Jan 2010

canadian jewellermagazine

the business of retailing jewellery

Est.1879

A “Bort” MissionWhy rough diamonds are all the rage

PLUS: ALL THE LATEST MARKET NEWS, TRENDS & EVENTS

Group Benefi tsWhat’s the story behind

jewellery buying groups?

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HST & YouPreparing to make the transition to a new sales tax

ShowstopperA look at John de Jong’s

inspiration and design process

JANUARY 2010

$25

Norbert & Kim Brinkhaus of Brinkhaus Jewellers in Calgary

Tried True&

New BeginningsIntroducing our new partnership with JVC

001.CJ_Cover.indd 1 12/24/09 11:23:15 AM

Using robust search tools, quickly browse styles in the Starting Point Inventory as you pre-consult customers.

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Quote pricing and send the design to Stuller for any amount of manufacturing, setting and ! nishing you desire.

3 Order

CounterSketch Studio brings this easy custom design process and expanded virtual inventory to your store without the expense and worry of physical inventory. Contact Gemvision to pre-order today. Limited seats available for the remainder of 2009.

800-357-6272 www.gemvision.com [email protected]

Take an online tour at www.countersketchstudio.com/tour

Powered by easy-to-use design technology from Gemvision and built on the premiere ful! llment capability of Stuller, CounterSketch Studio™ is a complete CAD/CAM

custom design operation that ! ts right on your counter. All you need is creativity. Re-think the custom design process with CounterSketch Studio…

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For details, write #101 on Free Info Page, page 81

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E X C L U S I V E L Y E N D O R S E D B Y

NOW IN QUÉBEC

“Not only does Jewelers Mutual insure the wholesale segment ofour business, they were critical in setting up security proceduresand best practices when we opened our retail store. It is fantastic having a partner in Jewelers Mutual that can work with us to make sure we are doing all we can do to protect ourselves, our store, and our inventory. We are proud to havethem as partners in our business.”

— Lowell and Sheldon KwiatKwiatNew York

Call Jewelers Mutual at 800-558-6411 for a free, no-obligation quote.

A P P R A I S E R S

C U S TO M D E S I G N E R S

I N D I V I D UA L S

M A N U FA C T U R E R S

R E PA I R B U S I N E S S E S

R E TA I L E R S

W H O L E S A L E R S

C O V E R A G E YO U C A N C O U N T O N. P E O P L E YO U C A N C O U N T O N.

Jewelers Mutual is proud to pay Jewellers Vigilance Canada membership fees for insureds in Canada.


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CJjan10_JewellersVigilenceCanada_Ad.indt 1 12/24/09 9:36:32 AM

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8 CJ J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 w w w. c a n a d i a n j e w e l l e r. c o m

ESTABLISHED 1879 VOL. 131, NO. 1

Carol Besler Guest Editor & Editorial ConsultantOlivier Felicio President, Publisher | [email protected]

Lucy Holden Associate Publisher | [email protected]

Paul Aguirre Associate Editor | [email protected] Ng-See-Quan Editorial Assistant | [email protected]

Subha Arulvarathan Editorial Intern | [email protected]

Scott Jordan Art Director | [email protected] Leslie Ross Designer | [email protected]

Jordan Martinez Production Manager | [email protected]

Melanie Seth Accounting and Administration | [email protected] Daniel Hare Administration Coordinator | [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS

SALESLucy Holden

Sarah Perkin

Jeff Yamaguchi

CIRCULATIONGarth Atkinson

Head Office

Montreal Office

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERTEL. (416) 203-7900 ext. 6117EMAIL [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALESTEL. (416) 203-7900 ext. 6126 EMAIL [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALESTEL. (416) 203-7900 ext. 6122 EMAIL [email protected]

PUBLICATION PARTNERS 345 Kingston Road, Suite 101Pickering, Ontario, L1V 1A1TOLL FREE 1-877-547-2246EMAIL [email protected]

60 Bloor Street West, Suite 1106Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3B8 TEL. (416) 203-7900 FAX (416) 703-6392

555 Chabanel Street West, Suite 1507Montreal, Quebec, H2N 2J2TEL. (514) 381-5196 FAX (514) 381-6223 TOLL FREE 1-888-358-8186 ext. 6117

Subscription RatesCanada — one year, $185; two years, $175; three years $160. United States — one year, US$205. Foreign — one year US$205 (Subscriptions include Buyers’ Guide

issues.) 8% P.S.T. for Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia residents. Single copies — $5; Buyers’ Guide $40. Bulk rates — six or more subscriptions, $17.50 per subscription per year (Canada only).

Change of Addressemail: [email protected] telephone: 1-877-547-2246 fax: 905-509-0735

or send your cover label and new address to Canadian Jeweller c/o Publication Partners, 345 Kingston Road, Suite 101 Pickering, ON Canada L1V 1A1

Published by Rive Gauche Media II Inc.

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40678000. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher. The publisher is not liable to any advertiser for any misprints in advertising not the fault of the publisher and in such an event the limit of the publisher’s liability shall not exceed the amount of the publisher’s charge for such advertising. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in all or part, without the express written permission of the publisher. Canadian Jeweller magazine is pleased to review unsolicited submissions for editorial consideration under the following conditions: all material submitted for editorial consideration (photographs, illustrations, written text in electronic or hard copy format) may be used by Canadian Jeweller and their affiliates for editorial purposes in any media (whether printed, electronic, internet, disc, etc.) without the consent of, or the payment of compensation to, the party providing such material. Please direct submissions to the Editor, Canadian. Return undeliverable items to Rive Gauche Media, 60 Bloor Street West, Ste. 1106, Toronto, ON Canada M4W 3B8.

O!cial magazine of JVC


Adina Currie, Greg Doherty, Robin Gambhir, Howard Grosfield, Sarah B. Hood, Stacy Karjala, Amber Khalen, Amanda J. Luke, Duncan Parker, Phyllis Richard, Jennifer Rynard.

008.CJ_Masthead.indd 8 12/24/09 11:25:27 AM


CJjan10_JSN_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 10:32:22 AM


table of

Contents

38 Tried & True We examine the longevity that’s made Norbert Brinkhaus

an industry leader.

44 A “Bort” Mission Taking a closer look at why consumers love the rough

diamond trend.

51 Group Benefits Examining the major Canadian jewellery buying groups.

54 On the Hunt Job advice straight from the pros.

58 Find and Fix How technology can help you log and track repairs.

60 The Perfect Pitch Why it’s important to be able to sell yourself anytime

and anywhere.

66 HST and You The new harmonized sales tax might not be so bad

after all.

68 Shine On! Winners from the 26th annual AGTA Spectrum Awards.

70 Insurance and Liability Being informed of what you’re liable for as

a business owner.

January

Features

38

44

010-012.CJ_Contents_re.indd 10 12/24/09 11:20:46 AM

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CJjan10_M2Universal_Chamilia_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 10:35:21 AM


table of

ContentsJanuary

Departments14 Letter from the Guest Editor

16 Product Showcase

22 Who’s News Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt team up for a collection;

Harry Winston names new President.

26 For The Record Gucci joins RJC; Micalla success at LG Fashion Week;

TAG Heuer debuts lifestyle collection.

30 Stock Index

31 Mining News All the happenings in the mining sector.

32 Market Watch A new era of design software.

34 Face Value Rare gems call pricing into question.

37 Crime Report Welcome to JVC.

48 Company Profile O’Neill Diamonds.

62

48

62 Designer Profile JdJ Jewellery.

72 What’s On

74 Showcase

77 Marketplace

81 Fax Back

82 Last Word

010-012.CJ_Contents_re.indd 12 12/24/09 11:21:01 AM

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letterfromguesteditor

Pro! ling a retail jeweller and putting them on the cover of every issue of Canadian Jeweller is such a great idea that I wish I’d thought of it years ago. I’d like to take credit for it now, but it was Olivier Felicio, the new owner of CJ, who deserves credit for weaving this and other retail-speci! c features into the fabric of a magazine that has served the industry for over 125 years. I am honoured to have been a part of that tradition as editor for 15 years, as a consulting editor today and as guest editor of this issue.

" e jewellery retail outlet is the stage on which the curtain on the luxury business is triumphantly raised. It is the point in the pipeline where everything culminates — the bench jeweller’s skill, the designer’s art, the gem buyer’s acumen, the expensive marketing campaign, the branding strategy and the glittering trade shows that are so much a part of our lives. " e jewellery retailer is vitally important, and the retail pro! le constitutes an essential and valuable glimpse into the working life of a professional who shares your concerns, issues, triumphs and experiences. A backstage tour inside one of Canada’s jewellery storefronts is an ideal way to check in with colleagues and competitors to see how the job is done from another perspective, learn some new trick of the trade that can be adapted to your own business, or simply be inspired to re# ect on how great it is to be a jeweller.

It is my pleasure to introduce the subject of the cover story in this issue — one of my favorite jewellery retail teams: Norbert and Kim Brinkhaus. When I joined this magazine in 1990, I was very young and knew very little either about jewellery or retailing, a shortcoming not easily overcome in a trade known for both its intricacy and secrecy. Many people either didn’t come to the phone when I called or found some way to get rid of the “newbie” pretty quickly. Norbert Brinkhaus is one of a handful of people who always took my calls, always took the time to explain the issue or topic at hand, and was unfailingly courteous and kind. " is in itself is one of the many lessons to be learned from him. I am not only grateful for his help over the past 20 years, but also for his friendship. He and his wife and business partner, Kim, have built a business in Calgary and Vancouver that is world-class and worth emulating. I wish them the very best, and success to all of Canada’s hardworking jewellery retailers in 2010 — the year of recovery!

Carol BeslerGuest Editor

Behind the Curtain

Carol Besler

014.CJ_Directors.indd 14 12/23/09 11:46:24 AM

NEW YORK 7 : 0 0 A MDiamonds Graduate negotiates purchase of rough parcel.

CARLSBAD 4 : 0 0 A MCore gem curriculum updated to refl ect new research. MUMBAI 4 : 3 0 P M

Sales associate explains 4Cs to customer.

TOKYO 8 : 0 0 P M Student completes gem ID project.

HONG KONG 7 : 0 0 P M Manufacturing exec expands business skills online.

SEOUL 8 : 0 0 P MGIA alumni network at cultured pearl seminar.

BANGKOK 6 : 0 0 P MGraduate Gemologist spots treated emeralds in bulk order.

LONDON N O O N

GIA-trained jeweler advises client on 5 carat solitaire.

CARLSBAD NEW YORK LONDON ANTWERP FLORENCE GABORONE JOHANNESBURG

DUBAI MOSCOW MUMBAI BANGKOK HONG KONG TAIPEI SEOUL OSAKA TOKYO

Almost anywhere you go, someone is using education acquired from GIA. Our international campuses, traveling classes,corporate seminars and online courses help individuals defi ne and refi ne vital skills. And GIA supports that learning with

credentials valued throughout the gem and jewelry world.

W W W. G I A . E D U

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productshowcase

Individual ExpressionFor half a century, Atlantic Engraving Ltd. has been an industry leader, and as third generation jewellers, has taken the ultimate symbol of commitment beyond the wedding band and classic eternity ring. Featuring coloured metals and unique !nishes, an Atlantic ring is an expression of individuality. Each ring produced is made of seamless tubing and is cut with diamond tipped tools on the highest state-of-the-art European machinery, and no ring leaves the factory without extensive quality control. For more information, write 124 on the Free Info Card on page 81.

Special Collection: Liquid Silver The luxury of sterling silver is launched in the new Liquid Silver collection by PANDORA. Liquid Silver is a collection of rings, earrings, bracelets, and is only available at PANDORA stores and Shop-in-Shops. For more information, write 126 on the Free Info Card on page 81.

MirageAdd some fun and colour during the winter months with Nova’s stackable diamond and fancy stone rings. Set in 18-karat white, yellow, or rose gold, these rings are perfect for mixing and matching. Call (416) 868-NOVA for more information. For more information, write 125 on the Free Info Card on page 81.

016-018.CJ_Product.indd 16 12/23/09 9:19:38 AM

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productshowcase

“Oops” CoverageIf you chip the customer’s diamond, will you be insured? Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company now o!ers “workmanship” coverage as part of their Jewelers Block policy in Canada, so your customers’ jewellery is protected if damage occurs while you, an employees, or an on-site independent contractor works on the piece. "is coverage does not protect your store’s merchandise or property that you are working on for others in the jewellery trade. For more information, visit JewelersMutual.com or call 800-558-6411. For more information, write 127 on the Free Info Card on page 81.

DiemmeffeChic, classic, outstanding enriching and versatile jewel mosaic designs in 18kt gold and precious stones from JOMARK, Canada’s premier distributor of European gold jewellery since 1989. O!ering an extensive range of gold jewellery, JOMARK’s high standards and passion, guarantees high quality luxury jewellery delivered across Canada. Acquire luxury jewellery from the unsurpassed gold distributor, JOMARK For more information, write 128 on the Free Info Card on page 81.

Chamilia – Your Life. Your Style.Chamilia offers a dazzling selection of over 600 beads in .925 silver, 14k gold, Italian Murano glass, Swarovski Crystal, coloured stones and an exclusive Disney collection, all designed to make a lasting impression. With over 30 new designs introduced each quarter, it’s no wonder customers come back to Chamilia’s retailers again and again. Discover the World of Chamilia at chamilia.com. For more information, write 129 on the Free Info Card on page 81.



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productshowcase

JSN Diamonds SparkleJSN is one of Canada’s leading jewellery manufacturers with an arsenal of !ve brands that range from entry-level product to a fully-certi!ed premium Canadian diamond line. With offices in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, along with a plant in Bangkok, "ailand, JSN has achieved a high level of recognition on the international stage. For more information, write 130 on the Free Info Card on page 81.

Sparkling Personalization Add a classy, personal touch to any ensemble with these brilliant diamond initial pendants from Stuller. The pendants are available in any letter of the alphabet and feature # CTTW of sparkling diamonds and 14kt white gold. For more information, write 132 on the Free Info Card on page 81.

Bolero Collection by Vianna BrasilBolero collection, inspired by Latin American rhythm, exalts the luminosity and spirit of the brilliant colors that characterize the Tropical climate. Rodocrosites and Citrines in different orange hues, enriched by Green Gold Quartzes and Diamonds, award an exotic and sophisticated look to the jewellery design. For more information, write 131 on the Free Info Card on page 81.



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22 CJ J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 w w w. c a n a d i a n j e w e l l e r. c o m22

Find out who is making headlines in the jewellery industry.

who’snews

Georgina Chapman Garrard bow ring.

Fundraiser for Keep a Child Alive has Celebs Bidding BigTaking part in a recent fundraising e! ort for Keep a Child Alive U.S., X-Men star Halle Berry bought a gold necklace all in the name charity. Berry put down a successful bid of $40,000 for a blue kyanite and ruby necklace designed by one of the charity’s founders Alicia Keys for the Barber’s Daughters line. Other celebrity ambassadors include TV chef Padma Lakshimi and supermodel Iman. Keep a Child Alive U.S. raises funds to provide medical care and help both African and Indian families a! ected by HIV and AIDS. " e charity provides aid to more than 45,000 people, including more than 4,000 children and family members on antiretroviral drug treatment.

Uniti Collection Gives Back with Celeb Collaboration Toronto’s less fortunate got a helping hand from local jewellery designers and celebrities when 18Karat Goldsmiths launched the Uniti collection, which will be auctioned o! to raise money for the Red Door Family Shelter. " e collection, which was created in collaboration with celebrities like world # gure skating champion Elvis Stojko, actors Gordon and Leah Pinsent and Breakfast Television hosts Dina Pugliese and Jennifer Valentyne, features jewellery that symbolizes home, family and community. Local talent Meghan Schnarr, Amy Kovach, Kim Drosdick, Samantha Hawkes, Dino Giannetti, " erese Cruz, Vanessa Laurin, Darlene Martin, Suzanne Crudden, Alisha Boyd, Jenny Bird and Shelly Purdy donated their time to create the pieces. " e collection was on display at 18Karat until November 26.

Cheryl Cole Debuts Georgina Chapman Collection on StageWhen X-Factor judge and solo artist Cheryl Cole took to the stage to perform at the “Children in Need Rocks the Albert Hall” concert last night, the songbird debuted the new Georgina Chapman for Garrard Collection. Cole wore the exclusive Bow Cascade earrings and the bow ring in 18k white gold with white diamonds. Based in London, the jewellery house Garrard recently launched the limited edition collection with fellow British designer, and one of the fashion industry’s brightest stars, Georgina Chapman.

Charm necklace by Meghan Lynn Schnarr.

Black jade pendant by Dino Giannetti.

Brangelina Partner with UK’s Asprey to Create Protector CollectionBrad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have partnered with UK-based jewellers Asprey to launch a line of gold and silver jewellery and accessories. " e Protector Collection will include assorted items that range from diamond-studded pendants and rings to baby spoons and picture frames, all featuring a serpent motif. Jolie came up with the idea when she was gi$ ed with a ring shaped as a snake while pregnant with her daughter Shiloh in 2006. Proceeds from sales will be donated to the Education Partnership for Children of Con% ict, a charity that was founded by Jolie in 2006. " e collection will be sold in Asprey outlets in London, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Dubai, with pieces priced at $525.

Protector collection pendants.

Protector collection rings.

020-022.CJ_WhosNews_re2.indd 22 12/23/09 9:15:19 AM


CJjan10_Vianna_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 11:02:07 AM

24 CJ J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 w w w. c a n a d i a n j e w e l l e r. c o m24

who’snews

Dyber Becomes Two-Time Winner of Prestigious Gemstone Cutting German AwardNew Hampshire’s Michael M. Dyber became the only American to win the coveted ! rst prize twice in one of the most prestigious gemstone cutting competition in the world. Dyber won the 40th German Award for Jewellery and Precious Stones, Idar-Oberstein 2009 for utilizing his signature technique Dyber Optic Dish along with his newest technique, the Photon Phacet, to design and cut the aquamarine so it would re" ect 3D optical illusions. # e jewel was completely hand cut with equipment built by Dyber in his New Hampshire studio. # e theme of this year’s competition was “Long Live the Re" ection,” which prioritized gemstone design. # e pieces could be unmounted gemstones, gemstones in ! nished jewellery (with only precious metals being allowed), gemstone objects and sculptures. Dyber is not new to other honours, as he was also awarded second, third and honourable mention at the competition in previous years. He also took home the grand prize in the 2009 AGTA Spectrum - Cutting Edge Competition at the AGTA Gem Fair Tucson 2009, where he cut a 89.79K aquamarine using his signature techniques.

Edmonston of Gold Thumb Wins U-Marq Engraving MachineBert Edmonston of Gold ! umb Jewellery, located at 460 West Patrick St., Frederick, MD, was the lucky winner of a $6,995 U-Marq Gem-RX 4 computerized engraving machine. # e winner was selected from entries that were submitted by mail, trade shows and the U-Marq USA website. Gold # umb Jewellery’s Bert Edmonston was understandably excited when he found out the good news and explained how he always wanted to purchase one but was “waiting for the right time.”

Harry Winston Names President and CEO of NY SubsidiaryToronto-based Harry Winston Diamond Corp. has named Frédéric de Narp as president and CEO of its New York-based jewellery and watch subsidiary starting January 4, 2010. Replacing Tom O’Neill at Harry Winston, de Narp was previously president and CEO at Cartier North America. In a statement, Harry Winston Diamonds CEO Robert Gannicott said about de Narp, “His industry expertise, combined with our company’s unrivalled position in the market, will play an integral role in the development and growth of the Harry Winston business and brand internationally.” Formerly known as Aber Diamonds, the company bought high-end jewellery retailer Harry Winston in 2006. It also owns a stake in the Diavik diamond mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Smith Wins Canada Export Achievement Award for Atlantic RegionCanadian jeweller Robert Smith, owner of Jewel Pop Inc., went home with this year’s Canada Export Achievement Award for the Atlantic region for his Kamelena Jewellery line. It recognizes achievements in exporting while promoting innovation and leadership among Canada’s exporters. Characterized by its interchangeable beads, which can be swapped from silver rings to pendants and earrings, the line makes it easier to pair with your out! ts. For Smith, the decision to cross the border and introduce the line in the U.S. made a lot of sense. Said Smith in a statement, “Having successfully distributed jewellery across Canada for over 15 years, I felt it was time. I needed the challenge and I believed this product was special and unique enough that it could be marketed worldwide. As the world’s largest consumer market and with its close proximity to Canada, the U.S. was a natural ! t.” Along with Canada and the U.S., Smith’s Kameleon Jewelry can also be found in Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

MD, was the lucky winner of a $6,995 U-Marq Gem-RX 4 computerized engraving machine.

U-Marq USA website. Gold # umb Jewellery’s Bert Edmonston was understandably excited

Dyber’s award-winning aquamarine.

Thomas Sabo to Introduce Watch Line to Canadian Market# omas Sabo, which has already conquered fashion capitals like New York, Milan, Paris and London, has its sights set on the great white north with plans to introduce its 59-piece watch line to a Canadian market. # e line, known for is charms and sterling silver, previewed its watch collection in Toronto in late 2009 to much fanfare. # e line featured a variety of models that ranged from basics through to sports and is split into three ranges: Rebel at Heart, It Girl and Classic. Each range draws design elements from its corresponding jewellery lines in its Sterling Silver Collection. CEO Bernd Stadlwieser revealed his expectation to see the line in 100 points of sale across the country. # omas Sabo’s signature store, and its only location in Canada, is located at Place Rosemere in Rosemere, Quebec. [CJ]

020-022.CJ_WhosNews_re2.indd 24 12/23/09 9:15:45 AM

Finished Jewellery & Loose Diamonds

Nova Diamonds Inc.

221 Victoria St. Lower Level

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B 1V4

Phone: 416-868-6682 Fax: 416-868-0666


CJjan10_MirageNovaDiamonds_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 10:47:24 AM


news | trends | eventsWDC Issues Statement on Kimberley Process!e World Diamond Council (WDC) issued a statement of support for the consensus reached by the member states of the Kimberley Process Certi"cation Scheme (KPCS) to immediately implement an intensive, on-the-ground inspection program that will monitor and audit the export of diamonds from Zimbabwe’s Marange province. Zimbabwean authorities have pledged to work with Kimberley Process authorities to address these issues but have also acknowledged “indications of signi"cant non-compliance. !e ability of Zimbabwe

to harness its natural resources, including diamonds, for the bene"t of its people is our primary concern,” says Eli Izhako#, Chairman of the WDC. “!is is a challenging situation, but one in which determined and focused engagement provinces the best chances for a successful outcome.” !e joint work plan will consist of 12 months of close scrutiny as the Kimberley Process works closely with Zimbabwean authorities to achieve full compliance. “!is working plan represents robust and sincere action by the Kimberley Process to achieve the common objectives held by all of its participants.”

IDMA and WFDB Reconfirm Commitment to WDC and KPCSAt the conclusion of the 2009 Presidents’ meeting, held in Antwerp from November 15 to 18, the presidents of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to upholding the Kimberley Process Certi"cation Scheme and the principles of the World Diamond Council (WDC), of which IDMA and WFDB are co-founding members. “IDMA and the WFDB recon"rm their commitment to end and prevent the use of rough diamonds for the purpose of funding con$ict, anywhere in the world. We reiterate that our endorsement of the Kimberley Process, the World Diamond Council and the Supportive System of Warranties remains strong,” they said. !e statement rea%rmed a uni"ed stance among the industry organizations regarding diamond $ow in Marange, Zimbabwe. !e organizations also noted that any member who trades in rough diamonds from Marange prior to the full implementation of this monitoring system and in full compliance of the Kimberley Process resolution will be subject to expulsion.

CGA Gemmology Program Approved Under Ontario Private Career Colleges Act!e Canadian Gemmological Association’s (CGA) Professional Gemmology Accelerated Daytime Program has been approved under Ontario’s Private Career Colleges Act. Although the CGA has been teaching gemmology for more than 50 years, and the CGA’s FCGmA credentials for professional gemmologist status are recognized worldwide, new regulations in Ontario require that all organizations providing vocational training be registered with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Colleges must meet certain standards for their programs, advertising, refund policies and instructor quali"cations, and must also complete a three-step registration process that includes pre-screening, application for program approval and site visit/inspection.

Omega Boutique Opens in VancouverOmega, the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, opened a boutique on December 4, 2009 in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The nearly 50-square-metre space is located on the hotel’s ground floor and showcases the full range of Omega’s timepieces, including the Olympic Games-themed Timeless Collection and Seamaster Diver 300M “Vancouver 2010” Limited-Edition watch, created to commemorate the 24th time Omega has served as Official Timekeeper for the Olympic Games. It is also the first retailer in Canada to offer Omega’s completely redesigned Constellation line, which will be presented along with Omega’s other three main watch families — De Ville, Seamaster and Speedmaster. The boutique was designed with themes of sun, water, earth and time, both literal elements in the materials used to create displays, and metaphoric elements in the boutique’s façade. One of four exclusive Omega boutiques in North America, it will remain open throughout the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Paralympics and will host all of the events featuring the brand’s family of ambassadors throughout the Games.

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CJjan10_SanghaviDiamonds_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 10:48:44 AM


Brosway Shows Increase in Annual Sales in 2009Bros Manifatture, holder of Italian fashion accessory and watch brand Brosway, reported an 18% increase in sales in the !rst 10 months of 2009, compared to the same period in 2008. "e company stated that its growth in part resulted from marketing and communications strategies implemented this year. Bros Manifatture launched a new brand of low-cost jewellery, S’Agapo, following the !rst Silver 925 Collection at the start of 2009. "e company also reported that by the end of 2009, the !rst Brosway #agship store in Milan will open in San Babila Square, designed by world-famous Italian architect Piero Lissoni. "e single #oor, 40-square-metre store will consist of wood and metal foils and raw materials, to highlight the uniqueness of Brosway creations. "e Company says the opening of the #agship store is one step in a plan for a major company expansion, including the opening of two more stores in 2010.

Kwiat Buys, Will Run Fred LeightonDiamond and jewellery company Kwiat recently purchased Fred Leighton, the estate and antique jewellery retailer, with plans to manage and operate the company.

Fred Leighton had !led Chapter 11 in June 2008. Kwiat purchased the company, valued at US$25.8 million, together with Och-Zi$ Capital Management Group and FOF holding. "e deal gives Kwiat and Och-Zi$ control over the Leighton business, including the company’s boutiques, trademarks and intellectual property. Kwiat, Och-Zi$ and FOF Inventory Holding will acquire the company’s jewellery inventory. Greg Kwiat, who will take over as Fred Leighton’s CEO, says he strongly believes in the Fred Leighton brand name, adding that the Leighton brand is a good complement for Kwiat. “Even through this bankruptcy, the core of the brand has remained exceptionally strong.” In the long term, Kwiat says he plans to expand Leighton’s wholesale business and “retail footprint.”

Red Box Diamonds Certified by Gem Ex Systems Inc.Stuller diamond brand Red Box Diamonds is now supported by GemEx Systems Inc. Founded in 1998, GemEx introduced the concept of scienti!cally measuring the light performance of diamonds, which has been embraced by consumers as a method of diamond evaluation. Diamonds are measured for their white light (brilliance), colour light

(!re) and scintillation (sparkle). “By partnering with GemEx, we’re providing our customers with another valuable selling point they can utilize during point-of-purchase conversation,” says Stanley Zale, Stuller Vice President of diamonds. “"is method of selling diamonds appeals to consumers because of its focus on diamond beauty, rather than proportions or cut. A GemEx report increases customer con!dence and trust, ultimately driving diamond sales.”

Hublot’s King Power Chrono Tourbillon Wins AwardHublot’s King Power Chrono Tourbillon watch has won the 5th Premier Middle East Watches, Jewelery and Pens Awards - 2009 edition, held on November 17, 2009, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia. "e watch, made of ceramic, resin and titanium materials, comes in a microblasted all-black ceramic case with ceramic bezel. "is latest iteration of Hublot’s King Power Chronograph model is powered by the HUB4144 self-winding chronograph movement, and has a power reserve of 120 hours. It is hand-wound and made of 262 parts. "e watch, which retails for US$210,000, has received attention from watch a!cionados and experts alike.

Micalla Presents at LG Fashion WeekMicalla Callura Inc. is the brainchild of Danish-born Camilla Jorgensen, a designer currently based in Montreal. Her foray into jewellery came when she looked to designing and making jewellery as a way to engage and distract a friend who was going through cancer treatment (who has since recovered). Pieces from the Micalla line — necklaces, bracelets and earrings — are crafted at Jorgensen’s private studio in Montreal, and are made with the 25 to 55-year-old woman in mind. Jorgensen says the unique properties of the stones she uses, sourced worldwide, offer inspiration for her pieces. Launched in 2008, the Callura line has a branding label contract with Swarovski, and is a more fun and playful line of jewellery and accessories. Micalla was one of the only jewellery houses to present a full show at Toronto’s LG Fashion Week, and also presented at La Semaine de la Mode in Montreal. The show featured haute couture and one-of-a-kind pieces, as well as select pieces from the Spring/Summer 2010 Micalla collection. The 2010 collection features natural earth tones juxtaposed with whimsical splashes of colour — pink, rose and fuchsia are dominant — in the crystal and stone collection.

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Best in Platinum at the GIA MuseumThe Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Museum’s exclusive exhibit, “Best in Platinum,” is currently on display until April 30, 2010. The exhibit, which was assembled by the Platinum Guild International (PGI), features 17 pieces selected from a variety of platinum jewellery collections, which are being shown together for the first time in the U.S. “The exhibit is a collaboration of design excellence and creativity. We hand-selected each piece because it illustrates the high quality and versatility of platinum,” says James Courage, PGI CEO. He adds that the exhibition showcases designers from all over the world who work in platinum “because of its natural beauty and durability. These works of art are truly an international collaboration, featuring pieces from China, Japan, Italy, India, South Africa, Germany and the U.S.” Five pieces are from the PlatAfrica design competition, and the Aqua Collection, making their U.S. debut.

Diamond Bourse of Canada Set to Open in January 2010!e Diamond Bourse of Canada (DBC) is set to o"cially open and launch in January 2010. According to the organization, Canada is now the third largest producer of diamonds by value in the world — worth US$2.4 billion in 2008. Industry leaders in a Working Group, established through the o"ces of the Diamond Manufacturers of Canada and the Canadian Jewellers Association, have worked together to make the DBC a reality, signing on as founding members of the Bourse. !ese founding members have contributed capital funding and will also form the initial Board of Directors to develop the bylaws and direct the Bourse’s establishment. !e Bourse will o#er members a safe and secure place for wholesale rough and polished diamond

exchange, as well as other increased security and e"ciency convenience.

Gucci Joins Responsible Jewellery CouncilGucci has joined the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) as of December 2009. “I am delighted to welcome Gucci to the membership of the RJC. Gucci’s membership of the RJC will reinforce the Council’s message of the responsible business practices among large and small industry players,” says Michael Rae, the RJC’s Chief Executive O"cer. Patrizio di Marco, Gucci President and CEO, states, “We are extremely proud to join the Responsible Jewellery Council, as we strongly believe in the role of this association. Gucci has taken a leadership position in the industry by strongly stating and demonstrating its commitment to corporate

social responsibility,” adding that joining the RJC is a further step along the path of social responsibility. !e RJC now has more than 140 members, representing all sectors of the diamond and gold supply chain, trade associations and service providers.

Harry Winston Sales Down in Third QuarterHarry Winston has announced that consolidated sales for the third quarter of 2009 ending October 31 were down 50%. Sales were US$74.8 million for the quarter, compared to US$148.6 million in the third quarter of 2008. !e company also reported mining segment recorded sales of US$20.8 million, a 77% decrease from US$907 million in 2008. !is decrease was due to a decrease in volume of carats sold and 9% decrease in rough diamond prices.

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PRECIOUS METALS

stock index

Agnico-Eagle Mines AEM TSX $62.820 $66.470 5.81% $77.320 $33.000 $174.6 161.26 10,402.00

Alamos Gold AGI TSX $9.480 $12.380 30.59% $13.500 $4.360 $42.7 22.87 1,347.00

Anglogold Ashanti Ltd. AU NYSE $41.550 $43.650 5.05% $47.520 $21.110 $1,140.0 37.3 12,266.00

Anvil Mining Ltd. AVM TSX $3.010 $3.290 9.30% $3.580 $0.680 $18.5 N/A 387.00

Barrick Gold Corp. ABX TSX $41.970 $45.100 7.46% $50.530 $29.460 $2,102.0 N/A 44,331.00

Compania Minas Buenaventu BVN NYSE $36.740 $39.840 8.44% $42.690 $13.936 $198.1 N/A 10,137.00

Eastern Platinum ELR TSX $0.810 $0.940 16.05% $1.050 $0.225 $31.3 N/A 640.00

Eldorado Gold ELD TSX $12.970 $14.250 9.87% $15.500 $5.470 $83.0 29.24 5,702.00

Equinox Minerals Ltd. EQN TSX $3.720 $4.090 9.95% $4.560 $0.960 $62.3 104.25 2,882.00

First Quantum Minerals FM TSX $73.010 $81.590 11.75% $85.250 $13.010 $527.5 N/A 6,408.00

FNX Mining Company FNX TSX $10.250 $11.400 11.22% $12.580 $2.000 $18.8 N/A 1,163.00

Fortune Valley Resources FVX TSX-V $0.200 $0.220 10.00% $0.255 $0.005 N/A N/A 7.00

Gammon Gold GAM TSX $9.630 $12.080 25.44% $13.190 $2.910 $52.8 139.89 1,503.00

Gold Fields GFI NYSE $14.010 $14.620 4.35% $15.880 $6.660 $948.3 N/A 10,305.00

Goldcorp Inc. G TSX $42.960 $44.660 3.96% $48.370 $25.570 $696.7 28.6 32,722.00

Iamgold Corp. IMG TSX $16.120 $19.240 19.35% $21.950 $4.510 $260.4 135.2 7,081.00

International Royalty IRC TSX $4.360 $4.710 8.03% $5.170 $1.380 $6.1 N/A 370.00

Ivanhoe Mines IVN TSX $11.870 $12.550 5.73% $14.450 $2.260 $9.5 N/A 4,749.00

Kinross Gold K TSX $19.360 $21.560 11.36% $25.220 $15.800 $595.2 N/A 15,000.00

Lundin Mining LUN TSX $4.280 $4.700 9.81% $4.960 $0.690 $192.1 N/A 2,724.00

Newmont Mining NMC TSX $49.570 $55.000 10.95% $59.600 $34.810 $2,049.0 29.03 24,969.00

NovaGold Resources NG TSX $5.310 $6.350 19.59% $7.170 $0.530 $0.4 N/A 1,172.00

Pan American Silver PAA TSX $24.500 $27.250 11.22% $28.730 $12.560 $119.5 N/A 2,377.00

Red Back Mining Inc. RBI TSX $14.980 $15.300 2.14% $16.360 $4.830 $95.3 35.62 3,532.00

Silver Standard Resources SSO TSX $21.490 $24.980 16.24% $27.690 $9.880 $3.7 N/A 1,791.00

Silver Wheaton SLW TSX $14.810 $17.150 15.80% $18.340 $3.870 $76.7 99.61 5,852.00

Teck Resources Ltd. TCK.B TSX $31.380 $36.550 16.48% $38.360 $3.350 $2,524.0 25.68 21,517.00

Yamana Gold Inc. YRI TSX $12.540 $13.570 8.21% $15.000 $5.760 $336.9 29.06 9,950.00

Anglo American PLC AAUKY OTC $18.700 $21.350 14.17% $22.900 $6.210 $9,292.0 13.38 56,210.00

Azure Resources Corp. AZU TSX-V $0.135 $0.130 -3.70% $0.150 $0.050 N/A 6.5 11.00

BHP Billiton Ltd. BHP NYSE $66.590 $75.270 13.03% $78.750 $32.330 N/A 36.55 126,392.00

Diamcor Mining DMI TSX-V $0.230 $0.350 52.17% $0.400 $0.130 N/A N/A 3.00

Diamond Fields Intl. DFI TSX $0.075 $0.075 0.00% $0.110 $0.025 $0.4 N/A 4.00

Diamond North Resources DDN TSX-V $0.320 $0.310 -3.13% $0.395 $0.100 N/A 60.43 23.00

Dios Exploration DOS TSX-V $0.170 $0.180 5.88% $0.250 $0.050 N/A N/A 6.00

Harry Winston Diamond HW TSX $9.720 $10.190 4.84% $11.130 $2.190 $107.6 N/A 780.00

Mountain Province Diamonds MPV TSX $2.680 $2.370 -11.57% $3.310 $0.730 N/A N/A 142.00

Moydow Mines Intl. Inc. MOY TSX $0.365 $0.780 113.70% $0.890 $0.055 N/A N/A 47.00

New Nadina Expls Ltd. NNA TSX-V $0.060 $0.080 33.33% $0.200 $0.045 N/A N/A 3.00

Rio Tinto RTP NYSE $185.720 $207.900 11.94% $223.750 $59.200 N/A N/A 51,819.00

Sanatana Diamonds Inc. STA TSX-V $0.115 $0.100 -13.04% $0.250 $0.050 N/A N/A 6.00

Shear Minerals Ltd. SRM TSX-V $0.070 $0.060 -14.29% $0.115 $0.035 N/A N/A 5.00

Starfield Resources Inc. SRU TSX $0.095 $0.095 0.00% $0.320 $0.070 N/A N/A 32.00

Stornoway Diamond SWY TSX $0.315 $0.270 -14.29% $0.370 $0.055 N/A N/A 71.00

True North Gems TGX TSX-V $0.100 $0.090 -10.00% $0.215 $0.050 N/A N/A 6.00

Western Standard Metals WSM TSX-V $0.445 $0.440 -1.12% $0.510 $0.050 N/A N/A 18.00

Birks and Mayors BMJ AMEX $0.580 $0.950 63.79% $0.800 $0.200 N/A N/A 11.00

Fossil Inc. FOSL Nasdaq $27.480 $31.780 15.65% $33.400 $11.000 $381.4 18.23 2,119.00

Sears Canada SCC TSX $22.230 $23.520 5.80% $24.700 $16.260 $1,309.0 12.29 2,531.00

Signet Group SIG NYSE $26.040 $26.690 2.50% $29.070 $5.910 $613.7 N/A 2,605.00

Tiffany and Co. TIF NYSE $40.280 $41.510 3.05% $44.040 $16.700 $598.2 22.97 5,150.00

Wal-Mart WMT NYSE $49.900 $52.240 4.69% $59.230 $46.250 $99,411.0 15.47 209,194.00

Zale Corp. ZLC NYSE $5.020 $4.960 -1.20% $8.510 $0.890 $329.2 N/A 159.00

Gold COMX $1,157.100

Silver COMX $18.505

Platinum NYME $1,441.900

Palladium COMX $376.850

*This selection of securities is not to be interpreted as a solicitation and companies are not endorsed by Rive Gauche Media.

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GEMSTONES

JEWELLERS & RETAILERS

COMMODITIES

TAG Heuer Debuts Lifestyle Accessories Line in North AmericaLuxury Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer announced that the company will o!er its line of men’s and women’s accessories in the United States and Canada via an exclusive online store. Previously, the lifestyle product line was available only at boutiques in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. According to the company, the accessories are retro-inspired with a modern construction and materials. Some items include a unisex travel bag, stainless-steel embellished cu"inks, a 30-gigabyte stainless-steel storage card stamped with the TAG Heuer shield and a stonewashed calf leather jacket. #e collection will retail for approximately US$150 to US$800.

Semi-Cut Diamonds Are Subject to KP Requirements#e Kimberley Process Certi$cation Scheme Secretariat - Nambia has released a statement refuting claims that the KP could be circumvented by cutting and polishing a single facet to rough diamonds. According to the statement, the World Customs Organization has modi$ed the de$nition of rough diamonds, so that the loopholes that might have existed before 2004 are closed. Semi-cut diamonds are regarded as rough diamonds, and their import or export are subject to KP requirements. [CJ]

Please note:#e following show was omitted from our December 2009 International Tradeshow Directory in the issue. Our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Western Canadian Jewellery ExpoAUGUST 13-25, 2010Shaw Conference CentreEdmonton, Alberta(780) 467-9549Email: [email protected]

We would like to clarify an entry from our September/October Buyers’ Guide regarding Imperial Smelting of Canada. #e correct information should have read as follows:Parent company - Umicore GroupGeneral contact email address: [email protected]: Cameron Hartley, [email protected] Smelting Of Canada is in no way a%liated with Lacy West Supplies.

024-028.CJ_FTR_re.indd 30 12/23/09 9:13:39 AM


miningnews

Gold and Copper Mine Approved for Mount Milligan Project in BCTerrane Metals got the green light it needed from Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice for its proposed $917-million Mount Milligan gold and copper mine. After a three-year review of a 178-page study, Prentice says that the proposed mine is unlikely to cause a significantly negative impact on the environment. His decision was informed by public comment on the report, federal agencies’ comments, as well as the proposed mitigation measures and follow-up program. While the initial federal review concluded that mining activities would harm the fish habitat in several creeks, the company acknowledgement of the issue and its plan to mitigate the impact allows the habitat to be relatively unaffected. This proposal has been a long time in the works, having initially been approved in the ’90s when Placer Dome proposed it. The Mount Milligan project was granted environmental approval by the British Columbia government early this year, following an environmental assessment.

Taseko Mines Set to Sell Stake in Gibraltar to Sojitz Corp.Canada’s Taseko Mines is set to make $180-million dollars when it follows through with its intention to sell its 25% stake its copper/molybdenum mine in Gibraltar to Sojitz Corp. The Vancouver-based miner has signed a letter of intent with the Japanese trading house in order to establish a joint venture that would see them holding a 75% stake in the Gibraltar mine. Taseko will still continue to be the operator in Gibraltar. A highly anticipated move for both parties, Taseko says it would help develop its Prosperity gold/copper project in south-central British Columbia, where it recently increased mineral reserves by 70%. Sojitz, on the other hand, isn’t new when it comes to working in Canada, with a number of investments in the British Columbia mining industry.

Aurizon Mines Continues Development of Casa Berardi MineAfter a $15-million close-spaced drilling program at its Casa Berardi gold mine, Vancouver-based Aurizon Mines Ltd. has confirmed the continuity and thickness of

veins east of the mine’s production shaft, at about the 810-metre level. Aurizon bought the inactive Casa Berardi mine, located near La Sarre in northwestern Quebec, from TVX Mining in 1998. The company restarted the mine by deepening the hole and upgrading the shaft and mill, producing an annual output of 160,000 ounces of gold. The company expressed interest in the nearby Joanna gold property, ordering a final feasibility report for open-pit mining. Aurizon not only says it has the resources to develop this new venture, but it could increase annual production by half to 260,000 ounces.

De Beers Canada to Increase Production Levels at Snap Lake De Beers Canada announced that it would increase production levels at its Snap Lake diamond mine in the Northwest Territories. This move will result in the addition of 175 jobs by the end of 2010, with plans to produce at full capacity in 2012. Additionally, the Company has recently partnered with Mine Training Society, Aurora College and the GNWT Department of Education, Culture and Employment to provide students coming from the underground mine training programs in 2010 to do a practical 12-week work experience as employees; De Beers will train, test and certify them with the nationally recognized Ontario Common Core standard, starting January 2010. There are also plans to complete a permanent accommodation complex for employees from February to October 2010, which will result in an additional 30 construction jobs.

Landor Resources Makes Significant Discovery at Junior Lake PropertyLandor Resources Ltd. announced that it made a significant gold discovery in its Junior Lake property in Ontario while in the process of proving its iron ore resources. This follows its claim for an additional 80 mining blocks just north of the discovery, which would almost double the Junior Lake property to 31,953 hectares. As the company’s chief executive Richard Prickett told Reuters, the drill results from the Lamaune Gold prospect and results from the geological review supported the chances of this profitable discovery. [CJ]

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029.CJ_MiningNews_re.indd 31 12/23/09 9:36:39 AM


Our industry is reimagining itself before our very eyes. In this new world, memo terms are tightened or eliminated entirely; cash is king; and all along the supply chain, from producers to retailers, those without the !nancial resources to wait out the storm are dropping and

will continue to drop through the !rst two quarters of 2010. But there has been a technological undercurrent that has also been driving change since the mid 1990s as GemVision’s Digital Goldsmith product made design easy while also providing jewellers with a powerful sales tool for custom work.

A New EraWith new design applications popping up, they seem like simple easy-to-use design tools, but they also embody a view of where the industry is moving.

BY ROBIN GAMBHIR

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marketwatch


Technology has been a driving factor in most industries since the industrial revolution, but CAD, in particular, has arguably had the most profound e!ect in our industry for at least a generation. But CAD technology has always been challenging to use, requiring months of training and — ideally — knowledge of jewellery fabrication. To solve this problem, a new class of CAD so"ware is emerging and leading the way, such as GemVision’s CounterSketch program, made in collaboration with Stuller.

#e gist of CounterSketch is that anyone can design jewellery by using a library of mounts that can be customized with just a few clicks. From all angles, it seems to be a well-executed program that delivers on the promise of ease of use. #e program comes with a library of models that you can view with your customer and metal colours, shape of centre stone and other important attributes, which can be searched easily. The program is meant to appeal to cash-strapped jewellers with too many expenses and too much inventory. So part of the pitch is “virtual inventory,” which means you need to have little inventory on hand which means fewer expenses associated with inventory, display and insurance. And with the virtual inventory comes just-in-time delivery from Stuller.

Everyone is a JewellerIf everything works as advertised, then one assumes that the barriers to becoming a custom jeweller are gone. You don’t need money for inventory; technically you wouldn’t need a location because you could visit people’s homes and offices. You probably don’t need to know

anything about how jewellery is made, and because the pricing is set by Stuller, you don’t have to worry about markups. So what you have are two competing visions of the industry, both of which centre around access to capital and credit. Most existing manufacturers and suppliers will give jewellers long terms to put their product in their stores or they will give them better pricing for paying up front. But most jewellers argue that customers don’t buy out of the case. For jewellery that is neither a brand nor a price point, they want “custom.” In this Stuller/GemVision model, you pay your bill monthly and they do all the heavy li"ing. In the end, this newish model will probably capture some market share but the idea of easier-to-use 3D so"ware is taking hold elsewhere in the industry too.

The Future of CAD?There are a number of CAD systems for the jewellery industry and they will continue to be a force, despite do-it-yourself programs that will continue to make it easier. In our industry, most of what passes for custom is more like customization — very few jewellers make original designs and it’s more because as much as consumers say they want custom, they don’t want a piece of art. #ey want an extra stone here, or a di!erent metal colour there and so forth. For them, that is custom. Another program that has recently launched is called FireStorm CAD. #is program, like CounterSketch, includes a library of pre-made models but it also includes a full library of $ndings. FireStorm is also being positioned as a sales tool that can be used to work with customers as well. But unlike CounterSketch, it allows you to build what you design or with the supplier of your choice. [CJ]

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The X FactorThe rarer a gem, the greater the edge in making a sale and maintaining firm pricing, but this also translates into interesting challenges for arriving at prices.BY DUNCAN PARKER

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We’ve gone through the December 2009 retail season, and we are into a New Year with new hopes and business aspirations, wondering what’s in store. Everyone is looking for opportunities to make a change and to revitalize plans and strategies.

What’s Rare is New?!e “same-old-same-old” is di"cult to sustain when competing with everyone else in a price-sensitive market. !e consumer is aware, connected and very clever. If you are selling conventional items, your competitive edge is likely price. Price can be competitive only to a certain point, and beyond that, there’s a serious threat to pro#tability. Price is currently the main approach to making a sale. Few jewellers can ignore price pressure, and some use price as the main tool to attract customers. Many jewellers compete by o$ering prices lower than the next guy. !is will attract customers, but not necessarily repeat customers. I don’t know of too many jewellers who compete by having higher prices than the jeweller next door, but there are lots who have lost sales purely due to price.

!ere seems to be a new trend in creating an edge in the jewellery business — rarity. !e simple word represents so much to the jeweller and the consumer. !ere is a genuine interest in the rare, the unusual, and the things that no one else has. !ough, of course, you can never have enough diamonds, there are times that we might be convinced to look into something di$erent for a change. An important development we are seeing in the lab at Harold Weinstein right now is an in%ux of unusual and rare gems. Jewellers who are looking to make sales in the competitive market are increasingly showing customers gems and jewels that are out of the ordinary and therefore not part of the competition for the lowest price. Carrying the unusual can help eliminate price competition.

What’s InRight now, fancy colour diamonds are coming through the lab in all colours. We have seen numbers of yellow, some orange, some pink, a few blue, and even red, plus other scattered fancy colours. Apart from their colours, the beauty of fancy diamonds to the jeweller is that the colours are not easily quanti#ed, the customer needs to see each gem’s colour, and comparison shopping is more di"cult. !is is a change in the approach to selling diamonds.

Change is frightening to most of us. Generally, eating worms would be preferable to bringing change into our lives. We must be brave enough to embrace change, and the rare and unusual is certainly a change. It is a brave and unique jeweller who sells a rare gem. !e starting point for such a business move is having the rare gems on hand, and more importantly, being excited about them. !e consumer usually asks for something familiar, but many are open to suggestions.

Rare gems provide an opportunity to supply what nobody (or hardly anybody) else has. Most consumers like to think that they have something unlike anyone else’s. How many people are pleased when they turn around at a party and see someone else in the same dress? O$ering a rare gem or a gem from a rare location is a great way to give yourself an edge, and a competitive advantage. In all likelihood, if you carry rare gems, it’s because you are excited about them yourself. It is easier to sell something that turns your crank than something that simply requires you to beat someone else’s price.

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facevalue

Making the SaleIn selling rare gems, there is a need to bring the unusual into the conversation. If a customer comes in to look for something conventional, you have to be brave enough to bring the alternatives into the discussion. “Oh, you’ve got to see what I just got in. My friend just collected it in the Yukon, and it is so cool…” and so on. Once the customer catches your excitement and sees the item, it may create interest in a purchase.

We have trade and private clients regularly coming to the lab to have us examine, identify and evaluate all sorts of rare gems. One of the biggest problems we experience with these gems is placing a value on them. ! ere are o" en so few of them that there is simply no established pricing structure. As we go through trade shows we keep alphabetized note books and jot down pricing based on varieties, colours, sizes, origins and other qualities of gems. ! ese notes really help with rare gem appraisals, but we still o" en need to recalibrate our pricing each time we see one of the rarer gems. Having comparables helps, but there really is great variability in the pricing or rare gems. ! is goes to prove that if the people in the gem industry can’t # nd standard pricing for the rare gems, then the consumer won’t be able to comparison shop, and this probably means a livable markup might be possible with these gems.

How many jewellers carry Zultanite (a colour-change diaspore from Turkey)? Demantoid garnet is very rare; it is the most costly garnet (all other things being equal), and though there are new sources in Iran and Madagascar, there really isn’t much of this attractive green gem available at all. In addition to demantoid, garnet is available in every colour of the rainbow (including blue, in a colour-change gem). Brazil is the source of true Paraiba Tourmaline, and both its beauty and rarity makes this intense blue green gem very precious. Kyanite is

available in colours that can compete with blue sapphire. Red spinels can be extraordinary. Cat’s eyes are found in dozens of gems: Apatite, scapolite and sillimanite, for example.

Just by virtue of being rare, a gem isn’t necessarily expensive. Beauty is a feature that de# nes a gem. ! e beauty may be in its colour, its cut, its clarity, or might be in its mystique. ! e mystique of source might carry a story that makes an otherwise common gem very interesting. Imagine wearing a ring featuring a sapphire from Baffin Island in Canada! How many people have a topaz mined, polished and sold all within Canada? Bradley Wilson, Vice president of the Canadian Gemmological Association, prospects, collects and polishes gems from Canada, and has established a specialty niche that distinguishes him from everyone else. Around the world, there are adventurers who travel to exotic places to collect the unusual and bring them to market.

! e average consumer is fascinated by the stories of adventures involved in # nding their gems or gems like theirs. If you carry rare gems, there is a good possibility that your suppliers are full of stories of markets and trades done in strange and unexpected locations to bring the gems to the # nal wearer. In the lab, at conferences and in our travels, we o" en meet these unusual travellers and hear of or participate in their adventures as they secure these tiny pieces of beauty.

Going ForwardIt requires extra work and a little dedication, but there are hundreds of interesting rare gems available to o$ er to the consumer. ! ese gems can make your days more interesting (they certainly do mine as a gemmologist), and can very likely bring customers back again and again to ask “What have you got this time?” Ask your coloured stone dealer for some variety, and see what appears, it can be very exciting, and may set you apart from everyone else, at a time when that might be just what you need. [CJ]

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Welcome to the Jewellers Vigilance Canada (JVC) column, which will be an ongoing regular feature in Canadian Jeweller going forward into the New Year as part of JVC’s partnership

with CJ as our o!cial magazine. Not only do we want to foster a better understanding of what JVC does for the Canadian jewellery and watch industry, but also to give you key information that will better your businesses as well as help to keep your operations safe.

So what is JVC? Our beginnings date back to 1987 when industry members came together to form a non-profit association that would act as a watchdog. Twenty-two years later, JVC has become a respected industry body delivering crime prevention education, consumer and trade mediation, setting industry standards and guidelines for business and acting as a key resource for government agencies. A volunteer Board of Directors representing every sector of the Canadian jewellery and watch industry (with a head o!ce based in Toronto) governs JVC. We have an Executive Coordinator, Carla Adams, together with myself as Executive Director. All of us together are committed to making this industry a fair place to conduct your businesses.

Our Key Initiatives: An Overview JVC’s involvement in issues has run the gamut from anti-money laundering (AML) industry compliance, developing a Code of Conduct for Canadian diamonds, counterfeiting of jewellery and watches, to being the lead association for all levels of law enforcement on jewellery and watch related issues.

Consumers look to JVC for unbiased jewellery and watch industry guidance and as a place to turn to when in need of assistance from a third party when something goes wrong at a jewellery retailer. JVC has successfully assisted thousands of consumers and helped, in many cases, to restore their confidence in our industry. When a consumer calls, JVC gives advice on how to proceed if they encounter di!culties when dealing with a jeweller. Sometimes all that is needed is an unbiased voice to restore a consumer’s faith in our industry. We also answer questions on purchasing jewellery, especially if there is an appraisal or

certi"cation involved. Many consumers are referred to us by jewellers and also by Better Business Bureaus across Canada.

Industry members have also come to JVC to ask for assistance when another member has perhaps crossed the line in what is fair practice. #ere are Canadian laws in place to deter misleading and deceptive marketing practices in advertising, and JVC’s mission is to guide industry to those practices which enhance consumer con"dence, not erode it.

Over the last 20 years, JVC has worked with many government agencies (FINTRAC, NRCAN, Industry Canada, the Competition Bureau to name a few) on matters that affect our industry. Our affiliation with other non-industry associations, such as the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network and the Canadian Security Association, has brought this industry’s perspective to mutual concerns and issues.

Perhaps our most important contribution to date has been JVC’s Crime Prevention Program. In 1999, JVC accepted an expanded mandate to include crime prevention education, and thus embarked on a journey that has led to an industry membership of close to 700 businesses representing well over 1,000 doors, a database of over 650 law enforcement members from coast to coast, a comprehensive educational program developed with JVC’s partner, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, and an alert system that has proven to prevent crimes from happening against our businesses. Police now call upon JVC for assistance in investigations and the apprehension of criminals. JVC not only educates industry members but also brings important awareness to police of the uniqueness of our industry. We have been successful many times in bringing about a law enforcement task force to concentrate on a particular problem. We have become a resource that law enforcement not only respects but utilizes to catch criminals.

In upcoming issues of CJ, we hope to bring you up-to-date information on the many facets of our mandate. We look forward to hearing from you directly with your comments, questions and ideas. [CJ]

crimereport

New BeginningsAn introduction to Jewellers Vigilance Canada and the organization’s industry-wide efforts. BY PHYLLIS RICHARD


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38 CJ D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9 w w w. c a n a d i a n j e w e l l e r. c o m

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Norbert Brinkhaus of Brinkhaus Jewellers talks about Calgary, community-based retailing and reaping what you sow.

BY CAROL BESLER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADINA CURRIE

Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about Norbert Brinkhaus: A!er high school, he "nished a degree in horticulture, specializing in exterior landscaping and fruit farming; he studied

ivory carving and art history at the Staatliche Zeichenakademie in Germany; and he originally rejected the idea of following in his parents’ footsteps in the family jewellery business, mainly because he saw they were putting in 60 to 70-hour weeks. (What, fruit farming and a stint in the German army were easier than jewellery retailing?) He ended up doing it anyway. He emigrated from Germany to Calgary in 1977 to open a branch of his father’s jewellery business. He was shocked by the cold weather.

#e rest, as they say, is history. Brinkhaus went on to become a prestigious, award-winning jeweller (the company has won multiple De Beers design competitions and Spectrum Awards, and was a Canadian Jeweller Retailer of the Year, as well as a multiple winner in the Canadian Jeweller Buyer’s Choice Awards). Brinkhaus served two terms on the board of the Canadian Jewellers Association, is a member of the board of Jewellers Vigilance Canada and a director of the Alberta BBB. Two years ago, he sold his $15-million-a-year business to Birks and Mayors in what, although he won’t disclose details, he says was a “sweetheart” deal. (#e press release says the purchase price was $13 million, to be paid over time.) Looking back, Brinkhaus says he has had the time of his life, and it’s not over yet. As part of the agreement with Birks, he and his wife and partner Kim continue to run the stores and still own the workshop.

Norbert’s father, Karl, who apprenticed in a jewellery store near his home in Muenster, Germany, in 1936, started the family business. He lived with the proprietor’s family while he worked in the store and attended a watchmaking and goldsmithing school. Karl was dra!ed into the air force in 1940, but a!er the war he and his wife, Mia, started a jewellery wholesale business, working out of the living room of their $at.

He took a rather circuitous route to Canada. Karl loved travelling, and in the early ’70, he embarked on a road trip from New York to Alaska. He stopped at Vancouver on the way, and completely fell in love with the city. #e following year, he sold the family’s real estate in Germany and took the jewellery business, which was portable, to Vancouver where he took over an existing retail business with stores in Vancouver, Calgary and San Francisco. His daughter and Norbert’s sister, Gisela, followed in 1975, a!er earning a gemology degree in Idar-Oberstein. Gisela worked in the business until her retirement four years ago, running the workshop and store in Vancouver.

Norbert joined his family in 1977, when his father asked him to run the Calgary store. “I was in my late 20s at the time, and I said ‘sure I’ll do it,’ not knowing what the winters were like,” he says. “#at "rst January, I had tears in my eyes a!er 30 days of minus 30-degree weather; I thought, what the heck have I done?” In those days Calgary was a city of about 300,000 people.“It was a nice community, like a small town,” says Norbert.

&TrueTried



“I learned to appreciate and love the people. !rough our customers, I met some very nice families, who kind of adopted me and made my life very easy in those early years.”

A few years later, he met his future wife, Kim, whom he married 1983 and has been his partner in the business ever since. Kim has a background in fashion; she was a model, who went on to produce fashion shows and work in fashion marketing. She is the main buyer for Brinkhaus Jewellers and handles all the marketing and advertising. Gisela, meanwhile, handled most of the company’s administration and ran the workshop in Vancouver, completing the triumvirate that ran Brinkhaus for so many years and putting it on the map in Canada. “Gisela knows a lot about manufacturing and "nishing,” says Norbert, “and having worked at the German Gemological Institute in Idar-Oberstein and later for a diamond trader in Antwerp, she was also really good at picking gemstones.”

Although Norbert initially didn’t want to do what his parents were doing — “they were working 60 to 70-hours a week. When you close your doors at 6 or 6:30 in this business, that’s when the real work starts”

— he eventually began to see the other (glamorous) side of the business. “I went to Basel for the "rst time [about 40 years ago], and gradually I started to understand the mystique of the industry,” he says. “A#er being dra#ed into the German army for 1.5 years, I came home and decided to join the business. I went for eight semesters to the Staatliche Zeichenakademie in Hanau, Germany, where I got training in everything from enameling to ivory carving, with exams in goldsmith techniques and gemsetting. I also studied art history because how can you be a major player in jewellery design or any design industry if you don’t know what Bauhaus is or Baroque?”

Brinkhaus has always been what used to be called a carriage-trade jeweller. “We have never touched 10k or 14k — only 18k and platinum. We have stayed high-end, and it has worked. !e key is to be consistent. You can’t be everything to everyone. So, pick what you want to be and stay with it,” says Norbert. He likens it to a good restaurant. “In any major city, you have two or three good steakhouse restaurants that have been famous for 30 years. !ey don’t "ght for Italian food; they don’t "ght for French food; they are full every night. !ey stick to what they know. We are a specialty, and we have a very strong presence in our community.”


coverstory

Enamel and diamond bangles in 18K gold from La Nouvelle Bague.

!e key to the Brinkhaus philosophy is to o"er something unique — to work o" the assumption that wealthy people want to have something that no one else has. While they o"er heavyweight jewellery brands like Roberto Coin, La Nouvelle Bague and Fabergé, the store also sells the Brinkhaus brand. “Suppliers are like migratory birds: they come for food and stopovers, but add very little to your community,” says Brinkhaus. “We make over 50% of our jewellery. So many retail jewellers keep buying line a#er line and there is no coherence to their product mix. When we do carry something else it has to be unique, or something we just couldn’t do.” In terms of watches, the store carries almost all of the heavyweight brands, including one of the most extensive Rolex businesses in Canada.

Norbert points out, however, that there is more to carrying high-end brands than just signing up with Rolex. “You have to bring value to the line. You have to cultivate the customer base and that takes years and a lot more than just putting it in your showcase. You also need to have knowledge and knowledgeable sta". And you can’t buy the clientele with merchandise. You have to have the clientele before you have the merchandise. If there are already two people in your community who are Rolex dealers, how can you add any value to Rolex to compete with those two people if you’re not known? Above all, you can’t buy your business through discounting.”

A heavy, consistent advertising/promotions/marketing campaign — the budget is $700,000 to $800,000 a year — ensures the stores do not have to resort to discounting. They do a catalogue every year, using original photography, which is mailed to the company’s customer list of 20,000. The website was launched in 1996 and they advertise in newspapers and high-quality magazines, as well as on billboards and duratrans. For in-store events, Brinkhaus mainly does events around special collections. !e marketing campaign also has a service element: the company does free jewellery cleaning and gives complimentary cleaner, complimentary appraisals and free inspections. “We stay away from nickel and diming our customers,” says Norbert. “Our credit plan is also very generous — customers can make 10 equal payments with no interest. !is is good for young people that buy an engagement ring, or someone who wants a special watch. It, all of a sudden, puts them in a di"erent buying range: instead of having $5,000 to $8,000 to spend, they can stretch it out to $12,000 to $15,000.

!e business boasts what Norbert refers to as “a healthy market share,” which he attributes mainly to its support of the arts, hospitals, charities, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Big Sisters and other community-building events and causes. “Our customers have become our friends over the years,” Norbert adds. “We went to a birthday party last Saturday with 40 people; at least 20 are also on our VIP customer list.


Ring and bracelets from the Appassionata collection by Roberto Coin.

That’s a wonderful thing.” He says his customers are people who “appreciate quality, value, service and lasting memories. We now have three generations shopping at Brinkhaus. Many of our customers are also community builders and have a lot going for them. We have, from day one, attracted customers who are very educated people — doctors, architects and engineers — people who don’t go out and buy bling; people who have a true sense of value. Jewellery has no nutritional value, so if you can’t tickle someone’s spine you are missing what it is all about. We are not a bling business; we are special-moment enhancers.”

!e store boasts a sta" of 30, including six in-house gemologists who operate full gem labs at each location. Brinkhaus also operate the only independent level-three watch service centre in North America, which means it can service complicated watches. “We were the #rst independent allowed to issue Rolex service warranties,” says Norbert. Brinhaus’s sta" members all have some form of education related to the industry, and they take part in ongoing sta" training, including brand-speci#c watch training and refresher courses from GIA or other courses that interest them. Brinkhaus pays for their courses, but if an employee resigns within a certain amount of time, he or she has to repay the company.

When asked what he believes are the issues facing the jewellery industry today in Canada, Norbert replies that “being a successful retailer takes a lot of capital; most Canadian jewellers are under#nanced and that’s the main reason so many of them struggle.” He also worries about the industry’s ethical standards. “As you know, some of the people who have entered our industry over the last 10 years have not been desirable characters. !ey work by heavily discounting and then they go bankrupt and then start all over again. People who lie and cheat will win in the short run but never see the #nish line. Most of these jewellers don’t know the difference between a moissanite and a diamond.


“Jewellery has no nutritional value, so if you can’t tickle someone’s spine you are missing what it is all about. We are not a bling business; we are special-moment enhancers.”


coverstory

!ey give the whole industry a bad name.” !e solution, aside from more internal regulation, is a greater level of transparency and a lot more honesty. “When I was on the CJA, one of my goals was to try to make it a profession. What it is right now is a sophisticated "ea market, with many people who hustle, people who cheat, protecting their margins by selling questionable certi#cates. I believe there is a distinct di$erence between a jewellery retail merchant and a professional jeweller.”

In the long run, better policies, he believes, translate to greater success. For example, “I have no idea how many jewellers pay their bills, if they even pay at all,” he says, “But we have never dragged on an invoice more than 30 days. !at way, if you need favours or if you need something special, you’re normally the #rst to be considered. If you don’t pay your invoices or you wait 90 days, what is the supplier’s motivation to show you the nicer diamonds, or to do special events with you or give you early shipment on special products?

What advice would he give to someone starting out in the industry today or starting a retail jewellery store? “It would take a major investment to start a jewellery business today,” he cautions. “If I didn’t have an investment of at least $5 million to $7 million I wouldn’t even look at starting a carriage trade store.” Anyone who does take the plunge, he says, should “learn a cra% #rst. Take the jewellery programs and attend the art colleges. !ere are no shortcuts; you have to pay your dues. Do some volunteer work, try to do an apprenticeship with a reputable jeweller.”

Norbert stresses that jewellers should never be guided by short-term pro#t. “You have to focus on emotion. Jewellery without emotion to me is worthless. It’s our job to make people happy. A happy customer, it seems, makes for a happy jewellery storeowner.” Norbert and Kim recently purchased a home in Scottsdale, Arizona, where they spend time in the winter between jaunts to take care of business in Vancouver and Calgary. “A%er 35 years of Calgary winters, I think we deserved it!” [CJ]



!e piece uses four rough diamonds in the octohedren shape. He has also used so-called industrial-quality gems, but says there is a trick to getting them and using them. “You can’t just order a bunch of I-3s, because the inclusions don’t look right. It just looks ugly. !e inclusions have to be extensive and distributed consistently throughout the stone,” he says. “These are hand picks. They are really out of the realm of diamonds and into the realm of gemstones.” He warns, “you also have to really think about the composition, and how the stones are distributed on the piece. You can just put one or two in a piece, and you can’t do pavé, or a whole tennis bracelet. You need a cluster, and they look good used in combination with other gemstones.”

As for appeal, da Costa notes they are a great gi"-item purchase. “Men are more open to these kinds of diamonds than women,” he says. “!ey are much more intrigued by the notion of the diamond in its natural state. !ey also see it as something very architectural.”

As for getting them, gemstone lover and Calgary retailer Llyn Strelau reports, “I saw at least a dozen dealers selling them in Tucson last year. I didn’t buy any, but I think they’re kind of cool.” He added that they were priced in line with black diamonds.

New York designer Nina Runsdorf calls them cloudy diamonds, and uses them in her current collections together with rough diamonds and slice diamonds (slices are cut from bort, irregular-shaped gem-quality or dark, imperfectly formed/crystallized industrial diamonds). Icy or cloudy diamonds are typically rose cut, a #at-bottomed cut with a high crown, used before the development of the modern, round brilliant. It is a perfectly adequate cut for an opaque stone whose main property is not light return. “People love the idea of these organic diamonds because they are understated, yet have a very strong presence,” says Runsdorf. “My fascination with them stems from the fact that diamonds are the strongest natural stone, used for industrial purposes as well as for precious jewellery.” Her collections are therefore $ttingly created for both ends of the fashion spectrum — “for the woman who wants to wear her jewellery with her jeans, as well as to dinner with a dress.”

Andrew Costen of Catbalue Design in Vancouver also uses both rough and cloudy diamonds. “It’s de$nitely the type of thing that works for custom jewellers,” he notes. “!ese are hand-picked stones, and no two are alike. We have also used rough sapphire crystals.”

productfocus


What Are They?Many of the gems now being used in the “organic” category — opaque, off-colour but not fancy, irregularly shaped — were once termed industrial grade. “It is often referred to by dealers as ‘decorative industrial,’” says Duncan Parker, Vice President of Harold Weinstein and Associates gem lab in Toronto. “They aren’t terribly expensive compared to gem diamonds, but they have a certain value for their novelty. Many big designers have used them for that reason over the years. Buccellati did a collection using beatifully shaped rough diamonds back in the ’70s,” says Parker. Several companies were selling them at the JCK Show in Las Vegas this year, many of them termed “ice diamonds” with a greyish or white body color, and an overall appearance of crackled ice. Athough generally stable, jewellery pieces using irregular diamond shapes and sizes, particularly slices, must be fabricated rather than cast.

Non-gem quality diamonds that are not sold for jewellery are generally crushed and used to make industrial-grade abrasive grits. Much of it is sourced in Australia — 85% of what is mined there is not gem quality. “It’s the best abrasive on the market,” says Parker, who cites an interesting fact: “Every car that is manufactured uses an average of two carats of diamonds — for drilling out machine and engine parts.”

Despite the perceived “below-grade” quality jewellery set with them is not commensurately less expensive. Other factors, such as design, labour and the cost of metals (gold, platinum), as well as brand name, factor into the price. The great advantage for designers and retailers is that this segment — the organic diamond, if you will — is not commoditized, and so not dictated by price lists. The rough, in particular is not rated on any price-per-carat list. Rough, below-gem-grade diamonds can be had from the mine for $5-$25 per carat, but depending on the classification, they could cost as much as what becomes I-2 gem-quality when cut. Black diamonds can be as much as $500 per carat, which represents the low end of the scale for gem quality diamonds.

“Despite their irregularities, however, they have a certain beauty of their own, even though many diamond purists stay away from them.”

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Diamond Advertisers in this issue

Sanghavi Diamondst: 212.764.7841w: www.sanghavidiamonds.com

O’Neill Diamondst: 866.966.3455

Stullert: 337.262.7700w: www.stuller.com

J.S.N. Jewelleryt: 800.470.7374w: www.jsnjewellery.com

Mirage/Nova Diamonds/Goldmart t: 877.BY.MIRAGEw: www.miragecreations.com

productfocus


Todd Reed, a designer based in Boulder, CO, was probably the !rst to use industrial-grade rough diamonds in his jewellery a few years ago, and it remains his specialty. He refers to them as “specimen grade,” and his inspiration for using them grew out of his indignation at an advertising campaign. “It was a response to the slogan: ‘She’ll like you at a half carat, but she’ll love you at a carat.’ Diamonds were being marketed as status symbol rather than as object of beauty,” says Reed. “People didn’t even know what they were getting, and they didn’t care, just as long as it was a carat — because it identi!ed them as being from a certain economic stratosphere.”

Reed concluded that the best way to present diamonds that were in their purest – and in his mind, most beautiful — form was as rough; diamonds untouched by man. “"e shapes are amazing, the colours are amazing, the textures are amazing,” says Reed. “And they’re something new. It’s only a matter of time before a woman realizes she’s not the only one with two-carat diamond ear studs, and she’ll be looking for something that is di#erent, yet still retains the prestige of diamonds.”

Reed is not alone. De Beers introduced a new collection two years ago using rough, random-cut and o#-colour diamonds, and continues to use them in both jewellery and watch designs. "e Talisman collection, for example, with pieces ranging from US $700 to US $1 million, is set heavily with rough diamonds (mainly octahedrons, and some macles) and is so-named because, as De Beers’ promotional material says: “From ancient times through to the renaissance, unpolished diamonds, were mythical talismans for protection, good luck and strength.” Also because “rough diamonds are part of De Beers’ DNA.”

Perhaps in a few years, these will be the only natural diamonds le$ in the earth to mine, and will therefore fetch a premium — perhaps De Beers knows something we don’t. [CJ]

Ring with dandy and rose cut diamonds by Nina Rinsdaf. Bracelet with rough diamonds

by Todd Reid.

Diarough Canada Sales/Uni-Design(UDC) Inc.t: 877.490.8499w: www.diaroughcanada.com

World’s Gold & Diamonds/Low Cost Leadert: 866.569.2678w: www.lowcostleader.com

Best Barginst: 416.214.2582e: [email protected]

Atlantic Engravingt: 800.267.7823e: [email protected]

Five Star Diamondt: 877.861.2244

044-047.CJ_Product_re.indd 46 12/23/09 9:23:51 AM

12 08 2009 1249 100% V1 BARBI BRAUDE DIGITAL PRODUCTION

FILE NAME ONEIL_FP_CanJwlr_Sept DESCRIPTION

CLIENT ONEIL DIAMONDS COLOURS C M Y K PMS 000PMS 000 PMS 000 PMS 000CONTACT Shy Brameli – 604 786 6484

TRIM 9" x 10.875" PIC INFO FINALBLEED 0.25” SEPS RUN Yes

LIVE 0.5" all round from trim OUTPUT

FOLDED " x " PAGE PB FONTS Conver ted to outline

BARBI BRAUDE | 604 319 0313

www.caratsmart.ca

#622-736 Granville St.

Vancouver, B.C

V6Z 1G3

Phone: 604-909-0818

Fax: 604-909-0272

T-Free: 1866-9O’Neill(662-455)

Diamonds are not shown to scale

O’Neill Diamonds Inc.


CJjan10_ONeillDiamonds_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 10:37:05 AM


As a business, O’Neill Diamonds Inc. has what might seem to be a split personality. On the one hand, it’s a dynamic new West-Coast company born in downtown Vancouver by young men in their very early 30s. On the other, it’s a division of a long-established

international diamond manufacturing and brokerage !rm doing business internationally out of o"ces in Canada, U.S. and Israel. Either way, Vancouver-based O’Neill Diamonds is a fresh face and a !rm to watch among Canadian diamond suppliers.

Nimble, web-savvy, service-oriented and ambitious, the four-year-old company o#ers retailers a diverse selection of both certi!ed and uncerti!ed loose diamonds, as well stud earrings, pendants and bracelets up to 25 carats. $e key players include founder Eran Gini along with his brother and co-owner Yaron Gini and Shy Brameli, who handles marketing and sales.

Diamonds with AttitudeO’Neill Diamonds builds a fresh outlook on solid foundations.

BY SARAH B. HOOD

Link Bracelet, 18K W/G with 70.65ctw, 7.5" long, 86.19g

048-050.CJ_Company.indd 48 12/23/09 3:19:11 PM

companyprofi le


Operating under the O’Neill name in Canada only, the company is known as Eran Diamonds on the international market. It was originally founded in 1974, “and I was born in 1975,” quips Eran Gini. “It’s a family business.” Eran Diamonds has o! ces in Arizona, London and Australia; and Gini had the opportunity through his family connections to join the business and extend its Canadian operations.

“In 1997, I started working in Canada, with no connection to the family business; I worked in the jewellery industry to learn; that was my start,” he says. In 2003, he returned with his family to Israel, where he continued working in the industry while he prepared his ten-year business plan. For the past four years, since moving back to Vancouver, Gini has been steadily (and without fanfare) moving ahead with his plans; today the company has sales o! ces in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

“When I came here, I started everything by myself, as a one-man operation,” Gini says. “Over a period of four years, it has been like a puzzle that’s being put together.” He says he believes that a successful jewellery business thrives on a wide world view. “Be outside all the time,” he advises. “I’m running a business from Canada, but two or three months of the year I’m travelling all over the world, and the only reason for that travelling is to see what’s going on.” For retailers, there’s no need to leave the business to stay in touch. “Today we have the Internet, and we can be in Switzerland or London in an instant,” he says.

Also, “we have a terri" c jewellery show every year in Edmonton. If you want to be in the business, you want to update, you want to be at the show to see what is new in the business; what are the happenings, what’s going on?” In fact, this is the " rst year that Gini felt ready to present O’Neill Diamonds at the Western Canadian Jewellery Expo, since “you’re inviting people into your company to say ‘Here we are; this is what we do,’” he says.

# e inaugural showing was the opportunity to launch O’Neill’s Carat Smart program for Canadian diamonds. “Carat Smart is our own branding. All the diamonds are certi" ed,” Gini says. All the diamonds sold under the Carat Smart name come from the Northwest Territories, and the brand website underlines that they are therefore con$ ict-free, and that they are also produced without child labour and using environmentally sustainable methods in co-operation with local indigenous residents. Engraved with a maple leaf, Carat Smart diamonds can be individually tracked, and purchasers can register on the site.

Besides their Canadian diamonds, O’Neill carries generic diamonds and a very wide range of manufactured pieces. “We’re doing massive manufacturing, and right now the manufacture is in Mumbai. We have 1,000 employees working around the clock to supply Canada, the U.S., London and Australia,” Gini says.

From left to right Yaron,Shy and Eran.


But even now that the business is growing, the company is designed to operate very e!ciently with a tightly scaled infrastructure. “We have divided the company into a few divisions and everyone deals with his own "eld,” says Shy Brameli, who covers marketing and sales. In-house communications are streamlined and intimate. “One of the things that makes us successful is that everybody knows if they want something from another department, they just have to put a note on someone’s desk and it’s done. Not even an email,” he says.

Nonetheless, O’Neill Diamonds is endeavoring to compete with larger companies, partly with the size of their available inventory. “Our variety is enormous — over 5,000 pieces — and we o#er delivery time that nobody can compete with,” he says. “Also, if we can’t manufacture a piece outside the country, we manufacture in Canada at the same cost, so if someone needs something quickly, in three days, and we don’t have it in stock, we will manufacture it here.”

“It’s not about the product; it’s the attitude,” he says. “I think that Carat Smart — and everything that we do — is a little bit di#erent. In the recession, we almost didn’t feel it. We saw the opportunity in what happened, we went to the small stores and the people that didn’t feel the recession, and we worked twice as hard to get the results we wanted.”

With his eye on the international scene, Gini has noted that the more fashion-forward markets have started to swing away from white metals and back to yellow gold. “London and the U.S. are starting to go to yellow gold; Canada is still extremely strong in white gold,” he says, noting that “the people in Canada that O’Neill is doing business with put a high value on workmanship. Canadians are very meticulous.”

“We always look at diamonds as more than just a stone to sell; it’s a full product and service. We go the extra mile for the service,” says Brameli. “It’s not just about the price of our things. It’s about the details, like

registering your diamond on a site that really works. We’re always trying to think about what we can give to the stores.”

As the company continues to roll out its long-term plan, O’Neill Diamonds can be expected to announce a number of creative new initiatives. “$ere are two new things that we are going to launch. I think one of them is going to change the entire industry way of thinking,” says Brameli. “It’s something that I’m working on now and I think it will be launched in February of 2010. We are always thinking about changing attitude.”

Among the "rst developments will be a move to increase the relatively small capacity for cutting diamonds in Western Canada. “$ere is a plan on paper for the next step for O’Neill Diamonds,” says Gini. “We are going to open a split facility for diamond cutting and jewellery manufacture in Vancouver.”

Already, he says, “there is a group of ten expert cutters from my facility in Russia who will arrive here.” When a physical location and expert sta# are in place, Gini envisions setting up a training program, possibly within the community college system, to train cutters and to bene"t the local British Columbia job market.

$ese and other steps the company will be taking are “always coming from the same place of attitude,” says Brameli. “We are really here to serve, because this is the only way we are going to grow.”

“We are a proud Canadian company and we support the Canadian economy. $e Canadian industry is going to get stronger and stronger,” Gini predicts. “What’s happening with the world economy is good for us in the sense that only the serious people will stay in the industry. $ere are beautiful companies in Vancouver. O’Neill Diamonds is going to stay and work with those companies.” [CJ]


companyprofile

Round ring, 18K W/G with 2.67ctw, & black enamel

Earrings,18K W/G with 7.20ctw, & black enamel.


N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 CJ 51

sectionhead

Running an independent retail jewellery business can be something like piloting a small boat on the open sea. ! e stormy waves of the international economy can make it tough to stay a" oat, and sometimes it’s even hard to tell whether the boat is steering in the right direction. But belonging to a

buying group, say many retailers, is like having a lifeline to other experienced navigators.

BY SARAH B. HOOD

Group Benefi tsFor members of jewellery buyers’ groups, chatting with colleagues

can be as profi table as preferential pricing from suppliers.

featurearticle


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“If you’ve had a bad month, it’s great to be able to pick up the phone and know that everybody else has had a bad month, because you know you’re not doing anything wrong. It’s reassuring to know that you’re not all by yourself,” says Susan Cartwright-Coates, owner of Cartwright Jewellers, a 75-year-old, third-generation family business in New Westminster, British Columbia. She’s also current president of DiGem, and her comments are echoed by retailers all across the country.

DiGem was originally formed by three Alberta jewellers, and currently counts about 46 independent stores in its membership, located between British Columbia and Manitoba. Besides the networking, DiGem o! ers its members the power of group purchasing from chosen

suppliers and the convenience of central pay. “And at the end of the year, we pay back to the owners all the excess funds in the form of a rebate,” Cartwright-Coates says.

DiGem Vice President Brent McCallum is the owner of McCallum Jewellers in Brandon Manitoba, a " ne jewellery and gi# ware store in a 100-store mall that has been in operation since 1963. McCallum Jewellers joined DiGem in 1979. Like Cartwright-Coates, he names as the top bene" t of membership “the camaraderie, the experience we’re able to share every day. $ ere’s not a day goes by that that I don’t pick up the phone and ask a question, whether it’s about a promotion that I want to run, or an advertising campaign, or certain pieces of jewellery,” he says.


060-063.CJ_BuyingGroups.indd 52 12/23/09 11:00:31 AM

featurearticle


DiGem protects the territory of each retailer by limiting its membership in each market; existing members have the right to refuse membership to new members who they feel would compete with them for the same business. ! e members also participate in joint promotional projects, like the publication of this year’s pullout guide to buying diamonds in Up Here magazine.

“We’ve just " nished launching a newsletter to the consumer,” says Cartwright-Coates. ! e 8#" by 11" publication is partly generic, but also has a page that can be custom-printed with each participant’s promotional information.

Among other DiGem collaborative projects are a one-year diamond ring insurance guarantee against loss, the$ or breakage, which includes a trade-up plan, as well as a mentor program for newer businesses, sponsorship of training sessions at the Western Canada Jewellery Show, and a very popular charity dinner on behalf of the Canadian Cancer Society called “An Evening of DiGem Decadence,” where guests bid on fancy desserts and other treats.

Canadian Jewellery Group Co-operative Association started operating in Northern Ontario in 1977, and became a co-op in 1984. “And that’s when they really started expanding outside of Ontario,” says general manager Beth Saunders. Commonly known as Canadian Jewellery Group, the organization currently has 94 members operating out of 117 retail locations all across Canada, from the Northwest Territories to Newfoundland, and works with a list of 72 preferred suppliers. “We’re de" nitely small-town Canada, and we’re very proud of that,” she says.

Like DiGem, Canadian Jewellery Group is able to arrange for very favourable pricing for its members, offers complete central pay, redistributes back a volume discount to members at the end of each year (just under $900,000 last year alone), and protects members’ right to operate without member competition within their own territory. A group of nine retail jewellers represents all the members and makes decisions on their behalf.

Occasionally, the group negotiates exclusive products for the membership. “We have our own Canadian diamond brand called the Arctic Circle diamond; that is something that the consumer would only be able to buy in our stores,” says Saunders. Members are also promoting themselves individually under the banner of “! e National Diamond Store”, which “allows us to do national advertising at a better cost,” Saunders says. At the same time, it raises the pro" le of the individual stores, the group and the industry with the consumer.

However, she adds, “some of the best marketing tools, we " nd, are the networking sessions at our annual buying shows and regional meetings. Because the members are non-competing, they’re very open to sharing ideas and promotions. We have an online chat group and they run ideas back and forth.” ! e membership is also eligible to use a group contract with Canada Post, a program that allows members to get in-store credit cards, and an insurance plan with Jewelers Mutual in the U.S.

! e current Canadian Jewellery Group president is Jennifer Scott, who owns a 30-year-old jewellery and gi$ shop called A Touch of Gold in Montague, P.E.I. Recently, her main focus has been on Canadian diamond sales, which she says now represent 80% to 85% of her current business. “We’ve been advertising with posters and radio commercials, and we’ve done really well with Arctic Circle engagement rings and diamond earrings,” she says.

“I have been a member for 20 years, and the main reason we joined the group was because we were a small store and we wanted to be competitive with the chain stores or larger jewellery stores,” she says. Besides the convenience of the central pay and the product discount, Scott says, “the networking within the buying group is amazing. I have got some really close friends from all over the country; we network back and forth, we keep in touch, and if business is down we try to pull each other back up.”

Michael Knight, owner of the 127-year-old Towns Jewellers in Orillia, joined the Canadian Jewellery Group in 1982. He can point to a speci" c recent bene" t of membership. “! e biggest success for us right now is the fact that we have Pandora jewellery in my store,” he says. “I was talking to other members who were telling me the success they’ve been having with it. Now I’ve got it in the store, and it’s doing very well for me: a direct result of networking with others.”

In Quebec, Les Bijoutiers Gemme Inc., informally known as Gemme Group in English, follows a slightly di% erent model. “Gemme negotiates with suppliers, and they must sign a commercial agreement,” says general manager Marc Laperle. By joint decision, Gemme members buy only from the list of contracted suppliers.

Gemme, which started 20 years ago, has about 40 members, mainly in Quebec, with a few in New Brunswick. Networking is one of the big bene" ts of membership; the organization also co-ordinates joint promotions, like an annual Christmas brochure, and puts together the Gemme Selection line: bread-and-butter products like wedding rings and gold earrings that suppliers provide at what Laperle calls “fantastic prices”.

Among other innovative programs is centrally controlled in-store HD screen programming; suppliers pay to be featured in short segments that run about 150 times a day. Gemme also does media buying on behalf of the group, so members can take advantage of bulk pricing with television, radio and print advertising in major markets.

All three organizations demonstrate the advantages of building relationships with peers in the industry. “We work together,” says Cartwright-Coates. “! ere is so much opportunity and so much to learn, and your competition is really the car dealership down the street and the travel agent, not another jeweller.”

“Not only do I believe that buying groups can be a true voice for the independent jeweller, but I think there’s a lot in it for the suppliers,” says Knight. “! e unity and the bond that has been formed between the retailers have gone a long way to strengthen our industry, and we need more of that.” [CJ]

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BY AMANDA J. LUKE

The Gemological Institute of American (GIA) recently held its 19th annual Jewellery Career Fair, inspiring job seekers to navigate the terrain and come out winning.

Kathryn Kimmel, GIA Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, encouraged attendees to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about today’s career choices from these leaders of the industry. Vatché Fronjian, President of The Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California, a co-founder of the event, said the industry is more vibrant than ever, despite an ailing economy. He said job seekers must actively educate themselves and strategize their capabilities based on current needs. “My advice is to constantly educate yourselves through GIA and industry news and associations,” he said. !e keynote session, “Job Success in Today’s Market,” brought together retail, coloured gemstones and fashion experts to o"er guidance on how job seekers can “take our industry to creative new heights,” said Donna Baker, GIA President and CEO. She reminded attendees that potential customers are facing a new reality when it comes to making jewellery purchases. “With money much dearer, people want to feel good about their purchases, not just their products,” she said. “And they want something that speaks to their individuality, not just their status.” Baker o"ered these insights on the state of the industry and what job seekers can do to adapt and thrive:

Create designs at popular prices that complement today’s fashion. “Because gemstones are rare and beautiful, the traditional way of the trade has been to design jewellery to showcase them. Today, technology allows us more opportunity to create unique gemstone cuts and settings that can more closely address the wearer’s individuality.” Instill con!dence in the product. “Consumers want to know they are buying from someone who knows not just the gemological properties of the various gemstones, but how such knowledge translates into the lasting value of the piece.”

On the HuntPractical, inspiring tips for a job search in the jewellery industry.

TOP: GIA’s Donna Baker shares career tips at GIA Jewellery Career Fair. Photo by Robert Weldon

BOTTOM: The panelists in the keynote session, “Job Success in Today’s Market,” are, from left, Donna Baker, Doug Hucker, Mary Todd-McGinnis, Kara Erickson and Michael O’Connor. Photo by Kevin Schumacher

careerfeature

052-054.CJ_GIA.indd 54 12/23/09 1:18:52 PM

INSPIRATIONAL EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIVE

M A G A Z I N E

The inspiration of fashion jewellery®

Canada’s first premium Fashion Jewellery magazine

Great to take home

Educate & Entertain your customers

Have in-store to keep your customers inspired;

Yes, I would like to have 20 copies at no charge for my store at the address below:

be a part of it.

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Fax to: 1-888-849-0155

Ever_FullPage.indd 1 12/23/09 5:22:30 PM

Stay on top of product knowledge. “Product knowledge and trading skills are at a premium when business has to be hard-won.” People want to feel good about their purchases. “Most of you have heard of blood diamonds and read about the repression in Myanmar that brought sanctions on rubies and jade from that country. Our industry can take pride in that it has been in the forefront of international e!orts to eliminate the elicit trade of such material and provide equitable income and opportunity for those who mine, cut and set gemstones in countries around the world.” Take advantage of global opportunities. “While it is a cliché that we are becoming more global, that’s exactly what’s happening in the jewellery industry — opportunities can begin in your own backyard and extend to China , India or virtually any place on the planet.” Baker encouraged attendees to apply the suggestions, wisdom and insights from the guest speakers to create rewarding careers, regardless of the economic times.

Doug Hucker, CEO, American Gem Trade Association (AGTA):“Guys, it is tough out there,” said Hucker, who struck at the heart of most job seekers’ fears with his opening remarks. “You are entering one of the most exciting and wonderful businesses you could possibly get involved in — at the worst possible time.” Promising he wouldn’t sugar-coat it, Hucker told attendees he was going to concentrate on the wholesale coloured gemstone business and anyone interested in it needed to focus on getting a job "rst. “Your passion and excitement is not going to carry you far,” he said. “You must have a practical approach to getting a job — and you’re competing with hundreds of people who are out of work.” He o!ered the following advice:

written by a professional resume preparer. Get it out to everyone. Go to AGTA.org, click on membership and download the source directory, which has 1,250 "rms interested in coloured gemstones. #ere’s also a Gem Industry Guide that lists thousands of jewellery businesses involved in coloured gemstones. “You bene"t from the fact that it’s an electronic age; people are very willing to look at electronic resumes.”

what you can do to make my business better.” #ink about your skills — do you like talking to people, do you understand customer service, do you know how you’re going to get out there and build that business for them? “You can talk coloured gemstones, now you need to think about how you can push those coloured gemstones. What are the motivations that make our retail customers buy those stones and what makes the consumer buy them? #at’s got to be the focus of your cover letter.”

Facebook page and going on Twitter. “You guys are hardwired to use social networking. You grew up learning that stu!. #at is something that is valuable.” #ink about how you would use that to promote your business.

network.” You have to put yourself in front of successful industry leaders and let them know what you can do to improve their business.

learned and get paid for using it. Know what the issues are and how they can a!ect your employer’s business. Start thinking globally; subscribe to every newsletter you can. “You have to know what’s happening in the world. You have to start living the coloured gemstone business.”

gemstone buyers. “#e only way you can become a buyer as an entry-level person is to have a whole bunch of money and hope it holds out until you know how to buy properly,” he said. “#e way you become a buyer is by learning how to sell. What is romantic about the product, what drives the product, what excites people about coloured gemstones, what are the particular needs of the retail jeweller that you’re working with, who are your customers? “If you can get that and learn that, then you can become a buyer,” he said.

Mary Todd-McGinnis, Vice President, Sales and E-commerce, Ben Bridge JewelerMary Todd-McGinnis, who has worked for Ben Bridge Jeweler since the early 1980s, shared her journey in the gem industry, pointing out the way trends and culture a!ect how people buy jewellery. She used music, interest rates, fashion accessories and television shows as examples. She also shared seven things she looks for in people that make them irresistible to an employer:

best people travel in a clump and are very involved and active” in these groups.

than anyone else is going to and you’ll always get recognized and you’ll always get ahead.”

‘you’ you want your employer or potential employer to see — because

that’s not what this is about. Your customers or the people you do business with want to know who you really are. #is is how we are transparent today; make sure you are appropriate.”

that make us special — that make us funny, interesting, sweet, intelligent — "gure out what that is and develop it to the max, because that’s the gi$ you’re going to give someone who’s going to pay you.”


052-054.CJ_GIA.indd 56 12/23/09 9:29:02 AM

Kara Erickson, Sales Manager, Tiffany & Co., Pasadena, California

Michael O’Connor, Jewellery and Style Expert, Television Commentator, Consultant to Platinum Guild International

[CJ]

ABOUT GIAAn independent nonprofit organization, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemmology. Established in 1931, GIA has translated its expert knowledge into the most respected gemmological education available. Early in the 1950s, GIA invented the famous Four Cs of Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight. In 1953, the Institute created the International Diamond Grading System which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweller in the world.

careerfeature


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Find

Fix Using technology to make repairs and service is a fine art. BY AMBER KLAEHN

056-057.CJ_Tech.indd 58 12/23/09 10:44:08 AM

techfeature


Jewellery repair and appraisal service presents an excellent opportunity to build customer relationships through data capture, superb craftsmanship and service. The same applies to custom

jewellery design. From initiation of the transaction through to completion, there are opportunities to do the job exceptionally well and thus build customer loyalty and business. ! is is an area where the computer/POS system shines — providing the technical back-up for superb personal service. Not only will the right so"ware system help streamline work #ow, it helps reduce errors along the way.

In the ideal scenario, at the initiation of a transaction, your sta$ member gathers all relevant detail from the customer including contact information, preferred method of contact (phone, email, SMS), expected date of completion, method of payment, thorough description of the jewellery piece (including digital photos) or whatever information you want to capture.

Prompting Information Gathering!e value of the POS system is that there are built-in prompts to ensure that sta$ members capture all relevant data, thus reducing missed information. !e right system should provide a means of building a client pro%le that can store up-to-date personal information as well as an unlimited number of photographs — both before and a"er photos. !e digital photography capability protects the store with ‘before’ shots and contributes to the ‘wow’ factor with ‘a"er’ shots, when the client is able to see the di$erence.

Whereas some customers may not want to divulge personal information when purchasing jewellery (although they should always be encouraged to do so), with repair or custom work, capture of information is necessary and expected. It presents an opportunity to build and manage your customer relationship.

An additional opportunity is to build in reminders for upselling, such as suggesting an appraisal at time of repair. !e POS prompt helps ensure that the question always gets asked.

Enabling Proper EstimatesAs repairs and custom work are highly individualistic, the jewellery retailer can experience internal issues on consistency of pricing. !is is another key area where so"ware helps. Service manuals and pricing structure should be preloaded into the system, with suppliers managing pricing remotely, keeping it up-to-date. !is will help stop pricing mistakes and ensure consistent pricing by all employees. Repair lists should be easily searchable (just like products).

With custom design work, the POS system can assist in the sales process. !e capability to upload computer assisted design (CAD) %les allows you to show customers some samples of what their %nished pieces might look like.

Improving LogisticsWork#ow logistics is another area where technology assists with maximizing e&ciency and minimizing error. You can use computers/POS systems to log and track service work (repairs, custom work, appraisals) by assigning bar codes to job bags. !is not only helps minimize lost job bags, but helps keep job progress on track.

When job bags have bar codes, they can be easily scanned into the system. !is enables constant tracking of the location of the bag. !e system should also allow for batch management — moving job bags from one location to another in batches. And it should have the ability to link multiple job bags together so that when a client has multiple pieces in repair or service, all the work can be tracked as a group. When jobs are complete, there should be an automatic noti%cation to the client. By linking your POS system, email and website, everything seamlessly interacts, ensuring top quality service.

Another aspect of logistics management is task scheduling and management. Task assignments can be created for goldsmiths based on the services required for each job bag. !is task list should be present on the goldsmith’s daily dashboard to aid organization and ensure that all jobs are completed in a timely fashion.

In addition to helping the goldsmith with task scheduling, a data sharing capability should allow goldsmiths to easily log hours and time spent on each job bag. !is will help compare estimated costs to actual costs and monitor goldsmith productivity. !e system should keep track of all the parts, too, and should automatically recalculate inventory levels.

Painting The PictureWhen the repair or service transaction has been completed, the retailer will have a satis%ed customer and gathered a wealth of information to mine for future sales. Improvements in costing and service delivery is another bene%t. !e client information opens up opportunities for future contact. !e logistics data gives the retailer valuable reporting on the volume of service work, commission rates, records speci%c to individual technicians and goldsmiths that show volume, pro%t margins, parts used, e&ciency of service and so on — all information that can be used by the retailer for e$ective business management. !e right so"ware allows the user to view trends and capture an overall picture of repairs and service work. !at’s a %ne art. [CJ]

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058-059.CJ_AMEX.indd 60 12/23/09 10:59:51 AM


financefeature

The Perfect Pitch How to effectively pitch your business to anyone and everyone.

BY HOWARD GROSFIELD

There are few sales tools more valuable than a concise, captivating pitch that gets clients as thrilled about your company as you are. Whether it’s used for a sales presentation, securing !nancing,

networking at a cocktail party or even chatting with an old friend, being able to deliver a strong pitch is an important skill to possess.

Creating that perfect pitch is not as easy as one might think. And even if you already have your pitch memorized, it may still need some !ne-tuning. Quite o"en, small business owners are too close to the details of their company and forget to highlight key points that would interest the listener. Or the small business owner has made the same pitch so many times that it begins to sound robotic.

#e key to a successful pitch o"en comes down to a matter of style and content. Ideally, you want to communicate what you do in two or three sentences, in a manner that someone unfamiliar with the business or industry can quickly understand. Delivering them with passion and enthusiasm will convey your excitement. Here are a few useful tips on how to deliver the perfect pitch:

Differentiate YourselfTo help you understand what it is that makes your company or product unique, ask yourself what it is that sets you apart from the competition. What is your unique selling proposition? “I own a jewellery store” is not nearly as compelling as, “I sell exotic jewellery designed by artisans from around the world.” You might try starting with a tagline or memorable phrase that grabs the listener’s attention and sums up the company’s vibe. For example, an antique jewellery dealer might say, “We mine $ea markets to !nd gold.”

Highlight Problems and SolutionsAll successful products or services solve a particular problem. What market need does your company !ll? A perfect pitch points to a problem faced by the target market and conveys how your company alleviates

that pain. Demonstrate to the listener all of the bene!ts your company provides. How does your company help its customers save money, save time, or live easier lives?

Back It Up with FactsBacking up your claims with relevant facts makes your pitch resonate. Tell the listener how much repeat business your company receives or how much your company has grown in the past several years. When appropriate, share your customer relationship statistics or sales growth !gures to demonstrate the strength of your company. If your business has been recognized with any awards or accomplishments, use them as further evidence to back up your claims.

Provide SubstanceIndustry jargon, acronyms and clichés can make you seem boring or even confusing if it’s out of context. Remember that the listener may not know the industry as well as you. Pretend you are pitching a random person on the street.

Wear Your Heart on Your SleeveWhen making a pitch, it helps to appeal to peoples’ emotions, not their intellect. Try to use emotionally charged words when describing what sets your business apart from the rest. What aspects of your business get you the most excited? #is will help you communicate the passion and belief you have for the company. If you are not getting excited about what you are saying, why would they?

Practice Makes PerfectPracticing your pitch before giving it will help you deliver it naturally and e%ortlessly if you are put on the spot. Go through your pitch in front of the mirror or deliver it to a friend who does not know much about your business. #is should provide you with some unbiased feedback. Just remember to follow these simple tips and you’ll !nd that pitching gets easier with time. [CJ]

058-059.CJ_AMEX.indd 61 12/23/09 11:00:08 AM

S!o"st#$%rJohn de Jong brings new meaning to the “boutique”

experience with custom and classic creations.

BY DANI NG-SEE-QUAN


Cocholong cuff with carved matte black onyx flower and rose cut black diamond.

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Born in Canada, and raised and educated internationally, John de Jong of JdJ Jewellery developed a strong interest in gemstones from an early age, creating his !rst design at age 13. “I think I was

about 12 or 13 when I started collecting minerals and rocks — I loved learning about them and then started looking at gemstones. I loved seeing the brilliance in a stone.” De Jong’s maternal grandfather was a jeweller who worked for Birks for many years, so jewellery was a regular part of the backdrop. "is, coupled with growing up in Switzerland — a hub of the jewellery industry — in#uenced his fascination with gemstones and lead to his pursuit of jewellery-making. With a BA from Boston College in Art History and a gemological degree from GIA, de Jong established JdJ Jwellery in 1995, and in November 1996 opened a showroom in the heart of downtown Toronto’s luxury Yorkville area. His all-custom, one-of-a-kind pieces re#ect both the inspiration he draws from the unique properties of gemstones and uniqueness of applying design to di$erent mediums and materials (for instance, his cocholong cu$ with onyx #ower or his Hardstone collection). His pieces transcend “one-season-only” popularity — the lasting appeal comes from designing for a person who is less a trend-follower and more for a person with an established and self-assured personal style. He also infuses these principles of design into the reinvented and commissioned work he does for clients. “I like the idea of taking a traditional or older design and giving it a modern twist,” says de Jong.

Canadian Jeweller (CJ): How do you typically produce a piece of jewellery, from start to !nish?

John de Jong (JdJ): Often when I am inspired by an idea I will sketch a rough visual on a scrap paper or even a napkin. I keep the sketch and develop it over several drafts. Then when I have a chance to work with the stones, the final edits are made and the piece can start in our workshop. I purchased a layout of pale to deep pink to purple stones at Basel this spring, and when I was at the cottage I started playing with a concept and literally did this on the dock on a scrap paper. Then, like I mentioned, the concept evolved over drafts and then the piece was made.

CJ: You don’t use design software. Do you think this has anything to do with focusing on creating custom pieces/one-of-a-kind pieces as opposed to collections with mass-produced pieces?

JdJ: Yes, for couture designs we do one or very few of each creation so CAD drawings, while very useful and exact, are probably more for production pieces. I think the essence of a design breathes more easily through a hand-drawn sketch than a computer-driven visual. "e digital element comes in handy when the piece demands more exact work like some of my “collection” pieces.

Weave rints and weave huggie earrings: all white gold and all yellow gold rings, all

white gold and all yellow gold earrings.

designerprofile



CJ: !ere’s such a range in form and design (materials, colours and style; vibrant and fun as well as timeless and classic) in your pieces. How are you able to successfully create this range without compromising on quality, beauty or appeal?

JdJ: I am constantly looking for materials that are unique, and always combining colours and stones. As long as I choose materials of top quality, I "nd it easy to create a range. It’s simply a matter of applying design to di#erent mediums. Sometimes this is the best part of the creative process — it gives you new ideas. And as we work with talented cra$smen, it makes these ideas easier to realize. As for appeal, I think it’s important to stay current but never trendy. !is is the key to lasting appeal. I design for people with a con"dent sense of personal style; not for someone that is always following popular trends.

CJ: What are some trends you’re seeing currently?

JdJ: Yellow gold is back as well as bezel-set cabochons. Colour is big too. Stacking and layering is still popular, and mixing vintage with new. Cu#s have made a big comeback — like my sevilla cu#s in wood and hardstone.

CJ: What are some common requests from your clientele?

JdJ: Clients want day-to-evening jewels. While some still ask for pieces that are just for black tie and red carpet, most want to use their pieces daily. !ey want luxurious pieces but jewels they won’t hesitate to put on in the day time. Of course, what one considers “daytime “ jewels is all relative depending on the client and where they live.

CJ: What is the appeal in custom, for both the designer and the buyer/consumer?

JdJ: !e client acquires a unique piece that is made speci"cally for her or him; so it’s not just the design, but also knowing they have a one-of-a-kind jewel. For the designer it’s a challenge and opportunity to read the client understand their lifestyle and create something speci"c to that client. It can be a terri"c collaboration and you can end up creating a future family heirloom.

CJ: What is your design philosophy?

JdJ: My philosophy is that the jewel should not only appeal to the eye, but be well-made, and all the materials must be of the best quality. I also believe that jewels should be a part of your lifestyle — luxury isn’t something you acquire — it's more something that you live, how you live; everyday. A ring shouldn’t be an object you take out of the box to look more beautiful. It should become part of your style — your personality. I tend toward design that’s current but not trendy and refers to mix of balance and form that I seem to gravitate to. Simple, clean lines. I always want the piece to have some lasting appeal. Sometimes I just start with the stones and see how they react together. !at’s usually the starting point. Of course, the client’s request and knowing how they will wear it determines a lot of the direction too.

CJ: What was your inspiration, or what were some key words you used, when designing your Sevilla collection? Wood seems to be a key element, as well as inspiration from Boucheron.

Hardstone and diamond bands stacked L-R: Black jade bands with white ceramic bands; black jade bands with micro pave diamond bands; coral and white ceramics bands; Black jade and cocholong sevilla cuff.


designerprofile

JdJ: I wouldn’t say I was inspired by Boucheron — though I did like their wood designs from the !80s. I was inspired by a collection of wood samples I saw at Basel and learned how the models could be mixed with gold and stone. "at was a fun starting point as I was looking for new materials to work with. "e inspiration for the Sevilla collection started in Spain when I visited the tomb of Christopher Columbus. "e town is layered with ancient Moorish motifs, repeated everywhere and on many surfaces. Some were more interesting than others. My Sevilla design was inspired by one of those shapes on the tomb and evolved into what I use now in many pieces.

CJ: What was your inspiration and some key words you used when designing your Hardstone collection? What materials did you use?

JdJ: "e Hardstone collection is a mix of simple and smooth carvings with the Sevilla motif in either gold or another hardstone. I used cocholong, agate, black jade, turquoise, coral, mammoth tusk and pink opal (and gold); all custom carved for the collection. It’s really a simple mix of clean shapes and materials that are crisp and bold. I think these pieces are perfect for summer and down south. "e black and wood pieces are for all seasons.

CJ: Let’s talk about stackers! You have stacker rings in various material and styles. They seem versatile and fun. Can you comment on their appeal, and how they #t into your collections?

JdJ: "ey are very a big hit! Clients love them since they can collect over time and essentially transform existing rings/bands as they like, and at a reasonable price. Men love them as gi$s too, as they know they can return to add to the collection and not spend a fortune. They start at $495, so they are accessible and wearable.

CJ: What materials do you enjoy working with regularly? What materials inspire you?

JdJ: Coloured stones inspire me the most. I usually start o% with a loose stone, see if it speaks to me; then the piece evolves from there.

CJ: What new materials, stones and metals have you incorporated into your latest collection? Are there any standout pieces?

JdJ: Mammoth tusk is the most unusual material we used this year. We have only just started with it, but I like the colour and graining, and the fact that it is so unique. "e bangle is a standout piece as are the spiral earrings with graduated sapphires ranging from pale pink to purple. I like the idea of taking a traditional or older design and giving it a modern twist. [CJ]

Top: Flare ring with yellow, blue and pink sapphire, tsavorite garnet and diamonds.

Below: Spiral pink and purple sapphire and diamond earrings.



&


BY JENNIFER RYNARD WITH THE MINISTRY OF REVENUE

On July 1, 2010, Ontario is implementing the most signi!cant tax change in a generation. "e comprehensive tax package includes signi!cant

tax relief for business and people, as well as the merging of the provincial Retail Sales Tax (RST) and the federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) to form a harmonized sales tax (HST).

Ontario will join more than 140 countries and four other provinces that already have a value-added sales tax like the HST — because it is modern, e#cient and necessary to compete in today's changing world. More recently, BC has announced its proposal to adopt the HST. "is is good news for jewellery retailers, manufacturers and other businesses operating in Ontario. Harmonizing the RST and GST will mean no longer paying sales tax on many of the purchases made during the course of commercial activities.

A recent report by economist and tax expert Jack Mintz concludes that the HST, together with other recent and proposed tax changes, will provide signi!cant bene!ts to Ontarians. "e report estimates that, within 10 years, business investment will increase by $47 billion, 591,000 net new jobs would be created and annual incomes will rise by up to 8.8%.

So How Will the HST Work?"e tax will be administered by the federal government and will use the same tax base and structure as the federal GST, with a few exceptions. "is will reduce the tax burden on Ontario businesses in three distinct ways:First, under the proposed HST system, most businesses

HSTThe impact of harmonizing Ontario’s sales tax on your retail environment.

You

068-069.CJ_HST_re.indd 66 12/23/09 10:52:08 AM

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will receive input tax credits for the sales tax they pay on their business inputs and capital investments. Currently, only some inputs are RST-exempt, such as goods purchased for resale. Therefore, businesses will save an extra 8% on many business inputs, such as office furniture, equipment, computers and stationery, tools, cash registers, cleaning supplies, moveable shelving, display racks, mirrors and telecommunication services (for example, telephone).

Secondly, it is estimated that replacing two sales taxes with one will save businesses more than $500 million a year in administrative and compliance costs. All businesses will bene!t from only !ling one sales tax return, making one sales tax payment, having one point of contact and following one set of rules.

Finally, since the HST will reduce the RST paid on inputs by each business in a chain of producers, it will also reduce each producer’s cost of doing business. For example, in a typical chain of producers, there is a primary industry (gold mine), a secondary industry (manufacturer), a wholesaler and a retailer. Each producer currently pays RST on certain goods and services purchased to run the business.

Since the RST paid is not reimbursable to them, it becomes part of their costs, and each producer passes the costs on to the next. When the !nal product is sold to the end consumer, the RST embedded at four di"erent levels is passed onto the consumer in the price of the product, in addition to the RST charged on the product itself.

Under the HST, in most cases, the sales tax paid by each producer on business inputs is reimbursed back through input tax credits, and therefore will not become a cost component. If the savings are passed on, it reduces each producer’s costs, and ultimately bene!ts the !nal consumer, who simply pays tax on the !nal selling price.

Businesses importing taxable goods into Ontario from outside Canada will be required to pay the federal portion of the HST at the border and may claim an input tax credit for the tax paid. Businesses do not charge GST/HST on taxable sales when the goods are delivered or made available to a purchaser outside Canada and may claim input tax credits for tax they have paid in relation to the goods.

What About the Transition? To help with transitioning to this new system, small businesses will receive one-time transitional support totalling up to $400 million. As a result, most businesses with less than $2 million in annual revenue from taxable sales are eligible for a transition credit of up to $1,000.

In addition to HST savings, the Ontario Budget has proposed $4.5 billion in tax relief for businesses over three years that will lower business

costs, enhance Ontario’s competitiveness and support growing small businesses. Starting on July 1, 2010:

to 12% then further reduced to 10% over the following three years

will be lowered from 12% to 10%

With all of these changes, Ontario’s marginal e"ective tax rate on new business investment will be cut in half. Estimates show that Ontario's retail sector will save $420 million each and every year in total tax

million through the input tax credits that will be part of the HST; $100 million through corporate tax cuts; and $55 million from capital tax elimination.

For details on the proposed transitional rules, refer to Information Notice No. 3: General Transitional Rules for Ontario HST, dated October

for ministry e-alerts to receive the latest information and a free tax information seminar on how RST and GST work and how HST will a"ect your business. Seminars are held in various locations across the province

[CJ]

The following example illustrates the potential annual savings for a retail business from the proposed tax cuts and removing the RST that is embedded in the price of business inputs.

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!e 26th annual incarnation of the popular AGTA Spectrum Awards were held in New York City in October, de"ning trends and setting the bar for design creativity and excellence in gemstone jewellery for the upcoming year. In addition to a host of judges (in a lavish penthouse studio) including the likes of designer Cecelia Bauer and Mish Tworkowski of Mish New York, a new Editor’s Choice award was introduced and chosen by accessory and fashion trade and consumer editors in attendance. Behold the gorgeous winners in each category.

Best of Show

JAMES CURRENS

JW CURRENS, NEW YORK, NYTied for Best of Show, winning individually in two other categories as well. 1st Place Evening Wear: Platinum and silver “Empress” ring featuring a 15.58 pear-shaped moonstone accented with colour-change garnets (19.36tcw.), oval moonstones (6.40tcw.) and diamonds (2.46tcw.); 3rd Place Evening Wear: “!e Quiet Moment” brooch featuring oval emeralds (66.15tcw.) set in 18K white gold, silver and platinum accented with white and multi-coloured diamonds (17.05tcw.).

BY PAUL AGUIRRE

Shine On!Winners of the 2010 AGTA Spectrum Awards.

BEST OF CATEGORY WINNERS

070-071.CJ_AGTA.indd 68 12/23/09 1:26:22 PM

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Best Use of Colour and 2nd Place Classical

LILLY FITZGERALD

LILLY FITZGERALD GOLDSMITH, SPENCA, MA22k yellow gold necklace featuring multi-coloured sapphire cabochons.

Best Use of Platinum and Colour

TRACY JANULE

CUSTOM JEWELRY AND WAX CREATIONS, GILBERT, AZPlatinum ring featuring a 6.94ct. Aquamarine, two tri-angel shield Peridots (4.95tcw.) and two square-cut Peridots (0.16tcw.).

Best Use of Pearls

GRAHAM EDNEY

GRAHAM EDNEY, SANTA BARBARA, CAPlatinum earrings featuring freshwater Pearls and white, pink and yellow Diamonds (1.50tcw.).

Fashion Forward

VICTOR VELYAN

VICTOR VELYAN, LOS ANGELES, CA24k yellow gold and silver with brown patina bangle featuring a 20.54ct. oval star Ruby cabochon and natural coloured diamonds (3.15tcw.). [CJ]

Editor’s Choice

EVELYN CLOTHIER

EVELYN CLOTHIER JEWELRY, NEW YORK, NYPlatinum “Tassel” necklace, featuring a brown diamond (5.59tcw.) accented with white diamonds (9.35tcw.), pearls (14.03tcw.) and diamond beads (253.22tcw.).

1st Place Men’s Wear

JACK BIGIO

BASSER & BIGIO LLC, NEW YORK, NYPlatinum cuff links featuring sapphire slices and diamonds (1.0tcw.) attached to a platinum mechanism.

NEW

070-071.CJ_AGTA.indd 69 12/23/09 1:27:05 PM


When I talk to retailers about insurance needs, I o! en get the following response: “Why should I buy liability insurance?” " e fact of the matter is that the plainti# ’s lawyers will sue

everybody in the chain of commerce with equal vigor, including the retailer. Lawyers are seeking money for their clients and will engage as many parties as possible, regardless of whether they had anything to do with the actual injury. Lawyers will sue the manufacturer and even the label printer; however, the retailer, having sold the product to the consumer, is actually in the centre spotlight!

This is why liability insurance is a good investment. It covers risks that pose uninsured retailers the greatest harm to their business. A major, often unappreciated feature of the policy is the payment of attorney fees and related costs of litigation. Generally, the plaintiff ’s lawyer(s) will be somewhat intimidated at the prospect of having to battle the insurance company, with deep pockets to fund a vigorous defense. Conversely, being uninsured and having to fend for yourself will be expensive, and may make the plaintiff ’s lawyers more aggressive in their attempt to extract money directly from you to settle the claim.

The BasicsLiability rates across various industries have soared for everyone involved in the process — raw materials suppliers, contract manufacturers, wholesale distributors and retailers. Fortunately, premiums for liability insurance peaked about 18 months ago and are currently declining; however, they still take a sizeable bite out of the bottom line. " e key to getting the best liability insurance is to select the right broker. A broker with just one or two clients in the industry probably won’t be on top of industry issues and won’t be up to date on the speci$ cs needed to assemble an underwriting package for your company, thereby resulting in a lower premium.

In addition to buying liability insurance, get a good attorney. Finding a good attorney who is familiar with the industry and, preferably, has actually defended similar companies in front of a jury will be worth its

Liability & InsuranceWhat you need to be aware of.BY GREG DOHERTY

072-073.CJ_Insurance.indd 70 12/23/09 10:30:56 AM

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its weight in gold. Such an attorney will come to you knowing the plainti! ’s lawyers’ “end game” and will be able to advise you on numerous strategies to defend your company. Retaining a competent attorney before a lawsuit is an investment that might someday prevent a major disruption and cost to your business.

In addition, get insurance evidence from suppliers. One way to shi" risk is to have your suppliers give you evidence of their product liability insurance and have them add your company as an “additional insured” on their policy (the so-called vendor’s coverage). For retailers, this would most o" en involve requesting this insurance from either your contract manufacturer or a wholesale distributor who is supplying you with # nished products to sell. “Additional insured” status on your suppliers’ policies will provide you with coverage under their policy in the event both of your companies are sued for a covered claim and it is ultimately determined that they, not you, were the cause of the injury. It will insulate you and your insurance company from having to pay a loss, which is only fair if you did nothing wrong in the # rst place. It will keep your loss record spotless, reducing your future insurance costs. For these reasons, you should be wary of suppliers that do not carry liability insurance — and there are many that still do not. Gathering and monitoring certi# cates of insurance is well worth the time.

Insurance risk management for larger retailers is not that much di! erent than your needs. However, the stakes are a lot higher due to the increased scrutiny by consumers and regulators alike. Larger retailers are viewed as having “deeper pockets” than small companies and are more of a target for lawyers. So, getting certi# cates of insurance from all suppliers, with additional insured status, is very important. Many retailers hire a third-party vendor to gather and solicit e-certi# cates from suppliers, relieving them of the administrative burden (two such vendors exist in North America).

Other Business InsuranceAdditional insurance you should consider includes, and isn’t limited,

to the following: business personal property; automobile liability; workers compensation; and employment practices.

Business personal property insurance covers the contents and personal property at your premises from exposures, such as fire and theft. Categories of personal property include stock, contents except stock, equipment, furniture, fixtures and betterments. There’s also coverage that affords coverage while your property is in transit (inland and ocean marine coverage).

Automobile insurance insures against loss through legal liability for bodily injury or property damage, caused by accident, and arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of motor vehicles. Most states have statutory laws regarding automobile liability. Your operation may not own autos, but it is difficult to imagine a commercial operation that does not have some type of automobile liability exposure. The so urce of possible loss may be from any of the following: owned autos; leased vehicles; hired (rented) automobiles or equipment; non-owned (borrowed) vehicles; and certain types of mobile equipment.

Workers compensation is mandated by statutory laws. Workers comp insures against claims for work-related injuries or diseases suffered by employees that are compensable by statute and/or imposed by law as damages.

Employment practices liability (EPL) covers lawsuits brought by employees alleging wrongful discharge, discrimination or certain types of harassment. Any employer, regardless of size, can be subject to time-consuming and expensive litigation in these areas. Even a proactive, people-minded employer that has implemented stringent procedures and standards may face complaints or lawsuits from current or former employees. No employer is safe. Specific awards are high and financially crippling and punitive damage awards are also common. The more employees an organization has, more punitive damages can be awarded. [CJ]

072-073.CJ_Insurance.indd 71 12/24/09 11:29:01 AM

upcoming eventsEvery effort has been made to publish accurate information but please contact show organizers to con!rm. If you would like dates added, please contact [email protected]

JANUARY | CANADAMode Accessories Show JANUARY 31 ! FEBRUARY 2Doubletree International Plaza HotelToronto, Ontario416-510-0114achee@mode-accessories.comwww.mode-accessories.com

CGTA Gi" ShowJANUARY 31 ! FEBRUARY 4International Centre and Toronto Congress CentreMississauga and Toronto, [email protected]

JANUARY | USAInternational Gem and Jewelry ShowJANUARY 1 ! 3War Memorial Auditorium Fort Lauderdale, [email protected]

Business to Business Gem Trade ShowJANUARY 5 ! 6Asheville Civic CenterAsheville, North [email protected]

International Gem and Jewelry ShowJANUARY 8 ! 10Pontchartrain CenterNew Orleans, [email protected]

Business to Business Gem Trade ShowJANUARY 8 ! 10Osceola Heritage ParkOrlando, [email protected]

Orlando Gi" ShowJANUARY 15 ! 17Orange County Convention CenterOrlando, Florida678-285-3976www.orlandogi!show.com

International Gem and Jewelry ShowJANUARY 15 ! 17Henry Gonzalez Convention CenterSan Antonio, [email protected]

Philadelphia Gi" ShowJANUARY 16 ! 19Greater Philadelphia Expo CenterPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania678-285-3976www.philadelphiagi!show.com

International Gem and Jewelry ShowJANUARY 22 ! 24Reliant Center, Reliant ParkHouston, [email protected]

Seattle Gi" ShowJANUARY 23 ! 26Washington State Convention and Trade CenterSeattle, Washiongton678-285-3976www.seattlegi!show.com

New Orleans Gi" and Jewelry Show JANUARY 23 ! 26Morial Convention CenterNew Orleans, Louisiana630-241-9865www.gi!2jewelry.com

Business to Business Gem Trade ShowJANUARY 30 ! FEBRUARY 12Gem Mall and Grant InnTucson, [email protected]

Gem and Jewelry ShowJANUARY 29 ! FEBRARY 10Tucson Expo CenterTucson Arizona1-877-436-7469 or [email protected]

JANUARY | INTERNATIONALDubai International Fashion Jewellery and Accessories FairJANUARY 17 ! 19Dubai International Exhibition CentreDubai, United Arab Emirites+971 4 [email protected]

FEBRUARY | CANADAMaritime Gi" ShowFEBRUARY 6 ! 9Halifax Forum ComplexHalifax, Nova [email protected]!show.ca

Alberta Gi" ShowFEBRUARY 21 ! 24NorthlandsEdmonton, Alberta416-385-1880 or 1-888-823-7469www.torontointernationalgi!fair.com

FEBRUARY | USAInternational Gem and Jewelry ShowFEBRUARY 1 ! 7J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Resort and SpaTucson, [email protected]

AGTA Gem FairFEBRUARY 2 ! 7Tucson Convention CenterTucson, [email protected]

Tucson Gem and Mineral ShowFEBRUARY 11 ! 14Tucson Convention Center Tucson, [email protected]


074.CJ_WhatsOn_re2.indd 72 12/23/09 1:32:42 PM

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JANUARY | CANADABARRIE January 6 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pmJanuary 20 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm81 Mulcaster St.To register, call 705 727-4109 or 866 277-4611

HAMILTONJanuary 6 @ 9:30am - 12:30pmJanuary 13 @ 1:30pm - 4:30pmJanuary 20 @ 1:30pm - 4:30pmJanuary 27 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm119 King St. W., 15th FloorTo register, call 905-521-7611 or 866-668-8297

KINGSTONJanuary 21 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm 935 Gardiners Rd.To register, call 613-842-7095 or 866-668-8297 ext. 24109

January 13 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm 1:30pm - 4:30pm

305 King St. W., 9th FloorTo register, call 519 873-1283 or 866-668-8297 ext. 28108

LONDONJanuary 12 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm

1:30pm - 4:30pm400-130 Du!erin Ave.To register, call 519 873-1283 or 866-668-8297 ext. 28108

MISSISSAUGA January 6 @ 9:30am - 12:30pmJanuary 13 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pmJanuary 20 @ 1:30pm - 4:30pmJanuary 27 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm 200-77 City Centre Dr.To register, call 905-615-5858 or 866 668-8297

OTTAWAJanuary 12 @ 9:15am - 12:15pm 1400 Blair Pl., 6th FloorTo register, call 613-842-7095 or 866-668-8297 ext. 24109

January 14 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm 2451 Riverside Dr. To register, call 613-842-7095 or 800-461-4909

SUDBURYJanuary 26 @ 9:00am - 12:00pm 102-199 Larch St.To register, call 613 842-7095 or 866 668-8297 ext. 24109

WHITBYJanuary 13 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm January 27 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm 590 Rossland Rd. E.To register, call 905-436-4407 or 866-668-8297

WINDSOR January 20 @ 10:00am - 1:00pm

1:30pm - 4:30pm55 Edinborough St.To register, call 519-873-1283 or 866-668-8297 ext. 28108

FEBRUARY | CANADABARRIE February 3 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm February 17 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm81 Mulcaster St.To register, call 705-727-4109 or 866-277-4611

HAMILTONFebruary 24 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm 119 King St. W., 15th FloorTo register, call 905-521-7611 or 866 668-8297

KINGSTONFebruary 18 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm 935 Gardiners Rd.To register, call 613-842-7095 or 866-668-8297 ext. 24109

KITCHENERFebruary 10 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm

1:30pm - 4:30pm 305 King St. W., 9th FloorTo register, call 519 873-1283 or 866 668-8297 ext. 28108

LONDONFebruary 9 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm

1:30pm - 4:30pm400-130 Du!erin Ave.To register, call 519 873-1283 or 866-668-8297 ext. 28108

MISSISSAUGA February 3 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm February 10 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pmFebruary 17 @ 1:30pm - 4:30pmFebruary 24 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm200-77 City Centre Dr.To register, call 905-615-5858 or 866-668-8297

OTTAWA February 9 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm 1400 Blair Pl., 6th FloorTo register, call 613-842-7095 or 866-668-8297 ext. 24109

February 11 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm 2451 Riverside Dr.To register, call 613-842-7095 or 800-461-4909

SUDBURY February 23 @ 9:00am - 12:00pm 102-199 Larch St.To register, call 613-842-7095 or 866-668-8297 ext. 24109

WHITBYFebruary 10 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pmFebruary 24 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm590 Rossland Rd. E.To register, call 905 436-4407 or 866-668-8297

WINDSORFebruary 17 @ 1:30pm - 4:30pm

6:30pm - 9:30pm55 Edinborough St.To register, call 519 873-1283 or 866-668-8297 ext. 28108

MARCH | CANADABARRIE March 3 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm March 24 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm81 Mulcaster St.To register, call 705-727-4109 or 866-277-4611

HAMILTON March 10 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm March 17 @ 1:30pm - 4:30pmMarch 24 @ 6:30pm - 9:30pm 119 King St.W., 15th FloorTo register, call 905-521-7611 or 866-668-8297

KINGSTON March 18 · 6:30pm - 9:30pm 935 Gardiners Rd.To register, call 613-842-7095 or 866 668-8297 ext. 24109

KITCHENER March 10 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm

1:30pm - 4:30pm305 King St. W., 9th FloorTo register, call 519 873-1283 or 866-668-8297 ext. 28108

LONDON March 9 @ 9:30am - 12:30pm

1:30pm - 4:30 m400-130 Du!erin Ave.To register, call 519-873-1283 or 866-668-8297 ext. 28108

pst-gst/hst joint seminarsThe below is an annotated list. For a complete list of dates, forms and sign-up information, please visit www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/events/pst-gst

074.CJ_WhatsOn_re2.indd 73 12/23/09 1:32:51 PM

showcaseA D V E R T I S I N G

For more information on how to advertise in this section of Canadian Jeweller magazine please contact: Sarah Perkin 416-203-7900 ext. 6126, [email protected] or Lucy Holden 514-381-5196, [email protected].


ALLOYCOINTERNATIONAL INC

CALL TOLL FREE: 1-888-475-5384

55 Mont Royal W., suite 600, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2T 2S6

Jo!n’s " o#esa$e Jewelry Ltd.

TEL: 604-689-4190 FAX: 604-689-4139TOLL FREE: 1-877-80-JOHNS TOLL FREE FAX: 1-888-564-6788

ADDRESS: 900-736 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1G3

MANUFACTURERS & WHOLESALERS OF FINE JEWELRY

xxx-xxx.CJ_Showcase-Market_DEC.indd 74 12/23/09 9:53:12 AM



[email protected]

ADVERTISING & DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY TRADE SHOW DISPLAYS PRINTING

K.West_CJ_ShowcaseAd:K.West_CJ_ShowcaseAd 8/18/09 7:24 AM Page


STEWART’S HOROLOGYREPAIR & RESTORATION





INYOURNAME

DESIGNTO YOUROWNWISHESALLPRINTINGSTEPSINCLUDED

1 - 8 0 0 6 6 1 - 4 4 1 0

s t u d i o - p u b l i c i t y . c o m

C A N A D AC A N A D A

F A X : 1 - 4 5 0 6 6 1 - 4 9 9 9

N OL O W E S T P R I C E S

J E W E L L E R Y R E P A I RE N V E L O P E

I N

C A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D A

P R I C E SP R I C E SL O W E S TL O W E S T

C A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D AC A N A D A1

Studio Publicity ad Final May 5th.indd 1 5/5/09 7:06:44 PM

SOLUTIONSOUR SERVICES ARE YOUR

For a Free & Confidential ConsultationCall Lawrence Skoworodko

Watch Dials resize.indd 1 12/9/09 2:56:00 PM

Revolution.Introducing the new canadianjeweller.com

It’s all about you.

Read current and past issues online. Listen to articles and podcasts.Find it on our 50,000 item Buyers Guide. Discuss & debate on our Forums. Source & Share in our retailer-only space.

Get published.



A D V E R T I S I N G

marketplaceFor more information on how to advertise in this section of Canadian Jeweller magazine please contact:

Sarah Perkin 416-203-7900 ext. 6126, [email protected] or Lucy Holden 514-381-5196, [email protected].

Refining - Assaying - Trading

Let Us Earn Your Confidence-Call Us Before You Refine

Tel: (416)7366052 Fax:(416)7364334 Toll Free:1-800-785-2371

Actual size 3.9" by 2.0"

Precious metal specialists and refiners of gold and platinum jewellery scrap

Web:www.refinegold.ca www.goldrefiner.ca E-mail: [email protected]

359 Canarctic Drive,Downsview, Ontario, M3J 2P9

Check for our refining specials and alloy products

At: www.refinegold.ca

and www.goldrefiner.ca

Refine-All Metals Ltd.

Dealers and refiners of Precious Metal Scrap

Let Us EarnYour Confidence. Call us Before You Refine

27 Queen Street, East, Suite 1100, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2M6

CNC Gold Refining Inc

Toll Free:866-553-0130

9 9 9 9

Tel: 647-430-3643 Fax:647-430-3657 E-mail:[email protected] Web: www.goldrefiner.ca

WWW.goldrefiner.ca

While You Wait-Immediate SettlementsCheck our State of the art Jewellery Alloys

Check Our site for the up-to-date Buy and Sale Prices

At:

DECEMBER ad

27 Queen Street East #806 Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2M6

Tel: (416) 777 0010 • (416) 306 0705Fax: (416) 777 0021 • Cell: (416) 566 5579Email: [email protected]

Untitled-1 1 10/30/09 12:01:02 PM

Edmonton Findings House Ltd.Watch and Jewelery SuppliesClock and Watch Movements

All Kinds of Batteries & Watch CrystalsWax Patterns, Gem Stones, & Findings

Packaging, Bags, Boxes & DisplaysPh: (780) 452-8693Fax: (780) 452-8693Website: www.efjewelrysupply.comEmail: [email protected]

10524 - 124 St.Edmonton, Alberta

Canada T5N 1R9

EdmontonFindings.indd 1 7/16/09 11:45:31 AM

Untitled-1 1 11/12/09 9:44:02 AM





CanadianJeweller.indt 1 7/15/09 12:13:12 PM

Call our Hotline for Prices: 416-366-GOLD (4653) Tel: 416-366-6031 and 416-366-8193 416-366-3499 27 Queen Street East, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario

Available for Immediate DeliveryAll Precious Metals Bought, Traded and Refined

PLATINUM CASTING GRAIN, IRIDIUM, RUTHENIUM

GOLD DEPOTGOLD DEPOT


!"#$%"$&%"'%()&%'*+(&+(,-".#$,%/&.&0-1%2"34*$#&+5

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

xxx-xxx.CJ_Showcase-Market_DEC.indd 79 12/23/09 2:29:42 PM





ALL UN

DER

ONE ROOF

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Y!M

PRODUCTS YOU WILL FIND

STONESFOIL BACKSSYNTHETICSGENUINESMARCASITESPEARLS/SEED PEARLSBEADS/BEAD STRANDSROSE CUT GARNETSCONCAVE CUT MYSTIC TOPAZONYX/TIGER EYERUBIES/SAPPHIRES/EMERALDSPERIDOT/BLUE TOPAZCAMEOSSWAROVSKI & SIGNITY STONES8 HEART CZ/9 HEART CZAND MORE...

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SERVICES WE OFFER

ENGRAVING OF GOLD, METALS AND GLASSPHOTO ENGRAVINGLASER SOLDERING

RESTRINGINGWATCH GLASS CUTTING NEW

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JEWELLERY BOXES & DISPLAYS, WATCH STRAPS, RECLOSEABLE POLY BAGS

FAMILY RING CATALOGUECOMING SOON

NEW

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!

Happy

Birthday

Krohn Industries, Inc.

Cohler Enterprises, Inc.

WIZMAN GEMS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

Diamond ImportersCelebrating 26 years of Excellence

From .002ct - 5.00ct Certified

www.wizmangems.comTel: (416) 360-8828 Fax: (416) 360-3708

Email: [email protected] Queen St. E, Suite 1403, Toronto, ON M5C 2M6, Canada


classifi edFor more information on how to advertise in this section of Canadian Jeweller magazine please

contact: Sarah Perkin 416-203-7900 ext. 6126, [email protected] or Lucy Holden 514-381-5196, [email protected].

HELP WANTEDSales Marketing Manager

Required to:

B U Y I N G

You’ve probably noticed a change in Canadian

Jeweller covers the past few issues, as they’ve featured

some of the top retailers in the industry. We’re always looking for

new businesses to shine a spotlight on, so if you’re interested, we’d

love to hear from you.

To have your store grace the cover of an upcoming CJ, and to

expose your business to a whole new audience, make sure to send

an email request to [email protected]

Calling all Canadian

Jewellery

Retailers...

canadian jewellermagazineThe Business of retailing jewellery

Est.1879

A “Bort” MissionWhy rough diamonds are all the rage

PLUS:ALL THE LATEST MARKET NEWS, TRENDS & EVENTS

Group BenefitsWhat’s the story behind jewellery buying groups?

HST & YouPreparing to make the transition to a new sales tax

ShowstopperA look at John de Jong’s inspiration and design process

JANUARY 2010$25

Norbert & Kim Brinkhaus of Brinkhaus Jewellers in Calgary

Tried True&New BeginningsIntroducing our new partnership with JVC

xxx-xxx.CJ_Showcase-Market_DEC.indd 80 12/23/09 3:42:12 PM


sectionhead

Fax Now to: 1-888-849-0155 or 416-703-6392 | or Mail card today to: 60 Bloor St. West, Suite 1106, Toronto, ON, M4W 3B8

PAGE81

GET FREE INFORMATION! SEE A PRODUCT YOU LIKE? WANT MORE INFORMATION, ABSOLUTELY FREE?…

on any product advertised in this issue

BY FAXOR MAIL

1. See product you want info on

2. Use this quick reference list below to fi nd its free info number (it’s also on the ad)

3. Write the number(s) on the attached free info card

4. Mail or fax us at 1-888-849-0155 or 416-703-6392

5. Receive free info direct from as many advertisers as you like

CONNECT WITH… page write # CONNECT WITH… page write #

Stuller 2 101

Jeweller’s Mutual 3 102

Open Blue Networks 4 119

Diarough Canada 5 104

Jewellers Vigilance Canada 6 105

Wold’s Gold & Diamonds 7 106

JSN Jewellery 8 107

JSN Jewellery 9 107

Chamilia 11 108

Pandora 13 109

Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) 15 103

Atlantic Engravings 17 111

Five Star Diamonds 19 112

Best Bargains 21 113

Vianna 23 114

Nova Diamonds 25 115

Selling area of your storem under 1,000 sq.ft. m 1,001 - 3,000 sq.ft.m 3,001 - 5,000 sq.ft. m over 5,000 sq.ft. Approximate annual sales volumem under $500,000m $500,000 - $1 millionm $1 million - $5 millionm $5 million - $10 millionm $10 million - $20 millionm over $20 million

Categories you personally managem Retailer m Designerm Gemologist m Supplierm Manufacturerm Other _________________________________

Which category best describes your business classifi cation?m Educationm Retailerm Manufacturerm Wholesalerm Importerm Designerm Services (repair, appraisals, etc.)m Other: ________________________________

Number of employees at your locationm 1-3 m 4-8 m 9-12 m over 13

Number of locations: ______________________

Signature: __________________________________________ Date: _______________

Your Name: _________________________________________ Title: ________________

Company Name: ___________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________

City: ________________________________ Province: ___________________________

Postal Code: ______________________________________________________________

Phone: ______________________________ Fax: _______________________________

Email Address (optional): _____________________________________________________

2. Use this quick

Sanghavi Diamonds 27 116

Rousseau Chain Imports 29 117

Blue Point Jewellery 31 118

O’Neill Diamonds 47 110

Jomark 83 120

Mirage Creations 84 121

Atlanic Engraving Ltd. 16 124

Mirage Creations 16 125

Pandora 16 126

Jeweler’s Mutual 18 127

Jomark 18 128

Chamilia 18 129

JSN Jewellery 20 130

Vianna 20 131

Stuller 20 132

m Yes! Please send me or continue to send me Canadian Jeweller magazine m No, don’t send

JANUARY 2010WRITE IN THE NUMBERS HERE FOR EACH PRODUCT YOU WANT MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON

USE QUICK REFERENCE LIST AT TOP OF PAGE

Reserved exclusively for retailers

Example

101

STEP 1 STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

To qualify, check circles:

* FREE Info Card & Subscription To receive free information you must print clearly and fi ll out form completely.

081.CJjan10_FaxBack.indd 81 12/24/09 11:38:30 AM

I’ve in my life dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed ; they’ve gone through and through me, like wine through water, and

altered the of my mind.

lastword


– Paul Aguirre

Anne Sportun is the master of “experimetal” jewellery. For over 20 years, she’s been drawing inspiration from nature and setting a trend in her own right to create pieces that will speak volumes for a lifetime and beyond. No one does a better job of blending shapes and symbols while combining traditional goldsmith techniques with

unconventional — and undeniably amazing — designs. !is 18k gold cushion-shaped labradorite bracelet with amethyst drop is a perfect example of her e"ortless and enchanting creations. I can’t think of any woman who wouldn’t want to sport this on her wrist.

Valued at $695.

WRITER EMILY BRONTE ONCE SAID:

082.CJ_LastWord.indd 82 12/23/09 9:22:20 AM

JOMARKDISTRIBUTORS

Luxurious... Opulence... LavishnessFirst in Distributing the

World’s Finest Italian Jewellery!

John Di ScolaTel: (416)606-0369 Fax: (905)264-8419 email:[email protected]

D!em"e# $Chic, !la" ic, #utstan$in% &nriching 'n( )e* atile +ewels.

Jomark.indd 10 12/21/09 10:51:42 AM


CJjan10_Jomark_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 10:54:06 AM

Mirage Creations Inc.

221 Victoria Street, Lower Level, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 1V4

Local: (416) 366-9595 Toll Free: (877) BY MIRAGE Fax: (416) 366-9677

www.miragecreations.com e-mail: [email protected]

PRM258

PRM259

PRM262


CJjan10_Mirage_Ad.indd 1 12/21/09 11:03:43 AM

Documents

Jan 2010