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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Jan- 2017 -17 JanuaryCurrent Affairs
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 ยฃ400m. 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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13 JanuaryWatch Focus
H Moser & Cie creates ยฃ880,000 watch made from cheese
H Moser & Cie has created a new watch made from Swiss cheese in opposition to new rules governing the label โSwiss-Madeโ. The โSwiss Mad Watchโ – which the company describes as โsymbolic, irreverent, and 100% Swissโ – has been created as a satirical comment to the revised legislation that…
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11 JanuaryRetailers
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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11 JanuaryCrime
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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4 JanuaryRetailers
Aurum Holdings set for auction amid sales boom
The owner of luxury watch and jewellery group Aurum Holdings is reportedly preparing to sell the business after posting โstrong salesโ following the EU referendum. The company, which owns Goldsmiths, Mappin & Webb and Watches of Switzerland, could be sold later this year after its controlling shareholder Apollo Global Management…
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Dec- 2016 -20 DecemberRetailers
Barnsley jewellers ‘forced’ to close in the New Year due to demolition plans
A family-owned jewellery store in Barnsley is set to close its doors in the New Year following plans to demolish parts of the town centre. Some retailers have told the BBC that they have had to close their businesses due to a โlack of council supportโ in relation to the…
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7 DecemberDesigners
FF Group reports revenue jump despite โvolatileโ marketsโ
FF Group – owner of Links of London and Folli Follie – has posted revenues of โฌ956.2m (ยฃ814m) in the first nine months of the year, despite โvolatileโ markets. The posted revenues were a 9.2% increase on the same period last year when the company reported revenue โฌ875.5m. Earnings before…
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Nov- 2016 -23 NovemberRetailers
Signet’s UK division reports strong third quarter
Signet Jewelerโs UK division, which owns H Samuel and Ernest Jones, reported a 3.6% increase in same-store sales in the third quarter of its 2016 financial year. Despite a 3.3% fall in the number of transactions due primarily to lower sales in fashion watches, the 13 weeks ending 29 October…
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16 NovemberCurrent Affairs
Hatton Garden BID launches area’s first ‘Christmas gift guide’
The Hatton Garden Business Improvement District (BID) has launched the jewellery quarterโs first Christmas gift guide, in a bid to capitalise on festive spending. Created to promote Hatton Garden and its fine jewellery offering, the guide will showcase over 50 pieces of jewellery including precious designs, bespoke pieces and luxury…
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15 NovemberWatch Focus
Patek Philippe watch fetches record ยฃ8.8m at auction
A Patek Philippe reference 1518 in stainless steel established a new world record for any wristwatch to be sold at auction when it went under the hammer on the weekend. The timepiece – believed to be one of only four of its type to exist – was sold at Phillipsโ…
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