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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Mar- 2016 -23 MarchCrime
£400,000 worth of watches stolen in Stoke-on-Trent jewellery store raid
Some £400,000 worth of watches have been stolen in a raid on a Beaverbrooks store in Stoke-on-Trent. Staffordshire Police said they believe 10 people were involved in the burglary, which happened just after 2:35am on Thursday, 10 March, at the Intu Potteries shopping centre in Hanley. The offenders, who were…
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22 MarchWatch Focus
Swiss watch exports fall for eighth consecutive month
Swiss watch exports fell for the eighth consecutive month in February, recording a total value of 1.7bn francs (£1.23bn). That’s according to new data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH), which found the total value represented a decline of 3.3% compared with the same month last year.…
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17 MarchRetailers
F Hinds opens Doncaster store
Jewellery chain F Hinds has opened a new store in Doncaster’s Frenchgate Shopping Centre – its 118th shop in the UK. The store opened on Thursday, 10 March, with Emily Simpkins, full-time professional midfielder for Doncaster Rovers’ Belles Ladies Football Club, cutting the ribbon to its doors. The new shop…
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8 MarchEconomy
Retail sales slow in February
Retail sales slowed to a near standstill in February, as like-for-like sales grew by just 0.1% compared with the same month last year. That’s according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG Retail Sales Monitor which found on a total basis sales were up 1.1%, against a 1.7% rise…
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3 MarchCrime
Five arrested: 90-mile police chase after jewellery store raid ends in dramatic crash
Five men whose failed smash-and-grab bid on a jewellery store in Taunton, Somerset, have been arrested after a 90-mile police chase ended in a car crash. The raid took place on Wednesday, 2 March, when a masked gang attempted to rob Michael Spiers Jewellers on North Street at 10:30am. It…
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Feb- 2016 -16 FebruaryWatch Focus
Swarovski to unveil its first automatic watch for women
Jewellery and watch brand Swarovski has announced it will unveil its first automatic watch for women at Baselworld 2016. The timepiece – named Crystalline Hours – was created in collaboration with watch designer Eric Giroud, and features a round face and curvy domed case containing some 4,000 tiny faceted crystals.…
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15 FebruaryCrime
Watches worth ‘five-figure sum’ stolen in Edinburgh jewellery store raid
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following a break-in and theft at a jewellers on George Street, Edinburgh. The incident took place at around 1am on Friday, 12 February, when entry was forced through a window of Laing Edinburgh, which recently opened what is believed to be the largest…
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15 FebruaryWatch Focus
Breguet to launch first UK pop-up exhibition
Luxury Swiss watch brand Breguet is set to launch its first UK pop-up exhibition at the recently opened Watches of Switzerland store in Canary Wharf, London. The boutique is set to run from Thursday, 25 February, to Saturday, 27 February, and will showcase the “finest selection” of watches from the…
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15 FebruaryWatch Focus
Florence Welch named as new ambassador for Gucci watches and jewellery
Gucci watches and jewellery has announced Florence Welch, the lead singer of British brand Florence + the Machine, as its new ambassador. The British musician was named as the new ambassador at a private event in Los Angeles on Friday, 12 February, and was interviewed in front of the audience…
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12 FebruaryEconomy
Counterfeiting costs UK jewellery and watch industry £138m a year
The jewellery and watch sector in the UK loses £138m every year as a result of counterfeit products in the marketplace, according to new figures. The two new reports from the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) – the EU’s largest intellectual property agency – said the jewellery…
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