The Jeweller Magazine April 2010 Issue

the

Jeweller March 2010

£6.50

BaselWorld 2010 unveiled Lapponia’s 50th anniversary celebration Trend spotting at Top Drawer The Jeweller is produced in conjunction with the British Jewellers’ Association

The Voice of The Industry

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Contents l

the

Jeweller The Voice of The Industry

C O N T E N T S

www.thejewellermagazine.com

M A R C H

1 0

Straight out of the Top Drawer

28

Lindsey Straughton goes trend spotting among BJA

Communiqué

4

Editor’s Letter

7

Industry News

8

NAG News

14

BJA News

21

The Jeweller Picks…

24

Opinion: John Henn

42

Ethical Jeweller

44

Antique Jeweller

48

Education & Training

54

IRV Review

58

Insurance Matters

60

Legal Jeweller

62

Appointments

63

Display Cabinet

64

The Last Word

66

members showing at the recent Earl’s Court exhibition.

Time Honoured

30

Just ahead of BaselWorld, we offer a sneak preview of some of the new models to be revealed by the biggest names in watches and jewellery.

Industry Update on Nickel

38

Geoff Field reports on the latest developments regarding the use of nickel and explains why jewellers should be concerned.

Snow Wonder

40

Belinda Morris travels to Finland to discover the inspiration behind the Lapponia brand, in this, its 50th year.

Specialised Partners in Crime

52 The Jeweller is published by CUBE Publishing on behalf of the National Association of Goldsmiths for circulation to members.

For further information about The Jeweller please visit: www.thejewellermagazine.com

Michael Hoare explores how jewellery retailers and suppliers can protect themselves against the threat

The magazine is printed on paper and board that has met acceptable environmental accreditation standards.

of violent robberies.

The National Association

CUBE Publishing

of Goldsmiths

Sales Director: Ian Francis

78a Luke Street,

Tel: 020 7833 5500

London EC2A 4XG

ian@cube-uk.com

Tel: 020 7613 4445

Cover Image In conjunction with Alessandro Baldieri Since 1853 Ltd Telephone: 0844 911 1853 Email: info@ABwatches.net Website: www.ABwatches.net Illustration by Valerio Volpi Telephone: +39 334 340 3678

www.jewellers-online.org Acting Editor: Belinda Morris Tel: 01692 538007 bmorris@colony.co.uk

Art Director: Ben Page ben@cube-uk.com Publisher: Neil Oakford neil@cube-uk.com

BJA Marketing & PR Manager

Contributors:

Lindsey Straughton

Michael Ferraro, John Henn,

lindsey.straughton@bja.org.uk

Greg Valerio, Stephen Welfare,

Tel: 0121 237 1110

Stephen Whittaker, Jo Young

Although every effort is made to ensure that the information supplied is accurate, the N.A.G. disclaims and/or does not accept liability for any loss, damage or claim whatsoever that may result from the information given. Information and ideas are for guidance only and members should always consult their own professional advisers.

The publisher accepts no responsibility for any advertiser, advertisement or insert in The Jeweller. Anyone having dealings with any advertiser must rely on their own enquiries.

The Voice of the Industry 3

| Comment

Communiqué M I C H A E L

H O A R E ’ S

The NAG’s CEO reports on his month including training in the retail sector, snow business, pre-election promises, responsible jewellery and gem testing.

Happy Birthday hen somebody tells you it’s their sixty fifth birthday, you almost instinctively think of retirement. But not so for our training department, which celebrates sixty five years this year, but still manages to retain its youthful air. Some say that you are ‘as old as you feel,’ others that age is a state of mind.

I’ve always taken that for granted, but our training department is living proof that mixing with young, active and enquiring people keeps your mind agile.

Last week I was in Westminster attending the All Party Parliamentary Group for Retail meeting, to discuss the Government’s National Skills Strategy for the retail sector.

It proved to be something of a ‘love in’ for the British Retail Consortium and the Skillsmart Retail, the Sector Skills Council, who are justifiably proud of the way the big retailers have embraced training as central to business success.

I think we can be equally proud of the fact that for sixty four years we have provided jewellers with specialised product knowledge and selling skills; tapped the fathomless pit of professional expertise personified by our tutors; and nurtured new generations of young jewellers – without help from

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4 The Jeweller March 2010

government! Now that’s what I call ‘by the trade for the trade’!

Snow Hysteria ast year, around this time, i.e. Spring Fair, we enjoyed, if that’s the right word, a heavy snowfall that kept us indoors for a few days. At the time I commented on the Federation of Small Businesses’ assertion that the effect on industry would be a catastrophic loss of business – £3.5 billion if my memory serves me well. As I pointed out, their calculation was based on outdated economic models that only served to give a wholly unrealistic picture. Well the pundits are at it again, with journalists up and down the land handing us headlines

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in January because they are repaying their credit card bills. Secondly, is this business lost forever or just displaced to another day? Surely people haven’t given up eating – they’ve just raided their store cupboards and will return the next week to replenish them! Not lost sales, just misplaced!

Legislation hen the battle lines for the forthcoming election are drawn I expect we’ll see the familiar tug of war between the main parties over who can claim to reduce the weight of legislation on business. Each will claim to be the businessman’s friend, lifting the ‘yoke’ of burdensome laws from the shoulders of beleaguered small businesses’.

Call me a sceptic, but I don’t believe any of them. Politicians, of whatever stripe, can’t help themselves. But if any are going to make good on their promises post election they’ve got an awful lot to get their teeth into. Take employment legislation as an example. Our solicitors, Boyes Turner, have just written to us with a list of changes due in the first half of the year.

Among things to ponder is the government’s consultation on the default retirement age that closed in February, which could result in a shift in the current default age

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The chain of trust is easily broken… nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to guaranteeing consumer confidence in our products. like Retail Week’s “snow chaos cost grocers millions – their premise being that lorries struck in the snow cost money, and that shoppers stayed at home.

This is undeniably true but is it the end of the world? Firstly, footfall indices show that people stay at home anyway

of 65 years. Next come ‘family friendly’ developments that will extend paternity leave and pay in April 2010 (coming into effect on 3rd April 2011) – whereby qualifying employees will be able to benefit from up to 26 weeks’ additional paternity leave, subject to various conditions.

Comment | Next come the government’s intention to introduce the right to request time off for training for employees in firms with 250 or more staff – to be extended to all employees in 2011; wide ranging changes to the Equality Act; changes to statutory maternity, paternity and sick pay payments; and adjustments to tribunal awards. Other issues of note are ‘blacklisting’ and the new ‘fit note’ system.

With so much to go at, politicians, legislators, and solicitors, are in for a pretty busy time. We of course will be keeping you up to date with developments.

Chain of Trust fter nearly four years of painstaking work, The Responsible Jewellery Council system went live at the end of 2009. As a founder member, signatory to the original declaration of intent, and Board member, I know only too well the amount of serious effort that has gone into getting this far. We will be following its progress in these pages over the forthcoming months; meanwhile I for one wish it every success. The current unease about Zimbabwe diamonds is surely a timely reminder that the chain of trust is easily broken, and that nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to guaranteeing consumer confidence in our products.

As I write I am collecting my thoughts in preparation for the CIBJO Congress in Munich over the coming weekend, where many of the world’s jewellery sector associations gather to chew over issues of nomenclature, particularly where it applies to man-made stones.

No doubt the Zimbabwean situation will raise the temperature of the debate too.

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Reader’s Letter loser to home, the subject of gem testing facilities, certification, and laboratories has come to my attention via a letter from member Teddy Shattock, of Aldridge Jewellers, who wrote to me before Christmas:I was shocked to hear of the demise of the Gem-A laboratory as an official body for gem testing in the jewellery industry. I wish to draw your attention to the fact that London, the centre of a thriving jewellery trade, is without a worldwide recognisable certification system for gems and diamonds. This state of affairs must be rectified by the whole jewellery industry. We have plenty of well-qualified gemmologists and it is ridiculous to provide an educational facility and not have a lab to back it up. I believe that the NAG could help us organise a new Gem-A lab, which would give us an international reputation like we used to have. I understand that Gem A has made arrangements with a gem laboratory in Switzerland but I still feel this is totally inadequate because the service will not be to the same standard.

Are there others out there who believe this too?

I reproduce Teddy’s letter to stimulate debate, not because I believe the NAG is in any position to take on the role suggested, but the prospect of a London-based accredited lab is clearly of interest to some readers. I will happily forward your replies.

(Any comments please email: editor@jewellers-online.org)

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The Voice of the Industry 5

Innovation on the move.

Eterna Madison Three-Hands with Eterna Spherodrive. Revolving on the new Eterna Spherodrive ball bearing system, the spring barrel of the Eterna 3505 proprietary movement rotates more smoothly and efficiently, guaranteeing extended longevity and easier servicing of the movement. Eterna’s innovative spirit once again drives traditional watchmaking forward. www.eterna.com

Eterna ¡ Spherodrive

Another landmark Eterna innovation.

)NFORMATION FOR THE 5+ AND 2/) SALES GRENCHENTIME CO UK À 4

Comment |

Editor’s

Letter

This month: “We’re still confident that our success in such difficult times is due to the nurturing of strong relationships with clients, supporting those who have supported us”

h for heaven’s sake – enough of all this snow! As I write this it’s snowing again and

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I am wearing fingerless gloves and a pashmina wrapped twice round my neck. At this

rate I will have to be surgically removed from my thermals and sheepskin boots when the thaw eventually does come (please tell me it will come). I am also bored with talking about the weather.

So, stop it now… no whingeing. We should look on the bright side. Our survival could be dependant on selling linen frocks and open-toe sandals but, as it is, our industry is not so rigorously season-driven. Few women will feel like investing in a new sundress at the moment, but they are still lusting after jewellery – providing they can actually get to the shops that is.

Page 30

It may be winter outside but, in this issue of The Jeweller at least, it’s spring and there is a pretty upbeat mood in the air. The economic recovery may still be in its very early stages,

“the sleek, simple but

but psychologically, the fact that we’re officially out of recession, even marginally, has to be

strong forms created by

a boost to trade.

Hirvonnen, who was

No-one is being bullish, but the word in the aisles at Spring Fair, Top Drawer and

inspired by listening to

Inhorgenta is of cautious optimism for the future. In fact the mood among the 35 or so

powerful jazz harmonies,

British suppliers – many of them BJA members – showing at Inhorgenta last month was, apparently, positively perky as the designers received plenty of attention from international press and buyers. Only a Lufthansa strike on the last day of the show put a slight dampener on things.

which are counter-balanced

by Popovits’ fluid yet angular asymmetric silver”

Looking back to our report on BaselWorld this time last year, the forecast was a gloomy one, but just ahead of 2010’s grandaddy of all jewellery and watch fairs, there’s a sense of chirpy confidence that business might be getting back on track. As the images in our BaselWorld preview (p.30) clearly show, the past 18 months of doom and gloom have had a negligible effect on the creativity and scope of watch designers or the optimism and excitement of those who are responsible for persuading the public to buy into the new collections.

The trick, I truly believe, is to talk things up – so here’s to the power of positive thinking.

Page 40 Belinda Morris, Acting Editor Email: bmorris@colony.co.uk

The Voice of the Industry 7

| Industry News

‘Record breaking’ transactions at Spring Fair 2010

ccording to the fair’s organisers, the revamped Jewellery Show, which took place on February 7 – 11 at the NEC Birmingham, “smashed” previous attendance figures by drawing over 20,000 buyers.

Following consultation with retail customers as well as exhibitors the show was “comprehensively re-edited” for its 2010 launch and was generally judged to be a resounding success. Along with independent retailers, the show saw the return, after a 20 year absence, of major jewellery buying group, the Houlden Group.

In fact it was a rewarding five days for all of the Spring Fair. Retailers with a combined spending power of £12 billion heralded a boon of record-breaking transactions for many exhibitors at what is the biggest home and gift event in the UK buying calendar.

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8 The Jeweller March 2010

It is estimated that around £2 billion of orders will be placed by buyers as a direct result of their attendance at the show.

As Barry Bennett, MD of Gecko enthused on day one of the show: “We’ve written the most orders we’ve ever taken at any trade show.” And another happy exhibitor, Gary Wroe of Hockley Mint observed: “I think a massive difference has been made to The Jewellery Show this year. It feels far more special and upmarket – a lot more exclusive – and the entrances look great.”

Italian watch designer Alessandro Baldieri used the show to introduce his latest collection. “The Spring Fair at the NEC was the first chance for the UK market to see my entire watch collection and the response was amazing and everyone loved it,” he said. ”On the back of the show new stockists

range from Selfridges in London to small independent retailers from all over the UK.” A key draw for buyers and exhibitors alike was arguably the new catwalk show, sponsored by Pandora. The centrally situated Catwalk Café area (with its daily Happy Hour), with a show held several times a day (along with talks and seminars) created a buzz that is more commonly associated with fashion exhibitions, and came as a welcome breath of fresh air.

It certainly worked for one visitor: Georgie Cahill, joint manager of George Banks Jewellers in Preston, said: “I think the Pandora Catwalk brings pizzazz to The Jewellery Show and encourages people to visit the stands of those companies who are showing their jewellery on models. It looks so different to what it does in a display cabinet and gives you a better idea of how wearable the jewellery is. I will now visit more stands as a result of seeing the catwalk show.

It’s a great idea.”

Adding to the directional feel of the show, the market-leading global trends forecasting website WGSN provided future trends for the catwalk shows, where models displayed one-off pieces and new season’s designs from The Jewellery Show’s exhibitors. Five key themes for 2010 were highlighted – Punk, All that Sparkles, Exotic, Futuristic and Warrior Princess – selecting cutting-edge designs from jewellers including Peter Lang, Vizati, Mark Milton, Pascale Forcetti, Barbara Easton, Kokkino, Kleshna, So Jewellery, Lunasky, Dower & Hall and Babette Wasserman.

Alessandro Baldieri

Industry News |

The Jeweller – the mustread industry publication! he new look Jeweller magazine was officially launched at Spring Fair on the NAG stand with a champagne celebration.

Early indications are that the new style magazine, and in particular the larger format and the absorption of the BJA into the

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publication, have been well received by NAG members and the industry as a whole.

In his welcoming speech Neil Oakford, publisher of The Jeweller magazine, was keen to focus on “The Jeweller’s unique position in the market” as he was in no

Neil Oakford, publisher and Frank Wood, NAG chairman at the launch

Claudia sparkles in jewellery awards laudia Sarti, a graduate of Houlden’s exclusive training courses, has scooped the NAG’s George Greenough Trophy, becoming only the second Scot to win the accolade since the awards were founded in 1945. Beating off competition from over 150 candidates, 27 year old Claudia, a sales consultant with Laings of Glasgow, is to be presented with the trophy at an awards ceremony to be held in the Goldsmith’s Hall in London on 10th March.

The Trophy is presented to the most outstanding candidate who has demonstrated good exam results and course work, on the Association’s JET 2 Professional Jeweller’s Diploma course. The Diploma takes over eighteen months to complete and is internationally recognised. Claudia successfully started her training programme by undertaking both the Dynamic Sales training course and the IGI Diamond Grading course.

Commenting on her award Claudia said, “I’m really a bit shocked, as I found the exam really difficult so I couldn’t believe that not only had I passed but that I’d come out as the top graduate.” The Trophy is usually presented on an annual basis but only if a suitable candidate merits the award.

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doubt that the unrivalled and exclusive support of both the industry’s trade associations, had reinforced The Jeweller’s claim to be ‘The Voice of the industry’ and confirmed its status as ‘the must-read industry publication’.

He also stressed how important it was for members to take a more active role in supporting “their” magazine, either in the form of editorial contributions or simply through written feedback to articles and the magazine in general – whether good or bad! “The inclusion of commentary from the BJA broadens the scope of The Jeweller, makes us more inclusive and provides a considerable opportunity to reach a wider professional audience,” added NAG CEO Michael Hoare. “The two associations have co-operated over a number of industry issues in the past and this development adds to the authority of our voice.”

NAG chairman Frank Wood attended the launch and keenly supported the new move: “I am delighted to see The Jeweller magazine extending the number of issues to 10 per year. This, in conjunction with the n-gauge e-newsletter, will keep the magazine at the forefront of current affairs and maintain its place as the premier jewellery trade magazine,” he said.

CW Sellors secures listing with bmibaby W Sellors has announced a deal with low cost airline bmibaby to supply an exclusive silver pendant based on the company’s baby logo.

The pendant forms part of a select collection of jewellery offered to passengers flying to over thirty European destinations from the airline’s four UK bases at East Midlands, Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff. Priced at £24.99 RRP, the design is the result of consultation between bmibaby merchandisers and the CW Sellors design and manufacturing team and appears in the airline’s in-flight magazine. Twelve Boeing 737 aircraft will be carrying the product, operating up to 700 flights a week during high season.

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The Voice of the Industry 9

| Industry News

Weston Beamor unveils 2010 design prize winner atrick Fuller, the current NAG President and chairman of Birmingham-based precious metal casting company Weston Beamor awarded the first prize of the company’s annual design competition to Siobahn Maher, a second year student at Birmingham City University.

Studying for a Higher National Diploma in Jewellery and Silversmithing at the city’s prestigious School of Jewellery, Maher (25) won the prize for her ‘Inferno’ men’s ring design. The brief to the students for this year’s competition – now in its eighth year and a compulsory element of the course – was to create a design for a man’s ring aimed at a target audience of their own choice. As well as designing the ring using computer aided design, they were also asked to create appropriate ‘virtual’ marketing based around their design concept.

Jewellery design is a second career for Siobhan, who already has an English degree and worked as a recruitment consultant before enrolling on the HND course. “I’ve always loved jewellery and know that I am now doing exactly what I want to do. I particularly love CAD work so winning this competition was hugely exciting and is also an affirmation that I have the right commercial mind set to hopefully make a success in the industry,” she commented.

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Jeweller to run London Marathon for British Heart Foundation onathan Stoner, managing director of Phillip Stoner the Jeweller, Leeds, is running this year’s Virgin London Marathon to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation. Jonathan’s father, Phillip, suffered a major heart attack in 2007 and has since made an excellent recovery, largely due to work of the British Heart Foundation.

So grateful is Jonathan for the British Heart Foundation’s involvement in his father’s recovery that he decided to do something special to show his gratitude. After two years of applying he has secured a place in the Virgin London Marathon on 25th April 2010 running for the British Heart Foundation team.

This will be Jonathan’s first marathon and he’s currently running in excess of 50 miles per week as part of a gruelling training programme. He hopes to complete the race within four hours. Jonathan aims to raise at least £2,000 for the British Heart Foundation.

“I’ve never been a runner and never entered a race so the challenge is exciting, if a little daunting,” says Stoner. “The race is now only a few weeks away and the enormity of the task is starting to dawn on me. I’m sure the race will hurt but I will be spurred on knowing that my dad and wife, Helen, will be along the course cheering me on and that the money raised will go to such a fantastic cause.”

To sponsor him simply visit: www.justgiving.com/jonathanstoner or call into one of the Phillip Stoner shops in the Victoria Quarter and The Light, Leeds, or Southgate, Halifax.

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10 The Jeweller March 2010

NAG Challenge Trophy – the Chairman’s Challenge rank Wood, chairman of the NAG and last year’s novice winner of the NAG’s golf competition, the Challenge Trophy, has issued the challenge to the jewellery trade to come and take it off him – if you can!

The competition this year, with a trophy sponsored by Bransom Retail Systems, will take place in York at Fulford Golf Club on Monday June 7. The event is open to all NAG members, non-members including staff, and associated jewellery companies. There are also sponsorship opportunities for any interested companies. Beside the Bransomsponsored trophy, the champagne reception – sponsored by www.rolexrepairs.co.uk and the ‘Nearest the Pin’ prize, donated by Concept Smokescreens Ltd, there are awards for: ‘Longest Drive’ (available at a cost of £500); the Putting Competition’ (available for £500); the ‘Individual Tee’ sponsorship – includes sponsor board, with a few tees still available at £100 per tee and the ’Team Prize’ (available for £500).

Entry prices are: NAG member (any category) £70. Non NAG member £90.

Spectators are welcome too. To play, or to sponsor – or both – contact Frank Wood: Tel: 01904 625274. Fax: 01904 630896.

Email: golf@braithwaitesjewellers.com

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GIA’s Winter 2010 Distance Education Quarterly now available online he Gemological Institute of America’s latest Distance Education Quarterly is now available online. Outlining the different opportunities for Distance Education it also gives details on GIA’s gemology education curriculum, lab classes offered at twelve worldwide campus locations and prestigious jewellery credentials.

Visit the GIA website www.gia.edu under Library Resources, Design Contests.

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| Industry News

CIBJO calls for controls on Marange diamond production IBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation has reiterated its endorsement of the Kimberley Process and the World Diamond Council’s Supportive System of Warranties. At its annual meeting in Munich, Germany, in February, it called on members of the diamond, gem and jewellery industry and trade to significantly boost the industry's efforts to ensure that no diamonds from the Marange diamond fields are traded, specifically until the Kimberley Process (KP) monitor is in place and will be actively and effectively controlling rough diamond exports from this specific area.

CIBJO strongly believes that the KP has prevented and will continue to prevent the flow of conflict diamonds into the legitimate markets. It therefore expects full and timely implementation of the stringent controls pertaining to the Marange diamond production in Zimbabwe that were agreed at the KP Plenary meeting in Swakopmund, Namibia, in November last year.

And it joins the World Diamond Council, the World Federation of Diamond Bourses and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association in all efforts to end and prevent the use of rough diamonds for the purpose of funding conflict, anywhere in the world.

CIBJO insists that all participants in the supply chain for diamonds are responsible for applying intensive due diligence to ensure that no diamonds from Marange are traded until the KP monitor is in place, and is controlling exports from that area. It also wishes to remind those trading in diamonds, to use the System of Warranties every time these products (rough, polished, or in jewellery containing diamonds) are sold. This system was designed to provide assurances through the entire supply chain down to the consumer that they do not purchase diamonds that have been traded in violation of any KP requirements.

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Historic decision made at CIBO 2010 conference mong the highlights of the 2010 CIBJO Congress in Munich was a decision by the CIBJO Diamond Commission to broaden the number of acceptable terms to describe synthetic diamonds. The resolution presented by the Diamond Commission that was approved by the CIBJO Board of Directors was worded as follows: “In the best interest of consumer protection and industry harmonisation, CIBJO accepts the terms ‘laboratory-grown’ diamond, ‘laboratorycreated’ diamond and ‘synthetic’ diamond to describe non-natural diamond. CIBJO recognises that its standards are subject to government regulations in the respective jurisdiction of CIBJO members. In the event that the national jewellery association, which is a member of CIBJO, deems that there is no acceptable local direct translation of the English terms ‘laboratory-grown’ or ‘laboratory-created,’ then only the translation of the term ‘synthetic’ should be used.” This brings the CIBJO in line with the position adopted earlier by other major industry groups.

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Jewellery designer commissioned

by National Portrait Gallery ritish jewellery designer Emma Chapman has been selected by the National Portrait Gallery to design a range of jewellery to tie into its forthcoming The Indian Portrait exhibition which opens in London this month and runs until June. The pieces will be on sale in the Gallery shop.

Emma’s glamorous, opulent and exotic gemstone jewellery is inspired by trips to the Far East and ancient regal eras – and then given a contemporary twist.

The Indian Portrait Exhibition 1560-1860 tells the story of the Indian Portrait over three centuries. It explores the fascinating way in which Indian artists have approached the depiction of the human form and the changing role of portraiture in Indian history.

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12 The Jeweller March 2010

Van Cleef & Arpels sponsors Grace Kelly exhibition uxury brand Van Cleef & Arpels is sponsoring a V&A exhibition that explores the style of screen icon Grace Kelly.

Displayed along with dresses from two of the films she appeared in (High Society and Rear Window), the outfit she wore when she first met Prince Rainier in 1955 and her haute couture gowns from the ‘60s and ‘70s, will of course be her jewels.

An admirer of Van Cleef & Arpels, Grace Kelly became a great muse of the house, when, a few days after their engagement, HRH Prince Rainier of Monaco went to its New York boutique to choose a ‘souvenir’ for his fiancé. Looking for the perfect gem, he was persuaded that a pearl and diamond necklace and ear clips would most suit Miss Kelly’s delicate beauty.

Admission is £6 and tickets can be booked online at: www.vam.ac.uk

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Clogau Gold launch Welsh RU Collection elsh jewellery brand Clogau Gold has announced the launch of an exclusive new jewellery collection in association with the Welsh Rugby Union. The collection comprises cufflinks, tie clip, pendant, ring, lapel pin and money clip; all display the WRU Logo in shimmering rose gold, set into solid sterling silver. The collection has been kept understated in its design to emphasise the glowing rose gold WRU logo.

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| NAG News

Responsible Jewellery Council issues reminder to members Marange Diamonds and the RJC Certification System n November 2009, shipments of diamonds from the Marange fields were suspended, pending the appointment of a Kimberley Process Monitor for the region. However, there are reports that Marange diamonds have been and still are being smuggled out of Zimbabwe with illicit or counterfeit Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) certificates. While no goods from Marange can be legally exported from Zimbabwe at present, illicit diamonds may be entering the supply chain as a result of illegal practices.

The smuggling of rough diamonds from a country enforcing Kimberley Process law is a crime, as is the use of ill-gotten KP certificates.

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RJC strongly supports the efforts of law enforcement agencies in combating the issue.

Certainly the appointment of the Special Monitor and progress in implementing the Joint Working Plan will assist in maintaining good order in the Kimberley Process.

RJC reminds its members that no-one should be dealing in recently exported Marange diamonds and that they are therefore expected to demonstrate due diligence as they continue to fully comply with the KPCS and World Diamond Council System of Warranties. Members are advised to exercise extreme caution when buying rough diamonds on the market to ensure that they do not originate from Marange, despite the current KPCS suspension. Once the KP Monitor is in place in Zimbabwe, all exports

2010 Annual General Meeting he date and location of this year’s AGM meeting has been confirmed – it is to be held on Monday 14th June at Wentworth Golf Club, Surrey. Wentworth is a prestigious privately owned golf club and health resort renowned for its associations with professional golf. It also has three impressive eighteen-hole courses, great for those golfing fanatics! Additional details will follow shortly.

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Green Street jewellers’ £3000 prize-winner he Green Street Jewellers Association (GSJA), located in Forest Gate, east London, hosted a successful networking event during which a lucky winner was picked for the group’s £3000 Christmas incentive. The promotion ran between November 20th and December 31st and was open to shoppers spending more than £250 at participating stores in the area.

“For the jewellers on Green Street, this was a fantastic opportunity to say thank you to our clients, giving them the chance to win a nice pick-me-up during the festive season,” says Vikram Santilal, vice chairman of the GSJA. The lucky ticket drawn from more than 4000 entries belonged to Ms Sonal Makani from Kingsbury, Middlesex. Around 100 people attended the prize draw at a cocktail and canapés event in London with the support of Clydesdale Bank on January 18th. The incentive and the event received great coverage within the Asian media channels.

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14 The Jeweller March 2010

from Marange must bear the signature of the Monitor on the KP Certificate.

In light of the serious situation in Zimbabwe, the RJC will ensure that auditors place an extra level of vigilance on the potential for non-conformances in this area. Auditors will be kept updated on the situation via training delivered by the RJC and alerts on relevant developments.

The RJC will continue to monitor progress on KPCS implementation in Zimbabwe and urges all parties to work diligently towards resolution of the situation in Marange.

For more information on the RJC please visit: www.responsiblejewellery.com or you can email Catherine Sproule at: catherine.sproule@responsiblejewellery.com

Are you worried about passing the valuation exam? igures show that students have more self confidence and do better in the examination if they attend one of the JET Valuation tutorial sessions offered by the NAG. In a friendly and relaxed atmosphere it is the perfect opportunity to meet your course tutor, along with other students on the course. Tutorials are located in London and usually commence at 10am and finish by 4pm and will include: how to write good descriptions in clear English; the requirements for compiling legible and concise working notes and how to arrive at accurate values using the standard pricing sources available Please note, the JET Valuation course tutorial has been rescheduled for Tuesday 30th March 2010.

To book your place send your booking form with fee (£96 + VAT) to Education Department, 78a Luke Street, London, EC2A 4XG or call 020 7613 4445

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NAG News |

Palladium Changes

New Member Applications

rom January 1, 2010 hallmarking became a compulsory legal requirement for all palladium articles weighing over one gram, with recognised fineness standards of 500, 950 and 999.

As with platinum the most popular palladium fineness is 950 and the trade has expressed so much concern that the two metals will be confused that the four UK Assay Offices have taken the unprecedented step of changing the original fineness mark to make it more distinguishable.

The first shape was a trapezium, clearly different from platinum when perfect but with potential to be reduced to fainter straight lines as the hallmark becomes worn. After many key businesses voiced their worries the outline was amended to three adjoining circles, so all lines are curved.

The new shape was introduced last month but the trapezium remains legal and there is no need to re-hallmark anything.

Under the Hallmarking Act 1973, every person ‘dealing’ in precious metal is legally required to display the statutory dealers notice and this has now been redesigned to include palladium.

A new statutory ‘dealers notice’ which all those dealing in precious metals are legally required to display, is available from the Assay Offices from January 2010, clearly showing both versions of the palladium mark.

The new version is available as a free download from any of the Assay Office websites, and high quality printed versions are also available. For those requiring large quantities of notices the artwork is available for retailers to produce their own signs.

Dealers have twelve months to change to the new notice, which became compulsory from 1st January 2011.

locality, applicants’ names are published

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Platinum Fineness Marks

Palladium Fineness Marks 2009

Palladium Fineness Marks 2010 onwards

To ensure that NAG members are aware of new membership applications within their below. Members wishing to comment on any of these applications can call Harshita Deolia on 020 7613 4445 or email: harshita@jewellers-online.org within three weeks of receipt of this issue.

Ordinary Applications Jewellery & Gifts Ltd (Maria Grazia Cooke) Aldridge, Walsall Hanningtons (Patricia Hunnisett) Haverhill, Suffolk Richard Miles (Dinesh Dewchand/ Vikash Dewchand) Chingford W H R Newcombe (Susan Bailey) Sherborne, Dorset Uno (Jonathan Faull/Susan Faull) Llanrhidian, Swansea Acton Jewellery (Rachael Anderson) Mansfield, Nottinghamshire Lauren Ashley Jewellers (Lauren Ashley Carter) Bolton Whitley Jewellery & Antiques Ltd (Philip Stephenson) Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear Vishal Jewellers (Vishal Jogiya) Leicester

Affiliate Applications Gorringes LLP (Clifford Lansberry) Lewes, Sussex The Bench (Deborah Macklin) Jersey

More sales through better selling skills o you want to improve your selling skills? Do you need help to reach sales targets?

Maybe you want to learn how to get repeat business, but can’t take more than a day away from the shop? Or perhaps you just need to improve your confidence?

In which case, the NAG’s Essential Selling seminar might be the answer. This one-day seminar given by specialist training and management development consultant Nigel Amphlett promises to improve selling style with help on beating targets, converting sales, gaining repeat business and dealing with customer queries and concerns.

The seminar will take place at NAG HQ in London on 23rd March 2010 and in expected to run from 10am to 4pm. NAG Members £208 + VAT, Non-Members 269 + VAT. To book a place call Amanda White on 020 7613 4445 or email: amandaw@jewellers-online.org

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Allied Applications Pandora Jewellery UK Ltd (Peter Andersen) Hebburn, Tyne & Wear Michael Jude (Michael Jude) Alcester

Alumni Applications Kehan Li, Enfield

IRV Applications If members wish to comment on any of these, please contact Sandra Page on (029) 2081 3615.

Applications to become a Member

Shining a light on hallmarking? here are still a few places available on the JET 2 Hallmarking Information Seminar from the London Assay Office at Goldsmiths’ Hall on 31st March 2010. This one day seminar has been specifically arranged for JET 2 students and will cover all the essentials of hallmarking for the exam and beyond, such as the hallmarking process, reading hallmarks as well as a practical hands-on assaying and hallmarking session. The day also includes a tour of the Assay office and laboratory – all for just £85 + VAT. For more information call 020 7613 4445 (option 1) or email: jet@jewellers-online.org

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John F Baxendale PJDip PJManDip PJValDip FNAG FGA, Ely. Nicholas D Hadler PJDip PJGemDip PJValDip BA(Hons), Bath.

Kehan Li PJValDip FGA DGA, Enfield.

Elizabeth McAuley PJDip PJGemDip PJValDip BA(Hons), Bedford.

Upgrading from Member to Fellow Alan T Johns FBHI, Truro.

The Voice of the Industry 15

| NAG News

An invitation to the EDF Congress Oxford ollowing the great success of last year’s Executive Development Forum Congress, the National Association of Goldsmiths would like you to join us for the 2nd Oxford Congress on Thursday 24th 2010. The event is unique within the jewellery industry and provides the opportunity for business professionals to consider what is happening in and around jewellery retailing. We encourage all our members to attend as it promises to be a very enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

“Running a jewellery shop can be a lonely business and the NAG is here to support owners and proprietors, however we have taken this idea to another level through the EDF which encourages already forward thinking business owners and executives to reach greater heights of sophistication,” says NAG’s Chief Executive Michael Hoare. “The Oxford Congress is an important milestone in the progress of the initiative, bringing together powerful personalities and generating exciting ideas. Don’t get left behind!”

If you would like further information please contact Ritu Verma at the NAG office on 02076134445 or email: ritu@jewellers-online.org

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Spring Fair International 2010 M

any thanks to all NAG members who visited us on our stand at The Jewellery Show at Spring Fair International 2010.

Please make space in your diaries for Spring Fair International 2011 which takes place at the NEC Birmingham from the 6-10th February. For a full review of the Education Department’s The summer holidays are too late campaign, please check out the Education & Training pages.

Safergems issues first monthly bulletin aferGems, the initiative against crime in the jewellery, antiques and fine art trades, has issued its first monthly bulletin to members indicating summaries of suspicious incidents and attacks across the UK. It also warns jewellers of numerous attempted fraudulent payments which could potentially be linked to an Oriental gang that has been operating throughout the country.

SaferGems data shows that of the thirty incidents in January this year, nine have been

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16 The Jeweller March 2010

linked to the gang. With this information being circulated, a number of jewellers have turned away those fitting the description of the offenders preventing them being subject to a similar offence. Although a number of arrests have been made, it is not yet confirmed whether the suspects are behind the activity.

Michael Hoare, Chief Executive of The National Association of Goldsmiths welcomes the new move. “This is a very useful summary of criminal activity in the preceding months and will provide a useful memory-jogger for those receiving SaferGems alerts,” he stated.

The scheme, which was launched in June,

is available to full members of the NAG and clients insured with T H March. It has received a positive response from users and has gained interest from various police forces across the country.

“The bulletin has been produced to give the industry a monthly insight into activity around the country, not just a specific region,” says Darren Baker of SaferGems. “ It’s also an output that can include additional information, provide basic analysis, and can display stories from the media that may not have been reported. Maps, images of suspects, and methods of offences can also be beneficial, hopefully preventing such further incidents in the future.”

model lene nystrøm • singer & actress

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| NAG News

Member of the Month In the second of our series Member of the Month, Harshita Deolia talks to Stuart Wright of Lee’s Jewellers based in Devizes, Wiltshire, who has been a NAG member since April 2003.

Stuart and his staff at Spring Fair 2010

What type of jewellery do you offer?

We stock a mix of branded jewellery and individual pieces, so there’s something for everyone. We try to look after the little boy that comes in with his dad to buy a Mother’s Day gift for ten pounds, to the husband wanting to buy his wife an eternity ring, or a couple looking for wedding and engagement rings. We stock a range of brands like DKNY, Diesel, White Ice and Fiorelli for the younger market too. Items over £1000 are normally handmade and the customer is involved with the process from start to finish giving them complete flexibility – it’s also important to us that we keep to customers’ budgets.

We also have a workshop where we carry out jewellery, watch and clock repairs, and we also do probate valuations.

Palladium is a hot topic at the moment having received its hallmark, but some retailers are uncertain about this metal.

What made you choose it?

We’ve stocked palladium wedding bands for around four years now; we sell so many men’s wedding bands that we now have a range of palladium engagement rings too.

We’ve even had items made for customers with the use of a CAD designer. The beauty of this metal for me is that it’s dense, pure and white in colour for around the price of

18 The Jeweller March 2010

9ct gold. I wear a palladium wedding band so any customers contemplating buying it can see that we’re passionate about it, and I think this is really important. I think people used to view it like steel or titanium but I think it will be really big, especially now that it has got a hallmark.

Great to see you at Spring Fair, what did you think of the show?

I liked the show, there seemed to be a good turnout. The main drawback for me is that it’s so big and there’s so much choice that you really need two or three days to look around. Although I didn’t really find anything new, I feel like I’m not missing out on something like a new trend perhaps.

What makes your shop stand out in Devizes? How do your customers view Lee’s?

As we stock branded jewellery many people think that we’re a chain because department stores carry similar stock, so customers then start thinking that we’re bigger than we actually are. We try and keep the shop looking as nice as possible. When I was redeveloping the shop a couple of years ago, I asked myself “would I want to buy from this shop?” and the answer was “probably not”. I redesigned the interior and

exterior so it looks like a shop you would like to visit. We have a fish tank at a good height for children in pushchairs and we also have a spaniel, so people often come in to see them! I always hope that if we can do a good service on wedding rings, it means that people trust you enough to come back for occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and christenings. Weddings are stressful enough so we try to make it as easy for them as possible by advising what we think would be best.

You’ve just signed up a member of staff for Jet 1 – how important is it to you that they have a qualification like this?

It’s really important for two reasons I think.

Firstly, for their self confidence. Young members of staff sometimes aren’t taken very seriously by customers, but they can be won over if they have a good knowledge of what they are selling. Secondly, I can’t do everything by myself! There’s less pressure on me if I know my staff are capable of dealing with a variety of things.

You must have plenty of interesting anecdotes about customers… care to share one?

Yeah – here’s a classic one. Most jewellers operate a non cash refund policy, as we do.

About four or five years ago one Christmas Eve, we were getting ready to lock up when a young guy came in, a little drunk, and said he’d forgotten to buy his girlfriend a gift.

So he picked out a ring for about £100, and paid in cash. When we opened up again a few days after Christmas, he came into the shop, looking quite sober and a bit sheepish.

He asked if he could have a refund on the ring so we asked “Did your girlfriend not like the ring?” He explained, looking embarrassed, that he’d been out and had a good time and realised afterwards that he didn’t have a girlfriend! We refunded the money in the end. It was quite a funny situation!

BJA News |

And so it’s goodbye from him… relatively snow-free Spring Fair 2010 proved the tonic the trade wanted with a vibrant and colourful relaunch of The Jewellery Show at Spring Fair International. BJA Chief Executive Wide aisles, glamorous Geoff Field catwalk models, top speakers and seminars all combined to give a fresh new look which swept away the memories of a snowbound NEC just twelve months ago. What’s more the buyers came and exhibitors had something to smile about again. The Pandora effect continues to dominate the market with sponsorship of the Catwalk and bar by the Danish trendsetter and a cluster of charm suppliers riding the Pandora wave. Some of last year’s absentees returned to the show, including Dower and Hall, and the growth in fashionable design-led silver jewellery brands masked what appeared to be a shrinking fine diamond jewellery sector.

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After nine Spring Fairs representing the BJA as a show sponsor, I have decided to retire from my role as chief executive of the BJA to join my wife, Maggie Nichols as sales director of her family business, Sutton Tools. Hopefully I have many more Spring Fairs in me – but as an exhibitor, with a smile and a handshake for customers and friends alike. Over the last eight years serving the BJA I have seen the Association and its members through vital issues such as the Kimberley Process, the EU threat to compulsory hallmarking, Royal Mail’s plans to ban jewellery from special delivery next day, the growing campaigns for ethical supply chains and the explosion in TV and internet shopping. It has been great fun and I have made many firm friendships in this wonderful and vibrant industry.

I’ll see you all at IJL.

Report from the BJA Annual General Meeting eld at the Spring Fair on February 9, the AGM of the BJA saw Mike Hughes, managing director of Jewelcast, the Birmingham-based casting house, appointed as chairman and welcomed Gary Williams of B&N Rings as his vice chairman. Both stressed that the security problems affecting the trade would be a priority. The outgoing Barrie Dobson, in bidding farewell to the chairmanship highlighted the successful defeat of the proposed postal changes for special delivery and the funded export project and website LondonJewelleryExports.com The BJA National Committee, the voluntary body of 14 elected representatives who steer the Association’s work, received four new elected members to add to the broad cross-section on individuals, representing the whole of the supply chain: Mark Senior, managing director of Birmingham manufacturers M&M Jewellery; retailer Jason Holt of R Holts Lapidary; distributor Helen O’Neill of The PMC Studio and Cindy Dennis Mangan of Dennis & Lavery representing Mike Hughes, the newly appointed designer-makers’ views. chairman of the BJA

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BJA National Committee Members 2010 -2011 Chairman Michael Hughes, Jewelcast Ltd T: 0121 212 1372 E: mike@jewelcast.co.uk Vice Chairman Gary Williams, Brown & Newirth Ltd T: 01707 255 000 E: gary.williams@bnrings.com Deputy Chairman Barrie Dobson, Intl. Bullion & Metal T: 020 7025 2500 E: barrie@ibblondon.com Alex Bassalian, Bass Premier Co T: 020 7242 2278 E: alex@basspremier.com Barry Bennett, Gecko Trading Ltd T: 020 7534 3211 E: barry@geckojewellery.com Vanessa Burkitt, Catherine Jones Jewellery Ltd T: 01223 361596 E: vanessa.burkitt@catherinejones.com Cindy Dennis Mangan, Dennis & Lavery T: 01273 204886 E: cindydennismangan @dennisandlavery.com David Doyle, Jewellery Brokers T: 0121 236 7545 E: daviddoyl@aol.com Richard Haruni, Intl. Gemstones Ltd T: 020 7242 3748 E: richard@thegembank.com Jason Holt, R Holt & Co Ltd T; 02074055286 E: Jason.holt@holtsgems.com Nick Kasler, Alfred Terry Ltd T: 0208 446 9319 E: NK@alfredterry.com Josh Kindness, Thomas Sutton (B’ham) Ltd T: 0845 094 1884 E: josh@suttontools.co.uk Helen O’Neill The PMC Studio T: 08708500151 E: helen@thepmcstudio.com Martyn Pugh, Martyn Pugh Gold and Silversmith T: 01527 502 513 E: martyn@martynpugh.co.uk Mark Senior, M&M Jewellery T: 01215233030 E: mark.senior@mandmjewellery.co.uk

The Voice of the Industry 21

| BJA News

Palladium Winners at Spring Fair 2010 The champagne and compliments flowed as the winners of the first BJA Award were unveiled at The Jewellery Show Statement first prize winner The ‘Star-Gazer’ pendant set with a Tahitian pearl, by Atelier Gilmar

The BJA Award 2010 at The Jewellery Show for Palladium Jewellery – sponsors and winners.

Left to right: Julie Driscoll, The Jewellery Show event director. Alan and Gill Saunders, Atelier Gilmar.

Pip Beale, Charles Green & Sons. Joanna Angelett, Angelett Gallery. Gary Thompson, Global Edge.

Barrie Dobson, BJA deputy chairman.

o celebrate the recently ratified changes to the Hallmarking Act, the subject of this new annual competition – which is organised by the BJA and supported by Spring Fair International and British Jewellery and Giftware Federation – was Palladium Jewellery and the winners were presented with their prizes

by BJA deputy chairman Barry Dobson at Spring Fair last month.

The first prize in the Commercial Range category was awarded to Global Edge, part of the Abbeycrest Group, for its Osare Curva range of men’s jewellery, while the honours for the Statement Design was given to Atelier Gilmar for its bold ‘Star-Gazer’ pendant from its Jenga collection.

Created in 950 palladium and black diamonds, the Osare Curva Collection, brings a sophisticated new twist to men’s jewellery design with a matching ring, cufflinks and a bracelet with a black leather strap. Osare, which means ‘dare’ in Italian is an apt name for the suite which is aimed at professional men who dare to be different.

Hand-made in 950 palladium and 22 ct. gold set with a mouth-watering 12mm Tahitian pearl and a 0.15ct brilliant-cut diamond, the Star-Gazer Pendant by Atelier Gilmar, is big and bold and with its multistrand collar in stainless steel. Gill and Alan Saunders of the Welsh design business,

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22 The Jeweller March 2010

Atelier Gilmar commented: “The design for Star-Gazer evolved from new work to be launched in spring 2010. Using palladium enabled us to construct a large statement piece without the constraint of size-to-weight ratio.” As a prize, Atelier Gilmar will be given a free stand at next year’s Jewellery Show.

James Newman, one of the competition’s five-strong panel of judges, himself a designer jeweller selling his own range of palladium men’s wedding rings with some success in his Birmingham shop was, he said, interested to see the many different ways in which those entering the competition had worked with the metal: “All the pieces were of a good standard and well executed and demonstrate how well, because it is relatively light and relatively inexpensive, palladium lends itself to both large contemporary designs as well as commercial ranges.”

Two highly-commended awards, one in each category, were also made. Charles Green & Son, the long-established Birmingham producer impressed the judges in the Commercial Range category with its ‘Reflect’ wedding ring collection, while the Angelett Gallery from London’s Hatton Garden, was chosen in the Statement Design category where its ‘After the Rain’ ring with pearls and diamonds was considered worthy of special mention.

Commercial first prize winner The ‘Osare Curva’ collection of men’s jewellery by Global Edge

Statement second prize winner ‘After the Rain’ ring by the Angelett Gallery

Commercial second prize winner The ‘Reflect’ wedding ring range

by Charles Green & Son

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the

Jeweller picks...

Highlighting some of the most popular and directional pieces, hot from The Jewellery Show at Spring Fair.

BABETTE WASSERMAN

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Renowned for her dynamic and glamorous pieces, Babette’s collection continues to expand on and develop existing styles – in fact a discounted limited edition of past best sellers such as her chunky crystal rings has been made available. The popular ‘scarf’ collection has been updated by ‘Amazon’ – tube chains in gold plate or silver that can be worn singly as a necklace or doubled on the wrist. Her chains made from links of silk now feature large drops in jet, brandy or clear crystal. Charms are another important feature of her line: including natural shapes such as starfish.

CLOGAU GOLD

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As the Welsh gold brand moves further in the direction of more contemporary jewellery, this season sees the introduction of a new collection by Clogau Gold. In keeping with the hugely popular trend for personalised jewellery, Inner Charms offers sterling silver lockets that open to reveal intricate charms of silver or gold within. As lockets and charms are sold separately the customer can choose from the range of designs, according to taste and mood.

PD MAN

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NOMINATION

Composable jewellery brand Nomination has expanded the silver collection Argento to include three new ranges: Perla – Majorcan pearls; Luna silver globes on chains and Venere silver hearts on chains. New for 2010 is the first range for children – Kiki with pendant necklaces and bracelets, with five cute character charms.

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Noted for its innovative cufflink designs, men’s accessories brand, PD Man has introduced new stones into its gemstone collection, to give a sense of added luxury to the architecturally inspired styles. An extra burst of colour has redefined the Spectrum range with its new enamel and acrylic designs.

ORTAK

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Scottish gold and silver jewellery manufacturer Ortak unveiled ‘Maggie’s’ collection, with 10% of every item sold being donated to Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. The range in polished silver incorporates green hot enamel. The main range comprises: Zest (polished silver accented by bright enamels with amethysts and opal triplet cabochons); Pirouette (hammered satin silver); Amour (silver, scarlet cold enamel, mother of pearl and Swarovski crystals) and Belle (art nouveau-inspired curves of silver, gold, diamonds and pearls).

www.byaagaard.com

For further information about our brands please email Malene Taylor at mt@byaagaard.com

KIT HEATH

AARGAARD

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DOWER & HALL

Kit Heath’s collection has a feeling for bolder pieces for 2010. Inspiration has been taken from Japanese blossom which appears in the form of silver chunky bangles, rings and drop earrings as well as a ‘cascade’ necklace.

Complementing this are butterfly pieces in various shapes and sizes with turquoise stones to provide a summery accent. New to the Heritage collection is a range of Celtic charm beads.

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Danish brand Aargaard continues to build on personalised jewellery with a collection of links and beads with love and harmony as the central theme. There are more than 20,000 pieces that fall within the three brands – Lovelinks: variously coloured strings with links of gemstones and new links in the click series; the young, fashion-led Petite, shown here: Murano glass beads, fine pavé links or silver links with letters and Blog: a masculine range revolving around black and white and inspired by rough textures and revolving around a cross symbol. A new launch for 2010 is a men’s jewellery line incorporating steel links, solid leather and cool tones.

To mark their 20th anniversary, founding duo Dan Dower and Diane Hall have launched a vintage-inspired collection called Spiral. Incorporating their signature style of hand-carved detailing and a playful and versatile attention to detail, the pieces feature open work pods and pearls that move freely between delicate silver discs.

Also in the new collection are heart and oval-shaped hand-carved lockets set with gemstones and a line of twisted, woven and knotted freshwater pearls mixed with flat brushed silver discs, fine silver chains for single or multi-strand necklaces in peacock, dove grey and classic white.

GOLDMAJOR

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Spring is in the air in the latest Troll Beads collection with a treasure chest of pastel shades, nature-inspired forms and romantic motifs for the new beads on offer. Colours are soft and feminine, as seen in the new gemstone beads (primarily jade and amazonite), while silver paradise birds, delicate zucchini flowers, variations on the silver heart theme and even a tiny silver football give something for avid collectors to get excited about.

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Demonstrating the versatility of amber, one of the trends launched this year by amber specialists Goldmajor is the ‘warrior’ look and this design of amber paired with turquoise, from the Pagoda collection, sums up the mood. In Memoirs, pod-like stones of amber are encased in silver strands for bracelets, earrings and necklaces, while the Earthlink line features lightly toned wood partnered with golden amber for pendants.

RONIT ZILKHA AT UJT

TROLL BEADS

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British fashion designer Ronit Zilkha has joined forces with UJT to create her own line of strong, trend-led jewellery. Created from a combination of silver and different types and textures of leather, the necklaces, bangles and bracelets are colourfully stylish, individual to the point of being quirky and will retail between £49 and £499, with the possibility of adding gold and gemstones for higher end pieces.

Prime t=me.

Form and function blend harmoniously in this Retro styled legendary Mondaine wrist watch.

With curved sapphire crystal and the integrated leather strap or metal bracelet.

Available in 40 and 28 mm. Recommended Retail Price: ÂŁ 175 (leather strap) ÂŁ 199 (metal bracelet)

For further information contact Raj Vadera at Burton McCall ltd on 0116 234 4656 or email info@bml-watches.com

| Feature Top Drawer Spring is a great place to spot trends for the coming season as the British Jewellers’ Association’s Lindsey Straughton discovered when visiting member companies exhibiting at the show.

Straight out of the

Top Drawer Neoprene butterfly bracelet created using the ‘Make It, Wear It, Love It’ range by Kirsty Davies, winner of the Best New Fashion Product at Top Drawer. The pieces are provided in a branded box for the buyer to make up into their own jewellery designs. RRP £20

These sterling silver ‘Swallow’ earrings with matching pendant are from Martick Jewellery’s ‘Tattoo’ range.

RRPs are £18 for the earrings and £25 for the pendant.

28 The Jeweller March 2010

op Drawer Spring which took place at Earls Court, London in the middle of January certainly provided a positive start to this year’s trade fair circuit. It not only looked stylish, with its daffodil floral displays adding a welcome touch of spring, but also had a real buzz. With attendance figures up a sizeable 19 per cent on 2009 the show also promised some much needed ‘green shoots’ to the industry.

Among the 650 businesses exhibiting, a good quarter offered jewellery. It was a varied selection of fashion and silver designs with more expensive hand-made, precious-metal pieces available in the ‘Design Collection’ area. Walking the aisles and speaking with exhibitors it was easy to indentify some strong recurring themes: Purple and green were ubiquitous, used together or singly across the board, as beads, as pearls and as precious stones.

Beads are still booming and colourful and just about anything goes… but especially materials that sparkle, although black and white ‘Op Art’ styles were also prevalent.

Natural materials like pods, seeds, mother-of-pearl and sea shells provided an artless feel to many pieces.

The pearl, both fresh-water and synthetic crosses the generations. Whether huge and cream or small and multi-coloured, for this season’s pearly queens more is definitely more.

On your bike and think retro because leather, rockers and attitude are back. Bad girl tattoo motifs – skulls, birds, love hearts and arrows – once worn on the skin are now hung on silver at the wrist, the throat and the ear.

Gold-plated silver gives all the glam of yellow gold at a fraction of the price.

One company that was right on trend was Kirsty Davies who scooped the Best New Fashion Product award for her sculptural, neoprene, butterfly-inspired jewellery in vivid colours. Her designs were described by the judges as providing ‘a fantastic blend of commercial appeal and directional on trend style.’

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Feature |

The natural look is captured perfectly in the ‘Oceanus Collection’ from Mirabelle Jewellery. The range which uses sea shells and brass includes necklaces, rings and bangles. RRP £45 - £60.

These ‘Rich Tone’ multicoloured freshwater pearls are from Heaven Jewellery. Individually knotted and dyed to the company’s own specification the strand is 64” long and can be wrapped around the neck up to three times. A matching bracelet and earrings are also available. RRP (necklace) £49.50.

Multi-coloured, bezel-set, semi-precious stones and 24ct gold plating give this large structural bangle from the Athena Collection the sumptuous feel of real gold at an affordable price. RRP £165.

Big beads from Jewelcity which offers a wide range of enamel, metal, resin, glass, shell and pearl jewellery at wholesale prices ranging from 97p - £3.95.

The Voice of the Industry 29

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TIME honoured

t’s the biggest and most important fair of its kind globally… and that isn’t just BaselWorld talking, that’s a fact according to anyone who visits or shows at the event. It is here that the major international brands – behind closed stands – unveil the wonders of their new collections to the invited few.

It might cost a small fortune to have a presence there – whether as an exhibitor or retailer – but for many it’s a date in the diary that cannot be ignored.

Paul Harry, sales and marketing director of Peers Hardy agrees: “Basel is a very important arena in which to be seen, rather than a traditional trade fair. Attendance gives an indication of the strength of the industry and the fair is a showcase to the world of almost everything that is happening in the watch industry. Key customers come to see what’s new and learn about plans for the year ahead.

It’s also a welcome opportunity for us to catch up with our customers, to see and to be seen.”

I

With just days to go until the start of BaselWorld and with anticipation mounting, Belinda Morris manages to prise a few details of launches from some key exhibitors.

“Being at the heart of the Swiss watchmaking industry worldwide, Basel is the best industry seminar possible and being so impressive it motivates those who attend,” adds Derek Salter, UK brand director, Mondaine.

Given the exhibition’s location, in the heart of the Swiss watch-making industry, a firsttimer would be forgiven for imagining that BaselWorld is all about watches. Not so – jewellery plays an important part in the event.

Attendance gives an indication of the strength of the industry and the fair is a showcase to the world of almost everything that is happening in the watch industry.

“Basel gives us a connection at the highest possible level — some of our retailers are global so we see CEOs and presidents.

It’s also great to meet up with our team,” says Laurie Milne marketing director of Steerwell (Hugo Boss, TW Steel, Raymond Weil and Juicy Couture). “An enormous element of being at Basel is being seen to be seen, but the stands are so expensive we need to come away with orders, a result.

It sets the tone. Basel is a good indication as to where the retailers are, what they’re spending and ready to release budgets on.

As a show it tends to show whether things will be strong sellers.”

30 The Jeweller March 2010

For Simon Gilham, general manager of Zeon (Bench, Ed Hardy, Ingersoll, Replay, Superdry), attendance at BaselWorld is perfect for gathering information: “Having virtually the entire trade in one place allows the sharing of news (as well as the circulation of rumours),” he says. “But also the presence of most of the largest brands from all over the world gives the fair its cachet and gives a clear direction regarding trends – in Zeon’s case colour, plastic, charms and chains.”

Roamer

Feature | “Our expectations for Basel World 2010 are very high. Last year was a huge success for us and this year the aim is to broaden brand recognition even further and expand within our focus markets, such as Germany, Switzerland and the UK”, says Søren Lynggaard, CEO of Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen. He echoes the feelings of optimism voiced by many exhibiting brands, that after a tough 18 months or so, the future looks (cautiously) rosy.

“As for most of the luxury jewellery sector, 2009 was a comparatively quiet year,” agrees Rosario Autore, CEO and founder, Autore, “but despite this, we achieved more than satisfactory results. We’re still confident that our success in such difficult times is due to the nurturing of strong relationships with clients, supporting those who have supported us. It is too early in the year to say how things will be for 2010, but we have prepared for Basel with some optimism that the global economic trends are improving. We’re careful about forecasting, but the general feeling is that we can all look forward to a stronger year.”

Kirsten Crisford, marketing manager, Seiko UK is more circumspect: “it is still very early in the year to be able to gauge the market, but the fact the we are now officially out of the recession in the UK is a step in the right direction,” she says. “We recognise that the volume of sales will be the same but some customers may be looking for lower cost models, so we will be providing a more value orientated line to meet this need. The watch industry is very resilient and its tradition is a powerful and positive influence on its stability, even at times of economic difficulty. We feel that watch lovers will remain watch lovers, even in tough times, and that demand will grow again very soon, especially in Europe, which is still the heart of the global watch business.”

“After a difficult 2008 we anticipated that 2009 would be tough,” says Vicki McCabe, director of sales at Sequel UK (Guess & Gc).

“In fact, quite the reverse happened, with our business really ramping up the last quarter of the year. We focused on the key areas of business and with our major customers appear to have gained market share. 2010 has started well – our retailers had successful Christmas trading, so the vibes are good!”

Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen According to Danish jewellery brand Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen, personalised jewellery has reinvented the way for customers to compile their own truly unique pieces, “insuring that individualised fine jewellery will remain strong in 2010.” With the luxurious Sweet Drops collection, which is designed by Charlotte Lynggaard and was launched at Basel World last year, customers can give free reign to expression. In 2010 a new generation of changeable charms has been designed to offer fans another way to customise an existing handmade leather bracelet. New to the concept is the elegant Sweet Spots, which come round — with or without diamonds — or as hearts, which all feature diamonds.

Swarovski Watch Collection Following the launch of its watches, and series of Limited Edition pieces released in 2009, Swarovski has 16 new watches. The Octea, Piazza, Elis and D:LIght lines have been strengthened and this year will also see a number of new ranges, including Dresstime and new variations to the Octea Sport.

Created from a succession of horizontal and diagonal lines and surfaces, Dresstime draws its inspiration from urban architecture, combining elegance, femininity and precision.

Dynamic colouring is the key ingredient in the functional-looking Octea Sport. The clear crystal rotating bezel has highlights of orange, with the colour repeated on the face and rubber strap.

Luminox Luminox is best known for its lighting system used on the hands, hour markers and bezels of every model. This ‘always visible’ technology glows for over 20 years without needing to be switched on/off or recharged.

The glow from these tiny lights is bright enough for the watches to be easily read in all light conditions. The Blackout model shows this feature best since it features a black face and black PVD coated stainless steel case and strap. So urban it hurts!

The Voice of the Industry 31

| Feature

Eterna In 2010, Eterna has selected the Madison Eight-Days design to reaffirm its long-standing traditions of pioneering technology. Launching at Basel, this stylishly trim new timepiece has the hand-wound 3510 movement featuring the new Spherodrive construction – a new spring barrel design rotating on ball bearings.

Along with the understated elegance of its stainless steel case with its discreet lateral decoration, this watch comes with a choice of silvered, grey or black dial faces with centre cobbled texture and sunray-pattern surround. A scratch-resistant and antireflective crystal completes this unusual dial face. Secured by four screws, the case back features a sapphire crystal porthole revealing the movement’s intricate workings.

Autore Group The new collection for 2010 from Sydneybased South Sea pearl jewellery company Aurore is Venezia: an elegant and refined range inspired by the romance and artistic expression of Venice. Featuring rose cut diamonds, micro settings and milgrain, the line blends ornate architectural detail with the subtle seasonal colours reflected in the waters of the canals which accent the inspirational city.

Gc Watches Mondaine This year Mondaine unveils the new Retro Automatic watch at Basel. With its integrated leather band and curved sapphire crystal to magnify the simply-styled dial, it will appeal to anyone looking for a timepiece that can shift easily from classic to casual. Also in the range being shown is the Savonette pocket watch made from matte brushed stainless steel and features a push-button to lift the lid and reveal the time, as well as a 41cm snake chain with hook and red leather pouch. Mondaine Watch Ltd is the creator of the Official Swiss Railways Watch collection.

32 The Jeweller March 2010

Relatively new to the UK, the Swiss made Gc brand of men’s and women’s watches includes three main areas: Sport Chic, Glam Chic and Precious. This timepiece is from the new Sport Class XL collection and continuing Gc’s iconic rose gold and ceramic trend, the style shown features a rose gold bezel, black dial and steel bracelet with a textured middle link.

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| Feature

Guess Watches It promises to be a big feature across Basel, and, at Guess, colour is definitely a key direction. With the Prism Polycarbonate line, the bigger, the bolder… the better. Here the ongoing trend for chunky, larger watches is combined with the feminine touch of bling thanks to crystals and a number of different hot brights and each style has a multifunction dial.

Just J Jewels A variation on the increasingly popular theme of charms and customised jewellery, Just J Jewels brings together combinations of different materials, from the simple cords and ribbons to the myriad metals and stones that can adorn them. Customers can mix and match the jewels to create their own looks – with or without meanings and messages (such as ‘love’, ‘joy’, ‘fearless’ and ‘inner peace’. The charms can be hooked or threaded onto the ribbons and cords – which can in turn be worn singly or wrapped several times around the wrist for greater effect. The Just J collection being shown at Basel will also include pendants, bracelets and earrings.

Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix’s avant-garde Pontos collection unites Swiss watchmaking tradition, technical know-how and modern design.

Stripped of inessentials the architectural features of the collection is immediately obvious. The collection is a blend of accuracy and creativity, from a young brand for which innovation is as important as aesthetics.

This year, four new watches have been added to the Pontos line. Equipped with self-winding mechanisms, each one is an illustration of individuality. The Pontos Day Date and Pontos Réserve de Marche models add energy to their classical outlines. The Chronographe Full Black offers a personally tailored, athletic body.

34 The Jeweller March 2010

Corum To celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Golden Bridge movement, Corum launches two new models. The more feminine expression of the collection – which has at its core a masterpiece of micromechanics and transparency – is Miss Golden Bridge.

Until now, women wanting to wear Golden Bridge had to choose from either masculine models or high jewellery pieces. And now the movement can be viewed from all sides of the slender and curved tonneau-shaped case, with its hand-stitched alligator strap.

Feature |

D&G Time Classic and modern come together in the D&G Time range. The youthful and sparkling Hoop-La line contrasts oversized round case dials with thin leather straps, while Texas has a sporty elegance with its cool steel case and silver or black leather strap.

Oakley To celebrate 10 years of watch making, Oakley is launching three new styles the Warrant™, the 12 Gauge & the Time Bomb® II. The Warrant™ in stainless steel is both refined and robust in design. Beneath a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, the dimensionally layered dial face features a three-hand analogue display and a date indicator. A dual-sealed crown maintains superior water resistance, and comfort is offered by a rubber strap.

12 Gauge combines the precision of scientific instrumentation with the refinement of Swiss made 13-jewel movement. An integrated chronograph offers accumulated and interval timing, and like the integrated audible alarm, it comes with a dedicated sub dial.

Casio Casio continues to use fashion trend watching as a guide to colour watches – the brand is releasing several limited edition white G-Shock’s. The trend for women remains loose bangles and therefore many of the Baby-G products have been designed with this in mind – their fully adjustable straps allow women to alter them to their perfect bracelet size.

According to Casio the trend for ecofriendly products will continue to be strong throughout 2010, which means that Casio watches with solar technology, receive thermal and electrical energy that recharges the watch batteries through solar panels on the face of the watch.

Roamer Distinctive cases, flexible silicon straps, modern colour schemes and a complex design – the R-Line from Roamer epitomises the values and vision of the Swiss-made brand. The stainless steel dial displays a distinctive structure, effectively interrupted by the radial markings for the hour indices.

The men's chronographs of the R-LINE Rectangular range feature a display of seconds, minutes and weekday, while providing a design highlight through the use of a circular pattern in modern pink gold.

The Voice of the Industry 35

| Feature Storywheels Launched in the UK last year, Storywheels originated in America in the 1990s to create a piece of jewellery to “honour a woman’s life and memories.” The circles, or wheels came together to form a lifeline chain.

The concept was later expanded to turn Storywheels into a collection combining diamonds and gemstones with 14 carat yellow and white gold or sterling silver.

Enamel has been added to the mix. As Storywheels’ parent company is a loose stone-cutting facility, the design team has a wide choice of stones and settings to create ever more creative and exciting designs.

Peers Hardy Among its stable of watches, Peers Hardy will be presenting many new trends at Basel but majoring on colour, different materials such as fabrics and moulded plastics and smaller, more feminine watches for women.

Created to be as much a fashion statement as a timepiece, Ice Watch will make the biggest impact as far as colour is concerned, with gift boxes to complement the colours and textures of the watches. Also from the group is the new BCBGMaxAzria – created by Hollywood designer-to-the-stars Max Azria.

Seiko

Camel Active Running alongside the Camel Active clothing and accessories lines, Camel Active Timewear is a new brand to the UK, distributed by Sanglobe. The Swiss made watch collection features a mix of tradition, high-tech innovation and hip urban lifestyle pieces.

One of the best sellers in the collection is the Black Cruiser model featuring a brushed black stainless steel case, with either a black carbon or black leather strap with contrast stitching.

36 The Jeweller March 2010

Among the new timepieces Seiko is launching at Basel this year is the Kinetic Perpetual watch. Part of the Premier range — which is known for its modern interpretation of a classic theme — this model is solid and refined and features a rose-gold tone case with a leather strap. The aim of the creator was to design the ultimate lowmaintenance watch.

The kinetic movement that powers it, draws its energy from the movement of the wearer, which converts it into electricity, delivering 15 seconds a month accuracy.

The calendar adjusts itself automatically to leap years, while the Auto-Relay function allows the watch to go into ‘sleep’ mode after 14 hours of inactivity. While asleep the hands stop, but the watch remembers the time for up to four years.

The Voice of the Industry 37

| Industry Update

Nickel – why should jewellers worry?

Geoff Field gives readers an update on the current situation and issues regarding the use of nickel in jewellery. e are all aware of the misery caused by allergic reactions. It might be to foodstuffs like peanuts and gluten; to drugs such as penicillin and aspirin; to tree, grass and flower pollens or… to certain metals such as nickel. For the jewellery industry nickel is of course a very important white metal – used to whiten gold and improve its durability, as a substrate for plating, and for stainless steel. And it is also attractive for use in costume jewellery.

But why do some people develop an allergy to it? According to the UK’s Nickel Institute, wearing nickel in direct contact with the skin for prolonged periods can cause it to react with bodily fluids such as sweat, causing the release of nickel ions into the skin. These ions can cause symptoms which we recognise as dermatitis – an uncomfortable itchy rash. If exposure to nickel ions is high enough, the individual can become ‘sensitised’ to nickel meaning that future exposure will cause dermatitis at much lower levels – something which all in the industry will want to avoid.

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What level of exposure is safe and how do we test it?

In 1994 the European Commission decided that a safe limit of exposure to avoid nickel sensitisation was 5 micrograms per square centimetre per week – written as 0.5 µg/cm2/week. The risk is higher where there is a piercing and since 2005 a tighter limit has been applied of 0.2 µg/cm2/week for items worn in a piercing – regardless of whether the wound has healed or not.

The Nickel Directive (94/27/EC) was introduced to ensure compliance with these limits and the European Standards body, CEN, was asked to devise a test to simulate exposure to bodily fluids of earrings, piercing jewellery, clasps, chains, necklaces, bracelets, rings, watch straps, buckles, zips and labels

38 The Jeweller March 2010

etc. Called EN1811:1998 for the last 10 years it has been used by laboratories across Europe to measure nickel release rates. To compensate for inter-laboratory variations and measuring inaccuracies, the Commission agreed that measured release could be multiplied by an ‘adjustment factor’ of 0.1 before comparing it to the permitted limit. So under current law, items with a measured release of 5 µg/cm2/week can be declared as within the limit of 0.5 µg/cm2/week.

Retailers and their suppliers in the UK have a duty of care under The Dangerous Substances and Preparations (Nickel) (Safety) Regulations 2005 not to market products which do not comply with the limits and which might therefore sensitise wearers to nickel. They exercise this duty of care by submitting samples of jewellery to a laboratory for testing under EN1811:1998.

Articles with a protective non-nickel coating e.g. a plating or lacquer, must comply for at least two years of wear and so there is an additional corrosion and wear test EN12472 to simulate two years wear, after which the article must then pass EN1811.

What’s the latest position?

In 2007 the European Commission instructed CEN to review the test procedures in EN1811:1998 to prepare a new standard without an adjustment factor or with a smaller adjustment factor if appropriate and to report back within 3 years.

Over the last two years a series of meetings and discussions, plus ‘round robin’ tests involving fifteen laboratories across Europe (including Birmingham and Sheffield Assay offices) have resulted in new, more consistent test methods but instead of the x 0.1 adjustment factor, the proposed new EN1811 standard introduces a 46% ‘factor of measurement uncertainty’ which is

applied to the test results. This in effect means that for an item to comply with the maximum limit of 0.5 µg/cm2/week it must be measured at a safe level of 0.28. At 0.88 µg/cm2/week or it will be deemed to have failed and for any result between 0.28 and 0.88 no decision can be declared because of the ‘factor of measurement uncertainty’.

For compliance with the limit of 0.2 µg/cm2/week for piercings, nickel release must be measured at a safe level of 0.11 µg/cm2/week and between 0.11 and 0.35 no decision can be declared. Birmingham Assay Office claim that the majority of nickel white golds received for testing will fail this new test, although there is no evidence that they are causing nickel sensitisation.

The UK BSI Committee, on which the BJA and NAG are represented, has rejected this proposed new test standard but we now know that we are only one of two countries out of 27 to have done so.

Where do we go from here?

The campaign is therefore a tricky one – Birmingham Assay Office have called for the proposed new test to be voted down, for new medical research to identify the safe level of nickel release and for chemists and metallurgists to develop a new test with reliability, repeatability and a clear pass or fail decision. However, if 15 laboratories (including Birmingham Assay Office) have been trying to do this for the last 2 years, what are the chances of the Commission going back to the drawing board? Or should the trade abandon alloys which release nickel or indeed – if it cannot be measured accurately – should the European Commission ban nickel in the interests of public safety?

If you have any comments please email: editor@jewellers-online.org

| Feature

the

Jeweller Brand Profile Lapponia

Belinda Morris joined in the celebrations of Finnish jewellery company Lapponia’s 50th anniversary in their snowy homeland. trictly speaking it isn’t essential to visit Finland to appreciate the almost mystical quality of Lapponia jewellery – but it sure does enhance the experience. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Finnish jewellery brand and to celebrate the occasion the company generously invited customers and press from around the world to view the best-loved pieces from the brand, in what must be the best setting possible – the Snow Castle in Kemi, Lapland.

Snow, ice and below freezing temperatures are nothing new to us hardy Brits of course, so I and my lucky fellow UK guests – sales staff and owners from Davidson’s, Newcastle (winners of Lapponia’s window display competition); Argenta, Fulham; Berry’s, Glasgow; and Catherine Jones, Cambridge (who were joint winners of a sales incentive) – felt very much at home as we gazed at the pieces against their staggering Narnialike frozen backdrop. Renowned for its sculptures the Ice Castle had even created huge ice recreations of two of the most dramatic Lapponia styles.

Founded in 1960 by entrepreneur and goldsmith Pekka Anttila, Lapponia pioneered jewellery art and established itself as an independent and revolutionary spirit in what was then a traditional jewellery industry.

Together with designer-artist Björn Weckström – who remains a pivotal member of the five-strong creative team today and with his award-winning ‘Flowering Wall’ gold necklace kick-started the brand in earnest –

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40 The Jeweller March 2010

Quadro pendant designed by Björn Weckström

Lapponia broke all the rules of jewellery design in the 60s.

These days there are fewer rules to break, but Lapponia’s artistic heritage and its ethos of free expression – inspired largely by Nordic nature – is as strong as ever. Weckstrom’s original sculpture-like pieces, influenced by the shapes and surfaces of rough gold nuggets from Finnish Lapland (“I have a romantic attitude toward gold – for me it has drama”) secured the brand’s creative philosophy. That same character and energy was revealed in the unveiling of the 2010 collections last month.

A highlight of the visit was certainly the thirteen-piece Vintage Collection. To celebrate the anniversary, seven artists who have worked for the company over the past five decades, were asked to choose pieces from their personal back catalogues… items that they feel truly reflect the Lapponia character.

Only one piece of each jewellery design will go on sale in 2011, after the anniversary year.

Equally special and slightly more accessible is the Limited Edition Anniversay Collection.

The designers – Christophe Burger from France; Pekka Hirvonen (Finland); ChaoHsien Kuo (Taiwan); Zoltan Popovits (Hungary) and Weckström – were given free reign to demonstrate their creativity, which has resulted in a range that is as varied as the personalities and sensibilities of the people who contributed to it.

But at the same time the spirit and energy synonymous with Lapponia runs throughout

and to highlight this mood of individuality combined with freedom of expression, Lapponia collaborated with fashion and textile design students from the Helsinki University of Art and Design to create outfits to complement chosen pieces of Lapponia jewellery. From Popovits’ B2 Bomberinspired ‘Flight of the Spirit’, made from an old vinyl record and his circuit-board style ‘Spirit of the Age’ pendant, to Kuo’s beautiful silver curved petal ‘Silver Bloom’ necklace, it made for an interesting exercise in how jewellery can actually come before clothes when putting together an outfit. It also nicely illustrated Weckström’s conviction that ‘jewellery should be worn, be wearable, but like art, should also function beautifully – otherwise it’s just a sculpture.”

In a shift away from his expected forms, Weckström’s geometric designs are based on a urban-planner’s gridiron drafts (tiny diamonds punctuating the squares as street lamps pierce the gloom). ‘Lately I’ve been inspired by architecture, and as I’ve been using nature-based influences for so long, I felt like making angular pieces for a change,” he explains, not unreasonably. ‘Maybe people will be disappointed by the change, but I can’t think about them, I have to do my own thing.” Which is what Lapponia jewellery design is all about, after all.

But for those customers craving organic shapes and moods, there’s Kuo’s molten silver forms recalling icicles that slowly melt Lapponia’s designers at the Snow Castle

Silver bloom necklace designed by Chao-Hsien Kuo

Lapponia pioneered jewellery art and established itself as an independent and revolutionary spirit in what was then a traditional jewellery industry. as they hang from eaves – the droplets forming a stream that becomes a necklace.

As the only woman in the design team she brings a softer more feminine touch to an otherwise cold, hard ice theme.

Then there’s the sleek, simple but strong forms created by Hirvonnen, inspired by listening to powerful jazz harmonies, which are counter-balanced by Popovits’ fluid yet angular asymmetric silver necklace, clearly following the lines of a creeper’s leaves.

Burger’s circular forms created from large silver rings, in turn find an echo in the ‘Pretty Earth’ silver pendant, included in the line to

honour its retired creator Poul Havgaard who worked for Lapponia since 1971.

For we visitors, a visit around Lapponia’s Helsinki factory was one eye-opener, but for a further insight into the inspiration and influence for many of the different collections, we were required to hop on a plane, don waterproof overalls, heavy boots and balaclavas and get up close and personal with the wilder side of Finland. Before we got to see Lapponia’s pieces in their shimmering ice cases, then feast on fish served on ice-slab tables, there was an actionpacked day on the frozen Bothnian Sea. With the temperature a chilly 10 degrees below, retailers, sales reps, Lapponia teams and a smattering of press bods, bonded over dog-sledding, reindeer sleigh rides, icehole fishing and snow mobile treks across the eerily frozen sea. Otherworldly, exciting, beautiful and eye-wateringly nippy doesn’t begin to describe it! This winter, Finland experienced its heaviest snowfall in 40 years so not even the locals were blasé about the winter wonderland. It wasn’t hard to imagine how such a dramatic setting – also beautiful in summer – might inspire an artist.

The Voice of the Industry 41

| Opinion : John Henn

All in the name of charity John Henn takes on skiers from Companies such as the Shipwrights, Barbers and Spectacle Makers but meets his match in Spandex Man... here is a time, albeit short, just before impact when you wonder what you were thinking about when you agreed to put yourself in this predicament. Charity was the motivator and the Lord Mayor of London was the instigator. The event was ‘The Inter Livery Company Ski Competition’, the venue, Morzine a French Alpine town on the border with Switzerland. The opposition included Freemen and Liverymen from Companies including the Ironmongers, Shipwrights, Barbers, Spectacle Makers, Salters, Vintners, Farmers, Merchant Taylors and a lone Launderer.

amongst other things, have run the London Assay Office since 1300 AD. To some it is a mystery what they get up to in their spare time and it is no surprise that when you are invited to join a Livery Company you are, and I quote, ‘Admitted into the Freedom of the Mystery of the Company,’ If you have ever wondered where the phrase ‘being at Sixes and Sevens’ originated, it’s because The Skinners, and The Merchant Taylors could not agree as to who was more important so it was decided that they should annually alternate between position six and seven. The Goldsmiths are

We had been invited along at our own cost to participate on behalf of our Companies who in turn paid a contribution to ‘Pitch Perfect’ the Lord Mayor’s charity for 2010. There are 108 livery companies in the City of London and the ‘great twelve’ include the Goldsmiths Company, who

number five. The full list can be found at: www.fishhall.co.uk This year’s Lord Mayor’s charity is aimed at getting young people to play music and cricket, diverting them away from crime.”

More information can be found at: www.pitchperfectlondon.org

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42 The Jeweller March 2010

For the record the Goldsmiths Company will dispense upwards of £900k in charitable grants to a variety of causes, all off the main stream. On top of this there is the educational department which gives away a further £300k each year. There is an apprenticeship scheme which will support master craftsmen to take on apprentices, up to 25 schemes run each year. It is only when you begin to dig under the surface that you understand just how many people benefit from their activities.

Back to the piste. We began as a team of two and with an additional two ‘ringers’ we were able to put on a credible display of teamwork. The Vintners with their amazing turnout of 17 skiers were going to be quite

When the snow settles every thing is everywhere and very little is still attached to the original owner. a force; one of them turned up in a Spandex suit and was a local. Yet I was confident that if they beat us on the course I would wager Robert’s knowledge of wine and Oliver’s capacity to consume, against the best of them – not that it was in any way competitive!

Vicky, who works at the V&A, was our secret weapon – not only did she raise the tone of the whole event she won Top Lady over the two days. She went home with a classy gold plated and plastic 30cm high trophy which will look great next to Michelangelo’s David.

The team came second to the Vintners, as you might have guessed.

As to that collision, the Americans call them ‘Yard Sales’ — when the snow settles every thing is everywhere and very little is still attached to the original owner. That was the case for me — I’ve not had a crash like it for thirty years. Unfortunately, in the company of Spandex Man I was psyched out, my super-sharp rental ski hit gate three at top speed and no divine intervention was going to save me. With the help of some kind Ironmongers I put myself back together, dusted myself down and later posted an average second run. The night belonged to Spandex Man who was as good as his suit suggested. Day two saw him victorious again, though magnanimous in victory. But it is the taking part, and there is always next year…

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| Ethical Jeweller Gold mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Photo: Richard Wainright/CAFOD)

Truth or Dare ...

– the legacy of gold mining Despite the best efforts of a concerned and dedicated few, the quest for clean gold is still being thwarted, discovers Greg Valerio. But jewellers as well as major corporations hold the key to change. ewellers who are rightly concerned about the providence of their raw materials will no doubt be concerned to have read at the beginning of the year another account of an irresponsible Canadian gold mining company.

Goldcorp Group has been accused by CAFOD, the UK Catholic Aid agency, of polluting the local river systems of the Siria Valley, Honduras.

To briefly recap: in September 2008 CAFOD found clear evidence of the contamination of water sources at a Goldcorp mine site. CAFOD’s report reveals acidity of the water at two sites reached levels of a pH between 2.5 and 3, which is typically very damaging to stream biology (distilled water has a pH of 7, vinegar 3 and lemon juice 2), as well as high levels of toxic

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44 The Jeweller March 2010

metals, including cadmium, copper and iron.

Roger Abraham, the vice-president of the Siria Valley Environmental Committee said, “the water tastes like acid, like something out of a car battery’.

Hard rock mining will more often than not involve ‘cyanide leach pools’. This is a process where cyanide is poured over rock to leach out the crushed gold ore. In doing so the leaching will also filter out other metals and potential contaminants like arsenic, mercury and lead. If this process is not managed to a high level of environmental security and safety then the local rivers and groundwater can become toxic through seepage. According to CAFOD the contamination was caused by acid mine drainage in the Tajo Palo pit.

CAFOD as well as Paul Younger from Newcastle University, independently of each other, found considerable evidence of toxins consistent with The Goldcorp subsidiary in the local groundwater supply. Additionally the local community complain that since ‘Entremares’ (the wholly owned subsidiary of Goldcorp) have affected the local rivers.

The 18 riverbeds that fed the valley have now been reduced to three as a result of the company using approximately 220 gallons of water per minute during their operations.

Goldcorp naturally deny all the accusations that have been made, stating that the Honduran authorities checked the water bi-monthly for contaminants and found no evidence to support the claims being made by the community or the international NGOs.

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| Ethical Jeweller This is despite the fact that in 2007 Entremares was fined $55,000 for ‘polluting and damaging practices’. Currently the mine is now into its closure phase that should include an environmental clean up programme. As with all these cases of bad practice the mine arrives, extracts as much as it can and then leaves, moving onto another location that will no doubt impact another community.

Truth or Dare There is no doubt that, in this world of truth or dare, the average consumer or jeweller is justified in being confused by the myriad of claims and counter claims over ethical issues in the mining sector and how they relate to the jewellery product. There is naturally a cost to every activity and this includes gold mining. We can either accept this and work towards the improvement or be one of those who continually deny any problems exist, as a staff member of the World Gold Council once infamously stated at the end of a talk I gave by declaring: “there is no toxic waste in large scale gold mining”. Clearly this expert wasn’t dialled into the realities of life.

Yet as I witnessed on a recent trip to Peru to film at what will hopefully become one of the new fairtrade/fairmined gold sites, it can be done responsibly, transparently and with concern for the environment, even when using substances like cyanide.

This community-based mining organisation

should never pollute. Given that this mine will be independently certified as fairtrade and fairmined, a jeweller can invest in this sort of operation with total confidence.

In Conclusion Jewellers are the key to solving this kind of malpractice and promoting the positive work that is being developed right across the industry. Our first step lies in asking the simple question: “where does this material originate from?” It’s a question loaded with the power to change two principle practices.

Given that physical traceability in the jewellery supply chain is the defining issue, the more we ask it, the more our gold and stone suppliers will have to change

Jewellery with integrity demands the highest standards and there is no place in our business for those who don’t care. is a small operation run by its 84 members of whom seven are women. Processing their gold ore, they use cyanide in leach pools as Goldcorp do, yet they manage the water issue very well through an enclosed system where all the water is recycled back into the leach pools. In the desert water is as precious as gold. A responsible system

46 The Jeweller March 2010

their supply chain practices to meet their customers demands. Whether you are a large multiple retailer or a recently graduated designer out of art college, the question creates change.

The question also impacts on ourselves.

It forces us to start the search for traceable materials, because unfortunately many operators in the supply chain just don’t care where their goods come from.

Jewellery with integrity demands the highest standards and there is no place in our business for those who don’t care. A human life is worth more than gold, which is why we need clean gold that can be proven as such.

The footnote to this piece, is that despite Goldcorp saying it is innocent, the Siria Valley community together with the public prosecutor in Honduras, has begun a process of investigation to establish who by action or omission are responsible for this environmental crime categorised in Honduras’ Law of the environment based on the following sections of the law: Article 104, subsection b): ‘Discharge of dangerous contaminants which are prohibited or which have not been treated into national waters including sea/coastal areas, or in continental and underground waters including water supplies, or infiltrating the soil or subsoil, sewage water or waste, which could cause the death of one or more people, or serious damage to human health or the ecosystem in general.’

Article 105: ‘Action will be taken against the person directly responsible for the action or omission. The person directly responsible is understood as the person who orders or participates in the carrying out of environmental crimes, intellectually or physically.’

Article 106: ‘The commission of the crimes classified in letters a) and b) will be punished with the a sentence of imprisonment of between 3 and 10 years, aside from the sentence given for the specific crime which was committed as a result of the action or omission. In this case, the disciplinary measures that could also be imposed are definitive closure, confiscation, cancellation or reversal/revocation, compenI sation and restitution’.

Images this page courtesy of CAFOD

Polisher Diamond Mounter Graphic Designer Electroplater Whatever you need, find it at changeactshare.org From designers and manufacturers to retailers and media, our trade directory is an essential catalogue of contacts for UK’s jewellery industry.

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Telephone: 020 7974 8113 Email: changeactshare@camden.gov.uk Website: changeactshare.org

RECRUITMENT Are you looking to recruit staff for retail, manufacturing, design, sales, jobbing, management, admin and finance?

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The Voice of the Industry 47

| Antique Jewellery I n

a s s o c i a t i o n

w i t h

F e l l o w s

&

S o n s

Antique JEWELLERY In the Pink Jo Young charts the history of the beautiful pink pearl and its appearance in some of the most celebrated jewellery collections of the age.

sk most people where a pearl comes from, and they’ll tell you that pearls are made by oysters. Except (as, apparently, all good zoologists know), all molluscs with a shell are able to produce a pearl – pearls being formed from ‘irritants’ making their way into the shell and being created slowly within. This means, of course, that pearls can be and are found in other less familiar shells. In recent years, pearls that are harvested from alternative molluscs have gained greater acceptance (and in some cases have become increasingly fashionable) within the jewellery world.

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48 The Jeweller March 2010

White, too, is not the only colour. Pearls of different hues have grown hugely in popularity among buyers in the last decade particularly, and have helped fuel what some see as a resurgence in the pearl market: coloured pearls have helped capture the attention of jewellery designers as never before.

Black Tahitian pearls have been added to the colour palette, and have grown considerably in popularity, while the market for Chinese freshwater pearls (which are created by the freshwater mussel) has exploded in recent years, due primarily to

the freshwater pearl’s attractive price and ready availability.

In the main, however, alternativelycoloured pearls are still considered something of a rarity and, as such, have never really made much of an impression on the jewellery market. Orange, red and even blue pearls have existed, but only really as nature’s anomalies rather than holding any major potential as materials for jewellery making.

The conch There is one exception, however: the pink pearl. Where other coloured pearls are seen simply as unusual curios, pink pearls are the only non-oyster or mussel pearls that can claim to have made a significant impression on the jewellery market.

Pink pearls are produced by a specific type of Caribbean sea snail, which has a striking, flamingo-pink shell and a somewhat disappointingly pedestrian moniker – the queen conch.

The queen conch, as those lucky enough to holiday in Barbados will already know, is an almost iconic feature of the Caribbean natural seascape (and a regular feature in the islands’ gift shops). As well as being carried home as a souvenir in the hand luggage of tourists, the conch is crucial to the Caribbean region’s fishing industry and even its cuisine: locals use the edible conch meat to make salad, chowder and stews, or deep fry them to make conch fritters that are sold all over the Caribbean by street vendors.

Briefly, the queen conch (pronounced konk) can grow to around 30cm in length, and has a large spiral shell with a flared, bright pink ‘lip’. It reaches full size in four years, and can live up to ten years or more, changing shape throughout its lifespan.

According to marine biologists, the chance of a queen conch surviving into adulthood is incredibly slim, around 500,000 to one.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, its most fearsome predator is the human, for whom it has so many practical and decorative uses.

As recently as the 1970s, the conch was relatively easy to find: you didn’t even need to go to sea to get them. Rather, you could simply pop down to the ocean and pick them out of the water by hand, since they covered so many acres of the Caribbean sea bed. However, by the mid-1980s the shallow waters had been over-fished and

Antique Jewellery |

The history of the conch shell’s use in decorative terms goes back centuries: conch has been found in art produced by pre-Columbian civilisations as early as 100-300AD. today conch fisherman have to travel to deep water and dive for them, a skilled and often dangerous activity.

Flaming pink What makes the pink pearl so special is its incredible appearance: unlike with other (what are known, fact fans, as nacreous) pearl types, light interacts with the conch pearl’s surface in a different way. The pearl has an almost porcelain-like surface appearance, and (particularly with good

quality examples) has what is known as a ‘flame structure’, caused by the way the light works with the unique ‘prismatic’ crystal arrangement within the pearl. In short, the pearls themselves take on the appearance of soft-hued moiré silk – an effect that has yet to be successfully replicated in nonnatural pink pearls. The pink pearl’s crystalline make-up also makes them ideal for jewellery use, as they are particularly tough: on the hardness scale; they come in at 5-6, compared to 3.5-4 for other pearl types.

The pink past Use of the conch shell in decorative terms goes back centuries: conch has been found in art produced by pre-Columbian civilisations as early as 100-300AD. However, the use of the pink pearl has a relatively short history within the jewellery market.

Despite appearing in the collections of many choosy jewellery aficionados, the pink pearl actually seems to have been used quite rarely as a jewellery material until the latter half of the nineteenth century.

Indeed, the earliest recorded conch pearl collector was Henry Philip Hope (he of the Hope diamond fame), a London banker who amassed a hugely impressive and wide-ranging jewellery collection throughout

The Voice of the Industry 49

| Antique Jewellery who worked for Tiffany during the 1890s.

Eschewing the more staid design conventions of the age, Farnham produced jewellery that boasted design influences from all over the world, including oriental and Aztec art. While his conch pearl designs tended toward the more classical, it was nonetheless his work for Tiffany that began to put pink pearls on the jewellery map.

Nouveau pearls

the early 1800s. (Some of Hope’s pink pearls now form part of the awesome Jewel Gallery collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum).

The earliest pieces that can be found on the market today come from around the middle of that century, with the conch pearl making an appearance at the first and most infamous of the Great Exhibitions, held at London’s Crystal Palace in 1851.

Tiffany’s pearls Under the guidance of its then-chief gem buyer, George Frederick Kunz, the famed US jewellery brand Tiffany, also began working with conch pearls in the late 1890s, and in the following decade, the pink pearl appeared as part of a major pearl exhibition hosted by the company.

Tiffany was a leader in the field of jewellery design and true to that reputation, it was arguably the trendsetter where conch pearls were concerned: it was the first company to properly promote their use in fine jewellery, and is still the name most associated in the industry with the pink pearl. Tiffany’s success with the conch pearl was due in no small part to the company’s designer Paulding Farnham,

50 The Jeweller March 2010

Pink pearls are the only nonoyster or mussel pearls that can claim to have had a significant historical impact on the jewellery market.

Art Nouveau, being as it was a reaction to the design aesthetic of the machine age, was all about curves, organic colours and natural shapes: in short, it was an artistic movement into which the conch pearl fitted perfectly.

The conch pearl, particularly when used in plique a jour pearl jewellery, became a mainstay of the Art Nouveau movement, particularly in Paris and in London, where it was used regularly by former Tiffany designer Herman Marcus of Marcus & Co. Though never quite as strongly associated with the pink pearl as its American counterparts, Cartier – a uniquely powerful pearl buying firm – also produced a small number of pink pearl pieces during the middle years of the movement (between 1910-1920).

Victoria’s choice Probably one of the best known of history’s pearl fans was Queen Victoria. From her coronation right through her marriage and into her prolonged period of mourning

Antique Jewellery | following her husband’s death in 1861, Victoria was to be seen wearing pearl necklaces, brooches and rings, and these included conch pearls. Along with other members of the royal family and wealthy aristocrats keen to follow their fashion lead, Victoria was fond of the lavaliere, a thin chain-style necklace which often featured large, colour-contrasting drop pendants and used pink pearls for colour contrast.

The popular trefoil brooch, made popular

by Queen Mary in the very early 1900s, again tended to use pearls of different colours – Queen Mary was a big fan of the pink pearl; she wore pink pearl jewellery

Some of the best examples of antique pink pearl jewellery were originally made for the royal collection. of several different styles, including an Art Deco conch pearl brooch during the 1920s.

Some of the best examples of antique pink pearl jewellery were originally made for the royal collection, but many of the notable royal items have since been sold to private collectors at auction, fetching sums into five figures per piece.

By the 1920s, however, pink pearls had fallen dramatically from fashion. The trade from the Caribbean had dwindled away to almost nothing, and the pink pearl’s relatively brief heyday – from the 1850s to the 1920s – was over, conch pearl jewellerymaking all but non-existent.

Why this happened is hard to say: Art Nouveau and its love of nature and the organic form fell out of favour around the time of the First World War, which had an effect, while the Great Depression that began in 1929 helped kill off supply of the pearls themselves. Conch fishermen began fishing for personal consumption and the conch pearl’s value as a commodity was basically forgotten.

Rarity and collectibility Fine pearls are, of course, naturally rare, and this rarity always fetches a high price from jewellers and at auction. This is true for conch pearls particularly. The odds of

coming across an ‘acceptable’ pearl are one in every 10,000 collected shells, and for gem quality pearls fit to be used by famous jewellery names, those odds are even greater.

There are fakes, as there seems to be with everything: some contemporary experts suggested that fake pink pearls have been on the market since the late 1800s.

However, the good news is that these fakes are simply bead-like in appearance and do not possess anything like the ‘flame’ quality seen in a natural pink: they can be easily spotted by anyone who knows what they are looking for.

There is a trade in modern pink pearl jewellery, but again, pieces are rare: and since the heyday of pink pearl jewellery was comparatively short and ended abruptly in the 1920s, antique conch pearl pieces are rare and collectible.

It is also their association with the famous designers, brands and artistic movements of that creatively challenging time (names and styles like Art Nouveau, Tiffany and Marcus & Co) that lends antique conch pearl jewellery its appeal: the better pieces (mostly held in museums or in private collections) can genuinely be counted as being among some of the finest examples of their kind.

Whittaker’s World United we stand, divided we fall!

The Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham has seen a variety of hardships in its 250 year history but few of the challenges it has faced match the current ones. Difficult trading conditions, uncertainty about the future price of gold, and questions about Birmingham City Council’s commitment to one of the city’s few remaining ‘gems’ might be the final straw for the faint hearted. But interestingly there appears to be a bit of ‘the bulldog spirit’ coming out and various previously independent interest groups are finally talking to each other and pooling ideas and time to see what they can do together to protect and nurture a truly unique area. Jewellers who have previously rejoiced in their ‘independence’ are now prepared to contemplate working together for the greater good of the majority.

So why does this affect jewellers outside Birmingham? Well, firstly there are far too many hidden treasures of craftsmanship and expertise dotted around the Quarter which benefit the entire UK jewellery trade to allow it to die. More importantly however, is the heartening lesson that the new found combined strength of these interest groups has persuaded Birmingham City Council to mitigate some of its plans for cuts and proves that you can influence your own future even when up against seemingly unmovable forces. The moral of the story is that however insurmountable the problem may be – don’t be cowed by the enormity of it – the combined will and effort of a few determined individuals can make a difference. If you want to know more about Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter’s struggle go to: www.jqlobby.co.uk Stephen Whittaker is managing partner at Fellows & Sons, specialist valuers and auctioneers of jewellery, silver, watches and fine art based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. He can be contacted by email at: stephen@fellows.co.uk or by telephone on 0121 212 2131.

Fellows & Sons

(Est. 1876)

Forthcoming Auctions

• Secondhand Jewellery & Watches – Thursday 11th & Thursday 25th March, Thursday 15th & Thursday 29th April • Antique & Modern Jewellery – Thursday 8th April • Wrist & Pocket Watches – Monday 12th March A catalogue is available at www.fellows.co.uk or by post.

Online bidding is available at www.invaluable.com/fellows For further information please call Heather Bailey on 0121 212 2131.

The Voice of the Industry 51

| Feature

Michael Hoare explores how jewellery retailers and suppliers can protect themselves against the threat of violent robberies.

Specialised Partners in Crime t has become an inescapable fact of life that retailing, in all its forms, now carries a risk to personal safety and recent British Retail Consortium figures show a rise in violent offences with robberies 15% higher in the first ten months of 2009. But by their very nature, jewellers have always been associated with a higher level of risk — if only because of the character and value of merchandise handled. However, the climate of fear has increased lately because of a number of highly publicised assaults on London jewellers, and there is little doubt that as other ‘traditional’ prey such as banks and cash handlers have become more sophisticated, criminals have turned their attention to ‘softer targets’. Town centre

I

The factors influencing this relate to higher values being carried by jewellers in their shops (including top level brand watches) and the general increase in commodity prices of diamonds and gold over this period. If we couple this with the fact that thieves can quickly transport goods out of the country after they have been stolen, the UK retail jewellery sector has unfortunately become an increasingly favoured target not just for the domestic criminal but for those visiting from Europe or beyond.

As regards the topic of violence in armed robberies, regrettably this is something that has increased in the recent past, with armed robbers using both firearms and knives, including machetes, to intimidate their victims.

Decisions taken in a clear-headed manner by a trained professional must dramatically reduce the possibility of dangerous errors being made by terrified staff.

CCTV has also caused a ripple effect, pushing casual criminals outwards into more vulnerable areas.

To quote Neil McFarlane, T H March sales and marketing director, writing in last month’s Jeweller, “over the past ten years, the severity of in-store armed robbery losses has increased markedly. In fact, both the frequency and severity has increased significantly over the past three years.

52 The Jeweller March 2010

The threat has become much more real, in that there is no doubt that a lot of the ‘short break’ criminals are prepared to use the weapons they come armed with.”

None of this will come as much of a surprise to jewellers and in 2009 the NAG and T H March began the fight back against criminal activity by jointly funding the SaferGems initiative, designed to assist the police with the gathering of intelligence.

But while intelligence can play an important part in preventing crime and catching criminals, jewellers are increasingly concerned about protecting their staff, their property, and increasingly their homes by practical means. Of course, there are numerous deterrent devices — including smoke, alarms, CCTV, and forensic markers — available to jewellers these days, but their effectiveness depends very much on the circumstances of their deployment, and the capacity of staff to remain calm under threat. We all know that rational thought and action can fall victim to extreme stress, and that criminals can become more dangerous when confronted or surprised. Neither criminal nor victim reacts well under stress; neither party is thinking straight, and a situation can rapidly get out of control when somebody does something unexpected.

Over the years the NAG has worked closely with Training For Success, providers

Feature |

of specialist training services, on preparing managers and staff to cope under such circumstances, and this has proved very successful. However, inculcating learned behaviours has its limitations in dampening down a situation, so to reduce the risk even further some high risk environments have moved to a higher level of security by handing control of their premises to 24-hour remote monitoring centres. Our relationship with Training For Success is such that they have recommended the covert services of a specialised partner who has developed a number of cutting-edge pro-active CCTV and asset-tracking solutions that incorporate the remote management of robbery and high risk situations by trained professionals.

I have seen one such facility in action, and I have to say it is impressive. Not only can the operator, once alerted, see and hear everything that is happening during a raid, in certain circumstances they can take control of alarms, doors, smoke and chemical markers, often liaising directly with local police to contain a situation. To my mind, decisions taken in a clear-headed manner by a trained professional must dramatically reduce the possibility of dangerous errors being made by terrified staff, that could lead to an escalation in violence.

The service can also be extended to the homes of owners and key personnel who might be at risk from threats and kidnap, and while this might presently be regarded as a limited threat, it is one that should be borne in mind when considering personal safety. In this case TFSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommended partner has extensive experience protecting directors and key workers running sensitive installations, and the resources I saw deployed give a very high level of reassurance. Finally, and perhaps of particular interest to our colleagues at the BJA, I saw the latest satellite tracking technology in use

protecting vulnerable mobile personnel.

It is difficult not to sound alarmist when discussing the threat of violent robbery, but experience shows that preparation and planning can go a long way when it comes to protecting your business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; particularly when your planning is done in conjunction with experienced partners.

In the end there are many levels of security and only you can choose what is right for your circumstances, but if you would like to discuss any aspect of the services I have described, please contact me at Luke Street, or Ian Kirke, managing director Training For Success at: iankirke@tfsuccess.com to arrange a confidential discussion.

The Voice of the Industry 53

| Education + Training

L ATE ST

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E D U C ATI O N

NAG brings sunshine & smiles to Spring Fair

ne year on from a snow-ravaged Spring Fair and with threats of another cold spell, it was left to the NAG to bring the sunshine to this year’s Jewellery Show at Spring Fair International at the NEC in Birmingham last month… and bring it they did.

The summer-themed stand not only included a deck chair, beach ball, Hawaiian lei, strawberries and Pimms, but a full sandpit complete with NAG sandcastle. Yet, it was the Holiday Lucky Dip that brought out not just the sunshine, but the smiles.

“We usually have a giveaway for members on the stand” said Stacy Simpson, who organises the stand for the NAG. “Last year, we offered a trip to Paris, but this John Henn year we wanted to do

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54 The Jeweller March 2010

something a bit more fun that reflected the summer theme of the stand.”

NAG members were invited to visit the stand during the five day show and choose a raffle ticket. That ticket number then corresponded to one of many holiday prizes ranging from a deluxe picnic hamper to coconuts and travel wash.

“The response was amazing” added Stacy. “The members really got into the spirit of things and had fun with their prizes.

We had tried to choose useful, if not glamorous, prizes and reactions were brilliant. One member, who won a toothbrush holder, was absolutely delighted.”

D E PA RTM E NT The star prize picnic hamper went to Banks-Lyons Jewellers in Lancaster, who had just stopped off to ask about JET Gemstone courses. Sophie Hughes and Samantha Ireland were delighted with their win and promised alfresco company feasts for the summer ahead.

Familiar faces also showed of their prizes.

Jeweller columnist John Henn was naturally thrilled with his sunflower seeds, while F Hinds’ Peter Troth was strangely slightly less enthusiastic with his ladies’ flip-flops.

While cute and entertaining, the prizes and summer decorations were also illustrating a message: they formed part of the NAG’s latest campaign to get staff trained before the summer holidays.

“When your most experienced sales staff go on holiday, a junior or new member of staff can often be caught out by consumers, particularly if colleagues are busy covering for their absent co-workers. These mistakes not only cost you and your store valuable sales and repeat business, and can harm your reputation” says Victoria Wingate, Education

Sophie Hughes and Samantha Ireland from Banks-Lyons Jewellers

and Training Manager at the NAG. “But a student who enrols on JET 1 now could have finished by this summer and completed their Professional Jewellers’ Diploma by next summer.”

For more information on the JET Courses, go to: www.jewellers-online.org or call 020 7613 4445 (option 1). For more photos go to the NAG Members Facebook group.

| Education + Training

Award-winner revisited With just days to go until this year’s Presentation of Awards, The Jeweller speaks to Peter Troth, the 1985 winner of the coveted Greenough Trophy, which is awarded to the candidate with the highest aggregate marks in the Association’s Professional Jewellers Diploma programme. Twenty five years on, how has winning the Trophy impacted on Peter’s career?

The Jeweller: What made you want to take the Retail Jewellers’ examination?

Peter Troth: I started in the industry when I was only 16 or 17 and my employer was keen for me to get as much training as possible. I had actually already taken the Fellow of the Gemmological Association before taking the Retail Jewellers’ Examination.

How did it feel winning the Greenough Trophy?

Getting the top marks for the whole year is really something special, so winning the Trophy was fantastic. I had not heard of the Trophy before, so it was totally unexpected

when I took the course, but I had moved and started working for FHinds before the actual ceremony. The Chairman Roy Hinds came to the awards and my family were there, so it was a very special night.

How do you feel the course has helped your career in the last 25 years?

The knowledge the course has given me, coupled with the experience of working with the NAG, has really helped progress my career. [Peter is now Operations Manager for FHinds] I have been working with the NAG Education Committee pretty much ever since winning the Trophy. I became an

My advice would be to do as many varied courses as possible to gain as much knowledge as possible. when they had told me I had won it. I certainly had no idea that I could achieve the best results. The Presentation of Awards made it even more special. There was a real sense of occasion. I was living in Jersey

56 The Jeweller March 2010

What advice would you give current students?

I think the most difficult decision is choosing the career in the first place. My advice would be to do as many varied courses as possible to gain as much knowledge as possible.

That’s why when I started in the trade I studied gemstones as well as management, so that I could get the product knowledge that I needed for this industry.

examiner and am now Chairman of the NAG Exam Moderating Committee. Having seen the courses from both sides, I can definitely see just how much they’ve helped me and still help students starting out.

Peter Troth (left) with Roy Hinds, Chairman of F Hinds & Son, 25 years ago

What changes have you seen in the jewellery industry in the last 25 years?

Consumers are not the same. They no longer just come into the shop and buy.

Access to information is so much greater these days with the internet and TV, which means that the expectations of customers are much higher.

The only way to keep customers is for the sales staff to be more knowledgeable about the products they are selling, which is why the JET courses are so important.

The latest winner of the Greenough Trophy will be featured in April’s issue along with a round up of the Presentation of Awards and listings of all last year’s JET graduates.

THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS ARE TOO LATE....

....TO START TRAINING YOUR STAFF START NOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR HOLIDAY COVER IS COVERED A student who enrols on the Professional Jewellers’ Diploma now could have finished by this summer and could have passed JET 2 and mastered all the practical skills that a retail jeweller requires by next summer.

OUR CONTACT DETAILS The National Association of Goldsmiths 78a Luke Street, London EC2A 4XG Email: jet@jewellers-online.org Tel: 020 7613 4445 (Option 1) Download a JET Course prospectus at www.jewellers-online.org

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Loughborough Conference 2010 Plans are already under way for this year’s NAG Institute of Registered Valuers Loughborough Conference in September with a full programme promised, and the Institute’s IRV Forum and Valuations Committee will offer delegates yet another selection of top class experts covering topics dear to a valuer’s heart. his year the emphasis will be on valuation methodology. And in the immortal words of the National Lottery you have to be in it to win it – attend the Loughborough Conference in order to learn to earn! The conference takes place over the weekend of Saturday 18 to Monday 20 September inclusive, and, as the name suggests, will take place at its usual venue, Loughborough University in Leicestershire (just off Junction 23 on the M1). Full details will automatically be sent to all IRVs and non-IRV delegates from the 2008 and 2009 Conferences.

Those who have not been for a while or have never attended and would like to receive details, should register their interest with Sandra Page by contacting her via irv@jewellers-online.org or phone on 029 2081 3615.

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NAG Institute of Registered Valuers’ Forum he NAG is inviting IRVs to put themselves, or fellow IRVs forward to be elected to serve on the the Association’s Institute of Registered Valuers’ Forum. The IRV Forum is a platform through which IRVs can discuss all valuation related issues and put forward ideas, plans and concerns for the Association’s Board of Directors to consider,

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via the Valuations Committee. The Association is delighted that the IRV Forum has been a resounding success; a much needed platform to which any IRV can belong. The current IRV Forum consists of the following: Voting Members – Jonathan Lambert (as NAG Valuations Committee Chairman), two members of the NAG Valuations Committee (Avril Plant, Peter Hering, Pravin Pattni and Jon Tabard take it in turns) and Heather McPherson, Alan Hayes and Geoff Whitefield as the elected IRVs. Non-Voting Members: Peter Buckie, David Callaghan and Michael Ferraro. The term of service is three years and Heather McPherson’s term comes to an end this September. Heather may put herself forward for re-election.

If necessary a ballot will take place at the Loughborough Conference when delegates will elect a Voting Member of the IRV Forum from the IRVs who have been nominated or volunteered for the vacancy.

The Association would encourage IRVs to put themselves forward for the position.

Any elected IRV may only serve on the IRV Forum for a maximum of six years. All IRVs will be invited to submit nominations or put themselves forward. It is hoped that many will support the election and put names forward.

NAG calls for nominations for ‘David Wilkins Trophy’ for excellence in valuation and appraisal The NAG’s Institute of Registered Valuers has announced its call for nominations for the seventeenth annual David Wilkins Award in recognition of exceptional skill, dedication and service in the field of jewellery appraisal and valuation.

David Wilkins (19311994), former Chairman of the NAG Valuations Committee, had a distinguished career in the jewellery industry and was widely known and respected both for his outstanding personal qualities and great expertise. More than any other individual David sought to encourage high standards of conduct and professionalism in respect of valuations. The award that he sponsored remains as his legacy in promoting the aims for which he strove for so long. The Board of Directors of the National Association of Goldsmiths may award the David Wilkins Trophy if an individual has demonstrated outstanding skill, dedication or service in respect of jewellery appraisal and valuation.

This award is made on an annual basis and as such may only be referred to by the recipient in the relevant year.

The Trophy, which was first presented in 1994, comprises an Elizabethan-style silver dish which is inscribed with the name of the winner, who retains it for the relevant year.

It is complemented by the award of £100 in book tokens for supplementing the winner’s personal reference library.

IRV Review | An IRV may nominate himself/herself or any other individual they feel merits nomination. A nomination may also be made by an NAG Ordinary Member.

Completed nominations for the 2010 award must be sent to the NAG Cardiff office to be received not later than 30 April 2010.

The name of the successful nominee will be announced, and the presentation made, at the annual Loughborough Conference (18-20 September 2010).

Who is likely to qualify for the David Wilkins Trophy?

There is no official list of criteria that will enable a nominee to fulfil the citation but the following examples of conduct may provide some guidance: • Consistently producing valuations of exceptional standard.

• Giving help and guidance to colleagues or to members of the public.

• Working to promote and further the aims of the NAG’s Institute of Registered Valuers.

• Providing information/resources for IRVs. • Achieving exceptional results in training and/ or examination.

• Demonstrating high integrity.

• Showing diligence in research and information gathering.

• Displaying general conduct likely to enhance the reputation of IRVs. Previous Winners Terence J Watts – 1994; Alan J Smith – 1995; Roy V Huddlestone – 1996; J Louise Butterworth – 1997; Peter J R Jackson – 1998; Brian R Dunn – 1999; Michael S J Norman –

What would the collective noun for a group of David Wilkins Trophy award winners be? Perhaps a ‘brilliance’, a ‘wisdom’ or maybe an ‘erudition’! This group photograph was taken at the 2008 Loughborough Conference: standing (from left to right) Roy Huddlestone (1996), Michael Norman (2000), Terence Watts (1994), David Callaghan (2006), Peter Buckie (2008), Margaret Wilkins, Alan Hodgkinson (2007), John Harris (2004), Peter Jackson (1998) and Brian Dunn (1999).

Seated (from left to right): Heather McPherson (2005) and Rosamond Clayton (2002).

2000; Philip L Stocker – 2001; Rosamond S Clayton – 2002; Paul Templeton – 2003; John S Harris – 2004; Heather McPherson – 2005; David J Callaghan – 2006; Alan Hodgkinson – 2007; Peter Buckie – 2008; Steven Jordan – 2009

FIRV Steven Jordan receiving the David Wilkins Trophy from Margaret Wilkins at the 2009 Loughborough Conference.

Rules 1. Nominees may include members of the NAG Valuations Committee.

2. Nomination must be by either an IRV, an NAG Ordinary Member or someone qualified to make an informed judgement as to the merits of the nominee.

3. Self-nomination must be seconded by some such person as in 2.

4. When considering nominations the NAG Valuations Committee may call for further proof or particulars to support a particular nomination and may at its discretion exclude a nomination without stating reasons.

5. The NAG Valuations Committee shall seek nominations annually by written notice to all IRVs and NAG Ordinary Members.

6. The selection from the nominations received will be by the NAG Valuations Committee.

7. These rules may be amended at any time by the NAG Valuations Committee which has an absolute discretion in all matters to do with the award of the Trophy.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is 30th April 2010. Nomination forms can be obtained from the Sandra Page. Call 029 2081 3615 or email irv@jewellers-online.org

Last year’s winner FIRV Steven Jordan says, “I was privileged during last year’s annual Conference at Loughborough to be awarded the David Wilkins Trophy. I was, as I believe most recipients are, surprised to receive the award. It was only when I turned the trophy over and saw my name engraved there in such illustrious company that it began to sink in.

I have always striven to maintain high standards in valuation work and professional qualifications and will continue to do so. However, I owe much to the guidance from people like the late David Wilkins and the sadly missed Michael Norman. My own work is primarily in the London high net worth field, with occasional assignments to Europe and the Middle East. The work, and particularly the travel, can be very demanding. But I enjoy absolutely every minute. I enjoy the science of gemmology, the history of jewellery and the privilege of meeting the rich and famous.

That’s the important thing about valuation work, you have to love what you do. As my late father once said, ‘Find something that you like and stick with it.’ I found something that I like… and now I’m stuck with it.”

The Voice of the Industry 59

| Insurance Matters

The Legacy of

Christmas A sudden death of a business partner is not only a sad event but can also have dramatic repercussions. But there’s more than one way to deal with just such a tragedy… t had been a rough Christmas, and now Steve was beginning to despair of ever getting the business back on target.

Sue had started planning the Christmas orders in late summer. This was always one of her strong points — thorough and with a good eye for what would sell well. Her car accident had put a stop to that and when she died in early October, Steve had tried to pick up the pieces. Just being in the shop was difficult enough without her. He missed her sense of humour — the shop now felt very dull. He put off the buying and advertised for a manager with buying experience, but this close to Christmas he couldn’t afford to hire the only applicant who seemed to him to be any good.

In the end, he bought what he thought were the best ranges, but found that some of the pieces he wanted were out of stock, and he misjudged the market for some of the others.

Yes, it had been a rough Christmas, and now he had to cope with Sue’s widower, Bob. He was a nice bloke in some respects, but irritatingly interfering. He had been too

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distraught when Sue died to worry about the shop, half of which had effectively passed to him on her death. Steve had wanted to buy out his share, but the poor Christmas trade had left him without the income he needed. Now that his first family Christmas without Sue was over Bob decided to throw himself into the business.

Within a few weeks he had insisted on restocking. Steve didn’t rate his own experience of buying too highly but Bob, frankly, was a disaster. The shop’s cash flow was deteriorating, and Steve felt he had to face up to their bank manager, particularly since Sue had jointly guaranteed their business loan. It was not a happy meeting.

t had not been the best Christmas. Steve was exhausted, but at least trade had held up.

After Sue’s car accident and death in early October, Steve had advertised for a manager with buying experience. He had been horrified at the salary demanded, but at least he had the proceeds of the life assurance Sue had organised. Steve had

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initially balked at this precaution — they were both fit and young, but Sue had insisted that they should each insure their lives for each other’s benefit. She was like that — forever planning ahead, ready to take risks, but always anticipating the worst-case scenarios.

Steve had been fortunate with Peter, the new manager. He seemed to know instinctively what stock the shop needed for Christmas and where to get it. Steve of course bore the brunt of customer relationships, but Peter was getting to know them.

He could see that in a couple of years he might even offer him a partnership. If only he had Sue’s sense of humour!

Meanwhile, now that his first family Christmas without Sue was over, Bob, her widower who had inherited her share of the business, was starting to interfere. Not a bad guy in many respects, but no business sense. Sue had foreseen that too, and with the cross-option partnership agreement suggested by their insurance broker and solicitor, and the balance of the life assurance money, Steve was able to insist that Bob should sell Sue’s share of the business back to Steve. It gave Bob some capital to help look after the family, and Steve even managed to pay off the bank loan.

If felt cruel to cut Bob out so soon after his loss, but at least it would keep the business alive and satisfy the bank manager.

In small businesses there is often an overlap between the need for Partnership or Shareholder Assurance, Keyman Assurance and Loan Protection. Partnership or Shareholder protection allows surviving partners or shareholders to buy out the deceased partner’s or shareholder’s interests.

Keyman Assurance protects the business against a drop in profit following the death of a person on which the business depends.

Loan Protection allows the business to repay loans on the death of an owner or guarantor, otherwise the bank may demand repayment once they learn of the death.

T H March can offer all three forms of cover. In some cases one insurance will serve more than one purpose. Ring Steven Clemence on 01822 855555.

T H March is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

| Legal Jeweller

Jeweller wins against landlord When a business tenancy ends one would expect to see the return of a deposit, less any legitimate deductions for dilapidations. But be warned, things may not always go to plan — as one BJA member recently discovered.

Stephen Welfare, a partner at Royds solicitors, looks at some of the pitfalls of the commercial lease. here is a well trodden path for landlords to follow in order to claim dilapidations from tenants and for tenants to challenge such claims. In the vast majority of cases matters are agreed without difficulty, so BJA members The Angelett Gallery were not unduly worried when the short underlease for their retail premises in Sussex expired.

Angelett Gallery left their unit in a good state of repair – in fact rather better than they had found it – and were confident of receiving back their £5,581 deposit. Imagine their horror when their request was declined and they had a schedule of dilapidations served on them, not by their immediate landlord, Brook Street (UK) but by the owners of the premises, Friends Provident, with whom Brook Street had a lease on

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their premises. The demand was for the whole £5,581.

Despite the demand having been served by solicitors, and purportedly prepared by a qualified surveyor, Angelett Gallery did not accept the liabilities imposed on them and decided to make their own enquiries. They soon discovered that the schedule they had received did not relate to their premises at all, but was in respect of ‘reconstruction work’ on an industrial workshop in Reading some 100 miles away.

They vacated the premises in accordance with the expiry of their lease but were unable to recover their deposit from the owners who went to elaborate lengths to justify their demands, even though Angelett Gallery obtained written confirmation from

Brook Street that the premises had been left in an acceptable condition and that no further monies were due.

Angelett Gallery were outraged that their deposit was being withheld on false grounds. Enquiries to the police brought no satisfaction. They were told it was a civil matter and that they should find a solicitor but were warned that the process would be long and expensive and could cost more than they might get back. That is when they turned to the BJA who referred them to Royds solicitors.

When faced with all the facts and the determination of the Angelett Gallery to seek legal redress the landlord’s agents backed down and a full refund was eventually made.

Even though interest was paid on the monies returned, it is nevertheless scandalous that Angelett Gallery had to wait seven months to recover its deposit and incurred legal costs to do so.

If your retail lease is coming to an end, do check that any demands served on you in respect of dilapidations are not only within the terms of your lease or underlease, but that your landlord has not in turn received a demand from the owner. If the freehold owner is taking back the premises from your landlord at the same time and is making no claim for dilapidations then there should be no claim down the line to you. Do not just accept that you owe monies to your landlord because a solicitor or a surveyor says so. Get your own advice.

A question and answer ‘Fact Sheet’ prepared by Royds, giving further information on leases and tenancies is available to BJA members in the ‘Members Only’ section of the website or telephone 0121 237 1108 to receive a copy.

Stephen Welfare is a partner at Royds LLP solicitors, a long-established 16 partner city law practice well known for its commercial, retail, property, employment and commercial litigation practices. The firm also provides the BJA’s ‘Copywatch’ intellectual property service. T: 020 7583 2222.

The information in this article refers to the law at the date the article was written and is provided for general information purposes only. It should not be applied to specific circumstances without prior consultation with a solicitor.

62 The Jeweller March 2010

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APPOINTMENTS

Kit Heath is one of the UK’s leading jewellery brands with a clear focus on national and international expansion.

Senior Jewellery Designer To work in a supervisory capacity within a dedicated design team, creating concepts through to final designs for both the Kit Heath brand products and bespoke projects.

The ability to create innovative commercial designs from a brief is essential as is the ability to work to tight deadlines.

Experience working as a commercial jewellery designer is essential.

If you are interested in the above post please send your CV and covering letter to Yasmin Moss, Kit Heath Ltd, Millennium House, Brannam Crescent, Roundswell Business Park, Barnstaple, EX31 3TD alternatively you can e-mail careers@kitheath.com.

Closing date: March 31st, 2010

www.kitheath.com

Goldsmith wanted in Berkshire Exceptional opportunity at

Jacobs of Reading premier Berkshire independent jeweller’s in-house bench. We are looking for a self-employed, experienced and all-round maker/ goldsmith to work at our premises.

Immediate start available.

We aim to provide steady stream of work for right candidate.

Apply to Adam Jacobs on tel: 0118 959 0790 or email: adam.jacobs@jacobsofreading.com

www.jewelleryjobs.com Jackson Maine is the specialist recruitment consultancy for the jewellery and watch industry and we cover all disciplines in London, the South East and throughout the UK We urgently need Watchmakers at all levels Retail Sales and Management, Field Sales and Brand Managers, Administration, Merchandisers and Stock Controllers Register now for vacancies in 2010

Looking for a new position?

Jackson Maine does not distribute CVs without candidate permission and maintains client confidentiality completely.

To register send your CV today.

Looking for staff?

Please call or e-mail for a copy of our résumé and terms and conditions This is a brief selection of our current vacancies, for more information on national opportunities visit our website, e-mail jobs@jackson-maine.com or call Katie or Grant on 01756 753 555

JACKSON MAINE

The Recruitment Specialists to the Jewellery & Watch Industries

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Jewellery Manufacturers

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• Experience, quality and service

at reasonable prices.

• Full insurance. All urgent repairs by return.

Call David or Stephen at Agars Ltd Port Hall Mews, Dyke Road, Brighton BN1 5PB Tel/fax: 01273 540330 Email: steveagar@hotmail.com

Ground Floor, 22 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8BA Tel: 020 7405 7684 Email: info@a-linejewellery.co.uk

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Tools & Machinery

FOR SALE 100 Press Tools in Diesets – mainly earring tools of all shapes and sizes 10 or more Hand Rolling Mills for hoop earrings.

4 Spot Welders 1 Fusion Welder To be sold as job lot. South London area.

Best offer over £3,000 secures.

Email: daveandlynhart@yahoo.co.uk Tel. 00 34 971 826803 or 00 34 626494821

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Call Neil Oakford on 020 7833 500 or email: neil@cube-uk.com for further information and to make a booking in the Jeweller display Cabinet

| Regular

The

Last Word Belinda Morris takes a wry look at some of the weird and wonderful happenings in the world of jewellery retailing.

The Youth of Today very so often there are mutterings in the media – ok, in the Daily Mail – about how older people (by which it is meant anyone over 45) should get a fairer deal.

Why (oh why, oh why) is it that the world seems to revolve around the young, they say, when there’s the wealth of wisdom and experience of the post-war and baby boomer generations to be tapped?

It’s the sort of talk you get during a quiet news week or the day after some old bloke has taken Tescos to task for letting him go in favour of some poncy student. And then sometimes a backbencher might chip in with some well-intentioned musings on how our ‘valued’ older citizens should be made to feel ‘included’ and ‘engaged’.

It’s all guff though, isn’t it? I mean really, life, like Christmas, is for the young. Even the most level-headed and least vain among us is wondering whether the occasional shot of Botox might be a good idea as we pander to the cult of youth.

It’s been many years since I was the indulged baby journalist in any press contingent, but this isn’t wistful frustration talking (bitter, moi?). It’s just that a couple of observations made recently have focussed my thoughts on demographics.

The first occurred during a recent shopping trip. My partner A and I were in a branch of a well-established jewellery chain (ok, it was Beaverbrooks) in an out of London mall, so that he could buy a watch. It had been winking at him from the window for weeks while he justified the purchase to himself (not to me, the more watches he has the more jewellery I can amass – known fact).

Anyway, while we were being assiduously attended to and A was taking in the nitty

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gritty of the Tag’s finer qualities, my gaze began to wander around the shop. It alighted on two boys receiving the same undivided care and attention at an adjacent table, as one in particular also studied a watch.

Nothing too weird, except these two lads were not teen type youths – they couldn’t have been more than 11, 12 at the most.

I looked round for a parent – no, they were shopping alone. I really wanted to go over, with my Jeweller hat on, and ask what he was buying… but I resisted the urge. Ten-toone though that it was not a Man from U.N.C.L.E (or was it Action Man?) watch, which, if I remember rightly, was what my brother was craving at that age. I had to wait until I was 14 before I had a ‘proper’ watch – a gorgeous space-agey Seiko. And it was definitely bought for me.

No, this particular purchase looked like serious, adult stuff (this was Beaverbrooks remember) and certainly the child was getting all the courtesy that we adults were enjoying.

I was transfixed – such sophistication!

Surely, at any moment a dad would appear, nod approvingly at the choice and finalise the transaction with plastic. Not so. The decision having been made, the boy settled up with cash and was handed his chic little carrier bag. Then sales staff and child shook hands – or did I make up that bit ? Well, they might as well have done. And I also have to say that the kid left the shop with far more insouciance than did A, who was grinning with guilty excitement at his own purchase.

My knowledge of jewellery retailing is still in its infancy and there may well be many of you now thinking: “yawn – so what, we sell diamonds to seven-year olds all the time”.

But it made an impression on me – is this a trend? Ok, maybe pre-teens shopping for relatively high-priced goods without adults in attendance is relatively uncommon, but it’s obviously no surprise that jewellers would wish to snare their customers while they’re young and nurture them through the various celebratory milestones of their lives.

And what was once a trade that revolved around engagement, wedding and commitment rings and fine jewellery, has now widened to embrace a much more youthful clientele. You only had to glance around The Jewellery Show last month to note that the youth-oriented bead and charm brands (yes, I know they sell to adults as well, but

According to findings, the average child will spend over £6,000 between the ages of 7-15. the principal aesthetic is youth-driven) to realise how things have shifted. And I know there are more than a few retailers grateful to Pandora, Troll Beads and the like for keeping their heads above water for the past year or so.

And just to underscore the fact that the spending power of children is a very real phenomenon, according to a London School of Economics study at the end of last year, children pumped a staggering £4.9bn into the British economy during the recession, despite a fall in their parent’s disposable income. And according to findings, the average child will spend over £6,000 between the ages of 7-15. Amazing!

All hail the age of inexperience.

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