Modern Jewelry Trends

In Vegas this year, Modern Jeweler had the chance to talk to Agostino Magni, the president of Testi USA Inc, the company behind the red-hot Rebecca brand.  Rebecca is relatively new to the U.S. market but is growing fast.  Magni says sales were up 325% from 2007 to 2008, and doubled again in the first quarter of 2009.  Most of the collection is in bronze with an 18k gold overlay but, unlike most bridge brands, Rebecca is targeting fine jewelry stores, not department stores.

“Our philosophy is that we want to be the first price points in the best jewelry stores,” Magni says.  He says Rebecca offers those stores something new and fresh.  “First of all, we attract new customers, customers who might be scared to be in a store where they sell Patek.  And there are customers who will buy Rebecca at $400 who will buy more expensive items also.  Everyone is considering price-points now.  Men today will decide not to buy a new suit but they will buy a new tie.  Then Rebecca also offers the opportunity for multiple sales.  Everything is in sets for add-on sales.”

Magni says that Rebecca’s marketing strategy is innovative too.  None of the brand’s significant marketing budget is allocated for national consumer advertising.  “America is a big market,” he explains. “In Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar you can’t compete with David Yurman. Aside from trade advertising, we invest all our marketing budget in our retail partners’ marketing programs.”

Rebecca is known for its special events. “We are aggressive and like to play out of the box,” Magni says. “We’ll empty a store and bring 600 or 700 pieces in, partner with a salon and a restaurant.  We’ll sell 127 pieces in a night.”

“Our best sales reps are our accounts,” Magni says. “At this price-point, in the kind of stores we are in, we need to turn six times a year.  And we do.”

We are pretty sure actress and sex symbol Megan Fox is not a Transformer, Autobot, Decepticon, or any other kind of robot or clone. But during her whirlwind international tour to promote “Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen,” she seemed to be everywhere, from magazines to the talk shows to the red carpet. Fox certainly ramped up the frequent flyer miles—and brought plenty of Hollywood glamour, fashion, and jewelry looks overseas, too.

On June 9, for example, Megan Fox was at the premiere of “Transformers” in South Korea, and wore an Amrapali 22k gold mesh cuff. On June 15, Fox wore Siera diamond hoop earrings at the London premiere. Passport at the ready no doubt, she then jetted to Moscow June 16, and switched back to Amrapali gold and rose cut diamond earrings. On June 22, Fox was back in Los Angeles at the Mann Village Theatre and wore Siera’s black onyx and diamond cocktail ring.

“Transformers” has received pretty good reviews, but a few stars should be awarded to Siera Jewelry, which has become a favorite of celebs like Halle Berry, Debra Messing, and Mariah Carey. Amrapali, too, has received a lot of publicity with its modern Indian fine jewelry. It helps to have D’Orazio & Associates, Beverly Hills, in your corner. The private showroom caters to stylists, stars, and entertainment industry pros, and has a pretty impressive list of media placements. Special thanks, by the way, to D’Orazio for the original news items and photos.     — Matthew Kramer

First the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series. Then the Pittsburgh Steelers won their sixth NFL Super Bowl. The Pittsburgh Penguins just won the NHL Stanley Cup. It’s a great time to be a sports fan in Pennsylvania (we’ll just overlook those always woeful Pittsburgh Pirates). Sports championship rings get a lot of publicity for their over-the-top designs. There are always private and public ring ceremonies, and what athlete doesn’t like to flaunt their victory with a big diamond ring?

The Steelers and Jostens collaborated on perhaps, as a football TV commentator would enthuse, the “greatest ring in NFL history.” To symbolize the team’s six Super Bowl victories, six round diamonds surround the Steelers logo, which sits atop a football-shaped diamond design. Other highlights include six Lombardi trophies carved on one side of the ring, while the other side is personalized with the player’s name and number. The 14k yellow gold ring weighs 104 grams (approximately 3.7 ounces) with 63 round diamonds totaling 3.61 carats.

Speaking of big sports rings, we have to mention that the Philadelphia Phillies celebrated their 2008 World Series championship, too, with rings created by Masters of Design. The 14k white gold ring features 103 diamonds, totaling 3.84 carats. The top is crowned with a ruby inlay and the Phillies’ signature “P.”

We wonder what the next championship ring will look like. What about the one for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers? That could top the Steelers’ ring. As for the rest of the country’s sports fans, there’s always next year. Just my vote, but hopefully the next championship ring will have a diamond studded interlocking “N” and “Y” and feature carats and carats of “pinstripe” white and black diamonds.     — Matthew Kramer

The American Jewelry Design Council has selected Leila Tai as the winner of its prestigious 2009 new talent contest. Leila Tai is a jewelry artist, designer, and teacher who is known for her limited edition pieces and use of plique a jour enamel. From petals to butterflies, Tai’s nature-inspired collections such as “Spring” and “Wings” are one-of-a-kind with a focus on realism, movement, and flexibility.

Tai currently teaches jewelry design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Pratt Institute. The American Jewelry Design Council selects its winner based on originality, craftsmanship, innovation, marketability, and cohesiveness of design. Tai will receive a booth in the New Designer Gallery at the JA New York summer show, which will be held July 26-29. For more information, call (212) 757-2210 or visit www.leilataidesign.com.     — Matthew Kramer

Platinum Guild International USA continues to introduce impressive training and marketing programs. Now PGI has developed an on-line platinum sales training program for retailers and jewelers titled, “Platinum First.” Designed as a 30 minute, interactive training module, the program offers a comprehensive education on the value of platinum, providing sales associates the tools they need to educate and effectively sell platinum to their bridal customers.

The course’s objective is to contextualize why offering a customer platinum first is a smart selling technique. Research shows that sales associates who show platinum to a customer as a first choice, and are confident in their knowledge about platinum, almost double their chances of making the platinum sale. It’s another useful program to help boost the confidence of sales associates as they sell those pure, rare, and eternal platinum bridal rings to those brides-to-be.

Before launching it in 2008, PGI test piloted the introductory program with over 100 sales associates from two leading regional chains and two independent retailers. PGI is also developing more on-line training programs and new modules will be added throughout the year. For more information, visit www.platinumlearning.com.    — Matthew Kramer

I’ve been thinking about all the wonderfully creative designers I met at the Vegas shows. Sometimes it’s all too easy to focus on a known brand or designer, but what about something new? What stood out from a “new” designer, someone debuting at the show, or at least someone new to me?

In the designer center, I enjoyed viewing the collection from Andrea Lucille Designs. The contemporary collections featured a lot of natural and organic forms, elegant and delicate pieces, some with an architectural but light feel to them. Styles are created with hand fabrication and casting, polished and textured surfaces in sterling silver and 18k gold, gemstones, and pearls. The “Gavarnie” collection featured overlapping textured square wires, giving pieces form and depth. “Modern Hammer” featured jewelry with hammered links in shapes, swirls, leaves, and shells. “Willow” featured delicate branches, stems, and calla lilies with gemstone and pearl drops.

Price points ranged from $60 to $6,000, from cascading necklaces to a new and affordable under $250 collection. From stunning necklaces, cocktail rings, and bridal styles to a wide variety of sterling silver and gemstone designs, Andrea Lucille has a playful and exciting collection. The “Gavarnie” sterling silver cuff shown here features cultured freshwater pearls, with a suggested retail of $750. For more information, call (718) 930-3461 or visit www.andrealucilledesigns.com.     — Matthew Kramer

The best category for new launches this year is for cute little impulse items.  I’m thinking of Old World Chain’s irresistible chat charms, the new Hershey’s kiss pendants, all the great new initials out there, and lucky charms galore.

Simmons Jewelry has another great new nostalgia-fueled idea. Remember having a lucky penny when you were young?  I’m not old enough to have put pennies in my loafers but I do remember the lucky penny my mother gave me in my first little purse. The new Simmons trademarked and patented “Penny Pendants” feature a shiny new penny set in a sterling silver pendant line.  They even have a little sterling silver purse pendant with a penny tucked inside.

The Penny Pendants line is a collaboration between Simmons and designer Dana Michele, who has a decade of experience in designing and manufacturing jewelry and children’s toys sold in major retailers including Toys ‘R’ Us and FAO Schwartz.

The designs are suspended from a 36-inch chain so they can be easily grabbed to make a wish. And the pendants are priced perfectly for this market, retailing for $99.   The impulse-attracting styles may have many retailers believing the adage “See a penny right side up, all day long you’ll have good luck.”

At the recent Couture show, Scott Kay launched a new collection of men’s wedding bands in a proprietary alloy called “SK Cobalt.”  The company isn’t releasing details or images at this point but brand spokesperson Dan Scott did confirm that the bands are made from an alloy that contains cobalt.  Bands are about the same weight at palladium bands and have a standard white metal appearance.  The collection in the new alloy will allow the brand to compete against the price-points of tungsten carbide and titanium bands.  “It won’t shatter like tungsten, it’s a molten metal,” Scott says.

Because retail blogger Shanu Guliani has already remarked on the similarity between black titanium bands displayed at the Scott Kay booth this year and styles from the Edward Mirell brand, which has a patent on black titanium, it is perhaps worth noting that Edward Mirell also sells rings in a patented cobalt alloy called “CobaBlue,” that has a similar appearance to the new SK Cobalt.

Taking a “break” from the rows of jewelry aisles, I attended the Gemological Institute of America’s first “Mini” Jewelry Career Fair on May 31 at the JCK Las Vegas show. But it was hardly mini. It was perfect timing considering the economy and the challenges the jewelry industry has faced. Approximately 200 job seekers attended the panel discussion, and received coaching sessions and information on jewelry career opportunities.

The “Job Success in Today’s Market” panel included John Green of Lux Bond & Green; Matthew Green, sales director of Europe, Middle East, and Asia for John Hardy; Joel Schechter of Honora; and Phyllis Bergman of Mercury Ring Corporation. It was inspiring to hear John Green speak about his family’s business, and the passion he has for his job. Joel Schechter’s “Top 10” list of qualities employers and job seekers should look for and have was equally informative. Speaking of passion, as Schechter mentioned, shouldn’t we all love Mondays? If you don’t, the next GIA career fair is scheduled for October 16, 2009, at its Carlsbad headquarters.

Looking towards the future, GIA has developed an on-line multimedia format for its distance learning courses in gemology and jewelry sales. This “eLearning” program is available for its Accredited Jewelry Professional diploma and “Diamonds & Diamond Grading” program. Courses include audio, video for hands-on demonstrations, interviews with experts, instructor lectures, and “see it for yourself” segments. For more information, call (800) 421-4250 or see a demonstration at www.gia.edu/elearning.

GIA also just became a member of the Responsible Jewelry Council, an international nonprofit organization committed to promoting responsible ethical, human rights, social, and environmental practices in a transparent and accountable manner. From the RJC to career fairs to eLearning, it’s reassuring to see GIA keep its vision focused on both the current and future generations of the jewelry industry.     — Matthew Kramer

Modern Jeweler’s June 2009 issue featured 89 Finds Under $500 retail because we heard from retail jewelers across the country that entry-level price points are the most important part of the market right now.

Once we started searching for them, we were surprised to be able to feature so many great affordable styles, including new designs from brands who are known for high-end fashion jewelry. But, turns out, we just uncovered the tip of the iceberg.

At the recent JCK show, at booth after booth we saw attractive, impulse-worthy jewelry that retails under $500. In fact, affordable styles were the most important trend at the show this year. (We saw so many, and heard from so many exhibitors that these were the styles that were selling, that we will be featuring Finds Under $500 in every issue going forward.)

Of course, many of these well-priced styles are in sterling silver, like these bamboo-inspired designs from John Hardy, below.  These earrings, which retail for $295, are fashionable forward-facing hoops, a trend, with concentric shapes, another trend.  Add in natural texture and the fact that they are sterling and under $500 and you have a show-full of trends in one.