LONDON, July 19, 2009 – The 2009 UK Jewellery Awards, set in the sumptuous Great Room of the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, were a welcome tonic for the trade in the midst of a deep recession.
A sense of solidarity pervaded the occasion on July 16, which brought together hundreds of retail jewellers, designers and marketers in their best finery, determined to party till late.
Jewellers talked privately of stagnant sales and difficult markets, but many identified bright spots and opportunities for growth overseas, as far away as the Far East.
Just as Van Cleef & Arpels have opened a store in Milan, and Damiani on Bond Street, there is a sense that business will recover into next year as economic activity fires up again.
Strategy is becoming all-important, as retail jewellers scout for the best locations for their new stores in order to guarantee solid long-term business prospects.
Jewellers have survived economic crises before, and will see out the present downturn too.
www.ukjewelleryawards.co.uk
