Festina is once again the Official Timekeeper of the Tour of Britain road cycling race this year, which is expected to be watched by more people in the UK than this year’s Tour de France. The Ovo Energy Tour of Britain takes place from September 3-10, with live coverage of every stage on ITV. Festina was the […]
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BREAKING NEWS: Fossil UK turnover falls by 10% as fashion watch market ‘softens’ in 2016
Fossil UK Limited has recorded sales of £124.2 million in 2016, a 10.3% decline over the £138.4 million turnover of 2015. Operating profit was halved, from £7.7 million in 2015 to £3.2 million in 2016. The company does not break down sales by individual brands, but managing director Richard Collins said in accounts filed with […]
Posted inEDITOR'S CHOICE, NEWS, Research, UK
UK imports of Swiss watches drop 8.5% in July
The Swiss watch industry is bouncing back to health after two years of falling exports. The country notched its third successive month of export growth in July, with the value of watches sold increasing by 3.6% to CHF 1.7 billion. For the the year-to-date, January-July, exports are 0.4% higher than for the same period as […]
Posted inEDITOR'S CHOICE, NEW PRODUCTS, NEWS, UK
Q&A: Italian luxury watchmaker Visconti outlines plans to expand in the UK
Visconti is an Italian luxury house that has been producing pens and more recently watches since 1988. The watchmaker, which manufactures in Florence using Swiss movements, hopes to be the heir to Panerai, which was also founded in the Tuscan city, as WatchPro discovered in this Q&A with the company. WatchPro: What are the unique selling points for […]
Posted inNEWS, UK
Elie Beaumont London looks to match success of Olivia Burton and Cluse
The crowded market for minimalist watches has another entrant with British brand Elie Beaumont hoping to catch the eye of retailers. The company’s current collection uses genuine marble and mother of pearl dials, which offer a clean and clear canvas for the watches, and also mean that each is slightly different. The watches will be introduced to […]
Posted inNEW PRODUCTS, NEWS, UK
French startup develops smart strap that connects to any watch
Imagine wearing a classic timepiece, perhaps a family heirloom, but being able to turn it into a fully functioning connected watch that communicates with a smartphone. This is the promise of French startup Rifft, which has created a watch strap called CT Band that brings the functionality of a smartwatch to traditional timepieces. “For most […]
Posted inEDITOR'S CHOICE, LEAD STORY, NEWS, Others, UK
F.Hinds proves there is still profit at the sub-£500 end of the watch market
F.Hinds has increased operating profit by over 50% in the year ended March 26 2017. The family-owned jeweller, which has around 115 stores throughout the UK, reported a small increase in sales from £60.05 million to £61.44 million. Operating profit rocketed from £2.03 million to £3.08 million, a rise of 51.5%. Company secretary Stephen Cornwall […]
Posted inNEWS, UK
Tour de France on ITV4 sponsorship boosted Watchfinder web traffic by 30%
Watchfinder’s sponsorship of ITV4’s Tour de France coverage boosted visits to the pre-owned watch specialist’s website by 30% in July, the company claims. The watch trading business says that 1.3 million people visited its website in July, an increase of 300,000 in a month. The Tour de France has seen its popularity increase dramatically over […]
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Rotary dips into its history with Oxford collection
Much like Rotary watches, the city of Oxford is steeped in rich history and tradition with the oldest college dating back to the 13th century. Beyond its academic walls Oxford also boasts famous design and architecture, making this a fitting name for Rotary’s latest family. The Oxford family combines classic case shapes with contemporary dial […]
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Q&A: Rotary’s head of design explains the Oxford family
WatchPro spoke to Rotary’s head of design, Matthew O’Neill, about the Oxford family of watches and how it came about. WatchPro: What was the inspiration behind the Oxford family? Matthew O’Neill: We wanted to offer a collection of timepieces that imparted a contemporary edge to a reassuringly classic design. The inspiration behind this family is […]
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Kensington collection is for ladies with style
Pairing extraordinary design with superlative quality, the Kensington collection addresses women’s desire to own wristwatches that make profound style statements. Each of the two Kensington timepieces launched display exquisite characteristics, such as a mesmerising midnight blue dial or a beautiful Austrian crystal Pavé dial. The sparkling midnight blue dial will fly you to the moon […]
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Rotary focuses attention on end consumer
Rotary was established over 120 years ago in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and has grown its global brand presence in over 65 countries with a reputation for style, reliability, quality and value. Having relocated its headquarters to Great Britain back in 1907, Rotary’s timepieces are all conceived, designed and developed in-house in the heart of London, […]
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Less is more with Rotary’s Ultra Slim
With a case profile of just 5.7mm, the new generation Ultra Slim is a refined, classic lightweight watch collection. Each timepiece sits neatly on the wrist with ample room left to slip under a shirt cuff. Each carefully crafted timepiece is equipped with a reliable quartz movement housed in either a 38mm or 27mm polished […]
Posted inEXHIBITIONS, INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY LONDON, NEW PRODUCTS, NEWS, UK
Bateren & Co launches £300 automatic watches at IJL
British startup Bateren & Co Watches is launching its first collection to the trade at September’s International Jeweller London exhibition (IJL). The show takes place from September 3-5 at London Olympia. Bateren & Co’s key collection is the unisex Pacemaker family of sports watches. The pieces, described as refined, solid and versatile, use Japanese automatic movements […]
Posted inEXHIBITIONS, INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY LONDON, NEW PRODUCTS, NEWS, UK
Alexander Shorokhoff presents £40,000 anniversary timepiece at IJL
German watchmaker Alexander Shorokhoff is marking its 25th anniversary in 2017, and is inviting visitors to International Jewellery London (IJL) to join it on its stand to celebrate the occasion. Star of the Alexander Shorokhoff stand will be the Tourbillon Tomorrow watch, which demonstrates the watchmaker’s mastery of advanced horology, gemology and luxury design. The €45,000 […]
Posted inEXHIBITIONS, INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY LONDON, NEW PRODUCTS, NEWS, UK
Wolf prowls for new retail partners with return to IJL in September
Wolf is using next month’s International Jewellery London exhibition to promote its ever-growing range of watch winders, travel accessories and jewellery boxes. One of the most eye-catching collections is the Howard range, which uses a bold and colourful striped pattern across a range of watch winders, watch rolls and other leather accessories. The collection was […]
Posted inEXHIBITIONS, INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY LONDON, NEWS, UK
Distributor promotes Roberto Cavalli and Just Cavalli watches at International Jewellery London
Kenneth Green Associates is exhibiting the latest watch collections from Roberto Cavalli and Just Cavalli at International Jewellery London. The exhibition runs from September 3-5 at London Olympia. KGA has been one of the biggest names in the distribution of prestige perfumes in the UK for several decades, and is using that expertise and contacts […]
Posted inLEAD STORY, NEWS, UK
Growth in London watch sales falls behind the rest of Great Britain for the first time
Annual growth in London watch sales fell behind the rest of Great Britain in July for the first time in a year. The total value of watch sales in London rose by 3.1% in July compared to a year ago, while growth for the rest of the country was 5.3%. July data is the first that can […]
Posted inNEWS, UK
SNEAK PEEK: First look at TAG Heuer’s new boutique in Sheffield’s Meadowhall
Aurum Holdings has opened its monobrand TAG Heuer boutique in Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping mall. It is the third TAG Heuur boutique opened by Aurum Holdings, joining outlets in Chelmsford and London’s Old Spitalfields Market. The Meadowhall boutique takes up 60 square metres and follows the latest design concept from TAG Heuer that highlight’s the brand’s association with sport, […]
Posted inNEWS, UK
Baume & Mercier joins fast-growing Mr Porter watch department
Mr Porter has added Baume & Mercier to its growing line up of Swiss watchmakers. The online gentleman’s website will launch with eleven timepieces from the Clifton Collection, known for its masculine and refined aesthetic. Key models include the newly released Clifton Club models, the Clifton GMT, and the Clifton Club Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, a […]