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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May- 2017 -24 MayRetailers
Breitling opens first store in Manchester’s Trafford Centre
Swiss watchmaker Breitling has opened its first store at the Intu Trafford Centre in Manchester. The store will launch later this month and will be managed by Aurum Holdings, whose portfolio includes Watches of Switzerland, Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb. The Breitling store will be the second largest monobrand opening…
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23 MayRetailers
Aurum takes Signet’s place as UK’s top jewellery retailer
Aurum Holdings has exceeded Signet Jewelers as the biggest jewellery and watch retail group in the UK for the first time. The retailer overtook Signet in 2016 with a sales total of £565m. Signet Jewelers had enjoyed a period of steady growth over the past three years, with sales figures…
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22 MayCurrent Affairs
Minute and Azimut add three retailers to network
Clerkenwell-based watch brand Minute and Azimut has added three new retailers to its network. First Class Watches, London Time and KJ Beckett have agreed terms to stock the luxury British watch brand as part of its curated watch collections. The retailers will be featuring the brand’s first ever watch collection,…
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19 MayDesigners
IWC ladies watches launch at Harrods
The new IWC Da Vinci watch collection tailored for ladies is launching exclusively at Harrods this month. IWC Schaffhausen will display the new collection in the department store’s Fine Watch Room as part of a unique pop up exhibition. The range, which has been made especially for Harrods, is the…
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16 MayCurrent Affairs
Tag Heuer to open its largest UK store
Swiss watch brand Tag Heuer will be opening its largest UK store in Meadowhall, Yorkshire. The shopping venue, which is joint-owned by British Land, has undergone a £60m refurbishment program which included a £16m retailer investment. Some 42 brands have redesigned their stores in the renovation and Tag Heuer is…
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10 MayDesigners
Minute and Azimut to feature at London Fashion Week Men’s
British watch brand Minute and Azimut will showcase their pieces at this year’s London Fashion Week Men’s. The upcoming brand will feature their Bisham range at the event, which come with a choice of alligator, calfskin and lizard straps. The Bisham watch is named after Bisham Woods in Berkshire and…
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Apr- 2017 -5 AprilCrime
£30,000 of jewellery stolen from Newbury pawnbrokers
Police are appealing for information following a burglary at a pawnbrokers in Newbury. Approximately £30,000 of jewellery was taken from the Gold Buying Shop, alongside cash and bankcards. Thames Valley Police said offenders forced open the back door of the shop. Numerous boxed jewellery items including diamond rings, men’s signet rings,…
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Mar- 2017 -31 MarchRetailers
Independent jewellers to close after 70 years in business
Family-owned Revills Jewellers of Spalding, in Lincolnshire, will shut its doors at the end of July after 70 years in business. The store was first opened by Roy Revill on Francis Street before moving to its current location on Market Place, but current managing director Nick Revill told local paper…
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21 MarchCrime
Crime gang jailed over £3m jewellery raids
Members of a Romanian crime gang have been jailed for a series of burglaries on jewellers, in which some £3.1m worth of jewellery was stolen. The six men have been jailed for a total of 47 years for conspiring to commit burglaries at jewellers across nine different counties in the…
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9 MarchRetailers
Same-store sales at Signet’s UK division fall 3.8% in Q4
Jewellery retail giant Signet Jewelers has reported a plunge in sales in the fourth quarter of its 2017 financial year. For the 13 weeks ending January 28, 2017, Signet reporting a 3.8% fall in same-store sales across its UK retail division – comprising Ernest Jones and H Samuel – to…
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