Shopping channel QVC unveils first high street shop as turnover shines
QVC, one of the world’s biggest shopping channels, will launch its first pop-up shop on the British high street today.
The temporary Diamonique store – selling QVC’s own range of imitation diamonds – is opening in Hatton Garden today with prices ranging from £21 to £743.
The new retail offering comes as the company announced its viewing figures had risen by 10 per cent over the last year, to 7.6m a month, with sales up five per cent to £387.2m.
The firm hopes to piggyback on the soaring value of gold and diamonds, which have caused the price of jewellery to shoot upwards over the last year. Diamonds have seen their value rise 27 per cent since last year, a report by Cap Gemini said in July, and London-listed commodities firms such as Petra Diamonds and Gem Diamonds have reported surging profits for the latest quarter.
Emily Gilkes, jewellery buyer at QVC said: “Beautiful jewellery should be attainable for everyone. Our Diamonique offering is expertly cut by hand in the same way that natural diamonds are to enhance the clarity, colour, cut and brilliance of every piece.”
QVC was founded in the US in 1986 and now broadcasts in the UK, Italy, Germany and Japan to close to 200m households.
The company is owned by US conglomerate Liberty Media, and employs 2,000 people in the UK.
QVC recently released a jewellery line designed by model Heidi Klum.