SCOTTISH jewellery retailer Chisholm Hunter has revealed ­turnover is running 26 per cent ahead of its last financial year, in a period which has seen it boost its headcount to 270 from 200 staff.

The Glasgow-based diamond merchant, owned by Harry and Tracey Brown, highlighted its progress as it prepared to open its 24th store on Friday - in time for the crucial Christmas trading period.

Based at the Gyle Shopping Centre, the outlet is the company's second in Edinburgh and fourth opening of 2014.

The retailer has invested in excess of £1 million in the store, taking its total spend on unit expansion to £4m in the current financial year.

Mr Brown said the 26 per cent growth in headcount it has seen this year has led it to double the size of its head office in Glasgow city centre to support the training needs of the expanded team.

The gemologist, who acquired the business when it had one store 26 years ago, said: "We're more than doubling our training investment this year - the new space is going to facilitate quite a lot of additional training.

"Obviously the estate now goes from Inverness down to Kingston, so that gives us challenges in terms of investment and the number of people we have now as well."

Chisholm Hunter, which was named independent multiple retailer of the year at the UK Watch and Jewellery Awards for the third time in July, has opened two stores in the south of England this year.

The stores in Bromley in Kent and in Kingston-upon-Thames, London, were complemented by the opening of a fourth store in Glasgow's Argyll Arcade, which launched in a former Watches of Switzerland unit in July.

Those launches followed the ­opening of two units in Glasgow - one at Silverburn and the other in the Argyll Arcade - and the launch of a store in Falkirk last year.

But while acquisitions have been a feature of the business over the past two years, Mr Brown insists the retailer is under no pressure to continue adding to the estate.

He said: "I think the benefit of a family business is that we can take a medium to long-term view on things. Therefore we do not have shareholders saying you have got to open up 10 stores in the next two years and you end up with eight wrong ones, which is what appears to happen with some.

"We can take a longer term view on things and focus more on quality; quality of people hopefully, quality of stock, total quality of offer."

Sixteen of Chisholm Hunter's outlets are in Scotland, with the balance in England.

Asked if the firm was homing in on any particular location for its next opening, Mr Brown said it was "open to looking at proposals".

Noting that he detects improvements in consumer confidence, he said: "There are quite a few people maybe retiring wanting to sell ­businesses and coming to us now, which can be interesting.

"It just depends on whether they meet our criteria."

On the company's latest opening, the jeweller hopes its ­location means it will attract tourists stopping off en route to Edinburgh Airport.

He also welcomes the ­presence of a Beaverbrooks outlet across the mall, believing that healthy competition is positive and that the existence of two jewellery stores will make it a destination for shoppers.

Mr Brown added: "The tram lines I would have thought would be good for that too, so we're excited about the Gyle."

Asked how important the Christmas period is to the overall business, he added: "It is critical for every retailer, I believe. Without Christmas, there would be very few retailers out there. We have a tried and tested formula, but we are always open to improving that formula.

"We are always looking for great ideas, be that from the UK, the States or further afield to improve what we are doing."

While he is satisfied with the range Chisholm Hunter will present in its stores this Christmas, as well as its seasonal marketing activity, Mr Brown said are no guarantees sales will be strong.

He said: "The problem is that I'm not the boss - that's the customer. If the boss invests in a piece of jewellery or a watch, that tells us we have got it right."

The most up-to-date accounts for Chisholm Hunter show it made pre- tax profits of £2.8 million in the year ended March 31, up from £2.1m the year before.

Turnover rose to £24.9m from £18.9m in 2013.