Gatsby fever brings out the jewellery shoppers

QUEENSLANDERS are going gaga for glamour as the blockbuster, The Great Gatsby, incites shoppers to put the sparkle back into the jewellery industry.

Kate Cross

QUEENSLANDERS are going for glamour as the blockbuster film, The Great Gatsby, inspires shoppers to put the sparkle back into the jewellery industry.

Sales of diamonds and Gatsby-inspired accessories have boomed since the film's release earlier this year, helping to boost retail trading.

Shiels Jewellers director Toby Bensimon said the hype around the Hollywood extravaganza has helped reignite shoppers' taste for luxury, putting the sparkle back into jewellery sales.

"The Great Gatsby has been amazing for the jewellery industry," Mr Bensimon said.

"Jewellery became a massive status symbol in the Roaring '20s and it was a pivotal era for jewellery. The industry has struggled over the past couple of years but things have really started to turn around."

Shiels Jewellers continues to buck the retail trend, expanding its operations throughout the country.

During the past year, the jewellery giant has opened nine new stores in Queensland and now operates more than 50 stores nationwide.

The company has turned over almost $100 million since January this year, above projected forecasts.

Mr Bensimon said the secret to success was their ability to offer a large range of products and the latest in jewellery trends.

"We are always keeping a keen eye on trends like the Great Gatsby and ensuring we shave our prices close to the bone," he said.

Shiels hopes to open another 50 to 60 stores within the next five years and establish a local distribution centre in Brisbane.

"We are here to create jobs and we are here to stay," he said.

Shiels' latest store at the newly renovated Indooroopilly Shopping Centre will showcase their collection of flawless cut diamonds, perfectly sculpted in heart-shaped facets in the Gatsby-inspired range.