’TIS THE SEASON
OUR PRODUCT-PACKED, TIP-FILLED HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE
We’ve got everything you need to get your store ready for the year’s biggest selling season, starting with trends—everything from lariats to serpents and more.
Tips for making your holiday windows and displays sparkle in new and exciting ways
AMY ELLIOTT
When it comes to employees, events, and inventory, remember these three words: preparation, preparation, preparation.
KAREN DYBIS
Think outside the (gift) box: Small services like repairs and engraving add up to big business opportunities for savvy jewelers.
MARTHA C. WHITE
Jewelry shown:
Bangle LF2059, Earrings LE2770, Necklace LF2067-17
Jewelry
Editor-in-Chief VICTORIA GOMELSKY
Creative Director PETER YATES
EDITORIAL
News Director ROB BATES rbates@jckonline.com
Contributing Editor & Social Media Manager BRITTANY SIMINITZ bsiminitz@jckonline.com
Photography Director FREYDA TAVIN
Art Director ALFREDO CEBALLOS
Jewelry Director RANDI MOLOFSKY
Jewelry Editor RIMA SUQI
Contributing Editors
KAREN DYBIS kdybis@gmail.com
AMY ELLIOTT aelliott718@gmail.com
Copy Editor SHARON CONGDON
Managing Editor MELISSA ROSE BERNARDO
U.S. ADVERTISING SALES
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THE INDUSTRY AUTHORITY FOR 155 YEARS!
Group Vice President / RX USA Jewelry Portfolio
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JCK SHOW & LUXURY
Event Director, Luxury MEGHAN MARGEWICZ 203-820-0127 meghan.margewicz@rxglobal.com
JCK Sales Director LARS PARKER-MYERS 203-840-5808 lars.parker-myers@rxglobal.com
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Account Executive ASHA CHOWDHURY Essentials & Tech, Gallery level 1, Retail Innovation 203-613-0782 asha.chowdhury1@rxglobal.com
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BARBARA MURRAY First Look, GEMS 203-840-5820 barbara.murray@rxglobal.com
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Marketing Manager
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Cover Look
Spinelli di Fuoco high jewelry necklace with 365 cts. t.w. multicolored spinels and 5.51 cts. t.w. diamonds in 18k rose gold; price on request; Pomellato; 929-667-1967; pomellato.com
Cuff watch in 18k yellow gold with diamonds, 26.11 cts. t.w. emeralds, and enamel; price on request; Piaget; 877-874-2438; piaget.com
Necklace with 2.2 cts. Nude Diamonds in 14k Honey Gold; price on request; Le Vian; 516466-7202; levian.com
1.75 ct. cushion milky fuchsia sapphire pleated solitaire band in 14k yellow gold; $6,050; Retrouvaí; traci@retrouvai.com; retrouvai.com
Carnivale Cookie earrings with 57.85 cts. t.w. detachable purple moonstones, multicolored sapphires, pink tourmaline, and amethysts in 18k rose and white gold; $15,950; Margot McKinney; hello@ margotmckinney.com; margotmckinney.com
Liquid Gold Crescent Cuff in 18k yellow gold with diamonds; price on request; Lizzie Mandler; jessica@ lizziemandler.com; lizziemandler.com
Supernova cocktail ring with 10.03 ct. rubellite, 0.7 ct. t.w. spessartite garnets, 3.06 cts. t.w. amethyst, 4.58 cts. t.w. purple sapphires, and 3.55 cts. t.w. diamonds in 18k yellow gold; price on request; Harwell Godfrey; mark@ markdluxury.com; harwellgodfrey.com
Marquise Diamond Snake Head Rolo Chain Y necklace in 14k yellow gold; $9,765; Jacquie Aiche; sales@ jacquieaiche.com; jacquieaiche.com
Tubogas bracelet with 0.73 ct. t.w. diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $22,800; Emily P. Wheeler; info@ emilypwheeler.com; emilypwheeler.com
Acoustic ring + Royale Enclose ring in recycled 18k gold with 1.54 ct. princess-cut diamond and 0.1 ct. t.w. pavé diamonds; $35,000; Bliss Lau; hello@blisslau.com; blisslau.com
Big Zaha ring in 14k yellow gold; $4,750; ZAHN-Z Jewelry; info@zahnzjewelry.com; zahnzjewelry.com
Tennessee Torque in 18k yellow gold with diamonds; $39,800; Jade Ruzzo; mark@ markdluxury.com; jaderuzzo.com
A VIDEO LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
WE’RE EXCITED TO present our first-ever fully digital issue of JCK, just in time for holiday planning. I’m giving you a glimpse of a few of my favorite stories—like our trend spotlights—in the video above. Let us know what you think!
Victoria Gomelsky Editor-in-Chief vgomelsky@jckonline.com
STAFF PICKS
Ring with 4.01 ct. oval antiqueinspired–cut diamond in custom 18k gold alloy; price on request; Vanessa Fernández; vanessa@vanessa-fernandez. com; vanessa-fernandez.com
1
3
Diamond Trace pavé ring in 18k gold with 1.6 ct. pear-cut diamond; $7,900; KatKim; 213-2657947; katkim finejewelry.com
Serra ring in 14k yellow gold with 2 ct. old mine–cut citrine; $1,280; Ashley Zhang; 347-268-3526; ashleyzhang jewelry.com
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2
Moval Diamond Crossover Helix ring with baguette band in 18k yellow gold with diamonds; price on request; Grace Lee; contact@ gracelee.com; gracelee.com
“Nothing
against the deco era, but when it comes to wedding rings, my silhouette of choice is organic and curvaceous. Va-va-voom!”
Victoria Gomelsky, JCK editor-in-chief
CURVE BALLS
What JCK’s Victoria Gomelsky is loving this month
5
Amada ring in 14k gold; $1,940 (without center stone); Casey Perez; sales@caseyperezjewelry. com; caseyperezjewelry.com
RED CARPET
HOT AROUND THE COLLAR
No neck messes for these women! Just a single sculptural jewel that exudes elegance and timelessness.
BY MELISSA ROSE BERNARDO
Asimmetrico choker with 2,924 diamonds in 18k rose gold; price on request; Pomellato; 929-6671967; pomellato.com
JANE FONDA
Fun fact: Fonda first attended the Cannes film festival in 1964. Here she is this summer—60 years later—at the 77th festival, serving mob wife aesthetic at the opening ceremony and a screening of Le Deuxième Acte (The Second Act) in an Elie Saab jumpsuit and a cheetah-print topcoat by forte_forte. All of her rose gold and pavé diamond jewelry comes from Pomellato’s high jewelry collection: The earrings are covered with 500 diamonds, the bracelet with 1,139, and the collar necklace with 2,924. If this is Fonda’s second act, we’re here for it.
Poseidon necklace in 14k Roslow gold with 1.26 cts. t.w. round white diamonds; $16,515; Kismet by Milka; info@ kismetbymilka.com; kismetbymilka.com
Domino wide chain in 18k rose gold with 1.83 cts. t.w. diamonds in 18k white gold; $40,150; Roberto Coin; 212-486-4545; robertocoin.com
RED CARPET
Eclisse Endless necklace in 18k white gold and diamonds; price on request; Vhernier; 800-6405558; vhernier.com
UNDER $10,000
Cleopatra Tag necklace in 14k white gold; $6,490; Lana Jewelry; 312-226-LANA; lanajewelry.com
UNDER $2,500
18-inch 8.5 mm–wide sterling silver Sculpted Cable necklace; $1,600; David Yurman; 888-398-7626; davidyurman.com
JULIANNE hOUGh
Returning for her second consecutive year to cohost The Tony Awards: Act One—aka the creative arts pre-show—actor-singer-dancer Hough had a few costume changes throughout the evening (including a slinky black jersey cutout Galvan gown that she wore at the all-night Carlyle Hotel afterparty). But we were especially partial to this petal pink Ermanno Scervino dress. Her most prominent accessory—a sculptural white gold collar, a modern celestial design by Milan-based Vhernier—provided a beautiful balance to the romantic silk organza ruffles. We give the Dancing With the Stars cohost a 10!
LIGHT, UNLEASHED
SPARKLE ALL THE WAY WITH OUR GUIDE TO THIS YEAR’S MOST COVET-WORTHY JEWELRY, FROM DEEP PURPLE DESIGNS TO NOSTALGIC 1980 s PIECES AND BEYOND. (WE HOPE YOU LOVE YELLOW GOLD!) PLUS: RETAILERS AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS GIVE THEIR TOP TIPS ON DECOR, OPERATIONS, AND ADD-ON SERVICES TO HELP BOOST YOUR BUSINESS— EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
1 / Necklace with 8.875 cts. t.w. Hunters Green Tourmaline and 7 cts. t.w. Nude Diamonds in 18k Strawberry Gold; price on request; Le Vian; 516-466-7202; levian.com
2 / Necklace with 8.1 mm–10.5 mm Tahitian pearls, 13.68 cts. t.w. green tourmaline in platinum, and 18k white gold diamond clasp; price on request; Assael; info@assael.com; assael.com
3 / Naga Y necklace in 14k yellow gold with 0.34 ct. t.w. diamonds; $15,500; John Hardy; 888-8383022; johnhardy.com
4 / 14k yellow gold hollow tube and black oval ceramic Y knots necklace; $4,300; Gabriel & Co.; 212-5191400; gabrielny.com
5 / Y necklace in oxidized sterling silver and 18k yellow gold; $3,970; Gold and Smoke; hello@gold andsmoke.com; goldandsmoke.com
1 / 7 Chakras necklace in 18k yellow gold with amethysts and diamonds; $11,000; Sauer; yvonne@ sauer1941.com; sauer1941.com
2 / Earrings with 8.79 cts. t.w. pear-shape kunzite, 1.39 cts. t.w. princess-cut purple garnets, and 0.89 ct. t.w. round diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $18,000; Omi Privé; jewelry@ omiprive.com; omiprive.com
3 / Geometric amethyst ring in 18k yellow gold; $3,200; Amáli; info@ amalijewelry.com; amalijewelry.com
4 / Puffy Star pendant with periwinkle enamel, 3.78 ct. amethyst, and 5.7 cts. t.w. diamonds in 20k yellow gold; price on request; Buddha Mama; elizabeth@theeabproject. com; buddhamama.com
PURPLE
5 / Purple Silk Wrap bracelet with 4.25 cts. t.w. sapphires and 3.82 cts. t.w. amethysts in 18k yellow gold; $12,000; Emily P. Wheeler; info@emilypwheeler. com; emilypwheeler.com
1 / Hidden Beauty Chainfall ring with 1.051 cts. t.w. diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $7,200; Guzema; support@guzema.com; guzema.com
2 / Sage earrings with 15.85 cts. t.w. purple and blue sapphires and 3.8 cts. t.w. diamonds in recycled 18k gold; $34,000; Future Fortune; catherine@futurefortunejewelry.com; futurefortunejewelry.com
FRINGE
3 / Connexion Diamond Pear Fringe necklace in 18k yellow gold; $42,000; Jemma Wynne; sales@jemmawynne.com; jemmawynne.com
4 / 18k recycled gold Ombré Fringe necklaces with 15.6 cts. t.w. aquamarine and citrine and 13 cts. t.w. tourmaline, aquamarine, and citrine; $21,000 each; Renna; hello@ rennajewels.com; rennajewels.com
5 / Tennessee Ring Pavé with 4.68 cts. t.w. champagne diamonds and 0.32 ct. t.w. diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $19,800; Jade Ruzzo; mark@ markdluxury.com; jaderuzzo.com
Transfer
1980 s
1 / Linéaire ring in 14k yellow gold with diamonds; $1,200; Sylvie; info@sylviecollection.com; sylviejewelry.com
2 / Helios earrings with 0.24 ct. t.w. diamonds in 18k yellow gold; $3,130; Doves by Doron Paloma; 888-663-6837; dovesjewelry.com
3 / Collar in 18k gold with multicolored tourmaline and diamonds; $39,920; Carolina Neves; online@carolinaneves.com; carolinaneves.com.br
4 / 18k yellow gold Cassette Tape pendant with 40.05 ct. white sapphire case and 1.01 cts. t.w. diamonds, $23,500; 18k yellow gold Cassette Key Pencil pendant with 0.68 ct. pink opal eraser and 0.37 ct. t.w. diamonds, $6,000; Sorellina; orders@sorellinanyc.com; sorellinanyc.com
5 / Time to Wish Bracelet in 18k gold with 0.66 ct. t.w. pink sapphires, 0.2 ct. t.w. yellow sapphires, 0.52 ct. t.w. tsavorite, 0.52 ct. t.w. blue sapphires, and 1.23 cts. t.w. amethysts; price on request; Harwell Godfrey; mark@ markdluxury.com; harwellgodfrey.com
1 / Drop earrings in 18k yellow gold with 7.98 cts. t.w. oval, heart-shape, and cushion-cut fancy yellow diamonds; $118,950; Rahaminov; 213-622-9866; rahaminov.com
2 / Gema bangle with mixed pink and champagne fancy-cut crystals and Swarovski Zirconia; $280; Swarovski; 800-426-3088; swarovski.com
3 / Rock collection one-of-a-kind collar with 12.77 cts. t.w. sphene and 0.37 ct. t.w. diamonds in 14k gold; $9,000; Eden Presley; sales@ edenpresley.com; edenpresley.com
4 / Billie V band in 18k yellow gold with 0.56 ct. t.w. diamonds; $5,100; Jade Trau; info@jadetrau.com; jadetrau.com
5 / Button earrings with 6.5 cts. t.w. fancy colored emerald-cut diamonds in 18k white gold, microset with 450 diamonds; price on request; Martin Katz; 310-276-7200; www.martinkatz.com MIXED
1 / Snake + 7 Marquise Diamond Front-Back single-stud earring in 14k gold; $7,840 as shown; Jacquie Aiche; sales@jacquie aiche.com; jacquieaiche.com
2 / Nouvelle Full Diamond Serpent Charm necklace in 18k yellow gold with diamonds and emeralds; $7,490; Lionheart; 212-219-3793; lionheartjewelry.com
3 / Kingdom Snake Charmer cuff bracelet in 18k yellow gold with 0.2 ct. pear rose-cut cognac diamond and 0.09 ct. t.w. round emeralds; $6,975; Jennifer Dawes Design; sales@dawes-design.com; dawes-design.com
4 / Vipera ring in 14k yellow gold with 13.2 ct. blue topaz, 0.41 ct. t.w. diamonds, and 0.01 ct. blue sapphire; $6,695; Yael Designs; 415-989-9235; yaeldesigns.com
5 / Snake earrings with 3.54 cts. t.w. multicolored sapphires and 0.03 ct. t.w. onyx in 18k yellow gold; $8,950; Goshwara; info@ goshwara.com; goshwara.com
LET’S GET VISUAL
A SUCCESSFUL SEASON HINGES ON MAKING YOUR HOLIDAY WINDOWS AND DISPLAYS SPARKLE IN NEW AND EXCITING WAYS
b y Amy Elliott
IF YOUR VISUAL merchandising plan for the holiday season involves merely putting up an artificial tree with some ornaments, it’s time to take a different approach.
Many retailers start planning holiday visuals in October, but plenty begin the process much sooner. Whatever timeline you choose, your displays should be installed no later than Black Friday and taken down a week or so after New Year’s Day.
The most compelling holiday decorations tend to tell a festive, innovative, and even surprising story.
“Take the feeling that you want your jewelry to bring to others and make it come to life,” says Anna Samsonova, a Chicago-based retail and branding consultant specializing in the jewelry industry. “Focus on family, focus on love and joy.”
BEGIN WITH BRANDING
When it comes to holiday merchandising, “I want to see your brand represented, just as your personality shines through in your home decor,” Samsonova says.
Jim Bretzel, director of operations at Kesslers Diamonds in Germantown, Wis., agrees. “Don’t hesitate to use branded colors, boxes, ribbons, and tissue to complement the decor.”
When thinking about your holiday windows, consider tying the theme to that season’s marketing campaign. “A customer usually starts their journey with you through some form of advertising,” says Jim Pedersen, director of visual and store planning at Stanley Korshak in Dallas. “By reinforcing that messaging in your windows, the customer will already have a familiarity with your brand and feel at home.”
ESTABLISH A THEME
Red and green are traditional (and fine) colors, but if you’re looking to create a memorable shopping experience, consider unexpected color stories and imaginative themes. Peacock feathers, vintage photographs, toys, metallics, even a lustrous plaid ribbon can serve as jumping-off points or anchor an idea that comes to life in windows, cases, and throughout the store.
“The display needs to accentuate the jewelry, make it shine, and tell a story,” Samsonova says.
Pedersen generally advises a less-is-more approach. “The product should always be the star, especially in a luxury retail environment,” he says. “Clean, straightforward, and wellstyled presentations are timeless. Tell the story and don’t overcomplicate it. One nicely trimmed tree is better than five trees executed poorly.”
Above all, Bretzel adds, “ensure the display aligns with your brand’s style and values.”
GO PRO
If your budget permits, working with a creative consultant— such as an event planner, interior designer, prop stylist, or visual merchandising specialist—to develop and execute a holiday theme could produce extraordinary results. Bretzel says Kesslers has collaborated on projects with a Milwaukee firm called Retailworks, but “in smaller towns, reaching out to local art shops or art schools could be beneficial.”
CREATE AN ARCHIVE
Developing visual merchandising themes for the holidays (and beyond) should be a perennial pursuit, says Melissa Quick, president of Steve Quick Jeweler in Chicago. That means keeping your eyes peeled for potential props and decorations year-round (at thrift stores, in flea markets, or on clearance at T.J. Maxx).
The goal is to create and maintain an archive of elements that you mine every year. “Organize the decor items in a way that makes it easy for you to see what you have to work with,” Quick suggests. For example, storing items by color “made it easy for us to think outside the box,” she says. “I think you can add an element or two to mix it up and give your holiday theme a totally new feel without having to do a big spend.”
Our best piece of advice? Waste no time—cue up your favorite holiday tunes and get to work!
(Above) Stanley Korshak shows off a chic holiday party–ready outfit; (below) gift-wrappable suggestions in the window at Kesslers Diamonds
HAVE A GAME PLAN
WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYEES, EVENTS, AND INVENTORY DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, REMEMBER THESE THREE WORDS: PREPARATION, PREPARATION, PREPARATION b y Karen Dybis
SKIP THE BLACK Friday or Cyber Monday sale—that’s the advice Dan DeVries is giving his fellow jewelry store owners this holiday season as retailers look for ways to warm up consumers during a politically charged and economically uncertain fourth quarter.
Instead of focusing on those traditional sales days, DeVries Jewelers, a retailer in Grand Rapids, Mich., is hosting an event in late November that its staff and customers have come to love: a holiday-themed get-together for some of the store’s best clients.
“We refer to it as a ‘customer appreciation event,’ ” DeVries says. “We invite five or so designers to a nice off-site location to showcase the inventory as well as one-of-a-kind pieces with some light appetizers and beverages. It is always well received and fun for our staff to get out of the store.”
Retail and inventory experts agree: Holiday 2024 is likely to be more challenging than recent holiday seasons, which benefited from the jewelry-buying frenzy spurred by the lockdowns of the early pandemic. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’ve ordered the products you need, hired the appropriate number of staffers, and scheduled the events most likely to motivate your customers to join the party.
“Inventory management is probably the hardest thing to control,” DeVries admits. “We try to keep things fresh and current. Customers are really looking to us for that special or unique piece.”
FINDING THAT SPECIAL PIECE
Sherry Smith, director of business development for Edge Retail Academy, a jewelry consultancy in Omaha, Neb., says retailers should have ordered their holiday inventory yesterday.
“Historic performance is one of the strongest indicators for future performance,” Smith says. “Retailers should review and analyze last year’s fourth-quarter sales. What were their best-selling pieces? Which sold multiple units? What aspirational pieces did they bring in and sell?
“They should factor in lead time, particularly for classic and best sellers,” Smith adds. “It is a travesty when they lose sales because they can’t get the pieces in during the holiday season.”
Buyers Intelligence Group CEO Abe Sherman recommends retailers establish a year-end inventory goal before going into the all-important fourth quarter. Reorder fast sellers, but reallocate the hundreds (or thousands!) of items you already own in order to reduce your inventory before New Year’s Eve.
“Now is the time to plan how you’re going to use your nonperforming inventory,” Sherman says. “Remerchandising is especially important in today’s marketplace, when you have gold prices that are likely significantly higher than when you purchased that inventory.”
SIZE UP STAFFING AND EVENTS
Lisa Bridge, CEO of Seattle-based Ben Bridge Jeweler, says preparing the chain’s 36 stores for the fourth quarter is a yearround effort that ramps up during the late summer months.
For example, the company keeps track of its college-age hires and retirees and taps both groups to work during the holidays.
As for holiday hours, Bridge says each store studies what its community needs and often tries to coordinate with nearby restaurants and other businesses. Ben Bridge may keep some freestanding stores open longer hours or on Sundays, but that can be difficult if not impossible to do with mall-based stores where the shopping center has set opening and closing times.
Bridge also advises stores to allow plenty of lead time when scheduling holiday events so they can make the most of these marketing opportunities. “The biggest part of making a season a success is controlling as many factors as we can,” Bridge says. “Being in control of our environment and the experiences we offer as well as our outreach is what we do best. If we prepare early, that will lead to the greatest season we can have.”
In 2022, DeVries hosted seven vendors and about 215 people at the Downtown Market in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Lisa Bridge (second from l.) in Ben Bridge Jeweler’s Seattle flagship
Facing an uncertain economic outlook and a pullback in consumer spending, some independent jewelers are finding creative ways to stay on customers’ radar and keep shoppers coming in the door. Store owners and marketers say adding or expanding ancillary services like repairs or engraving can boost revenue and grow exposure, regardless of the economic climate.
“People are stretched, retailers have to keep their profit margins, and they also have to keep their sales up,” says Shane O’Neill, chief marketing officer at Fruchtman Marketing in Toledo, Ohio. “Services are a great way to do that.”
It’s a strategy some of the biggest names in the industry are embracing. Signet Jewelers, whose retail portfolio includes Zales, Kay Jewelers, and Jared, last year purchased independent jewelry-repair company SJR National Repair Center, an investment that will help the company ramp up that part of its business.
Signet chief financial officer Joan Hilson told investors on a quarterly conference call in December that the company had made progress growing its capacity to handle repairs across its brands. Signet wasn’t alone. On a quarterly conference call in February, Pandora CEO Alexander Lacik said the brand grew its in-store engraving capabilities, adding that the company planned to expand this offering in the future.
THE CASE FOR ADDING SERVICES
The implication for independent jewelers is clear, according to Andrea Hill, founder and CEO of Chicagobased Hill Management Group. “They’re really good services to offer for foot traffic, because it’s just getting harder and harder for retailers to get people to walk in.”
All of those tasks individually might sound like small potatoes, but they add up: Poag employs three full-time staffers solely dedicated to repairs. And repair customers typically become regular clients. “I can’t tell you how many times someone comes in for a watch battery and leaves with something else,” Dortmans says.
Tim Hackim, owner of CMI Jewelry Showroom in Raleigh, N.C., says his store started offering engraving services about a year ago. It has since become an important way to keep the business top of mind among shoppers.
“We do laser engraving on pretty much anything,” Hackim says. In addition to typical items like rings and money clips, CMI Jewelry attracts a lot of the engraving business that an old-time trophy shop might have handled, from nameplates and awards to glassware and other commemorative or sentimental decorative objects. Being open to this variety means that customers who aren’t even planning to shop for jewelry come into the store on a regular basis.
EXTRA! EXTRA!
THINK OUTSIDE THE (GIFT) BOX: SMALL SERVICES LIKE REPAIRS AND ENGRAVING ADD UP TO BIG BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVVY JEWELERS
b y Martha C. White
Illustration b y Nathan Hackett
Anne Dale, owner of Anne Dale Jewelers in Mandeville, La., says many of her current clients first came to the store to have a piece of jewelry repaired. “Thank God we do repairs on our premises, because that can carry us through in tough economic times,” she tells JCK
Going beyond just the customer’s requested fix can cement a longtime relationship, Dale adds. For instance, catching a looming issue—say, worn prongs around a gemstone or a clasp that doesn’t work quite right—is a great way to win customers’ trust and loyalty. “Businesswise, it’s an opportunity,” she says, noting that repairs typically have a higher profit margin than product sales.
Repairs can provide a steady income stream in any economic climate, jewelers say. Jennifer Dortmans, manager of James O. Poag Jewellers in Strathroy, Ontario, estimates that about 10% of the store’s revenue comes from repairs such as resizing rings, shortening chains, retipping prongs, or adding new shanks to rings. “We even fix eyeglasses sometimes,” she says.
“They’ve come back and done repairs, they’ve come back and bought stuff,” Hackim says. “It’s just another way to get your store known.”
HOW TO MARKET SERVICES
Retailers that offer engraving and repairs say social media, in-store signage, and direct outreach to current customers are all effective ways to promote those services.
While many jewelry stores that do engraving promote it primarily as an add-on to bridal jewelry sales, O’Neill says this is a missed opportunity to grow foot traffic and incremental revenue. If you market engraving or repairs as a stand-alone service, you can expect to reach a whole new population of potential customers.
Social media is a particularly good tool for promoting engraving and bringing in new customers, according to jewelers that offer the service. Hackim says he uses his store’s social media channels to share photos of the different items they can engrave. “It gives people ideas about what can be done,” he says.
In addition to promoting its repair services on social media, Poag Jewellers advertises those services in its direct marketing to existing customers, Dortmans says. The store often ties the need for jewelry repairs in with seasonal events, such as New Year’s resolutions to clear clutter, organizing spring cleaning, or preparing for holidays or summer vacations. “We’re in a small town, but one thing that’s been great about this store is our repair services,” Dortmans says. “That’s really been the one thing that draws people from outside our locale.”
Hill agrees that promoting ancillary jewelry services to current clients is important for maintaining in-store traffic—and keeping profits up. She recommends sales staff contact clients via phone or email, asking, for instance, if they need a watch battery changed or a ring cleaned. “At least once or twice a year, they should reach out individually to their top customers,” she says.
SHOP THE LOOK
Men’s Jewelry 16 Fitch Street, Norwalk, CT 06855
Tel: 203-803-1481; Email: csteam@inox-us.com, orders@inox-us.com; Website: inox-us.com
1. Crafted for the daring, the Kraken collection blends a bold matte black finish with 18k PVD gold accents and genuine black sapphires, delivering a powerful yet sophisticated style.
2. From sleek to bold—these INOX chains offer the best of both worlds: the unmatched strength of titanium and the classic charm of chain links.
3. A tribute to music lovers, the Nashville collection is crafted with whiskey barrel wood and embedded with real electric guitar strings. This collection doesn’t tell a story, it plays it.
4. 66 million years later, they meet again ... The Extinction collection combines dinosaur bone (known as gembone) with what caused the animals’ extinction, meteorite! History has never looked so good.
SHOP THE LOOK
Stuller
Email: sales@stuller.com; Website: stuller.com facebook.com/stullerinc instagram.com/stullerinc youtube.com/stullerinc
1. Stunning 14k yellow gold–filled bracelets are gracefully crafted with 6 mm, 4 mm, and 3 mm elastic beads. Paired perfectly with dazzling 14k yellow gold earrings with 0.5 ct. t.w. natural diamonds.
2. Elevate your style with these 14k yellow gold anchor chain 22 m hoop earrings.
3. Add a touch of luxury with these 14k yellow gold hoop earrings featuring natural emeralds.
4. Embrace elegance with this 14k yellow gold 7-inch line bracelet with labgrown blue sapphires.
THE WAY WE WORE
MEGAWATTAGE ON AND OFF THE SCREEN
DRESS YOU UP
Desperate to get the Material Girl’s more-is-more 1980s look?
Don’t forget the single gold and stone chandelier earring.
NO CELEBRITY INFLUENCED ’80s style more than Madonna, and 1985’s Desperately Seeking Susan—the Susan Seidelman–directed screwball comedy starring Madonna as mysterious New York drifter Susan and Rosanna Arquette as jaded New Jersey housewife Roberta—marked her big-screen, and big fashion, breakout. Film fans could buy copies of her lace gloves and rubber bracelets; the rhinestone-and-mesh vintage boots; and the Santo Loquasto–designed rockabilly metallic jacket (instantly iconic, emblazoned with a gold pyramid and evil eye) that Susan swaps for said boots. There were even DSS Madonna action figures. Not mass-marketed? The Nefertiti earrings, which, in the movie, are meant to be a valuable Egyptian artifact. (Loquasto made them of molded plastic, leather, imitation turquoise, and beads.) That’s the one DSS accessory that, to this day, remains totally on-trend. —MELISSA ROSE BERNARDO
No diamond can claim complete sustainability.
But a diamond can claim:
Verified Origin Traceability
Ethical Stewardship
Net Zero Carbon Footprint
Sustainable Production Practices
Sustainable Investments
How?
By achieving SCS-007 Certification for Sustainability Rated Diamonds
• For min ed and lab-grown diamonds
• For producers, cutters, polishers, manufacturers, and retailers
Audited by an independent neutral third-party
SCS-007 Certified diamonds have credible and authentic sustainability claims
Learn how to get involved and where to find certified diamonds