Year: 2017

Diamond sector ‘must work together’, says De Beers chief

Bruce Cleaver – chief executive of diamond mining company De Beers – has called for greater collaboration within the diamond industry. Speaking at a reception for customers of its Global Sightholder Sales business on 17 January, Cleaver highlighted the importance of all parts of the diamond sector working together following…

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Burlington Arcade up for sale

Burlington Arcade – the luxury shopping gallery in London that is home to 19 jewellers – has been put on the market for a sum believed to be around £400m. Thor Equities and Meyer Bergman, co-owners of the arcade, have announced plans to sell the renowned global luxury retail destination,…

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New jewellery store opens in Guildford after £300,000 funding

Two Guildford jewellers with more than 25 years’ experience between them have opened their first retail store after a £300,000 finance package from HSBC. Harrington Brookshaw, owned by Andrew Brookshaw and Paul Harrington, has used the funding to fit out and stock the 500 sq ft premises, located at 157…

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High street footfall rises in December for first time in five years

UK high streets saw a 0.8% year-on-year rise in footfall in December as retailers managed to draw in last-minute shoppers. The latest monthly Footfall and Vacancies Monitor from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard found the increase in high street footfall – the first December rise for five years…

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H Moser & Cie creates £880,000 watch made from cheese

H Moser & Cie has created a new watch made from Swiss cheese in opposition to new rules governing the label ‘Swiss-Made’. The ‘Swiss Mad Watch’ – which the company describes as “symbolic, irreverent, and 100% Swiss” – has been created as a satirical comment to the revised legislation that…

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Hallmarking falls sharply in December amid weak full-year results

The total number of hallmarked items nose-dived in December by 15.7%, a decrease of 145,007 pieces when compared with December 2015. Figures released by the four UK assay offices – compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office – found there was a total of 781,200 articles hallmarked during the month, down…

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UK jewellery and watch sales help Richemont return to growth

Richemont has reported a 5% increase in total sales in the third quarter (Q3) of its financial year, boosted by strong jewellery and watch sales in the UK. The Swiss luxury goods group – owner of jewellery and watch brands such as Cartier, A. Lange & Sohne, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron…

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Signet sales fall 4.6% over festive holiday season

Signet Jewelers, the parent company of UK-based H Samuel and Ernest Jones, has reported a fall in sales over the festive holiday period. For the nine weeks ending 31 December 2016 the company reported that same-store sales had decreased 4.6% compared with an increase of 5.1% in the nine-week period…

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Asprey reports jump in jewellery and watch sales

Luxury goods retailer and jewellery designer Asprey has reported a jump in retail sales in the first three quarters of the financial year. Asprey has seen “strong momentum” in the period from 1 April 2016 to 31 December 2016, with the company’s retail channel reporting a year-to-date increase of 65%…

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Staff threatened with handgun in jewellery store raid

Members of staff have been threatened with a handgun during a raid at a luxury watch store in Buckhurst Hill, Essex. Police were called yesterday (Tuesday, 10 January) at around 5:30pm to Luxe Watches on Queens Road after a member of staff was threatened by two men and was forced…

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