Loans, overdrafts and long-term debt - Additional Information (Detail)				3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	May. 19, 2014 USD ($)	May. 15, 2014 USD ($)	Feb. 19, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 01, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 02, 2014 USD ($)	May. 03, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 01, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 02, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	May. 29, 2014 USD ($)	May. 24, 2011 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amortization of financing costs				$ 700,000	$ 4,500,000		$ 1,600,000	$ 5,500,000
Revolving credit facility				0	0		0	0	$ 0
Securitization facility				600,000,000	600,000,000		600,000,000	600,000,000	600,000,000
Bank Overdrafts				51,600,000	10,100,000		51,600,000	10,100,000	71,600,000
Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from debt, net of issuance costs				0	400,000,000		$ 0	400,000,000
Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity											$ 400,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity period							5 years
Covenant, maximum leverage ratio							2.50
Covenant, minimum coverage ratio							1.40
Deferred Finance Costs, Noncurrent, Gross				6,700,000			$ 6,700,000
Accumulated Amortization of Noncurrent Deferred Finance Costs				1,500,000	300,000		1,500,000	300,000	900,000
Amortization of financing costs				300,000	300,000		600,000	300,000
Letters of credit outstanding				21,900,000	20,300,000		21,900,000	20,300,000	25,400,000
Credit Facility | Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount				400,000,000			400,000,000
Amount outstanding				$ 380,000,000			$ 380,000,000
Weighted average interest rate				1.45%			1.45%
May 2011 Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amortization of financing costs					700,000			900,000
Securitization Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount		$ 600,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity period		2 years
Weighted average interest rate				1.54%			1.54%
Accumulated Amortization of Noncurrent Deferred Finance Costs				$ 1,600,000	200,000		$ 1,600,000	200,000	900,000
Debt issuance cost				2,800,000
Amortization of financing costs				$ 300,000	200,000		$ 700,000	200,000
Year One | Credit Facility | Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Quarterly repayment rate				5.00%			5.00%
Year Two | Credit Facility | Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Quarterly repayment rate				7.50%			7.50%
Year Three | Credit Facility | Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Quarterly repayment rate				10.00%			10.00%
Year Four | Credit Facility | Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Quarterly repayment rate				12.50%			12.50%
Year Five | Credit Facility | Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Quarterly repayment rate				15.00%			15.00%
Zale
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount										$ 1,400,000,000
Zale | Unsecured Bridge Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount			$ 800,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity period			364 days
Deferred Finance Costs, Noncurrent, Gross					4,000,000			4,000,000
Amortization of financing costs					3,200,000	$ 800,000		4,000,000
Signet UK Finance plc | Senior Unsecured Notes Due in 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount	$ 400,000,000
Deferred Finance Costs, Noncurrent, Gross				$ 7,000,000			$ 7,000,000
Accumulated Amortization of Noncurrent Deferred Finance Costs				800,000	100,000		800,000	100,000	$ 500,000
Amortization of financing costs				100,000	100,000		300,000	100,000
Stated interest rate	4.70%
Proceeds from debt, net of issuance costs	$ 393,900,000			$ 0	$ 398,400,000		$ 0	$ 398,400,000