The Jeweller Jul/Aug 2016 by National Association of Jewellers

SIMON JOHNSON our new chairman

EDF reimagined

MAPPIN & WEBB relaunched

MEN’S JEWELLERY rediscovered

T H E M A R K O F I N D U S T RY I N S P I R AT I O N & I N F O R M AT I O N

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Inside this ISSUE

EDF reimagined MAPPIN & WEBB relaunched

The

T H E M A R K O F I N D U S T RY I N S P I R AT I O N & I N F O R M AT I O N

MEN’S JEWELLERY rediscovered

05 EDITOR’S LETTER 07 MICHAEL MAKES HIS POINT 08 INDUSTRY NEWS UK Jewellery Awards 09 INDUSTRY NEWS The winners of IJL’s Editor’s Choice 10 ASSOCIATION NEWS Simon Johnson receives his chain of office 12 ASSOCIATION NEWS Introducing our new vice-chairman

Featured in this issue

13 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Helen Dimmick introduces the Membership Steering Group

15 EDUCATION Relaunching our mentoring programme

42 INDUSTRY NEWS Rare diamond sales

16 EDUCATION The latest Bransom winners

44 NAJ AWARDS Will it be you?

18 ASSOCIATION NEWS Recognition for NAJ president 19 ASSOCIATION NEWS NAJ and Bransom join forces 20 ROMANCING THE STONE August’s gemstone: peridot 22 ETHICAL JEWELLERY With an award-winning jewellery designer 24 INDUSTRY NEWS Brexit implications 26 SILVER AND FASHION JEWELLERY All that glisters... 36 INDUSTRY NEWS Turning designers into entrepreneurs 37 INDUSTRY NEWS Impressions of JCK Las Vegas 38 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Mappin & Webb relaunched

CEO: Michael Rawlinson michael.rawlinson@naj.co.uk

46 IRV A shining example of a registered valuer 48 MEN’S JEWELLERY Here come the boys 54 OBITUARY Ron Mumford 56 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Gold jewellery designer Mark Milton 60 OPINION John Henn takes a leaf from British cycling’s book 62 IRV Loughborough 2016 64 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT From farming to chain-making 66 INDUSTRY PROFILE Kit Heath on candlesticks, cream teas and camper vans…

THIS ISSUE OF GEMS&JEWELLERY includes all the recent news and events from Gem-A, plus a feature on the Paua shell by organics expert Maggie Campbell Pedersen; Dr Jeff Post from the Smithsonian talks museum donations and advanced instrumentation, and Grenville Millington takes an in-depth look at a ruby ring.

The National Association of Jewellers 78a Luke Street London EC2A 4XG 020 7613 4445 naj.co.uk

July/August 2016 / Volume 25 / No. 4

Paua shell Oceanview Mine Interview with Dr Jeff Post

The NAJ is responsible for producing The Jeweller and although every effort is made to ensure that the information supplied is accurate, the NAJ does not accept liability, loss, damage or claim whatsoever that may result from opinions expressed by contributors. Information and ideas are for guidance only and members should always consult their own professional advisors. The NAJ accepts no responsibility for the content of Gems&Jewellery or any advertiser, advertisement or insert in The Jeweller. Anyone having dealings with any advertiser must rely on their own enquiries. The magazine is printed on paper and board that has met acceptable environmental accreditation standards.

Editor: Belinda Morris bmorris@colony.co.uk Advertising sales: Ian Francis ian.francis@naj.co.uk 020 7749 1705 Designed & produced by: House Creative thejeweller@housecreative.co.uk 01625 614 005 Contributory writers: David Brough, Andrew Fellows, Michael Ferraro, John Henn, Sandra Page Front cover image: Kit Heath Tel: 01271 329 123 sales@kitheath.com kitheathretailer.com

JEWELLER

SIMON JOHNSON our new chairman

40 ASSOCIATION NEWS Who, where, what and when…

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14 ASSOCIATION NEWS EDF Congress

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ISSU E H IGH LIGH T S

f our industry is feeling jittery in light of a rather uncertain trading future, there was scant sign of it just days before going to press on this issue. There’s nothing like a celebratory, back-slapping party to lift the spirits, and if there’s something jewellery and watch people know how to do it’s party.

“So much talent and achievement to honour...”

FROM the Editor

The UK Jewellery Awards on the 29th June were just the uplifting ticket we all needed. So much talent and achievement to honour and so much bonhomie and Champagne in one room – it was hard not to feel a sense of hope and optimism. See p8 for pix from the night and details of the many NAJ winners – including our president Patrick Fuller who received an Outstanding Contribution award. Which neatly leads me on to our Association’s own coveted industry Awards, which take place at the end of the year. On p44 we outline the seven categories – for which both retailer and supplier NAJ members can nominate themselves, or, indeed, another member – as well as the generous sponsors who will help to make the NAJ Awards possible. Earlier in June saw another industry gathering – the first NAJ AGM, at which Simon Johnson received the chain of office for his new role as chairman of the Association. Harriet Kelsall was named his vice-chairman and the heads of the five steering groups were also identified. The occasion also provided the opportunity for CEO Michael Rawlinson to announce that the Executive Development Forum (whose annual congress preceded the AGM) has been renamed JET Business Network. Catch up on both events from p10. Elsewhere in this issue we highlight silver and fashion jewellery; take the pulse of the men’s market; get to grips with peridot; learn about chain-making; check out Mappin & Webb’s new look and discover that Mark Milton really does have ‘gold’ running through him like ‘Brighton’ in a stick of rock. And lots more. Reasons to be cheerful…

“I developed a love for… manufacturing in gold and the logistics of gold stock. Both can break your heart with their complexity and specific difficulties…” p.56

“Peridot has other uses: when set into gold, it was considered to offer protection from ‘night terrors’…” p.20

“Silver jewellery is great for building up long-term customer relations; it is something independent jewellers do so brilliantly.” p.26 BELINDA MORRIS, EDITOR

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OPINION friendship and indeed strengthen them in the future. The unification of the BJA with the N.A.G. could not have happened at a better time. The NAJ will firstly facilitate the industry discussion and debate on what we might want in relation to the Brexit negotiations. We will seek to bring together the views of the various sectors,

“One thing I am convinced of is the need to project a positive outlook...” regions, and businesses of every size, so that we can create robust and aligned plans for proactive requests. At this time we need to maximise our opportunities, and minimise the risks. I have an extensive and positive history in lobbying for and achieving changes to our laws and regulations. From experience I can tell you this success does not just come from asking for what is obviously right; we also have to find the right arguments and positioning for those requests to make the politicians positively want to make the

changes we are asking for. One thing I am convinced of is the need to project a positive outlook. Consumer confidence is vital for strong economic growth and that confidence is influenced, positively and negatively, by everything that happens in our lives. So, let us provide strong positive leadership, a role model and the right attitudes and behaviours that we want our staff to follow. I do appreciate that in the immediate aftermath of the vote things will take time to settle, and clarity on what needs to be done will come. We need to progress with caution, but let us remain measured and focused on the goal ahead, which is the establishment of the right relationship between the UK, the EU and the rest of the world for our trade to flourish. Perhaps there is already one positive aspect to emerge from the decision to leave – we will not be restricted in the introduction of our ‘Made in Britain Mark’ by any European rules! We have a long and proud tradition of jewellery design and manufacturing, so let us be positive and proclaim that we really are Great Britain and a United Kingdom!

THE MARK OF QUALITY

MICHAEL makes his point

he country has decided and we must unite behind the decision and move forward. Many of us in leadership are used to being a part of a governing board and accepting corporate responsibility. Ideas are presented, robust debates follow, opposing views are expressed with passion and firm belief on all sides of the debate. But, in the end, when the vote is taken on the motion, there is a need for those in the seats of power to take a position of collective responsibility for the decision that has been made. And this is what we expect our government to do following the vote of the people in the EU referendum. As business owners and senior managers, our employees, together with their families and dependants, will be expecting us to do the very best we can to make the company we run as successful as possible under the new terms that will be negotiated for the UK following our exit from the EU. We all need to be proactive in this process, and I will be ensuring that the Association is at the heart of the industry’s efforts. At a personal level I’m sure we know people and have friends that hold opposing views to our own, whether it was to remain or leave. We need to show strength of character so that we can maintain important relationships and

MICHAEL RAWLINSON, NAJ CEO.

Industry NEWS

What’s NEW

Lucy Reece-Raybould, CMJ with Harriet Kelsall, centre and her team

Fei Liu with Vivian Fuller

Michael Rawlinson and the Gemporia team

Helen Dimmick with Neil McFarlane T.H. March

Oh what a night!

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

The prestigious UK Jewellery Awards turned out to be a great evening for NAJ members who picked up gongs galore…

Held on 29th June at the London Hilton on Park Lane, and hosted by broadcaster and TV personality Gethin Jones, the glittering, Clogau-sponsored event was, as always, an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of supplier and retailer alike. In particular, NAJ president Patrick Fuller was recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to the Industry. The much-loved and respected public face of WB The Creative Jewellery Group (including Domino and Gecko) received a standing ovation as he took to the stage to give a heartfelt response to the thoroughly deserved honour. His speech concluded with an acknowledgement that the young talent emerging is what makes the industry so exciting today. And rising stars were certainly an important part of the evening, with Dahlia Daou of Daou Jewellery collecting an award for New Designer of the Year, which was sponsored by IJL. Meanwhile, it was fourth time lucky for designer Fei Liu, the delighted winner of Jewellery Designer of the Year, sponsored by WB The Creative Jewellery Group. There was great excitement on the NAJ table as Harriet Kelsall was named as the Bridal Retailer of the Year. Joining her on stage to collect the award from sponsor CMJ, were 10 of her showroom and workshop staff – all simply happy to be nominated! Equally thrilled to be recognised was Helen Dimmick of Green + Benz. The NAJ’s head of the membership steering group took home the prize (sponsored by

T.H. March) for Retailer of the Year (five stores or fewer). Anna Blackburn, CEO of Beaverbrooks, stepped forward with colleagues to collect the award for Retailer of the Year (six stores or more), which was sponsored by Coeur de Lion. E-tailer of the Year was presented to Gemporia by NAJ CEO Michael Rawlinson, one of the judging panel. Other members who were recognised during the evening were: Edinburgh Assay Office (Innovation Award), Shaun Leane (J&W-sponsored Fine Jewellery Brand of the Year), Assay Office Birmingham (Employer of the Year), Maker Mends (Supplier of the Year), Hockley Mint (Bridal Collection of the Year), Arctic Circle (Ethical Jewellery Business of the Year, sponsored by Facets PR) and Argento Contemporary Jewellery in Belfast who walked away with the award for Best Store Environment, sponsored by Trollbeads. Taking the awards into the consumer arena, the jewellery Brand of the Year award, sponsored by Marie Claire and voted for by the magazine’s readers, was Pandora. And so ended (at 3am!) after much dancing, carousing and general celebration, another hugely enjoyable UKJA. Congratulations to all the worthy winners and our thanks to Ruth Faulkner and her team at Retail Jeweller for a great night!

Choice PIECES Five exhibitors at the forthcoming IJL show (4th-6th September) have been chosen as winners of the hard-fought Editor’s Choice competition. Let us introduce them:

Samsares

Selected by Claire Adler, luxury communications consultant and Financial Times contributor, and event director Sam Willoughby, the winning lineup includes: David Miracca, John Moore Jewellery, Kickstarter Vicky Lew, Samsares Jewelry from Switzerland and Tezer Design from Germany.

This year the categories included German Style – in recognition of the quality and creativity of German craftsmanship, as part of IJL’s Market Focus for 2016. Chosen for being “cleverly designed and handcrafted in a Bauhaus aesthetic”, Tezer Design (Q100) works with basic geometric forms, taking a single element to which MD Sema Sezen adds more feminine and playful touches. All her contemporary pieces are handmade.

In the Commercial Vision category the award goes to Samsares Fine Jewellery (Q90g) – a collection of floral folklore-inspired pendants, rings and bracelets in recycled 18ct rose gold with stones including white and pink opals, rose quartz and orange carnelian. Praised by Adler for its “slick and professional branding” as well as “a clear explanation outlining the thinking behind the brand”, Samsares (owned by Giedra Jeanneret) promises to be “appealing and sellable to retailers”.

London-based Vicky Lew (T10a), a 2016 Kickstarter, comes top in the Overall Originality category for her debut Flight Collection Thalurania Colombica earrings made with sapphire, topaz, spinel, rhodolite and smoky quartz, hand-set in black rhodium-plated 18ct white and yellow gold. Nature-inspired forms inform her work; the use of perspective-localised angles means that birds at the moment of take-off are revealed from certain angles only. “They look fantastic simply sitting on a dressing table, like a mini sculpture”, says Adler.

For Visual Impact the prize has been taken by London and Geneva-trained David Miracca (A89) for his titanium amethyst ring, microset with diamonds inside the shank. Described by Adler as “a daring and fun juxtaposition of materials with its own indulgent twist” the ring is part of a collection influenced by great British and European jewellery houses. Miracca, who is making his debut at the show, is looking forward to demonstrating further examples of “hard-won technical expertise”.

Finally, the Technical Excellence award is now in the hands of John Moore Jewellery (R26), for “a striking piece of engineering” – his “flexible, tactile and meticulously executed” Diamond Verto Necklace in sterling silver and 18ct gold, with 29 diamonds and silicone magnets. The technical execution ensures a controlled movement, giving the wearer the opportunity to interact with the piece, without losing the maker’s visual and conceptual intention. “It’s a celebration of nature, of beauty and of the self” says Moore, who is also the winner of The Goldsmiths’ Company Award this year. All the winning pieces will be on show at IJL 2016.

THE MARK OF PROFESSIONAL VALUATION

JOHNSON takes the HELM at NAJ

IRV LOUGHBOROUGH 2016

Association NEWS Patrick Fuller

Simon Johnson

L-R: Judith Lockwood, Vanessa Burkitt, Helen Dimmick

imon Johnson, owner of Marmalade Fine Jewellery, was confirmed as the chairman of the NAJ, at the inaugural AGM of the Association. Harriet Kelsall, of Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, was named as his vice chairman.

NAJ president Patrick Fuller kicked off what he described as an “historic occasion” as the two former Associations – the BJA and N.A.G. – went through the legal processes (with their attendant formalities) of separate AGMs, presided over by respective chairmen Gary Wroe and Andrew Hinds. “I feel that given the recent unification we have a once-ina-generation opportunity to effect some real and great changes to the way the Association and its members benefit each other,” remarked Johnson after receiving his chain of office and thanking the outgoing chairmen for their “tireless drive”. He added that the more ‘engaged’ members become, the more they will benefit from membership. “We have to recognise that we live in a rapidly changing world,” he said, citing in particular Corporate Social Responsibility as one pointer to the direction we need to move in. “My first priority is to get the six steering groups up and running so the key areas of the Association’s work can start to be addressed and the NAJ can move forward. It is a strong, passionate and wide ship to steer and I feel incredibly privileged to be invited into this role,” he added. Michael Rawlinson, the NAJ’s CEO said: “I am delighted to be working with Simon as the incoming chairman. He is a great leader, with a clear vision for the Association over the next two years; I and the staff are in no doubt about what is expected

from us, and what we have to deliver.” The AGM provided the opportunity for Rawlinson to introduce the “strong line-up of industry representatives” who will form the Association’s new National Committee. Six of these people will chair the new Steering Groups: Education (Harriet Kelsall), Institute of Registered Valuers (Frank Wood), Marketing (Vanessa Burkitt), Membership (Helen Dimmick), Public Affairs & Ethics (Judith Lockwood), and Technical Standards (Robert Organ). “With this very strong team I am sure that the Association is going to make a real impact and difference to the trade and I hope that every business that is in or connected to the jewellery trade will want to be part of the organisation, to benefit from the value we are going to create and deliver for all our members,” he commented. Following, as it did, the 2016 Congress, Rawlinson was also able to use the occasion to announce that the EDF has been renamed the JET Business Network and that manufacturers and designer makers are being added to the previously retailonly groups. He also mentioned that the ‘Made in Britain’ mark initiative is one of a number of projects already underway, along with plans for a “bigger and better conference in 2017”. Watch this space for that announcement!

THE MARK OF QUALITY

Harriet Kelsall

A BESPOKE appointment

Association NEWS

The NAJ’s AGM last month saw Harriet Kelsall of HK Bespoke announced as the Association’s new vice chair. Let us introduce her…

THE MARK OF QUALITY

What is the history of HK Jewellery and where is the business now? I started 18 years ago knowing a lot about jewellery-making from my father (a keen, talented hobby jeweller). However I’d never worked in retail and had few contacts in the industry. So I had a ‘fresh eyes’ perspective, which I think helped to make my business different. Three years in I wanted to make more contacts as I grew my business – partly the reason that I joined the BJA. Shortly after that I joined the N.A.G. I joined both because my business was (and still is) a mix of design, making and retail. Back then there weren’t many jewellers doing all three, so I felt I didn’t quite fit into any box. I remember thinking how much better it would be if we could have one association representing the whole trade. I joined both to give the business credibility in consumers’ eyes (displaying the logos on our website), for free legal advice and to make other manufacturing contacts.

How did you become involved with the associations? I was attending the AGMs and met some of the people involved; they were all really nice and clearly had the good health of the wider industry at heart. A few years later I was co-opted onto the BJA committee and since then I’ve met loads of brilliant and inspiring people. Now if I have any questions there’s always somebody I can ask – a contrast from having nobody to turn to for so long! I’ve made some great friends through the NAJ too. Now I am proud to say that we’re one of the leading UK bespoke jewellery design companies, with awards for trailblazing, innovation, design and ethics. So it’s easy for me to speak enthusiastically about the NAJ because my involvement with it has been so helpful to me and my business. Investing a little time to help to improve things feels really natural. I strongly urge every member to come along to networking events and AGMs to meet people and start their NAJ journey.

Why is it important to you to be an ‘active’ member? I’m passionate about two things in particular: making sure that we develop young people and improve industry skills, and improving ethics. These are aspects that I can help to enhance and bring to the NAJ. Also sitting at the top table means that I get to learn loads – you can gain so much from every board you sit on. What needs the most attention now, do you think? As a strong priority I want to make sure that all members feel that they’re getting value from their membership and that they’re well-represented. The unification has been a very positive move but a complicated one and I want us to spend a little time updating and improving our education offering, as well as collaborating with other great education providers. I’d like to make sure we have opportunities for different types of members to meet, in ways they’ll find rewarding. I’d also like us to try to improve ethics in the industry. I’ve been working on a wages survey because this kind of data is needed by all jewellery directors. We’ll get this out to members soon. Everybody on our steering groups is keen to help improve things further – it’s a great time to be part of this! What qualities do you feel you bring to the table? What are your immediate plans as VC? Creative thinking, CSR know-how, entrepreneurial thinking, collaboration and a passion for skills. I’m a good listener and can make decisions quickly where needed. My immediate plans are to make sure my education steering group is up and running independently and to support and learn from Simon (as well as being a second pair of eyes on everything). I’ll be gradually learning the role of chair over the next two years.

How did the first Membership meeting go? Who is in the Group? It was extremely successful. Together with NAJ chairman Simon Johnson and CEO Michael Rawlinson, members included Andrew Morton (Domino) and Barrie Dobson (Lawrence Blunt). We will be welcoming back Stuart Laing (Houlden Group) in the future and delighted that Carla Goodfellow (Assay Office Birmingham) will shortly come on board. I would still be very interested in a representative from one of the multiple retailers and potentially a member of the IRV. What are the most pressing needs in terms of the Association’s membership? The general membership needs to be able to understand and appreciate the value of being a member of the country’s largest Association. We, as a steering group, have to analyse what our individual members feel is important and communicate to them and the public why being an NAJ member is adding value to their business. There are so many facets to our members, from students to valuers, retailers and trade manufacturers. It’s a wide ship to steer with many different needs that we have to accommodate.

Why is the Association important to you and Green + Benz, and why are you personally happy to get more closely involved in it? For me this Association is hugely important and a fundamental part of the jewellery industry that understandably, due to the unification process, has been distracted during the last couple of years. Now, however, with the calibre and commitment of the executive team and national committee, we are ready and equipped to shape and support the future of the jewellery industry. I feel incredibly privileged to learn from the experience and skill of all delegates on the Membership Steering Group. My own mission is to deliver results, via SMART objectives and an efficient chairmanship style. I’m hoping this will fulfill my ambition to really deliver something meaningful back to the industry.

Do you foresee any hiccups ahead relating to the integration of two different sets of members? Will the membership be one cohesive group, or sub-divided into supplier and retailer categories? I personally feel that the membership is one broad church that sits really easily together. We all have the same goals – to spend less and earn more. And that is our role as an Association: to help all members achieve those core business goals. All of our members are suppliers and buyers and each has a value for the others. We are a unified Association for the very first time and the purpose now is to solidify that unification across all elements of the trade.

Member SPOTLIGHT

What are the aims of the Membership Group? To empower Simon Johnson, Michael Rawlinson and the executive team by providing direction, resources and guidance on a range of initiatives to develop the professionalism of all facets of the jewellery industry including design, manufacturing, wholesale and retail.

Member STATE

Continuing our series on the NAJ’s steering groups, Helen Dimmick, MD of Green + Benz, who heads the Membership Steering Group, outlines its aims.

Were any important decisions made or plans formulated in the first meeting? It was incredibly productive. After an initial discussion on motivations and ambitions, we quickly established the group’s remit and objectives. Our first deliverable will be an extension of the Association’s mission statement with a Customer Charter that will form part of the Membership Certificate and can be proudly displayed at all customer facing opportunities. We will further consolidate a working Code of Conduct and provide guidance notes for all users. We established our working principles of professionalism, integrity, honesty, value, ethical trading and best practice, with an overwhelming demand for trust and transparency. We are also looking at membership levels and rewards, with a concept of positively signposting members’ products and services with public-facing icons. We are putting the ‘pride in the badge’ of being a member of the NAJ, with credibility, gravitas, support for best practice and sanctions for non-compliance. 13

NETWORK

JET BUSINESS

Introducing

EDF CONGRESS 2016 THE MARK OF SHARED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

The EDF, now renamed the JET Business Network, held its annual Congress in Birmingham on the day of the Association’s AGM last month, with a record number of business heads and directors discovering the secrets of inspirational leadership.

From start to finish, it was a full day for the Congress delegates – six speakers, chosen for their proven leadership qualities. And while three are from a background in the jewellery trade, three took to the stage with experience across a broad range of industries. All were charged – by facilitator Michael Donaldson (who kicked off with his ‘state of the nation’ monthly performance data) – with the task of defining strong and effective leadership, based on their own perspectives and experiences. Unsurprisingly the resulting insights were a mixed bag – with a variety of approaches to being a good boss. As Charles Bradshaw-Smith of SmartKlub (working on sustainable energy in cities) suggested, delegates should “cherry pick from my tips and ideas”, using Chris Froome winning the Tour de France as an illustration of a leadership model. Meanwhile maverick, serial entrepreneur Jesper Nielsen (ex-Pandora, ex-Endless Jewelry and now introducing Amazing Jewelry) began by stating that sport, rather than leadership, is his passion. He did, however, stress the importance of “filling people with energy – motivating them so that

they perform to the maximum” and of “being authentic”. In a nutshell: “have super-good relationships with suppliers; know that the customer is king and remember that sales reps are the “most important people” and that you “can never have too many meetings with staff” (with Jesper they’re always relaxed, usually involving food!) John MacLeod of Concentric Partners cited his inspirational leaders (Bill Gates, John Harvey Jones, Richard Branson) and boiled down good leadership – vision, a capacity for work, integrity, debating abilities, good listening and the ability to delegate. He also recommended spending evenings networking and setting two hours aside each day as thinking time. Adrian de Courcey described the difficult journey he undertook when in 2010 he was handed “the poisoned chalice” of his father’s ailing, small family transport business. He described his position at Travel de Courcey as “a burning platform – everything had to change”. It now turns over £19m and employs over 300 people. Back in the world of jewellery, Steve Bennett of the Genuine Gemstone Company summed up his leadership

approach as: being passionate about what you do, remembering it’s all about people, that they are precious and communicating with the team and others. “Email is the corporate killer,” he said. Phil Cavender, general manager of Virgin Trains, summed up the brand’s leadership culture as being about empowering and trusting people and engaging with them; giving them the confidence that they will make the right decisions. Rounding off the day, Anna Blackburn, Beaverbrooks’ first female (and first non-family) CEO told how she progressed from the shop floor to taking control of 67 shops and 917 people (and counting). Having remained, for the last 14 years, in the top 25 of the Sunday Times ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ (declared ‘best’ in 2005), the store’s people are clearly a high priority. “Decisions made will always have the interests of our people, business and customers at heart,” she said. “I also made a promise to keep things simple (you don’t always need to make changes) and to collaborate and listen.”

HOW DOES IT WORK? • A mentor does not give advice but rather helps the mentee to weigh up situations and challenges and gives feedback allowing them to come to a decision • A mentor responds to the mentee’s needs and agenda, without imposing their own agenda • Mentors agree with the mentee how they wish the relationship to work, adopting the most appropriate level of confidentiality • Mentors and mentees will respect each other’s time and other responsibilities, ensuring they do not impose beyond what is reasonable Any existing member of the NAJ can consider becoming a mentor at any time. We are looking for those with experience under their belts that they are happy to share. Initially the NAJ Education Steering Committee will be responsible for assessing applicants. Likewise, any existing member of the Association can apply for mentoring. To apply, outline your request, specify the area of mentoring assistance required and your geographical location with a brief description of your company’s activities.

I’m fairly selfish about how I spend my time and what I do. So when I was asked to develop the mentoring scheme for the new NAJ I was delighted as I am infinitely curious about other people, love the sound of my own voice, and enjoy encouraging people to ‘get going’. Mentoring is a well-proven technique, which I came across 30 years ago when I volunteered to mentor for the Prince’s Trust. Its research proved that loans dispensed by them, supported by a mentor, had a significantly higher record of being repaid than without. The mentees all wanted to know the details of being a sole trader, partnership or limited company, how to write a business plan, dealing with the press, and ideas for growing their companies. The NAJ has an ethical code and simple contract which both parties sign. Personally I don’t create restrictions – some mentees need regular contact, others the occasional meeting or phone call. I’m honoured that some relationships have lasted years. The same issues each time tend to emerge for start-up businesses – the legal structure of the company, sales and marketing, retail and/or trade sales, manufacturing, branding, ethical trading, social media, the web, sale or return, finance, writing and keeping up the business plan, remaining focused… It’s impossible for a start-up to have all the skills and contacts to address everything (for established businesses too), so everyone needs help or reassurance at different times of their career. We can be of immense help by giving this knowledge and allowing the use of our industry network for the things we don’t know. Sadly for me as a hander-down-ofsolutions, good mentoring is not about

the sound of your own voice but about listening and bringing the mentee to their own conclusions and answers. Giving ‘permission’, nurturing ambition and discussing solutions – without being dogmatic – is good mentoring. Ultimately mentoring is a partnership of exploring strategies in a safe, confidential way with an emotionally detached industry professional who can inspire and raise horizons, while minimising the worst of potential mistakes. Without my recent mentoring of the jeweller Isabella Liu I wouldn’t have been invited to the Zaha Hadid pop-up shop private view and met my new friends pictured here.

Are you meant TO MENTOR ?

EDUCATION

A past-master of mentoring, Gordon Hamme is working with the NAJ to develop the scheme…

THE MARK OF HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Could you become an NAJ Mentor? Mentoring has proven to be one of the most effective forms of personal development for professionals… no matter which industry you’re in. Given the popularity of an earlier, successful BJA-led, pilot mentoring scheme, the NAJ would now like to relaunch the programme. So, we really need some new mentors! If this is something you might contemplate, it’s safe to assume you enjoy working in our industry. By helping others learn from your experience, develop their own skills and continue their professional development (as well as sharing contacts), you would be giving something back to the trade. Inspiration and a feel-good factor are just two of your rewards!

High FLYERS

EDUCATION

A jewellery store owner of 13 years, Michele was nervous about embarking on her first JET course… she loved it and is reaping the rewards. Cordelia came from a background of luxury fashion and learned new skills. Meet the latest winners of JET Certificate’s Bransom Awards.

CORDELIA STUBBING

THE MARK OF HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Jamieson & Carry Aberdeen

What drew you to jewellery? I knew that at Jamieson & Carry there would be many new skills and collections to explore, so developing my experience. I’m interested in how products are created – the attention to detail, brand story, quality and their longevity. Why did you embark on JET? We’re encouraged to start JET as soon as we’re ready. I began JET after a year – having built some knowledge by asking colleagues questions and attending training sessions. I understood the level of customer service and care that was expected and felt JET would help me gain further overall knowledge to develop confidence in sales and improve customer experience. You’ve been praised for your extensive research… I’m aware many customers already have some knowledge before they intend buying a luxury item. I enjoy keeping informed; researching trends and products. Having access to extensive information online assisted this. As a sales person I feel it’s important to develop a passion for products and express this. What aspects did you find most enjoyable and most challenging? I enjoyed the assignments about gemstones, diamonds and repair enquiries. I could also write about my customer experiences in detail – not easy to put in words at first, but it helped greatly to improve understanding and interactions. I enjoyed the sections on security, selling and customer care – highlighting the importance of daily activities, like incorporating security politely during sales of high value items. The hallmarking assignment was most challenging as I had not covered it in detail before and research was not straightforward. How has JET affected your working life? It’s broadened my understanding of the jewellery business and assisted in sales confidence. Working for independent businesses has helped me develop an adaptable, considered approach to sales and customer experience and an understanding of other areas of the business. JET complements this.

MICHELE DAVIES Windsor Jewellers Aberdare

Starting in jewellery… The first time I’d ever worked in a jewellers was when my husband Rod and I bought our own shop, which we opened 13 years ago. He’d managed a jewellery shop and had been in the trade for almost 20 years. I had to learn lots very quickly – when it’s your own money at stake you have to. I was constantly asking questions – I wanted to know everything: metals, stones, manufacturing and suppliers. I loved the challenge and the retail side – interaction with customers especially. Embarking on JET… I’d looked into studying the JET courses several times, but there just didn’t seem enough time. Our business grew rapidly and I had, without realising, accumulated so much knowledge and experience – I decided I needed formal qualifications. We attended J&W this year and I’d booked a place on the NAJ taster seminar, to see what was involved. It was really informative, but I was still nervous about enrolling, then spoke to a lovely lady from the NAJ who was so encouraging, I realised that I could do it. JET – how it works… It’s not as daunting as it appears; there’s lots of learning material available and my tutor, Mark Houghton, was really helpful – great for advice. Starting the first assignment was difficult, but a timetable helped me manage deadlines. Assignments are sent directly to your tutor and marked within a few days. Mark always added comments – really useful for monitoring progress. Hardest is fitting everything in: Family life, full-time work and studying. But whenever possible I logged on and snatched time to read or update my work. Doing this on the go is a real bonus. The benefits… I loved doing JET 1 – so easy to follow and plenty of support. The assignments were interesting, challenging, but enjoyable. It’s great to learn things you’d given no thought to before, and really useful to go over things you’ve learnt over time. The course has given me more confidence in my own abilities, spurring me on to study more. I think I’ve set a great example to my employees and will encourage and support anyone interested in studying. If I can do it, anyone can!

Fuller PRAISE

Association NEWS THE MARK OF QUALITY

Industry stalwart Patrick Fuller receives special recognition at the UK Jewellery Awards.

The NAJ’s president, Patrick Fuller, who with his wife Vivian owns WB The Creative Jewellery Group, was given a standing ovation when he walked to the stage to receive the ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Industry’ Award at the 2016 UK Jewellery Awards on 29th June. Presenting the important accolade Ruth Faulkner, editor of Retail Jeweller magazine, which organises the event, said that ever since she joined the jewellery industry she has held Fuller in great esteem and that he is one of ‘her favourite people’. It was clear that many of the more than 600 guests in the room felt the same. As Faulkner told her audience, there are very few honorary roles within the industry which Fuller had not held. These include being a past president of the National Association of Goldsmiths, past chairman of the British Jewellers’ Association, a liveryman of the Goldsmiths’ Company and member of the British Hallmarking Council, while in recent months he has played a pivotal role in effecting the merger of the N.A.G and BJA to create the National Association of Jewellers. As one industry colleague put it: “There can be no doubt that this is a man who genuinely has the best interests of the trade at heart.” Together with his wife, Vivian, whose family business

he joined in the late 1970s – having previously worked in the paint industry – Fuller has built one of the UK’s largest and most successful jewellery producers – WB The Creative Jewellery Group – which encompasses the fine jewellery brand Domino, the casting, 3D printing and bespoke manufacturing company Weston Beamor and, since 2012, the fashion jewellery brand Gecko. Speaking following the presentation, an emotional Fuller, who has recently celebrated his 70th birthday, said he was ‘humbled’ to be honoured in this way and paid tribute to the huge contribution made by Vivian and all the many hundreds of people they have together employed since taking over the business. “Its employees are the most crucial ingredient of any business and it is our fantastic team who have made our success possible,” he said. He was also keen to praise the creativity of the industry that he loves and to welcome the innovation of the younger generation. In a fleeting reference to Brexit, he said he felt that the UK at large was in for turbulent times, but concluded by saying that he had no doubt at all that the British jewellery industry – thanks to its huge reserves of talent – would continue to prosper.

Association NEWS

target customers from their database and send them specific and focussed email promotions. For retailers with little or no experience of bulk email marketing, both Bransom and the NAJ’s marketing agency, House Creative, will be on hand to offer support for a reasonable fee. It is expected that Bransom’s new system, with its Vault cloud storage, will be up and running in time for the IJL show, where NAJ members will be able to come and see what is on offer on the NAJ’s stand (K26), get pricing and place their order. Michael Rawlinson, CEO of the NAJ said: “I am delighted that we will soon be able to have access to and publish industry sales data that is both reliable and informative. At the Association, I feel it is our duty to lead in this area in support of growing the sector for everyone that is involved – manufacturers, suppliers and retailers”. Chris Garland, MD of Bransom Retail Systems added: “Cloud-based systems allow a low cost of entry into EPoS systems, which we hope will encourage both large and small retail members to benefit from a state-of-the-art PoS solution. It will provide professional receipts which can instantly be emailed with links to both NAJ and retailer websites, while collecting valuable business data from their customers. We wanted to work with the NAJ on this project because it is THE trade association and will work for the benefit and good of the whole trade. It is an inclusive organisation, and will be strict and careful with the data, allowing access to the reports only to those who will work for the benefit of all of the trade.” For further information on the Bransom bsmart systems please contact sales@bransom. co.uk or call: 01442 256445.

THE MARK OF QUALITY

At the NAJ’s AGM on 8th June, CEO Michael Rawlinson announced a partnership between the Association and Bransom Retail Systems that will ultimately provide valuable business data on the state of the jewellery market. An affordable, entry-level, cloudbased EPoS system is being offered to enable those jewellery retailers who currently rely on manual systems and paper receipts to enter the world of electronic Point of Sale, e-receipts and simple business reporting. The partnership will enable companies to access the new Bransom PoS system at an affordable price, and, by signing up, allow their sales data to be compiled and aggregated with other users’ data and contribute to a pool of industry sales data. All reports will be totally anonymous – no individual consumer’s data will be reported, nor will the performance of an individual shop or business be identified. All the individual sales data will be amortised into a single dataset, and from here users will be able to see the overall sales figures and how sales are split by different categories of product, metal or stone type, or indeed by any other factor available for analysis. It is also hoped that existing Bransom clients will give permission for their data to be included in the analysis – the more companies that participate, the more accurate the research. As well as having access to market data reports, users of the new system (which can be deployed on almost any type of device, allowing mobility in the store) will be supported by a number of generic direct email marketing templates, targeted for key dates and events during the year such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mothering Sunday, birthdays and anniversaries. Companies will be able to identify and select

Analyse THIS!

As Gordon Gekko (Wall Street) said: “The most valuable commodity I know of is information”. A new collaboration between the NAJ and Bransom aims to gather, process and deliver valuable data.

ROMANCING THE STONE: peridot

Spotlight on GEMSTONES THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

With a long, esteemed history, peridot is among the oldest gemstones – mined since 1500BC and still being sourced today. It’s also one of the few gems that doesn’t form close to the earth’s surface, but rather deeper within, being brought to the surface by the same volcanic action that delivers diamonds. Possibly the most well-known and historical source was St John’s Island, AKA Zabargad, in the Red Sea. Forming rarely as chisel-shaped crystals, peridot is more often found as broken fragments or water-worn crystals that belie the beauty within. Once faceted, they show an intense green and a high degree of light return. The Egyptians called Zabargad the ‘gem of the sun’, and historians now believe that Cleopatra’s famous emeralds were, in fact, peridots… a forgivable mistake in the days before gemmologists! This isn’t the only time that peridot has been confused with the more expensive emerald – the three green gems atop the Shrine Of The Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral, each weighing 200cts, were presumed to be emeralds, and at this size their price would then have been

astronomical. Even as peridots their value would have been significant. Gemmologically, peridot is an olivine material, found in greens, yellow-greens, and green-browns, owing its colour to iron. For the scientifically-minded, peridot is interesting because the iron can also be present in increased percentages, over and above the amount needed to generate greens, having an effect on the stone’s optical property. Being biaxial, peridot has the ability to split a light ray in two, but whereas other biaxial stones are either positive or negative (a gemmological test result), peridot can be either. Lower concentrations give a lighter green colour, and a positive optical result, but, as the iron content increases, the colour becomes deeper, and the optic sign becomes negative. The refractive index values associated with this are very high for any gemstone on the market today – an interesting, and useful, feature for the gemmologist.

Following last issue’s focus on tsavorite, Andrew Fellows explores a more widely available summery-hued stone – August’s gemstone, peridot.

Satellite peridot 18ct rose gold ring by Andrew Geoghegan

The NAJ AWARDS 2016 NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN

The NAJ Awards 2016 is the jewellery industry’s true mark of excellence acknowledging and celebrating the outstanding contributions our members have made in 2016. And nominations are now open to all retailer and supplier members of the Association. Categories are: • Designer of the Year (sponsored by Clogau) • Jewellery & Watch Supplier (sponsored by the Company of Master Jewellers) • Workshop Employee of the Year (sponsored by Maker Mends) • Service Supplier of the Year (sponsored by Warrior Doors and Shire Leasing) • Retailer of the Year – 1-5 Shops (sponsored by Treasure House Company) • Retailer of the Year – Over 5 Shops (sponsored by Hockley Mint) • E-tailer of the Year (sponsored by Bransom).

Following shortlisting by our judging panel, the trade and public vote will take place between 22nd September and 31st October.

The NAJ Awards 2016 will be presented at the Benevolent Ball, St. John’s Hotel, Birmingham on Thursday 1st December 2016. Tickets £77 + VAT per table, tables for 12 £850 + VAT. This year, all tickets include half a bottle of wine per person.

THE NAJ AWARDS 2016

Nominations can be made online: www.naj.co.uk/en/naj-awards-2016 and must be made by 12 noon on 16th September.

For tickets contact Gill Price at gill.price@batf.uk.com or on 0121 237 1138.

Industry ETHICS

What was your opinion of FLUX?

A rosy FUTURE

participant in the recent ethical conference, FLUX, designer Samantha Rose of September Rose was the winner of the NAJsponsored category in the Goldsmiths Craft & Design Council awards.

There was an amazing energy and buzz and a huge milestone for ethical jewellery sourcing. I’ve been part of the small group behind FLUX from the beginning and it was immensely humbling and joyous to see so many people attend. The point that came out of the workshop I held is that a jeweller’s ‘ethical focus’ is unique – there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The human factor is hugely important, but to me without protecting the environment any human activity is unsustainable. For another designer, it might be about focusing on recycling or local sourcing – all valid. It would have been easy for FLUX’s tone to be a depressing ‘guilt trip’ – highlighting the issues with conventional jewellery supply chains. This would have been demoralising and off-putting, especially for those wanting to take their first steps towards ethical sourcing. How far do you think ethical jewellery has come since you first started?

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

A very long way – but we’ve still far to go. There’s greater awareness of the issues surrounding the sourcing of raw materials – when I started I had to spend much more time informing clients about the traceability of my raw materials. Now it’s more expected and I often get people asking me where a certain stone comes from! Had we tried to do something like FLUX even as little as two years ago, I’m not sure the response would have been so good.

Ethics seems to be being pushed to the forefront by the younger generation of consumers – millennials are more aware, informed and demanding and are more used to questioning and finding answers. This is vitally important to the rate of change. Before FLUX formed, a small group of jewellers used to meet occasionally and discuss ethical sourcing. This group has since grown and work by certain organisations has made it far easier for jewellers to make ethical choices. When I started I spent years trying to source materials direct from the mines; it took a very long time to build up metals and stones from sources I could trust. Thankfully this is a much easier task now.

What aspect of working ethically remains a frustration? Coloured gemstones and pearls pose the biggest problems. Sourcing pearls directly from a farm, or even through a dealer who can prove the source, is hard since big businesses flooded the market with, in some instances, lower grade, cheaper pearls, or bought out the farms so that they supply only certain brands. There are a few independent pearl farms, such as Cortez Pearls in Mexico. Companies like Raw Pearls are also good because they work only with a few family-run farms, which they regularly visit. I’ve started working with Cortez to try and set up a pearl farm in the UK. We think it would be possible in a controlled environment; we’re looking at possible sites and the financial implications. Coloured gemstone issues haven’t yet had the same attention as diamonds. Organisations like Fairmined are working with mining communities to improve practices environmentally and socially, for which incredible work they need the support of local and national governments. It takes time, hard work, commitment and in almost all cases a group of risk-takers… and obviously investment! Legislation on conflict and ‘unfair’ minerals could help drive change. Child labour is a difficult topic because in some areas there are no adults left (due to war or disease), so the oldest, strongest siblings are a family’s breadwinners. Each community needs support and time to thrive, while ensuring that children are safe and educated. Mining is inherently dangerous, but can be made safer through proper shaft construction, containment and responsible disposal/ elimination of toxic components. What impact has winning the GCDC awards had on you? It’s such an honour to be recognised. It has given me more confidence as a designer and to try things and to keep going, learn new skills and push the boundaries between engineering design and aesthetic quality. I’ve received an incredible amount of support and advice from both the NAJ’s Michael Rawlinson and Peter Crump of Vipa. They seem to really believe in my jewellery. All I need to do now is find some retailers wanting to stock it! I think the awards have upped my credibility – it feels like people are taking me much more seriously and there’s more awareness of my work. It still shocks me when people know who I am!

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No. 306522)

Industry NEWS

Brexit...

WHAT NOW?

In the light of the UK’s impending exit from Europe, and as political upheaval leaves the markets in limbo, we canvas views on the implications for the UK jewellery industry.

“The major problem for our members is the uncertainty in the currency. The bulk of our sales are in pounds and the bulk of our purchases are in dollars. LDB is really well-placed to defend its members as the future negotiations of the EU and UK play out. Our members have access to a bonded warehouse facility managed by Malca-Amit UK, therefore, if import restrictions are imposed by the EU, our members will be in a position to utilise our bonded warehouse further. If we remain part of the single market, we will still be able to offer bonded warehouse facilities to those members wishing to purchase outside the EU.” Victoria McKay, COO, London Diamond Bourse “In a word, Brexit will be catastrophic for our business. This applies both as a distributor of Anonimo and MeisterSinger watches, and also as a brand owner and exporter (Verifine Jewellery Ltd), as it will for most things in the UK.” Neil Duckworth, Veritime

“The referendum result has brought uncertainty and instability into an industry that was experiencing a period of growth. We have witnessed the ‘double whammy’ of the increase in gold price and the drop in sterling on the same day. Although we are well versed in coping with the volatility of the jewellery industry, we are all now

on new ground. We’re thankful for our many years of experience in managing the twists and turns of the business and so – unsettling as this result is – we are facing our future with determined optimism. We have faith in our product and in the industry as a whole.” Mark Milton “Brexit is like a large rock being dropped into a very calm pond. The ripples will be considerable for a short while, but just that – ripples. They will eventually flatten out again, a few waves along the way that may seem huge, but the country has made a choice – we all need to work together to make it succeed rather than back biting about the outcome Allied Gold is in the fortunate position that we not only trade in gold bullion and gold rings, but also in our patented Argentium silver. When gold prices increase many customers swap to either silver or lines such as our two colour silver and gold rings. The collection comprises rings which by weight are predominantly Argentium silver but look like they have a very large gold content and thus lower the impact of the gold increases we have seen today and probably for weeks to come. “Allied has been around for 30 years and we will adjust our product mix according to customer needs.” Elizabeth Hunt, Allied Gold

“We thought that the majority of gold jewellery scrap had already been sold during the cash for gold boom but the post Brexit high metal prices together with a weak pound, have encouraged even the most die hard hoarders to sell. Couple a three year high for the price of gold and a fear of a price correction as the market settles again and the result is that Presman Mastermelt are once again seeing massive volumes of precious metal scrap and workshop waste coming through the door.” Gary Williams, Presman Mastermelt “Brexit will hamper the diamond and jewellery trade between the UK and the EU. Over the past years we’ve been spoilt – the movement of goods is as simple as moving them between two UK cities. Paperwork is minimal and there’s no outlay of VAT. In many cases having to pay VAT on the importation of imported and appro goods can be a great burden and will cut trade. Today getting goods from outside the EU involves much paperwork and delays with customs clearance and the outlay of VAT. “There is a positive side for dealers and regular importers of goods for resale in the UK. They’re familiar with the paperwork, can adjust their finances to afford to lay out the VAT and many of their customers will be prevented from going through the process of importing goods themselves. It also prevents sellers from the EU coming to the UK with thousands of pounds of goods to sell here, and having the apparent saving in showing an invoice with no VAT added to the total.” Harry Levy, Levy Gems, president, LDB “Since the vote to leave, the gold price has risen from £838 to £1015/troy ounce and looks set to remain volatile for the foreseeable future. Our clients who trade in scrap are seeing a sharp increase in buying activity, and we enjoy a corresponding increase in revenue from reprocessing this scrap material. On the other hand, manufacturers who need to buy raw material are faced with a difficult decision – buy now or wait for the price to stabilise? Gold has historically been a safe haven for investors in times of uncertainty. It is fixed in US dollars and when price increases due to higher demand coincide with a weakening of the GB pound against the dollar, the effects of the price in £GBP are magnified. Our manufacturing clients want stability – difficult to see given the current level of uncertainty in our political and geo-political position.” Stuart Wibberley, sales director, Cooksongold

A D V E R T I S I N G

F E AT U R E

Loughborough 2016 aims to add more value than ever before

Whether you’re an IRV, a non-IRV valuer, retailer, manufacturer, auctioneer, insurer or gemmologist and whether you’re a proprietor, sole trader, manager, junior or senior staff, this year’s Loughborough Conference is sure to prove a valuable experience for delegates. With a glittering lineup of main guest speakers John Benjamin, David Callaghan, Charles Carmona, Dr. Kevin Coates, Richard Drucker and Stephen Whittaker to inform and inspire attendees.

Book by 26th August to save at least £35 on the late Conference Package Fee The Conference Package Fee includes a full two and a half days at the Conference, the opportunity to buy instruments and books, gemstone market, accommodation for Saturday and Sunday nights, all meals, Saturday evening Welcome Reception, refreshments and full use of hotel amenities including pool, gym and bar.

For bookings, non-residential participation, rates for Friday night arrivals and any further information, contact Sandra Page on 029 2081 3615 or at irv@naj.co.uk

The bottom line is the bottom line This year’s Loughborough has its sights firmly set on activities calculated to lead to a genuine and significant effect on delegates’ bottom line with a series of workshop sessions on valuation and appraisal methodology, including valuation, software packages, becoming an expert witness, probate, post loss assessment, condition reports, problems and putting valuing theory into practice. There will be a CAT exam tutorial as well as further sessions on diamonds, coloured gemstones, silver, antique jewellery, hallmarking, business promotion, horology manufacturing, insurance and auctions and, entirely new for 2016, welcome to valuing sessions.

S P O N S O R E D B Y: DIAMOND SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

S I LV E R S P O N S O R S

ALL THAT

Sif Jakobs

Openjart

Manja

Edblad

Adore

Silver & Fashion JEWELLERY

Fei Liu

STONE LOVE – gemstones for a pop of colour and luxe appeal

Jewellery made from silver – and from non-precious metals too – is as strong now as it’s ever been. Belinda Morris talks to some of the silver and fashion jewellery market’s key players for the how, what and why.

Little more than 10 years ago there would have been no call for this feature. Most fine jewellers stopped well short of selling any piece that wasn’t gold or platinum. Silver jewellery was the preserve of galleries, gift shops and craft fairs, and as for jewellery in bronze or steel… Things have obviously moved on; things have happened. The financial crisis prompted a re-think; at about the same time brands like Pandora rose without trace (and got many out of a hole in the process) and designer jewellery – where anything goes material-wise if look and name are right – just got stronger and more sought-after. Today silver jewellery is as much a part of the ‘precious’ landscape as engagement rings and strings of pearls. Is it still a growing market though? “Yes, I think so – especially in Britain,” says Fei Liu. “The market has been soft and consumers have slowed down their fine jewellery spending, but the demand for fashion jewellery is still up, demonstrating that the British consumer continues to buy silver jewellery. This demand also means that the quality and design of silver jewellery need to be improved in order to satisfy consumers.” Alexis Dove agrees: “Retailers recognise that [silver] is a way of

engaging with a broader spectrum of customers, who often go on to buy gold and platinum at other times. Silver jewellery is great for building up longterm customer relations; it is something independent jewellers do so brilliantly.” “Traditional jewellers have realised that silver appeals to a wide range of customers and in challenging trading times gets them through the door!” adds Gill Whiteside of Silver Gill. Tessa Packard believes that there will always be a demand and a desire for silver jewellery. “No more so than now, what with inflated gold prices and a growing retail market for everyday, affordable fine jewellery,” she says. “Silver offers consumers the opportunity to purchase fine jewellery from luxury brands, at a level that is accessible – something that I believe is key in the current luxury market.” And it’s not just about silver; other metals like stainless steel and bronze are getting in on the act. “Our stockists say that they have to be very flexible and they stock both our silver and stainless steel collections, which would have been unthinkable a couple of years ago,” says Sinéad Merry of Nordic Agencies (Edblad). The same can be said of Miglio whose on-trend jewellery is made using silver-dipped recycled brass and pewter

– big fashion pieces at affordable prices. At Bronzallure the emphasis is on the Italian provenance, but the brand’s USP, explains brand development manager Jennie Higgins, is its patented bronze compound with its 18ct rose gold finish. “The resulting effect is one true colour through the piece, with no platewearing and colour-changing issues,” she explains. The addition of gemstones underlines the fine jewellery look… at an affordable price. Accessibility is certainly a factor in the popularity of fashion and silver jewellery. “It allows people to buy into a style and not be totally put off by price,” says Collette Waudby. “It’s still seen as ‘young’, ‘edgy’ even.” Unique & Co’s Daniel Ozel agrees: “I think that, in general, it’s in demand because young people prefer silver jewellery – it’s more affordable and they like to change [looks] more frequently.” He believes however that the big growth for silver is over now. “Some customers are maybe getting bored with certain trends, like beads, charms and customised items – and they’re looking for something new and different, with a story or meaning… or in general something that stands out a bit.”

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

GLISTERS…

Silver & Fashion JEWELLERY

Augustine Jewels

Collette Waudby

Sara Preisler

MIXING IT – materials mash-up

Miglio

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

Lalique

Taking on the BIG BOYS Which brings us to the elephant in the room: how do one-man-band designers and small brands compete in the fashion and silver market? How do they beat the global players at their own game? Don’t beat them – join them is the general consensus. “We have tried to build a better-recognised brand with the end consumer,” says Ozel. “We’ve raised the brand profile by investing in new lifestyle model shots and will have new display material, packaging and leaflets.” “Our work now HAS to be branded – the same item we made previously now has to be boxed and with POS for many

customers,” says Paul Burkmar of Yulan. “It also helps to stress the quality and British-made element.” Alexandra Morris Robson, founder of Augustine Jewels agrees that “hand-made and special British brands” are finding a market and Alexis Dove adds that “the British-made mark that is currently being discussed within the industry is a fantastic way to promote this aspect of UK designers’ jewellery collections”. “Oh this is so hard!” says Waudby. “My business is tiny, but on the same stage I must compete. In an effort, last year I introduced a beautiful range of bespoke POS display items.

The financial investment was huge as I became aware that retailers do not expect to pay for these. But of those who have opted to use them, many have reported improved sales.” Working closely with retail partners is clearly one way to go. While having a strong belief in her eponymous brand’s design DNA and staying true to it, Sif Jakobs admits that selling a concept to retailers is hard work. “We always have to be two steps ahead and invest in local initiatives to support the retailers, which we take very seriously,” she says.

Silver & Fashion JEWELLERY

“Our interests are aligned with our stockists’; our success depends on how well our products sell with each one,” adds Vinay Soudakar of Manja. “We’ve noticed that some products sell better or worse depending on the geographical area and the type of jewellery store;

so to help our stockists, we offer them the option of exchanging slow-selling products with collections that perform better in their area.” Waudby takes a similar approach: “I try to make our size our strength, offering a very personal service. My retail clients

know they can discuss making a design a little different for a particular customer, knowing we can make it happen as we are in control at the bench.” Similarly, Lalique’s size “provides greater flexibility and agility”, according to Anne Zazuro, international jewellery director.

Kit Heath

Links of London

SHINE ON – highly polished pieces

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

Lucy Q

Openjart

CAD DESIGN RAPID PROTOTYPING DIAMOND MOUNTING OPTICAL SETTING

FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION T 0207 608 0058 E theo@cad-man.co.uk

UK 0800 1956771

| ROI 1800 625163

| info@curteis.com

w w w. c urt ei s . c o m

Silver & Fashion JEWELLERY

Alexis Dove

Unique & Co

NATURAL SELECTION – flora, fauna and the elements

IN THE ROUGH – textural finishes and effects

Cornerstone

Tessa Packard Lucy Q

Collette Waudby

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

A WEIGHTING game

Sheila Fleet

Kalevala

“When silver was more expensive about three years ago we tried to reduce the weight of items. But, even though it is going up again our designs are becoming bigger and heavier.” Daniel Ozel, Unique & Co.

Alexis Dove

“Silver is still much more expensive than when I first started working in it ten years ago. So, the pieces I make have become smaller, but I still keep the weight of every piece – this quality is what my customers look for…” Alexis Dove.

“I have to be careful not to let the price of silver inhibit my design process. Producing on a small scale the price is linked with labour and manufacturing costs. Sometimes you have to take fluctuations on the chin.” Collette Waudby.

“Silver is our brand’s signature – our distinction is not compromising on weight where possible, to produce beautiful, tactile and detailed design…” Katie Nickell, Kit Heath. “While the silver price obviously affects the finished article, I feel it’s important to have a diverse range of weights and prices. I do try to design jewellery that will make a large impact without breaking the bank.” Lucy Quartermaine, LucyQ. “The relatively stable price of silver has enabled us to produce some heavier jewellery; these designs have a higher perceived value to the customer. This emphasises silver as a solid performer. The desire for statement silver pieces is helping our design to be even more bold.” Sheila Fleet. “There is a demand from retailers for heavier weight silver pieces, which we are incorporating across all ranges.” Ruth Johnson, head of sales & operations, Gecko.

Fiorelli Bronzallure

Mishanto

Silver & Fashion JEWELLERY

MODERN ARTS – sleek, sculptural, architectural, geometric…

Yulan Jewellery

Different by design is an obvious direction. While being mindful of global branding and its influence on consumer buying habits, Katie Nickell, creative director at Kit Heath, has confidence in “who we are and what niche our brand offers. Not all consumers want to be seen wearing what everyone else is wearing,” she says. “Our offer is different from the stand-alone brand store explosion on the high street. Retailers are naturally seeking an up-and-coming and distinctive alternative for their customers.” “Exactly”, says Eric Russack, global vice president of the Swarovski Group which has just launched Adore, a new fashion jewellery brand, which puts the emphasis on design irrespective of material. “The retail community has been very complimentary about our contemporary design aesthetic and strong brand values. I think the fresh perspective that we can bring to the market is extremely important to our retail partners.” “Stand out from the crowd,” suggests Lucy Quartermaine. “My pieces are bold and unusual and retailers are finding that there’s a real demand for

something a little bit different.” Sara Preisler agrees: “I feel I am offering something quite different, which starts with the philosophy of the beautifullyconceived designs and the traditional handling of the materials. Retailers appreciate this and so do their customers. I’ve also noticed that some outlets are buying larger collections in silver with the knowledge that they can ‘up-sell’ my designs in gold and platinum to particular customers.” Fei Liu knows that to compete he must be “ever more unique with our product design and continue to maintain our level of service in order to support our retailers. And as a designer brand we have to tell consumers the story of our pieces – everyone loves to know the story behind the products,” he adds. As Zazuro points out, there’s a place for both big and small brands in the market – especially when the lines between precious and non-precious, brands and designers, are so blurred. “To compete against the larger players our vision can be summed up as ‘be strong and be different’,” she says. “Many retailers have chosen to complement the big jewellery names

with more unbranded ranges, in order to offer collections that are individual and different.” A socially-conscious brand, Miglio designs and produces in Cape Town, where it skill-trains and employs local craftspeople – a USP with a talking point. While in Finland, where sustainable design and transparency are givens, the fact that Helsinki-based Lapponia and sister brand Kalevala use only recycled sterling silver and are open in all their activities provides a tangible point of difference. This is coupled with the company’s long heritage of offering quality, individual craftsmanship with a Nordic flavour. “Both brands have a distinctive and unique design which has helped us find our niche positions in the market,” says sales director Jukka-Pekka Holopainen. A final positive note from Collette Waudby for anyone still uncertain that large and small can occupy a busy market place: “Brands are responsible for raising the profile (and price) of silver jewellery to a wider audience. This has had the knock-on effect of making mine look affordable too!”

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

Vive LA DIFFERENCE!

SEPTEMBER

Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair

135,000 square metres gross exhibition space Over 3,750 exhibitors from 50 countries & regions Over 57,600 buyers from all over the world Over

Theme Pavilion Highlights: The FINE DESIGN PAVILION hosts over 70 internationally renowned jewellery companies, bringing to the city exquisite jewellery set with luxurious and rare diamonds, gemstones and pearls, as well as top-quality bejewelled watches, invaluable antique and vintage jewellery and exclusive one-offs from around the world. The FINE GEM PAVILION is dedicated to the world’s finest loose diamonds, pearls and gemstones. Over 50 esteemed exhibitors from around the world Hall 2 2號展覽館 will display a variety of loose gems of the highest quality. Airport Express 機場快線

Grand Foyer 大會堂前廳

Halls 5, 7, 9 & 11 5, 7, 9及11號展覽館

The HONG KONG PREMIER PAVILION isHallthe perfect setting to show 1 1號展覽館 what Hong Kong has to offer to the world’s luxury markets as a jewellery Halls 3, 6, 8 & 10 powerhouse. It features around 30 of the city’s brightest brands in a 3, 6, 8及10號展覽館 prestigious and elegant setting befitting their exquisite masterpieces.

The INTERNATIONAL PREMIER PAVILION features over 70 prestigious international jewellery companies presenting prominent jewellery brands Halls 5B & 5C Hall 5E Halls 5F & 5G and their latest collections. 展覽廳 5B及5C 展覽廳 5E 展覽廳 5F 及 5G Hall 5D 展覽廳 5D

展覽廳 3E 大堂

Hall 2

2號展覽館

Hall 1

1號展覽館

Grand Foyer 大會堂前廳

Grand Hall 大會堂

Mezzanine 4 大堂中樓 4

Chancellor Room & Mezzanine 4 君爵廳及大堂中樓 4

Halls 3B & 3C 展覽廳 3B 及 3C Mezzanine 2 大堂中樓 2

Halls 3F & 3G 展覽廳 3F 及 3G

Halls 3C, 3D & 3E 展覽廳 3C, 3D 及 3E

Theme pavilions housed in two world-class venues: 機場快線

Hall 1 Concourse 展覽廳1大堂

包裝、工具及設備

鑽石

AsiaWorld-Expo 11號展覽館 • Gemstones • Diamonds • Pearls • Packaging, Tools & Equipment • Fine Gem Pavilion

Halls 1D & 1E 展覽廳 1D 及 1E

Halls 1A, 1B & 1C 展覽廳 1A, 1B 及 1C

Expo Drive Entrance寶石博覽道入口

Harbour Road Entrance 港灣道入口

鑽石

精品館

Convention Hall 會議廳

2號展覽館

大會堂前廳

5及7號展覽館 & Exhibition Centre Hong Kong 9號展覽館 Convention 珍珠 • Hong Kong Pavilion • Bridal1號展覽館 Jewellery Pavilion • Hong寶石Kong Premier Pavilion • International Fine Jewellery 3, 6, 8及10號展覽館 • International Premier Pavilion • Antique & Vintage Jewellery • Fine Design Pavilion • Asian Fine Jewellery • Designer Arena • Silver Jewellery 珍珠首飾、純銀首飾、製成首飾及珠寶配件純銀首飾 • Fei Cui Gallery • Jewellery Accessories • Pearl Jewellery 婚嫁首飾 & Finished Jewellery

9及11號展覽館

展覽廳 5D

展覽廳 5E

展覽廳 3E 大堂

純銀首飾

2號展覽館

AsiaWorld-Expo 大會堂前廳

亞洲珠寶首飾

展覽廳 5B及5C

珠寶精品館

純銀首飾國際藝粹館

大會堂

展覽廳 5F 及 5G

設計師創意廊

大堂中樓 4

香港館

展覽廳 3B 及 3C Airport Express

名貴珠寶首飾

1號展覽館

Hall 9

Hall 11

Diamonds

國際珠寶首飾

Hall 2

展覽廳 3C, 3D 及 3E

大堂中樓 2

Packaging, 香港館 Fine展覽廳 Gem 1A, 1B 及 1C Tools 翡翠廊 & 展覽廳1大堂 Diamonds Pavilion Equipment Halls 9 &11博覽道入口

珍珠

君爵廳及大堂中樓 4 展覽廳 3F 及 3G

Grand Foyer

香港藝粹館

古董及古典首飾

展覽廳 1D 及 1E

會議廳

Halls 5 & 7

港灣道入口

Pearls

Hall 1

Gemstones

Halls 3, 6, 8 & 10

Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Silver Jewellery Hall 5D

Pearl Jewellery, Silver Jewellery, Finished Jewellery & Jewellery Accessories

Hall 5E

Bridal Jewellery Pavilion Hall 3E Concourse

Silver Jewellery Hall 2

Grand Foyer

Fine Design Pavilion Grand Hall

Asian Fine Jewellery

Halls 5B & 5C

Halls 5F & 5G

Silver Jewellery Mezzanine 4 機場快線 International Premier Pavilion Halls 3B & 3C

Pearls Hall 1

包裝、工具及設備

11號展覽館 Fei Cui Gallery

鑽石

Fine Jewellery 寶石

9及11號展覽館

Hall 1 Concourse

Hong Kong Pavilion 精品館

Halls 1A, 1B & 1C 9號展覽館

Chancellor Room & Mezzanine 4

Hong Kong Pavilion Halls 3C, 3D & 3E

Mezzanine 2

Expo Drive Entrance

Designer Arena

鑽石

5及7號展覽館

2號展覽館 International Fine Jewellery Halls 3F & 3G

Antique & Vintage Jewellery

Hong Kong Premier Pavilion Halls 1D & 1E

Harbour Road

珍珠 Entrance

Convention Hall

1號展覽館

寶石

3, 6, 8及10號展覽館

Information as of May 2016

大會堂前廳

The

WORLD’S NUMBER ONE Fine Jewellery Event Hall 5D 展覽廳 5D

展覽廳 3E 大堂

Halls 5B & 5C 展覽廳 5B及5C

Grand Hall 大會堂

Hall 5E 展覽廳 5E

Mezzanine 4 大堂中樓 4

Halls 3B & 3C 展覽廳 3B 及 3C Mezzanine 2 大堂中樓 2

Hall 1 Concourse 展覽廳1大堂

Halls 5F & 5G 展覽廳 5F 及 5G

Chancellor Room & Mezzanine 4 君爵廳及大堂中樓 4

Halls 3F & 3G 展覽廳 3F 及 3G

Halls 3C, 3D & 3E 展覽廳 3C, 3D 及 3E

Halls 1D & 1E 展覽廳 1D 及 1E

Halls 1A, 1B & 1C 展覽廳 1A, 1B 及 1C

Convention Hall 會議廳

Harbour Road Entrance 港灣道入口

Expo Drive Entrance 博覽道入口

珍珠首飾、純銀首飾、製成首飾及珠寶配件

純銀首飾展覽廳 5D

展覽廳 5E

婚嫁首飾

SEPTEMBER

展覽廳 3E 大堂

純銀首飾

亞洲珠寶首飾

展覽廳 5B及5C

珠寶精品館大會堂

純銀首飾國際藝粹館

展覽廳 5F 及 5G

設計師創意廊

大堂中樓 4

君爵廳及大堂中樓 4

Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair 展覽廳 3B 及 3C

名貴珠寶首飾

翡翠廊

展覽廳1大堂

香港館

國際珠寶首飾

展覽廳 3C, 3D 及 3E

展覽廳 3F 及 3G

大堂中樓 2

香港館

香港藝粹館

展覽廳 1A, 1B 及 1C

展覽廳 1D 及 1E

古董及古典首飾會議廳

13 - 17 September 2016 港灣道入口

博覽道入口

AsiaWorld-Expo • Hong Kong Diamonds, Gemstones, Pearls, Packaging, Tools & Equipment

15 - 19 September 2016 Silver Jewellery

Pearl Jewellery, Silver Jewellery, Finished Jewellery & Jewellery Accessories

Hall 5D

Hall 5E

Bridal Jewellery Pavilion Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Silver Jewellery Asian Fine Jewellery Fine Finished Jewellery Hall 3E Concourse

Fine Design Pavilion Grand Hall

Halls 5B & 5C

Halls 5F & 5G

Silver Jewellery Mezzanine 4 International Premier Pavilion Halls 3B & 3C

Fine Jewellery

ei Cui Gallery

Mezzanine 2

Hong Kong Pavilion

Designer Arena Halls 3C, 3D & 3E

International Fine Jewellery Halls 3F & 3G

Antique & Vintage Jewellery

Hong Kong Premier Pavilion Halls 1D & 1E

Halls 1A, 1B & 1C

Hall 1 Concourse

Chancellor Room & Mezzanine 4

Hong Kong Pavilion

Expo Drive Entrance

純銀首飾

Convention Hall

Harbour Road Entrance

珍珠首飾、純銀首飾、製成首飾及珠寶配件

展覽廳 5D

展覽廳 5E

婚嫁首飾

展覽廳 3E 大堂

純銀首飾

亞洲珠寶首飾

展覽廳 5B及5C

珠寶精品館大會堂

UBM Asia Ltd 純銀首飾

展覽廳 5F 及 5G

設計師創意廊

大堂中樓 4

國際藝粹館

香港館

Tel : (852) 2516 2192 / 2516 2194 名貴珠寶首飾 Fax : 香港館 (852) 3749 7344 香港藝粹館 Email: visitjgf-hk@ubm.com 展覽廳 3B 及 3C

君爵廳及大堂中樓 4

國際珠寶首飾

展覽廳 3C, 3D 及 3E

展覽廳 3F 及 3G

大堂中樓 2

翡翠廊

展覽廳1大堂

展覽廳 1A, 1B 及 1C

博覽道入口

古董及古典首飾

展覽廳 1D 及 1E

會議廳

港灣道入口

www.JewelleryNetAsia.com

Industry NEWS

(PRECIOUS)

Metal Gurus

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

This summer sees the launch of a new mentoring initiative aimed at turning emerging jewellery designers into entrepreneurs.

United by a shared desire to encourage creativity and entrepreneurship in a new generation of jewellery talent, full-service provider Fab Atelier and market intelligence agency Adorn Insight have announced the UK launch of a Jewellery Mentoring Programme – a collaborative initiative to launch designers who are yet to establish their brand in the marketplace. The concept sees designers throughout Europe invited to submit their jewellery designs to the Fab Atelier website. Five successful designers will win a year’s oneto-one mentoring from Adorn Insight, during which time each individual’s commercial objectives – from collection design to marketing and branding – will be pinpointed and worked towards. From Fab Atelier, the designers will receive support in financing, production management, PR and sales. It will also double the funds raised through crowdfunding and produce a collection of four to 12 saleable pieces. There is no financial outlay required by the five designers whose collections will be produced during October ready for sale in December. They will receive a percentage of the sales (up to 20 percent) and still own all copyrights. In addition, a further 20 designers will be invited to a three-day workshop at Werkstätte Wattens in Austria to explore new techniques and materials. “The idea of the project is to invite industry experts to provide insight into the amazing possibilities presented by 3D printed jewellery (gold/silver/other valuable materials...) in combination with traditional craftsmanship and jewellery finishing,” explains Christian Hafner, founder of Fab Atelier. “Leading brands like Swarovski and Adorn Insight will provide input on new crystal application techniques and unique coatings and latest trends respectively.” So, how does this project differ from other initiatives – past and present – that assist and promote young designers? “While others support young design talent and

give them exposure to the wider industry, this project is really consumer-facing, it is about selling unique pieces of jewellery to a global audience,” explains Julia Hutton-Squire, co-founder of Adorn Insight. “This is something special and the advances in digital technology and social media have made this viable.” “There are so many talented designers that have amazing jewellery ideas but they lack the know-how to get started,” adds Hafner. “It begins with the production process – how do I make my sketch serial-ready, who can manufacture it, how much does it cost, how do I finance my collection, who is going to help me with the distribution and how can I make a living from that? “These are exactly the questions that we are addressing. Sometimes it´s a question of time, sometimes a lack of business acumen, sometimes they don´t know how to move on with the production or it’s a lack of financial resources. We decided to offer a solution where designers can focus on what they do best – create; we take care of the nitty gritty...” Since its launch in late Spring the programme has received “very positive reactions” from design schools across Europe. “The schools know that most designers won´t be able to get a job as a designer,” says Hafner. “According to data compiled by Graduate Prospects, only one in seven UK-based fashion design students graduating in 2014 found employment as designers (source: Business of Fashion).” It is hoped that, if successful, the mentoring scheme will be offered every year as Hutton-Squire explains: “We hope to see this project thrive and are excited to be part of the programme. We look forward to supporting young talent and believe that we too will learn from the experience”. Students have until 11th July 2016 to submit entries including an initial piece (or pieces) valued at £35-£350. Visit www.fab-atelier.com for details.

Fei Liu

“We’ve exhibited at JCK over 15 times, this year in the Luxury show – the only non-American pearl company there. The event is important because it attracts top end customers worldwide and aims to compete with Basel stateside. It was not as busy as previous years, but the quality of the customers was exceptional. We met new and old clients, with many from South America; this is the only show that many customers visit. We sold a large number of rare natural coloured pearls including fine golden colour, natural green Tahitians and aubergine Tahiti pearls.” Daniel Vecht, London Pearl “This was my first JCK and because of the size of the show and number of visitors to it I decided to present some extraordinary work. American buyers are into coloured gemstones and more dramatic designs. Semiprecious stones are also still very popular, as well as high quality rubies, sapphires and emeralds.” Fei Liu “This was our first time! JCK is probably the biggest jewellery show in the States, so after exhibiting at the New York gift show for several seasons, we felt ready to branch out. We’d also heard good things about JCK from fellow jewellery friends in the States. Attending was mainly about introducing our brand to a new audience. We met lots of new, potential customers. American buyers love our woodland stories – often tying in with where they’re situated. A store in McCall, Idaho has lots of tame wild foxes in their town – so they obviously loved the fox pieces! And the ‘Wild Rose’ fine jewellery gathered lots of interest.” Alex Monroe “It was a fantastic, very positive show for us – although, having exhibited eight times, we’ve had busier. Traffic was down, but those who were busy were very busy. Our name has grown in the US, so we saw old accounts, but half of orders were from new customers. It’s the US’s biggest jewellery fair, so very important – buyers come from South and Central America, Canada, Australia…” Kit Heath

“This was our fourth visit. Our first was to find new suppliers and products. We’d met a couple of key American suppliers who kept inviting us to Vegas. Eventually it became the obvious thing to do. We re-visited our suppliers; we’re fortunate that as we’ve been going for a while we have a great relationship with them. We took lots of slower-moving stock back for a refresh, swapping it for new lines. Trend-wise we saw lots of morganite and rose gold – definitely something to watch over the next couple of years here. If you’re thinking of attending JCK next year – definitely do it! The show’s huge so book as many appointments as possible in advance – the good stands get really busy. Some will sell product there and then, so have plenty of capacity on your credit cards! We stay in a nongaming hotel – much easier. You don’t have to walk miles through the casinos. Take taxis everywhere, even if it’s to the next hotel – they’re much further away than you think.” Simon Johnson, Marmalade, Chiswick

Viva LAS VEGAS

North America’s largest, most important show – JCK Las Vegas/Luxury – is a strong draw for growing numbers of UK suppliers and retailers. We gauge a few impressions of the June event…

“This was my first visit. As a Houlden member we had a hosted package, softening the trip’s expense. I found the business breakfasts very interesting and motivating; predominantly based around customer service. A chance to meet some new suppliers – ‘musts’ to attend! I was looking for new ideas to ensure our engagement ring offering is leading the market rather than chasing. There were three suppliers that we will start to work with on the back of my visit: Christopher Designs, A-Line and Imagine Bridal – they will differentiate us without sacrificing quality or delivery times to our customers. Suppliers [there] are very keen to create tighter collections or programmes that you can sell and repeat quicker to hopefully generate more business. The key to attending is to plan your time wisely – there’s so much to see and do. And wear comfortable footwear – there’s lots of walking!” Christopher Carry, Jamieson & Carry, Aberdeen 37

MAPPIN & WEBB

Breakfast at... 38

MAPPIN & WEBB’S regal history Mappin & Webb has held a prominent place in English high society for 241 years – its reputation resting on the craftsmanship of silverware and fine jewellery. In 1897 it was granted a Royal Warrant by Her Majesty Queen Victoria and the company has held a Royal Warrant to each succeeding monarch and currently holds appointments as ‘Jewellers, Goldsmiths and Silversmiths’ to Her Majesty The Queen and ‘Silversmiths’ to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In 2012, Mappin & Webb’s master craftsman was appointed Crown Jeweller, custodian of the Crown Jewels of Her Majesty The Queen, the greatest honour that can be bestowed upon a jeweller. Mappin & Webb has 13 showrooms throughout the British Isles including the original store at 132 Regent Street, London. The store is part of the Aurum Group, which includes Watches of Switzerland, Goldsmiths, boutique. Goldsmiths and WatchShop, and is owned by Apollo Global Management.

Memeber SPOTLIGHT What was the impetus behind the re-launch of Mappin & Webb. Why do you say that: “The timing is just right” for this? We love Mappin & Webb – it’s a beautiful brand. We have been planning the relaunch for over a year and had to coordinate the two-floor Regent Street renovation, a marketing plan including agency pitch and selection and a large expansion and upgrade in products. What do you think the public’s perception is of the brand and do you want to change/tweak this in any way? Our research confirms that the UK public have a great affection for Mappin & Webb but their awareness and image is somewhat dated. We have to communicate therefore that Mappin & Webb is true to its heritage, but contemporary and modern in terms of product. Did you approach all elements of the re-launch (brand, collections, store look, marketing) simultaneously or was there a priority? We approached the relaunch strategically with clear goals and objectives – which are to position Mappin & Webb as the British Tiffany, double our jewellery business and take the market by storm! All of the elements are focused on these consistent strategic objectives. What is the key message that you want to put across with the new marketing creative campaign and how have you achieved this? We want to convey that Mappin & Webb is a beautiful British brand with a uniquely rich heritage and gorgeous, yet affordable, jewellery and fantastic service. In terms of aspects such as choice of models, are you looking at a different demographic? Have you re-identified the M&W customer in any way? Our product and services will appeal to a broad audience. Our new product is contemporary and will appeal to a younger customer. The marketing campaign strongly communicates our British heritage, but in a tasteful and modern way. The model Gabriella Wilde perfectly represents this position. How does the design of the store dovetail with the re-brand? What were the key things that you wanted to achieve with the new design? The store has the feel of an English stately residence. It combines elegant oak wood panelling and floors with the iconic, deep royal blue livery of Mappin & Webb – a reminder of the brand’s regal history. The main highlight of the boutique is the creation of the new central atria space, which effortlessly guides clients into the lower level of the boutique, and draws light into

this previously overlooked, grand space. At the lower level, a private lounge area and archive display have been created inviting visitors and guests alike to dive into the Mappin & Webb history. As clients enter the store they will be greeted by the Waterford Crystal chandelier – originally a prototype for the chandeliers in Westminster Abbey. The store includes digital screens of outside gardens. It is the most luxurious store in London (although I concede that I have a slight bias) while also being warm and inviting. How have the jewellery collections moved on? We have more than doubled our jewellery options. We have for example introduced a gorgeous range of coloured gems and our ‘Carrington Collection’ is very much on trend but true to our heritage. The inspiration for our jewellery designs is our fabulous archive. The creative team is constantly unearthing new archive gems, such as clients and commissions including Harry Handcuff Houdini, Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens, Princess Grace of Monaco and Marie Antoinette. These rich, historic stories and products are evaluated by our creative director and creatively reinterpreted for the modern day, and a new generation of Mappin & Webb clients. A dedicated bridal salon will house the new Mappin & Webb bespoke ‘By Appointment’ bridal service, allowing clients the chance to create a truly one-of-a-kind engagement ring, under the guidance and expertise of the Mappin & Webb bridal team. The flagship will also feature some specific bespoke areas including two beautiful Rolex and Patek Philippe boutiques. We have also introduced lower opening price points on diamond products and new ranges of precious and semi-precious coloured gem stones and we have expanded on silver jewellery. Has the Mappin & Webb team changed/grown with the rebrand? No, not really. Importantly, we have put our full Group resources to work as the priority of Mappin & Webb. In the last two years we have successfully transformed and repositioned Watches of Switzerland and Goldsmiths. The teams of marketing, merchandising and store development are therefore available to concentrate on Mappin & Webb. Crucially, Craig Bolton, who has managed Goldsmiths for many years, took the leadership role in Mappin & Webb and has directed all aspects of this plan. Elizabeth Galton, our creative director, and her team, have done a great job on product.

THE MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM

With a view to being “the British Tiffany”, a new look Mappin & Webb has opened the doors to its London flagship. Aurum CEO Brian Duffy throws a little more light on the rebranding of the jewel in the Group’s crown.

Association NEWS

NAJ SHIELDS As part of the overall rebranding of the unified NAJ, a suite of six shield motifs has been created to represent the various areas of the Association’s work. These differently tinted icons will appear on all relevant NAJ literature, documents, on-line information, news items etc where they cover: Membership, JET Education & Training, JET Business Network, The Jeweller, the Institute of Registered Valuers and Recruitment.

ROBERT RETURNS TO THE FOLD!

Robert Eden has rejoined the NAJ as head of membership and membership services; his role will be to drive forward membership growth and support, improve the take-up of the Association’s services – including JET courses – and promote the IRV.

A BIG ‘THANK YOU’ FROM US! We would very much like to thank members of the industry (sponsors and party people) for their generous support during the UK Jewellery Awards on 29th June. A prize draw during the evening raised a grand total of just under £ 3 , 0 0 0 f o r t h e N A J ’s C e n t e n a r y T r u s t a n d f o r t h e B AT F ’ s Benevolent Society.

JOHN HENN OF TA HENN JOINS BATF BOARD

Announced at the AGM of the British Allied Trades Federation on 22nd June, John Henn, company director of Wolverhampton jewellers TA Henn and a former chairman of the N.A.G., has been elected to the BATF Board. “As David Doyle steps down after many years of sterling service, I am delighted to welcome John onto the board,” said Michael Sweeney, BATF president. “His long experience of working both ‘at the coalface’ and at a strategic level in his family jewellery business will be a great asset as we move forward with an enlarged Federation.”

NAJ SEMINARS AT IJL We are very excited to announce that we will be holding NAJ education seminars at the 2016 IJL show. Open to exhibitors, buyers and visitors, the Association will provide JET Foundation and Diploma taster seminars. Providing an insight into our courses and the opportunity to sample a module or two, they will be available on Sunday and Monday (times to be confirmed). They will be led by Anne Kings, one of our experienced JET tutors, who will give mini JET tutorials for current JET students, if there is a demand. We encourage members and non-members alike to come along to these seminars. The NAJ education team will be available to talk through all of your education and training needs, so if you are considering starting a course or offering a place to an employee, come and have a chat. Further information, confirmed times and booking details will be available on our website.

THE MARK OF QUALITY

NAJ CHARITY CHARM COMPETITION WINNERS

An NAJ/IJL competition to design a charm for a bracelet that will be auctioned for ChildLine, has been won by jewellery design companies Dower & Hall and Magnus & Bella. ‘Wrapped in Love’ by Dower and Hall is an 18ct rose gold charm, designed to symbolise everything that the NSPCC represents. The red gold roses in the charm, symbolising love, “surround a pearl with protection and warmth”. The pearl is symbolic of the 30th anniversary of the charity and a child’s pure innocence. Every detail in the charm has been created to best represent the work that the NSPCC does with vulnerable children. The ‘Elder Charm’ by Magnus and Bella is a solid gold, handmade, handcarved and hand-engraved charm made in the bespoke jewellery studio of husband

and wife team Magnus & Bella. In ancient English folklore the elder tree symbolised guardianship and protection. The circle of leaves in the charm suggests constant protection and a safe space – embodying the essence of ChildLine. The two charms will sit on a bracelet designed by Sarah Jordan, to be cast by Hockley Mint, which will also feature unique charms from awardwinning designers including Jordan; Clogau; Alexander Davis; Alexis Dove; Collette Waudby; Sarah Ho and Rachel Galley. The bracelet will be the headline

item in an online luxury Christmas gift auction to raise funds for NSPCC’s ChildLine service. Lindsey Straughton, NAJ marketing manager commented: “We would like to thank everyone who took part in this competition. It was a really difficult judging decision, as we had some fantastic entries. These two charms are worthy winners and we’re sure they will help the charm bracelet raise a tremendous sum for ChildLine.” Keep an eye on www.naj.co.uk for further details about the bracelet.

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Industry NEWS

RARE DIAMONDS shatter PRICE RECORDS While the highest bid for the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona rough white diamond fell about £8m short of its reserve price at Sotheby’s London recently, its discovery highlights the interest in the world’s rarest and most exquisite diamonds. They are increasingly sought after by super-rich collectors for their rarity and beauty, says David Brough.

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

he Lesedi (the largest diamond discovered in more than 100 years) aside, 2016 has been the year of the blue diamond. The latest record was broken at Christie’s Geneva auction by the extraordinary 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue on 18th May. You could hear a pin drop in the packed auction room of the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues as two phone bidders wrestled for over half an hour, raising offers in increments of a few hundred thousand dollars for the Oppenheimer Blue. The cosmopolitan audience of ultra-rich collectors, jewellers and diamond dealers burst into spontaneous applause when the auctioneer’s hammer finally came down for a price of US$57.5 million. The gem was once owned by Sir Philip Oppenheimer, a scion of De Beers. “It’s the best blue that I have ever seen,” Oded Mansori, a dealer in extremely rare diamonds, said at the auction after the sale. “I think it should have done even better.” Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77Diamonds.com – who closely tracks the market for magnificent and noble diamonds – agrees: “For $25.4m, the buyer might just have bagged a bargain; blue diamonds are rarer than pink diamonds.” The appeal of magnificent and noble diamonds as an investment is growing. “The big players are looking at diamonds in a different way. They are not looking at them as a jewel, but as an asset that has a resale value,” said Ehud Laniado, chairman of Cora International, seller of the 12.03-carat Blue Moon diamond which fetched a world record price for a gemstone at auction at the time of its sale. Hong Kong property tycoon Joseph Lau bought the Blue Moon for US$48.4 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva in November 2015. A few months later, the Oppenheimer Blue shattered that record.

The Cullinan Dream

“There is a rarity factor, and people are understanding the rarity of these stones,” said fine jewellery expert Joanna Hardy. Despite the buoyant market, rare diamonds can struggle at auction if they are seen as over-valued. The Shirley Temple blue diamond, once owned by the Hollywood star, failed to sell at Sotheby’s in New York on April 19. It had been estimated at up to US$35 million, but bidding for the jewel, bought for Temple by her father in 1940 for US$7,210, dried up well short of the pre-sale estimate. The market for rare colour diamonds was spurred by their rarity and had no correlation with any financial or commodity markets, said Philip Baldwin, managing director of Sciens Diamond Management BV, who runs an investment fund backed by rare colour diamonds. Back to the failed sale of the extraordinary white diamond – the Lesedi La Rona – “The market may have reached a tipping point and demand for large rare stones might just be saturated, or the market instability with Brexit may have just caused this to be a case of bad luck or bad timing,” said Tobias Kormind, who has seen the stone up close. “I’m super disappointed that it didn’t sell. The format of a public auction to sell another large rough will probably not be used any time soon.”

Eurosafe UK presents Security Safe and Vault Standards - Part 1

INVEST WISELY IN YOUR SECURITY When buying a burglar resistant safe always ensure that its been independently tested to a European standard EN14450, EN1143-1 or EN1143-2. This ensures that your safe, strongroom or security cabinet has been tested by experts with relevant knowledge, skills and tools. Production is regularly audited to ensure that the safe you buy will give the same level of security as the model that was tested.

HOW IS THE CASH AND VALUABLES RATING GIVEN? Insurers match a cash value to the European standards as an windicator of insurance coverage. If your insurance cover is important always check with your insurance company before purchasing a safe. Eurosafe - The voice of the Industry For more information visit: eurosafeuk.org

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GRADE EN14450 EN14450 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1 EN1143-1

S1 S2 Grade 0 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Grade 13

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VALUABLES RATING

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£20,000 £40,000 £60,000 £100,000 £175,000 £350,000 £600,000 £1,000,000 £1,500,000 £2,500,000 £4,000,000 £6,500,000 £10,000,000 £15,000,000 £22,500,000 £35,000,000

Grades 11 to 13 apply to vaults only

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NAJ AWARDS

NAJ Awards

– WILL IT BE YOU?

Entries for the NAJ Awards 2016 are now open to all supplier and retailer members of the Association. These prestigious accolades acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding contribution of the Association’s members to the jewellery industry. The Awards will be presented during the annual Benevolent Ball, which will be held at the St John’s Hotel, Birmingham on 1st December, 2016.

Michael Rawlinson, the NAJ’s CEO comments: “I am delighted to launch the second annual NAJ Awards, which offer a unique opportunity for our members to be recognised for the exceptional quality of their work. I look forward to receiving some fantastic nominations from across our diverse membership.”

THE MARK OF QUALITY

This year the headline sponsor of the event is specialist manufacturer River Mounts, with Presman Mastermelt the brochure sponsor.

“At River Mounts we are committed to helping you sell. We offer an astounding appro service on our gold, platinum and gemset jewellery, with no obligation to purchase, so that retailers have the ability to maximise on sales opportunities. If you can’t find what you are looking for then ‘just ask’ is our motto.”

Hatton Garden-based Presman Mastermelt offers the jewellery industry a complete service for workshop waste, lemel and scrap processing, and prides itself on being fast, friendly and transparent in all transactions. The company is ISO accredited and independently audited to ensure consistently high levels of service.

NAJ AWARDS WORKSHOP EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

This award recognises a workshop employee, individual craftsman or apprentice who has demonstrated great determination and tenacity alongside exceptional skills. We are looking for the hidden gems of the industry employed at NAJ member businesses.

RJC-certified Maker Mends is Europe’s premier jewellery and watch workshop, servicing over 1,000 retail outlets.

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

An award to the designer who is raising the bar of British design creating interesting on-trend designs.

UK-based Clogau is an internationally renowned, second-generation family business, selling to leading jewellery stores and online.

JEWELLERY & WATCH SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

This award will recognise the supplier of jewellery ranges and/ or watch brands that have given consistent service and added value alongside dynamic new product.

The CMJ is the UK’s largest membership network of independent jewellery retailers made up of over 160 members with 400 retail outlets.

SERVICE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

An award recognising the NAJ member or supplier of services to the NAJ membership who has provided outstanding service during 2016.

Warrior Doors designs, manufactures, assembles and installs bespoke security doors and screens of the highest quality, without compromising on aesthetic appeal.

RETAILER OF THE YEAR – 1-5 Shops

This award recognises excellent NAJ members running a brick and mortar shop or gallery with between 1-5 branches.

The Hatton Garden-based wholesaler has supplied premium jewellery to the trade for over 30 years, offering an ever-expanding range of beautiful, expertly engineered jewellery.

RETAILER OF THE YEAR – Over 5 Shops

This award recognises excellent NAJ members running a brick and mortar shop or gallery with more than five branches.

Birmingham Jewellery Quarter-based Hockley Mint has built a business based on service and always strives to accommodate customer ’s requirements; a one-off design, from cad or sketch, to large production orders.

E-TAILER OF THE YEAR

T h i s a w a r d r e c o g n i s e s NAJ Members running an Ecommerce or multi-channel business. Companies trading online, by direct mail, home shopping or as a TV channel are eligible to enter this category.

A leading supplier of computer systems to independent retail jewellers and the pawnbroking industry, Bransom provides a comprehensive range of software, together with a first class training and support service to meet the needs of clients.

Nominations can be made online: naj.co.uk/en/naj-awards-2016 and must be made by 12 noon 16th September. Following the drawing up of a shortlist by a judging panel, the trade and public vote will take place between 22nd September – 31st October.

THE MARK OF QUALITY

There are seven categories in this year’s Awards, which acknowledge the variety of businesses within the NAJ. The categories and sponsors for this year are:

IRV PROFILE

Highly VALUED

THE MARK OF PROFESSIONAL VALUATION

Considering a career as a registered valuer? Here’s one man’s story of making the grade.

There was a moment though when Gareth Brown – as relentlessly optimistic as he appears to be – must have thought that the jewellery gods had abandoned him. The day after returning from the 2015 Loughborough Conference, which he attended as a close-to-qualifying IRV, he was made redundant. A couple of weeks later he sat his CAT exam and two weeks after that his wife gave birth to their first child. A lesser mortal might have thrown in the towel at that point, but Gareth saw the positive – he worked nights in a warehouse so he could study and baby-watch during the day. He created a website and a registered company, so once qualified he’d be ready. And this March he went it alone as an MIRV. “Things happen for a reason,” he says now. “When one door closes on you, don’t miss the doors that are open. I consider myself to be really lucky.” Part of that luck, he acknowledges, was to meet Shirley Mitchell at Loughborough, when he attended her pre-CAT tutorial. “She’s an inspirational valuer, my role model. I’m fresh out of the box and what I’ve learned from her is priceless. We speak almost every day – she’s fantastic for her guidance and insights.” After leaving school in 1997 Gareth started on the shop floor of Ernest Jones (“Unexpectedly I fell in love with jewellery – everything you’re selling is about emotion and aspiration”) where he came under the wing of a second generation jewellery manager: “He described me as a motor boat without a rudder”. Then came the watch counter at Goldsmiths. “My universe was from the door to the tills; it made me want to discover what was on the other side of the shop.” A major step-up came when he was hired by Mappin & Webb. “This was top end watches and jewellery; I saw a £60,000 diamond and sapphire collarette and was bowled over. I loved every minute of my time there and that’s when my interest in valuing was sparked. I found it fascinating that one person could say how much something would cost to be replaced.”

Three years later, keen for experience “outside the bubble of the showroom”, Gareth went to work for an independent jeweller. “It was an eye-opener – my first real experience of the full retail flow.” His next job, being given free-run as an assistant manager with Jonathan James in Gloucester, was not to last however; when the financial crash came “it decimated the town”, and the shop closed. Before leaving Gareth had learned more about valuing, becoming excited about “playing detective”. He got a position at the Loss Management Group and while there heard about the IRV. “I wanted to be hands-on, to have something with a foundation to build up,” he explains, “so I read about becoming a registered valuer – a big commitment. I began with Gem-A’s gemmology course.” (This month Gareth sits his final practical exam for his FGA.) Next came Sutton & Robinson in Bristol. “The MD Ian Thompson, a great chap, was very happy to have a valuer on his staff. I immersed myself in every aspect of the job possible – the more I know, the more I realise I don’t know! Ian paid for me to attend Loughborough, which I loved.” When S&R was caught in the crossfire of new pawnbroking legislation, restructuring of the showroom saw Gareth – last in – the first out. A going-it-alone career suddenly loomed. Today he’s passionate about his job. “I’ve witnessed the fall-out of a valuation that’s not fit-for-purpose,” he says. “I’ve had to talk to a distressed customer with a valuation that’s not accepted by an insurer because it just says: ‘diamond ring – £1,000’. It means nothing. A valuation must be for a set purpose and function.” “People think that valuing must be generic, but you can specialise – if you’re fascinated by watches (as I am) then do that. It doesn’t feel like work to me – particularly if you’re interested in history, art, antiques, and, of course, jewellery. Different people every day, different pieces and working the hours that suit you. Valuing is one of the few careers that I can think of where you do something every day that you love.”

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Men’s JEWELLERY

Here come

THE BOYS THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

Fred Bennett

From diamond-set signet rings to balloon-dog cufflinks and silver paperclip pendants – who says there’s “not much happening” in men’s jewellery?

Is there a market for men’s jewellery? Some jewellers would argue that apart from a few cufflinks, it’s so niche and minimal as to be off their buying radar. But the experience of a good handful of key suppliers tells a different story. A fraction of the overall market maybe, but healthy and growing – men’s jewellery is relevant. “We’ve found it to be strong – both in the UK and overseas,” says James Deakin, co-founder with brother Henry of Deakin & Francis. “Having just returned from Couture and Basel, both have been successful for us. But it’s a competitive market, with lots of choice for consumers.” Andrew Warner of Anchor & Crew feels the same: “The market is growing and our sales are ever-increasing, both here in the UK and abroad. But it has taken a lot of work and effort and requires cooperation with the retailers to work out what sells best for them.” Meanwhile, Paul Burkmar of Yulan has drawn on his background making cufflinks for Gieves & Hawkes, with the introduction of handmade, heavy, tactile, silver cufflinks… “with several stockists ordering some, despite things being quiet,” he reports.

“Men are now wearing more jewellery and accessories than ever before,” says designer Babette Wasserman, whose sales of men’s jewellery are good and growing. “And younger men – men of all ages in fact – have really got into the fashion of wearing bracelets and stacking them,” she adds. One of the strongest players in the UK men’s arena is Unique, whose sales of men’s jewellery increased 21 percent in 2015 over 2014. “And this year started very promisingly with further growth,” says Daniel Ozel. “I think it’s still a growing market. However its size is maybe just five percent of the women’s jewellery market and it’s limited – this is something to consider,” he adds. While the men’s offer in the UK is currently fairly small, Sif Jakobs is finding that demand is increasing. “Our men’s collection is quite different from what other brands offer, so we’ve been working on it and developing it over the past year,” she explains. Likewise, Swedish brand Edblad is finding that the gents’ market is growing for them, with many repeat orders and a number of stockists of the ladies’ range wanting to stock it for Autumn.

Deakin & Francis

Men’s JEWELLERY

THE MAIN MEN Once it might have been said that David Beckham was responsible for the rise in interest in men’s jewellery and, ok, he still gets an honorable mention. Johnny Depp (in turn inspired by Keith Richards) also did his bit to keep the industry going. And even Karl Lagerfeld, with his multiple chains, rings and brooches, has a certain je ne sais quoi that might tempt some men to buy a dog charm necklace or two. However, times and marketing have moved on. “We have found, like so many [others], that micro bloggers offer far more impactful influence than a big name celebrity,” says Andrew Warner of Anchor & Crew. “Although it’s always good to have a celebrity wear jewellery, you get more views and likes on social media – and therefore sales – with influencers who have between 5,000 and 50,000 followers

Cornerstone

on a particular social media platform. This is because the person wearing the piece of jewellery is more ‘real’ and you can relate more to that person on a more equal level.” Wasserman agrees. “Bloggers play a huge role in influencing consumers and market trends,” she says. “If you are on Instagram, have a look at men such as Jack Guinness, model, DJ and generally cool guy (46k follows), or model and man-about-town David Gandy (592k followers).” And if all that sounds just too on fleek (Google it…) for words, gain comfort from knowing that Deakin & Francis (whose cufflinks couldn’t be cooler) look to a few “distinguished gentlemen” for inspiration. Men who’re not afraid to express their individuality: Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Laurie, Damien Hirst, the aforementioned Richards and Depp, Tim Burton, Mick Jagger and, er, Sid Vicious!

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Deakin & Francis

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

Babette Wasserman

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Men’s JEWELLERY

Stone, Paris

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Augustine Jewels

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

Unique

BEYOND THE CUFFLINK While traditional cufflinks remain best sellers for some, and leather and stainless steel bracelets for others, the men’s jewellery offer is broadening as retailers (and/or their customers) become more adventurous. At Gecko’s Fred Bennett engineered styles in steel are dominating over leather, indicating a shift towards defined lines. Bangles and rings are becoming more popular at Unique & Co – with attention to detail a talking point, along with different colour plating (black, brown and blue) and carbon fibre inlays. Stone, Paris and Amrapali both report that rings, even large rock ‘n’ roll rings, are finding a market, while designer Alexis Dove says that she is selling more handmade wedding rings (along with unusual cufflinks). Taking part in the recent Quintessential Atelier Show in London, Augustine Jewels received a lot of interest in rose gold cufflinks – ideal for ‘blush-themed’ weddings. Neckwear is also a growing category – pendants on long chains for instance – and, interestingly, tie pins, which Edblad has started to sell. “In Japan some of our customers are wearing tie bars on their jacket lapels,”

notes Wasserman. “In fact in Europe tie bars have made a huge comeback. We have even designed a skinny one to sit perfectly on a skinny tie!” She takes her inspiration from various disciplines – from 1950s/’60s Scandinavian furniture to Warhol prints. “We have a whole retro collection which is based around objects that are iconic designs in absolute miniature form,” she explains. Anchor & Crew, as the name suggests, has its roots in naval heritage, with nautical objects like anchors, paddles, pulleys, chains and ropes being translated into its modern, UK-designed and -made jewellery. Travel, imagination and passion are listed as the key sources of inspiration for Deakin & Francis’s often extraordinary cufflinks. The classics aside, just about any pastime and theme that you care to mention are represented in the huge repertoire. As creators of the show-stopping Hairy Viking, vicious shark and cowboy and Indian skull cufflinks (among very many others), you can only wonder at the Deakin brothers’ passionately imaginative holidays...

For further information please contact kinga@veritime.london - Veritime Ltd, 60 Pembroke Road, London W8 6NX Exclusive distributors for Anonimo for the UK and Ireland

RON MUMFORD

OBITUARY THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

T. H . M a r c h i s s a d t o r e p o r t t h e death on 30th May 2016 of Ronald Charles Herbert Mumford FCII at the age of 84, following a short illness with complications. Ron, as he was known to all, joined THM from another broker in February 1960 at a critical moment in the company’s history. It was then quite a small company, with a single office in London, fewer than 20 staff and a premium turnover of £190,000. At the time, two of the three most senior staff were in hospital and within two months of Ron joining, the third had a near-fatal car accident. Ron was thrown in at the deep end. Subsequently, having gained a reputation for his talks on security to jewellers, he used to enjoy telling the story of how, after that accident, he and two other colleagues, concerned to ensure ongoing cheque signing facilities, marched into the company’s bank at opening time with such urgency that the bank staff assumed it was a hold-up! In some ways that was typical of his enthusiasm and determination. He progressed rapidly, becoming deputy managing director in 1967, then managing director for most of his career until he retired in 1996. While far from being the only architect of THM’s growth in those 36 years, his was a key role; by the time he retired THM had 69 employees, six offices and a premium turnover in excess of £15 million. He was involved in the appointment of THM as brokers to the BJA in 1968, and was instrumental in the creation of the N.A.G’s Registered Valuers Scheme to ensure fair replacement of customers’ lost or stolen jewellery. His commitment to improving jewellers’ security as a means of convincing insurers to continue to offer wide cover without huge premium increases led to widespread respect from underwriters and jewellers alike. He was even invited by the safemaker, Chubb, to lecture its staff on insurers’ attitude to security. I remember some of the shock tactics my father Roger (also a former MD) and Ron used in their early efforts to emphasise

to jewellers the need for vigilance. At one particular N.A.G. security seminar during the 1960s, Roger and Ron travelled to the Channel Islands carrying in their luggage a kit that included a crowbar and bolt croppers! They planned to use these ‘tools’ during demonstrations that would display just how simply security measures of the day could be breached: safe fronts chiselled off, metal bars smashed away from windows and the glass smashed. Shockingly at that time it took only a very small collection of skeleton keys to open most four-lever locks. For many, he was the senior public face of T.H. March. His work was recognised by the N.A.G.’s Ken Blakemore Award for outstanding service to the trade on his retirement. In due course his enthusiasm inevitably extended to word processors for confidential memos, though not always matched by his understanding of them. At one point, having as he thought ‘lost’ a carefully composed threepage document, it was pointed out to him that he was in fact on page 77, having left a file on his space bar during a telephone call! Outside THM, his main interests lay in his family and a wide circle of friends, which overlapped with golf, rugby, cricket and his masonic charities. He married Pip in 1983 and their loving successful marriage was seen by all. She survives him, along with their married daughter Sarah and their first grandchild Cody, together with their son Robert who is about to marry. The family will always remember Ron for his amazing energy for life and for his wonderful raconteur character. He was larger than life and yet so interested in others, both young and old. He was a proud family man and enjoyed and encouraged all they achieved. He will be forever in their hearts and never forgotten. A memorial service will be held later in the year. Michael Ferraro, former managing director, T.H. March

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Pieces from the new collection of 9ct and 18ct gold collections, set with diamonds.

With close to 40 years in the trade under his belt, Mark Milton talks to Belinda Morris about his gold jewellery business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; then and now.

HEART OF GOLD 56

Mark Milton

250 prime retail freeholds, all long gone. Abbeycrest, and many other names of lost empires, are mostly now forgotten. Today’s empires… wait and you will see. I have met too many wonderful characters over the decades of observing this rise and fall phenomenon to single anyone out here for praise (or the opposite) but I can tell a few good anecdotes to anyone who wants to listen over a cup of coffee! One for now that highlights the difficulties, dangers and absurdities of the jewellery trade: assisting a colleague with a trunk-full of 18ct gold samples, we arrived at a first class London hotel where he intended to check in. “What have you got in there?” asked the porter. To which the reply: “My mother-in-law, she likes to travel” just about summed it up. Gold forever and always? I’ve been with gold all along and always will. Three forays into silver over the years all ended badly – you’ve got to stick to what you know. With the price of gold making certain products unaffordable recently we have tried to maintain this standard by producing in vermeil – three-micron minimum, 18ct yellow gold plating.

A view of the industry – then and now A balance of power between retailer and supplier is necessary for the health of both. If it’s a good deal everyone can make a living from it – too much control by one side or the other and it’s bad news for the weaker. We have moved from an environment where the larger groups of retailers called all the shots and the supply base was weakened, and in many cases destroyed, to one in which the soul of many retailers has been sold to the brands that are – at this or that moment – bringing the public through the door. It’s changing again as I write, with many of the brands failing to perform and some of the retailers looking around and in effect saying: “What happened to my gold jewellery business? Where can I find jewellery that I can sell under my own banner, at my own margin, in the precious metals that a jeweller is known for?” It’s not too late. We, and just a few others, are still here and will welcome you. The shift towards Mark Milton the brand If you can’t beat them… We found ourselves at a big disadvantage not having an identity to go alongside our beautiful ranges. We hope we have found a good way to bring all we do under one umbrella, which demonstrates that we provide service, quality and design in commercial gold jewellery. At the same time it’s necessary nowadays to provide our stockists with every support we can – visually and in display and packaging. If you cannot provide web services, images, online catalogues and ordering you are going to be dead in the water as a supplier for the 2020s. We are striving to balance this, with our stockists being free to take as much or as little of the available story that suits their business and their own brand.

Member SPOTLIGHT

years; the first with herringbone chains, white gold jewellery in volume, machinemade eternity rings, electro-forming in gold, stamped earrings… the list goes on and on. And the list of the number of times my ideas have been plagiarised is equally long. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I’ve been well-flattered. A view on the jewellery industry and its characters This industry can be cruel and does not support for very long companies that grow too large. It is too fast-moving, flexible and fragmented and when an empire becomes too big, control of the detail gets lost and that loss of attention to detail is the beginning of the end. So I’ve seen them come and go, rise and fall. Ratners and some of the large groups that were swallowed by his revolution – along with their long histories and the family silver of the jewellery trade, about

MARK MILTON: The History The Milton family’s involvement with the jewellery trade goes back to 1947 and Mark’s maternal grandfather, Max – a refugee from Nazism, sometime graphic artist, AustroHungarian WWl soldier, Viennese student and coffee house-goer. Having contacts within the emigré community he started a business importing wax and glass pearls from Czechoslovakia, soon branching out into silver marcasite and rolled gold through contacts in Germany and Austria. In 1954 when the business was very small and Max was taken ill, Mark’s father took over for him. Joe – larger than life, an escapee from Germany at 15, interned here as a potential spy, shipped to Australia by the authorities and allowed to return by signing up for the Intelligence Corps of the British Army. Driven, charismatic, multilingual and creative – under him the business soon thrived, first as an exclusive agency for some substantial European factories, then branching out into gold jewellery and manufacturing, supplying wholesale and large chains of stores.

THE MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM

The early days - aims, ambitions, direction I joined my father in early 1978 when he was at the peak of his powers. I had tried to escape the draw of the industry, studying linguistics and disappearing as far West as it’s possible to go, but one phone call: “if you are coming in… it’s now or never” sealed my fate. Over the years I’ve discovered that actually it was in my blood all along. My first mission was to go out and “make mistakes for others before you make them for me”. I was packed off to spend a year working for jewellery factories in Germany and Italy – not just any factories but the most internationally successful at the time – for an early insight into power business. I remember working at an Italian chain factory exporting literally tonnes of gold to every corner of the globe. This technical marvel was run by two brothers, so hyped-up they could not get on – when one walked into the room, the other needed to leave. So there were lessons in what not to get involved in too. I developed a love for two elements of the trade: manufacturing in gold and distribution; the logistics of gold stock. Both can break your heart with their complexity and specific difficulties unique to this beautiful business and I tried, against my father’s first and best piece of advice: “You can’t dance at two weddings with one backside”, to manage both simultaneously. In the end I have focused on what I do best – using my skills and experience to find and develop unique and beautiful products to market and distribute, at the same time as providing what the market demands. The specialisation of the business – then and now The product range we offer today has evolved over the years with many of the ideas and experiences being repeatable or recyclable. Our customer has constantly been the jewellery retailer, either independent or multiple groups, with their special requirements. This is a significantly different set of requirements from serving the consumer. We have become specialised in providing products that retailers find difficult to source, either because of a commitment to volume or technical difficulties in stocking them. Examples would be full eternity rings where sizing is an issue, or stamped, hollow or chainware in various gold colours and carats, where you cannot turn on the machine and just make one piece at a time. Some successes and some career highpoints Selling one tonne of gold chain in the UK in one year for that Italian factory; combined marketing programmes with the World Gold Council and De Beers; being the first to introduce and distribute a whole series of trends over the

OPINION

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G N I T A R E L E C C A

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

E H T ES

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IRV LOUGHBOROUGH 2016

Invaluable

LOUGHBOROUGH 2016

THE MARK OF PROFESSIONAL VALUATION

his year’s IRV Loughborough Conference is on the horizon (17th – 19th September) and as always is attracting valuers and jewellers from across the country, as well as from overseas.

This year we promise delegates an opportunity to learn from the wealth of experts offering workshops (an amazing 32 to choose from – something for everyone, whether trade newbie or jewellery stalwart) and six main presentations. Then there’s the entertainment – this year’s downtime will include a masked dinner – not exactly a ball – and a quiz/treasure hunt, plus the chance to make new friends and renew old friendships. At the Gemstone Market delegates can purchase stones from the country’s leading dealers. New this year, and actioning the Institute’s plans for the future – which include generating more members – we’ve introduced a Welcome to Valuing Session on Sunday afternoon. Its aim is to give aspiring valuers an insight into the world of valuing. Four 45-minute sessions will look at various aspects of the job and how to produce a professional valuation. These sessions will be conducted by long-standing Fellows of the Institute, who will share their knowledge and experience: Shirley D Mitchell FIRV PJValDip PJGemDip PJManDip FNAJ FGA DGA, Andrée J Richardson FIRV FCGmA MAE BSc(Hons), Tim Bicknell FIRV DGA and Barry Sullivan FIRV MAE.

The sessions will cover four topics: THE MODEL VALUATION – PART I Looking at the information that a valuation must contain in order to fulfil its remit. THE MODEL VALUATION – PART II What to include and the various elements required. The purpose, function and intended use of the valuation – the approach to take and what this involves. Also explained are layout, descriptions and terminology and the all-important working notes, leading to... IDENTIFYING HOW AN ITEM HAS BEEN MANUFACTURED The identification of manufacturing types and styles (how to tell when a ring has been cast, CAD, handmade, etc.) and what effect this has on the final valuation will be explained. The session will also touch on how to read a hallmark and how to identify forged hallmarks. RESEARCH AND PRICE GUIDES How to research: what tools are available – suppliers, auctions, dealers, the internet, etc. How to use the various price guides – for instance discounts applied to Rap and how to modify the GemGuide colour grade to arrive at the correct ‘overall grade’. This session also explains in more detail how the research should be recorded in the working notes.

IRV LOUGHBOROUGH 2016 Let us whet your appetite with the widest choice of workshops and main presentations, given by: Richard Drucker, publisher of the GemGuide; the NAJ’s David Callaghan and Michael Donaldson; Gem-A’s Julia Griffith, Kerry Gregory and Pat Daly; Stephen Whittaker; John Benjamin; Rebecca Tucker; Steven Millington; Alan Hodgkinson; Tracy Jukes; Jo Whalley; Jason Williams; Nicola and Michael Cohen (Academy of Experts); Craig O’Donnell (Birmingham Assay Office); Tatiana Conte and Tammy Cohen (Almod Diamonds - Crown of Light); Chris Simpson and Paula Grenney (Guild of Valuers & Jewellers); Michael Inkpen (PAS Quantum Leap) and John Watson and Mark Smith (T.H. March), plus many of our own IRVs. A copy of the brochure/booking form can be downloaded from the IRV website or obtained from Sandra Page. Simply mail irv@naj.co.uk This year’s sponsors are: Diamond Sponsor: Gold Sponsors:

THE MARK OF PROFESSIONAL VALUATION

The lecturers will be happy to answer any questions about becoming a professional qualified valuer and what this entails. Delegates wishing to attend just this part of the Conference (available on Sunday afternoon only) may do so for the special rate of £50 plus VAT (NB: these delegates will also receive a £50 voucher to redeem against any NAJ training course/ seminar). The cost includes a buffet lunch and afternoon refreshments. To attend for the whole day and take part in Sunday morning’s session (two main presentations and a 90 minute workshop), plus the Welcome to Valuing afternoon sessions, the cost is £90 plus VAT. For those attending the whole event we’re honoured to welcome for the first time Dr. Kevin Coates, freelance artist and goldsmith (and accomplished musician), Liveryman of the Goldsmiths’ Company and Fellow of the Royal College of Art. Dr. Coates very rarely gives presentations, so potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see examples of this craftsman’s spectacular one-off jewels, larger ceremonial silver items, medals, and small sculptures. We also welcome to his first Conference Charles Carmona, renowned author of The Complete Handbook for Gemstone Weight Estimation, a must for every jeweller’s reference library. His presentation will show delegates how to accurately estimate the weight of common shapes of mounted gemstones.

Silver Sponsors: 63

DAISY to CHAIN Henry Curteis of Curteis Ltd explains how the company took the leap from dairy farming to making premium precious metal chain. What prompted Curteis to start making chain? The late Roger Curteis had been happy as a dairy farmer, but always felt his engineering experience was somewhat wasted. After selling the cows in 1974, he searched for something new to do. He saw a picture of a chain machine and decided to view it in Pforzheim, Germany. Henry, his elder son, was selling jewellery in London and was well aware that demand for chain in 1975 was growing beyond the supply of manufacturers like Starlink and BMC. What types of chain did Curteis make initially and how has the offer developed over time? We started with rope chains – Prince of Wales, which was fashionable in 1975. We’d managed to buy machinery to make it when a factory in Argentina cancelled its order with the German factory we were looking to buy from. The waiting time otherwise for a chain machine was two years back then. For our efforts, we earned the moniker ‘Farmyard Ropes’ from the Birmingham jewellery trade, where we sold most of our output in the early years. We extended the range through all British traditional styles, buying 100 chain machines from British Machine Chain when it closed in 1992 and more from American Chain in Rhode Island when it also closed. Then came new machines to make Italian styles, like Spiga, close link traces and others and we set up a handmade jewellery and castings division in 1992. How much of the chain-making process is created by machine and how much by hand? The first stage in chain production is wire – a hands-on job with wire rolling and drawing one of the hottest areas in the process, both temperature-wise and in energy expended. Chain machining

the wire sounds and looks very automated, but in fact the machines can be very demanding, needing time to set up and get them running well. Soldering the chain is a more hands-on job, except for the chains that are welded on the machine at the same time as the links are formed. Checking the chain is done by hand. Hammering and diamondcutting the chain is done by machines, but need constant supervision. Cutting the chain is best done by hand. Is chain-making a skilled job? How long does it take to learn the process? You need a lot of patience to run chain machinery. Finding what’s wrong can be quick, but can also, on occasions, be a frustratingly drawn-out exercise. Most operators need around five years to get experienced enough to be able to solve all the problems they will meet. Tool making is still part of the job, although many tools can be made by CNC these days. Why don’t more companies make platinum chain in the UK? Platinum melts at a higher temperature than gold, and you need a furnace that can cope with that. If you’ve set up with a gold soldering furnace, it might seem a big investment to buy a platinum one and you need the space for another production line. We bought one two years ago out of curiosity to see if we could make it work, and we did! The volume is not massive, but demand is steady. What are the most popular styles of chain? Spiga seems to be very fashionable these days, but then curb, trace, belcher and rope machines still chug away every day. The fashion for pendants continuously

CMY

evolves, with chain a secondary factor to many consumer purchases. The chain carries the investment, and its importance should never be underrated… whichever style people choose.

HISTORY

Memeber SPOTLIGHT THE MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM

From

Family-owned and run Curteis began in a mansion house on a farm in Shropshire. In 1975 Roger Curteis began to make jewellery in the attics of the house. What began as a hobby became a business as demand grew. Eventually there were more than 20 machines in the house and Roger’s two sons came in to help. By 1990 Curteis had a turnover of £2.5 million and needed new premises.Today the multi awardwinning Curteis has grown to be one of the UK’s leading precious metal jewellery manufacturers, supplying UK and international jewellery retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers.

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INDUSTRY Profile

With our product story for August focusing on silver jewellery, it’s perfectly apt that we let Kit Heath, of the eponymous silver designer jewellery company, have the final say of the issue.

THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

QUICK FIRE

White diamonds or coloured stones? Coloured stones and coloured diamonds Two wheels or four wheels? Four, especially my 1972 Alfa Spider TV or radio? The TV at home, radio in the car Jewellery on men? Yes or no? Yes if they are under 25 Delegator or control freak? A bit of both Wild night out or cosy night in? Wild night out followed by two weeks of cosy nights in Paperback or e-reader? Paperback

PERSONAL PROFILE: Kit’s interest in jewellery began at school where his metalwork teacher taught him to make cuttlefish castings. He used his mother’s silver candlesticks as a silver supply. It took several years for his parents to forgive him. He went on to work at the bench and has been involved in all aspects of the jewellery trade over the last 40 years. In the early days he took to the road, selling his jewellery from the back of a VW camper van. Having a shop for many years gave Kit an understanding of the service retailers expect. His experience and commercial eye, together with his co-founder and sister Katie’s creative direction, have put NAJ member Kit Heath, the brand, at the forefront of British sterling silver jewellery design. Who has been the biggest influence on your life? My late father, who instilled in me from a young age a good work ethic, honesty and perseverance. If you could go back in time, what era would you choose and why? The 1970s – the fashion (loons and platforms), music (T-Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music…) and cars (I had an Alfasud ti) – I was in my late teens and early twenties. And in 1975 I started my business. What three words describe you best.... in your view and according to others? I would describe myself as determined, fun and loving and others would say confident, outspoken and untidy. Tell us something not many people know about you... I’m dyslexic.

Looking back at your career, what one thing would you do differently if you had your time over? I would have not employed a CEO who was not from the industry. If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the jewellery industry, what would it be? I wish there wasn’t the reliance on the (now) old trend of collectables. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? ‘Jungle Book’ with my four kids and my nieces and nephews. It was fab – even better than the original and with most of the songs. What’s your guiltiest pleasure? A Devonshire cream tea is the only one I would admit to. What are the main challenges facing the jewellery industry today? The fluctuation of commodity prices and exchange rates. If not jewellery, what might your alternative career have been? If I wasn’t dyslexic I might have joined the army, like father and others in the family. I almost joined the Hong Kong Police when the Bunker Hunts drove the silver price up to $50. I’d also been offered a job out there working in property. Thankfully by 1980 the silver price had dropped back, so I carried on with my silver jewellery business. Do you Tweet? No, I don’t, but the company does. What keeps you awake at night? Running around with four kids between the ages of 16 and 10, nothing keeps me awake.

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J E W ELLERY FO R TH E RE A L WO RLD Tel: 020 7405 5523 sales@uniquejewelry.co.uk www.uniqueandco.com

Stand F60