Clogau Gold creates new heart collection

Brand Clogau Gold has launched a new heart-inspired collection called Close To My Heart. The pendant and set of earrings in the set feature lustrous ribbons of gold that have been twisted into heart shapes and have the Welsh word Cariad engraved on them, which means beloved, sweetheart or darling.

The retail prices for the Close To My Heart collection are £260 for the pendant and £149 for the drop earrings.

Clogau Gold to raise international profile by investing in travel retail

Clogau Gold is hoping to establish itself as an internationally recognised brand by targeting the travel retail sector. The Welsh gold brand has appointed David Butler as head of global sales to drive the initiative forward and will also take its first independent stand at duty free and travel retail exhibition TFWA at Cannes in October.

Clogau Gold is already stocked onboard planes and cruise ships, including large carriers British Airways, Virgin and Air Canada, but the sector represents just 4% of overall sales. Butler, who was part of a team responsible for establishing Hot Diamond’s travel retail business that launched five years ago, said he hopes to increase this percentage but expects the process to be a long-term initiative not a quick fix.

Butler said: “It’s a difficult market to break in to. I don’t see it happening over night; I see it more as a three-year project to develop the brand internationally.”

In addition to increasing its presence onboard aircraft and ships, Butler is hoping to make alliances with airport retailers.

Travel retail operators tend to demand high margins from brands, up to 70%, so there are no quick financial gains to be made in the sector. However, Butler believes that it is an important profile-raising step that will help it breaking into new international markets, such as the US.