Year: 2014

Argento goes for growth with £1m investment in seven new stores

Belfast-based jewellery chain Argento has announced a £1m investment plan that will include seven new shop openings in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. The new premises are part of the company’s strategy to increase its representation in high-footfall locations, and will mean 50 new jobs are created…

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Signet tightens grip on US market with $690m Zale purchase

The US owner of British jewellery chains H Samuel and Ernest Jones has inched closer to market domination with the acquisition of smaller American chain Zale for a reported $690m (£414m). In a statement, Signet said it had stumped up for a $21-per-share cash deal, which represented a 41 per…

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CARAT* hails record number of customers at Spring Fair

Wholesale jewellery brand CARAT* says it expects its growth this year to surpass that of 2013, thanks to a strong order book and a successful exhibition and Jewellery & Watch Birmingham. The firm said it had welcomed “record numbers new and existing customers” onto its stand during the five-day event,…

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RJC certifies IWC and Panerai

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has announced that luxury watch manufacturers IWC Schaffhausen and Panerai have achieved certification by meeting the highest ethical, social and environmental standards established by the council’s Member Certification system. The RJC’s interim CEO, Catherine Sproule, said: “The successful verification assessment [for both manufacturers] was led by…

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China the world’s largest gold market in 2013, global demand strong

Consumers around the world bought gold in record amounts in 2013, led by demand in China and India, with China becoming the world’s biggest gold market, according to the latest World Gold Council Gold Demand Trends report. In Western markets consumer demand also remained strong with the US, in particular,…

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Inhorgenta attendance matches previous year with 30,000 visitors

Major trade show Inhorgenta Munich has confirmed that almost 30,000 visitors from 80 countries were in attendance for this year’s show, which represents “the same level as the previous year”. In a statement, the organisers said that around one third of the visitors came from abroad. Among the countries most…

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Birmingham Jewellery Quarter reaches another milestone in quest for £2m investment

Birmingham’s largest business improvement district (BID) has this week been successful in the first round of seeking a potential award of £2 million Townscape Heritage Grant, to be invested in the Jewellery Quarter. The grant, which assists communities in the regeneration of conservation areas and is awarded by the Heritage Lottery…

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F Hinds ‘ahead of schedule’ with Bracknell store opening

Jewellers F Hinds has announced the ahead-of-schedule opening of its new store in Princess Square, Bracknell. The bright, modern and also environmentally friendly jewellery store has relocated to 1 – 2 Princess Square, Bracknell, Berkshire. Manager Nick Dobinson and all the staff who were at the company’s previous Bracknell store…

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Houlden Group hires ex-QVC head jewellery buyer

Stuart Laing, CEO of The Houlden Group, has announced the appointment of Vanessa Priest as marketing consultant. Having recently initiated a review of its branding, the Houlden Group says it has identified a number of projects to “bring additional benefit to both its members and suppliers”. Priest will be working…

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Scotland’s Trade Fair visitor numbers up by 15%

The organisers of Scotland’s Trade Fair have announced the show enjoyed a rise in visitor numbers of nearly 15 per cent, and with high quality buyers in attendance, exhibitors reported a healthy number of enquiries. Over the three-day period in January, 4000 buyers attended the show, up almost 500 from…

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