Month: July 2015

Chapelle Jewellery acquired by Hilco Capital

Independent jewellery chain Chapelle has been purchased for an undisclosed sum by restructuring and investment firm, Hilco Capital.  Hilco Capital, the owner of the HMV entertainment retail group, completed the acquisition from the company’s founders Paul and Margaret Mortimer, who will remain in operational control of the company. Speaking to…

Read More »

Thieves steal £570k worth of diamonds from Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair

Some £570,000 (HK $6.9m) worth of jewellery – mostly diamonds – has been stolen in a string of thefts at the Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair, according to reports from a Chinese newspaper.  The South China Morning Post reported that 17 thefts took place over the four-day show –…

Read More »

Accurist launches new website

British watch brand Accurist has launched a new mobile and tablet-friendly website, which will allow ease of use across all devices.  Clear categories for men and women will be a key feature, enabling customers to easily find specific products at their nearest Accurist retailer. To enhance the customer experience, the…

Read More »

BJA Fairtrade ‘I Do’ competition winner announced

Jessica Mead, design assistant at Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery has won the BJA Fairtrade ‘I Do’ competition. UK designers were asked to draw up a matching wedding and engagement ring set in Fairtrade gold featuring a 50pt round brilliant-cut lab certified diamond and up to ½ a carat of small…

Read More »

Record Oxford Street rent for first Longines UK store

Swatch Group is set to open its first standalone store in the UK for its Longines watch brand, which will include record retail rent for premises on London’s Oxford Street.  The 1,000 sq ft store will be located opposite department store Selfridges, after the Swiss watch brand secured a lease…

Read More »

Police hunt two men after Warwick jewellery raid

Warwickshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a jewellery store was burgled on Warwick’s high street last week.  The robbery occurred around 2pm on Thursday, June 25, at Russell Lane Jewellers when four men were seen smashing the front windows of the shop with sledgehammers and taking jewellery. Warwickshire Police…

Read More »

RJC appoints Andrew Bone as executive director

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has appointed a new executive director, Andrew Bone, as part of the organisation’s ongoing management restructure.  Bone, who has extensive experience in the diamond and marketing sectors, has previously worked at De Beers and was also behind many industry initiatives including the Kimberley Process, the…

Read More »

Creative industry employment jumps 15.8%

Employment in the UK creative industries has jumped 15.8% since 2011 with 1.8 million jobs now in the sector, according to a new report.  According to figures released by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) the number of jobs within the creative industries increased by 5.5% compared to…

Read More »

The naysayers must now eat their words

Almost two years ago I wrote sceptically about the initial murmurings of a merger between the two major jewellery trade associations. Not out of any sense of doubt that a merger was possible, but because I was new to the industry and I asked dozens of people for their thoughts.…

Read More »