And the only reason we got there is because of The Edge and its reports. The detail of inventory reports in The Edge is unmatched by any other point of sale software I’ve ever used. We can run a report on how many citrine rings we have in stock between $1,000 and $2,000 and how many we’ve sold the year before. We can do that with tennis bracelets and diamond studs.
The Edge has made us much more profitable and allowed us be in a position to add other stores. We’ve actually expanded over the last few years and bought a couple of our competitors. We have the money in the bank because we run so lean based on The Edge reports. It will change the face of your business if you use it correctly.
- John Thomas, John Thomas Jewelers, Albuquerque, NM For a FREE demo, contact us at 1-855-TRY-EDGE or sales@ajsllc.com.
SOUTHERN JEWELRY NEWS
“A
Newspaper Dedicated to the Southern Jewelry Industry”
Volusia Gold & Diamond: Rebuilding After the Unthinkable
By Wanda Freeman
Almost a year ago, Leigh Osta’s world was shattered in an instant. Her husband of 39 years, Ghazi “Gus” Osta - the well-known face of Volusia Gold & Diamond in Daytona Beach, Florida - was killed by a disgruntled customer during what should have been a routine negotiation. As Leigh recounts, Gus was haggling with a regular acquaintance when the man suddenly pulled out a gun and shot him. The couple’s son, David, who was monitoring the conversation via security cameras, sensed an escalation and rushed out to intervene. The assailant fired at him as well. Miraculously, David remained unharmed and managed to shoot and wound the attacker.
“Five bullets came at David,” Leigh recalls. “We still have holes in the store. … They took my husband to the hospital, and he was DOA. While he was being put in a body bag, his assailant was getting patched up in another hospital room.”
That nightmare occurred July 19, 2024. By November, the 84-year-old shooter was convicted and sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murder and attempted murder.
Meanwhile, Leigh was left to pick up the pieces - not just of her personal life, but of the family business that Gus had spent most of their married life building.
“For almost four decades, my husband was the face of the business - gregarious, charismatic. He loved what he did,” Leigh says.
SWISS CROWN™ USA Helps Jewelers Succeed in Pre-owned Rolex Watch Business
By Deborah Yonick
The pre-owned luxury watch market has experienced significant growth in recent years, presenting a lucrative opportunity for independent retail jewelers. In 2023, the market was valued at over $24 billion and is projected to reach $45 billion by 2030.
Rolex stands out as a particularly profitable brand, dominating new and pre-owned sales as the most popular luxury watch brand, accounting for one third of all sales in both markets.
Since demand is higher than supply in the new watch market, customers are flocking to preowned, expected to be equal in size within 10 years. Greater consumer interest in sustainability, rarity, and investment potential are fueling this growth, as Gen Z and Millennial consumers look
for unique, high-quality watches that align with their values and financial aspirations.
SWISS CROWN™ USA offers independent jewelers an effective turn-key solution to participate and be successful in the pre-owned Rolex market. Recognized as a premier pre-owned Rolex vendor in the industry since
2013, SWISS CROWN™ in 2024 joined Quality Gold’s portfolio of luxury brands, boosting the preowned Rolex segment it started on a small scale in 2017.
As Jack Newtown, SWISS CROWN™ USA brand manager underscores, the program is a positive game changer for
Please see Crown page 34
“How do you move on from that? The only way forward was to continue, to recreate the business in a way that honors his philosophy while making it our own.”
Having been a stay-at-home wife and mom for many years, Leigh found herself at the helm of the business she helped form, but left the operations to her husband. With son David stepping alongside her, she embarked on an unplanned journey - navigating grief while reshaping Volusia Gold & Diamond to fit a new vision.
David, a GIA-certified Gemologist who had worked with his dad for over ten years while traveling the globe, now faced long, grueling days on the job. He worked 18 hours some days, even sleeping alone at the store -
A Right Turn
By Diana Jarrett
Who said, “necessity is the mother of invention?” Would that be Frank Zappa? Well, never mind. It’s a truism that we can all attest to. And if there’s anything that 2025 can teach us thus far, it’s that we ain’t seen nothing yet.
This Bumpy Ride
The past couple of years has been a roller coaster ride for the diamond trade. The kind with a lot of shrieking and gasping. We’ve watched wholesale diamond prices plummet, while sales languished even during what should have been their hottest selling period. Traditionally, diamonds at the retail level move swiftly in December, and are also spiking during Black Friday and Cyber Monday events.
According to PriceScope, a key industry watcher, wholesale prices for polished goods in all popular sizes have witnessed a steady downward trend for a few years in a row. Diamond tracking graphs have looked dismal since LGD (lab grown diamonds) production accelerated - being driven by enthusiastic Gen-Z and Millennial shoppers. Once LGD’s production topped, with China and India leading this manufacturing by turning out stones 24/7, the market became flooded with LGD goods. This caused prices to rapidly descend. In tandem with its over-saturated market, the main demographic for LGD began to lose its zest for these products.
Important diamonds sell well in Dubai. Image Media Office AE
Ghazi “Gus” Osta was shot and killed at his store on July 19, 2024.
Please see Volusia page 4
VOlusia
Continued from page 3
as when Hurricane Milton came through Daytona Beach and ravaged the business.
“David was a globetrotter,” Leigh says. “He’d been to the Middle East, Dubai, Germanyhe loved traveling. But overnight all that changed. He had to step up, and he did - fast.”
A New Vision
Changes to the store and business touched every aspect, from staffing to inventory, marketing to community outreach.
Previously, Gus had employed two part-time salespeople with side gigs. Under Leigh’s leadership, the team was restructured with a sharper focus on expertise and professionalism. Today, David manages operations and serves as the in-house jeweler, while the store employs a Rolex specialist and top-tier sales associates.
Another major shift was Volusia Gold & Diamond’s digital presence. For decades, Gus resisted social media, Leigh recalls.
“I remember telling him, ‘Our yard maintenance guy has more of a social media presence than we do,’” Leigh says with a laugh. “We’re Baby Boomerssocial media was outside our time zone. That had to change.”
Now, with a dedicated social media strategy in place, Volusia engages customers in new ways, expanding its reach beyond traditional word-of-mouth and foot traffic.
Curating a Fresh and Profitable Inventory
Leigh also took a hard look at the store’s merchandise, to ensure
that every square foot contributed to profitability.
“My philosophy is simple: Every inch of this store has to serve a purpose,” she explains.
One of her first decisions was eliminating what she calls Grandma’s Knick-Knacks, a collection of figurines Gus had amassed over the years.
“I found a grandma who actually wanted all those Hummels, believe it or not,” she says with a chuckle. In their place, she introduced luxury pre-owned handbags.
“They’ve gained a lot of traction, and a lot of media attention,” she says. “It’s a new demographic for us. Not everyone can afford a $2,000 bracelet, but a $400 luxury bag? That’s accessible. And it elevates the store’s appeal.”
Meanwhile, David is developing a signature Osta design brand - an endeavor that Leigh believes will shape the future of Volusia for years to come.
Community Engagement
Beyond the store, Leigh has also redefined how Volusia Gold & Diamond engages with the community. Whereas Gus preferred the straightforward ap-
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Staff Writers
Wanda Freeman
Paul Holewa
Diana Jarrett
Deborah Yonick
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Contributing Writers
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Kyle Bullock
Diana Jarrett
Larry Johnson
Chuck Koehler
Ivan Levi
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proach of cutting a check for local charities, Leigh takes a more hands-on role.
“I want to be present. If we donate, I make sure there’s a mutual benefit, whether it’s a men-
tion at an event or a partnership opportunity. It’s about building relationships, not just writing checks.”
This year, Volusia participated in Daytona’s legendary Bike Week for the first time, a move Leigh expected to boost sales of Rolex watches and big silver rings adorned with eagles and skulls.
The Road Ahead
Despite the progress, the road to healing is ongoing. Some days it’s overwhelming, Leigh admits.
“This isn’t the life I envisioned. One day you wake up and say, ‘I can do this.’ The next, you wonder, ‘How will I survive?’”
A steadying force in her life is the close relationship she has with daughter Pavlina Osta, a CBS news anchor who lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and visits her monthly and helps in the store and around the house. The two putter in the garden together, quietly escaping the demands of the business.
Through all the challenges, Leigh remains optimistic.
“Our first month after the tragedy, in July, we were halfopen and half-closed. By August, September, October, we saw steady improvement. November was strong. December and January? Excellent,” she says.
Looking ahead, Leigh envisions expanding Volusia Gold & Diamond by adding a second location within the next 18 to 24 months.
“By that time the Osta brand will be established,” she says. “I’m encouraged. I feel we’re on the right track.”
Gus Osta’s wife Leigh is leading Volusia Gold & Diamond into the future alongside son David.
Volusia Gold & Diamond in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Inside Volusia Gold & Diamond.
JIS Spring 2025 concludes with 4% attendance increase Features trend-driven sourcing and valuable networking
(NORWALK, Conn.) - The Jewelers International Showcase (JIS) Spring 2025 Show was another successful edition at the Miami Beach Convention Center, March 9-11. With a 4% increase in attendance compared to last year, JIS Spring reaffirmed its position as an invaluable event for jewelry professionals looking to purchase inventory, discover the latest trends and build lasting supplier relationships.
A Prime Sourcing Destination
This year’s show welcomed over 290 leading suppliers from
renowned jewelry producing regions worldwide, giving buyers access to a diverse selection of fine to fashion jewelry. With Mother’s Day, wedding season, and graduations around the corner, retailers took full advantage of the show’s strategic timing to purchase inventory of must-have pieces for their customers.
Retailers and industry professionals in attendance praised the variety of vendors, seamless organization, and the incomparable Miami Beach location. Participants also noted improvements such as additional seating areas
and refreshments, enhancing the overall show experience.
“The show was extremely well-organized, and I had an incredible opportunity to meet and do business with wholesalers from all over the world,” and “Great location - great show!” were among the complimentary comments made by attending retailers.
Show Highlights & New Features
JIS Spring 2025 introduced several exciting new features to enhance the overall experience for attendees and exhibitors alike:
2025 Style Spotlight - A digital exhibit showcasing top jewelry trends for the year, curated using insights from social influencers. This interactive feature
allowed retailers to preview and source trending styles right from the show floor.
Expert-Led Informational Sessions - Designed to help retailers grow their businesses, this year’s lineup featured:
• Maximizing Trade Show Success Q&A - Offering expert tips on making the most of JIS events.
• Industry Governance & Policy Updates - Keeping retailers up to date with crucial industry regulations and legislative changes.
• Exclusive Giveaways - Attendees who checked in on opening day had the chance to win incredible prizes, including two Carlos Rivera concert tickets, a $500 Visa gift card, and a complimentary three-night hotel stay for JIS Fall 2025.
The Worldwide Reach of JIS Spring JIS Spring once again showcased its impressive global reach, attracting retailers from the U.S., Canada, and a multitude of international markets, including countries such as Honduras, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Aruba, Denmark, Nicaragua, Mexico, Brazil, and beyond. This diverse audience underscores the show’s reputation as a premier international jewelry trade event and top-rated jewelry show for Latin American, Caribbean and domestic retailers.
JIS Fall 2025 Dates
With JIS Spring now in the books, JIS looks ahead to JIS Fall 2025, taking place October 10-13 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. As one of the largest jewelry trade shows in the Americas, JIS Fall is perfectly timed for retailers to secure inventory ahead of the holiday season. Retailers looking to stay ahead of market trends and source directly from leading suppliers won’t want to miss this event. You can preregister now to be notified when registration opens and to receive event updates. Visit jisshow.com for more information.
The Retailer’s Perspective The Next Generation
By Chuck Koehler
Recently, I attended the Atlanta Jewelry Show, which is held twice a year, usually in March and August. I always enjoy going to this show because its fun to see, and talk face to face, with people that I usually only communicate with electronically. In this crazy world that we live in, we have the ability to use electronic devices to create, and maintain, entire relationships with people that we’ve never met in person. The AJS also has a new president that is going to take this entire trade show experience to another level. That new president is none other than our National Sales Manager at this here very publication, Elesa Dillon. If you see her, tell her congratulations.
Communicating face to face is so much more constructive than texting, phone calls, and emails. The AJS allows you to do that. It also allows you to see what is selling out there in the world that you might not be aware of yet. When a company brings their staff, their inventory, their displays, and invests the necessary capital to have a booth at a jewelry show, there’s a pretty good bet that their product is selling - out there in the world.
I’m sure this is not going to be a surprise to anyone, but do you want to know what’s selling really well out there in the world, based on exhibitors at AJS? Lab grown diamond jewelry. That is a market I just can’t wrap my head around yet. There are exponentially more competitors in that market than there were 6 months ago. The prices are also exponentially less than they were 6 months ago. The prices 6 months ago were less than the prices 6 months before that.
As more and more lab grown factories are coming on line every year, there are more and more manufacturers going exclusively lab grown. And the competition between those manufacturers is more intense than ever. Like I said earlier, I just can’t wrap my head around that business model. The business model that I grew up around was one of steady, stable, and understandable diamond prices. Of course, that business model revolved around the DeBeers organization controlling prices worldwide. In the lab grown ecosphere, it is simply a market based economy - may the best man win!
This brought up something I’ve been thinking a lot about
recently. There are an ever growing number of people in to our industry that have never operated under, or worked within, the old DeBeers system. Through the years, I’ve written many times about how things used to be in ‘the good old days’. There are now more people in this business that weren’t around in the good old days than there are that were.
There are now probably more people in this business that weren’t involved before cell phones, social media, the internet, face time, and online stores. So much so, I’m about to come to the realization that they just might be the wave of the future. I’m slowly coming to the realization that we’re probably not going back to the old ways of doing things. In all reality though, the good old days weren’t really that good, or that easy. This business has always been difficult, but fun. We sell a product that nobody needs, but everybody wants, and that, in and of itself, presents unique challenges.
So this year, I’m looking for ‘the next generation’ of jewelers to highlight. I’m looking for the people that have figured out how to operate in this environment, not the one we had in the ‘80s and
‘90s. While I was at the Atlanta Jewelry Show, I met one of those up and coming industry titans, Sydney Davis.
Sydney began making her own jewelry around the age of 10. All throughout high school, she would shop at Michaels and other crafts stores for supplies to make her own designs for her friends, and started selling her designs on Etsy. Once in college, Sydney got her first job in a jewelry store with Trinity Diamonds Direct, in West Monroe, Louisiana, and naturally gravitated to helping their customers design their bridal jewelry. Sydney worked there all throughout her college career, while also continuing to make and sell her own designs on Etsy.
After college, she and her new husband moved to Colorado where she easily found a job in the jewelry industry. It was in Colorado where Sydney truly became a custom jewelry designer and began working one on one with clients to bring their visions to life. This was where she was first introduced to heirlooms and fell in love!
Ever since high school, Sydney had been dreaming about starting her own company. While in Colorado, Sydney had to take a medical leave that sidelined her from her job. When we talked about that, Sydney said: “The recovery was really tough on me, so I basically couldn’t do anything but sit around the house, which gave me the drive to finally launch Dauvi. I had dreamed of it for years, but had always found an excuse to be ‘too busy’, and this was a point in my life where I had nothing but time to map out my business plan.”
Our industry has watched the development of CAD/CAM technology and 3D printing. In the beginning, those technologies were landlocked. Basically, you needed to be sitting at a workstation somewhere, attached by wires to other pieces of equipment, in order to operate. Not anymore. Sydney uses ‘Procreate’ software, on her portable sketch pad, to start the design process with her customers.
Once a design has been approved, it’s electronically sent to one of the manufactures she works with to cast and set the piece for her customer. Not being tied to a brick and mortar location does not affect her business model. Sydney’s schedule allows her to travel frequently, and never miss a deadline or a communication from a client. She takes her
sketch pad with her, and works on her designs while in the car or on a plane. She doesn’t need a physical presence to make an impact in this industry. Something that was unheard of 20 years ago.
Sydney’s specialty is repurposing her client’s heirlooms into new, modern designs. She likes the creative process of working with the customer’s heirloom pieces, and not introducing any outside stones, to create eclectic, new designs. Although she does use Google Ads, and online promotions, she has come to realize, like most of us in this industry, word of mouth works best. Her mission is to empower you with modern, bespoke jewelry that captures your distinctive beauty. Celebrate yourself and shine every day!
While I was delivering a new custom piece to one of my customers recently, she mentioned that she had a pearl that she and her husband ‘dove’ for while they were in Tahiti, and wanted something made with it. She said she wanted something cool, and something eclectic, to show off her heirloom. Huh, I wonder who in the world I could turn to help me with that project?
Check out Sydney’s work at ShopDauvi.com. Or reach out to her at Sydney@ShopDauvi.com, 720-810-7915.
As I said earlier, I’d like to highlight people that are carving your own niche in this new environment we all operate in now. If you joined our industry after the internet, cell phones, and social media, and have successfully navigated this new landscape, please reach out to me and I’ll share your story here. My contact info is below.
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, or send e-mail to info@southernjewelrynews.com.
Chuck Koehler
By Ivan Levi
The Fun Friday Formula
I’m a big believer in “Fun Fridays”. For some people, this means a free lunch, or wearing jeans. But on teams I’ve lead, Fun Fridays have centered around our weekly team meeting. Too many teams shy away from weekly meetings, or dread seeing them on the schedule. But with Fun - or Fabulous, or Fantastic - Fridays, your team can use the “Four Cs” (connection, celebration, challenges, and communication) to end each week on a high note.
Meeting for Connection
The main goal of every team meeting should be to increase connection. I’ve written before
about how connection leads to trust, and trust leads to great sales, but it has to start within the team. Creating connection means creating an environment where team members can share what’s top of mind, what’s working, and what isn’t. They’ll understand that the team meeting is a safe atmosphere, where the team will work together to find ideas that everyone loves, not just one or two ‘talkers’ who have the most to say.
Focusing on connection doesn’t mean team members need to be best friends outside of work, or even within the store. It does mean that they need to understand where the others are coming from,
and how their differences can all support the needs of the team, the store, and the guests who come through the door each day.
After all, a team that’s connected works like a well-oiled machine. When team members understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, their needs, their habits, they’re able to provide each new guest with the kind of service that leaves an impression!
A well connected team can sit down to a meeting, ask, “What do we want to accomplish today?” and create something incredible.
Celebrating Wins
When I lead team meetings, I’ve found that the best way to begin is on a high note. Before
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you begin, encourage everyone to celebrate a win from the previous week. It could be a big sale, solving a problem for a customer, helping a team member - anything that really makes them proud. Some members of the team will have a hard time coming up with a “win” on the spot, so it will help to know the question is coming each week. But beyond that, you’ll be building a culture of positivity on your team. If team members know that they need to share a win every Friday, they’ll spend Monday through Thursday looking for one, and they’ll be more likely to notice just how many high points each week has.
The wins shouldn’t just be
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personal ones. Everybody likes kudos! Encourage team members to give one another credit, as well. It helps the team understand that this is all about a team effort, with everybody on the same page and pushing in the same direction.
Keep that positive energy going by following improv rules! At Second City TV, they taught us about the classic rule of improv: “Yes, and…” Both parts of the equation are important. “Yes” comes first, as it’s important to acknowledge someone’s contribution and ensure the person you’re responding to feels like their idea was actually heard. “I love that idea, and to your point…” is the kind of response that builds connection in teams.
And, of course, if you can swing it, you can make these Friday meetings feel like a celebration by adding refreshments. If you meet in the mornings, maybe everyone gets their favorite coffee order, or you meet shortly after lunch with a sweet treat for everyone. By making these meetings fun, you’ll help combat any grumbling from team members who would rather skip the meetings and keep to themselves.
Confronting Challenges
Every business, no matter how well-run, will have challenges from time to time. These weekly meetings are a great chance to address things before they become major issues.
The key is to ensure that the conversation is focused on solutions rather than blame. No team member should ever feel that they’re being personally called out, or that they’re being publicly shamed. If you, as a manager, need to speak to someone specifically about their behavior or a mistake, that’s definitely a conversation that should happen in private! If the conversation gets too personal in the team meeting, be prepared to steer it away. “Okay, and what’s next?” is a response that can steer the team away from blame, and towards solutions.
These Friday meetings are the perfect place to talk it out and prevent issues in the future. Please see Friday page 34
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Ivan Levi
Stuller hosts 2025 Bench Jeweler Workshop A weekend of hands-on learning, live demonstrations,
(LAFAYETTE, La.)Stuller’s Bench Jeweler Workshop welcomed jewelers from across the country for a weekend of hands-on training, live demonstrations, and networking at Stuller’s global headquarters.
The workshop featured interactive classes covering topics such as stone setting, laser welding, and CAD/CAM technology. Live demonstrations and expertled discussions gave attendees valuable insights to apply in their own shops.
“This event is all about supporting jewelers in growing their skills and businesses,” says Jacob
Dupuis, senior director of sales.
“It’s great to see so many professionals come together, learn from each other, and make valuable connections.”
The event also hosted Stuller’s Battle of the Benches® competition. The winners were:
• Ring Repair: Christian Schneider
• CAD: Joseph Khalil
• Parts & Pieces: Alan Harper & Carlos Rodriguez (tie)
The student competition winners were:
• Stone Setting: Nathan Bradley
and collaboration with industry experts
• Sizing: Sebastian Padilla
“This event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of several industry partners, especially our Gold Sponsor, United Precious Metals; Silver Sponsor, Cliq; and Bronze Sponsor, ASIC,” said Lauren Francez, director of events. “The support from all our sponsors made the workshop a success and provided a memorable experience for all who attended.”
For more information about Stuller and upcoming events, visit www.Stuller.com/Events.
SHEFI Celebrates 50 Years of Legacy
Marking five decades of excellence, SHEFI launches new collections featuring fine jewelry, pearls, and gemstones
(NEW YORK) - SHEFI, a leader in the fine jewelry industry, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, commemorating five decades of innovation, craftsmanship, and excellence. Originally established as a premier loose diamond supplier, SHEFI has evolved into a distinguished name in fine jewelry, offering a stunning range of diamond, gemstone, and pearl collections set in gold.
“For 50 years, SHEFI has been synonymous with exceptional natural diamonds, but our journey has taken us beyond our origins,” said Sanjay Hirawat, President of SHEFI. “Today, we celebrate not just our legacy but the future of SHEFI, where timeless design meets modern elegance.”
A Legacy Beyond Diamonds
SHEFI’s transformation marks a new era for the brand. Once focused solely on loose diamonds, the company offers an expansive collection of fine jewelry, including elegant bridal pieces, statement fashion designs, and luxurious gemstone creations.
The transition from SHEFI Diamonds to SHEFI reflects this evolution, ensuring customers experience a full spectrum of highquality jewelry options.
New Collections & Commitment to Excellence
In celebration of its 50-year milestone, SHEFI will be introducing exclusive collections that showcase its expanded product offerings. With a commitment to superior craftsmanship and innovation, SHEFI continues to set new standards in the jewelry industry while maintaining the trust
and excellence it has built over five decades.
Experience the New SHEFI To explore SHEFI’s latest collections and learn more about its transformation, please visit SHEFI at one of upcoming trade shows, including JCK Las Vegas Booth #PC-740, CBG Las Vegas Booth #200-202, or book an appointment online at www.shefidiamonds.com under the ‘Events’ tab. For additional information contact SHEFI at info@shefidiamonds.com or visit www.shefidiamonds.com.
Honey, where’s my phone?
I remember my Mom was the first that tried to show me the difference between “Looking” and “Seeing”. My wife has carried on the lesson when I tell her I can’t find something like my phone or car keys and she points out that they are right in front of me. I’m looking but not seeing. There is a lot of this condition going around.
Like any good columnist, I asked Siri for the definition of each word and immediately saw she (?) used the verb “Gaze” in the “Looking” definition and the word “Perceived” in the “Seeing” definition.
Gazing without perceiving.
The key to a sale, is not getting someone to just “look” (or gaze) in your showcase, but to ac-
tually “See” (or perceive) what’s in there.
The old sales training manuals (and some of the better new ones) list the 5 progressive steps of any sale as: Attention, Interest, Desire, Conviction, Close. Notice how sales success starts with Attention?
In my visits to jewelry retailers across America, doing my consulting practice, I find that as time wears on, many store owners are so busy with the hundreds of tasks each day brings, that they often look at their cases but do not see what their customers see.
Sound familiar?
It is not nice for me to offer this Look/See challenge to you without offering a few possible remedies.
1. Pull everything out of your showcases and clean the inside thoroughly. Replace defective light bulbs. Dirty cases stifle sales!
2. Replace your floorboard fabric. It will cost you about $35 for a 6’ showcase and make your cases look new.
3. Get rid of worn, dirty displays. It is hard to present a quality image to your customer when your pieces are presented like those in a thrift store.
4. Make colors matter. Stop signs and fire trucks are red so they attract attention. When you have 4 different colors of displays in your case you are making the customer confused and seeing difficult. Customers react to order and logic in a case by increasing
By Larry Johnson
their understanding and creating “Interest” (The second step in the sales process.)
5. Use small signage with emotional adjectives to move the customer to the step of Desire. Don’t focus on features, focus on benefits. Don’t say it is a 1.5 ct diamond, say it is a very rare, spectacularly bright, beautiful diamond. An observation for youAvoid only putting prices on your signage. If all you communicate is price without emotion, you are moving to the step of “Conviction” before you got to “Desire.”
The customer needs to want the piece before they hear the price to judge whether that price is reasonable for them.
One more point on a closing note:
Larry Johnson
I was consulting with a store in April this year that had another variation of the looking/seeing paradox.
My intention when I visit a store is to grow their sales by 20% in the first year. To do that I look at each category of merchandise and figure out how to grow each category by 20%. The store owner and I were looking at her diamond earrings and determined their average sale of diamond earrings was $1248. (Thanks Edge Inventory Sales by category report)
If I am to grow that category by 20%, I need to make display adjustments to raise that average sale to about $1497. We looked and discovered the prices of her current inventory selection mostly skipped the $1500 sales point and went to the $1900-2500 range. She did have 2 pair at $1549 but they had been in the case for 486 days (i.e. they were old dogs).
Conclusion - You cannot raise your sales if you do not offer good, fresh, popular items at the (desired) 20% higher price point. Too often your customer will take the lesser priced option and you will leave their willingness to spend more on the table.
Homework - Bring up the differences between looking and seeing in your team meetings. Ask for ideas on what changes need to be made. Call me at 817980-2135, M-F, 9-5CST, for a free conference video call and I’ll try to help.
I hope these words help you convert your “looking” for ways to improve to “seeing” measurable results.
Now where are my keys… Larry is the founder of Larry Johnson Consulting Group, a world-wide jewelry merchandising and marketing advisory firm based in Colleyville, Texas. He is the author of “The Complete Guide to Effective Jewelry Display” and a frequent speaker at jewelry events. His firm has worked with hundreds of independent retailers to improve their sales through better display merchandising. He is the holder of 6 US patents for his display products. He can be reached at Larry@LarryJohnsonConsulting. com or 817-980-2135. His website is www.LarryJohnsonConsulting.com.
Famed Neuroscientist to open AGS X GIA Converge Conference
An immersive exploration of perception, reality and change
(CARLSBAD, Calif.) - Neuroscientist and perception expert Dr. Beau Lotto will be the opening keynote speaker at Converge, the global gem and jewelry event that merges innovative gemological research and industry-leading education from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) with member-driven professional development and networking opportunities from the American Gem Society (AGS). Converge will take place September 7–10, 2025, in Carlsbad, California.
Lotto’s presentations merge cutting-edge science and extensive research with immersive
experiences that blend entertainment, real-world neuroscience experiments, and art to illuminate the fundamental barriers to thriving in uncertainty and ways to overcome them. He has appeared at major global events such as Davos, Cannes, and Burning Man, as well as at the G8 and on the TED main stage three times. He has collaborated with a diverse array of clients, including Microsoft, L’Oréal, the Crown Prince’s Court of the United Arab Emirates, and Cirque du Soleil.
“This keynote will be a standout. Beau Lotto redefines how we think about change. He will capti-
vate and inspire by showing how we - as individuals, businesses, and an industry - can flourish in times of change. His approach to creativity, leadership, and innovation promises to be a truly illuminating experience,” said Katherine Bodoh, CEO of the American Gem Society.
“Success depends on adaptability more than anything else,” said Susan Jacques, president and CEO of GIA. “I can think of no better way to begin Converge than with an engaging exploration of how embracing uncertainty can improve our ability to adapt, innovate, and succeed.”
The second keynote session, on Tuesday, Sept. 9, will feature a panel of business thought leaders discussing the most pressing challenges and greatest opportunities facing the global gem and jewelry sector. On Wednesday, Sept. 10, the closing keynote will bring together the week’s insights in an engagingly unexpected way. Details on both sessions will be announced soon.
Lotto earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Berkeley in 1991 and his PhD in Neuroscience from University Medical School, Edinburgh in 1994. He remained in Edinburgh for his first postdoctoral fellowship and then moved to Duke University for his second fellowship. He was a professor at University College London for 20 years, and is now a professor at University of London, as well as a visiting scholar at New York University. In 2001, Lotto founded the Lab of Misfits Studio, the world’s only neuroperception creative studio. He is also the CEO and founder of Ripple Inc, which holds five highly influential patents in Augmented Reality (AR) with two further patents pending. Jewelers Mutual Group®, the presenting sponsor of Converge, is sponsoring Dr. Lotto’s keynote.
Along with three keynote events, Converge offers industryfocused education, research presentations, excursions to GIA’s headquarters and local attractions, and a Harvard Business School Executive Education seminar created exclusively for Converge. Some programs, including the Harvard seminar, are nearly full. For details on registration and lodging, visit www.ConvergeEvent.com.
Neuroscientist and perception expert Dr. Beau Lotto
Clienteling. Just how important is it for retailers? Making decisions work for you
Clienteling uses all available tools such as purchase history and client data so you can personalize the shopping experience, provide superior customer service and facilitate the sale. When in-store associates have the power to identify not only your most loyal customers but also their preferences, they are equipped to provide a more personalized and targeted service. With access to a customer’s profile, your associates may look up important notes, open offers, past purchases, and wish lists.
Effective outreach with personalized value propositions that don’t focus on sales is also likely to increase the average transaction size. Personalized communications increase the odds of a customer buying, and therefore enhancing your relationship. The importance of consistently communicating various messages to customers about new products will increase cross-selling opportunities.
Often one may get discouraged by leaving so many unanswered messages or not getting the outcome you desire. However, this persistency and constant contact may lead to future sales es-
pecially leading into the holiday season. Creating the opportunity for a customer to come into your store and check their prongs and get their jewelry cleaned may lead to a referral as well. When the average cost of selling to new customers is often five times the cost of selling to existing ones, the numbers speak for themselves. As customers become clients, who then become brand advocates, in-store associates are able to better manage their high value repeat customers. These valuable customers are also the ones who provide the most referrals and the greatest store awareness among friends and peers in the community.
GN Diamond Makes Clienteling Easier
The GN Diamond platform makes it easier than ever to give clients the exceptional service, digital convenience, and personalized experience they desire. GN’s Diamond Hunt seamlessly integrates with a retailer’s website to showcase their entire inventory with their own branding and markups. Furthermore, it is easily available on the GN Diamond App that can be installed on your mobile phone, tablet or computer.
Learn more about Diamond Hunt at www.gndiamond.com, or contact GN Diamond 24/7 at 800724-8810 or sales@gndiamond. com.
By David Brown
If you ever wonder why some days you hit the pillow feeling absolutely exhausted even though you’ve done very little physically, spare a thought for the effort your brain has put in that day. It’s estimated the brain uses around 20% of our ideal daily calorie intake, or around 300 - 400 calories per day, and its little wonder - a study by the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom found that we typically make around 35,000 decisions each and every day. No wonder we cant wait to crawl into bed each night!
Unfortunately, not all of these decisions are good ones, regardless of the energy we might burn. In his 2007 book Black Swan, Nassim Nicholas Taleb details the two primary ways we make decisions.
System 1 is immediatewhich was designed to provide us with the “flight or fight” mentally for early survival. We didn’t have time to analyze a threat coming towards us, we had to rely on intuition to quicken the process. Unfortunately, we still rely rather heavily on System 1 which is automatic, experience-based, fast, and effortless. This appeals strongly as, by instinct, we enjoy minimal effort.
The second system is cognitive - it requires us to think, to analyze and to reason. It is slower and less intuitive and consumes more time and energy which can be tiring as we have seen, but can normally be more effective.
Sadly, because of the relative ease, many of us rely on System 1 “emotional” responses to issues which, while simpler, can tap into our many biases and lead to poorer quality decision making. A structured decision making process can provide you with better results, or at the very least, a pathway to discover where you have erred. Here’s some of the key steps I consider important in making a structured decision.
1. Gather information: Sadly we don’t always get all the information together we need before reaching a conclusion. Time can work against you with this, but you should try to get as much together as possible within the limitations provided.
2. Identify the problem: Sometimes we are guilty of not being clear on what outcome we want. Taleb provides a great example of this when he compares “no evidence of Black Swans”
David Brown
with “evidence of no Black Swans”. There is a difference and not defining your issue clearly will likely lead to poor outcomes. As the old saying goes, garbage in leads to garbage out!
3. Know the Ideal Outcome: How do you define a successful conclusion? What is it that you want? We can be guilty of not defining the ideal scenario leading to frustration when we can’t seem to reach a satisfactory conclusion.
4. Consider the options and analyze them: Are you being objective? Are you using System 1 or System 2? Although this is an exercise in thought, be careful to avoid too many options which can lead to “paralysis analysis”.
5. Seek Advice: Is there anyone else who can provide additional input to the process? Who has information that you don’t have?
6. Test Your Assumptions: Can you trial your preferred option with minimal risk or outlay before you commit? The less risk there is in the final outcome the more confidence you can approach the issue with.
7. Make a Decision: This is sometimes the hardest part. At some point you must commit to an outcome. The more thorough your process has been the more confident you can feel about the end result.
8. Review and Evaluate: Has the correct decision been made? If not, what changes need to be implemented? Always be willing to change your mind if your original decision was wrong. Although this is a simplistic approach to making a decision, the steps involved will give you a strong basis to systemize how you do it. Gut intuition can be a good starting point but it doesn’t provide you with all the information you need to reach an effective conclusion.
So spend a little more time thinking, if nothing else the extra calories burned might just be
By Kyle Bullock
“How do I get my staff to work cohesively as a team?” This is one of the most frequent questions my partner and I get from clients. Let’s waste no time getting to the good stuff. Here are 3 things your team may be asking themselves and answering them could greatly help team cohesion.
1. “How do we win the game?” Every team needs to know what it means to win. Does your store win when you make a certain amount of money or profit, or exceed average retail goals, or meet certain client numbers? There are many ways to define
How to build a cohesive team
success. Define success for your team in one or two goals you want them to hit by the end of the year and be specific.
2. “What happens if we win the game?” So the team puts some points on the board (meaning they hit the goal you set out for them). What happens then? If there is an incentive to be gained, let them know that now. A team feels dejected when they win a game and there is no celebration.
3. “What part do I play in the game?” Every member of your team has a part to play and something to contribute. Remind each person what part they play and remind the rest of
your team why their part matters. Maybe your jeweler in the back isn’t closing sales, but you can’t deliver some of the most timesensitive jobs without them. Your inventory manager may be in the back doing data work all day, but without them, your sales team wouldn’t have the best products available and their sell-thru rate would drop. As a leader, remind everyone about why everyone brings value.
A simple way to do this is during a weekly staff meeting. Gather the team, including the admin and non-salespeople, and start by quickly going through all the points above. Take no more
JULES BOREL & COMPANY
than 5 minutes doing this.
Remind them of the goal for the month as well as how far along you are to achieving that goal.
Remind them of the value it brings everyone on the team to hit the goal.
Pick 1 or 2 people out and remind the team what they do in the business to make the goal happen. One of the best ways to do that is to point out a specific way you saw that person add value to the team and the goal that week.
This is a simple meeting structure you can use to help the team become more cohesive and work towards a common goal.
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Kyle Bullock
However, it is just that - a structure - and the real secret in this sauce is how you use the structure to build your team. Transparency, honesty, integrity, active listening - these are all tools you can use to make the structure work well. We call it leadership development, and if you’d like some resources that help you grow your team with a bit of structure each week, check out what we have to offer at TrainRetailManagement.com.
Good luck out there, and keep growing the awesome business you’ve always dreamed of!
Kyle Bullock is a small business owner and leadership consultant. Aside from being a parttime owner of his jewelry store, he is also a partner in Train Retail Management, a low-cost, weekly training platform that gives managers and owners leadership tools and skills to grow their businesses. Want creative solutions to your biggest retail business headaches? Check out TrainRetail.com.
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that diet supplement you’ve been looking for!
David Brown is the President of Edge Retail Academy, the leading jewelry business consulting and data aggregation firm that provide expert business improvement plans, to help with all facets of your business including improved financials, healthier inventory, sales growth, increased staff performance, recruiting, and retirement/succession planning - All custom-tailored to your store’s needs. They offer Edge Pulse to better understand critical sales and inventory data, improve business profitability, benchmark your store against other Edge Users, and ensure you stay on top of market trends with over $3 billion of industry sales data.Contact David at 877-569-8657, ext. 001, Inquiries@EdgeRetailAcademy. com or www.EdgeRetailAcademy. com.
The Story Behind the Stone
To Facet or to Carve?
By Diana Jarrett
Every gemstone crystal that an artist holds is full of promise. With some stones, it’s not always possible to see clearly into the rough and understand how it should be cut ahead of time. The rough hints at what it can become, but under the guidance of an expert cutter, its full potential is unleashed.
Gemstone artists often decide to facet the material they acquire, but they can also choose to carve a stone. Each method produces distinctly different results. For example, faceting a gem crystal can produce spectacular results completely unlike how it looked in its dull rough state.
What Faceting Achieves
To put this in context, when faceting diamonds, a cutter aims for the optimum light return displaying dazzling brilliance with light bouncing from every facet angle before returning to the eye. That’s called light performance. It’s the sparkling light show cutters are aiming for - and what collectors want.
But the goal for cutting colored gems is a completely different story. The purpose of faceting colored stones is to make light
bounce around inside the stone (staying there), thereby producing the maximum impression of color for the eye. Here it’s more about the color than its sparkle. And it’s achieved by skillful faceting plus creating the right size, shape and angle of each facet.
The outcome of this kind of artistry is fascinating to observe. Who hasn’t witnessed the re-cutting of a gemstone, which while it lost a bit of carat weight, opened up the stone to a more intense color and dynamism not previously imagined?
Carving out Beauties
But we are also drawn to the allure of gemstone carving. And it’s for completely different reasons. Here, the story is told by the carver, and it beckons a viewer to glimpse inside the artist’s mind for a moment.
It should also be noted that imaginative gemstone artists sometimes employ both faceting and carving techniques on the same stone for a fantasy cut effect.
Well known gemstone carver Darryl Alexander, owner of Alexander Jewelers in Gilbert, AZ actually started faceting stones long before he segued to carve them. Like other seasoned artists, he
explains, “I often study the rough and draw out the idea to isolate patterns and colors before I begin carving. This way I don’t waste the rough and I achieve the best result.”
Strategic Cuts
This approach is a more thoughtful way to work with the rough, and it ultimately allows the viewer to discover what the carver saw in the piece. “Gem carving to me is like painting, it’s an art form.”
And as other trade professionals can attest, Alexander says the crystal speaks to him. “The gem often suggests what it wants to be. Fractures, naturally occurring patterns in the gem and its colors all tell you what you should be doing with the design.”
the benefit to carving gemstones. “It produces an openness to patterns and shapes as well as textures,” he finds.
Transparent gems are more often faceted, while opaque or translucent stones get the cabochon treatment. Alexander recognizes the versatility of carving his stones. “You can work with both opaque gems and translucent. The potential for creative design is virtually unlimited.”
Keep it Nice and Niche
Gemstone carving is most certainly a niche skill and not every gemstone cutter goes down that path less traveled. “I also feel the number of gem carvers is considerably less than faceters,” he points out, “so that sets you apart from the rest of the crowd. Most
Diana Jarrett
His elegant pendant-brooch combination piece reveals another story, requiring the skill of a talented carver. “The second gem is a Brazilian agate also, but I wanted it to feel like a piece of fabric that was ruffled up a bit, but silky in appearance. I mounted the gem in rich 18K yellow gold
So while both faceting and carving produce attractive results that enhance a stone’s appearance, Alexander definitely sees
people can follow a pattern when faceting, but carving is an expression of yourself, your vision!”
Providing us with some examples of his philosophy, Alexander points to his agate carvings shown here. “The straight gem carving is a Brazilian agate carved in a twisted pattern. I used the color veils running through the gem to create color patterns and movement.”
with black and white diamonds to accentuate and enhance the color tones in the gem.”
These examples remind us that carved gemstone jewelry is an elegant addition to any jewelry lover’s collection and should be part of a serious collector’s jewelry wardrobe.
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).
Image courtesy Darryl Alexander
Image courtesy Darryl Alexander
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Sunstone introduces the Opera: an all in-one cutting-milling-engraving solution
(PAYSON, Utah) - Sunstone Engineering, developer of advanced micro welding technology, introduced the Opera, an innovative, all in-one cutting-milling-engraving solution.
The Opera revolutionizes jewelry craftsmanship by combining laser engraving, cutting, and CNC milling into a single, versatile machine. The unique integration streamlines work flows, enabling jewelers to perform cutting, engraving, marking, burnishing, and diamond-cut effects with exceptional precision and efficiency.
Designed for ease of use, the Opera includes advanced software with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface, plus a comprehensive design library, catering to all skill levels. Complete with essential accessories like a rotary device and rotating vise, the Opera empowers designers to create intricate, high-quality designs while maximizing creativity and productivity.
“For our customers who are creators, whether in the jewelry or general industrial space, the Opera significantly broadens their creative horizon,” said Jonathan Young, CEO at Sunstone Engineering LLC. “The Opera opens doors for small and mid-size shops. Its price creates an opportunity for designers to purchase a CNC mill and a laser engraver at a huge savings. With the Opera, designers can save time by completing a workpiece with one machine and in one single operation. Designers can now profitably create and sell new products in new markets thanks to the efficiencies and cost savings the Opera delivers.”
With the Opera, designers will save time and money by using only one machine to accomplish tasks usually ac-
complished using two different machines. With its CNClaser engraver combination, the Opera optimizes time, allowing designers to complete workpieces faster. A compact design requires less space on the workshop floor.
Development of the Opera extended the idea of combining two essential machines into the Opera’s physical layout and controlling software. Design engineers integrated into the Opera design specific space for every tool required to operate the machine, which contributes to a higher level of organization and efficiency.
The Opera is controlled by custom-developed software with a user interface described as intuitive and easy to use. The Opera Easy Creator, as the application is called, provides complete control over laser engraving and milling as well as an expansive library of ready-made templates that quicken the creation process even further.
The Opera includes a rotary vise that makes engraving on rings or other rounded surfaces simple to accomplish. Manufactured in Italy, the Opera is surprisingly affordable with an MSRP starting at $19,000 and backed by a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.
About Sunstone Engineering
Sunstone Engineering LLC designs, engineers, and manufactures high-tech micro welding and engraving solutions for many different industries, including the world’s bestselling permanent jewelry Orion welders. The Sunstone product line includes laser, pulse arc, capacitive discharge, AC, linear DC, HF inverter, and hot bar reflow welding systems that are used in a variety of research and manufacturing fields and industries. Sunstone welders are
used by Apple, NASA, MIT, GE, HP, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, multiple government and military agencies, and thousands of permanent jewelry artists. For more information visit www.sunstonewelders.com or call 801-6580015.
Industry leaders introduce Certified Hybrid Diamond Master Sets for Color Grading
For the first time, gemologists and jewelers will have access to an innovative solution for diamond color grading. Developed in collaboration with the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA), Stuller, and GCAL by Sarine, Certified Hybrid Diamond Master Sets provide a reliable, costeffective alterative to traditional natural master sets - addressing long-standing industry challenges of limited availability and rising costs. By combining natural and lab-grown diamonds, these sets offer a precise and accessible tool for grading.
The AGA Board of Governors recently unanimously approved the new Hybrid Diamond Master Sets for use in their Certified Gemological Laboratory (CGL) program and authorized GCAL by Sarine as an approved grading laboratory for certifying these master sets. The AGA-CGL program sets standards for equipment and professional training for the gemological laboratories of appraisers and jewelers. To earn CGL status, they must meet specific equipment requirements, including the use of a diamond master color grading set, and en-
sure that qualified gemologists oversee operations.
A Collaborative Effort
The AGA has long been committed to strengthening public trust in the gem and jewelry sector. “AGA offers its members unparalleled opportunities to exchange valuable insights and forge meaningful industry connections. Building on our longstanding dedication to addressing challenges that impact public trust in the gem and jewelry sector, we are proud to play a role in bringing the Certified Hybrid Diamond Master Stones to market,” said Teri Brossmer, AGA President.
This project stands as a testament to the power of industry collaboration. “Being a member of the AGA provides the opportunity to share valuable industry connections, which play a crucial role in addressing real challenges faced by our members nowadays. The most effective testimony of these synergies is the Hybrid Master Stones project, where a long-standing issue, unresolved for decades, was tackled thanks to the collective goodwill of all contributors. We are hopeful that this project will pave the
way for others, fostering further collaborations with all the other gemological and appraisal organizations,” noted Alberto Scarani, AGA Board of Governors and Project Coordinator.
A Commitment to Precision and Quality
Stuller, a prime supplier in the diamond trade, plays a vital role in sourcing and selecting stones for these sets, using labgrown diamonds for higher color grades and natural diamonds for lower ones. “For decades, Stuller has played a crucial role as a key supplier in the diamond trade, and as such, we are committed to shaping the future of the diamond industry in various ways. Thus, when AGA contacted us, we were excited to collaborate. We leveraged Stuller’s extensive global network and specialized in-house screening and sorting operations, which handle millions of natural and lab-grown diamonds annually, to pinpoint the precise stones that qualify as color master stones,” said Guy Borenstein, Stuller’s Director of Gemstone Procurement and Senior Gemologist. “Thanks to the fantastic collaboration with GCAL, a project
that typically requires at least a year and involves hundreds of rejected stones was successfully finished in under two months.”
The initial selection process has been streamlined using Sarine’s AI color grading technology. “Master stones must meet strict criteria - VG+ proportions, VS2+ clarity, faceted girdles, minimal fluorescence, and a pure yellow hue without tinges or modifiers - all while representing the highest of each respective color grade,” explained Angelo Palmieri, President of GCAL by Sarine. “AI has made the process faster and more efficient, ultimately making master sets more accessible for gemologists and jewelers.”
After Stuller completes the initial selection, each set is graded, verified, and certified by GCAL by Sarine, combining AIdriven grading with expert human assessment to ensure the master stones meet the highest standards.
Announced at the recent AGA annual conference in Tucson, these master sets provide:
• Greater Accessibility – Traditionally scarce and expensive,
these sets now offer an affordable, high-quality option for professionals.
• Unmatched Precision – AI technology and expert grading ensure consistent, accurate color grading.
• Increased Trust – Endorsed by the AGA, these sets give gemologists and jewelers a reliable grading tool.
Donald A. Palmieri, Founding Partner of GCAL by Sarine, emphasized the significance of the project: “In all my years of appraising and certifying diamonds, no tool has been more critical to my gemological work than my diamond color master set. GCAL is proud to provide certification for the master sets in joint cooperation with Stuller and AGA.”
These sets will soon be available for purchase by the trade directly from Stuller.
For more information on acquiring a Certified Hybrid Diamond Master Set, please visit the Accredited Gemologists Association website at accreditedgemologists.org/hybrid-diamond-mastersets.
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Say hello to Marigold, a 3-year-old pit bull rescue who’s become “the heart of the team” at Holt’s Jewelry in Wautoma, Wisconsin. Marigold may not be behind the counter making sales, but she’s certainly helping make every visit a special one. Her warm personality and loving nature make her the perfect greeter, and she makes customers feel right at home. Marigold has a unique way of spreading joy - whether it’s o ering a wag of her tail or a soft nudge for some attention, she knows how to brighten anyone’s day. While customers browse the jewelry, they can always count on Marigold to o er a friendly greeting and a bit of furry love. She loves helping customers nd the perfect piece by simply being there to make them smile. Marigold may not o er advice on diamonds, but she’s got the art of making connections down to a science.
Do you have a furry friend that helps out in your store? Tell us about it and send a picture to bill@southernjewelrynews.com.
Greetings from a holiday clad Sir Winston! Sir Winston is the o cial store greeter at Lowery Jewelers in Shelbyville, Tennessee. He’s worked at Lowerys all his life with his parents, Billy and Sharon Lowery. Sir Winston is a 14-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, very old for a Cavalier. He is on lots of meds for heart issues (common with the breed) and doing well so far. The store had highly successful sales events for his 5th and 10th birthdays - among their best events ever! Customers showered him with treats and toys. Sir Winston recently had to begin sharing his belly rubs and kisses with a new baby sister - also a Cavalier King Charles - named Willow!
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How to make your social media posts more ‘engaging’ than an engagement ring
By Guy Pineda
Research shows that 76% of consumers have purchased a product after viewing it on social media, and 85% of Pinterest users intend to buy things when they use the platform, demonstrating a strong purchasing intent.
Still skeptical? Even if you don’t believe in numbers, the influence of social media is undeniable!
In this article, I’ve compiled a list of practical tips to help you properly use social media to promote engagement, attract clients,
and increase sales - and no dancing on TikTok is required (unless you want to, of course).
1. Think of Social Media as Your Digital Showroom Your Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest pages should be as warm and inviting as your physical store. Surveys suggest that 98% of people do internet research on businesses before visiting them in person. So, make sure to make a good impression. Here are some tips to consider:
• Feature faces or customers in your posts, as this encourages more customer engagement. If
you’ve ever wondered why most of our Jewelry Store Marketer Facebook posts contain a lot of my face - this is why!
• Create short, interesting videos of your new arrivals because videos generate 1,200% more shares than text and photos combined.
• Engage your audience in behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and quick jewelry tips through Instagram Stories as they provide greater interaction opportunities than regular posts.
2. Use Hashtags, But Don’t Overload
Yes, hashtags are still relevant in 2025, but use them sparingly in your content. According to research, 3-5 selected hashtags per post yield the highest engagement. Here’s how you can make the most of hashtags:
• Focus on location-based tags, especially if you are targeting a local audience. For example, you can use: #AlabamaEngagements, #NashvilleJewelers in your posts for added engagement.
• Use trending hashtags such as #BridalTrends2025, #Lab-
Guy Pineda
GrownDiamonds, and others to stay relevant and encourage conversation on jewelry trends.
• Create a unique hashtag for your jewelry business, such as #YourStoreName, and encourage customers to tag their purchases with it along with your social network handles.
3. Engage Your Customers When They’re Ready to Buy (and Not When You’re Ready to Post)
Social media is more than just posting - it’s about sparking small talks and conversations that hopefully turn into conversions. That’s why it’s essential to have someone available when customers reach out.
Additionally, posting at the right time can make a huge difference in engagement. Here are the best times to post on various platforms:
• Instagram: 6–9 PM
• Facebook: 1–3 PM
• Pinterest: 8–11 PM (perfect for luring late-night shoppers)
While you’re on it, you can also try asking questions such as, “What’s your dream engagement ring?” to initiate jewelry discussions or recommendations. If possible, go live! Viewers are said to be engaged three times longer in a live video than in recorded ones. So, there’s no harm in trying.
4. Stand out with Video Content
If you haven’t used videos yet, now is the time to start. Video posts are the most engaging forms of material on social media. According to studies, reels receive more interaction than regular posts. And let’s not forget TikTok where users spend an average of 53.8 minutes per day!
Short, realistic, behind-thescenes videos are extremely helpful in establishing confidence and trustworthiness. People enjoy seeing the process of creating jewelry, whether it is the crafting, packaging, or inspiration for the designs. To make the most of your video content, polish your editing skills or hire an experienced videographer and editor.
Continued from page 3
independent jewelers. “Having access to a broad assortment of pre-owned Rolex independently certified watches bring people into the store and helps to spark engagement. Retailers who provide their clients with the opportunity to buy pre-owned Rolex independently certified watches demonstrate a superior luxury customer experience while enjoying increased profit dollars.”
In the past year, Newtown says jewelers have had great success with the program, by either stocking watches in their stores or ordering them through the company’s nine-day memo program. “Our latest catalog has over 200 styles that the store can present to its customers. Our nine-day memo option allows consumers to see and feel the watch before committing to purchase.”
SWISS CROWN™ USA does not purchase pre-owned watches from the public or retail customers. “We only source from our vetted long-term wholesale domestic and international suppliers who are able to supply the quality and quantity that fit our specific needs,” Newtown explains.
All pre-owned Rolex watches from the SWISS CROWN™ USA brand are certified by a third-party independent worldrecognized lab that generates a certification report with a detailed description of the watch, professional photograph, and serial number that corresponds to the pre-owned Rolex. Each watch is overhauled with a full inspection, refurbished movements, water test, and timing confirmation by
Clock and Watchmaker Institute (CW21) certified technicians trained in luxury Swiss watches. In addition to greater product selection and independent certification, jewelers benefit from immediate product availability and delivery, as well as a two-year warranty that stands behind the work of its technicians, ensuring each watch is as elegant and accurate as the day it was first purchased. “We understand this is a significant purchase for consumers, and we want them to be comfortable with their purchase,” says Newtown.
The ideal time to see and experience the product and sales support behind this profitable program is at the upcoming JCK Las Vegas, June 6-9, The Plumb Club, booth PC 230 in the Venetian Expo. Jack Newtown will be there to show and tell the benefits. By offering pre-owned Rolex
Founded in 1979, Quality Gold operates within the United States, Canada and India. More than 165,000 jewelry and gift products are available to ship same day. Quality Gold actively serves more than 15,000 retailers across the United States, its territories, and Canada.
independently certified watches, fine retail jewelers can tap into a growing market segment, attract a diverse clientele, and enhance their profitability through the sale of high-demand, value-retaining timepieces. For more information, visit swisscrownusa.com.
Rolex and the model names mentioned are registered trademarks of Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. Quality Gold, Inc. is not an authorized dealer for, nor affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc. or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries.
FriDaY
Continued from page 10
and their perspectives can help you identify processes that need to be refined.
The Benefits of Friday Meeting
Identify where, in your business’s processes, things began to break down, and what changes you can make to the process to prevent the issue from happening again. In a full-team meeting, you’ll have the advantage of everyone’s perspective. Different team members will see the situation in different ways,
Clear Communication
Weekly standing meetings are also the perfect solution for improving communication on any team. Your weekly meeting is a great time for leaders to make announcements that everyone needs to hear, so there’s no chance of a team member “not knowing” about something important. These meetings should also be a chance to run over crucial information for the week ahead. What were last week’s numbers like? What’s the schedule for next week? Who’s taking time off? Who needs time off in the near future? Are there events coming up? Is something new coming to the store? Consider making a checklist of points to revisit each week with the team.
As you can see, a weekly meeting goes so far beyond touching base. They can be a way to build camaraderie and good communication into any team. So here’s my challenge to you: add one “C” of the Fun Friday Formula into your meetings each week, and in a month, you’ll start to see the changes it brings!
Ivan Levi is a gemologist, third generation jeweler, and the owner of Grateful to Great™, a workshop series that applies the transformative power of gratitude in business. He has been published in multiple trade publications. He currently represents Levy Creations, based in Chicago. You can find him online at ivanthegreatful.com, or on Facebook and Instagram as Ivan the Grateful.
And the only reason we got there is because of The Edge and its reports. The detail of inventory reports in The Edge is unmatched by any other point of sale software I’ve ever used. We can run a report on how many citrine rings we have in stock between $1,000 and $2,000 and how many we’ve sold the year before. We can do that with tennis bracelets and diamond studs.
The Edge has made us much more profitable and allowed us be in a position to add other stores. We’ve actually expanded over the last few years and bought a couple of our competitors. We have the money in the bank because we run so lean based on The Edge reports. It will change the face of your business if you use it correctly.
- John Thomas, John Thomas Jewelers, Albuquerque, NM For a FREE demo, contact us at 1-855-TRY-EDGE or sales@ajsllc.com.
Mined diamonds, with prices fluctuating during these times, are still a natural product and because of that, there’s a story of rarity and genuineness to be told. It strikes a chord with consumers who can afford them over LGD and feel that real life milestones must be celebrated with natural diamonds. After Q1 of 2025, we’re seeing a rebalancing in effect favoring natural diamonds.
Eye on Dubai Dubai, in marked contrast, reports a sparkling upturn in diamond trading, says diamond commentators at diamondion.com.
“Dubai’s diamond trade saw a brilliant 12% growth in the initial half of 2024, as the emirate reinforced its dominance in the global diamond market. This upsurge is part of a continuing trend, bolstered by Extensive Economic Partnership Agreements that allow improved market access, particularly into Asian and African territories. Dubai has consistently been recognized as the leading hub, trading over 120 million carats, while the UAE accounts for nearly half of the world’s pol-
ished diamond trade value.”
This doesn’t mean that brisk business for LGD is a thing of the past. According to Economic Times India, “The Lab-grown Diamonds (LGDs) exports are set to rebound in FY25, with an expected growth of 7-9%. Despite
LGD market.”
Adaptability and Business Lifespan
These figures are a lot to process. Still, let’s not lose sight of a turn in the right direction for LGD that will only expand their relevance and utility.
recent declines due to falling prices, LGD demand is poised to increase due to factors like costeffectiveness and environmental sustainability, with India emerging as a key player in the global
jewelry. But with LGDs achieving its cheap and super-fast production rate, these goods can be allocated to a different, thriving industry - and made to order.
De Beers acknowledged making missteps into the LGD sector away from its core product of natural diamonds. But they have already realized a completely different direction for their LGD production.
This is pure gemstonegenius. The ability to adapt to a changing landscape greatly increases any business’ survival rate. That’s especially true in the sometimes fickle luxury niche.
A recent report in Forbes declared, Forget bling. De Beers has found a surprising use for lab-grown diamonds outside of luxury jewelry, and business is booming.
Tell us more
About 80% of global diamond production is traditionally earmarked for industrial application since they are unsuitable for
According to the Forbes report, London based Element Six, part of De Beers Group, is manufacturing loads of synthetic diamonds specifically for industrial use. “Its research site, based in Oxford, England, can generate the extreme heat needed to mint artificial diamonds, which are then used as cutting tools or abrasives. Element Six now makes much of its money by supplying diamonds for drilling or mining purposes, where they’re used to sharpen and improve tools.”
Turn Here
So it’s win-win for the natural diamond industry which is finding its footing again. Consumers
who must have an earth-mined natural diamond to commemorate life’s important milestones find diamonds to be just the right fit. Younger consumers who are not tied to the romantic story of natural diamonds may still be drawn to the more economical choices available with LGD.
And other LGD manufacturers, using De Beers example, should likewise pivot to finding additional buyers for their goods within the industrial market.
engaging
Continued from page 32
5. Strive for Consistency instead of Perfection Don’t stress to impress netizens. A high-quality postmore so a jewelry piece - is far more valuable than perfect content. Studies show that accounts that post daily (and consistently) gain followers four times quicker than those that post weekly. The good news? You don’t have to aim for perfection! What matters most is being consistent and maintaining a powerful online presence.
Final Words
A strong jewelry brand starts with a solid social media strategy, which, when powered by consistency and a passion for creating jewelry, becomes the magic formula for improved customer engagement.
Need help with social media marketing or want to learn more? Contact us today, and we’ll guide you!
You can also listen to the Pearls of Wisdom podcast for industry insights, success stories, and practical tips to grow your jewelry business online.
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.
Large sized LGDs are now produced quickly and cheaply. Image GIA
Inner workings of an LGD in the making. Image GIA
THINKING ABOUT
Retirement? Going Out of Business? Moving? Transferring Ownership?
LET US HELP
After 35 years in business, our lease renewal prompted us to consider the changing jewelry industry -rising gold costs and lab-grown diamonds- making it the right time to retire. More importantly, we wanted to enjoy time with our grandbabies. At an RJO show, we stopped by Marsden Brothers’ booth for general information, originally planning to retire in two years. After speaking with Joe, we felt confident in their expertise. When our timeline suddenly moved up, they responded quickly, helping us organize everything in just three and a half weeks.
- Jeff & Shelley Johnson
“We were beyond thrilled with the outcome which exceeded their goals and ours! We joked about the possibilty of doing one of these every year”
We were initially skeptical of the numbers they estimated we could do in our GOB but trusted their abilities and experience.The results far exceeded our expectations. Though a lot of work, it was absolutely worth it. For anyone considering a GOB or moving sale, we highly recommend Marsden Brothers. We Truly feel that they want you to succeed not just for the monetary value but absolutely want the best outcome for you and your business.
- Jeff & Shelley Johnson
ATTENDING JCK IS STEPPING INTO THE WORLD OF JEWELRY BUSINESS, COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY. AS THE MOST IMPORTANT JEWELRY EXHIBITION, IT’S YOUR HOME FOR SECURE BUYING, LEARNING, NETWORKING AND DISCOVERING. YOU WILL FIND A DIVERSE RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND THE BRANDS BEHIND THEM THAT COVER EVERY FACET OF THE INDUSTRY. THIS IS WHERE ACCESS TO THE FUTURE OF JEWELRY LIVES.
WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL? LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW AN UPGRADED BADGE UNLOCKS A JCK EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER. Friday, June 6 – Monday, June 9, 2025 | The Venetian Expo, Las Vegas, NV
OPENING 1 DAY EARLIER ON THURSDAY, JUNE 5: AGTA GEMFAIR™ LAS VEGAS IN THE GEMS PAVILION, THE HONG KONG PAVILION AND JCK TALKS
Email for more info & images Kipperdade@gmail.com ANTIQUE SHOWCASES FOR SALE
Perfect for your custom designs and in-stock needs. Call or Email Us Today!
LASER FOR SALE
Laser Star Model 7000 series for sale
Laser Star Workstation, purchased in 2004, model# 515-7092, with binocular microscope viewing system. Sell for $13,000.00. Contact: Wayne Madere at (225) 772-0756.
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
Career
needed at Shreveport’s
private jeweler. Sid Potts, Inc. is seeking outgoing & motivated sales team members. Jewelry experience is not necessary. GIA graduate a plus. Please email resume to randi@sidpotts.com
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