Year: 2020

BAJ launches competition in aid of NHS Charities Together

The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) has announced the launch of its Pins of Praise design competition in support of NHS and frontline staff amid the ongoing pandemic.  The competition is open to both BAJ students and the public, and asks participants to design a brooch pin that can be…

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Rock Lobster permanently shuts bricks-and-mortar store

Rock Lobster has announced it will no longer reopen its bricks-and-mortar shop due to “circumstances surrounding the property”. The Worcester-based jewellers said that its landlords now have plans to develop the shop into residential apartments, and in light of the ongoing Covid-19 disruption, it has decided to not move to…

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Usdaw urges retailers to maintain existing two-metre social distancing in stores

Shopworkers trade union Usdaw is urging retailers to maintain social distancing in shops at two metres, as agreed in joint safety guidance, after Boris Johnson announced a “one metre plus” rule for situations where two metre distancing cannot be observed. In a speech in parliament yesterday (23 June), the PM…

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Coronavirus: The jewellery industry’s story

At the time of writing, the UK’s embattled high street has been given a glimmer of hope, after prime minister Boris Johnson announced plans on 25 May to allow non-essential retailers to open by mid-June. The announcement will be welcome news for many jewellers who have struggled over the past…

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Beaverbrooks sales soar in first week of trading

Beaverbrooks revealed it has seen a “surge” in sales since reopening its doors last week, with a 30% increase in year-on-year sales on its opening day alone. The family-owned jeweller reopened 58 stores in England and one in Northern Ireland on 15 June. In addition to the surge in sales,…

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Emily Mortimer reopens studio

Emily Mortimer has announced it has now reopened its studio in Brightwell Barns, Suffolk. The British jeweller said it is now available for appointments, as well as click-and-collect orders.  Alongside its ready-to-wear collections, Emily Mortimer is also running a bespoke service for customers looking to “create that perfect gift”, including…

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Laings to operate on appointment-only system

Laings has announced that it will be operating on an appointment-only basis, ahead of the reopening of its sites in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cardiff on 30 June.  The luxury jeweller has been working to ensure it can safely open when government guidelines permit, with customers invited to book appointments held…

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PM confirms relaxation of two-metre social distancing rule

Boris Johnson has announced a reduction in the two-metre social distancing rule. In a speech in parliament this afternoon, the PM said that while maintaining at least a two-metre distance is still “recommended where possible”, the official guidance will be updated to recommend “one-metre-plus” where necessary, if “mitigations” such as…

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Government rethink on longer Sunday trading welcomed by Usdaw

Shopworkers trade union Usdaw has welcomed reports that the government will not be pressing ahead with plans to deregulate Sunday trading hours having listened to the arguments. The news comes as Usdaw titled government plans for Sunday trading deregulation as a “slap in the face” for key workers and calls…

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Hallmarking plummets 75% in May as lockdown impact is revealed

The impact of the coronavirus on UK hallmarking has been made clear to see thanks to the latest figures from the Birmingham Assay office, with the total number of pieces hallmarked during the month down by 75%. The number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked in May 2020 decreased by…

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