Modern Jewelry Trends

After 108 years of serving the jewelry industry, Modern Jeweler is suspending publication. We’d like to thank all the people who worked hard over the years to make every issue worth reading. We’d also like to thank the retailers and manufacturers who shared their time and expertise with our readers each month. We hope to find a buyer who believes in the future of the jewelry industry as much as we do. But even if we don’t and the August issue of Modern Jeweler is truly the last, we are sure that the jewelry industry’s strong community and generosity of spirit will ensure its recovery is swift and its future is bright. We’ll certainly miss being there to cover it.

- Tim Murphy, Publisher, and Cheryl Kremkow, Editor-in-Chief

Custom jewelry design is about to get much easier. Stuller, the jewelry industry’s largest just-in-time supplier, has partnered with Gemvision, the company that created Matrix, the most popular jewelry CAD-CAM program, to create new software that enables salespeople to create true custom designs at the counter that Stuller will then manufacture and deliver in less than a week.

“This is a tool to make custom design possible for the sales associate,” says Matt Stuller, founder, president, and CEO of Stuller. “When the customer is part of the design processes it fuels the passion and excitement of jewelry. It’s not a commodity anymore.”

The new software, tentatively called “Counter Sketch” was previewed for 50 select retailers at the inaugural Stuller Owner’s Conference in Lafayette, Louisiana on July 14.  A beta version will be released to 100 retailers on October 12 this year and the software will be available in wide release in January 2010.  Pricing hasn’t been set yet.

“We want to create an experience where the customer doesn’t have to ask for custom design, it becomes part of the shopping experience,” explains Jeff High, founder and president of Gemvision. The design process in the new software starts with existing models of popular jewelry styles. According to Stuller, the goal is to launch with 1,000 to 1,500 different initial models. Each model can then be modified and adapted to suit the customer’s needs through an intuitive easy-to-use interface, creating an infinite number of possible customized designs.

Take a three stone ring design, for example. A salesperson, or even a customer, can use simple sliders to change the finger size, the center stone size and type, the size and position of the side stones, the angle and height of all the stones, the width and profile of the shank. As one attribute of the piece changes, all the others seamlessly adjust proportionately in real time to change the look of the piece to suit the customer’s requirements.

Once the customer is happy with the design, the sales person can calculate pricing and send the model to Stuller for manufacturing. Stuller offers the design as a casting, as a polished mounting, or set with gemstones from Stuller’s inventory, delivered in 5 to 7 days.

Although Counter Sketch allows jewelers with little or no custom design experience to offer the service, even jewelers who specialize in CAD CAM said the new program would improve the custom design experience for their customers. “It’s a game-changer that makes custom the new normal: the biggest change the jewelry industry’s seen since the introduction of CAD,” says Jim Tuttle of Green Lake Jewelry Works in Seattle, the largest Matrix user in the country.  “This is the beginning of the mass customization revolution. In what other industry can you essentially design something yourself and get a good quality product? Who would have thought that the jewelry industry would lead the way in the democratization of design?”

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

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

The coolest thing that debuted at the JCK show this year wasn’t a jewelry design or a rare gemstone, although it was tucked away in a pocket.  Stuller has a new iPhone application, Live Diamond Try-On, that makes shopping for an engagement ring fun enough (and portable enough) to do in a bar with your friends.

Live Diamond Try-On works like the “Build a Ring” tools you see on jewelry websites, allowing you to choose a Red Box Diamond and then a Stuller setting in white or yellow gold and then showing you how the ring you chose looks with that size and shape diamond.

But then it goes beyond the expected into the 21st century. You can use the camera on the iPhone to take a picture of your hand and try the engagement ring on, pinching the screen to resize the image to fit your finger. Then you can capture the picture of the ring on your hand and email it or post it on Facebook to see what your friends and family think. (Or show it to your friends in the bar. Then try the ring on their hands or put it on their heads like a tiara.) In the future Stuller will be adding men’s bands too (so you can see how that cute guy at the bar would look while wearing one.)

And there’s more: after you create your ring and try it on, you can use the phone and its GPS to find the nearest retailer who carries it.  You can even see the store’s location on a map (and get directions and a phone number too.)

Talk to Stuller about how you can make sure your store is listed when the application launches this fall.

This time of year, college sports fans are fanatic about one thing: March Madness college basketball, basketball, and more basketball. One jeweler took to the courts to promote its store, and thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime shot, received a lot of priceless publicity in their community and on-line.

Northeastern Fine Jewelry, Albany, New York, sponsored a season long “Shooting Stars” contest at Siena College men’s basketball games, which culminated in one shot from half court for $25,000. During each of the Siena Saints’ previous 13 home games, one fan was chosen at random to shoot for 45 seconds from various locations on the court. The fan that scored the most points during the season was invited back for a shot at the grand prize.

In late February at the Times Union Center, Brendan Bradt, a 24-year-old Cohoes native and former high school point guard, hit the biggest shot of his life. He plans to use the $25,000 windfall to pay off student loans. During the competition, Bradt also won a gift card to the store for $1,000. Ray Bleser, president of Northeastern Fine Jewelry, and Gregg Kelly, general manager, were on the court to present Bradt with the oversized check (photo below).

Amazingly enough, ESPN featured the shot as its second best play of the day in its highly popular “Top Ten” plays segment seen nationwide during SportsCenter. The shot was then placed on YouTube, where the $25,000 jumper has been viewed more than 10,290 times so far. View it for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWDrSeh4MPg.

A recent press release sent to Modern Jeweler dubs it the “shot heard (and seen) round the world.” While we wouldn’t go quite that far, it sure doesn’t hurt in trumpeting a cool, fan friendly promotion by Northeastern Fine Jewelry.

1stdibs, an on-line marketplace for furniture and home accessories, has such a following among collectors that many visit every Wednesday, when new items are posted on the site. Now 1stdibs is entering the jewelry market, offering a marketplace of estate and new jewelry and watches from dealers and designers, including Kentshire Galleries, Tony Duquette, A La Vieille Russie, Camilla Dietz Bergeron, Julius Cohen, and others. Like the furniture selection, items are offered by dealers and sorted by physical location, so you can search the inventories of dealers in New York, Philadelphia, or London only if desired. You can contact the dealer directly to negotiate or get more information. The new jewelry marketplace is potentially as addictive as the furniture version for collectors of specific types of jewelry or eras. Unlike eBay, the quality is uniformly high, but then again so are the prices.

Looking to pump up your platinum sales this holiday season? Platinum Guild International has created a variety of marketing campaigns for both the consumer and trade on the local and national levels to convey the importance and desirability of platinum. The fashion and bridal platinum push is on. And with platinum prices making it a real bargain, it’s perfect timing for customers to fall in love with platinum.

Highlights of PGI’s push include a love story contest on CBS’s “Virginia This Morning.” Four finalists’ stories were read on-air and viewers voted on-line for their favorite. The winning couple received a pair of platinum wedding bands valued at $6,000 by Per Amore from Schwarzschild Jewelers in Richmond, Virginia. Retailers should take note that it’s never too early to plan those 2009 bridal and Valentine’s Day promotions.

In addition, PGI partnered with Elle and celebrity wedding planner Robert Smith, and launched platinum microsites with Elle.com and Brides.com. In Smith’s webisode on Platinum.Elle.com, he reviews different platinum ring styles.

New fashion and bridal ads featuring testimonials from platinum consumers will also run in Elle, Cosmopolitan, Modern Bride, and Martha Stewart Weddings throughout the holidays and 2009. For more marketing campaigns, sales tips, and technical support, visit www.platinumguild.com.

Looking for some gems and jewelry from Thailand but can’t get away? Despite some airport political protests that have made headlines recently, the next Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair will be open for business as usual from February 25-March 1, 2009, at the Impact Exhibition & Convention Center.

In the meantime, the Thai Gem & Jewelry Association has developed a new on-line sourcing project. The service is designed for international buyers to efficiently and conveniently source Thai gems and jewelry. The site includes registration, private buyer meetings, e-mail subscriptions, and news services. You can also set up meetings in advance of the next fair. Categories include precious and semiprecious gemstones, rough stones, jewelry, diamonds, pearls, and gold.
“The service is a perfect tool for prospective buyers who require a roadmap for navigating the Thai gem and jewelry industry,” says Somchai Phornchindarak, CEO of the Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair. “The massive size and varied supply of the Thai industry is one of our greatest strengths, but it can be overwhelming for visitors.” - Matthew Kramer

When Blue Nile sued Yehuda Diamonds in February this year for “misleading statements” on its web site comparing Yehuda clarity-enhanced diamonds to diamonds sold by Blue Nile, it started a chain of events in motion that may end up damaging the emerald market. How could an ongoing online diamond language dispute end up hurting emeralds? Does this gorgeous green gem just have bad karma?

In November, Yehuda Diamonds got its revenge at Blue Nile, filing suit against the online jewelry retailer (and sending out a press release today) claiming that it sold emerald jewelry to consumers without disclosing that the emeralds are enhanced. The Yehuda suit says that disclosure is required by FTC guidelines: “Such filled emeralds are far less valuable than non-enhanced emeralds, rely on an enhancement process that is not permanent, and typically require special care when cleaning, facts that Blue Nile did not disclose to its customers.”

That language is important because the FTC guides require disclosure of gemstone enhancement when the treatment is not permanent and requires special care. Retailers are also required to provide information about the special care needed. Although disclosure of gem enhancement is obviously a good idea in all cases, application of the language of the FTC guides is a bit more fuzzy. Take heating for example. Arguably the guides do not require disclosure of heat because it is general practice, permanent, and does not require special care.

Are enhanced emeralds “far less valuable” than non-enhanced emeralds as Yehuda claims in the suit or are non-enhanced emeralds the exception? Emeralds have always been odd man out when it comes to treatment. Emeralds treated with traditional natural volatile oils, which slowly evaporate, have long been considered more prestigious and valuable than emeralds filled with permanent epoxy resin fillers. Gem labs, however, generally don’t identify the fillers present in an emerald but only the amount of filling present.

Included as an exhibit in the complaint against Blue Nile are copies of Gemological Institute of America reports confirming that emeralds sold in September 2008 by Blue Nile have “moderate clarity enhancement.”

The suit asks the court to order Blue Nile to “cease making false and misleading statements and to offer a full and complete refund to any consumers who wish to return emeralds or emerald jewelry items purchased from Blue Nile.”

“The process of enhancing an emerald or a diamond is a common trade practice used by jewelers to provide consumers comparable gems at a more attractive price,” says Dror Yehuda, president of Yehuda Diamonds. “The issue arises when retailers, such as Blue Nile, fail to adequately inform their customers that the gems or jewelry items they are purchasing have been treated.”

Yehuda told National Jeweler that even though his company doesn’t sell emeralds, he views all pieces of jewelry as competing with each other. “Blue Nile is competing with me on the online business of jewelry,” he said, adding that he is demanding a jury trial in the case. (Although one imagines he might be a bit more flexible if Blue Nile were to make that other lawsuit go away, hmm?)

Blue Nile’s web site now includes language on emerald enhancement. But it’s not on the product page, it’s buried in the education section so I don’t get the sense that they are running scared. And Blue Nile isn’t very serious about colored gemstones anyway: they don’t even provide carat weight for emeralds or other gems, just the millimeter size, which is kind of weird, especially since the carat weight of side diamonds and diamond pave are given.

What does your website say about gem enhancement and gem care? If you sell online, it’s definitely time to take a look at all the fine print.