, a decrease of 67,252 articles when compared with January 2015. That is according to latest figures released today by the four UK assay offices, and compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office, which found during the month there was a total…

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