Watches
Watches hold a unique position in the jewellery trade, blending craftsmanship, design, and technology to create enduring appeal for consumers and lucrative opportunities for retailers. From luxury Swiss timepieces to emerging British watch brands, the sector continues to evolve with shifting trends, innovation in materials, and changing customer expectations. Jewellery Focus covers the watch industry from a trade perspective, offering news on brands and launches, market analysis, retail insights, and updates on supply chain and distribution. Our coverage equips jewellers, distributors, and suppliers with the intelligence needed to navigate this dynamic segment.
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Oct- 2020 -20 OctoberAppointments
Watches of Switzerland names Ian Carter as chair
Watches of Switzerland has appointed Ian Carter as non-executive chairman of its board, with effect from 1 November. Carter brings 30 years of international and retail experience to the group and, most recently, has been CEO of Hilton International since 2005. He has also served on a number of boards…
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19 OctoberAuctions
Seized luxury timepieces to be auctioned by John Pye
More than half a million pounds worth of seized luxury assets, including timepieces from Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Omega, are now on the market through auction house John Pye. The auction house is managing the sale of high value assets on behalf of proceeds of crime government enforcement and asset…
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12 OctoberTrade Organisations
NAJ joins campaign to reverse scrapping of VAT-free shopping
The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) has teamed up with 15 other trade associations to campaign against the government’s plan to scrap VAT-free shopping for international visitors. According to a report published by the New West End company and Global Blue, the plan would result in the number of EU…
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7 OctoberAuctions
Rosberry’s reports strong auction sale
Rosberry’s London has reported strong sales for its Jewellery and Watches Auction, which took place on 22 September. The auctioneer reported a sold rate of 82% to local and international bidders. Among the items being sold included diamonds, which were estimated to sell between £4,000-6000 but sold for £7,500, and…
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6 OctoberRetailers
Watches of Switzerland raises guidance as sales surge
Watches of Switzerland has announced that revenue for the first 10 weeks of Q2 has been “stronger than expected” at £202.7m, up 20.2% in constant currency and 18.3% in reported terms against the prior year. The group also reported sales to date of £145.1m, up by 12.6% against the prior…
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Sep- 2020 -22 SeptemberRetailers
Watches of Switzerland unveils Knightsbridge Rolex showroom
Watches of Switzerland has announced the opening of a new Rolex showroom located in Knightsbridge. The new 1,377 sq. ft showroom is situated within the existing Watches of Switzerland flagship showroom on the Brompton Road. It comes as the group has celebrated a “close relationship” with Rolex since becoming an…
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14 SeptemberRetailers
Tag Heuer partners with Beaverbrooks for new Leicester boutique
Luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer has opened a new boutique in partnership with jeweller Beaverbrooks in Leicester’s Highcross shopping centre on Friday (11 September). Tag Heuer said it aims for the 30.67sqm store to welcome customers in the “spirit of the brand” and features a contemporary design and its “iconic” red…
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9 SeptemberAuctions
Cheffins hires jewellery valuations specialist
Cheffins has announced that Fay Roach has joined the auction house from the UK’s largest specialist jewellery valuations company. Roach is a member of the Institute of Registered Valuers and the Jewellery Valuers Association, and is also an FGA qualified gemmologist. She has previously worked in London’s Hatton Garden in…
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9 SeptemberNews
Drakes restores 70-year old watch
Drakes has restored a 70-year old timepiece after it received an email from a customer regarding a watch that was purchased from the family jewellers back in 1950. The timepiece was first purchased by Derrick Hewitt only weeks after Drakes first opened. The watch, which was bought for his sweetheart,…
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8 SeptemberManufacturers
Swatch brings back iconic design with bio-sourced materials
Swatch has launched the ”1983 collection”, a new series of timepieces made with natural materials. This marks the first time a watch manufacturer has been successful in replacing conventional materials with bio-sourced materials in a series production environment. The two newly introduced bio-sourced materials are extracted from the seeds of…
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