Actress - Krombholz Jewelers · by Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers. 18K yellow gold necklace featuring Aquamarines (14.45 ctw.), Emeralds (7.45 ctw.) and Diamonds (1.00 ctw.) by

The Ultimate Resource for Building a Better Business • Volume 4, Issue 5 • July/August 2013

Yael Page 41

CorneliaGoldsmithPage 40

ActressChristine Marzano

Styles in Color

6 The Jewelry Business Magazine

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40

Table of conTenTs

July/augusT 2013

8 The JcK RoundupBy Frank Dallahan

10 The Wheels on the bus go ‘Round and ‘Round By John A. Politi

14 Daily communication Is The Key To great ResultsBy David Brown

16 Why Is blogging so Important?By Matthew A Perosi

18 Watch TalkBy Charles Cohen

22 grow your business In challenging economic TimesBy Ed Coyne

26 Prevent Three-Minute burglariesBy David Sexton

30 new and noteworthy

40 The style Page

46 advertiser’s Index

41

40

42

COVER: Courtesy of the AGTA - Photographer – Roger Erickson. Fashion Stylist – Tod Hallman, THP Fashion, Inc. Hair – Sienree Du for Celestine Agency. Makeup – Patrick Tumey for Celestine Agency. Manicure – Beth Fricke for Artist By Timothy Priano Agency – using OPI. Prop Stylist: Roxanne Knouse for Artmix Agency.

Gold: 18K white gold “Lady leaf” earrings featuring Jade leaf drops (53 ctw.) accented with Opal (5.5 ctw.), white Diamonds (.36 ctw.) and black Diamond ladybugs (.45 ctw.) by Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers. 18K yellow gold necklace featuring Aquamarines (14.45 ctw.), Emeralds (7.45 ctw.) and Diamonds (1.00 ctw.) by Jennifer Dawes, Dawes Design. 18K yellow gold floral ring featuring a pair of pear-shaped mint Tourmalines (8.24 ctw.) accented with Diamonds (.13 ctw.) by Carla Morrison, Carla Morrison Fine Jewelry. 18K white and pink gold double scroll, split shank “Crushed” cocktail ring featuring 8.54 ct. Australian Opalized Wood and accented with paraiba Tourmalines (.87 ctw.) by Pamela Froman, Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry. Ivory Cocktail Dress - George Charka. Shoes - Jerome Roussou Gold Heels.

42


Thisyear’sJCKShowbroughttheexpectedarrayofretailers,manufacturers, and other service providers to the industryshow.The show is alsoanappropriate venue fornewsor insomecasesholdingnewsbackuntiltheshowisover.Adramaticexampleofholdingnewsbackwas thesudden,unexpectedanddramaticdepartureofDonnaBakerfromGIAjustaftertheshow.Thereasoncitedinabrieflywordedpressreleasewas“differingviewsonthedirectionoftheorganization.”

For someone to “resign” such a position indicates a veryseriousdisagreementamongtheparties that likelyhasbeenbrewingforsometime.Thoseontheinsidearekeepingmumonthestory.Thisfactisanotherindicationofthedisagreementthat led to thisdecisionandconclusion.Many timeswhenakeyexecutivelikeBakerresignsabruptly, it isasignofsomeserious breach of the expected behavior of the executivethatpits theboardagainst the individual.Anexample is therecent departure of the head of Penney’s. In that case theseriousbreachwas theexecutive’sdecision to force throughavarietyofchangesinPenney’soperationscoveringproducts,pricing,andpersonnel.Theensuingdecline inrevenuesandprofitabilitywerethereasonsforhisresignation.

No such breach of behavior has been uncovered in theBakerresignation.Accordingtoreliablesources,thefinancialperformanceofGIAisdescribedassatisfactory.RulingoutapoorfinancialperformanceoftheInstitute,weareleftwithafewothergeneralpossibilities.Differingviewsonthedirectionoftheorganizationisanon-specificreasonforthedeparture.WhatstrategicdirectionalissuescouldGIAbeconsideringthatwould result in her resignation? Certainly, over Baker’s tenure, theInstitute’sgrowthinthenumberoflaboratoriesthroughoutthe world has been impressive. Moreover, GIA’s expansiongloballyhasbeeninlinewiththeInstitute’smissionstatement.Could themore immediate reason be a management styleissue?

TherealityisthatMs.BakertookthereinsofGIAatacriticalperiod after the grading scandal and provided effectiveleadership to the organization in a difficult time.Over time,more of the details of this story will emerge. At this time,though,GIAiswisetokeepfocusoncontrollinginformationsothatthefocusisonGIAandnotBaker’sdeparture.

The second story that occurred during the JCK Show wasthe reactionof severalmanufacturers to a letter datedApril30, 2013 sent fromJVC to18 JCKexhibitors advising themthey couldnot claim“made inAmerica” status unless all ofthe components in their products originated in theUS. In asubsequent conversation with Cecilia Gardner, President,CEO&GeneralCounselof JVC,Cecilia stated that shehas

addressed this question for fourteen years in seminars, JVCpublications, and in personal conversations. She told methe law is clear. There is no ambiguity. The entire productand its components (diamonds, gemstones) must originateintheUnitedStatestoqualifyfor“MadeinAmerica”status.Gardner stated that a legally acceptable alternative is thephrase “Made in the USA with imported parts or importedgemstones.”Anotheracceptablephraseis:“AssembledintheUSA.”Curiouslyenough,foreignmanufacturersareheldtoadifferentstandard.Aslongasthefinishedproduct, includinganyimportedgemstones,isputtogetherinChina,forexample,thephrase“MadeinChinaisacceptable.Whythesamelogicdoes not apply in the law to American manufacturers is acuriousdifference.

The more interesting question however is: who and whatprompted at the time immediately before the show thisadvisoryletterfromJVCtotheexhibitorswhoclaim“MadeinUSA”status.JVC’slong-standingpolicyistokeepconfidentialcomplainingpartiessotherewillbenoanswertothatquestion.

Aninterestingsurveywouldbetoaskindependentretailjewel-ersiftheyconsideraringdesigned,cast,polished,finished,andsetinAmericacontainingadiamondorothergemstonecouldbeor shouldbeconsidered legally tobemade inAmerica.Asimilarsurveyofconsumerswouldalsobeinteresting.

At theconclusionofmyconversationwithCeciliaGardner, Iasked if this matter would proceed to legal enforcement.Theanswerispossibly.UndertheLanhamAct,lawsuitscouldbe initiated and the other possibility for legal action is thataggrieved competitors could actually file a suit against theoffendingmanufacturers.

Mysenseisthattheentirematterismuchadoaboutnothing.Itislikelythatacompetitivegroupisbehindthiswristslaptogetthemanufacturerstoceaseusingthe“MadeinAmerica”phrase.TheAmericanmanufacturersontheotherhandmaybewisetoconsideralobbyingeffortwiththeirCongressionalrepresentativestoamendthelawsothatdomesticmanufac-turersaresubjecttothesamedefinitionsforclaiming“MadeWherever.”

Tobecontinued…

[email protected]

Frank Dallahan

ORGANIZATION

The JCK Roundup

Recently,TheWallStreetJournalstatedthefollowing,“It’sawellknownfactthatthepooreryouare,themore likelyyouaren’t as well off as you were before the recession.” As amatterof fact,adjustingfor inflationandpopulationgrowth,percapitanetworth isabout12%below its2007pre-GreatRecessionpeak. Inmy lastcolumn,“Lies,DamnLies and Statistics,” I raised the likelihood thatourbeancounters,numbercrunchers,andrecordkeepers in Washington, D.C., weren’t being all thatstraightwithus regardingeither the rateofinflation or the unemployment rate.Now,we’refinding Ben&Co. at the Federal Reserve Bankstartingtoshareabitofballyhoowithustoo.TheFedReportsboastthatAmericanHouseholdshaveregainedthegroundlostintheGreatRecession,but please just don’t adjust the number forinflation.Withoutwantingtobeatargetforaripetomatopelting,IstillbelievethattheFedshouldmaintainitsmonetarypolicyindependence,BUT,andthat’sabigbut,weneedtobevigilantbecausecontrarytoeverythingwe’rebeingtold,theriskfactorshaveincreaseddramatically.Besides, it’s becoming increasing difficult to believe anyinformationprovidedtous,economically-speaking.

It’s time that the JewelryManufacturer and Jewelry Retailerbegintoseriouslythinkhardabouttheriskintheirportfolios.Their portfolios are the products manufactured and theproductssold-ifyourememberaswellasIdo,thatusedtobeprimarilygoldjewelry.AmItheonlyonethatbelievesthatourfriendsattheWorldGoldCouncilservedtheJewelryIndustryup to Wall Street on a platter and aided and abetted the dramaticriseinthepriceofgold?Thesinglemostimportantfundamental factor influencinggoldprice levels, trends,anddirectionsisinvestordemandforgold.

AsstatedonWikipedia,“TheWorldGoldCouncilisanon-profitassociationoftheworld’s23leadinggoldminingcompanies,established in 1987 to promote the use of gold. It aims tostimulate demand for gold from industry, consumers, andinvestors.Itrepresentsapproximately60%ofglobalcorporate

goldproduction.Ifyou’refamiliarwithSPDRGoldShares,thelargestunitinvestmenttrustin the world for gold, than you now trulyunderstandthebusinessthattheWorldGoldCouncil is in!Within theProspectus for theSPDRGold fund youwill read, “TheTrust’sSponsor isWorldGold Trust Services, LLC,or WGTS, which is wholly-owned by theWorldGoldCouncil,orWGC,anot-for-profitassociationregisteredunderSwisslaw.”PriortotherunupinthepriceofgoldtheWGCactuallyaccomplishedmanygoodthingsonbehalf of our industry. They’re probably a

groupofreallynicepeoplejusthavingfuninthesunrelaxinginoneofthosewonderfullycomfortabledarkpoolsthatwe’rehearingsomuchaboutthesedaysfromFinra.

RecentlyIcameacrosssomethoughtsfromJeffreyChristian,Founder of the CPM Group. Mr. Christian is consideredto be one of the world’s most knowledgeable experts onpreciousmetalsmarkets and commodities. Back in January,Mr.Christianposedthequestion,“Whatistherisk-freegoldprice?”Westartoffwiththepresumptionthatthereexistsarisk-freeasset,and that theexpected returnon thatasset isknown.Theexpectedreturnonariskyassetisthenestimatedastherisk-freerate(i.e.,theexpectedreturnontherisk-freeasset) plus an expected risk premium. In practice however,there are two major issues that we have to consider when

10 The Jewelry Business MagazineThe Jewelry Business MagazineThe Jewelry Business Magazine

The Wheels On the Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round

>> Continued to Pg 12

By John A. Politi

CONTROL

I still believe that the fed should maintain its

monetary policy independence, buT, and that’s a big but,

we need to be vigilant because contrary

to everything we’re being told, the risk

factors have increased dramatically.


estimatingrisk-freerates.Thefirstrelatestothedefinitionofarisk-freesecurity,andthecharacteristicssuchasecurityneedsto possess. The second applies when there are no risk-freeassets, and examines how best to eliminate a risk-free rateundertheseconditions.

EarlierthisyearTheCPMgroupplacedavalueontherisk-freerateofgoldatapprox.$1000peroz(GoldclosedonJune7at$1383/oz–representinga+28%riskpremium).Mostimportanttonoteisthat,“Therisk-freepriceofgoldisnotthelowpricetowhichwe reasonablymight expect gold prices to declinein thecurrentand foreseeableeconomicenvironment. It is along-termbasepricetowhichgoldpricestheoreticallymightbeexpectedtodeclineinanenvironmentthatwasfreeofthepolitical, economic, and financial risks that drive investors tobuygold.Pleaseallowmeagaintorequestthatyouthinklongandhardabouttheriskinyourportfolio.IsitanywonderthatsomanyfinecompaniesandtheirownershavesoldtheirfirmstotheRichlineGroup.Trustme,theyseethewritingonthewall.

Ask Mr. Carville and he’ll tell you, “It’s the ECONOMYSTUPID!” The spin-doctors are hard at work talking upAmerica’ssubparrecovery.Thankstothestatisticsthatwe’rebeingforcefed–fallingunemployment,risinghomevalues,andrecordstockprices,anemergingconsensusofforecasters,marketparticipants,andpolicymakershasnowconcludedthattheAmericanconsumerisfinallyback.Don’tbelieveit.Overthe21quarters since2008, real (inflation-adjusted)personalconsumption has risen at an average annual rate of just0.9% - themost protracted period ofweakness in real U.S.consumerdemandsincetheendofWorldWar II.Theworstconsumer recession in modern history, featuring a recordcollapseindurable-goodsexpendituresin2008-2009,shouldhavetriggeredanoutsizesurgeofpent-upconsumerdemand.Yet, it did anything but that. We were left with an anemic3% annualized growth rate. The only demographic groupswith truediscretionaryspendingpowerare thewealthy,andjusthowmanyhighendwatchesaretheygoingtokeeponpurchasing.

Thisholidayseasonwon’tbemuchdifferentthanlastyear.98%oftheindustry’smanufacturersandretailerswillprobablyhave

relativelystaticsalesandeitherlosemoneyorjusteekoutasmallprofit.Noonewillactuallyadmitit,though.Ourindustryhaschanged,andthosethathavenotrecognizedthisremainonaslipperyslope.That’snottosaythatall’sforsaken.Thingsjustwon’tbeasglamorousgoingforward.Noteveryonewillbe lucky enough, though, to sell their business to a hugeconglomeratewithverydeeppockets.Somewillclose,otherswilldieslowly,andothersbythegraceofGodwillcontinuetheir magic act. The time is to look seriously now at yourfinancialplansandjusthowyouwillbeabletomaintainthestandardof livingyou’vebecomeaccustomedto living.Thelastthinganyonewantstoexperienceisactuarialruin–thatis,tooutliveyoursavings.MakeanappointmentandvisityourTaxAttorney,CPA,PersonalFinancialAdvisor,andInsuranceAgent–seewhattheyhavetosay.Moreimportantly,dowhatyou really need to do.

Author’s Note: Please consult with your CFP®, Financial Advisor, CPA and/or Estate/Tax/Eldercare Attorney when discussing your fi nancial needs and developing the appropriate personal/business fi nancial plan.

JohnPolitiisaFinancialAdvisorwithMainStreetFinancialSolutions,LLC,andManagingDirectoroftheirofficeslocatedinHarrison,NY.John’steamprovidescomprehensiveandcustomized,Fee-Basedfinancialplanning,consultationandinvestmentadvisoryservicesforindividuals,familiesandbusinesses.Since2011,JohnhasvolunteeredhistimeastheExecutiveDirectoroftheNewYorkCity-basedJewelersforVeteransFoundation,a501(c)(3)non-profit,dedicated

toconnectingUSMilitaryVeteranswithtraining,financialeducation&employmentinthejewelryindustry.JohnwasrecentlynamedanAdjunctProfessorandDirectoroftheActionLearningProject,HaganSchoolofBusiness,IonaCollege.JohnholdsanMBAinFinancialManagement,MBA-AdvancedCertificateinHealthCareManagement,Series65(InvestmentAdvisorRepresentative),andsuccessfullycompletedtheFinancialPlanningCertificateProgramattheLubinSchoolofBusiness,PaceUniversity.HeisaBoardDirectorfortheFinancialPlanningAssociation-GreaterHudsonValley,NY,anactivememberoftheAmericanCollegeofHealthCareExecutives,andthe24KTClubofNewYork.Johnwelcomesyourinputandcanbecontactedat,[email protected],ortelephone(914)–517-7574,fax(914)517-7577.

John A. Politi, Jr

The risk-free price of gold is not the low price to which we reasonably might expect gold prices to decline in the current and foreseeable economic environment.

The Wheels On the Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round


One of the biggest frustrations that staff members expresswithbusinessownersisthelackofcommunication.It’seasytohappen.Youthinkeveryonehasbeenputintheloopforwhat’shappeningonly tofindthoseyouthoughtwere in theknowhadn’t heard a thing.

Theresultoffailingtocommunicateregularlyismorethanjustuninformedstaff.Itcanmakeyoulooksillytoyourcustomers–I’veseenmorethanoneoccasionwhereacustomercomesintoaskaboutaproductadvertisedonlytofindthestaffmemberhasnoideawhattheyaretalkingabout!Theimpactisalossofcredibilitytoyourcustomersbutalsopoorcommunicationcanbecomelikeadiseasetoyourteam.Thepositivefeelingsof your staff are directly in proportion to the amount ofcommunicationgoingonwithinthebusiness.Themoretheyareawareofwhat’shappeningandwhat’sexpectedofthemthehappier theywillbe.Showmeastorewithpoormoraleand I’ll show you a store with staff whose owner/managerdoesn’ttalktothemenough.

But it’s not just about the communication of housekeepingmatters.Businesseswhotalktotheirstaffregularlyandkeeptheminformedastohowthebusinessisperformingfindtheirstaff tobemoremotivated than thosewhodon’t. It’s abouthaving a purpose for coming to work. Put yourself in theirshoes–ifyoudidn’tknowwhatwasgoingonwouldyoustarttofeelfrustratedanddisillusioned?Everyonelikestobepartofateamworkingtowardsacommongoal–it’swhennooneknows what the goal is that things can start to falter. Yourbiggestresponsibilityasabusinessownerwithstaffistoleadyourteam-andattheforefrontofthatisstrongcommunicationacrosseveryoneinyourbusiness.

Businessisjustlikeasport–exceptyoudon’tgetyourclothesdirty!Youstillhaveaplayingfield,youstillhaveopposition,youstillhaveteammates…andyoustillneedregularhuddles.The best business huddle is the dailymeeting. This shouldfollowasetagendaeachdayandfocusonthekeyareasofinformation thatstaffmembersneedtoknow.Amongthesekeyareasarethetwomostimportant:

Where we are now?Where are we going?

Ifyouaren’tkeepingyourstaffinformedofwhatthemonthly/annualbudgetisandhowyouaretrackingcomparedtoitthenyouareaskingthemtoplaythegamewithoutascoreboard.

Whatcoachwouldexpecthisteamtoplayandnottellthemwhatthescoreis?Whethertheyareaheadorbehind?

Ifyouhaveanumberofstaffworkingsplitshiftsthenthiscanstill be dealtwith.All the information for the dailymeetingneeds to be recorded in a diary and ensure that the samemessagegetspassedonbyappropriatestaffasnewpeoplestarttheirshift.Thiswayeveryonegetsthesameinformation.

Inadditiontothetwokeypointsabove,themeetingshouldcoveravarietyoftopicsincluding:

■Housekeeping.

■KPI’s(keyperformanceindicators)suchasconversionratio,averageretailvalue,marginetc.

■Proceduralupdates.Anychangesinthesystemorhowyou do things

■Itemclearance.Waysandmeanstomoveoldpiecesthataren’t selling

■ Who is present and who is away

■Customerissues

■Othertopicsasyouseefit

■Theprimaryemphasishoweverneedstobesales.Howthebusinessisperformingandwhereitneedstogo.

Ifyouhaven’torganizedregularstaffmeetingsthendosonow.Theycanbechairedbytheowneroraseniorstaffmember,andnotescanbekeptforthosewhoareunabletoattendatthattime.Havecasualstaffgetintothehabitofcheckingthemeetingsnotewhentheyarriveatworktostayinformedastowhathasbeendiscussed.

Don’tgiveanyonetheexcuseofsayingtheydidn’tknow.

CONTROL

DAILY COMMUNICATION

IsTheKeyToGreatResults

DavidBrownisPresidentoftheEdgeRetailAcademy,anorganizationdevotedtotheongoingmeasurementandgrowthofjewelrystoreperformanceandprofitability.ForfurtherinformationabouttheAcademy’smanagementmentoringandindustrybenchmarkingreportscontactCarolDruanatcarol@edgeretailacademy.comorPhonetollfree(877)5698657

David Brown

By David Brown


PLANNING

IntheJune issueofTheRetailJeweler,Iexplainedthatyoucanusestorytellingasamethodofmarketingyourwebsite.This storytelling process is calledblogging,andit’samuchdifferenttypeofmarketingthantraditionaladvertising.Previously,Iexplainedtechnicalaspectsabout blogging software and linkingtechniques,butthistimeI’dliketoexplainwhy blogging is such an importantmarketingtoolandiswhatinprofessionalmarketingcirclesisanewand importantpartof themarketingmix:advertising,salespromotion,directmail,personalselling,publicrelationsand nowwith the development of the Internet, blogging isaddedtothemix..

Withtraditionaladvertisementsyoucreateit,payforthemediaplacement,directed toyour targetaudienceand thenhopethat interestedcustomerswill seeand respond to your ads.On the other hand, with blogging you publish a story online thatpotentialcustomerswilleventuallyfindwhentheysearchBingorGoogle.

GoogleandBingwillreadandsaveall the stories you publish online, although they call them “blogentries” instead of “stories.” It’salso common practice to say youare “posting a blog” rather than

“publishingablog,”buttheconceptisthesameandthegoalistogiveGoogleandBingsomethingnewtoread.Inreality,theyarenotactuallyreadingyourblogentries,butrathertheyaresimplysavingyourwordsintheirdatabase.

Blogging became an important part of the marketing mixbecauseGoogleandBingmatchthosesavedwordsfromyourblogtothephrasesthatpeopletypeintosearch.Asuccessfulmatch of your words to searched phrases will make yourwebsite listing appear in theGoogle andBing results. Thatlisting, in effect, becomes an advertisement for your store.Throughbloggingand the searchprocess, yourprospectivecustomersseeyourstorywhentheyneedtoseeit.

Dependingon theblogging software you choose, andhowyou set it up, you have the ability to show or hide the date you postedyourblog.A fewyears ago itwas standardpracticetoincludethepostingdateforyourblogs,butnowitseemslikemanyblogwritersarehiding thedatesaltogether.As it

turnsoutGoogleandBinguseafewfactors to figure out when you firstpublishedyourblogonline,themostobvious is the posting date. They then use this date as a method ofranking your website.

Blogpostswith recentdatesusuallyrank much higher in search resultsthan older dated posts. Likewise,

blog posts that show dates will usually outrank similar blogposts with hidden dates. Google continually recommendsthe“creationofnewqualitycontent,”whichmeanstheywantyoutowriteandpublishnewstoriesfrequently.Manyjewelerscan’tmaintainthefrequencythatGooglerecommends,sotheychoosetohidetheirpublicationdates.

Youmighthaveawellwrittenengagementstorypublishedtoyour blog but it will still look unprofessional if nothing newwaspublishedintwoyears.Hidingthedateonlyhidesitfromreaders,notfromsearchenginesbecausetheycanreadotherdateinformationfromyourwebsite.Thesearchengines’goalis tosatisfy theuserandtheyalwayswant tomakesure theuser has themost up to date information. Outdated blogsusuallyindicateabandonedwebsites,auncaringbusiness,orbusinessesinfinancialdistress.Thesethreereasonsareenoughtolowertherankingofawebsitewithanoutdatedblog.

Therearetimeswhenitmakessensetohidethedatesforyourposts.Whenyoupublisheducationalinformationlikethe4C’sofDiamonds there isnoneed to includeapublicationdatesincethatinformationwon’tevergooutofdate;thistypeofinformationisknownas“EvergreenContent.”

Themostsuccessfulwebsiteshavenewcontentaddedweekly,orevendaily.Itwilltakeawhiletoimplementroutinesuccessfulblogging,butitcanbeaneffectiveandrewardingelementinyourmarketingmix.

By Matthew A. Perosi

MatthewPerosiistheFounderoftheJewelerWebsiteAdvisoryGroup(jWAG),aresearchteamdevotedtoreportinghowjewelerscanusewebsites,mobiletechnology,andmarketingtrendstofurtherpersonaland

jewelrystoregoals.Alibraryofarticles,videos,andanarchiveofjWAGdailyemail“Nuggets”isfreelyavailableatwww.jwag.biz.Matthewinvitesyourfeedbackatmatt@jwag.biz.

Matthew A Perosi

WHY is blogging so important?

18 The Jewelry Business Magazine >> Continued to Pg 20

wATCH TALK

By Charles Cohen

WebelievesellingandstockingSwissbrandedwatchesisgoodforthejeweler.Thewatchsaleisusuallyaprofitablesalewhichbringsstoretrafficandoftenleadstootherimportantdiamondandjewelrybusiness.

Today,theSwisswatchmarketisdoingverywell,sellingincreasingvaluesalmostallovertheworld. Best selling aremechanical watches formen and diamondwatches for ladies, all inrangesover$1,000andup.ParticularlystrongarethewelladvertisedbrandsincludingwatchesfromRolex,Patek,SwatchGroup,LVMHandRichemont.Nevertheless,thewatchfutureforU.S.jewelersholdsimportantproblemsthatmustbefaced.

Theverysuccessofthewelladvertisedbrandspresentsthedilemma.Thejeweler,ifhewantstodobusinesswith thesebetterbrandswill have tofight inorder tomaintainand increasehispositioninthemarketingchain.The“brands”willoftenprefertosell intheirownshops,even if theeconomicsof suchdecision is against them.Thesemanufacturerswant to teachproductandtoservicetheirindividualconsumers.Theseeducatedconsumersarethebuyersthemanufacturerwantswearinghiswatches.Thinkautoshowroomsandthesaleofluxurycars.

Hereisaselectionofnewproductyoumightconsiderforyourownwatchcollection.

ConcordC1Hereisawatchthatisaperfectstatementofmasculinegeometry.ThenewC1Chronographisastands-outforasophisticateddesignwithanartfulblendofhigh-techmaterials,includingeightceramicinsertsaroundthedistinctivebezel.ThisisabrilliantdemonstrationofConcord’stalentforbeautifultimepiecesthatcuttotheessence.Themovementismechanicalautomatic,thecaseTitanium,withblackceramicinserts.

MauriceLaCroixPONTOS S EXTREMEThetaut,sportingeleganceofthePontoSExtremeisconveyedthroughastrongmanlylook,while its technicalnatureaccentuates its robustnessandelegance:Thecase iscomposedofPowerlite®,analloyofaluminum,magnesium,titanium,zirconiumandceramics.DesignedbyHenrikFisker,theiconicBMWandAstonMartindesigner,thiswatchbreathesanexceptionalenergy.Themovementismechanicalautomaticwitha46hourpowerreserve.

Bulova CALIBRATOR 65B148Forthosewhofeelexacttimeisanecessity,BulovaAccutronpresentsthefirsteverautomaticwatch thatallows thewearer tocontrol itsaccuracy.Noneed foraprofessional; theweareroperatesthesystembyinsertingakeyatthe9o’clockpositiontoachieveprecisionof99.99%onaverage.Thecaseinstainlesssteelwithrose-goldPVDcoatingaccents,themovementismechanicalautomaticwith26jewels.

LonginesCONQUEST CLASSICLikemanymen,therearewomenwhodesirethemechanicalexcellenceofautomaticwatches.Longinesisheretosatisfytheirwishes.TheConquestClassicisastatementofprestigewithabezelsetwith30diamonds,awhitemotherofpearldialand12diamondhourmarkersandacaseinsteeland18Krosegold.Themovementisaselfwindingmechanicalautomaticwitha40-hour power reserve.


Oris AQUIS DEPTH GAUGETotheseriousdiver,themeasureofdepthandtimebelowthesurfacecanbeamatteroflifeanddeath.Orisisthefirstwatchtointroduceameasureofdepth.Attheforefrontofmechanicalwatchinnovation,Orishasharnesseditsknowledge,expertiseandcraftsmanshiptoproducethefirstdiverswatchwhichmeasuresdepthbyallowingwatertoenterthetimepiece.Hereisaproductrecognizingthatsafetyandprotectionareparamount.Thestainlesssteelcasefeaturesaunidirectionalrevolvingtopring,withblackceramicinlay.Thewatchiswater-resistantto500m.Allinall,theOrisAquisDepthGaugemarksatechnicalbreakthroughindepthmeasurement,settinganewstandardfordivingwatches.Themovementisautomaticwithwindingdate.

Ebel X-1Whilethefashionforladiesthisyearcallsfordiamondsandwhitedials,thisnewEbelladiesX-1withitsblackdialisbrimmingwithstyleandmagnificence.Itharmoniouslycombinessteelandceramic toconfirman intenseblackbackgroundflowing fromcase tobracelet.Thecrown isadornedwith15diamondswhile48othersgracethebezelandanothereightembellishthedial.Thiswatch isdefinitely forchicandself-confidentwomen.ThesmoothceramicandpolishedsteelbraceletfeaturesEbel’ssignaturewavelinks.MovementisQuartzshowinghours,minutes,secondsanddate.

VictronixCHRONO CLASSIC 1/100Thiswatch,whichhasbeenabrandbestseller formany years, hasundergonea substantialtransformationonbothaestheticandtechnicallevels.Itnowhousesanewquartzmovementwhichcanbeswitchedfromclassicwatchtochronograph–with1/100thsecondaccuracy–atadoublepressonthecrown.The1/100thseconddisplayisadigitalnumericdisplaybymeansoftwosmallrotatingdiscslocatedonthelowerpartofthedial.ThedesignonfacebetweentwocountersisanhomagetothefamousVictorinoxSwissofficer’sknife.Movementisquartz,withfunctionsforhours,minutes,seconds,chronographlargedateandperpetualcalendar.

Rado HYPERCHROME AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPHThenewRadoHyperChromeAutomaticChronographcombinesceramicwithsteelinadesignfluid,subtleandstylish.Theemphasisisacontrastwithsteelsideinserts,ceramicpushers,asteel and rubber crown, and rhodium-platedhourmarkers, counters andhands.Radoplayswithmaterialsgivingthiswatchasophisticatedyetsportingattitude.Movementismechanicalautomatic,witha42-hourpowerreserve.

Frédérique Constant LADIES AUTOMATICFrédériqueConstantsupportstheWorldHeartFederationdedicatedtotheHeartsofChildrencampaign.ThenewLadiesAutomaticfeaturesavanilla-coloreddialandaspectacularDoubleHeartBeatopeningat12o’clock.Whenwearingthisstunningautomatic,awomanshowshersupportforchildreninthebodyofherwatchwheretheautomaticrotorandthecenterofthedialeachbeartheHeartsofChildrendecorationandtheWorldHeartFederationlogo.Thepresen-tationboxisaheart-shapedboxwhichhasbeenspeciallydesignedforthismeaningfulwatch.

Tudor HERITAGE CHRONO BLUETudor,alessexpensiverelativeofRolex,isonceagaincomingtotheU.S.Initsnewpresentation,itfeaturesahandsomeseasportsearenditionofaTudormodelthatmadeitsmarkonpasthistory.Thisyear,thebrandrevivesafamouschronographnicknamed“Montecarlo”bycollectorsandaficionados.Launchedin1973,ithasnowbeenrenamedHeritageChronoBlue.Thewatchisinspiredbytheoriginalspiritofthemodelbutprovidesacontemporaryinterpretation.Theroyalblueofthehistoricalversioncombineswithaslightlylightergreytogivelifetoawatchthatisbothearthlyandaquatic,expressingMediterraneanwarmthandatmosphere.HeritageChronoBlueisdistinguishedbytwocounters,oneforthesmallsecondsat3o’clockandtheotherforthe45-minutecounterat9o’clock.Themovementismechanicalautomaticwitha42-hour power reserve.


PLANNING

>> Continued to Pg XX

Peter Stavrianidis and his sister Dorothy Fount are partners in Venus Jewelersnow located inSomerset,NewJersey.Theyare fourth generation jewelers. Venus Jewelers opened forbusiness in1979inQueens,NewYork.Duringthefollowing34years, thebusinesshasgrownnicely. Ithasbecomewellrecognized,respected,andsuccessfulwithloyalclientsinNewYork,NewJerseyandConnecticut.

ThesuccessoftheirbusinessisduetoavarietyofuniquefactorsthatincludePeter’smanagementstyle,Dorothy’scharismaandherpersonality,stafftraining,andVenus’marketingoutreachprogram.

During his high school and college days Peter Stavrianidisplayed the bass with a good rock band and learned theimportance of being on stage. He has continued to be onstageprovidingwhat he calls “edutainment”, a synthesizedwordfromthewordseducationandentertainment.Hespeaksto the public with passion about the history of gems andjewelryinthemostengagingandentertainingmanner.

Peter’smanagementapproach is tobuildanorganizationofstars thatperformeverydayboth in frontofandbehind thecounter.Asa result, role-playing isalwayspartof thestore’ssales trainingprogram.Heencourages all his employees toshare the stagewithhim.His vision for them is: “Thateachteammemberreachtheirhighestprofessionalgoals.”Heisastrongbelieverincontinuouseducationandrigoroustraining.Everyone is encouraged to enroll in courses and attendseminars. Besides his extensive gemological and appraisaldesignations–healsoholdsanMBAandaPh.D.

Peterisanexcellentpresenterandengagesaudiencesskillfully.He is a frequent guest speaker atChambers ofCommerce,professionalorganizations,women’sclubs,Kiwanisclubs,etc.Onaveragehehasapproximately40speakingengagementsayearandmeetsmorethan1000peopleeagertolearnaboutthefascinatinghistoryandworldofjewelry.

Venus Jewelers is amember of theAmericanGemSociety.Theyattendtheirconclavesandlocalguildmeetingsreligiously

foraslongastheyhavebeenamember.Peterbelievesandpromotesthat“successiscontagious”and“hangingoutwiththemembersoftheAmericanGemSociety,chancesarethatyouwillmorethanlikelycatchit”.

In addition to performing himself, Peter is on the board oftrusteesoftheStateTheaterofNewJerseyinNewBrunswickand he also teaches as an adjunct professor at the FashionInstituteofTechnology(SUNY)inNewYorkCity.

PeterandhissisterDorothyaregreatadvocatesofthepowerofmarketingandadvertising.Inhisbusinesspresentations,Peteris known to start with the slogan “Marketing is everything and everythingisMarketing”.Atleast10%oftheirgrossincome

isallocatedtothepromotionoftheirproductsandservices.2011was the best year in the company’s history. 2012wason track to be even better but hurricane Sandy intervenedandpowerfully impactedNewJersey inanegativewayandsignificantlyreducedthelast6weeksofthesellingopportunity.

Peter believes that 2013 will be a both a challenging andproductiveyearaslongasheandhisstaffstayoncoursewithcontinuingeducationforthepublicabouttheworldofgemsandpreciousmetals.

Coming from a long family tradition of jewelers, Petersubscribestothenobilityoftheprofession.Hedeclares,“It’sabout time for jewelers to reclaim their pride in what theydo”.“Ourmissionistopartakeinjustabouteverymomentofsignificanceinpeople’slives.IconsiderthatanunprecedentedprivilegeandItakeitveryseriously!”.

By Ed Coyne

Grow Your Business In Challenging Economic Times

[email protected]

Ed Coyne

Grow Your Business In Challenging Economic Times

26 The Jewelry Business Magazine >> Continued to Pg 28

Prevent three-minute burglaries

Threeminutesisallittakestobreakintoyourclosedjewelrybusiness, smash showcases, andgrabmerchandise that isleftoutofsafeorvaultforthenight.Thesesmash,grabandrun burglaries are often called “three-minute burglaries”becausetheyoccurthatquickly.JewelersMutualInsuranceCompanyseestheselossesalltoooftenbuthastipstohelpyoupreventthematyourbusiness.

AccordingtoJewelers’SecurityAlliance(JSA),three-minuteburglaries increased from 239 in 2011 to 320 in 2012. Infact,theyrepresented82.6percentofalltheburglariesthejewelryindustryexperiencedin2012.Herearesomeother2012statisticsfromJSAaboutthree-minuteburglaries:

The reported dollar losses from these types of burglarieswere$7million.Three-minuteburglariesoccurwhenjewelryis NOT secured and out of sight overnight. Three-minuteburglariesresultinlossesthatincludejewelrymerchandise,property damage, business interruption, and potentialnegative customer reaction. Jewelers Mutual offers thefollowing tips to help you prevent smash, grab and runburglaries at your business:

By David Sexton

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Secure merchandise inyour safe or vault whenyour store is closed forbusiness. If you don’thaveroominyoursafeorvault for allmerchandise,place lower-valued itemsin a locked cabinet ordrawer, out of sight fromwould-be criminals. Besure to complywith yourinsurance policy warrantyfor storing merchandiseduringyourclosed-to-businesshours.

Placecustomerrepairsinyoursafeorvaultwhenyourstoreisclosedforbusiness;neverleavethemoutinyourworkarea.

Removeall jewelry fromshowwindowswhenyourstore isclosedforbusiness.

Donotcovershowcases.Thisgivescriminalstheimpressionthatthereissomethinginthecasesworthstealing.

Considerinstallingaprotectivemetalgrillebehindallglasswindowsanddoorssoathiefmustfirstbreaktheglass,whichwouldtriggerthealarm,beforepenetratingthemetalgrillebarrier.Thisisalsowhyyouralarmservicecompanyshouldmonitoryourstorealarmsystemperimeterprotection.

Ifitisnotfeasibletoinstallaprotectivemetalgrillebehindyourglasswindowsanddoors,considerinstallingaroll-downgate, replacing your plate glass with ULC-listed burglary-resistant glazing material (BRGM), or hanging a swingingsecondary pane of burglary-resistant glass behind theexterior glass.

Verify that your burglar alarm system is on and workingproperly. You should have a professional inspection andmaintenancecheckofyouralarmsystematleastannually.Inaddition,testyouralarmsystematregularintervalsandwalktestyourprotection.

Consider a video surveillance system. Video footage canhelpapprehendasuspectintheeventofacrime.Itmayalsoactasadeterrent,asitspresencemayencourageawould-becriminaltoavoidyourstoreforfearofbeingrecorded.

CPCU,VicePresidentofLossPreventionatJewelersMutualInsuranceCompany

David Sexton

C.G. Creations Launches Expandable Bangle Brand

Wind&Fire,anewcollectionofexpandablebanglesfromC.G.Creations launched with greatsuccessattheLasVegasshow.Designed to easily adjust tomostwrists,eachcharmbangleportrays a personal journeyunique to the jewelry wearer.Bracelets can be stackedtogether, allowing for endlesspossibilities.

“Earlydemandforthisbrandisoverwhelming-wehadlinesoutsideourboothextendingwell into theaisle,” saidFrankFiasconaro,presidentofC.G.Creations.“Thisiseasilyoneofthemostexcitingproductlineswe’veevercreated.”

Wind&Fireis“theArtofEco-SustainableJewelry,”madeintheUnitedStates.Theexpandablewirebraceletsarecraftedfromrecycledmaterialsandaportionoftheproceedssupportchildrenwithdisabilities,makingWind&Firetheembodimentofsocial,economicandenvironmentalresponsibility.

C.G.Creationsisnowacceptingapplicationsfromqualifiedretailersthatwishtocarrythebrand.Starterassortmentsbeginshippingmid-June.Formoreinformation,contactC.G.Creations at 800-431-1606.

Bill and Giuliana Rancic Add Celebrity Sparkle to Le Vian’s 2014 Trend Forecast

BillandGiulianaRancicjoinedLeVianforasparklingeveningoffinejewelrytrendforecastingatLeVianRedCarpetRevue2014,thehighlyanticipatedfashionshowcelebratingits14thyearinLasVegas.Thecelebritycouple,bestknownfortheirStyle Network reality show, “Giuliana & Bill”, attended thecharity event benefitting Jewelers forChildren andmingledwith guests at the standing roomonly event at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on June 2nd. “It’s not a redcarpet until GiulianaRancic is on it,”tells Eddie LeVian,designer and CEO. Rancic, the anchorfor E! News, hasreported live from

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THERETAIL JEWELER 31

theredcarpetonthefashionsandjewelryatTheOscars®, the Grammys® and theGoldenGlobes® and is among the 200celebritieswhowearLeVianeveryyear.

Fansof“Giuliana&Bill”havewitnessedthecouple’sstruggleswith cancer as well as their joyous successes including thebirth of their son, Duke. Eddie LeVian, designer and CEO,revealed his family’s own struggles with the disease withthe announcement that his nephew, Rafael Etessami, hadovercomecancerandintroducedtheRafaFoundationcancerribbonpins.Mr.EtessamithenpresentedapintobothGiulianaand Bill.

Levian Trend Forecast 2013

Among those in attendance at the dashing soiree held attheMandalayBayHotel during the JCKShowwhich raised$150,000 for Jewelers for Children were numerous finejewelryexecutivesfromtopretailersandindependentstores,international press, VIP Le Vian collectors and fans eagerly

anticipatingthetrendforecast.“ThetrendforecastisuniqueinthatitisbasedonrealtimedataobtainedthroughthousandsofLeVianshowsandhundredsofcelebritysightings.LeVianthencollaborateswiththetopU.S.fashioneditorstoensurethat the jewelry forecast fits the fashion trends,” LeVianreveals.“Thetrendsaresupportedby$10millioninproductdevelopment and 3,500 loyal stores around the world whocarrytheforecastedtrendseachseason,”addsLeVian.“Thetrue test, ourmillion strong loyal collector base. So far, ourtrends have been on the spot. “

highlights of the trends included:

•Cush’nPillow™,thecushioncutgemorthecushionshapedhalosurroundingthegem,willbeTheShapeoftheYear.

•ChocolateQuartz®isnamedTheGemoftheYear.

•StrawberryGold®isnamedTheGoldColoroftheYear.

•Strawberry“NVanilla™,theperfectcomplementtotheCoolGreyfashiontrend,isnamedTheColoroftheYear.

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leading the design trends were:

•TimelessLink’ing™,interpretedbyLeVianinmanynewwaystodefinejewelryfashion

•SinuousSwirls™,LeVian’sinterpretationoftheblackwatersnake, headless and tailless, with a swirling wrap design

•Knots,whichmimiciconic,knotpatternsindiamondsandgold.Themostpopularknotstylewillbethefigureeight

•Gladiator®Weaves™withintricate,dimensionalweavepatterns,ofalternatingstrandsofdiamondsandpolishedStrawberryGold

•NatureflourishesinFlorets™withdiamondclustersoffloralbouquets

•ChocolateWeddings™inStrawberryGold®bringsmanyofthenewdesigndetailstoBridalincludingLinks,KnotsandWeavingtofitthetrend.

additional color trends named:

•BabyBlues™likeIceBlueDiamonds™andSeaBlueAquamarines®.

•AzureBlues™,whichmatchthefashiontrendoftheNewNavy,includingCornflowerCeylonSapphires™,BlueberryDiamonds™andBlueberryTanzanite™.

•FieryReds™includingtheplumcolorRaspberryRhodolite® to the Poppy hued Neon Tangerine Fire Opal™, both in StrawberryGold.

•Pantoneforecastedemeraldforfashion.LeVian’sgreenforecastis50ShadesofGreen™spanningfromParaibaTourmalinetoHuntersGreenTourmaline™tothenewColorDiamondoftheYear,KiwiberryGreenDiamond™setinStrawberryGold®.

•ChocolateCravings™includeeverythingChocolate-fromChocolateDiamonds®toChocolatePearls®,totheGemoftheYear,ChocolateQuartz®.

And…to complement the prominence of black leather infashion - Blackberry Diamonds®, with looks that feature allblackorblackwithatouchofVanilla.

Stuller, Inc. and BlingGuard™ Reach Partnership

Stuller is now the exclusive distributor of BlingWraps andBlingDots from BlingGuard™ to the retail jeweler. Theseinvisible ring guards and earring supports are designed to help keepjewelryfromtwisting,turning,andpulling.

BlingWrapsareahypoallergenic,latex-freealternativetoring

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sizing.Byadding+1ringsizestothefinger,thewrapformsaninvisiblelocktoholdringsinplace.

BlingDotsareaneasy-to-apply,disposableearringbackthatrelieves the weight and pressure of earrings. Whether thecustomer is wearing hoops, chandeliers, or studs, the dotswilllifttheearringsupontheearlobeandpositionthemformaximumpresentationandcomfort.

“BlingGuardwas inspired frommyown jewelryneedsand Iknewtheywouldhavegreattractioninthejewelryindustry,”saysBlingGuardFounderandChiefExecutiveOfficer,JennyMoore.“StullerwasthenamethatcameupeverytimeIaskedwho could helpmebring this product to retail jewelers. It’sbeenaperfectpartnershiprightfromthebeginning.”

“Theseareversatile,valuablesellingtoolsforourcustomers,”saysNathanButton,directoroffindingsforStuller.“Jewelerscanusethemduringthesalewhileworkingwiththecustomer,asanupsellwithringorearringpurchases,asanat-the-counterimpulsebuyorevenasagiftitem.”

To learnmoreaboutBlingWraps andBlingDots, visit stuller.comorblingguard.com.

Max Bill by Junghans

As one of the mostexceptional designersof the last century, thearchitect,painter,sculptorand product designerMax Bill left behind acomprehensive collectionofworks includingoneofthemostfascinatingwatchcollectionsofthelastfewdecades.The long-termcollaborationwith Junghansbeganduring the designer’s Ulm-based period. When Junghanscommissioned Max Bill to design an everyday object, heworkedwithhisstudentstodevelopawallclockinhiscapacityaslecturerattheUlmSchoolofDesign(HfG).Thelogicalfacedesignofthiscircularkitchenclockfrom1956,nowknownastheMaxBillwallclock,becameacharacteristicfeatureofthetimepieceandin1961wasalsoincorporatedintothedesignofwatches.

ThewristwatchmodelsoftheMaxBillbyJunghansCollectionrepresent the creative work of Max Bill. The symbiosis of

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the slim steel-case and the elegantly curved hard-plexiglassgive thewatch the classicmodern lookof the sixties.Apartfromtheplain-moderndesignthemodelsareequippedwithmechanicalSwissqualitymovementsensuringprecision.Formoreinformation,seewww.junghans.de

Ritz Carlton to Host Centurion South Beach

Centurion South Beach is geared for a strong fourth yearserving the seasonal and holiday buying needs of retailersfromFloridaandallovertheUSA,CentralandSouthAmerica,theCaribbeanandelsewhere.TheshowtakesplaceOctober5-7,2013attheRitz-CarltonSouthBeachHotelat1LincolnRoad,justoffCollinsAve.andshortwalkfromtheMiamiBeachConventionCenter,homeoftheconcurrentJISMiamiBeachshow.CenturionSouthBeachshowhourswillbefrom10AM-6PMonSaturdayandSunday,October5and6and10AMto4PMonMonday,October7.

CenturionSouthBeachwillfeaturemorethan50topdesignersand manufacturers in the elegant Ritz Carlton Ballroom inexpanded space andanewwhite salon schemecreatedbyCSI etc., Centurion’s Scottsdale show decorator. “The newlookwillgiveexhibitorsmorethan60%morespaceinwhichtoworkwiththeirretailers,”saidHowardHauben,president,Centurion.“Lowersalonheightsandaclean,standarddesignwillprovideabeautifulopen feeling in theexhibit area, yetallowampleprivacyformeetingsandsecurity.

ACE™ It Conferences by NAJA Appraisers Continuing Education

TheNational Association of Jewelry Appraisers will hold its40thAnnualMid-YearConferenceinPittsburghPA,August10–13,2013attheRenaissancePittsburghHotel.

The appraisal organization dedicated exclusively to gemsand jewelry presents an outstanding program to assistthe professional appraiser’s continuing education and anunparallelednetworkingexperience.

This unprecedented four-day conferencehasoverall themes–Workshops,AntiqueJewelry,JewelryandAppraisals!Everysession is an experience on various aspects of the focusedtopics-arealserviceforappraisinggemsandjewelry.Thisiswhateveryprofessionalgemologist/appraiserneeds!

Toreceiveaconferencebrochureorforfurtherinformationandconferencereservations,contactwww.NAJAappraisers.com.

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Politi Appointed Financial Planning and Investment Advisor For SUNY Faculty

John Politi, Financial Advisor and Director, Main StreetFinancialSolutions,LLC,Harrison,NY,hasbeenselectedastheexclusive Financial Planning Partner and InvestmentAdvisorforthefacultymemberswithintheStateUniversityofNewYork(SUNY)schoolsystemintheLowerHudsonValley,NewYork.

John’s financial planning and wealth management teamwill work directly with the faculty and their families tocomprehensivelyaddresstheirfinancialobjectivesthroughthedevelopmentofgoals-basedholisticfinanciallifeplanningandinvestmentadvisoryservices.JohnisaregularcontributortoTheRetailJeweleronthetopicofpersonalfinancialplanning.

Consumer Confi dence Is High with Eternity Natural Emeralds

In today’s gem stone marketplace, the growing number oftreatments and enhancements applied to gems constantlychallenges consumer confidence. Treatments are not a badthingprovidedthattheyarenotdetrimentaltothegem,andthat theyaredonewith fulldisclosure from themine to theconsumer.

Eternity Natural Emeraldsrecently announced thateveryemerald(over0.50ct)in its inventory would have a laser inscription and athird party identificationreport from GemworldInternational.

All Eternity Natural Emeralds come with an individuallynumberedLifetimeGuaranteecard,whichprotectsagainstanychangesthatoccurtotheclarityenhancementintheemeralds.In the caseof anEternityEmerald, thatenhancement is theExCelProcess.ExCelistheworld’sfirstandonlycolorlessandstableclarityenhancementforemeraldthatwillnotdeteriorateovertimeordryoutinthestone.

Withotherclarityenhancements,theresultofthisdeteriorationordryingout is that thenatural fractureswithintheemeraldoriginallyintendedtobemasked,havenowbeenre-revealeddue toanunstable substanceused forclarityenhancement.ThiswillnothappenwithEternityNaturalEmeralds.

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Eternity guarantees its emeralds for a lifetime against thisdeterioration.‘Further,’ArthurGroomexplains,‘ourguaranteealsoassuresthetradeandultimatelytheconsumerthattheirEternity Natural Emerald has been cut and polished priorto enhancement. Today, there is an abundance of materialinColombiaandBrazil that isbeingenhanced in the roughoftenwithpermanentglue-likeenhancements.Thispresentsdurabilityissuesforthehostemerald.Additionally,enhancingintheroughenablesthese‘glued’stonestobecuttolargersizesandsoldintothemarketthatshouldhavebeencutintosmallersizes.’

Also, this is thefirst timeemeraldswillbe laser inscribed inconjunctionwithabrandingcampaign.Groomsaid,‘WhenIspeak toour industry associations andgroups, they askmehowtheycanidentifythatitisanEternityNaturalEmerald.Itisvirtuallyimpossibletoidentifyanyclarityenhancementinanylaboratory,which iswhymostofthemajorgemlabsaroundtheworlddon’tattemptit.WiththehelpofRichardDruckeratGemworldInternational,wehavecomeupwithasolution.’EachstoneislaserinscribedwiththeEternityNaturalEmeraldlogofollowedbythecertificatenumber.

ThelaserinscriptionisjustonemoreassurancethejewelerandtheconsumerhaveinknowingthatEternityNaturalEmeraldsarefullysupportedbythecompany.

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Metalsmiths Sterling™ Adds Three Industry Veterans as to Sales Team

Metalsmiths Sterling™,European inspired luxury brand, hasmadeaname for themselves asoneof the leading sterlingsilverjewelrydesignhousesinCanadaforoveradecade.Now,thiscuttingedgedesignersterlingbrandaddsthreeindustryveteransasRegionalVicePresidentstoexpandtheirgrowingpresencethroughoutkeyUSmarkets.

MetalsmithsSterling’s™newlyappointedSouthernRegionalVice President,Claudia Evans Zale bringswith her 24 yearsofvaluedindustryexperience,mostrecentlyatStullerInc.,asDirectorofMerchandising.

Following achieved success as the Regional SalesManagerof GucciWatches and Jewelry and 12 years specializing inluxury goods, KimAlterini has been appointedMetalsmithsSterling’s™MidwestRegionalVicePresident.

SusanParkeraddsher16yearsofexpertiseinthewatchandjewelry industry with top-tier companies such as LVMH asMetalsmithsSterling™SoutheastRegionalVicePresident.

JimGrohn,MetalsmithsSterling™ExecutiveVicePresident,saidof the trio, “With theseacquisitions,weareexpandingourrecognitionasoneoftheforwardfashiondesignersinourcategory.Weareconfidentinthetalent,expertiseandpassionthesethreewomenbring,andourteamisexcitedtocontinuetoproduceinnovativedesignsforwomenofallstyles.”

With quality, that rivals that of the finest jewelry housesworldwide,MetalsmithsSterling™offerscollectionsdesignedforindividualstyleandlastingtrendsmakingthemanindustrystaple.Usinginnovativesterlingsilverdesign,natural,premiumgrade stones and superior craftsmanship, each collectiondeliversone-of-a-kindstyleforthemodernwoman.

MJSA Launches Bench Conference and Trade Fair

The event, based in Providence, focuses on both jewelrymaking andbusiness skillsMJSA, the associationdedicatedtoprofessionalexcellencein jewelrymakinganddesign,willlaunch a new event, The Jeweler’s Bench Conference andTradeFair,onSept.12-13attheSheratonProvidenceAirport.Theconferencewillfocusonallaspectsofbenchwork—fromtraditional techniques to technological advancements—aswellasbusinessstrategiesforsuccess.

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Thevenue,justafewminutes’drivefromRhodeIsland’sT.F.GreenAirport,willfeaturetwoeducationalprograms—“BetterBusiness Strategies” and “Better Bench Work.” They areintendedtohelpattendeesnot justmakeandrepair jewelrywithgreaterease,butalsoreachnewcustomers,fulfillorders,andimproveprofitmargins.

“Jewelry companies of all types and sizes—artisans anddesigners, volume manufacturers, contractors, retailers withrepairservices—viewtheirbenchoperationasafoundationalpart of their business,” saysMJSAPresident/CEODavidW.Cochran. “Our conference will ensure they have access tonotonlyneededtechnicalandbusinessexpertise,butalsotoworld-classtools,technologies,andotherresourcesthatcanhelptakethemtothenextlevelofsuccess.”

The“BetterBusinessStrategies”programwill focusonsuchtopics as socialmedia basics, website development, searchengineoptimization,andmanaginggrowth.The“BetterBenchWork”programwillcoverthetechnicalissuesfacedbybenchjewelerseveryday,suchaschoosingthebesttools,workingwithspecificalloys,andsmoothingsnarledproductionroutes.

ThetechnicalsessionswillbedevelopedandrunbyMetalwerx,a Waltham, Massachusetts–based school and communitystudioforjewelrymakersandmetalartists.

Inaddition,anaccompanyingtradefairwillfeaturedozensofsuppliers offering everything from top-end traditional toolsto cutting-edge CAD/CAM, laser, and business softwaretechnologies,aswellaspremiercontractservices.

Attendee pre-registration is now open at http://mjsa.org/events_and_programs/jewelers_bench_conference_and_trade_fair. For more information about exhibiting, call 800-444-6572.

True Knots on The Price is Right

True Knot’s sterling silver and 18 karat gold pendantwith lemonquartzanddiamondsfeaturedandgivenawayontheTVGameShow “The Price is Right”. The pendantispartoftheirfashionlineanditiscalled,Color-Me-True®Collection.MSRP$1,250.Formore informationpleasecontact800-667-1515 x105. TRJ

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I.B. Goodman

This unique linked bandseriesisavailableinavarietyoflinkstyles,diamondtotalweightsandmetalcolor.MSRPin14K$1,495.I.B.Goodman800.543.1945

Asher Jewelry

FromtheSprinklesCollectionbyAsher-huesofbluediamondsaccentedwithwhitecolorlessdiamonds.MSRP$2,069.Asher Jewelry800.726.0706

H weiss

FromtheOvelinoCollection.Thisringisin18Kwhitegold,setwith1.50ctwofrosecutdiamondsfinishedwithblackrhodiumandbrilliantfullcutdiamonds.MSRP$5,500H.Weiss&Co800.554.9989

Cornelia Goldsmith

18K yellow and white gold with3.7ctw.pinktopurplesapphires,0.38ctw.tsavoritegarnets,0.075ctw.browntoorangediamonds.MSRP$8,700.CorneliaGoldsmith415.332.0802

Margery Hirschey

22Kgold,handcarvedruby,tourmaline,diamond.StyleMHE411MSRP$4,280.MargeryHirschey303.818.6357

Mary Esses

18Klacewavecuffwith2.00ctdiamonds.MSRP$28,000.Mary Esses Jewelry Designs917.941.0826

Asher JewelryAsher Jewelry

Artistry, Ltd

“Edelweiss”earrings.Sterlingand14Kwithdiamonds.Matchingpendantwithadjustable16”/18”cablechainisalsoavailable.MSRP$198eachitem.Artistry,Ltd.888.674.3250

Edward Mirell

Titanium,the“rainbow”metalbecauseofitsrefractivequalities.EdwardMirellintroducesallnewanodizedstylesformen&womenMSRPstartat$255.Edward Mirell 800.422.0220

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Leddel

Diamondandsapphirependant set in 14k white gold.MSRP$1,785LeddelDesigns800.227.6828

Duncan Stevens

FromtheTalismanCollection18K solid gold earrings set withhalfcarat(each)Iolite&peridotbulletcabochons.MSRP$2,450.DuncanStevens+27(0)820772094,[email protected]

Ostbye

Laceandvintageinspiredstylein14Kgoldwithdiamonds.MSRP$899Ostbye866.553.1515

Parlé

WhalesTalefromtheSeaLifeCollection.14Kwhitegoldsetwithsapphiresanddiamonds.MSRP$599.Parlé 800.635.9800

Berco

14Kwhitegoldwithyellow,caramel,andwhitediamonds.TopMSRP$1,499,bottom$1,299.Berco800.621.0668

Yael

This15thcenturyweddingringiscraftedof18Kyellowgoldfeaturing4.03caratyellowsapphire,accentedwith0.14caratsofrubiesand0.21caratsofbrilliantcutdiamonds.MSRP:$11,183.Yael415.989.9235

Dilamani

Amethystandtanzanitecocktailring.MSRP$990.Dilamani800.342.6677

Unique Settings

Exquisite14kdiamondbridalringfeatures66roundcutdiamonds,0.17ctw,fromTheAffinityCollection.Centerstonenotincluded.MSRP$1,900.UniqueSettingsofNewYork®

800.466.4900

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Church

Sterlingsilvercrosswith14Kgoldaccentsand18”chain.MSRP$92.50Church&Company800-631-1263

wenger

SeaForce–amultifunctional200mchronographisequippedwithaSwiss-madechronographquartzmovementandscratchresistancesapphirecrystal.MSRPfrom$450-$495.Wenger800-431-2996

Frederic Sage

Fromanewcollectionofsatinfinishedbridalrings.MSRPfrom$995-2,995.FredericSage800.651.1810

Variety Gem

Spectacularpinkandwhitegolddiamondearrings.MSRP$4,250.VarietyGemCo.212.921.1820

Camelot

14K white gold set with brilliant diamondscraftedintheUSA.MSRP$1,999(includingcenterstone).Camelot800.535.3501

Alberto Prada

18K signature rose gold, blackdiamondsandwhitequartz.MSRP$3,575.Alberto Prada301.908.1338

Makur

MixMetal-Diamondstackablebands set in 14K signature rose gold and silver.Makur877.776.2587

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24KRoseCompany .............................29800-843-8131www.24karatrose.com

AGTA .................................... BackCover800-972-1162www.agta.org

Alisa .....................................................35888-253-6600www.alisadesigns.com

AllisonKaufman .....................................9800-800-8908www.allison-kaufman.com

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ArthurGroom/EternityEmerald ..........32800-257-2130www.eternitynaturalemerald.com

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Charles & Colvard ...............................27800-210-4367www.foreverbrilliant.com

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Jye’sLuxury .........................................22866-633-8880www.jyescorp.com

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Midas Chain .....................................4, 21888-685-1150www.midaschain.com

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Thistle & Bee .........................................7888-288-2801 www.thistleandbee.net

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Documents

Actress - Krombholz Jewelers · by Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers. 18K yellow gold necklace featuring Aquamarines (14.45 ctw.), Emeralds (7.45 ctw.) and Diamonds (1.00 ctw.) by