Loans, overdrafts and long-term debt - Additional Information (Detail)				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May. 19, 2014 USD ($)	May. 15, 2014 USD ($)	Feb. 19, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 01, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 01, 2014 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	May. 29, 2014 USD ($)	May. 24, 2011 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amortization of financing costs				$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 2,600,000	$ 6,500,000
Revolving credit facility								$ 0
Securitization facility				600,000,000	600,000,000	600,000,000	600,000,000	600,000,000
Bank Overdrafts				70,100,000	53,200,000	70,100,000	53,200,000	71,600,000
Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from debt, net of issuance costs				$ 0	0	$ 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
Weighted average interest rate				1.18%		1.18%
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				1,900,000	600,000	1,900,000	600,000	900,000
Amortization of financing costs				400,000	300,000	1,000,000	600,000
Revolving credit facility				147,000,000	145,000,000	147,000,000	145,000,000
Letters of credit outstanding				21,300,000	21,600,000	21,300,000	21,600,000	25,400,000
Credit Facility | Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount				400,000,000		400,000,000
Amount outstanding				$ 372,500,000		$ 372,500,000
Weighted average interest rate				1.46%		1.46%
May 2011 Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amortization of financing costs							900,000
Securitization Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount		$ 600,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity period		2 years
Weighted average interest rate				1.56%		1.56%
Accumulated Amortization of Noncurrent Deferred Finance Costs				$ 1,900,000	600,000	$ 1,900,000	600,000	900,000
Debt issuance cost				2,800,000
Amortization of financing costs				$ 300,000	400,000	$ 1,000,000	600,000
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						$ 4,000,000	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				1,000,000	300,000	1,000,000	300,000	$ 500,000
Amortization of financing costs				200,000	200,000	500,000	300,000
Stated interest rate	4.70%
Proceeds from debt, net of issuance costs	$ 393,900,000			$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 398,400,000