2015 | Jewellery Focus

Aug- 2015 -

20 August

Retail sales jump 4.2%

Retail sales grew for the 28th consecutive month in July, increasing by 4.2% compared with the same month last year, according to official data released today. This was the longest period of sustained year-on-year growth since May 2008, when there were 31 periods of growth, the Office for National Statistics…

19 August

Watch Focus

Tom Davis

Seiko named timekeeper of World Championships athletics

Watch brand Seiko has announced that it will once again be the official timekeeper of the International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Championships. It is the 14th consecutive World Championships that Seiko has been appointed as the official timer since the event was held in Rome in 1987. Seiko…

19 August

Retailers

Tom Davis

Laing Edinburgh celebrates 175th anniversary with £175,000 diamond necklace

Independent jeweller Laing Edinburgh has marked its 175th anniversary with the creation of a one-off diamond necklace valued at £175,000. The necklace, named ‘175’, features 447 brilliant-cut and pave diamonds set in platinum with a double diamond drop. The piece is described as “timelessly elegant with a contemporary twist”. Taking…

19 August

Watch Focus

Tom Davis

London Jewelers first jewellery store to stock Apple Watch

US-based London Jewelers is set to become the first jewellery retailer to stock the Apple Watch. The luxury New York-based jewellers is set to stock the Apple Watch Edition, an 18ct gold model which currently retails in the range of $10,000 (£6,380) to $17,000 (£10,850). The smartwatch, which had previously…

18 August

Watch Focus

Tom Davis

Gucci launches ‘Gucci Sync’ in the UK

Gucci Timepieces and Jewelry has announced the UK launch of Gucci Sync, a unisex timepiece aimed at a “connected, upbeat and music-orientated” audience. The watch, which is available in two sizes, XXL (46mm) or large (36mm), features a sun-brushed dial, a stainless steel and transparent nylon case and a stadium-shaped…

18 August

Retailers

Tom Davis

H&T posts 30% profits jump

H&T Pawnbrokers has reported a 30% increase in pre-tax profit in its financial update for the first half of 2015. In the six months from January to the end of June 2015, profit before tax increased by 30% to £2.6m, up from the £2m reported for the same period last…

18 August

Economy

Tom Davis

UK inflation rate rises to 0.1% in July

The UK inflation rate has crept up from the zero-mark to 0.1% in July, according to the Consumer Prices Index measurement. A smaller fall in clothing prices during the month compared with the same time last year was the main contributor to the rise in inflation, the Office for National…

18 August

E-Commerce

Tom Davis

Online retail sales jump 12% in July

UK online retail sales surged 12% year-on-year in July and were up 15% when excluding travel, according to new data released today. The IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index also found that sales made via a mobile device, either a smartphone or tablet, saw annual growth of 42%. At 5.1%, July…

17 August

Designers

Tom Davis

Tresor Paris launches new Quantum Cubus collection

Tresor Paris last week unveiled its new ‘Quantum Cubus’ jewellery range for men and women. Quantum Cubus features necklaces, bracelets, rings and cufflinks and aims to give clothing outfits a “modern, yet tasteful twist”. The collection includes the use of a lapis stone, which adds a touch of colour to…

17 August

Q&A Sessions

Michael Northcott

INTERVIEW: Scott Thompson, Carat*

Luxury fashion jewellery brand Carat* spent the latter half of 2014 expanding its footprint both in the UK and overseas. MICHAEL NORTHCOTT caught up with founder and CEO, Scott Thompson. Give us a 60-second roundup of what’s been going on in the last 12 months We’ve expanded our footprint in Hong…