Waterford Crystal has presented its inaugural jewellery collection in travel retail, partnering with Harding Brothers, Emirates, Shannon Group (including Shannon Airport) and DFDS Seaways, Europe’s leading cruise and ferry operator.
The collection includes necklaces, earrings, rings and tennis and stackable bracelets in contemporary and classic designs. All pieces are in sterling silver, carry the brand’s seahorse symbol and are hallmarked by the Dublin Assay Office.
Waterford Crystal said its move into travel retail was a natural progression following the brand’s roll-out in domestic markets last year.
Oscar Graves (Waterford’s global jewellery distributor) Managing Director Pearse Curran said: “While style and quality are paramount to Waterford’s success there seems to be a real appetite for a brand with heritage and history included in the offering.
“People are instinctively attracted to the Waterford brand. The name instantly creates a feeling of trust, style and quality.”
DFDS Category Manager Will Attersley commented: “We have recognised that our passengers are looking to trade up to more premium jewellery, so we see Waterford as being an excellent addition to our onboard jewellery offer.
“The brand heritage, name recognition and the quality of the sterling silver jewellery are a great match for our passengers’ requirements. This is an exciting launch into travel retail and we look forward to it being a success.”
Curran said the brand’s new retail partners were “perfect matches” for Waterford jewellery. “Their enthusiasm for style was immediate and their appreciation of quality was very much evident. Combining these attributes with a solid market knowledge of their customer profile made our decision an easy and enjoyable one. We very much look forward to working with them.”
Waterford has developed a new self-serve free-standing display unit to support the launch in travel retail.
