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Positioned well: Perry’s continues to spread its wings

By Wanda Freeman

Like many top-tier jewelers, Perry’s Diamonds and Estate Jewelry of Charlotte, N.C., grew exponentially from modest roots: in this case, a humble Toyota station wagon.

Ernie Perry and wife Priscilla got their start in the 1970s fundraising for charities, driving all over central North Carolina to pick up donated jewelry and sell it at flea markets. One of their clients was the Jerry Lewis Telethon, which would feature the offerings on camera.

“We thought that Toyota was our Cadillac limousine,” Perry recalls. “We were having fun with costume jewelry, and flea marketing was a fun event.”

Forty-plus years later, Perry’s operates from a storefront of about 12,000 square feet and employs 34 people, including 10 GIA Graduate Gemologists. With Priscilla semi-retired, daughter Hadley Perry shares leadership as chief operations officer, concentrating heavily on marketing. Esteemed appraiser Jennifer MacLeod oversees some 2,000 square feet of dedicated appraisal

space in the form of three private offices with state-of-the-art equipment.

Ernie Perry got his start in jewelry in the 1960s by taking a two-year management training program in Greensboro at Carlyle & Co., which operated the course and a chain of Jewel Box stores before closing and selling in 2015.

By 1978, the Perrys decided to park their jewelry-toting car and open a stationary storefront. Their first retail home was in an office building on Independence Boulevard before opening in Charlotte’s SouthPark mall, where they enjoyed their unique status as independent jewelers in a world where malls mostly hosted chain stores.

Positive experience aside, Perry’s eventually outgrew its space in the mall, which Hadley recalls as being less than 1,000 square feet and unable to accommodate the burgeoning need for office, shop, and appraisal space as well as a larger showroom.

The “new” store, about 10 years old now, commands a highly visible front-facing space in a large office building across

Please see Perry page 2

IDD delivers data driven strategies that level playing field for independent jewelers

By Deborah Yonick

For nearly four decades IDD has specialized in understanding the business of independent jewelers to provide them with data driven merchandise and marketing strategies to be successful.

Family owned and operated, IDD is based in New York City’s diamond district, with strategic diamond and manufacturing alliances in Belgium, India, Israel, China, and Indonesia. This gives the company a competitive edge, enabling it to offer the best value to its retail partners.

With roots as a loose diamond wholesaler, IDD has become the independent retail jeweler’s strategic partner for market proven diamond basics, bridal and fashion jewelry and sales programs.

IDD is renowned for, among other things, quality diamond basics.

IDD’s core mission is keenly focused on the success of its retail partners, introducing not only bestselling products and programs, but also an interactive

Playing the Long Game

B2B website, innovative e-commerce assets, compelling social media campaigns, and the industry’s No. 1 consumer finance

Please see IDD page 10

By Diana Jarrett

Earlier this year, SJN cast a spotlight on industry leaders who are creating change in the precious metals sector from within the trade. Lead by example is an ordinary expression, but it reflects the path to change as one person’s passion ignites another’s - something that Hoover & Strong’s Dani Cutler embraces.

What We’re Facing

Topping the short list within the metals community are two key issues. The gold sector must find a means of safeguarding the environment and the inhabitants. Secondly, recycling defunct metal items into newly repurposed goods is critical to its sustainability.

Accepting the Challenge

The article “Hoover & Strong’s Dani Cutler among 3 honored by Pure Earth with 2023 Force of Nature Award” referenced Cutler, whose leadership is advancing responsible metal sourcing. While it’s a formidable task, she’s up for the challenge. Serving as H&S Marketing Manager, she encourages

Please see Game page 32

Ernest Perry with (l-r) Brittany, wife Priscilla and daughter Hadley.

PeRRY

Continued from page 1

from the mall, with plenty of close parking and ample interior elbow room.

Hadley, who left her successful practice as an insurance defense attorney to join the busi-

ness around the time of the move, says the new dedicated appraisal space, completed about a year ago, further strengthens Perry’s dominance in the jewelry marketplace.

“I don’t know of anyone in Charlotte who does this much appraisal business,” she says.

MacLeod agrees: “It really sets us apart. It’s very private, high-end.”

A Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and an active member of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, MacLeod has worked with such agencies as the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Agency as well as The Fine Art Group, which advises art financiers and collectors internationally.

While her work for The Fine Art Group entails travel around the Southeast, MacLeod appraises jewelry for a large clientele base at the store that includes banks, attorneys, and estate executors.

With Hadley handling the daily operations of the business and MacLeod the appraisal operation, Ernie coordinates the an-

SJN MAJN

Established 1988

Editor, Bill Newnam bill@southernjewelrynews.com

Publisher, Chris Smith chris@southernjewelrynews.com

Administration

and classified advertising

Martha Osswald martha@southernjewelrynews.com

Staff Writers

Wanda Freeman

Paul Holewa

Dianna Jarrett

Deborah Yonick

Vice President Sales

Elesa B. Dillon elesa@southernjewelrynews.com

tique and estate division, his “real love” from the start.

“You think you’ve seen everything, and then another lot comes in and you see what unimaginable pieces people buy,” he says. The store has built an impressive business taking center stones from estate jewelry and

Contributing Writers

Diana Jarrett

Mia Katrin

Chuck Koehler

Joel McFadden

Guy Pineda

George Prout

André Savoie

Southern Jewelry News 2006 New Garden Road - Suite 208 Greensboro, NC 27410

Phone: 336-389-1950

Fax: 336-389-1952

www.southernjewelrynews.com

email: info@southernjewelrynews.com

Any views or opinions presented in this publication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Southern Jewelry News.

refashioning them into more-contemporary pieces while keeping items with historical significance intact.

MacLeod and the Perrys recently attended the JCK Show in Las Vegas and came back inspired to build on the education and connections they made.

“Anything I can learn - I’m like a sponge,” says MacLeod. “If it’s a gemology course, I soak it

up. I go to seminars, conferences. You have to keep learning all the time, it’s the only way to stay on top.”

Hadley expects to parlay the experience into the acquisition of some one-of-a-kind couture pieces and build upon the event-based marketing ideas implemented be-

fore the pandemic started. “We’re getting ourselves well-positioned for a generational shift in wealth - a big shift from the Baby Boom to the younger generation,” Hadley says.

Ernie agrees: “The biggest transfer of wealth in history is about to happen.”

Perry’s expanded into this 12,000 sq. ft. location 10 years ago.

Highly accomplished Jennifer MacLeod leads Perry’s esteemed appraisal department.

Perry’s wall of fame.

HardRock Summit returns to Denver in

September

3rd edition to be stronger than ever

(DENVER) - With almost four months to go and the majority of booth space already booked, the third edition of HardRock Summit is set to make a powerful comeback in Denver. Taking place from September 15 to 18, the premier Fall show for the finest mineral specimens, jewelry, and gemstones will host over 200 exhibitors. The impressive lineup includes renowned figures from

the mineral community, worldclass gemstone dealers, and a large community of members of the American Gem Trade Asso-

ciation (AGTA GemFair™ Denver).

Notable industry icons such as Collector’s Edge Minerals, Kristalle, and Fine Minerals International on the mineral side, or Lee Collins Gems, Mayer & Watt, and Herbert Stephan KG on the gemstone side, will be joining the upcoming edition. A treasure trove of unseen, one-ofa-kind natural wonders, minerals, and gemstones that were held back during the pandemic will be on display at HardRock Summit 2023 for the very first time.

The demand for booth space at HardRock Summit validates the organizers’ strategy of providing an exceptional show that raises the bar for quality, organization, efficiency, convenience, and style in Denver. With its unmatched roster of exhibitors and the ideal venue of the Colorado Convention Center, which offers excellent infrastructure in terms of parking, hotels, and dining options, HardRock Summit stands as a premier supplier platform in the US during the fall season. Denver serves as the perfect base to cater to the American market, which, due to its unparalleled size and growth, remains the world’s most significant business ground for mineral and gemstone trading.

Further adding to the allure of this year’s edition of the HardRock Summit is its timing at the end of September. The minerals and gemstone industries are currently experiencing a phase of uncertainty regarding pricing: Following the market disruption caused by the pandemic, supply and demand are not in sync, leading to price fluctuations. It is anticipated that this phase will come to an end in the second half of the year, making HardRock Summit an ideal platform for purchasing, sourcing, and trading across all sectors of the industry. From silversmiths to bench jewelers, high-end jewelry manufacturers to mineral collectors at all levels, attendees can expect reasonable

Please see HRS page 22

The Retailer’s Perspective Another Anniversary???

By Chuck Koehler

For some reason, I seem to keep bumping up against milestone anniversaries here lately. My current one turns out to be the 30th anniversary of owning my retail store, Anthony Jewelers, in Nashville, TN. I stumbled into the store on June 2nd, 1993, and bought it the next day on June 3rd. It seems like that just happened yesterday. Where oh where does the time go?

Back in 1993, there was no social media, no internet, no mobile phones, and no real afford-

able overnight delivery services. How in the world did people actually run a business without these real world necessities? When I hit that milestone, I realized I’ve never told the story about my first few months of owning my own store.

When I bought my store, which was founded in 1947, the original owner, Buford Anthony, stayed on for 3-4 months during the transition. If you want to know the truth, I didn’t ask him to, I just couldn’t get rid of him. He just liked to come in and hang out all day and smoke 3 packs of

cigarettes - in MY store!

When I bought it, the store was more of a hangout for the neighborhood ‘bored old men’s club’ than a business. If you’ve ever seen that group of elderly gentlemen that gather at the local McDonald’s every morning at 8:30, that’s what I had to deal with every day as well.

Buford had a nasty old recliner in the showroom that had more rips and tears than most of the designer jeans you see people wearing nowadays. Also, there was an ashtray on a stand that sat beside the recliner. The ashtray

hadn’t been emptied in months (if ever), and every time he’d stub out a cigarette, 12 butts would fall on the floor. What the hell did I just get myself in to?

After a month or so, I came up with a plan and decided I had to get rid of the recliner. When Buford came in that day, I told him I was sending the recliner home with him at the end of the day, and I’d help him load it into the back of his truck. By the look on his face, you’d think I just told him I ran over his dog. But I wasn’t done yet. I also told him that starting the next day, the store

was going to be a smoke-free store. I thought he was going to cry.

Throughout the day, he asked questions about how the business could survive without that nasty recliner sitting in the middle of the showroom. He asked me where people would sit when they came in throughout the day to kill time and shoot the breeze. He asked me what people were supposed to do that took their daily smoke break at the store? Believe it or not, he was worried about having cigarette butts on the sidewalk in front of the store as opposed to having them on the floor of the showroom. All I could think about was, ‘Get out of MY store!’

At the end of the day, the new era began. We loaded up the recliner, I put the ashtray right beside it, and I’m pretty sure I saw his eyes well up a little bit. I felt pretty good that I had the situation under control. Then, the next day, right on time, Buford showed up with a lit cigarette in his mouth. I stopped him at the door and reminded him we were now smokefree. I told him he could finish it outside. He reminded me that there wasn’t an ashtray outside. I reminded him that there wasn’t an ashtray inside either. He reluctantly went outside and finished his cigarette.

About 10 minutes later, as he’s sitting on a stool, in my store that used to be his store, he pulls out a cigarette and starts to light it. I reminded him that we were now nonsmoking. About that time, the first member of ‘the club’ came in with a lit cigarette in their mouth ready to take their daily smoke break in the recliner that was no longer there. Egad! You’d think someone died. I told Earl that we were now nonsmoking. Earl seemed confused. Earl had taken all of his daily smoke breaks right here for years. Well guess what Earl, there’s a new sheriff in town, and he doesn’t smoke!

Throughout the day, I discovered I had another problem I needed to solve. I had too many stools for people to sit on. Buford

Chuck Koehler

Events

JFC celebrates 25 years at Facets of Hope Brian

(NEW YORK) - Jewelers for Children held their annual Facets of Hope event on Sunday June 4, in Las Vegas at the Venetian Resort. Brian Duffy of Watches of Switzerland and Jack and Dominick Gabriel of Gabriel & Co., were honored as the organization marked 25 years of helping children in need.

The charity announced that $950,000 had been raised to support their charity partners, bringing the cumulative total donated since 1999 to more than $61 mil-

Duffy and Jack and Dominick Gabriel honored

lion. “It’s just amazing to have so much support from the industry for this great cause,” said Alan Zimmer, JFC board chair. “Brian, Jack and Dominick, along with our entire fundraising committee truly stepped up this year and we could not be more appreciative for their efforts.”

The event featured a casual format with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before the formal program, followed by food stations and dessert options. A silent auction, two sponsored photo booths

and merchandise sales were held to raise additional funds for the organization’s charity partners.

Zimmer announced that JFC was pledging to support their charity partners with donations of $200,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, $200,000 to Make-A-Wish America, $225,000 to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and $225,000 to the National CASA Association. Also announced was a commitment of $50,000 to Make-A-Wish International for wish granting in India, and $50,000 to the Organization for Autism Research.

Jewelers for Children holds annual Rings of Strength event

On Thursday June 1, Jewelers for Children held their annual Rings of Strength event at the Venetian Resort Hotel in Las Vegas. This marks the 11th year of the event that originated in Las Vegas and has spread to multiple location across the country.

The first event was held in 2013 and attracted participants who walked, ran and biked. The event was named after a silver ring engraved with the word “Strength” that a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital gave to a fellow patient. The story of Odie and Maggie has motivated participants to raise more than $500,000 over the years.

The Las Vegas event kicked off at 5:30 a.m., to avoid the heat of the day and more than 120 participants signed up to walk or run a 5K along the colorful Las Vegas strip. Volunteers from the Las Vegas Runners Club were on hand to lead the groups in whatever activity they chose.

Sponsors for the event included JCK Events, the American Gem Society, Ashi Diamonds, the GIA Alumni Association, the Women’s Jewelry Association, Quality Gold, Assurant and Freeman. Teams were well represented with support from Assurant, Quality Gold, the American Gem Society, the Women’s Jewelry Association, JCK Las Vegas,

Please see Rings page 36

Bob Woolsey with honorees Jack and Dominick Gabriel.

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Culture of Listening & Learning

The culture at IDD is centered on continually studying the fine jewelry marketplace to improve its offerings and provide

valuable insights and business solutions to its independent retail jewelers.

“Listening to our retail partners has always been central to IDD. Everything we do is examined through the lens of how will it help our retailers sell more

Mehta, president and CEO.

and be more profitable,” explains Alok

The intangible differentiation of IDD, he says, is this company culture coupled with “the team of people carrying it out, who have learned, over the years, the business of each of their clients, established goodwill, and earned their trust - one customer at a time.”

Recognized as a leader in the mined value space for bridal, anniversary, basics and fashion diamond jewelry, countless retailers are now partnering with IDD to help them navigate the complex category of lab-grown diamonds, says Alok Mehta, with the pricing of lab grown a major challenge. “We work with retailers to customize a diamond strategy based on data and specific to their needs.”

In fact, for the past decade a separate data intelligence unit has been collating, filtering and analyzing data on a variety of metrics, shares Alok Mehta. “This proprietary software provides incredible market insights, data that is driving a large part of our business strategy. And, we’re investing even more in that capability to better equip our retailers for the future.”

Reporting a “tremendously successful” JCK Las Vegas this June, the biggest trend Alok Mehta found at the show was that more and more independent jewelers are looking to align themselves with forward thinking companies like IDD that will work strategically for them.

“When we meet with retailers we come with data and insights about their business,” he says. “We look to find the best solutions and strategies for their market.” He adds that retailers are not only coming to IDD for its

collections of bestsellers, but also to create private collections from their own ideas.

Culture of Innovations & Opportunities

Product and service innovations are hallmark to IDD.

Among its high grossing jewelry programs, IDD is recognized for its Forever Day, Harmony, and Flexie collections.

“The Flexie line of flexible diamond bracelets, which IDD introduced to the market, has been a game changer for so many retailers, and dare we say imitators,” says Alok Mehta. “We’re happy this innovative category has driven business for so many of our independents.”

He describes the category as “huge” and “the future of bangles/bracelets.” It’s a $10 billion industry that Alok Mehta hopes to see more independent jewelers capitalize on. IDD has over 100 bracelet styles in the line, as well as a selection of Flexie band rings. In addition to new styles, IDD has a comprehensive marketing package for the Flexie collection now available to retailers.

Whether product or service, wherever challenges derive, IDD has stepped up to find solutions that help their retail partners succeed.

Take IDD’s IDDEAL Credit

Card. For nearly a decade, IDD has delivered the industry’s preeminent consumer finance program, processing over a billion dollars of successful consumer financing transactions. This pointof-sale payment solution offers IDD retail partners a program that makes buying jewelry effortless for their customers, with an easy approval process, revolving credit, promotion plans, and competitive rates, with second look option.

Independent jewelers can leverage the large scale, financial strength, and innovative vision of IDD to be relevant, profitable and successful, Alok Mehta underscores. The company creates and supports a variety of sales opportunities, enjoying longtime collaborative relationships with its retail partners.

IDD is a member of all major retail buying groups, as well as a member of The Plumb Club, and is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council as a jewelry company following responsible business practices.

Retailers can find IDD at upcoming trade shows, including RJO, Booth #446, July 29-31, Philadelphia, PA; and IJO, Aug. 5-8, Cleveland, Ohio. For more information visit www.iddjewelry.com.

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Successful Custom A Clean Disaster

I talk to jewelers all over the country and I hear some horror stories. Some of the most avoidable disaster stories are centered around the ultrasonic cleaner.

It seems like such a simple request. A customer comes in with a bunch of jewelry they want to be cleaned up. A dip in the sonic will do the trick. Some customers make a habit of having it done regularly. It’s not a big deal, well, until something goes wrong.

We all get so busy, our trade is all about fast production and doing everything to accommodate our clients. We need to take

By Joel McFadden

the time to follow procedures and remember the jewelry we are entrusted with should always be treated with care.

In my lifetime the industry has changed from being “all about quality” to “all about speed”. We equate being faster with higher productivity which equals more money. Then we hit that wall where the haste has caused some mistake that is vastly more expensive than a few extra minutes of payroll would ever cost us.

The first case in point is Mrs. A. She’s a delightful elderly woman. She’s been doing busi-

ness with us for years. Once a year she shows up with a large bag of jewelry to be cleaned. This year was no different than any other, except she was in a hurry to drop everything off on her way to an appointment.

It was not a big deal. After all, she’d been doing this every year for several years. A dip in the sonic and everything will be bright and shining before she returned later that day. She showed up right at the end of the day and was still in quite the rush, so she picked up her bag, and off she went.

The next day she called to see if we could locate one of her more expensive items which were not in the bag with the rest of her jewelry. No one recalled seeing the item in the store, but we searched anyway. It was nowhere to be found and we were fairly certain it was not in the bag she dropped off.

Mrs. A was distressed over the incident since she was fairly certain it was dropped off. A few days passed and Mrs. A grew more and more disturbed that something had happened to her precious, sentimental, and expen-

Joel McFadden

sive piece of treasured jewelry while in our care. It was fortunate that she found it at her home and she dismissed the whole thing as just another incident of her failing memory.

Another case in point is Mrs. B. Her story is very similar to Mrs. A. She has been dropping off her bag of jewelry to be cleaned here on a regular basis for years. She was in such a hurry to drop and go, as well as rushing to pick it up quickly and be on her way.

However, Mrs. B was not missing anything. The issue with her freshly cleaned bag of jewelry, so hastily pulled out of the sonic and given back to her, resides in that one ring that was sitting in the bottom of the sonic basket when her items were dumped in with it.

The jeweler had been working on it for hours and hours over the last couple of days. It was nearly complete and ready to have the flashing and heat shield from the laser work cleaned up. Some time in the ultrasonic gave the jeweler the opportunity to address a couple of other things that had been set aside while working on the ring.

Later when the customer returned to retrieve the ring, Mrs. B had already retrieved her jewelry, and it was long gone. Unfortunately, Mrs. B now had a new ring that the store owner is paying to rebuild for its rightful owner.

A good jeweler can replace the ring. It’s just hours of labor, some precious metals, some expensive gemstones, and a long delay in returning it to the customer. However, the damage to the store’s reputation for losing their customer’s wedding band coming in for a repair is a far greater price they will be paying for a much longer period of time.

Both of these incidents, as well as countless other incidents, would not have happened if the proper intake and delivery procedures were followed. Even when the job is something as simple as a routine cleaning, take those notes and photos of what you are receiving and delivering.

When you have salespeople and jewelers using an ultrasonic

Please see Clean page 14

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Crimes against U.S. jewelry firms in 2022 hits highest number ever recorded by JSA

(NEW YORK) - Jewelers’ Security Alliance (JSA) has released its 2022 Annual Crime Report which described how the number of crimes committed against the U.S. jewelry industry reached the highest number ever recorded.

John Kennedy, President of JSA commented: “Soaring crime needs to be a concern for the entire diamond, jewelry and watch industry. This Report can help jewelers become better prepared for the dangerous crime risks they

face every day, and can alert law enforcement agencies to the serious crime risks of the jewelry industry.”

Kennedy urged all jewelry firm owners and their employees to spend time reading and discussing the Report, examining the serious risks that every jewelry business faces, and taking appropriate steps to reduce risk. He reminded jewelers that burglaries, robberies and thefts happen everywhere: small towns, big cities, malls, strip centers and free

standing stores coast to coast, and that every jewelry business is at risk.

Notable results from the Report include the following:

1. In 2022 the total dollar losses from crimes against U.S. jewelry firms reported to JSA was $129.4 million, an 84.6% increase from $70.1 million in 2021.

2. In 2022 the total number of crimes committed against U.S. jewelry firms was 2,211, which is the highest number of crimes JSA has ever recorded. The num-

ber of crimes in 2022 represented an increase of 31.1% from 2021, when 1,687 crimes were reported to JSA.

3. Distraction thefts increased from 91 events in 2021 to 195 events in 2022. Burglaries increased from 311 in 2021 to 484 in 2022. Smash and grab robberies increased from 85 in 2021 to 169 in 2022.

4. The number of off-premises crimes reported to JSA increased from 34 in 2021 to 65 in 2022. Crimes committed at trade shows increased from 2 reports in 2021, to 20 reports in 2022. The average jewelry trade show loss in 2022 was $243,000.

5. The dollar losses from crimes against U.S. jewelry firms reported to JSA for the 21-year period 2002 to 2022 totaled $2.5 billion on an inflation adjusted basis.

To download a copy of the full report, visit jewelerssecurity. org/crime-statistics.

For further information, contact John Kennedy, President of JSA, at 212-687-0328 or jsa2@ jewelerssecurity.org.

Continued from page 12

to clean jewelry, you may want to consider getting a second one so they aren’t using the same one. Everyone wants everything done fast, but every customer appreciates it more when you handle their precious items with diligent care.

Custom guru Joel McFadden is the owner of Joel McFadden Designs in Chapel Hill, NC. He developed pricing for custom jewelry and repairs for the IJO Prototype Store, opened a business which became a million-dollar store focusing on custom, was named MJSA’s first Mentor Jeweler, was the first director of the Council of Custom Jewelers, and is the creator of the Bench Jewelers Challenge. He is an industry writer and speaks at events. Available for CAD work, stone setting, and complete custom pieces for the trade. Contact Joel at MentorJeweler@gmail.com, 984-212-2217, JMDJewelry.com, Facebook and YouTube.

Applied Marketing 101

Surviving the Collapse of Bridal Price Points

By George Prout

The Lab Grown Diamond (LGD) Disruption is now entering the third phase of what I believe will be seven predictable discrete mini epochs in the evolution of LGD en route to becoming a mature product category. Each phase will open new opportunities for both suppliers and retailers, but each will also likely create turmoil as well as financial turbulence. Over time, we will see an ever-increasing emphasis on higher price point fashion as LGD recreates the diamond jewelry business, but for now, we are

still witnessing a narrow collective focus on bridal applications. And since this particular phase inevitably involves a collapse in Average Unit Retail (AUR) prices in bridal, I’m writing to make some suggestions, both to help you to weather the storm, as well as to maximize the benefits that this opportunity provides. But first, let’s look at what’s happening, and why.

Last fall we saw the beginning of the Darwinistic cleansing of the LGD supply chain, as dealers, both large and small, reacted to the precipitous decline in LGD prices by dumping goods, which

served only to hasten the decline in prices. In turn, this caused aggregated AUR in engagement rings to begin to collapse, a trend that has now accelerated in 2023 to the extent that the Edge Retail Academy reports a spectacular 30 percent decline so far this year. The collapse has been so severe for some that I have heard whispers that certain retailers are even considering dropping lab altogether, in hopes that they can somehow re-energize their mined business by not offering the lab grown counterpart.

This strategy strikes me as analogous to Verizon or AT&T

choosing to opt out of cell phone sales twenty-five years ago because it was killing their landline business. Obviously, that choice would have been catastrophic.

George Prout

Sadly, for industry purists, the LGD genie is out of the bottle, and the notion that one can successfully survive as a niche player selling only mined centers strikes me as impossible, unless you’re one of many retailers in a high-density population market. Furthermore, the choice to go “mined-only” leaves you incredibly vulnerable to a competitor with a well-developed LGD revenue stream who can simply sell mined diamonds at cost until you’re forced to abandon that segment of the business. Want to spend the rest of your career completely out of the bridal business? I suspect not.

Fortunately, there are answers to the strategic challenge posed by the decline you’re experiencing in bridal AUR. Here are a few of the most powerful options:

1. Go Big

There is absolutely no reason for your bridal AUR to collapse, provided that the size of the diamonds you’re selling increases proportionately to offset the decline that’s occurring in price. The problem you’re experiencing has as its core cause the fact that perceptually, mainstream consumers are unaccustomed to seeing 4 and 5-carat centers on their friends’ hands. Yet the hyper-affluent consumers in the 60s who shopped at Tiffany and Harry Winston had no problem purchasing engagement rings containing large diamonds. As an aside, can you imagine Elizabeth Taylor complaining that a 4-carat diamond was too big? Yet I know that you are hearing young women saying that a particular diamond is just too big for their hands.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this problem that can be found in the neurophysiological paradigm that humans (as well as all higher order primates) evaluate objects not in terms of their actual size, but rather in terms of their relative size. Want to sell her a 3-carat? Show her a 4-carat. Want to sell her a 4-carat? Show her a 5-carat. Simply show her a large size that she can reject as being too large, so that she

Please see Prout page 22

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Why

We use Zillion, one of The Edge’s partners, for insurance. The whole point of Zillion is to get the customer easily insured before they leave the store. So it’s really good customer service. It’s also good for us, because they’re insured and if something happens they’ll come back to us.

We’re really busy and business is really good. In the big scheme of things, things are awesome here.

- Jeff Guntzviller, General Manager, Miner’s North Jewelers, Traverse City, MI

The importance of WOWING your customers

Everyone likes to be WOWed! In fact, every day consumers shop for that WOW factor whether it is on-line, in a retail store, window shopping or even surfing on various websites on a

smartphone. Every year business is different from the last, and this year surely is no exception. The common thread that retailers agree upon is the need to create a life experience whenever someone walks into their store.

“GN Diamond speaks with over local 5,000 retail jewelry stores, weekly, and we listen to some of their creative ideas on how a WOW experience may be realized,” says Asaf Herskovitz, CEO GN Diamonds. “In addition, we host a monthly webinar with Shane Decker, the ultimate sales advisor for jewelry stores and president of Ex-sell-ence Sales

Academy. One suggestion may be when someone walks into a store for a watch battery and while they are waiting you WOW them with a 2-4 carat diamond that you are excited about or a new piece of finished jewelry that is spectacular. By creating these unique and unparalleled experiences, the customer will leave feeling special and that you truly care, which will hopefully lead to a future sale.”

“Storytelling can also create a WOW experience,” he continues. “For example, when a client comes to you for any reason, you can tell them the story of how and why you purchased a certain dia-

mond. Perhaps 3 out of 10 times they may be an add-on and 7 out of 10 times they may not, but they will always remember the respect that was shown and the excitement that you created while they were in your store! This may lead to an extra holiday sale or any occasion sale.”

Asaf offers these discussion points when speaking about diamonds that can excite your customers.

1. Natural diamonds may be anywhere from 1 to 3.7 billion years old. WOW! That is incredible!

2. There is 34% less inventory and there haven’t been any new discoveries since 2005. Natural diamonds continue to appreciate.

3. Diamond cutters may attend school for over 10 years just to get their techniques fine-tuned. This may be longer than doctors, lawyers and dentists.

4. An average woman looks at her hand over 25,000 times a year. It is important to let end consumers know that diamonds entering your store are cherry picked from hundreds with the same color and clarity. Each diamond has unique characteristics.

5. Lab grown diamonds are here to stay, but because they are created via technology the supply is unlimited, and their price points are attractive to consumers of all ages.

GN Diamond has seen a tremendous increase in sales of lab grown diamonds as well lab grown studs in large sizes.

Creating opportunities is a challenge for everyone but the sheer excitement in one’s voice is always appreciated and may lead to many future sales and possible referrals.

“GN Diamond is loyal to our retail customers and is open 24/7 at sales@gndiamond.com and 800-724-8810,” said Asaf.

PRE-SHOW EDUCATION: FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 COBB GALLERIA CENTRE

PROUT

Continued from page 16

can then opt for a diamond that is smaller than the one that was “too large.”

2. Stock semimounts configured with heads and shanks for larger size diamonds

Just as there is a neurophysiological foundation for “going big”, we can similarly use the psychological concept of “Cognitive Dissonance” to provide another answer to the challenge of selling larger diamonds, and to illustrate, I’ll refer to a recent personal experience. My daughter decided to get engaged in February (to a terrific guy!), and so I sent her to several jewelry stores in her local market that I knew would have excellent assortments for her to try on. But when she called me that Saturday evening after her

shopping trip, she summarized it with a remarkable pronouncement. “Dad,” she said, “all of the oval diamonds over two carats looked too big for my fingers.”

What a remarkable statement!

I puzzled over it for some time, and given the fact that I know that there’s nothing about her fingers that would preclude wearing a larger diamond, it occurred to me that the problem might not be caused by the diamonds being too large. Instead, I suddenly realized that the semi-mounts she was seeing were configured to accept diamonds that were too small.

With this in mind, I mounted up a 3-carat, and Fedexed it to her. She called me with glee when she opened the box, to inform me that I was right, the 3-carat “looks perfect” on her fingers. So clearly in this case, what was keeping her from selecting

the larger diamond wasn’t the way the diamond looked on her fingers. It was the awkward way the diamond looked on a semi mount that was clearly too small for a larger center stone. Awkwardness of any kind converts the prospective buyer into a state of “Cognitive Dissonance” resulting from the fact that what they are seeing doesn’t make sense, and this in turn will cause them to freeze. Avoid this, by being sure to stock some semi’s that can accommodate the size diamond that you need to sell to increase your bridal AUR.

3. Start diverting part of your lab inventory to asset

The two strategies outlined above can help you elevate your bridal AUR and stem the decline in your bridal revenue/profit stream, but they may not solve the problem completely. So in or-

der to elevate your gross profit on smaller (2-3 carat) LGD sales, it may be time for you to start mixing some asset purchases into your on-hand LGD inventory. No, I am not suggesting that you start buying LGD on asset across the board. There is still way too much volatility in the market to take significant risks owning LGD that will likely be declining in value.

What I am suggesting instead is that you start selectively buying certain sizes and shapes on asset so that you can expand your margins and blunt part of the impact of LGD price decreases.

I would especially encourage you to plot your prior year sales of 2-3 carat rounds, ovals, and emerald cuts, as well as 2 ctw round diamond studs, to build a mathematical model for your likely sales of these items during any 60-day period. By moving

the part of your inventory that you are likely to sell quickly into asset, the savings from lower asset prices will allow you to recapture some profit, potentially offsetting a portion of the AUR decline. These three moves can significantly alter your bridal revenue/profit stream in ways that can compensate for industry-wide declines in bridal AUR, but they are only a few of the ways to accomplish this objective. If you’d like to read more, email me at george@surrealdiamond.com and I’ll send you a Phase 3 LGD Survival Guide.

Class Dismissed!

George Prout is President of JB Bhanderi, the largest CVD grower in the world and the producer of the Surreal brand of Lab Grown Diamonds.

HRS

Continued from page 4

and market-tested prices.

A new addition to the HardRock Summit is the VIP Buyer program, designed to attract industry professionals from around the world. It allows buyers from large vendors to register and enjoy numerous amenities and perks.

Exhibitors and visitors of the HardRock Summit can look forward to a range of special exhibits and educational programming. World-renowned collectors and museums will showcase breathtaking specimens in dedicated collectors’ cases, while a series of lectures will accompany the fair. Additionally, the HardRock Summit continues its commitment to tradition by hosting the Denver Gem and Mineral Show, which was founded in 1968 as a grassroots movement of mineral enthusiasts. The DGMS will present the special exhibit “Gem Minerals: Nature’s Bling”, featuring nearly 40 exhibits displaying the latest mineral and fossil finds from around the world, as well as world-class specimens that reflect the show’s theme, making HardRock Summit an all-around captivating, informative, and upscale experience for all visitors. For more information, to register or inquire about exhibiting visit HardRockSummit.com.

AUGUST 26-27, 2023

PRE-SHOW EDUCATION: FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 COBB GALLERIA CENTRE

“What we love about these displays is the price tags are all hidden and don’t get bent. Being magnetized nothing gets knocked over while putting these into my vault, which is perfect!”

-Joe Stehle, Facet & Co. Virginia City, NV.

“SmartPro Packaging has made our lives much easier and happier, by only stocking the universal shell and 13 interchangeable inserts it reduces our storage of tons of di erent boxes.”

Mallinak, Mallinak Designs. Kirkland,WA.

13 Inserts

PURCHASE OUR 3 UNIVERSAL SHELLS SEPARATELY, THEN SELECT THE APPROPRIATE INSERT AS NEEDED.

3 Shell Sizes

-Frank

To achieve long-term success, it is essential to both acquire new customers and retain old customers.

Gems One is here to help you boost your sales and build tra c. Some of our o erings include:

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Book an appointment to learn how you can up your tra c and much more. In real estate its Location, Location, Location. In Jewelry Retail its Tra c, Tra c, Tra c.

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3 digital marketing lessons from great jewelry radio ads

By André Savoie

“Radio doesn’t work.”

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard somebody tell me this - they’re mostly wrong.

Just ask some of the local jewelry store owners I know who have built incredible businesses thanks largely to their radio strategy and extraordinary ad writing.

And while I’m not here to convince you to dump your digital marketing in favor of radio, I am going to share with you some

of the key takeaways I’ve learned from working with local, showroom-based jewelers who aggressively do both.

You see, the thing is, there’s a reason radio has worked so well for jewelers, especially in the hands of a skilled ad writer. These are also the exact same reasons many digital marketers don’t get the success they expect.

That’s why I’ve come to believe successful jewelry campaigns are less about the medium and more about properly execut-

ing the following 3 things:

Lesson #1: Get Your Brand Message Right

Successful jewelers who invest in radio advertising know they must say something compelling to get your attention, hold your interest, and make you feel good about their store.

You can’t do that by blathering on about having the “finest selection” and “best prices” in your town. Everybody says that.

Great radio ads create a “personality” for your brand. They

create a unique voice. They develop characters you feel like you know.

Big businesses refer to this as branding. I call it giving people a clear understanding of how your store is different from the dozens of other jewelers in the same listening area, all while giving them a good reason to visit.

Lesson #2: Reach & Frequency Matter

Many local jewelers fail to really understand the reach of your digital marketing.

One of the big reasons jewelers love radio is you reach a lot of people. Now, not all of them are targeted or interested in jewelry today, but at some point they may be jewelry customers and they probably know someone who is buying jewelry soon.

On the other spectrum, I often see jewelers whose digital campaigns aren’t reaching many people at all. Just look at the organic reach of your social media posts or the number of people actually opening your emails. It’s probably not a big number.

With digital marketing, you need to make sure you’re reaching enough people for your campaigns to be effective. And not just reaching more people, but doing it with the right frequency as well.

By frequency, we mean the number of times people see your ad. Google Ads and Meta Business Manager (Facebook Ads Manager) provide your frequency numbers on each campaign. Don’t overlook the importance of having enough budget so people see your ads 2 - 7 times which is how many times it takes for them to take action.

Lesson #3: Balance Customer Bonding & Sales Activation

It’s tempting to focus your digital marketing efforts only on people who are “in-market” for jewelry right now. But that is such a small percentage of people. And their buying window is short.

Customer bonding is a longterm play. But most of my jewelry clients are 2nd or 3rd generation, so they’re always cultivating relationships with their clients in hopes they last for years to come.

That’s why a majority of your marketing budget needs to go towards customer bonding if you’re a serious jeweler. It’s tomorrow’s business.

But there’s also a place for reaching those people who are “in-market” today. That’s where Sales Activation comes in. Using messages focused on the urgency of inviting people to your store for a personalized consultation or even a special event, those are the

André Savoie

GET YOUR STORE IN SHAPE

The Education & Products You Need to Succeed

AUGUST 13 -15

AUGUST 5-8, 2023

AUGUST 13-15, 2023

much needed change to ensure that metal mining is safe for those impacted. Now at H&S for over six years, she’s just reaching her stride in these vital areas, with so much yet to be accomplished.

But according to Cutler, she’s enjoying every moment of these challenges. “I get to do a little bit of everything,” Cutler reveals, “so I am always learning something new.” She inherited some of the most critical concerns within the metal trade, and she’s pressing for sustainable solutions. Prior to her joining H&S, the problem of mercury used in metal processing was just starting to be understood. “Mercury was on Hoover & Strong’s radar long before I joined the company,” she explains. “I believe the mercury in mining issue really came to light for us in the early 2000s.”

At that time, organizations such as ARM (Alliance of Responsible Mining), Fairmined (an initiative connecting responsible mines with gold miners), and Fairtrade (helping to trace gold) were just getting started.”

Recycling Metals for the Win

Turns out, one challenge can spark innovations needed elsewhere, like the recycled metals niche. “So we turned to recycled precious metals,” Cutler tells us.

“In 2007, we realized that there were no standards for recycled metals, so we worked with SCS Global Services to create a regulatory process which led to the SCS certification that is still used today.”

For Cutler, finding alternatives to mercury used in gold recovery strikes a personal chord.

This informs her commitment to play the long game until change is realized. “Mercury has a particularly devastating effect on children living in and around the mining community,” she tells us.

“But there is a lack of knowledge within the communities about these effects. As soon as parents, especially mothers, learn what mercury is doing to their children, they get involved if they can, and change begins.” With solutions available, she is committed to seeing greater change.

“What really gets to me is the

fact that something as simple as information and education could prevent harm but is intentionally being withheld by cartels controlling the flow of gold in and out of mining communities.”

With the knowledge of mercury’s devastating effects on regions impacted by gold mining, alternatives are being implemented to create a safer, more healthy environment. Immediate fixes are not guaranteed, yet over the next few years, the industry will witness improvements.

Alternatives that Work

Stewart Grice, VP of Mills at Hoover & Strong joins the conversation. “For alluvial gold mining there’s floatation-vibrating tables that rely on the weight of gold to separate it, as do centrifugal separation processes,” Grice points out. “For hard rock mining, the best route we see at present is the cyanide process.”

Grice says not to confuse this process with cyanide leaching, which is extremely destructive

and environmentally damaging. Rather, it’s using cyanide in a controlled manner, under correct containment and disposal processes, he clarifies. “Cyanide degrades under ultra-violet light (sunlight) to become non-toxic. It is one of the ways to go. If monitored and processed correctly, this is an extremely safe way of processing hard rock ore and it’s used by a number of the Fairmined certified small scale mines.”

Start with Education

Cutler says the long term effect of educating H&S’s customer base will be better methods of processing gold while guarding the environment. “I believe an increasing number of our customers are aware of the situation, but we still have a long way to go,” she confides. Still, she’s not experiencing any push-back, and she believes most jewelers have a desire to do the right thing. “But it is a very complex and multifaceted situation, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed,” she says.

With regards to recycling metals, ongoing conversations will add clarity to this topic, Cutler notes. “There is confusion over the definition of recycled,” she points out. Simply put, recycled gold includes post-consumer or post-industrial scrap. These include dental (gold) waste, pawnshop castoffs - broken or unsold jewelry, jeweler’s bench

scraps, electronic waste, or industrial scrap where the metals have clearly exhausted their original use.

Premiums for Good

To aid artisanal communities in sourcing their metals responsibly, Cutler explains that a premium is added onto the metal. “There is the premium put on responsibly sourced artisanal small-scale mined (ASM) gold.” But she stresses that a better understanding of how the premium is reinvested into the mining communities is essential. “There’s the impact of mercury but there are also broader impacts of mining to the communities and environment such as child labor, dangerous working conditions, unfair pay, plus the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest at an extraordinarily fast pace. I do not think most people understand the depth of this situation. If they did, they’d better understand the premium price of responsibly sourced material.”

A Battle Worth Waging

Cutler is clearly focused forward for the long haul. None of these situations will have swift solutions, but it’s worth staying the course. She points out that organizations like ARM and Fairmined are doing a good job of making people aware of the challenges and of offering workable alternatives.

Her support for jewelers desiring to contribute to the solution are doable. “I encourage jewelers to make Fairmined gold part of their mission,” Cutler says. “Start by adding just one collection crafted exclusively from Fairmined gold and promote the message to your customer base. We need more jewelers and consumers buying more Fairmined in order to change the mining industry.”

Fairmined (Taybayer) gold and diamond hoops. Photo Bergdorf Goodman

Dani Cutler

Furry Friends on the Job! FF

Do you have a furry friend that helps out in your store? Tell us about it and send a picture to bill@southernjewelrynews.com.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is Elvis! Elvis loves working with his humans Andie Weinman and Joe Murphy, owners of Continental Buying Group. The 5-year-old, 5 pound Toy Poodle never misses a CBG Show. He is a star that never meets a stranger. He travels extensively with Andie and Joe on behalf of CBG. Elvis sits in on CBG meetings, lending Andie moral support. At shows he assists CBG’s head of security. When not wearing his security jacket, he’s usually sporting his signature jean jacket. Elvis is not just good looking, he’s also very talented. He has a long list of tricks, and understands English, Spanish, Hebrew and even a little Russian. Last year in Vegas he walked the LeVian Red Carpet with Andie and he has just completed a photo shoot for Neiman Marcus.

Say hello to Freddy! Freddy is the newest addition to the team at The Diamond Room by Spektor in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Weighing in at an energetic 10 lbs, the 7-month-old Cockapoo loves to great all The Diamond Room’s customers. Kind of like a Pavlov’s dog, the second he hears the buzzer he’s gone. He’s living the good life working alongside his human Coby Spektor, son of store-owner Alon Spektor. Freddy loves to run up and down the hallways and take long naps under Coby’s desk. Everyone loves having Freddy at the store.

Email: contact@pickensinc.com

480 E. Paces Ferry Rd. Atlanta, GA. 30305

In memory of Minnie. Minnie was an Australian Cattle Dog (Red Heeler). She was a bit of a runt, weighing only 24 lbs (average is well over 30), but more than made up for that with her attitude. Minnie was an eager shop companion and loved to go to work almost every day with her human Chris Ploof at the Chris Ploof Designs studio in Central Massachusetts. She was known for her incredibly sassy disposition, and worked as Head of Security. Minnie loved a good game of catch and had serious tennis ball and Frisbee skills. She was a great trail dog and loved mountain biking. She is sorely missed. Rest in peace, Minnie!

HRD Antwerp certifies the first commercial lab-grown “full diamond” ring

(ANTWERP) - In 2017, in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Dutch Diamond Group, CEO Ton Janssen and his team created the first full diamond lab-grown ring. This was an innovative and experimental process to show the unique abilities of the DD Group and was not made for commercial use.

The piece is still visible today in the DIVA museum in Antwerp. That piece created so much attention worldwide, that Janssen

part, was by far the inside polishing which took more than 750 hours. A big difference in comparison to an average small diamond where you polish for about 8 hours.

After certification by HRD Antwerp, the ring will go to New York and through Hong Kong to its final destination in China, where the client will be able to wear the first full diamond labgrown ring. DD Group is not planning to sell this design commercially.

HRD Antwerp graded the ring with the following results: Diamond Type - CVD lab-grown diamond; Carat Weight - 4.04 ct; Shape - Ring; Clarity - VVS2 ;

Color - D; Polish - EXC; Symmetry: EXC

Ellen Joncheere, CEO HRD Antwerp stated: “We are honored that the Dutch Diamond Group chose to come to HRD Antwerp first to showcase and certify their extraordinary work. Grading jewelry is becoming more and more important and for that reason we are creating a new package of services for jewelry owners. The fact that the DD Group came with a lab-grown jewel to HRD Antwerp is not a coincidence. We worked hard on delivering a consistent service to our clients and our expertise and reputation in grading in lab-grown diamonds is rapidly growing.”

got an order from the oldest European Jewellery house, Heursel, to make a second version, but this time as a high-end luxury piece of jewelry. It took two attempts and more than 1,600 hours, but they did it again.

From Germany to China: a story of love, passion and a 1,300 hours failed attempt

What proved to be a challenge in 2017, remains a complex operation today. That it wasn’t smooth sailing, was made very clear when his first attempt at reproducing a full diamond ring shattered at Christmas 2021 during the cleaning process - after 1,300 hours of work. After restarting the process, materials were shipped in from Germany and together with the Antwerp company Spitsdiam they started on a new design.

Ton Janssen, CEO Dutch Diamond Group stated: “This ring is an example of how old craftmanship and new technology are combined to make something really unique. The challenge was even greater, because this time it was an order for a real wearable ring customized and tailored to the client. DD Group has a strong reputation on making some of the most difficult products out of labgrown diamond. Failure was not an option and when you start this, you know it’s a labor of love, passion and a lot of work. ”

It took exceptional talent to get to the end result. The pregrinding took about 80 hours inhouse at DD Group. The facets were done in Belgium and took almost 300 hours. But the hardest

Virginia jewelers unite for Children’s Hospital of Richmond

(RICHMOND, Vir.)

- Richmond Jewelers are pleased to announce that the 10th Anniversary Jewels for Children raffle raised $14,910 for Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU at the 59th Annual Children’s Hospital Foundation Ball.

The annual raffle, organized by Cheryl Fornash of Cheryl Fornash Jewelers, has raised more than $180,000 in support of the Richmond-area non-profit organization since its inception in 2009.

RinGS

Continued from page 8

GemOro Products/Kessler Lab

Grown Diamonds, GIA Alumni Collective, and BIG.

“The Rings of Strength events are an integral part of the JFC fundraising initiatives each year,” said Alan Zimmer, JFC Board Chair. “Each year the support has grown and the camara-

derie and the challenge of participation has become a big part of the experience. People look forward to the event and challenging themselves to raise more and push further than the previous year.”

A previous edition of the Rings of Strength was held on May 1, in Louisville, KY as part of the AGS Conclave.

Anyone interested in learning more about the event can visit www.ringsofstrength.org. Information on the 2024 editions will be posted soon.

Jewelers for Children was founded in 1999 by the U.S. jewelry industry with the mission of enhancing the lives of children. Since its inception, JFC has donated more than $61 million to programs benefiting children whose lives have been affected by illness, abuse or neglect.

SaVOie

Continued from page 28

ads that get people to take action now.

But you can’t run sales activation ads all day. Not unless you’re a car dealer.

Jewelers have long-term relationships that take time to develop, so put most of your efforts into customer bonding, and you’ll be glad you did!

André Savoie is the founder of High Level Thinkers, a digital marketing agency serving local jewelers with digital marketing, including Facebook, Instagram & Google advertising, local SEO, email marketing & more. For more information, contact André at andre@highlevelthinkers.com, 504-669-3207 or visit www.HighLevelThinkers.com.

(L-R) Taylor Cowardin, Cowardin’s Jewelers; Caitie Sellers, Dransfield Jewelers; Robyn Bivens, Cheryl Fornash Jewelers; Vicki Robinson, Fink’s Jewelers; Jane Sternheimer, Charles Schwarzschild Jewelers; Cheryl Fornash, Cheryl Fornash Jewelers; Cheryl Jarvis, Victoria Charles Jewelry; Robin Adolf Salzberg, Lustre by Adolf; Daniel Wright, Lustre by Adolf; Sally Ashby, Carreras Jewelers; Schwarzschild Jewelers not in the photo.

The Quality Gold team is a mainstay at the Jewelers for Children Rings of Strength events.

RETAILERS We bring together and SUPPLIERS

OCTOBER 13–16, 2023

MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER

MIAMI BEACH, FL

More than a Leading Cash-and-carry Event

JIS Fall helps jewelry industry professionals grow their businesses and deepen relationships with suppliers by creating a community in which relationships are built, business is transacted, trends are discovered, and new ideas are shared at trade-only events that are strategically timed for when buyers need inventory the most.

The Story Behind the Stone Assume Heat

By Diana Jarrett

When looking at gemstone reports, one might see the notation “assume heat” on the document. Ruby in particular is known to be subjected to this ancient treatment.

No Heat Means Top Dollar

Ruby, a member of the corundum family of minerals has been a desirable gemstone for eons. When it shimmers in its vibrant red glory straight from the mine, it commands top dollar. And when it goes to auction, there’s likely to be a serious bidding war to secure this ‘no heat’

variety. “No heat” ruby’s high price reflects both its desirability and its scarcity with serious collectors.

All Ruby - All Treated

Today, experts may assert that virtually ‘all’ rubies coming to market have been heated. As-

sume heat treatment is the phrase applied to ruby products whether or not the vendor has documented their provenance.

But for most of the material being found that lacks the splendid ruby-red tint, heating it to bring out its optimum beauty

all ruby is produced with this silk, seeing none under the microscope is not necessarily proof that it was heated.

Not all heat treatment is the same however, and those conducting this method have certain goals in mind prior to its treatment. For example, rubies that are cooked above 1,100 °C or 2012 °F, are done to remove unwanted brown, purple, or purplish tones in the crystals. Firing these stones above 1,450 °C, or over 2,642 °F, will also dissolve those fine rutile silk inclusions. In some

Diana Jarrett

uation of what nature was doing to these crystals.

Heating rubies is a permanent and stable treatment. And it’s one that should be explained

is the way to go. Performing this process means that more truly beautiful goods are available in the marketplace. A consumer will pay up to 50% more for heat treated stones than those less attractive untreated ones, but the post-treatment colors are worth it.

Not a New Treatment

History records that early Arab and other Middle Eastern traders were heating corundum as far back as 1240 AD. So they knew a thing or two about the beauty treatment for ruby to make a sale.

The reason corundum - both sapphire and ruby - is heated is to alter its color to a more desirable hue or improve its clarity. Some rubies have naturally occurring silk-like inclusions which dissolve under heating. But since not

cases, this heating also improves the stone’s transparency. Change with New Discoveries

Mozambique rubies have become popular today for those wanting the true lipstick red tint of ruby. Since about 2009, Mozambique ruby has taken lead in providing the global supply of fine quality ruby. Stones from this region may undergo routine high temp heating. But insiders also have pointed to Mozambican stones being sent to Sri Lanka (and maybe Bangkok) for heating at much lower temps. The result, they say removes any blue color within the crystals and produces that desired pure red hue.

Nothing to Hide

Irrespective of what temperature ruby has undergone in its heating, this procedure is an industry accepted form of gemstone treatment to increase salability through more attractive color stones. Since corundum - ruby or sapphire were initially formed under conditions of extreme heat, some professionals say the additional heating is merely a contin-

in a positive way to consumers. Part of the allure of these gemstones aside from their beauty after treatment, is the story of their exotic discovery. Adding details about this ancient heat treatment to maximize the stone’s allure is part of its mysterious voyage. That can become a key aspect in your presentation in educating your customers on the backstory of their purchase. So arm them with the fascinating knowledge of this stone’s passage from mine to their jewel box.

Award winning trade journalist and gemologist Diana Jarrett is a Registered Master Valuer Appraiser and a member of the Association of Independent Jewellery Valuers (AIJV). She’s a popular speaker at conferences and trade shows. Jarrett writes for trade and consumer publications, online outlets, her blog: Color-n-Ice, and www.jewelrywebsitedesigners.com. Contact her at diana@dianajarrett.com, visit her website at www.dianajarrett.com, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter (Loupey).

No heat 1.35 ct Burma ruby and .80 ct diamond ring. Photo Rau Antiques

Ruby sample before and after heating. Photo Natural Ruby company

Cartier’s Cardinalis 12.62 ct Mozambican ruby ring. Photo Cartier

Hill & Co. welcomes Stanley Zale as Principal Consultant

Hill & Co., specialized management consultants exclusively for the diamond, gemstone, and jewelry industry, has announced the appointment of Stanley Zale as Principal Consultant.

With over 40 years of experience in the diamond industry, beginning his career as a sawyer and working nearly ten years for renowned diamantaire Louis Glick, Stanley moved on to become Vice President at Graff USA, and for the past 17 years has been Vice

On the Move

Hoover & Strong welcomes two new members to National Sales Team

(RICHMOND, Vir.)Hoover & Strong, a leading provider of high-quality jewelry and precious metal products, is pleased to announce the addition of two highly skilled professionals to its national sales team. Hind Walker and Toni Ann Scialo have joined the company, bringing a wealth of industry experience and expertise to further strengthen Hoover & Strong’s position in the market.

Hind Walker joins Hoover & Strong from Radcliffe Jewelers in

Baltimore, Maryland, where she excelled as a Retail Sales Specialist. With over a decade of industry experience, Hind has proven her capabilities in various roles, including a Senior Buyer position at Zachary’s Jewelers for 10 years and serving as the Director of Sales for Aaron Basha in New York. Her extensive knowledge of both the retail and wholesale sides of the industry makes her a valuable addition to the team.

Toni Ann Scialo comes to Hoover & Strong from Midas

Chain in Northvale, NJ, where she served as a Senior Account Executive-Jewelry Division for the past five years. With her exceptional skills in managing client accounts and driving new business development, Toni will play a pivotal role in expanding H&S’s reach and ensuring client satisfaction. Her impressive track record and deep understanding of the industry make her a perfect fit for the company and their clients.

“We are thrilled to welcome Hind and Toni to the Hoover

& Strong family,” said Torry Hoover, President of Hoover & Strong. “Their extensive experience and expertise will undoubtedly enhance our capabilities in serving our valued clients and further solidify our position as a leader in the industry. We are confident that they will make valuable contributions to our team and help us achieve new heights.”

For more information about Hoover & Strong visit their website at hooverandstrong.com.

Stanley Zale

President for Diamond and Gemstones Procurement at Stuller.

Stanley currently serves on the boards of the Jewelers Security Alliance and the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association. He is a member of the 24 Karat Club of New York and the 24 Karat Club Southeast US, and recently completed his term of six years on the Executive Board of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.

Alongside his deep industry knowledge, Stanley brings a dedication and unwavering commitment to drive long term growth and sustainability in the diamond, gemstone, and jewelry industrya value at the core of Hill & Co.

In joining Hill & Co., Stanley brings an additional breadth and depth of expertise to complement their existing team of consultants, which drives accelerated growth for current and future clients.

ChatGPT. Your secret edge?

Unleash its power! 3 simple hacks to try

By Mia Katrin

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool. It’s taking the virtual world by storm. Whether you’re an enthusiast or sceptic, its potential can’t be ignored.

Early adopters will gain the competitive edge. When the internet first exploded, opening instant access to information and worldwide communication, all aspects of life - business, social life, entertainment - were transformed. A decade later the iPhone was introduced and supercharged the computer revolution. Today 6.92 billion people, 82% of the world’s population, use smart phones. AI is the next big wave. ChatGPT, a user-friendly, free AI tool, is now available for everyone.

You’re already using AI. It’s embedded in the algorithms that regulate Facebook and Instagram, as well as Google search, chatbots on websites and facial and voice recognition.

Have you asked Siri a question lately? She’s an AI bot. Your smart car has AI embedded in its GPS navigational systems and self-driving functions. It’s already integrated into the systems we use throughout our daily life.

ChatGPT has brought AI to the fore. It’s accessible in ordinary language. You can ask it questions directly rather than in the language of computer programming. And it’s simple to use, widely available, and free.

Jewelers can harness the power of AI in virtually every aspect of their business, from marketing (social media, enewsletters, website development) to organization (virtual assistant, manuals for store policies), to creative (jewelry product development, new sources and trends research). Take the plunge and see what AI can do for you. The more you use it, the more you’ll begin to realize how it can help you.

Three fun ideas for beginners to try: Go to chat.openai.com. At the bottom of the page, “send a message”, type your question or prompt and send. Make your prompt as detailed and specific as possible.

• Generating viral TikTok scripts. Prompt: “Create a viral TikTok script for marketing a trendy but classic diamond engagement ring. Include visuals.”

• Marketing Ideas. Prompt: “Give 3 prompts that a jewelry store can use to help them in their business.”

ChatGPT’s response:

“Celebrate Your Love: Share Your Memorable Proposal Story and Win a Customized Engagement Ring! Tell us how you popped the question for a chance to win a stunning engagement ring tailored to your unique love story. Share your tale of romance and create a lasting memory with our exquisite jewelry.”

“The Gift of Timeless Beauty: Free Jewelry Cleaning and Inspection Day! Show your precious jewelry some love and care. Bring in your favorite pieces for a complimentary professional cleaning and inspection. Our skilled jewelers will make sure your jewelry sparkles like new and ensure that every gem is securely set. Don’t miss this opportunity to revitalize your cherished treasures.”

“Charity Event: Making a Difference Through Jewelry! Join us for a special evening dedicated to giving back. A portion of every purchase made during the event will be donated to a local charity. Explore our exquisite collection,

enjoy live music, and indulge in delectable treats, all while supporting a worthy cause. Let’s come together to make a positive impact in our community.”

• Creating FAQ for customers. Prompt: “Create a FAQ for a jewelry store website.” Try this one yourself!

Now tailor these prompts for your business and try them.

Will ChatGPT eliminate jobs of writers, marketers or computer programmers? Routine tasks can be performed by AI, freeing humans to create new opportunities. A quick online search already shows an explosion of new marketing proposals: “How to use ChatGPT. Try our short course!” Did computers eliminate human jobs? Some, of course. But as technology developed, new jobs and opportunities emerged. Today, you can become a YouTube creator or podcaster, possibilities that only emerged as the internet developed. The most creative, intelligent writers and marketers, the early adopters, will have a competitive advantage. They’ll

CHUCK

Continued from page 6

had them for the guys to sit on while they all hung out, smoked, and lied to each other about the made-up conquests and victories they’ve all accomplished. At the end of the day, I threw all but one of them in the dumpster, keeping only the most uncomfortable one. The look of shock on everyone’s face the next day was priceless. They all asked where they were supposed to sit while they hung out in my store for hours on end, and smoked. I suggested one of the 7 restaurants in the neighborhood. They reminded me that they couldn’t smoke in the restaurants. I reminded them that they couldn’t smoke in MY store either.

After a few weeks, Buford started limiting his time at the store. Instead of being there all day, he’d come in late, and leave early. Then he cut it down to 3-4 days a week, 3-4 hours a day. But, because he didn’t have any place comfortable to sit, he’d walk over to the barbershop a few doors down and fall asleep in one of their empty chairs. Glenn the barber was not too happy with me for getting rid of the recliner it seems.

Eventually, Buford found something better to do with his time and only showed up on the

Mia Katrin

use AI for background research, to suggest ideas and proposals, and to help them refine, edit and market their work. Their work will utilize the “secret edge” of AI. You too can gain the competitive edge by employing your “AI assistant” throughout your business.

Mia Katrin is an award-winning jewelry designer featured in over 100 stores nationally. To become a Jewel Couture LLC retailer, contact www.jeweljewel. com, 828-406-1105 or mia@jeweljewel.com. A recognized industry spokesperson, Mia also writes for several jewelry magazines and frequently is an invited speaker at major national trade events. She recently launched a new marketing agency to help you sell online, TheJewelersMarketer.com.

day the rent was due. Because he owned most of the property in the neighborhood, everyone left their rent checks at my store. I’d collect the checks, and Buford would come in once or twice a month to pick them up. And eventually, he even accepted the fact that he sold the store to me, I owned it, and I made the rules.

Throughout the last 30 years, I’ve witnessed some of the biggest changes to the business climate in the history of this industry. I miss having a showcase filled with nothing but wax patterns. I miss eating my lunch while reading the local newspaper. I miss eating my lunch while reading Martha Richardson’s column in this newspaper. And I miss the world before smart phones, when people seemed a whole lot smarter.

It’s been an interesting 3 decades. I can’t wait to see what the next 3 have in store.

Chuck is the owner of Anthony Jewelers in Nashville, TN. Chuck also owns CMK Co., a wholesale trade shop that specializes in custom jewelry and repair services to the jewelry industry nationwide. If you would like to contact Chuck or need a speaker or instructor for your next conference/event he can be reached at 615-354-6361, www.CMKcompany.com or send e-mail to info@ southernjewelrynews.com.

Gems One hires Chuck Rouse as Sales & Marketing Consultant Betsey Wheeler joins J. Frank Golden “Golden Girls”

Gems One, supplier to over 1000 independent jewelry stores in the United States, is pleased to welcome Chuck Rouse as their new Southeast Sales & Marketing Consultant.

Rouse is an industry veteran and leader with a proven track record. He was a key member of the original Pandora sales team and was instrumental in developing the Pandora brand, opening 250 doors in the Southeast. A relationship driven person, Chuck looks forward to sharing his extensive experience and knowledge with retailers throughout the southeast.

Contact Chuck directly to learn more about Gems One’s new marketing programs and hundreds of new products at chuck.rouse@gemsone.com.

(ATLANTA) - J. Frank Golden and Associates, a leading name in colored stones for over 50 years, has announced Betsey Wheeler as the newest “Golden Girl” to join the team.

With 25+ years of experience, Betsey brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to J. Frank Golden. She will be overseeing repairs, custom jobs, lapidary services and the stringing department. Betsey has experience in both retail and wholesale, giving her a clear understanding of the importance of the team behind the team.

“If you don’t have a bench jeweler on staff, let JFG be your back office,” said Dena Tanner, President/Owner of J. Frank Golden.

Meet Betsey and all the Golden Girls at the upcoming Atlanta Jewelry Show, August 25 - 27 in booth 1116. The Golden Girls welcome you to bring all your repair and custom job needs with you to the show. Contact J. Frank Golden at 800-241-2165, or visit jfrankgolden.com.

Stuller announces strategic organizational updates

(LAFAYETTE, La.) - The largest jewelry manufacturer in North America, Stuller Inc., has announced the promotions of several key leaders within the company. The following management updates position Stuller Inc. with long-term management stability that will continue to strengthen the company, which serves jewelry professionals through an unmatched selection of quality products, exceptional and friendly service, and the fastest delivery.

• Belit Myers has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Belit is responsible for leading Stuller’s Technology, Pricing, and Product Data teams as the company further integrates technology into all touchpoints. Belit joined Stuller in 2002.

• Coby Blanchard has been promoted to Chief Supply Chain Officer. Coby is responsible for continuing to lead Stuller’s International and Domestic Manufacturing and Distribution teams. Coby has been with the company since 1994.

• Taylor Burgess has been promoted to Chief Customer Officer. Taylor is responsible for leading Stuller’s Customer Experience, Sales, and Marketing teams. Taylor began her career at Stuller in 2013.

• Tiffanie Ortis has been promoted to Vice President of Global Supply Chain. Tiffanie leads Stuller’s Procurement teams, including diamonds and gemstones. Tiffanie joined the company in 2007.

“Belit, Coby, Taylor, and Tiffanie have been outstanding contributors to our organiza-

tion,” says Matt Stuller, Founder and Chairman. “Combined, they bring over 100 years of leadership experience to our management team and provide Stuller a solid foundation for future growth.”

To learn more about Stuller and its Executive Team, visit Stuller.com/About.

(top l-r) Belit Myers, Coby Blanchard, (bottom) Taylor Burgess, Tiffanie Ortis

“Golden Girl” Betsey Wheeler

Chuck Rouse

What’s New

Variety Gem introduces Custom Curved Band Program

Prime jewelry manufacturer, Variety Gem is pleased to introduce their Custom Curved Band Program. The program was designed to provide retailers the opportunity to offer matched wedding bands with a perfect fit without the usual stresses to the retailer or their customers.

“Over the last few years, we have noticed an uptrend in the demand for matching wedding bands which sit flush with an existing engagement ring style,” said Moshe Bezalel, vice president of sales, Variety Gem.

“On a daily basis, our customers were shipping us expensive engagement rings, and our CAD operators would design a curved wedding band to align with the contours of their engagement ring. The result - a perfectly matched wedding band.

“As we all know, not all customers are willing to part with their engagement ring for an extended period of time. There is always risk and cost when shipping a customer’s ring. With the launch of our custom Curved Band Program, this is a risk you no longer need to take! We give retailers the tools to order a band for their customer, and they will be able to wear their engagement

Make BiggerWaves

We’re RJO, the premier jewelers cooperative, founded by and for jewelers to achieve greater success.

For over half a century, we’ve put millions of dollars into the hands of our retail members/owners through cash back rebates on their inventory and business purchases. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Visit our website to learn all the benefits of RJO and how to join.

ring home that day.”

Program includes:

• Stylish Tray with alloy samples

• Patent pending curved band measuring tool

• Access to 144 different styles

Features:

• 12 Contour Bands - tested to fit 95% of all engagement rings

• 5 diamond designed wedding band styles to be adjusted to any contour your customer chooses

• An attractive display unit to feature in your showcase

• A patent pending measuring tool that takes the science out of curved wedding bands

• Quick delivery of custom wedding bands

Benefits:

• Faster delivery, higher margin

• Happy customers equals more referrals

• Less money wasted on shipping and insuring expensive engagement rings

• Less stress

To learn more or place an order, call 212-921-1820, visit varietygem.com or email order@ varietygem.com.

Costar Imports introduces Social Media Marketing Program

Costar Imports, a leading fine diamond jewelry manufacturer and distributor, has announced a social media marketing program to benefit fine jewelers during their busiest time of the year - the holidays. The program will provide high quality videos, social media advertising, and expert management for retail jewelers.

“We are excited to partner with jewelers, and offer them marketing assistance during what is not only the busiest time of the year, but the most profitable,” says Ram Kedia, Costar Imports President. “With this program, jewelers will be able to reach thousands of jewelry shoppers in their market while staying handsoff. They don’t have to do anything, so they can concentrate on what’s happening in their store.”

The program, which will run from a few days before Thanksgiving through Christmas, includes 8 elaborate, multi-edited videos featuring Costar products. The videos, along with engaging copy, will be posted directly on jewelers’ Facebook and Insta-

gram accounts. Each post will be boosted, targeting jewelry shoppers who live within a jeweler’s market, driving them to shop.

Costar is working with Harmon, a marketing agency specializing in the jewelry industry, to manage the program. Harmon will implement the entire program directly through jewelers’ social media accounts. They will also provide a content calendar, detailing when posts will be scheduled, as well as performance analytics when the program is over.

“Everything is professionally created and managed from beginning to end,” explains Kedia. “Jewelers don’t have to do anything except sign up.”

For more information on this program, or to sign-up, call 888726-7827 or email ram@costarimports.com.

Optimize your jewelry store’s website for better organic traffic - here’s how!

By Guy Pineda

When it comes to SEO, numerous individuals recognize its advantages for their websites yet often lack the expertise to utilize it effectively. While SEO comprises several elements, one practical approach jewelry store marketing teams, owners, and managers can adopt is identifying a specific keyword they aim to rank high for.

With this article, let me guide you through the 8 easiest step-bystep guides to optimize your jewelry store website for a specific keyword and gain organic traffic.

1. Choose the Right Keyword. To begin, it’s essential to identify a primary keyword that best represents your jewelry store’s offerings. Consider focusing on the products or services you want to highlight, such as engagement rings, wedding rings, jewelry repair, or custom jewelry. Selecting a relevant keyword will be the foundation of your optimization efforts.

2. Keyword Research Made Easy. Conducting keyword research doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by typing the basic form of your chosen keyword into Google search. Pay attention to the autofill suggestions that appear in the search bar as you type.

These autofill suggestions can provide valuable insights into popular search queries related to your keyword. Note them down for future reference.

3. Expand Your Keyword Horizons. When you search for your primary keyword and scroll down the search results page, you will find the “Related Searches” section. Let’s say you searched for “wedding bands.”

In this section you’ll see more suggestions related to that topic, such as “wedding bands for men,” “wedding bands for women,” and “matching wedding bands.” These keywords are worth paying attention to because they can help add variety to your content. So, keep them in mind and get creative!

4. Optimize Your Website for the Chosen Keyword. To optimize your website effectively, create a single page dedicated to your primary keyword. Craft a compelling page title that incorporates the main keyword.

For instance, if your keyword is “wedding bands,” consider titles like “Wedding Bands: Everything You Need to Know” or

“Today’s Most Popular Wedding Bands” Simple as that. Ensure that your keyword and title will make sense inside the content.

5. Address User Queries. Consider potential customers’ questions regarding your chosen keyword. Utilize the “who, what, when, where, how, and why” approach to brainstorm relevant questions. To gather popular questions about the keyword, the “People also ask” feature on Google can be your guide. You’ll find it near the middle of the search results page.

Upon searching, the top

question on that list is, “How much do you spend on a wedding band?” Incorporate that question and other questions on that list as subheadings (H2) on your page and provide informative answers for each question in a paragraph or two.

6. Visual Appeal and Image Optimization. Ensure that the page is visually appealing and user-friendly. Enhance the visual appeal of your page by adding relevant images that complement the content. Each image should have a title tag or “alt text,” including your primary keyword. Optimiz-

ing image titles help improve the chances of search engines understanding and ranking your page appropriately.

7. Interlink for SEO Success. Now it’s time to strategically link your newly created page to other related pages on your store website. Whenever you mention the keyword “wedding bands” in your content, create a hyperlink, or a clickable link, that directs visitors to that optimized page. This interlinking approach helps search engines recognize the importance of your targeted keyword.

Guy Pineda

8. Reach Social Media Platforms. Promote your optimized page to your social media platforms and Google Business Profile by linking to it from your post. They provide opportunities to reach a wider audience for your website.

Please see Pineda page 44

New

Sunstone releases the Orion PJ

Designed specifically for the permanent jewelry artist

The Orion mPulse is widely known as a premier permanent jewelry welder. And for good reason. The mPulse provides all the power a permanent jewelry artist will ever need, is safety certified, super simple to use, backed by a two-year warranty, built in the

the high end, 15 joules are more than enough for the typical permanent jewelry artist.

Hand in hand with the energy range is the energy control you’ll find in the Orion PJ. You’re now able to adjust power up or down in half-joule increments.

A&H Worldwide using 100% recycled plastic

icons: One for decreasing energy and one for increasing energy. For permanent jewelry welding, changes in energy levels are usually small, meaning you rarely increase or decrease energy by more than five or six joules. The energy wheel, while a great feature for creating or repairing jewelry, has little use in permanent jewelry.

You’ll also find a handy lock icon that prevents inadvertent energy changes that could harm you or your customers. The Weld On/ Weld Off button is another feature that makes the Orion PJ a safe welder.

Better Branding options

Many permanent jewelry artists really don’t care for Sunstone’s signature orange. While orange is bright, fresh, and energetic, most of the time it doesn’t compliment the artist’s brand.

What’s in your packaging?

What if you could reduce your carbon footprint with just one simple change? Would that prompt you to consider a more sustainable solution to your product packaging? For over 50 years, A&H Worldwide has been a leader in imaginative design and innovative engineering solutions across a broad range of packaging products including jewelry display cards and tags, puff pads for fine jewelry, customized boxes, molded items and more. A&H Worldwide is now pleased to offer 100% recycled plastic. A&H has taken already recycled PET/ PETG polyester plastic and given it a second purpose by turning it into product packaging that can be recycled again and again.

USA, and is supported by a professional customer service team.

However, the reign of the mPulse is ending soon - in a friendly transfer of the crown, according to Sunstone, designer and manufacturer of high-tech micro welding and engraving solutions.

The all-new Orion PJ, having been designed specifically for permanent jewelry from the ground up, is everything the permanent jewelry artist wishes they could change about the mPulse: better energy control, better cord management and customized branding capabilities.

Better Energy Control

The Orion PJ has an energy range that starts at one joule and tops out at 15 joules. For extremely fine chain, being able to dial power down to one joule is much welcomed flexibility. On

Pineda

Continued from page 43

In the future, consider creating a blog post as a hub for all your wedding band-related content. Linking your new content to this main page will strengthen its visibility and search ranking.

Bottom Line

To wrap things up, the simplest way to improve your website is to start with one keyword that best represents your business. Look it up on Google for free.

Better Cord Management

The Orion PJ stylus cord has two new key features. First, it comes standard at 36 inches in length, which is six inches longer than on the mPulse. But, more importantly, the stylus cord can be connected to a 6-foot extender providing as much as 9½ feet of cord. A longer cord makes anklets and other challenging welds easier.

The stylus cord, like the power cord, can be completely disconnected from the Orion PJ. Cord management becomes simplified when you can place the cord anywhere you like. Packing the Orion PJ for a pop-up will be easier than packing the mPulse.

Better Digital Touchscreen Interface

The energy wheel is gone, leaving only two over-sized

Create a page with valuable content, images, and internal links. These are all key pillars of effective SEO.

With these steps, even individuals with minimal technical knowledge can optimize their jewelry store’s website for better organic traffic.

But if you need further assistance with website optimization, don’t hesitate to call the expert team at Jewelry Store Marketers. There are no easier steps with an expert guide. We’ve got your back!

Now you can choose from nine different color backgrounds, from Wild Rose to Ocean Blue, from Spring Sage to Love Pink. Sunstone Orange is still available along with black on black for a bolder look. There are nine background colors to choose from, suitable for any look and mood.

In addition to the ability to change the background color, Sunstone now offers a vinyl cover to wrap the Orion PJ and make it look less industrial and more cute. Visit the Sunstone website to see what designs are available. Custom wraps are also available.

The Orion PJ is backed by a two-year warranty, has all the necessary safety certifications, and is supported by an outstanding customer service team. The Orion PJ is argon ready, an ideal match for Sunstone’s new Argon Mini tank.

For more information visit sunstonewelders.com.

In the jewelry and accessory packaging industry, this green friendly packaging is used for earring cards, pendant cards, foldovers, vacuum forms, and many other custom packaging pieces. A&H stocks a wide range of colors and thicknesses, ideal for creating fully custom packaging that reflects your brand’s identity. Items developed with this 100% recycled plastic can also be labeled with a chasing arrows symbol, promoting your brand’s sustainability initiative to consumers.

This recycled plastic can be combined with other sustainable materials to elevate your packaging design. A&H offers FSC cer-

tified papers, including materials made with up to 100% recycled content. These paper laminates can be further customized with eco-friendly printing and hot stamping processes. A&H uses only soy and water-based inks that are free of heavy metals and toxins. A&H is qualified with both ISO 9001:2015 certification and GMI certification, ensuring compliance with high standards for quality control, as well as meeting global requirements for social responsibility. A&H Worldwide is Sedex Certified as well as certified by the RCS (Recycled Claim Standard). The RCS verifies the presence and amount of recycled material in a final product.

One of A&H Worldwide’s top priorities is assisting their customers in achieving their own sustainability objectives. For more information on A&H sustainable packaging alternatives, call 401-943-5040, email info@ aandhworldwide.com or visit aandhworldwide.com.

Guy Pineda, CEO of Jewelry Store Marketers, has owned an award winning digital agency for the past 15 years and has been working in the jewelry industry for close to 30 years. Jewelry Store Marketers is niche agency that helps jewelry stores get more appointments and increase sales through Local SEO, Digital Marketing, Website Development, Social Media, Videos and more. Learn more at jewelrystoremarketers.com.

Full time Bench Jeweler position in Central North

54 year young independent jeweler located in a resort style village. Successful candidate will be proficient in the basics of repair and gemstone setting. We are a laser equipped full service custom shop with unlimited capabilities. This is an excellent opportunity for a entry level goldsmith to grow and advance their skills.

Ongoing education and training at The New Approach School will be provided. Salary based on your skill level. Email inquiries and resume’s to michael@rmjws.com

FOR SALE Matrix Gold 2 & Rhino Gold (sold together or separately)

**Elevate your jewelry design game with MATRIX GOLD System!!

Matrix Gold 5900.00 • Rhino Gold 3000.00

Contact Kinkade Jewelers: 812.590.1032 kinkadejewelers@gmail.com

STORE FOR SALE

Have you ever thought of relocating to South Florida? Or opening a second location?

We are an established Jewelry Store located in NW Broward County, at this location 12 years within a growing community of wealthy young professionals. 1600sq ft store in a well established 100% occupied shopping center. Over 4400 customers in our data base. For more information send inquiries to Scottcook33473@gmail.com

SEEKING WATCHMAKERS AND BENCH JEWELERS FOR BUSY RETAIL SERVICE OPERATION

Luxury operation with locations in Arizona and Indiana. We offer exceptional health insurance, dental and vision benefits, weekly pay, PTO, retirement accounts and matching contributions. Continuing education support and upward mobility. Apply at brinkersjewelers.com/careers/

JEWELERS

SALES REPRESENTATIVES

The Nation’s Largest Restyle Event Company Seeks Experienced Jewelry Sales Representatives and Bench Jewelers who are free to travel and ready for the financial success that working for a great company offers. Salary plus commissions $80K to $120K+. Set schedule; no cold calls. 34 weeks per year travel required, security provided. Benefits include bonuses, 401K, and profit-sharing plans, dental, paid health and life insurance, commuting allowance, paid travel expenses and vacation.

We are seeking experienced Jewelry Sales Reps/Wholesalers, for travel. Diamond Jewelry manufacturing & customer service team available to increase sales. Catalog & marketing material provided. Send resume: info@diasunjewelry.com or 888.342.7861

Seeking Exceptional Bench Jeweler

26 years young, first generation retail store, Atlas Jewelers, is in need of another exceptional bench jeweler. We are located in a high traffic Michigan suburb. The right candidate must be skilled in all or most gold smithing and stone setting. A minimum of five years experience in both laser and torch techniques. CAD-CAM, Laser Engraving and any additional skills a plus. Full time annual salary is $50,000 to $100,000. Apply by email to atlasjewelers@gmail.com

Attention Doug

Sales Representative Opportunity

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to represent our collection of freshwater pearls, semi-precious gems and silver jewelry. Success in carrying at least one other jewelry line, excluding any lines that directly compete with our pearls. Travel is an integral part of this role, we will provide some existing accounts/leads. Commission structure and bonuses that reward your sales achievements. Join a dynamic team that values your dedication, provides ongoing support and resources to help you excel in your role. Resume to: lucasroberts2004@aol.com

Fax resume to 770.499.8974 or email careers@danaaugustineinc.com www.danaaugustineinc.com

Dynamic Proven Leader Ability to Recruit, Hire, Train and Motivate Top Performers. Sunny Southwest Florida! We are expanding. Great location. Top pay, Full Time, Full Benefits Package. $75k-120k yearly. hr@dunkinsdiamond.com

Must be a Strong Sales Closer

PRODUCTS & TRENDS. CONNECTIONS AND COMMUNITY. CONVENIENT AND TIMELY. UNMATCHED SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY.

AUGUST 26-27, 2023

PRE-SHOW EDUCATION: FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 COBB GALLERIA CENTRE atlantajewelryshow.com

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