Expansion
Expansion in the jewellery trade signifies strategic growth—whether through entering new geographic markets, launching additional retail outlets (including concessions and pop-ups), diversifying product lines, or broadening online presence. Such developments reflect consumer confidence, brand ambition, and supply-chain agility. Jewellery Focus delivers in-depth, trade-focused coverage of expansion activity across the UK market, spotlighting growth strategies from fledgling designers, established retailers, and manufacturers. We report on site selections, financing approaches, digital vs. physical channel decisions, logistical scaling, and performance measurement. Our analysis supports jewellers, brand teams, distributors, financiers, and suppliers in evaluating risks and opportunities tied to growth initiatives and in executing sustainable, profitable expansion plans.
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Jul- 2019 -9 JulyManufacturer Files
Manufacturer files: Shetland Jewellery
“We do very traditional jewellery making here,” says Sophie Whitehead, workshop manager at Shetland Jewellery, “so the whole process is very personal, and means that the jeweller is actually getting to progress the piece themselves and get the satisfaction from doing that.” The jewellery manufacturer was founded in 1953 by…
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Jun- 2019 -18 JuneTrade Organisations
HRD Antwerp opens new London drop-off point
HRD Antwerp announced its expansion into the UK market with the opening of a new drop-off point in London’s Hatton Garden. The new London drop-off point will give UK jewellers easy access to HRD Antwerp’s services, including jewellery and diamond grading reports. HRD Antwerp said the new drop-off point in…
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6 JuneRetailers
Banking red tape holding back UK retailers abroad
Almost three quarters (71%) of UK retailers would like their businesses to further expand internationally, however most (57%) believe overseas expansion is fraught with risk, according to new research conducted by buy now, pay later service Laybuy. The research, published today (6 June), surveyed over 200 UK retailers and revealed…
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Apr- 2019 -25 AprilRetailers
74,400 retail jobs lost in first three months of 2019
The retail sector saw a 2.4% year-on-year drop in the number of employees in the first quarter of this year, equating to a loss of 74,400 jobs. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), this is a higher reduction than the 2.2% drop seen in 2018. The trade organisation said…
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23 AprilInternational
RJC launches new ‘Code of Practices’ standard
The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has announced it is launching a new Code of Practices (COP). According to the organisation, the COP defines “responsible, social and environmental business practices” for companies in the jewellery supply chain and commits members to adhere to a “robust” set of comprehensive auditable standards. Since…
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Jan- 2019 -17 JanuaryRetailers
Allum & Sidaway reports sales boost after ‘successful’ store refurb
Allum & Sidaway has reported a “successful festive period” thanks to a recent store refurbishment. The family-run company closed for several weeks last autumn for a full revamp of their Dorchester head office including the expansion of their sales floor. The extended shop area has enabled Allum & Sidaway to…
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9 JanuaryFeatures
Company profile: Winsor Bishop
Sisters Sophie Fulford and Tanya von Moll inherited Winsor Bishop after their father, Robert, passed away in 2011. Having been working in a director role in London for eight years, Fulford returned to the store’s location in Norwich to take over the day-to-day operations of the business as managing director,…
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Dec- 2018 -20 DecemberInternational
Global diamond jewellery sales rise 4%, Alrosa finds
Worldwide diamond jewellery sales grew by 4% in Q3 2018 according to Alrosa’s global luxury and jewellery market research. North America, the largest diamond jewelry market, was found to have experience a 4% sales increase in Q3 compared to the same period last year. According to key retailers, stable growth…
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4 DecemberRetailers
Master jewellers Steven Stone opens its new showroom in Manchester’s Spinningfields
Steven Stone, the bespoke jeweller specialising in diamond and gem set jewellery, is opening a new showroom in Manchester’s Spinningfields area, over 80 years since the company was originally founded in Manchester. It will join their two other showrooms – located in Marylebone, London and Hale, Greater Manchester – and…
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Nov- 2018 -29 NovemberFeatures
Company Q&A: International Gemmological Laboratory
What is the back history of the IGL? We opened the office in Jan 2014, but the company actually started back in 1981 in Canada. About eight years ago it also opened in Israel as a diamond exchange, and then we opened here this year. At the beginning of the…
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