Jeweller g&j (feb 2014) by Zest Europe

Jeweller the

Jan/Feb 2014

ÂŁ7.50

The Voice of The Industry

Incorporating

Gems&Jewellery

Jan/Feb 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 1

Greg Valer io makes trouble Gem-A ge ts respons ible Focus on fabulous fluorite

Jewellery & Watch Birmingham preview Optimism for a buoyant bridal market NAG launches new JET2 format

Jeweller

Contents & Contacts |

the

The Voice of The Industry

C O N T E N T S

www.thejewellermagazine.com

J A N / F E B

From here to eternity

1 4

Editor’s Letter

Rawlinson Speaks Out

Industry News

Belinda Morris reports on a buoyant bridal market International News

NAG News

Member of the Month

Education & Training

IRV Review

Business Support: Security

the collections to discover at the NEC next month

Opinion: John Henn

Antique Jewellery – Medieval masterpieces

Business Support: Insurance

Antique Jewellery

Notebook

Display Cabinet

Last Word

at the start of this more auspicious year

Brand profile – Lars Larsen

We quiz Dan Corfitzen on his newly-launched watch brand with a difference

Walking the walk at Jewellery & Watch Birmingham

The news, the views, the events and, most importantly,

Amy Oliver explores the social, political and religious significance behind jewellery worn during the Middle Ages

Jan/Feb

2014 / Volume

Gems&Jewellery

23 / No. 1

The Jeweller is published by the National Association of Goldsmiths for circulation to members. For more information about The Jeweller visit: www.thejewellermagazine.com

Ethical issues explored, a preview of the Tucson Gem Show, cutting a rare green fluorite crystal, challenging gemmological crosswords and more…

Greg Va ler

io make s trouble Gem-A gets res ponsible Focus on fabulous fluorite

The magazine is printed on paper and board that has met acceptable environmental accreditation standards. The National Association of Goldsmiths 78a Luke Street, London EC2A 4XG

Jeweller

Cover Image

the

Jan/Feb 2014

£7.50

The Voice of The Industry

Incorporating

Gems&Jewellery

Jan/Feb 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 1

Greg Valerio makes trouble Gem-A gets responsible Focus on fabulous fluorite

In conjunction with Clogau See us at ‘Jewellery & Watch Show’ Birmingham at Spring Fair Hall 17 Stand Q28-R29 www.clogau.co.uk

Tel: 020 7613 4445 www.jewellers-online.org CEO: Michael Rawlinson michaelr@jewellers-online.org Editor: Belinda Morris bmorris@colony.co.uk

Sales Director: Ian Francis Tel: 020 7749 1705 Fax: 020 7729 0143 ian@jewellers-online.org Publishing Enquiries/ Classified Advertising: Neil Oakford neil@jewellers-online.org Contributors: Lee Henderson, John Henn, Amy Oliver

Art Director: Ben Page ben@jewellers-online.org

Jewellery & Watch Birmingham preview Optimism for a buoyant bridal market NAG launches new JET2 format

The NAG is responsible for producing The Jeweller and, although every effort is made to ensure that the information supplied is accurate, the NAG does not accept liability for any loss, damage or claim whatsoever that may result from opinions expressed by contributors. Information and ideas are for guidance only and members should always consult their own professional advisers. The NAG accepts no responsibility for the content of Gems&Jewellery or 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

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Comment |

Editor’s

Letter

This month: … the bridal market is recession-proof. People are going to get married no matter what the economy throws at them…

appy New Year! So, are you feeling lucky? Well, it’s now twenty-fourteen and if you’re

the kind of person who gives any sort of credence to numerological superstition,

you might have a slightly better feeling about things now that twenty-thirteen is well and truly behind us. I admit that, despite the fact that I always look for a second magpie and avoid stepping on pavement cracks, the doom-laden significance of last year somehow escaped me. Not so the wider bridal market though. According to a wedding show insider, business at the autumn 2012 show, and then at the spring fair of 2013, was significantly depressed. Things picked up again for the autumn 2013 event though as brides-to-be planned for the weddings that they had delayed until this year… this luckier year. As it was for venue hire, catering, honeymoon, the dress et al., so engagement rings and wedding bands must also have felt the effects. Our recent survey among NAG members

Page 28

on bridal jewellery (see p28) indicated that most are expecting business to improve this year. And this optimism appears to extend into most other categories, as a subsequent poll has revealed that sales over Christmas were a tad better than expected. A rosier future is predicted – by most – to follow. In many cases it’s not going to happen without hard work and a recognition that change has to be embraced and an ‘adapt to survive’ attitude adopted. If that means a few new year resolutions, a good place to kick-start such resolve would be the Jewellery & Watch Birmingham show next month. Looking to help retailers ‘make that sale’, the organisers have, this year, themed the event. It’s all about ‘stories’ – increasingly consumers want the tale behind a collection, a piece, a stone… and not just the price. Should you feel the need

We’re looking forward to exploring the new collections and spotting key trends for 2014. We’re always on the look out for the next big thing…

to brush-up on other aspects of business success, a raft of seminar speakers will be looking at subjects as diverse (and pertinent) as multi-channel retailing and visual display. Knowledge – far more fruitful than crossing your fingers! Of course The Jeweller team will be tirelessly walking (and working) the aisles at the show… and taking occasional refuge on the NAG stand (17S48), so please do join us there for a well-earned beverage!

If you would like to comment on any of the issues raised in this edition of The Jeweller or any other trade-related matters please email the editor at: bmorris@colony.co.uk

Page 42

The Voice of the Industry 5

| Comment

Rawlinson

speaks out here will be a radical shift in the future of retail as online and offline converge, according to international IT services company Atos Scientific Community! The shopping experience is changing and changing fast. Customers complain they can’t get decent service, it’s hard to find what they want, and when they do it’s cheaper online! On the other hand, retailers say that shoppers are rude, expect something for nothing and are driving shops out of business by using them as showrooms before buying online. Will retailers win by fighting the customer, or can the internet be harnessed for the benefit of shop owners and customers alike? For me the answer is simple – embrace the mobile internet and use its tools… or die. On my first day back at work in the new year I attended the revealing of the results of the Jewellery Blueprint research carried out by retail sector skills council CCSkills. It reported that the top skills gap for retailers was ‘using online, digital or social media as business tools’ (28.3 per cent). Clearly there is a lot of catching up to do. So, if you haven’t booked yet, join us on the 19th March for our first Members Day conference: Achieving your potential: Business and Marketing Strategies. We will look at this issue and present ideas and support for those who want to know more. Another important way to develop your business is to specialise and differentiate. A further skills shortage highlighted related to computer aided design plus rapid prototyping and 3D printing. Just think of the business advantage you could create if you offered your customers personalised designs, a life size sample of the finished jewellery, and first class customer service. This is an area where the UK can prosper

6 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

against the mass market producers based in the Far East. We sometimes don’t believe consumers would actually part with their hard earned money to buy expensive jewellery or gems and diamonds on-line without seeing the item first. However, when in Singapore over Christmas, I met a young lady who had recently purchased a pair of diamond earrings from a well-known international e-retailer. We were both visiting a gemmology specialist but for different reasons – she wanted a diamond grading report to check that what she had bought was worth what she had paid. I was surprised that she had parted with her cash without checking the goods first. As it turned out, she had received value for money and she left happy. I guess if she had been duped, she would have returned the goods for a no questions asked refund! How can the high street retailer compete? John Lewis reported just after Christmas that much of its sales growth in

Gemmology at the end of last year and was awarded an honorary fellowship at the Gem-A conference in October last year. A practising gemmologist since 1980, he has published over 50 academic papers over the years and was the first to develop a process to identify Burmese and Thai rubies by a process called PIXE. We need this academic research because it helps us all to codify the true and real value of the gems and diamonds we sell and trade every day. Without the ability to correctly identify and grade diamonds and gems, how can we know the natural from the synthetic, the treated from the untreated, the common from the rare, and in so doing correctly value and price the finished stone and jewellery? It is the work of the dedicated gemmologist that supports and underpins the integrity of our industry and I will be doing all I can to support and promote the work of Gem-A and other education bodies that provide rigorous and detailed learning and education.

…the top skills gap for retailers was ‘using online, digital or social media as business tools’. 2013 had come from the internet and the rise of ‘click and collect’, a system where you order and reserve your items online, and then collect from the store. This gives at least two advantages I can think of – firstly you compete at the time when the purchasing decision is being made, and once the contract is completed, the customer is less likely to continue to look or get distracted as they walk up the high street to your store to collect their purchase. This is just one more way we can improve our position. I was fascinated to meet Thye Sun Tay during my recent visit to Singapore. He was appointed associate editor of The Journal of

I hope that in 2014 we help our members advance the way jewellery is sold, positively support them to grow and develop their businesses, and that we will implement programmes and activities that really make a difference and have a positive effect. We are here as your association and I want every member to be able to give their own answer when asked “What did the NAG do for you this year?” On behalf of my colleagues may I wish you all a prosperous New Year!

| Industry News

Mixed blessings at Christmas hile the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reports that UK Christmas retail sales were up on a total basis by a ‘respectable’ 1.8 per cent compared to December 2012, the jewellery sector is showing mixed results following the festive period. “Overall, [our results] meet expectations and draws to a close what has been a year of encouraging but fragile recovery. Retailers will be hoping that a good response to new ranges coupled with a continuing boost from post-Christmas sales events gets 2014 off to a promising start,” said Helen Dickinson, BRC’s director general. The results of a survey sent to NAG members, show that 34 per cent of jewellery retailers experienced better sales for December 2013 than the same time last year. A further 37 per cent said they were about the same and the remainder reported them to be worse. Almost a third of respondees said that the figures were better than they had expected. And while silver and branded jewellery proved to be the best sellers in 35 per cent of stores, 40 per cent said that fine jewellery was the most popular gift category. The remainder said that all categories

(including watches) were equal favourites with customers over the period. Meanwhile, the CMJ reports that 61 per cent of its members who had responded to a similar survey, said that sales were better in December 2013 compared to Christmas 2012. Only 23 per cent said that sales were down. Overall branded charms and bracelets were the strongest selling categories, followed by diamond jewellery and watches. Most CMJ members reported that Christmas sales came very late, and the BRC also states that “the late rush” helped to boost sales in the final few days before Christmas. NAG member F. Hinds reports “good trading figures” for December and the year, despite the “desperate promotional activity

Hatton Garden call to action ollowing the continuing decline of footfall in the Hatton Garden area, Gary Williams, chairman of the BJA and director of local business Presman Mastermelt, invited local retailers and manufacturers to a meeting in order to discuss the future of the area earlier this month. With the opening of Crossrail at Farringdon in a few years and the massive influx of travellers expected, there was a call to action for local jewellers to start working together to make sure that Hatton Garden is prepared to reap the benefits. The meeting discussed many of the issues faced by local traders and there was a suggestion that Camden Council should designate Hatton Garden as a Business Improvement District (BID) where a small percentage of business rates is hived off for its improvement. Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is one area

8 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

that has benefitted from BID. The revenues raised can be used for such things as CCTV, improved lighting and advertising. “It’s all about what can be done to put Hatton Garden back on the map as a must-visit destination for jewellery buyers and tourists visiting the capital,” explained Williams. “There are so many ways we could improve the area, the footfall and the experience of visitors. Right now the emphasis is on getting local businesses to realise that this may be their very last chance to stand together and fight for the survival of Hatton Garden as London’s historic jewellery centre.” Following the meeting, the BJA will be taking a leading role in discussions with Camden Council on behalf of the jewellery trade. For further information contact: emma.rankin@bja.org.uk

which some other jewellers indulged in” this Christmas. “We were confident that we were going to perform well without significant discounting over and above our usual seasonal promotions,” said director Andrew Hinds. “However, once others lost their nerve, we felt compelled to react as we feel it’s important to show our customers that we offer the best value for money.” “We consider that going on and off promotion is usually counter-productive,” he added. “While it typically increases sales in the short term, all it does is move those sales from a standard margin period to a reduced margin one. Customers end up sitting and waiting for the next promotion rather than spending at the usual time. Fortunately, because we were able to restrict our activity to the areas where we needed to respond to remain competitive, the overall effect on our margin was minimal and we were still able to put on sales increases.” The Signet Group in the UK has reported that during the eight week period (to 28th December 2013), same store sales were up by 5.2 per cent and total sales increased by 6.6 per cent.

Safety Deposit Centre for Jewellery Quarter he Bullion Store has opened a Safety Deposit Centre in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. The new business is based opposite The Bullion Store’s premises at the top of Frederick Street and has made a range of safety deposit boxes, in four different sizes, available to the public. Operations director Rohan Somisetti says: “There has been huge demand from the public trying to find a secure place to safeguard their valuables and important documents. This centre provides state of the art facilities such as fingerprint recognition, and a private and accessible facility all year round.” The purpose built vault has been constructed to the latest specifications and is protected by the latest security systems including biometric technology and high definition digital CCTV systems.

Industry News |

Jewellery & Watch Birmingham – a show with a theme ogether with its new title – which reflects the growing importance of the timepiece market – Jewellery & Watch Birmingham will offer visitors something a little different this year. Running from Sunday 2nd to Thursday 6th February, the event will, for the first time, have a theme – ‘the story behind the brand’. To this end it has collaborated with multi-award-winning British designer-maker Rachel Galley, whose ‘Enkai’ collection (right) provides the visual, as well as story-telling, inspiration for the show. One particular necklace from her Enkai Sun Collection (inspired by a trip to Tanzania) has been selected as the hero piece for this year’s show with elements from it integrated into many of the interior design features at the event. “Jewellery is a very personal purchase and, as such, customers like to know about the story behind what they are buying,” says the show’s portfolio director Julie Driscoll. “Brands and manufacturers should also be educating their retail customers about their stories, so that they can pass these on to the end consumer.” Another example would be Tresor Paris’ diamond pieces from its new Iris Collection (‘Iris’ being Greek for rainbow) which features vivid yellow diamonds set in 18ct white gold. The line is a reminder that the Hatton Garden-based brand, famous for its cult crystal collections, has its roots in the world of diamonds. The show will also see the unveiling of newly-curated, contemporary, Mark Milton brand jewellery – available for wholesale for the first time. In 9ct white and yellow gold and vermeil, many pieces are set with white or black diamonds, white cultured pearls and coloured stones and are aimed at the ‘mature female’ customer. There will be stories in abundance at the Houlden Group’s first-ever Bridal Design of the Year competition, which is being held in association with the show. Just ahead of the event the seven entries, across the two categories, have been revealed. Retail price £1,500 to £3,000: Poppy Stevens (Waves); Fei Liu (Lily of the Valley and Aurora. Retail price £3,000 to £5,000: Shona Marsh, (Albany); Siobahn Maher (Treasured Moments); Lee Ruben (Fashionista) and Juraj Vyrostek (Morning Dew). The winners will be announced on the catwalk on Monday 3rd February, during a champagne reception. There will be more champagne flowing as the BJA unveils the winners of its fashion and precious ‘Cocktail Rings for the Catwalk’ competition at a 12.30p.m. show the same day. On the organisation’s stand the focus will be on helping its members improve their marketing skills and the space will also provide a showcase for a silver fruit bowl created by Victor Wayne Meeten for the British Allied Trades Federation, the umbrella body of which the BJA is a part.

i2i and UKTI partnership agreement

S N I P P E T S New website for Hawksworth Steven Jordan FIRV, the 2009 David Wilkins Award winner, has launched a new website for his business Hawksworth Valuations. The aim is to provide a platform to promote his trophy and regalia valuation service. In the past Jordan has been involved in the cataloguing of many high profile collections including The Royal Navy collection, The Royal Thames Yacht Club, Royal Ascot and The Worshipful Company of Mercers. www.hawksworth-valuations.co.uk Kelly Clarkson joins Citizen Singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson is the new ambassador for Citizen Watches; she joins a team that has included cricketer Kevin Pietersen and New York Giant Eli Manning. The move marks a departure from a purely sporting focus and a shift of emphasis towards the women’s market and fashionforward styling. New interim CEO for RJC Following the departure of Jonathan Rae as CEO of the Responsible Jewellery Council at the end of last year, Catherine Sproule, who has been the Council’s chief operations officer for the past seven years, will serve as interim CEO until a successor is named. CW Sellors opens in Matlock Derbyshire jewellery business CW Sellors has expanded its portfolio with the opening of its fourteenth store. The Matlock branch, which opened just before Christmas, joins boutiques in Bakewell, Chesterfield, Ashbourne and Buxton. In addition to its own gemstone collections, the store carries additional lines by Chimento, Sarah Jordan, Swarovski, Thomas Sabo and Tresor Paris, as well as a selection of watch brands.

he parent company of Jewellery & Watch Birmingham, i2i Events Group, has announced an extension of its partnership agreement with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) for 2014, in order to focus more on supporting exhibitors with their international growth. With UKTI now i2i Events Group’s international business partner, it will now participate in the forthcoming Jewellery & Watch Birmingham in February and will work with i2i Events to deliver even more international buyers to this show. With this new partnership, i2i Events hopes to build on this attendance and will work with UKTI to implement specific initiatives aimed at attracting more international visitors to the show. These include the creation of an International Trade Lounge on the show floor at Jewellery & Watch Birmingham.

The Voice of the Industry 9

| Industry News

Major investment for UK jewellery industry he UK’s jewellery sector is set to benefit from a major £471,000 research and development project, aimed at revolutionising the current use of additive manufacturing for precious metal jewellery. The ‘Precious’ project will see the Jewellery Industry Innovation Centre (JIIC) – part of Birmingham City University – join forces with Birmingham-based industry companies Delcam and Cookson Precious Metals. In support of the project, UK innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), has contributed £212,000 to the research. JIIC centre manager Gay Penfold said: “The UK is an internationally recognised and important supplier of quality jewellery to the world’s markets, but is constantly threatened by cheap imports from low labour cost economies. This project is intended to offer a viable alternative manufacturing option to those who design and supply jewellery at the middle to higher end of the bespoke and personalised jewellery market.”

Leth Møller joins Trollbeads rollbeads, the original Danish charm bead jewellery brand, has announced the appointment of Henrik Leth Møller as the new sales director for Trollbeads UK. He will be responsible for developing and managing Trollbeads’ sales strategy throughout the UK and Ireland, overseeing all sales-related elements of the business. He will report directly to Trollbeads in Denmark and to the recently appointed UK CEO, David Riddiford. Leth Møller joins Trollbeads UK from Danish watch company, Bering Time, where he was UK managing director. He was responsible for successfully launching the brand in the UK in 2011 and building a significant presence for Bering in the watch market, which culminated in Bering being awarded Retail Jeweller, Watch Brand of the Year 2013 as well as CMJ Supplier of the Year 2013. Prior to Bering he worked for five years as CEO of Danish silver jewellery brand, Spinning Jewellery.

UK designers show abroad ndrew Geoghegan, who recently won the BJA’s ‘Designer of the Year Award’, is making his international debut at the Inhorgenta fair in Munich (14th–17th February 2014). As well as revealing his AG Collection he will be unveiling new, exclusive bridal and cocktail rings. “Taking the brand international was always the dream – a lot of planning and consideration has gone into this trade show and I am now ready to commence exporting immediately,” said Geoghegan. Meanwhile, Ornella Iannuzzi will be exhibiting for the first time during Paris Fashion Week at Premiere Classe (28th February – 3rd March). She will be presenting new additions to her silver range ‘Les Corallines’ and introduce the first pieces of the high-end version named ‘Les Précieuses Corallines’. She will also be among the selected designers showing at Rock Vault during London Fashion Week (14th–18th February).

10 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

S N I P P E T S New jewellery head for Fellows Birmingham-based auctioneers Fellows has appointed Heather Callaway as head of Jewellery. A Gem-A member and diamond grader, she brings to the role a wealth of experience, including 15 years as in-house valuer, buyer and manager of the antique jewellery department at Plants Jewellers. She is also a fellow of the IRV and an advisor to the NAG on its new Certificate of Appraisal Theory programme. Goldsmiths’ Fair open for entries The prestigious Goldsmiths’ Fair is now accepting applicants for the September 2014 event. Jewellers and silversmiths may exhibit provided that: each piece of work shown includes a precious metal; they are a UK resident; they employ six people or less at the bench; they are not in full-time education at the time of application and their work is designed and created by themselves (specialist techniques employed must be stated). Forms must be returned by 28th February, 2014. For an application form email your name and postal address to: joanne.dodd@thegoldsmiths.co.uk London Pearl expands Cultured pearl business London Pearl is moving into new premises in Watford at the end of this month. The refurbished 1937 listed building can accommodate double the number of staff and has tailor-made drilling rooms and production areas. It is a two-minute walk from Watford Junction station and just off the M1 motorway. Phone and fax numbers remain the same. New director at Chamilia Following the Swarovski purchase of Chamilia in April 2013, the American brand continues with its expansion plans by growing the leadership team in Europe. Antonio Cecere will lead the design and execution of market strategy for the UK and Europe to further accelerate Company growth. He joins the business from Montblanc and will be based at the London Swarovski office as Chamilia integrates with the Group.

Would you like to comment? Call us on 0207 405 0009 or visit www.thmarch.co.uk

T. H. March Chartered Insurance Brokers Proud to be the appointed broker to the National Association of Goldsmiths’ You are in safe hands with T. H. March because we employ some of the best people in the business and looking after your insurance needs is their absolute priority. With six offices nationwide we are always nearby when you need us and we know our clients well. Talk to us now and let our professionally qualified, experienced staff use their knowledge and expertise to your benefit. ‘Famous for Insuring Jewellery & So Much More … Home Insurance Policies tailored to suit your specific requirements. We specialise in larger properties with valuable contents. This includes: Antiques, fine art and jewellery collections. Personal Insurances Including health, income, life cover and travel. Financial Planning Advice on all aspects of financial planning and wealth management from our own Chartered Financial Planner. Commercial Insurances Covering the diverse risks faced by businesses and organisations of all sizes. We didn’t become one of the UK’s most respected Chartered Insurance Brokers overnight; we’ve earned our position of trust. Join your colleagues in the trade who put their faith in T. H. March. Our reputation is your guarantee of excellence.

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| Industry News

Ruth Robinson dies ontemporary jeweller Ruth Robinson died last month at the age of 97. She began a successful career as a jeweller in her 50s, while studying at Camden Institute and Sir John Cass School. Robinson developed a technique for knitting silver wire with beads to produce unique, light yet durable pieces, and many jewellers learned from her other innovative creations. On her 90th birthday a retrospective exhibition was held in London and Berlin. The title ‘Full Circle’ reflected the fact that she was returning to her native country: she was born Ruth Katzenstein into a Jewish family in rural central Germany.

Fogging system foils robbery fogging system came to the aid of Cuttings of Ramsgate, a third generation family jewellers and pawnbrokers, which was targeted by armed raiders on 16th December. Having forced their way through the entrance they targeted the jewellery cabinets and window display. Almost immediately, staff initiated the security Fog Bandit which, in two seconds, projected a six metre blanket of visually impenetrable fog across the shop, screening the display cabinets and forcing the raiders to turn and flee empty-handed. That afternoon, Kent Police stopped a vehicle near Maidstone and arrested four people in connection with the incident; all are currently being held in custody. Jamie Kirkland, owner of Cuttings, said: “The Fog Bandit worked brilliantly! Nobody was hurt, we did not suffer any loss and the shop opened later for Christmas trading.” Over the last three years Fog Bandit successfully foiled 25 robberies at similar UK businesses.

S N I P P E T S ‘Part two’ rebrand for Accurist Following 2013’s major changes that saw the re-branding of Accurist Watches, CEO Jonathan Crocker has outlined stage two of the company’s development. As sales director Paul Halliday leaves Accurist to join Peers Hardy (Ice Watches and Radley), Crocker will head up all commercial activities. In order to ‘fully support retailers and meet their changing requirements’, 2014 will see the introduction of a marketing intelligence analyst, executive assistant to the CEO and sales office manager. New head of retail appointed by Beaverbrooks Beaverbrooks the Jewellers has appointed Simon Smith as the head of retail. Smith has served 22 years at the award-winning national chain and has a wealth of retail experience having worked his way through the stores, starting at Beaverbrooks in Warrington before becoming part of the management team as regional manager of the Midlands in 2001.

Pykes in administration amily-run Merseyside jewellers Pykes has gone into administration after almost 140 years of trading. Run by MD Eleanor Pyke and her brother Steven (their father, John, was chairman and a past president of the NAG) the company has blamed a combination of increased metal prices, online competition, the loss of some major watch accounts and increased costs from final-salary pension schemes. All three stores are still trading while administrator Parkin S Booth seeks a buyer. “It is extremely regrettable that we are no longer able to sustain the losses incurred in trading in what have been some very tough years in retail,” said Eleanor Pyke. “We would however like to thank our employees, friends and customers for their support over very many years. We have been very fortunate to work in and be part of the UK's retail jewellery trade, and we will be very sad to see such a long-established family business close down.”

‘Endless’ line from ex-Pandora founder esper Nielsen, one of the Danish entrepreneurs behind Pandora, has launched his own collectible fashion jewellery line. Endless Jewelry features colourful calf leather bracelets, which can be strung with charms (in silver, gold and rose gold finishes). Danish designer Christina Hembo has created over 220 different charms. Tipped to be ‘the next big thing’ there are plans for major international television and magazine advertising campaigns already in place. Over 80 shops across the UK and Ireland are now carrying the line.

12 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

ROX to wholesale own brand Award-winning Scottish jewellery retailer ROX has revealed plans to launch its own branded jewellery collection, which it aims to wholesale to upmarket department stores in the UK and abroad. The company has appointed a new in-house head of design who has relocated from London. “We think Rox jewellery has massive potential outside our existing stores; with a relatively low investment we can get jewellery into other premium luxury locations,” says joint MD Kyron Keogh in an interview with Herald Scotland last month.

Designs to inspire and seduce 400 suppliers, 600 brands, 40,000 pieces and exclusive collection launches at the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest dedicated jewellery show. To register free, visit jewelleryandwatchbirmingham.com/register Quote priority code: JSB31 To book a stand, call ++44(0)20 3033 2144 or email sales@jewelleryandwatch.com Products featured: Dress - Alice Palmer, Necklace - Rachel Galley, Earrings and circle bracelet - Kirsten Goss, Gold watch - Bering Time, Jewelled rings - Laura Gravestock, Gold cuff - Dower & Hall, Gold ring - Alexis Dove

International News |

Diamond Show launches in Basel he Rapaport Group is to launch a new ‘exclusive diamond show featuring the best diamonds from the world’s leading diamond manufacturers and dealers’. It will open in Basel, Switzerland, on 27th March, 2014. The show will be located in the iconic Markthalle building, 300 metres from the Basel SBB train station, and will be open to the trade, as well as private collectors and investors. As well as 60 diamond manufacturers and dealers, the show will include a salon for natural fancy coloured diamonds. “The Diamond Show is the place to be for serious diamond buyers seeking the finest quality diamonds at true market prices. We are proud to provide an unprecedented opportunity for buyers to deal directly with the most important diamond manufacturers and dealers”. said Mordy Rapaport, director of Rapaport Exhibitions. Owned and operated by the Rapaport Group, it will be open on Thursday and Friday, 27th – 28th March, as well as Sunday and Monday, 30th-31st March. The show will be closed on the Jewish Sabbath, March 29.

S N I P P E T S Paris hosts Cartier exhibition

Van Cleef & Arpels unveils New York store

The largest and most important exhibition of pieces by Cartier ever is being held at the Grand Palais in Paris until 16th February this year. ‘Cartier: Style and History’ showcases 600 pieces of jewellery – 550 from Cartier’s collection and the remainder from museums and private collectors. These pieces are accompanied by more than 300 archive documents and contextual objects, including paintings, dresses and furniture. CIBJO Congress to be held in Moscow

ollowing a major renovation, on 10th December Van Cleef & Arpels celebrated the reopening of its legendary Fifth Avenue Maison, unveiling a new tri-level townhouse and an Art Decoinspired concept. The new redesigned space features some of the most exclusive pieces both from around the world and iconic to New York and includes a new VIP room, library and first ever ‘Estelle & Alfred’ bridal salon, which pays tribute to the house’s founding couple. Guests at the opening night included British fashion muse Dita von Teese (who wore pieces from the white gold Socrate collection) as well as Nicolas Bos, Van Cleef & Arpels Global CEO and creative director, and Alain Bernard, president and CEO of the Americas. To celebrate the reopening, the Maison is presenting new and exclusive High Jewellery and Watchmaking creations. Inspired by New York City, they employ some of Van Cleef & Arpel’s emblematic techniques to pay homage to the city’s architecture and perpetual activity.

CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, will hold its 2014 annual congress in Moscow, Russia, 19th-21st May, with precongress meetings on 17th and 18th May. The congress will be hosted by the Russian Jewellers’ Guild. The main congress venue will be the Metropol, which is located in the heart of historic Moscow. Sessions during the final two days of the event will be held at Estet Jewellery House. CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri co-presented a seminar during the Vicenza fair earlier this month, on the subject of conflict mineral legislation and its impact on the jewellery industry.

Bijorhca and Printor in new alliance

Welsh gold jewellery brand Clogau opened its second store in China last month. Situated in the prestigious Mix City Mall in Shenzhen it has opened in partnership with Joyce Zheng of DSMD Ltd. Mix City is Shenzhen’s largest and most luxurious shopping mall with a number of high-end brands such as Dior, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Hermes and a reported traffic of 100,000 people per day. Clogau’s first boutique in China opened in Beijing capital Airport in May last year.

o ‘meet the needs of the fine jewellery and watch sectors’ two key French trade exhibitions have joined forces. Printor and Bijorhca Paris have co-existed for the past 10 years, but now come together with Printor’s exhibitors having a dedicated area within Bijorhca at the Porte de Versailles (24th – 27th January). The shows’ respective organisers, GL Events and Reed Expositions France, aim to present a single, unified event covering all the industry’s sectors. It will be the first trade event in France devoted exclusively to fine and fashion jewellery, watchmaking and affiliated sectors. Among the five hundred plus fine and costume jewellery designers and brands who will be exhibiting at the event are: Hamoui Perles, Noor Silver and Diamond, Oozoo Timepieces, Ottoman Hands and Trollbeads.

Clogau Gold opens its second shop in China

The Voice of the Industry 15

| NAG News

New year... new plans for NAG he NAG team would like to wish all our members a very Happy New Year and we hope you enjoyed particularly encouraging sales over the festive period and that you’re looking forward to a prosperous year ahead. Our recent survey on the wedding jewellery market indicates a positive outlook among members (see p28) – an optimism that we hope will extend across business as a whole over the next 12 months. In the spirit of fresh beginnings, the start of this year will see a number of new developments for the Association. We are

constantly striving to improve the services we offer to our members – moving forward to ensure that we remain your association of choice. Firstly we will be launching a new website – more functional, easier to use and incorporating many new features… we will be revealing all this spring. Throughout last year the NAG has been building a bigger and better communications strategy for its members and, with this in mind, our PR and social media officer, Caner Daywood, has been crisscrossing the country visiting a number of longstanding

members to discuss up-and-coming events, social media and PR launches for the months ahead. If you have any exciting news or developments in the pipeline that you would like to share with us, we would be happy to feature your stories or to help in any way – just get in touch via Facebook or Twitter with the details. Meanwhile, the NAG’s own calendar of events is evidence of a busy and exciting few months for the Association and the Luke Street team – please add the dates to your diary; we look forward to seeing you.

2014 Spring events – dates for your diary February 20th & 27th – The new Executive Development Forum he NAG is saddened that Mike McGraw is stepping down from the EDF after eight long years and he will be sorely missed by everyone. The Association is pleased however to announce that Mike Donaldson will be the new facilitator for the Forum. Since its first meeting in 2005 at Templeton College Oxford, the Executive Development Forum is able to boast 35 businesses that have demonstrably benefitted from its membership. Geographically these businesses have been located countrywide from Aberdeen to the south coast of England. Groups at each meeting have generally been made up of six to eight people and there are usually six meetings annually for the first two years. The fundamental principle of the Forum is to provide senior decision-makers within a business both information and practical support. The Forum’s facilitator guides the agenda, providing blueprints and formats for the measurement of each business operation in the areas of stock turn, performance and profitability, cash flow and many other relevant areas. Meetings focus on topics known to be important to retailers: staff recruitment training and retention; marketing and promotion in a competitive

16 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

environment; multichannel retailing… just to name a few. Each member is encouraged to develop a realistic vision for the future of their business, identifying the key stages in planning a strategy and setting business objectives. Analysis and feedback, surveys and industry information is available to all EDF members, with email access to the facilitator and every other member throughout their membership. In 2014 a new EDF group will be formed and ideas for industry-focussed seminars; in addition, the core group meetings are being looked into further. To register your interest or provide feedback on how we can improve the EDF please email Amanda White: amandaw@jewellers-online.org

2nd-6th – Jewellery & Watch Show Birmingham he NAG is pleased to be working with the Jewellery & Watch Birmingham show once again this year. Extensive research and careful thought have seen The Jewellery Show at Spring Fair receiving a re-brand to become Jewellery & Watch Birmingham, reinforcing its position as the leading UK event in the jewelleryand watch-buying calendar. Timepieces will have more prominence among the jewellery collections this year, with more watch brands exhibiting and increased exposure on the catwalk.

Providing a comprehensive buying experience, the show offers the freshest designs as well as the chance to source related tools, packaging, display fittings and accessories and services to help grow a jewellery business. On the NAG stand (17S48) we will be showcasing our membership offerings, as well as promoting our education courses, alongside The Jeweller magazine. In addition to our regular showtime activity the NAG is proud to be launching an exciting new initiative this year. The first NAG Retail Trail programme is aimed at improving relationships and interactions between suppliers and our members. As part of this Image courtesy of Jewellery & Watch Show

NAG News | partnership, suppliers will be able to offer the NAG’s members special deals during the show. If you would like more information on how to be part of the Retail Trail please email us: nag@jewellers-online.org Please be sure to visit us on our stand; we look forward to seeing you there during the show and don’t forget to follow the event @jewelleryshow (on Twitter) and the NAG @NAG_UK / @NAG_NEWS.

March 19th – NAG Members’ Day his month the NAG will host its very first NAG Members’ Day, one of a series of bespoke events for our members, led by eminent industry professionals who will be covering key subjects. Some of the topical issues for our retail members will cover marketing techniques, how to maximise on display, measuring marketing statistics, and how to create and implement a business plan and strategy. A spokesperson from Hirsch has already confirmed to speak on the day on the matter of customer service and how to drive sales, while a Ti Sento speaker will explore how to maximise sales through working with different brands and by utilising customer events and merchandising. This day promises to provide a fantastic opportunity for members to discover new techniques and improve on existing skills, as well as a chance to network with leading professionals. This unmissable event is open to all members who want to be ahead of the game. If you would like to register your place or find out more email Amanda White: amandaw@jewellers-online.org

19th – NAG Presentation of Awards 2014 he NAG has been educating and training the retail jewellery industry for over 65 years and we are proud that our alumni are prominent throughout the trade. The product knowledge and expertise of our graduates continues to inspire confidence in consumers and professionals alike. The NAG’s Annual Presentation of Awards is a splendid celebration of academic achievements in the industry and rewards all the hard work that our students have undertaken.

Goldsmiths’ Hall

Taking place at the magnificent Goldsmiths’ Hall in the City of London, this evening will feature all our Bransom Award Winners and graduating students on our JET2 and CAT courses.

16th-17th – CMJ Spring Trade Event

New Member Applications To comment on any of these applications call Antonnea Johnson on 020 7613 4445 or email: antonnea@jewellers-online.org.

Ordinary Applications H&Y Jewellery, Knightsbridge Dexter Rings Ltd, Rolvenden, Kent Victoria Highfield Jewellers Ltd, Stockport

he Company of Master Jewellers’ Spring Trade Event will take place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel. The NAG invites its retail members to visit our stand at this exclusive show where selected brands and designers will take the opportunity to launch their latest collections.

With such an exciting spring line-up of events it is paramount that you keep up-todate with the latest news from the Association by visiting our various websites and social media platforms. Please get in touch with us should you have any queries or feedback via email at: communications@jewellers-online.org.

Affiliate Applications 77 Diamonds Ltd, London

Allied Applications European Diamond Reports Ltd (EDR), London

Alumni Associate Applications Deborah Wynter, London Tim Richard Carroll, Leicester

IRV Applications New Member Applicants Antonia Kendle, Holts, London EC1 Heidi L Woodley, Palais D’Or Jewellers, Lichfield

Upgrading from Member to Fellow Robert Bolton FGA DGA, N G Bolton, Guiseley, Leeds

The Voice of the Industry 17

| NAG News

NAG Member of the Month Arafa Kumbuka spoke to Paul Harris-Magri of Hills Jewellers in Felixstowe, which has recently been refurbished. The store had its grand relaunch in November and she caught up with Paul then to find out how the new look has benefited the business. You completed the refurbishment in stages over the last 18 months; what was the inspiration behind the new look? Given today’s branded world we decided that we wanted to give Felixstowe the brands it desired and also be the first to do so, which would help to keep the customer shopping in Felixstowe and not take their business elsewhere. We started introducing the new brands with new cabinets which then made the rest of the shop look very old and tired. So much so in fact that a customer commented that it looked as if the new units had just

Has your customer base changed over the years and if so how? As the shop has changed it has brought in younger people. Because of the brands we sell fashion is the key and that’s what this new generation of customer wants. What does Hills Jewellers specialise in that has made customers return to the shop over the years? Customer service is the key to success; that and having what the customer wants of course. Does bridal jewellery form a major part of Hills Jewellers offer? And if so, do you have a special part of the shop devoted to it, or any special service? Wedding and engagement rings are a major part of the business. We have a seating area for customers to choose their special rings and we can offer them a variety of designs from bespoke to the standard 9ct court rings.

The store’s interior today and before the rebrand (inset)

dropped into place from space! As more new jewellery brands started to appear we were inspired to refurbish the whole store. Hills Jewellers has been in Felixstowe for over 86 years. How have your customers reacted to the refurbishment? It has been overwhelming! Customers say how big the shop now looks and also how it’s much easier to browse. It’s become a much better environment, looking so clean and bright. Also they say that they love what we have to offer in the ranges of jewellery.

18 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

What would you say is currently the most popular jewellery item that you sell, and do you see this trend continuing in the future? Pandora is the most popular jewellery brand that we sell and, given how heavily it is promoted, I see it being the leading brand for a long time.

Do you have a memorable customer anecdote that you can share with us? I had been looking at new wedding ring designs with my wife at our head office at Flitwick Jewellers, and the designs incorporated fingerprints. I later received a phone call from a customer enquiring whether it would be possible to have his son’s fingerprints engraved into a pendant. I said that I would get back to him and his request prompted me to contact the wedding ring manufacturer. They informed me that finger print engraving would be possible but only on a flat surface and if requested on a pendant it needed to be supplied. Before returning to the customer I sourced a collection of appropriate pendants for him to pick from. We arranged a day for him and his son to come to the shop and make his choice. At a later date we took his son’s fingerprints – once the customer decided he was certain about this gift. They eventually chose a heart shaped pendant which is going to be a surprise Christmas gift. I feel this was lovely, sentimental idea and I gained a great sense of achievement knowing I was able to provide this gift for them in time for Christmas. If you would like your business to be considered as Member of the Month send an email to: arafa@jewellers-online.org

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No. 306522)

| NAG News: Education & Training

New JET2 format launches for 2014 Following extensive research the NAG is to launch a newly formatted JET2 course… in time for the forthcoming Jewellery & Watch Birmingham at the NEC. he NAG Professional Jewellers’ Diploma has long been regarded as the industry gold standard. The Diploma qualification is divided into two separate courses known as JET1 and JET2. Previously, the second part of the Diploma, JET2, has always been made up of a series of demanding assignments followed by a lengthy exam in two parts. After much deliberation and investigation into educational alternatives, the NAG Education and Training Committee has decided that the exam should no longer be part of the JET2 assessment. After February the course will take the form of seven written assignments followed by a more in-depth research project along the lines of a concise dissertation. We arrived at the conclusion that such methods of assessment encourage more sophisticated analysis and independent learning. Many students perform a grade or so worse in examinations than in written assignments. For some time now, students completing JET1 have told us that they did not want to begin the JET2 course because they are terrified of exams. Assessment through essays, projects and presentations allows students to demonstrate their abilities in a range of media and doesn’t reward just

20 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

those with the greatest ability to memorise and learn by rote. Plagiarism is always the main argument against continuous assessment, but this is becoming extremely quick and easy to detect and prove as most students now copy from known online sources. One of the unique features of our JET2 course is the tutor support. Providing quality feedback is a time-consuming task but it is difficult to see how students can complete the learning cycle without it. Our tutors provide students with in-depth, comprehensive feedback for each assignment; this allows them to go on to deliver some truly excellent work. We are also ready to develop online tutorials for the new course format. This will allow students to access the support of a tutorial at a time convenient to them. The excellent content for the course remains the same and is as follows: • Alternative Shopping Be aware of all the ways in which jewellery can be sold to the general public and the advantages and disadvantages of each method. • Consumer confidence How to build and maintain consumer

confidence. Stay up-to-date with the factors that influence consumer confidence such as conflict diamonds, fair trade gold and ethical jewellery. • Diamonds Increased understanding of the four Cs and diamond certification (the fifth C). How to become familiar with diamond treatments so that they may be explained to a customer at the point of sale. Diamond simulants and treatments. • Display Understand what constitutes a good display within the context of a retail jewellery environment. Know the critical considerations which must be taken into account when arranging a window display. • Gemstones What are the most common coloured gemstones? Adopt a sales method which uses gemstone knowledge to your advantage during a sale. Understand the various gemmological terms used to identify gemstones. Explain to a customer the differences between a natural and synthetic gemstone. Understand beauty, rarity, durability and desirability. • Gold, platinum, palladium and silver The physical and optical properties of gold, and the benefits of 18ct yellow and white gold over 9ct gold. Understand platinum and up-sell from 18ct white gold. Understand the advantages of palladium. Properties and fineness qualities of the four metals. • Hallmarking Understand the development of and how to recognise hallmarks, explain punch marks (using Bradbury’s Book of Hallmarks). Be aware of current legislation in the UK and identify convention hallmarks and their relevance in modern retail. • History of jewellery External influences that can have a direct effect on the design and production of a piece of jewellery. Recognise the distinctive features of jewellery of different periods. National and international designers from 1960 to the present day and using this knowledge in a selling environment. • Law Understand who is responsible for enforcing the law. Develop a clear understanding of the difference between criminal and civil law and how they affect the retail jeweller. Money laundering. Importance and relevance of price marking, misleading price indicators,

NAG News: Education & Training |

consumer code practice, Hallmarking Act 1973, Theft Act 1968 section 22, stolen property, cheques and credit cards, fraud. Content and implications of the TORTS (Interference with Goods Act 1977) and how it applies to the jewellery trade. • Pawnbroking Develop an understanding of the The National Pawnbroking Association and its benefits. Understand the requirements of setting up as a pawnbroker both functional and legal. Develop a clear understanding and insight into the process involved in pawnbroking, including taking out a loan, the

loan value, the loan agreement, unredeemed property and pawnbroking receipts. • Security Be aware of the essential elements of security (putting the crime into perspective, using preventative methodology, selling in a safe environment, panic buttons, personal safety mechanisms, vigilance, and when you and your colleagues are ‘most at risk’). • Services and repairs Providing a quality, professional service and repair department. Importance of communication with the customer when taking in and giving out repairs. Handling

JET1&2

repairs. Processes undertaken by the practical working jeweller. • Trade related organisations Learn about the trade organisations you will encounter in your work as a jeweller. • Valuations Understand the criteria that governs the preparation of an accurate and detailed valuation schedule. Guide the customer in selecting the correct valuation to suit their requirements. Understand the ‘care and safety process’ to ensure you deal with the customers’ goods in a safe and professional manner. In conclusion It is essential that the JET2 course continues to be as rigorous and demanding as it has always been. We will ensure that this happens by continually updating the assessment and course materials. We are really excited by the new JET2 design and the possibilities that it offers the NAG and our students. If you have any comments on the new course design please email Kate Madelin, education and training manager: kate@jewellersonline.org

PROFESSIONAL JEWELLERS’ DIPLOMA

The Voice of the Industry 21

| NAG News: Education & Training

A brace of Bransom Award winners 2013

As we start a new year the education department would like to offer congratulations to two Bransom Award 2013 winners – one for September, the other for October.

September Anya Guzy of H. Samuel, Leicester, is the recipient of September’s Award. We asked her how she began working in the jewellery business and what drew her to the profession: “I have worked in the jewellery industry for just over 11 years now; I was taken on when I was 16 by Ernest Jones and progressed in various forms from there. It was the beautiful store front and the stunning products that first drew me to want to work there and inspired a passion for elegant beautiful luxury that has yet to be extinguished,” she explained. So how did she feel when she found out that she was the Bransom Award winner for September? “Proud, and my first thought was ‘I can't wait to tell my partner’. I'm really honoured to receive the award, and was amazed to receive the call!” Most students on the JET courses find themselves particularly interested in one aspect of their learning and Anya proved to be no exception. “I have a passion for watches, so I really enjoyed that section of the course,” she says. “Stretching my knowledge and engaging thoroughly in the research of movements was something I loved. The section on diamonds was similarly fascinating, particularly when I was thinking about how this would be relevant to a customer in new ways. I feel I can further engage with customers now, and pass on what I've learnt from JET to both staff and our customers.” When we asked Anya if she thought that the JET course would help her progress in her career, she was enthusiastic on the subject. “I feel that it has helped me to extend further my customer interactions. Passing on knowledge thrills me, as does seeing a customer light up as you tell them just how special their purchase is,” she said. “Having worked through the course I feel I

22 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

have a new cache of information to pass on, and further improve my customer service. I'd recommend the course to anyone in the jewellery industry, particularly those looking to forward their career. I cannot wait to continue my progress on JET, and look forward to JET2.” Anya’s tutor was very pleased with her progress and her achievements on the course: “Each of Anya’s assignments was well planned and presented in a methodical fashion, which enabled the reader to easily

follow and extract key points from the principal sections. It was pleasing to see that she made good use of work-related examples in order to create realistic scenarios and solutions to the questions posed by each assignment. The extensive research that Anya undertook for her final assignment really helped to make it stand out from the crowd and make her a worthy Bransom Award Winner.” The JET2 course moderator commented that: “Anya continued to demonstrate the ability to research the assignment details that had been started during the coverage of the earlier pieces of course work. The first section of the answer gave a perfect and complete account of the essential material needed to fully explain the 4Cs diamond grading system. There is only one word to convey the quality of the answer given by Anya: ‘outstanding’. The selling strategy was explained fully – as written by a professional sales person. Moving on to the answer this participant gave to the final part of the project… it was one of the most interesting and informative accounts of the whole range of options open to the customer for the repair of the ring. The repair and redesigning of the ring is an area that most JET1 participants cover very well… Anya’s text is no exception.” The education department wishes Anya continued success in her work and studies.

October Our Bransom Award winner for October is Joanna Rowland of Aurum Holdings Ltd. We asked Joanna how long she had been in the jewellery business and what appealed to her about the industry. “It is coming up to my two-year anniversary of working in the jewellery industry as I joined the Aurum team in January of 2012. Deciding to embark upon a career in this world was an easy decision… I simply love jewellery. I have a huge passion for the product and therefore

The Bransom Award In July 2010 the NAG launched an award with the aim of recognising the very best JET1 projects. Course tutors put forward nominations before the winner is chosen by our chief moderator. The individual who is awarded the highest assignment mark is rewarded with a trip to the historic and prestigious Goldsmiths’ Hall in London for the presentation of their certificate at our annual award ceremony. The award, which is sponsored by Bransom Retail Systems, is made on a monthly basis.

STAND 17 N14/P15 Unique Jewelry Ltd. Suite 113/114, 100 Hatton Garden London EC1N 8NX Tel: 0207 405 5523 sales@uniquejewelry.co.uk

www.myimenso.com

| NAG News: Education & Training a career in buying at Aurum couldn’t have been a better fit. When I found out that I had won the Bransom Award, I was very proud and pleased that the hard work I had put into JET1 had been recognised,” she added. When asked what she enjoyed most about the course, Joanna replied: “For me JET1 was a great course to further my knowledge in the jewellery industry and really getting to grips with and learn about the product I am dealing with on a daily basis. I enjoyed learning in depth about all the different gemstones, understanding their suitability for different products and each of their different properties.” As is the case with all our successful students – Bransom winners included – Joanna wouldn’t hesitate to endorse the JET1 course to others. “I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is in the jewellery industry, whether it be someone in a role like mine in head office or out in stores. It has enabled me to understand product in much more depth and given me great confidence in knowing that I can speak knowledgeably about jewellery,” she added. Joanna’s tutor was equally pleased at her achievement: “Joanna is certainly a worthy

winner of this award. I had the pleasure of reading five superb pieces of her coursework. Each assignment has been punctual, wellresearched, accurate and exceptionally detailed and presented. Knowing the effort

GemBasics Following the announcement made about the new GemBasics course, we have had many enquiries for further information. Offered by The Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) in association with the NAG, GemBasics offers the chance to learn the basics of gemmology. he course consists of a series of 12 lessons, each of which is divided into four instructional sections. Students can follow each lesson online through the videos, text and illustrations, and through the links provided. Once each lesson is concluded there is a short test that must be completed online.

The 12 lessons are as follows: Lesson 1 What is a gem? Lesson 2 The gem detective Lesson 3 Gem properties Lesson 4 Colours and using the Chelsea Colour Filter

24 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Lesson 7 Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson

8 9 10 11 12

Seeing double More with the loupe Improving the appearance or stability of gems Other aspects of colour Organic gems Cutting and setting From mine to market The next steps in gemmology

GemBasics is a nationally recognised Level 2 qualification and graduates will receive a certificate for a Level 2 Award in GemBasics. There are no entry requirements – you can take the course if you have

that Joanna has put into her assignments I am certain that she has achieved her aim of learning more about the products.” All of us at the NAG wish Joanna the very best in her promising career.

not yet achieved JET1 and 2 for instance. GemBasics will be offered at an introductory price of £395 and includes sealed course notes, a set of online instructional videos, a loose-leaf binder, a set of 15 sample gems for examination and a Gem-A gem kit. To find out more about GemBasics and download the application form visit the NAG website at: www.nageducation.org or call Kate Madelin on 020 7749 1702.

| NAG News: IRV Review

NAG Institute of Registered Valuers R

New Year — new rules of engagement The NAG’s Institute of Registered Valuers looks forward to welcoming successful CAT exam candidates as new members, and introduces a few key changes to the application process. Sandra Page explains. The year 2013 saw the introduction of the long- and eagerly-awaited CAT – Certificate of Appraisal Theory – the self-learning valuation programme, which replaced the previous JET Valuation Course and exam. In October last year we held the first CAT exam, a theoretical test which involved candidates answering a total of a dozen essay-type questions over five hours, purely on the content of CAT. (CAT teaches the basic theories, methodologies and good working practices needed to become a competent jewellery valuer.) The Institute was delighted that out of the 27 candidates who sat the exam a total of 21 passed. We are hoping that a large proportion of the remaining 60 plus students who enrolled on CAT (as well as those who failed the first exam) will be ready to sit or re-sit the next exam in May this year. For the others there will also be an exam in October. (In the future there will be just one CAT exam each year and this will be taken in October.) It is hoped that many of the CAT students who pass the exam will go on to become a Member of the Institute of Registered Valuers (MIRV). For those who are unfamiliar with CAT, the programme was introduced as one of the prerequisites for a valuer wishing to become a member of the Institute. Enrolling on CAT and passing the exam shows to the Institute that a valuer wishing to become one of its members will know of, and abide by, the exacting standards and practices required of a MIRV.

26 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

In addition to CAT, the other requirements for MIRV membership are: • a gemmology qualification (such as the Gemmology Diploma offered through the Gem-A or GG through the GIA) • a diamond grading training certificate (such as those available from the Gem-A and GIA through their practical grading seminars/courses – or similar seminars/course of a minimum of five days’ duration and including a test) • a minimum of five years’ trade experience Once a valuer meets all four prerequisites he or she is then ready to apply for membership, but it isn’t simply a matter of filling in a form. That’s just the starting point.

By completing the application form and sending in copies of diplomas etc, they are able to show that they meet the membership requirements. The next stage is to prove that they can put their qualifications, knowledge and experience into practice. In spring this year the Institute will be introducing a new enrolment procedure for valuers wishing to become IRVs. There are two stages to the application process. In the first instance the applicant will complete the required application form and submit it to the Institute, along with a detailed CV and samples of valuation work they have undertaken in the 12 months prior to application. Currently these samples must include five or six schedules covering a maximum of 20 varied articles in total – a mix of new, second-hand and antique pieces, a minimum of four items for each category (these must not include items under £500, catalogue items or new wristwatches and stock items that the applicant has sold). One schedule must be for probate purposes (with a minimum of four items), even if this is a hypothetical sample. In addition visual images must accompany the samples, and one of the samples is to be in a presentation folder as the applicant would give to the customer, including Notes to the Schedule and any other relevant documents (for example taking-in procedure form and transmittal letter). Crucial to the new procedure, however, is the need to send actual working notes upon which the values were calculated. Whether these are produced manually or by computer they need to include the sources the applicant used for the basis of their values (such as The Guide, Rapaport, Palmieri’s Market Monitor, dealers’ names, etc) and the type of information that will show their thought processes, so that the application panel can understand and properly assess the accuracy of the samples submitted. To assist the process we ask the applicant to type up their working notes so that the notes can be easily understood and that these are sent in with the originals. All of these papers will be assessed by the Institute and if the applicant is considered suitable they will be invited to the second stage of the application process. This second stage – and this is new for 2014 – sees each applicant invited to attend

NAG News: IRV Review | a face-to-face interview with representatives of the Institute in order that we can learn more about the applicant. He or she will also be asked to appraise a number of pieces of jewellery for various purposes, for instance insurance, probate, open market, etc. They will also be required to take the Munsell Colour Test to check for colour blindness. It is anticipated that this part of the application process will take about a day. Groups of applicants will be invited to come along on a certain day, usually to a venue in London. As mentioned above, the aim behind this new process is to ensure that an applicant can put into practice what they learnt in CAT and it will also serve as confirmation of their other areas of knowledge and qualifications. The practical test (that is the items to value) will indicate to the Institute that the applicant knows how to arrive at the value of the items they are required to appraise. There will be no gem testing as such involved in the test but the applicant will be expected to be able to measure gemstones, calculate their weights, assess their colours and source their value from

improve in order that they can apply again at a later date. For several years now the Institute has been striving to achieve its current position. It has not been an easy task and it has taken many people, who are dedicated to the IRV and its success, many hours of hard work and devotion to get to where we are today. It is an important point to note that there are many valuers practising in the UK today, but only those who are qualified and have the necessary knowledge, ability and experience can rightfully call themselves IRVs.

price guides provided (or those they bring with them on the day). Applicants who pass the practical test will be invited to become members of the Institute. Those who are not quite ready will be given feedback and advice on how to

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The Voice of The Industry

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If you are a valuer, or are thinking about becoming one, and would like to be an IRV please contact Sandra Page on: irv@jewellers-online.org or telephone her on 029 2081 3615 for full details of membership of the Institute of Registered Valuers. Details of CAT can be found on the IRV website at www.jewelleryvaluers.org (go to the ‘What is an IRV?’ page) or are available from the NAG Education Department – email: jet@jewellers-online.org or telephone: 020 7613 4445 Ext 1.

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Greg Valerio makes Gem-A trouble gets Focus respon on fabulou sible s fluorite

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The Voice of the Industry 27

feeling that retailers are more interested in the quality of what they are buying than perhaps they once were and that price is no longer the over-riding decision-maker it was,” adds Patrick Fuller, chairman of Domino/ Weston Beamor. At Georg Jensen this upwardly mobile trend has been noted over the past two years. “We have seen an increase in the focus on quality and heritage. There’s definitely more interest in wedding jewellery and the diamonds are bigger – which could have something to do with the coming upturn in the economy,” says Charlotte Juhl, vice president jewellery. At Brown & Newirth an upturn in consumer demand has seen increased sales of platinum and heavier diamond set rings.

As we tiptoe out of recession, the bridal market has emerged largely unscathed. Belinda Morris takes a look at the sector that encompasses all aspects of wedding jewellery, from engagement and wedding rings, to all tokens of love and a rosy future. “ have often said that the bridal market is recession-proof. People are going to get married no matter what the economy throws at them.” Lee Ruben from Gemex is typically upbeat when asked whether he feels that the ‘upturn’ is having a positive effect on sales of engagement and eternity rings. He points out that recent research has shown that the number of weddings has gone up during this latest recession, as couples look to pool their resources to help them get on the property ladder. OK, so not terribly romantic – but a step in the right direction. It’s not all about pragmatic choices. In the view of some, 2014 may prove to be a more auspicious year in which to tie the knot – particularly for those given to a sense of foreboding. “I have noticed that some people were being superstitious about the year 2013; it had an effect on

Diamonfire

28 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

Aura by Allied Gold

sales,” says designer maker Sarah Jordan. John Ball of Brown & Newirth agrees that 2014 might transpire to be more fortunate – numerologically- as well as economicallyspeaking. “Having said that, we do expect an upturn in our business to continue the good work done in 2013, which saw a like-for-like increase of around 18 per cent – a very decent performance given the circumstances,” he says.

TALKING IT UP

Whatever the reason, there is a sense among suppliers that the future is looking bright for wedding jewellery. “Retailers are reporting increased consumer confidence and this is reflected in their investment in our new designs,” says David Shem-Tov of Stubbs & Co. “We see both an increase in the number of pieces [being bought] and a willingness to trade up,” he adds. “I get the

Given that Gemex’s figures have been buoyant for some years (with the easing of the recession therefore making little difference to sales) Ruben takes a different view of the situation. “Because we aim our product at the top end of the market this sector has remained very strong – it is the lower end that has suffered,” he explains. Some of course might choose to qualify that last statement, and the magic word in this instance is ‘value’. The other one is ‘budget’, as in ‘having one and sticking to it’. “Buyers are continuously looking for excellent value,” says Tankel’s Tony Tankel. “Demand is strong but value for money is absolutely essential. Larger stones are selling very well, but price at this higher retail selling point has to be very competitive.” Confirming this trend, Edward Ferris of SWAG UK adds that “people are definitely

Feature | CHOICE CUTS

trading up in size of stone – we have sold more larger stones than ever before, especially in the lower grades to a price point.” In his stores it’s been noted that while top and low-end engagement rings have performed, the middle sector has not shown signs of recovery. Perhaps highlighting the fact that the number of marriages is increasing, SWAG’s sales of wedding rings have seen a strong increase. Arctic Circle

Regardless of the size, quality or even nature of the stone, the round brilliant solitaire – the traditional choice for engagement rings – has lost none of its allure for most

Sarah Jordan

“Retailers are more interested in the quality of what they are buying… and price is no longer the over-riding decision-maker it was…” “While people are always getting engaged and married, the amount available to spend on rings will obviously differ from person to person,” adds Charlotte Mooney of Continental Jewellery, “so retailers try to stock options to suit everyone.” Continental’s recently-launched single-stone programme (including stud earrings and pendant, as well a solitaire engagement ring) is selling well, she feels, because they are available in nine and 18 carat gold and range from 0.15 to one carat. The nine carat range also comes set with less

expensive gemstones, providing an alternative to the traditional engagement ring. For those who tastes run to extravagance beyond their budget, lab-created stones might be an option. “We are seeing a great interest in moissanite as a bridge product for engagement rings where clients want a big look but cannot afford it in diamonds,” says Elizabeth Hunt of Allied Gold, which has recently launched the London-made, hallmarked Aura Collection of rings set with VG quality moissanite stones.

Stubbs & Co

happy couples. “It is always seen as a classic – it’s a cut that truly optimises the brilliance of the stones,” says Pearl Ng of Pearly. “A lot of people think it’s the cut of choice when they invest in a ‘proper’ diamond.” As Juhl of Georg Jensen adds: “Its shape is almost a synonym for the diamond itself”. Despite their ubiquity however, round solitaires are not the only option; other styles and cuts are gaining ground. At Stubbs for instance there’s “a great deal of interest” in engagement rings with shoulders micro-set

Domino

Hockley Mint

with small stones – designed to be worn with matching eternity rings and wedding bands. Other customers are opting for Stubbs’ princess cuts over the rounds. Corona too has seen a strong trend towards micro-set diamonds on the shank of a solitaire-type design, as well as halo designs, both of

The Voice of the Industry 29

| Feature

Gemex

which have seen off the traditional singlestone style as the dominant purchase. “Small cluster and halo-style rings look impressive on the finger, but – for many people – are in a more realistic price range than one large diamond,” points out Continental’s Mooney. Ruben agrees. “Halos have been extremely popular, not only because they are the latest fashion trend, but they do make the central diamond look even bigger,” he says. “There is not enough margin for the retailer in a plain solitaire diamond mount. To stay one step ahead [he or she] has to offer something exclusive.” Gemex’s diamond set wedding bands are a case in point – every engagement ring in the line has a matching band. Domino’s Fuller also feels that “the traditional solitaire is not as strong as it once was” and the solitaire designs that the brand does offer have themselves moved on. They now come with a twist – a shaped shank perhaps, an unusual, more open setting or one with a tiny diamond detail. “These are the designs that are making headway; features like this give retailers something to sell,”

he adds. “They make the rings more desirable and different and take the discussion away from the price.” At Holts in Hatton Garden, delicate cluster and halo rings are creeping up on solitaires with diamonds set into the band, and cushion cuts are becoming increasingly popular, along with ovals for coloured gemstones. Sholdt Design of America has seen an increasing demand for cushion and emerald cuts, fellow US brand Danhov is seeing princess, Asscher and emerald cuts gaining in popularity and London designer Bobby White has sold a number of pear cut diamond engagement rings. “We find cushion cuts and ovals are just as popular and have more character,” says Theo Fennell, who is also finding that his increasingly adventurous clientele is looking at coloured stones and mixtures of golds for a more original look. PH Rings

BOYS, BANDS AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT

So much emphasis and expense is given to the engagement ring that his wedding ring can be something of an afterthought. But it’s no longer assumed that the groom will be content with a simple band. “A wedding band with a single gemstone set in it is becoming increasingly popular with our male customers – often they choose the same gemstone as the one in their fiancée’s engagement ring for this,” explains Jason Holt. Sam Stevens of Hockley Mint’s Wedfit explains that they have seen a trend for high value diamond wedding rings for men.

“People are definitely trading up in size of stone – we have sold more larger stones than ever before, especially in the lower grades to a price point…” Clogau

30 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

Bobby White

“Some have been very creative with mixing metals, using high diamond weights and setting on the edge of rings,” he says. “CNC technology has allowed us to produce highly bespoke, precision set products.” Added to this, 60 per cent of engagement ring mounts are ordered with a matching wedding band in mind. His and her matching bands are obviously a matter of personal taste, but for die-hard romantics designer Sarah Jordan has the ultimate solution in her Aphrodite platinum tri-set – three rings that sit side-by-side. The engagement ring is snuggled between the couple’s wedding bands – his set with a secret tiny diamond, hers with seven graduated stones. Welsh gold brand Clogau has experienced steady sales growth with wedding rings; its Windsor collection comprises matching, different width bands in rose, yellow and

Brown & Newirth

white gold. Having seen a definite shift towards diamond set wedding bands, the Make a Wish line now includes stone-set rings, which can be worn together or separately. Whether for bride or groom, wedding band specialist PH Rings is finding that the mood is changing as far as style is concerned. “It’s moving away from the tramtrack, satinfinished design and towards patterns,” says Gary Sinclair. “We’re breaking away from the mundane into skilled styles again.” He also notes that men are looking at white metals for wider width bands, and that

Feature | Allied Gold

they’re seeing “tremendous growth” in the bespoke market as brides increasingly want to feel part of the design process. On almost every occasion designer Alexander Davis creates a wedding band for him as well as her. “Also, the grooms are requesting design cues in their ring from the styling of their bride’s engagement ring,” he explains. Ethical jeweller Arabel Lebrusan, whose clients prefer to wear Faitrade metals, usually

“The rings are going to be worn every day for the rest of their lives, so we suggest they choose a ring based on their own preferences rather than try to find a compromise to accommodate both tastes,” says jewellery director Sarah Bennett. “If couples would like their rings to coordinate in some way, choosing individual styles – but having them both engraved with the same words – is a great and personal way of doing so.” Nothing new about men’s wedding bands of course. But what about engagement rings (‘mengagement’ perhaps)? Maybe… or ‘don’t be daft’? “Why not?” says Ruben. “We’ve just made an absolutely whopping platinum engagement ring that housed a 2.05 carat oval diamond, encrusted with a further 3.00 carats of diamonds and ended up weighing 24 grams. The retailer absolutely loved it and now he wants one too!”

Maple Leaf by Corona

“We’re on board!” declares Danhov’s owner and designer Jack Housepian. “We have a great selection of hand-crafted men’s bands with unique design details – they’d be perfect for an engagement ring.” The same might be said of designer Bobby White’s award-winning Motion Ring,

Tips for beating the competition (internet or otherwise)

Fei Liu

makes bands for both bride and groom. “It’s usually plain for him, or perhaps with engraved lines or with a different shiny/matt finish,” she explains. She is also seeing a shift towards yellow or rose gold, rather than the white gold that has been most popular for a while. Meanwhile, Pearl Ng of Pearly is “quietly on a mission to make rose gold trendy again – it feels modern and fresh and is flattering and easy to wear”. While online jeweller Gemporia has seen an increase in the number of couples opting for matching bands, it advises caution.

Alexander Davis

Give that personal touch; work around the customer’s needs. Offer something exclusive, not the same old humdrum designs that can be found anywhere else. Above all, stick to quality – that will set you apart! Lee Rubin, Gemex Whether you’re a bricks and mortar or online retailer, you have to offer your customer the absolute best – best knowledge, best service, best product and best experience. Sarah Bennett, Gemporia I think retailers need to work hard in their community rather than sit in their shop and wait for people to come in. Networking really does work to pull in new customers. Patrick Fuller, Domino/Weston Beamor Customer service will be key for the retailers to compete against the internet. They need educated, well-trained staff who can assess a person’s style and taste to help them find the perfect ring. Cherry Lench, Corona/Maple Leaf Diamonds Offer the absolute best experience to customers, with knowledgeable, attentive and emotionally-attached staff – while ensuring that they see the best choice of rings. John Ball, Brown & Newirth Take advantage of the excellent brand training offered by so many brands, and arm staff with information. These purchases are emotive; a helpful and knowledgeable member of staff makes all the difference. Sonia Menezes, Clogau Stop trying to compete on price and focus on the value you can add to the sale. Have more confidence in your brand and back it up with amazing customer service and an after-sales service that no-one can compete with. Ed Ferris, SWAG/Diamonfire Promote strongly and offer excellent value. Many consumers still want to see and feel jewellery and above all, there’s still a desire for excellent service. Tony Tankel, Tankel Focus on the customer experience when they come into the store – we try to give each customer the feeling that they’re being treated like royalty. Jason Holt, Holts Innovate and dare to be different – my Diamond Collection is a good start! Alexander Davis Pay real interest in the customers and get to the nitty-gritty of the couple’s style and match them to the perfect rings, rather than just go for the easy sale. Sarah Jordan You can’t have consumers read about diamonds online and then be more educated than the staff. Plus, staff need to correct misinformed consumers – not everything you read on the internet is true. Cherry Lench, Corona

The Voice of the Industry 33

| Feature

Pearly

D for Diamond

“Halos have been extremely popular, not only because they are the latest fashion trend, but they do make the central diamond look even bigger…” although most male clients choose it as a wedding ring. Fuller is in two minds. “It is really only the current generation that has embraced wedding rings for men – so perhaps it’s a bit soon to start asking them to buy engagement rings as well,” he says. “That said, Domino does offer lots of rings for men which would certainly make great engagement gifts, especially as we can also offer an engraving service. Our wedding bands with diamonds or black sapphires set around the rim would also be another good engagement choice,” he adds.

AND THE BRIDE ALSO WORE. . . Brides have always worn jewellery of some sort on their wedding day (often as not ‘something borrowed’… irritatingly) but with the trend for column gowns with minimal embellishment, comes a need for a little more, rather than less. Canny retailers will ask about her dress (once the groom-to-be is out of earshot of course) and perhaps suggest an enhancing suite, or maybe just a delicate cuff. Designers Arabel Lebrusan, Pearly and Catherine Budd spring to mind as three who create pretty openwork pieces that would fit this particular bill – from the fine and delicate, to the slightly more heavy and stylised in feel. It might also be worth

bearing in mind the trend for retro – the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods in particular – which can probably be attributed to Downton Abbey or the recent Great Gatsby movie. And be prepared for a revival of the tiara, for which we can thank the Duchess of Cambridge (who now has a few at her disposal to choose from). Created with brides and bridesmaids in mind, the US engagement ring brand Danhov has introduced Abraccio, a new fine jewellery collection featuring earrings, pendants and bracelets. In white, rose and yellow 14ct and 18ct gold, and platinum, each piece hand-set with pavé diamonds Arabel Lebrusan

Wedding Jewellery Survey

Carat

34 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

For further insight into the wedding jewellery market, we conducted a survey among NAG members, and here are the findings: 73% say wedding jewellery does not account for the greater part of their store’s offer 37% say wedding jewellery performed better in 2013 than 2012, 33% said it performed worse and 30% it was about the same About 98% expect 2014 to be better or the same as 2013 (around 48% expect it to be better) 90% sell rings for civil partnerships 50% sell their own created engagement rings and 48% sell both branded and their own make. Just 2% sell branded only. 60% say the internet is having a negative effect on wedding jewellery sales, 31% say it isn’t and the remainder say that it did but they have remedied that by now having an online offer. 35% rarely sell engagement rings with coloured stones, while 28% say that they do and they’re becoming a little more popular. Another 28% say that coloured stones are occasionally used as accents to diamonds.

| Feature and with centre stones of diamonds or coloured gemstones. British designer Fei Liu is focussing on bridal jewellery for 2014 and is launching two new engagement ring/wedding band collections – Lily of the Valley and Aurora. The former is delicate, intricate and feminine, with petal-inspired shapes, and the latter takes as its inspiration the movement of the Northern Lights.

Cruciani

Continental

with the simulated diamond stones, as well as pavé set pieces for extreme glamour. Another rather sweet idea is Buckley London’s ‘I Love You’ bracelet which features 20 brilliant and baguette cut cubic zirconia spelling out the three little words using Morse code. Clever. And, as an aside, apparently Thomas Edison proposed to his wife Mina by tapping Morse code into her hand (it was their secret communication method). Ahhh. Bridesmaids’ jewellery is a gifting gesture that has come to be the rule rather than the exception these days. Gecko’s D for Daisy

Possibly the couple may balk at this extra outlay (Moroccan-themed banquets with fancy yurts don’t come cheap…), which is where simulated/lab-created stone jewellery collections such as those by Carat and Diamonfire can make a difference. Diamonfire’s new Bridal Collection includes delicate necklaces, tiaras (an accessory that should be ‘talked up’ for 2014 I feel) and earrings featuring freshwater cultured pearls sitting prettily in hoops of very sparkly CZ. For the vintage-loving bride (and there are many out there) Carat’s Art Deco sterling silver collection features pieces directly inspired by that stylish period. Also new are faux pearls (a first for the brand) together Abbraccio by Danhov

Buckley Jewellery

36 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

Second (and third) time lucky Research by comparejewellery.com reveals that men spend an average of £1,200 more on the engagement ring for their second wife than for their first. Third wives do even better, with a further £900 plus spent on them (taking the average spend to just over £3,000). Apparently 17 per cent of the men said that they didn’t intend to spend so much more – it was down to the expensive taste of the future wives. line has plenty of options (in silver and gold) that will appeal to children of all ages – bangles, pendants and earrings all available prettily boxed. Meanwhile, the Lily & Lotty collection of silver jewellery offers a myriad of sweet pieces for the littlest flower girl as well as the teenage bridesmaids. And a lovely idea for more grown-up bridesmaids (that won’t break the bank) are the recently launched Cruciani bracelets. Made of fine macramé work, in a variety of shades (including metallics) and patterns, the celeb favourites come beautifully packaged and retail at just £10.

ROMANCING THE STONE Such little extras are the cherry on the top of the icing, as far as customer service and an all-round great experience are concerned – a detail not to be ignored if traditional jewellers are going to beat etailers at their own game. “Clever retailers in other sectors have discovered the importance of making the shopping experience more exciting,” says Shem-Tov. “Our ConfigureRing application enables jewellers to do the same – this turns a passive experience into participation in the creation of a bespoke product.” Patrick Fuller takes a more hearts and flowers view: “The internet is not going to go away and we all have to learn to live with it and treat it as we would any other competitor. We need to romance the jewellery buying experience and good retailers are switched onto this, offering other reasons to shop with them.” Bring on the Champagne!

Tankel

Jan/Feb 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 1

Greg Valerio makes trouble Gem-A gets responsible Focus on fabulous fluorite

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Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014 t

Editorial

Gems&Jewellery

Jan/Feb 14 Contents

4 Gem-A News

6 Ethics

12 Tucson Show Preview

That last part of the scenario still holds good, but increasingly I am seeing people break the cardinal rule. They go back on what has been agreed. This is a cancer which, once it is allowed to grow, will change our business forever. Now, everyone makes mistakes and that will always happen. Usually if you are open and honest you can get yourself out of the mire and perhaps only suffer mild financial consequences. Recently though I have witnessed numerous examples of people changing their mind and then expecting the other party to accept. So we have someone uttering the well-known word “Mazal” to buy a diamond, and then, two months later, not pay the invoice and return the stone. Of course word gets out that this individual is a bad risk, but it is the negative impact on everyone else that is the issue. One dealer I know now insists on having a cheque before giving a stone out on memo. The trust, empathy and rapport between seller and customer is being diminished. I have a theory for why this is happening. Too many organizations are now being run by individuals who have never worked in our trade, yet seem to think they know all about it and are going to set the world on fire. They are so taken up with their own bluster and arrogance that they lose sight of the history, tradition and good practice. Of course jewellery is a business but I suspect for most of us it is also a way of life and that is why our trade sees so many multiple generations in it. Someone once said to me when they left university that they wanted to go into the jewellery business so they could make lots of money. We all want to make money… though I think most are happy to make a living. The fun and the reward in our business are not merely financial. It is about the relationships and interactions with other people and dealing with beautiful objects. Central to that is trust. A happy and prosperous New Year to you all. James Riley Cover Picture Corundum Ruby with crystal inclusion in microscopic conditions. Taken by Pat Daly, Gem-A tutor and enthusiastic gemstone photographer. Photograph © Gem-A.

Hands-on Gemmology Crosswords

As Lionel Bart wrote (and Max Bygraves sang) in 1960 “Fings ain’t wot they used t’be”. It was ever thus you might say and perhaps there is always a certain nostalgia for times gone by. That, “It was different when I was a lad” type of attitude. Certainly in the 50 years or so that have passed since that song was written much has changed in the world and the jewellery market is no exception. New markets emerge, old ones fade, new trends and fashions come and go. However, throughout that time one of the threads which has remained constant has been the need for trust and integrity. This trade is perhaps unique to the extent that a handshake or one’s word can be good enough to borrow or buy literally millions of pounds worth of goods. This is particularly true in the diamond and coloured stone business. Sure, it helps if you have a track record and the level of trust extended increases as you show yourself to be as good as your word. Our business can still close ranks. I recently had a conversation with a puzzled newspaper reporter who could not understand why someone who had recently travelled to Antwerp with a million pounds burning a hole in their pocket – but who had never worked in the industry – had been unable to purchase a single stone. Some of you reading this might be just climbing back into your chair, but the point is our business is about relationships and building that trust. You cannot just step into it without both being introduced and demonstrating that you have the knowledge and the wherewithal to play the game.

19 Jan/Feb 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 1

Gems and Minerals

Book Reviews

Greg Valerio makes trouble

Published by The Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) 21 Ely Place, London EC1N 6TD t: +44 (0)20 7404 3334 f: +44 (0)20 7404 8843 e: editor@gem-a.com w: www.gem-a.com Registered charity no. 1109555 Copyright 2013 ISSN 1746-8043

Editor James Riley Advisory Board Mary Burland, Harry Levy Design and Production Zest Design +44 (0)20 7864 1504 Any opinions expressed in Gems&Jewellery are understood to be the views of the contributors and not necessarily of the publishers.

Gem-A gets responsible Focus on fabulous fluorite

Advertising For mediapack and advertising rates please contact Ian Francis at the National Association of Goldsmiths on tel: +44 (0)20 7749 1705 or email him at: ian@jewellers-online.org

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Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Gem-A News

Gem-A news

gy Gemmolo l of The Journa

e 33 / Nos. 2013 / Volum

7–8

New year, new start Often after a new year we adopt new habits. Habits to replace the tired, broken patterns of the past and change aspects of our daily lives that are just not working for us anymore. At Gem-A, however, January is quite a different time. As we begin our yearly process of membership renewals, instead of asking members to kick a negative habit, we’re asking them to continue with a positive one: a renewed Gem-A membership. If you haven’t already, you will soon receive your membership renewal forms which will give you all the details on our updated membership offer. The process of renewing is similar to that of previous years; however, there is one change you will notice this time round and that is the cost of your membership. Over the last year Gem-A has seen a number of improvements in the service we offer our members. Last year we moved into new premises with increased teaching facilities, a new shop and a library, whilst also increasing the frequency of all our membership publications. As part of their subscription, members will now receive nine issues of Gems&Jewellery and quarterly issues of The Journal of Gemmology, whilst also benefitting from the facilities in the new building. In line with these improvements, membership fees are going up to £125 a year (£100 if paid by direct debit) and are payable by filling in the form available on our website, responding to your renewals letter or by contacting our membership department on +44 (0)20 7404 3334 or membership@gem-a.com

Exhibitions in January Over the coming weeks the new Gem-A offices will be much quieter than normal, as the team will be embarking on a very busy run of trade shows in January. First destination is Tokyo’s largest gem and jewellery show, International Jewellery Tokyo (IJT) from 22–25 January. Gem-A will be joining our Japanese associates from the Japan Gem School and our Accredited Teaching Centres to promote our gemmological qualifications in the Far East. We’ll also be showcasing some of our latest products from Gemmological Instruments which will be available for purchase at Booth A3-27. From Japan, the team makes its way to Tucson for the AGTA Tucson Gem Fair 2014. Running from 4–9 February, the Tucson Gem Fair is one of the most well-known gem shows worldwide. As part of our visit, tutors Andrew Fellows and Claire Mitchell will host two seminars on colour and spectra whilst the rest of the crew will be at Booth 29 to offer visitors the chance

Page 4

to learn more about our distance learning courses and membership of the Association. However, we won’t say too much here as you can find out more about Tucson in our Tucson Show preview on page 12.

From Diploma to Degree With the news that Gem-A’s Gemmology Diploma was accredited as a Level 5

Jan/Feb 2014 / Volume 23 / No. 1

Greg Val erio

makes trouble Gem-A gets resp onsible Focus o n fabulo us fluo rite

qualification at the beginning of last year, a host of improvements and developments has followed. Such is the nature of these developments that Gem-A is proud to announce it will be working with Birmingham City University (BCU) to provide an exciting new degree course for holders of both the Gemmology Diploma and the Diamond Diploma. The full course is offered at BCU, but eligible candidates can apply to study the final year of this course in London at Gem-A’s headquarters in Ely Place, which will act as a ‘top-up’ to their existing qualifications. Gem-A is really excited about this new chapter in gemmological education, and we hope to be able to continue the success of the diploma with this new stimulating degree course. You can find out more information in our new prospectus which is available on the Gem-A website, or by request from the education department right now! Simply contact us on +44 (0)20 7404 3334 or e-mail us at: education@gem-a.com.

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Gem-A News

Events Gem Central Gem-A Headquarters, 21 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6TD Whether you are a student in gemmology who wants more practical work, a gem and mineral enthusiast who would like the chance to handle other collections, or a member of the jewellery trade who is keen on examining some of the new synthetic and treated stones on the market, Gem Central evenings are for you. Gem Central are regular practical gemmology evenings for Gem-A members and students, which give you the opportunity to investigate and explore a variety of gem materials. Gem Central allows you to make use of our educational resources, work individually or in group projects and at your chosen level. And best of all, there are no exams!

Spectacular spectrums with Andrew Fellows Tuesday 18 February, 18:00 – 19:30 From the common to the unusual, Andrew Fellows will guide you through the correct techniques for successful absorption spectra observation, as well as problems and pitfalls. This hands-on workshop will cover spectroscope models, best practices with correct illumination, use of additional filters and successful interpretation of results and will show you how the spectroscope can provide amazing diagnostic results if used correctly. Fee: Free for Gem-A students and Gem-A members. Non-members: £5 To book contact: events@gem-a.com

Fifty shades of colour with Andrew Fellows Tuesday 11 March, 18:00 – 19:30 If you were unable to catch it at Tucson, come along to our second Gem Central where Andrew Fellows will reprise the seminar he gave there.

Discover the hidden world of colour within gemstones. Prepare yourself for a colourful time and see the range of shades and tones of colour that exist within everyday gemstones. Come to see the colours your brain doesn’t want you to see! Fee: Free for Gem-A students and Gem-A members. Non-members: £5. To book contact events@gem-a.com

Career Service The jewellery market in the UK – hints and tips on finding a job Monday 24 February, 18:00 – 19:00 Gem-A is developing its support for graduates of its internationally-recognized courses. Once a month at Gem-A a professional from the gem trade gives an insight into the area of the industry in which they are working as well as pointers on how to find a job. Fee: Free for Gem-A students and Gem-A members. Non-members, non-students: £10 To book contact events@gem-a.com

Workshops in January/February Understanding Gemstones 21 February 2014: 10:00–16:30 Gem-A Headquarters, 21 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6TD This one-day workshop will provide you with the perfect introduction to the fascinating world of gemstones. Covering all aspects of the most popular gems (ruby, sapphire, emerald and others), you will learn about origin and lore, as well as the more practical aspects of their physical properties, including care and caution advice. Tutor-guided practical sessions throughout the day will enable participants to become competent in the use of stone tongs and 10x lens, and, through this, investigate the basic observational properties of both rough and cut stones, leading to an appreciation of their natural beauty. With no previous gemmological knowledge necessary, and all equipment provided, this workshop is suitable for all, from novice upwards.

Fee: Non-members – £120.00 Members/NAG/corporate/students – £100.00 per person Understanding Diamond Grading 21 February 2014: 10:00–16:30 Gem-A Headquarters, 21 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6TD This specialist workshop focusses in on the key aspects of diamond grading, giving a unique insight into the 4 C’s of diamond. Led by Gem-A’s experienced diamond tutor (with prior retail experience), Claire Mitchell FGA DGA, participants will be guided through the underlying theory before seeing the practical side of cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight on both loose and mounted diamonds. Fee: Non-members – £120.00 Members/NAG/corporate/students – £100.00 per person

Investigating Gemstone Treatments 28 February 2014: 10:00–16:30 Gem-A Headquarters, 21 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6TD This one-day specialist workshop focusses on the common treatments currently experienced within the gemstone industry, and their detection, using readily available instruments and techniques. Treatments covered will include glass-filling and heat treatment of corundum (ruby and sapphire), laser drilling and/or fracture filling of diamonds, and diffusion treatments, amongst others. No prior experience is required, although basic gemmological knowledge would be advantageous. Equipment and samples will be provided, and all participants will have the opportunity to examine these under expert tuition. Fee: Non-members – £120.00 Members/NAG/corporate/students – £100.00 per person

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Ethics

The Emperor’s New Diamonds In the highly political world of diamonds, we all wish that the rigour and vigour we place on the clarity and value of the stones we sell might be applied to the credibility of how these stones get to the market. In this short article Greg Valerio aims to be brutally honest about the chronic deficit of morality, ethics and basic honesty in the diamond supply chain. Firstly the diamond industry and the huge financial value that is ascribed to diamond jewellery are built upon a very shallow foundation. The money we make as jewellers comes from romancing the stone — essentially the perceived brand value that the consumer associates with the diamond being the iconic symbol of love, affection and romance. It’s a legacy bequeathed to the jewellery sector by one of the most sophisticated pieces of international branding ever undertaken, by none other than De Beers. This is why a diamond engagement ring is considered as the key gift to seal our cultural tokens of future intentional commitments. If you remove this culturally-embedded belief that a diamond is the symbol of pure love, you would have to totally reconstruct the entire jewellery sector and how we all make money. When you add to this, the fact that of the 200 million carats of stone that on average come to market every year, less than 10% of that volume carries over 90% of the annual financial value, we cannot under estimate how important the consumers’ cultural belief in the purity of a diamond is to all of our livelihoods1. The loss of this ‘brand value’ would have a cataclysmic impact on the global jewellery industry. So let’s consider some other realities we need to manage as diamond retailers.

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Conflict diamonds, human rights abuses, extreme poverty, political corruption, weak or non-existent industry leadership, the lack of transparency and physical traceability in the supply chain, child labour and forced labour in cutting and polishing factories, systemic smuggling of rough diamonds and illegal mining operations… We can see that there is now another very real, tangible and provable alternative story that is slowly, with increasing force, chipping away at the façade of the well-conceited story that ‘a diamond is a pure product’. In my book Making Trouble — Fighting for Fairtrade Jewellery, I recall a conversation I had with a Namibian diamond consultant in 2005 who worked with the Russian mafia, helping them to grade and ship stones from Sierra Leone to Russia, where they were integrated into the Russian supply chain and exported under Kimberley certificates as conflict-free.

Technically this is true; those stones were conflict-free, but they were illegal and this highlights the profound weakness we face in the diamond industry. We have all bought into the belief that the Kimberley Process protects us from accusations of illegal, immoral and unethical behaviour. The biggest industry secret as we know is that the Kimberley Process is no longer worth the price of the ink used to print the certificates. It has failed and the recent debacle over the non-inclusion of human rights definitions into its mandate, precipitated by the massacres and human rights abuses perpetuated by Zimbabwean security forces as far back as 2006/7, which continue as recently as 2013 according to the Guardian2 newspaper, in truth represented the final nail in the coffin of credibility. Where do these diamonds go? China. Who is the world’s biggest jewellery manufacturer? China. If diamonds from Zimbabwe can be exported as conflict free, and the untraceable diamonds manufactured in China feed the global jewellery market, then we need to wake up from our lemming-like coma and recognize that the diamond jewellery industry can no longer hide behind Kimberley. Sean Clinton heads up a campaign calling for the boycott of diamonds that fund the Israeli government’s oppression of Palestinian peoples. Is this state-sanctioned violence? Many argue ‘Yes’, and however uncomfortable people on both sides of the argument are going to feel, Clinton’s campaign continues to gain ground because it is another example of how political the diamond has become in the 21st century. Marc Choyt’s recent article on the USA being at the centre of the illegal trade in diamonds3 is another example of the dark side of the diamond. Diamonds are a political product before they are a jewellery product and represent the biggest weakness in the credibility of the entire jewellery supply chain. To a greater extent this move away from hiding behind Kimberley is already happening. I recently asked a senior individual at De Beers how the failure of the Kimberley Process would affect its business. The response was illuminating; De Beers no longer needs KPCS to prove

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Ethics

conflict-free provenance on its stones. It has been working on and delivering a traceable (from mine to retail) chain of custody for its diamonds under the Forevermark. This works well if you have the financial clout of De Beers or the other three big diamond mining brokers, Rio Tinto, Alrosa and Dominion (formerly BHP Billiton4). But for the vast majority of diamond buyers, manufacturers, sellers, traders and (closest to my heart) the one million small-scale miners who account for around 15% of the global supply — the unwashed non-corporate people — they are reduced to having to work through the bourses and the shady dealers who sell into them. The bourses represent the greatest opportunity and failure in the diamond trading system to transform the diamond sector, from a rapidly discredited, out of date, medieval closed shop of hand shake dealings, into a fully traceable, transparent supply chain that can serve the greater good of the diamond value chain. If the UK Bourse is typical of the international bourse scene, we have a real problem. How can it be that diamond goods are traded on a daily basis, with absolutely no disclosure of provenance? Given the proven and highly illegal activities in the diamond supply chain, if a trader cannot prove source their goods cannot be trusted. As a jeweller I need to be able to look my customer in the eye and say where my product comes from. Over the last two years I have listened to members of the Bourse say how traceability and full transparency is impossible. This proves that many in the Bourse (not all) are weak, cowardly and it’s another way of saying: “We don’t want change, the status quo suits us just fine and we are very happy serving our own vested selfish interest.” This kind of parochialism appears typical of the bourses internationally. No change is the mantra, and weak industry leadership delivers just that. Change is always possible — in fact mandatory — and diamonds are no different. But what does a diamond supply chain look like that can begin to meet the enormous challenges and overcome the systemic corruptions of the system. Well here is my

Diamond miners in Sierra Leone

tuppence worth of insight rooted in my commitments to fair trade and traceable and transparent dealings in any supply chain. I start from the convictions that supply chain management is the only way to root out the negative and promote the positive. Therefore the first change I would make in diamonds would be to legislate for a reclassification of how we understand the value associated with diamonds. Retain the 4Cs (colour, cut, clarity and carat) and add a further C (child labourfree). Additionally, and made compulsory, a disclosure of the 2Ts — transparency and traceability should accompany every batch of rough, cut and polished stone. I would retain the Kimberley Process only on the grounds it incorporates a commitment from its members to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a mandatory compliance criteria for defining conflict. Now, how do we get around the problem of the grading and sorting of stones along the lines of the 4Cs? To my mind this is not that difficult to resolve. Traders, cutters and polishers should not be allowed to mix stones from different countries. Effectively we ring-fence each diamond-producing country to delivering only its own diamonds to market. This allows both large and small actors in each country to participate in the diamond value chain as nationals. So Namibia would mine, grade and export its own stones. The importing country batch processes these stones, sorts, calibrates, cuts and polishes all the Namibian parcels as Namibian and sells them forward as origin

of country stones. Everyone in the industry knows that the problems stem from mixing parcels of stones from good and bad countries together so they become untraceable. If you make that practice illegal, you take a huge step towards reducing and isolating bad stones from good stones. These are your 2Ts, traceable to country of origin and transparent, as everyone who touches the parcel needs to be declared on the accompanying documentation. This would act as an upgrade to the current system of warranties that will allow mine to market traceability that removes the vacuous statement: “As far as the seller is aware”. As I understand it, there are only 25 diamond-producing countries in the world, so it’s hardly impossible. Naturally this simple outline needs more detail, but this is after all only a short article, not a US$10,000 consultancy-driven paper. Who should pay? The industry should, as recompense for its part in the blood diamond wars and the millions of dollars it made from the misery of the war-affected countries. The detractors will say I am naive, overly simplistic, ideological, a fantasist and many other equally interesting adjectives to avoid engaging with systemic change, but I was accused of these things when I articulated Fairtrade certified gold and traceability in the gold supply chain and then modelled through the jewellery company I ran at the time. Our current diamond supply chain is the closest imitation I have come to the conceit and vanity of the self-serving emperor as he rode through the streets naked for all the world to see. The only person he was deceiving was himself. If we want to avoid the ridicule of our industry’s nakedness, change is needed and it is needed now. Greg Valerio – www.gregvalerio.com References 1) Figures taken from UK ethics working group meeting on diamonds 15/2/12 2) Zimbabwe death sanctions business diamonds, The Guardian 3) United States is at the centre of illegal diamond trading around the globe, Fair Jewelry 4) BHP-Billiton completes sale of diamonds business to Dominion Diamond Corporation www.bhpbilliton.com/home/investors/news/Pages/ Articles/BHP-Billiton-Completes-Sale-of-DiamondsBusiness-to-Dominion-Diamond-Corporation.aspx

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Ethics

Gem-A gets responsible Miles Hoare explores how Gem-A is continuing its work with CIBJO by increasing members’ understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with an inside look into the world’s first CSR management system. More than a ‘buzzword’ Over the past few years terms like ‘ethics’ and CSR have been bandied around the jewellery industry like they are going out of fashion. However, the problem with these terms is that they sound simply like quaint ideas and as expressions describing someone who is good-natured. It’s nice to be called ‘ethical’ — but when you come to think about it, what does being ‘socially responsible’ or ‘ethical’ mean? Consider it for a moment: how exactly do you quantify how ethical a company really is? For substantial sections of the industry this is a real worry. Why? Well there are a few reasons. Consumers are increasingly demanding socially responsible products and as an industry we need to respond. Yet many companies regard becoming more socially responsible as an investment with no return — just a ‘feel good’ expense. Without a clear understanding of how becoming more ethical can help

improve a product’s value or a company’s reputation and worth, it’s difficult for some businesses to gain an understanding of what value CSR actually adds to the company and the wider community. The rejection of industry initiatives and policies forms part of the negative response to CSR strategies, whilst a certain proportion comes from business owners believing they don’t have the money, time or ability to properly implement them. Therefore, the process of compliance is often seen by many as a time-consuming, costly encumbrance that puts up hurdles and barriers, and gives nothing in return. Running alongside these issues is the question: how do companies show they are being more socially responsible? Although as CSR becomes more important to customers, the term can be a magical marketing tool boosting a product’s value or a company’s reputation — how can you show whether a product actually is ethical or the company in question is being more responsible? When it comes to gems and jewellery we can demand disclosure and transparency, and we can adhere to the codes of conduct of membership associations and professional bodies. However, this is only one aspect of a company’s compliance with its social, ethical and environmental responsibilities. After we have disclosure (which is no mean feat in itself) and qualification of professionalism, we’re still left wondering how we quantify a company’s level of responsibility and how a company correlates this with any performance improvement that may have been added to the business.

Donald Feaver tells about Branded Trust

1. An example of the easy layout of the Branded Trust system displaying vital indicators to show you are progressing along your journey to becoming more socially responsible.

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Although fears surrounding the quantifiable benefits of CSR are well-founded, Donald Feaver of Branded Trust believes part of the answer lies within the world’s first CSR management system. He also believes that “most companies want to be more responsible but the perceived cost and the lack of identifiable benefits often puts them off”. However, with research from European Trusted Brands showing 67% of customers more likely to purchase from an ‘ethical’ or trusted brand, he agrees that CSR cannot only increase the bottom line but also boost a company’s place in the communities it trades in. Obviously, this is the reason for the invention of Branded Trust, which he says “allows a company to manage, track and report on its progress to becoming a more socially responsible outfit” and in-turn allows the company and its staff to become “actively engaged in the process of doing things more responsibly”.

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Ethics

As an academic lawyer Feaver’s experience in policy and compliance issues led him to see how companies were deterred by the seemingly arduous task presented by compliance, policy and certification involved with CSR. He explained how this feeling led the Branded Trust team to create a tool that “turns CSR into something more visible, engaging and enjoyable” and that supports “a connection between staff members and with company policy development”. What experience with Branded Trust shows is that effective CSR implementation provides a sense of all parts of the business pulling together, contributing to the bottom line of the business as well as the welfare of fellow staff and the wider community. Feaver offered a few case studies where companies used morning coffee or ‘afternoons in the pub’ to discuss CSR reports, 2. The multiple choice assessment forms allow you to assess honestly how your company complies with certain standards. Feedback is provided as shown in 3.

The story of Branded Trust “goes back about four years,” says Feaver. “It began as a research project with CIBJO to examine the options for the most appropriate model for strengthening CSR in the jewellery industry. A project team of a selection of top academics in several areas of CSR — including corporate governance, regulation, organizational behaviour and social accounting — was put together.” Over the next few years the project team developed an approach reflecting world best practice that could be adapted to small- and medium-sized business applications. The model was extensively workshopped with a range of organizations from a range of industries around the world including Australia, Canada, Portugal and Hong Kong. 4. The Branded Trust education area gives a number of videos and PowerPoint presentations to help guide you through some of the processes involved.

3. Statistics showing scores for certain policy areas and where areas of development are needed.

go through the policy questionnaires and track how members of a policy team are coming along with their assigned roles. What the case studies showed was that the Branded Trust CSR implementation process did “make the team a more cohesive working group, pulling together, contributing and inspiring one another to get certain policies and procedures in place. Because they feel involved and can see the affects, their creativity and commitment to the project increase.” Feaver noted that this inspiring team work is just a part of the impact of the Branded Trust CSR system. What the system also does is cut down costs of implementing these tasks he says. “For example, as the Branded Trust policies are pre-prepared and everything to implement is set out in steps (and taught through the on-board education area), the time sourcing and preparing documents and certification, and the costs of lawyers to check numerous drafts of policies are cut down dramatically.” In-turn, this frees up time for the project manager and people involved in implementation to continue in their regular roles rather than spending their time trying to understand the process and wade through the stacks of documents out there.

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Ethics

The Branded Trust system The system itself is a piece of online management software that allows executives and managers to implement, track the progress of and report on innovations and improvements that result from the implementation of the Branded Trust CSR system, but also organize and store the charter, policy documents and related documents preparing for certification in the implementation process. The Branded Trust system does this through what it calls Performance Improvement Indicators (PII) and the Branded Trust Index (BTI) which display how your company meets many critical benchmarks — milestones through the implementation of policies and procedures for your selected industry (each industry is individually tailored for, with developers willing to adapt the system to the needs of individual businesses). Via the Organization Homepage (1) companies can access a number of areas that allow them to test how effectively they’re complying with the selected policies for their industry or particular area within the industry. It displays the progress of implementation, level and areas of compliance with the standards and whether the relevant certification standards have been achieved. Importantly, it shows where a company is weak and indicates areas for improvement. The Branded Trust system does this is through asking your project manager and team to answer a number of questions based on what policies you have or you think the business has in place, as shown in (2). By doing this, the system is able to generate statistics displaying how compliant you are (3) and then give you guidance on what areas you still need to develop, through the online Education and resource areas (4). Part of this resource area acts as a document store with pre-prepared charters, compliance papers and policy and procedural documents (5). Not only does this give your policy team a central hub to store, correlate and work on shared documents — but it assists by guiding

5. The Document Management area allows users to see what documents they will need and gives pre-written templates to help along the journey. Users can also upload documents so the system can track their progress.

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6. The certification section allows you to review your documents and submit them for certification in a few easy steps.

you through the steps to compliance and certification and assesses your progress along the way. One of the really helpful tools is the certification application process (6), which allows you to create and submit your applications for certain types of certification online.

Taking the lead Having tested the system, Gem-A is getting a head start by beginning to use the tool for its own policy management. Although the software is still in the Beta testing stage, ATC and accreditation manager, Dayna Sherwin, believes the tool can really enhance the way Gem-A manages and tracks its progress in achieving important working standards and practices. “Gem-A is always looking for ways to improve the way we function and the way our business affects the communities we operate in,” says Sherwin. “As a company that is looking to the future and trying to do our best by our customers, members, students and the environment, I believe that the Branded Trust system will be a tremendous help in ensuring that Gem-A is on the path to being as socially responsible as it can be.” Sherwin went on to say: “As a strong advocate of ethics and social responsibility Gem-A is joining CIBJO in taking the lead in being more socially responsible. We hope our efforts will not only provide a good example of how CSR policies can be implemented, but can act as a catalyst to galvanize action amongst Gem-A members.” Gems&Jewellery will be updating readers on Gem-A’s progress with the Branded Trust system over the coming year and will be updating users on how effective the system is in assisting the implementation of CSR policy changes within the Association. To find out more about Branded Trust, the software and how it can make you more socially aware, visit: www.brandedtrust.org

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Shows and Exhibitions

Tucson Gem Show preview Once again the Gem-A team will be travelling ‘across the pond’ to take part the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, which is being held at the Tucson Convention Centre in Arizona from 4–9 February. More commonly referred to as ‘the Tucson Show’ — the yearly celebration of all things gemmological is one of the most eagerly awaited fairs in the gemmology calendar. It is no wonder the show is so popular, as Tucson boasts some of the most exciting exhibitors and showcases some of the best gemstone examples in the world. And, with a number of events, workshops and seminars aimed to educate and inspire, the Tucson show is a one-stop-shop for anyone with even the slightest interest in gems. With 2014 marking the 60th anniversary of the event, Gems&Jewellery has selected some of the most anticipated talks and exhibits for our Tucson Gem Show preview.

Gem-A talks at Tucson Our first pick, somewhat selfishly, comes in the form of two one-hour talks from Gem-A tutors Andrew Fellows and Claire Mitchell on Thursday 6 February. The first, at 9:00 a.m., provocatively titled ‘Fifty Shades of Colour’,

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will allow guests to discover the hidden world of colour within gemstones. Attendees are advised to prepare themselves for a vibrant time testing gems, and seeing the range of shades and tones of colour that exist within everyday stones. A revival of a classic talk on colour and the dichroscope with a brand new twist, it promises to be a real treat for those taking their first steps in studying colour in gemstones. ‘From the common to the unusual’ is the tagline for Andrew Fellows’ seminar at 1:00 p.m. on ‘Spectacular Spectrums’ which follows the morning talk with a guided tour through the correct techniques for successful absorption spectra observation, as well as the problems and pitfalls often faced when dealing with spectroscope testing. This hands-on workshop will cover

spectroscope models, best practices with correct illumination, use of additional filters and successful interpretation of results — and will leave attendees with a full understanding of the vast adaptability of the simple spectroscope in being able to undertake some more rigorous testing of stones.

Seminars & Presentations In the footsteps of Dr Edward Gübelin: old and new Mogok mining methods for sapphires Dr Lore Kiefert (part of the AGA Conference) One of the most anticipated talks of the shows focuses on Burmese sapphires and rubies. One of the prime regions for these stones, gems produced from the area have, for centuries, been revered as some of the best such examples anywhere in the world.

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Shows and Exhibitions

In 2013, Dr Lore Kiefert, chief gemmologist at Gübelin Gem Lab, was part of a small group from the lab granted permission to visit the famed Mogok and surrounding gem producing areas as part of a research study. What she found was a fascinating contrast in the characteristics of material collected from classic and newer deposits, which she discusses in her talk. Dr Kiefert will report on the intensified activities she observed at the mines as well as the gemmological characteristics of sapphires produced from the newer sources in Burma. Titanium confusion — when ti-diffusion is more than meets the eye Shane McClure (part of the AGA Conference) Next on the agenda is GIA's director of Identification Services Shane McClure. An internationally renowned researcher and gemmologist, he will provide attendees with an important update from the GIA laboratory. McClure's presentation will examine the potential for co-diffusion (multiple elements diffusing into a material at the same time) in sapphire and discuss the recent study which yielded some fascinating new information concerning the diffusion of titanium in sapphire. The GIA Lab has seen a lot of these sapphires during the last couple of

years with a considerable percentage ultimately turning out to be synthetic. This research has uncovered some interesting anomalies concerning the presence of very naturally appearing chemistry in the diffused layer of these titanium diffused synthetic sapphires. This presents a potential problem for gemmologists relying on chemistry to make a natural/synthetic separation for a clean stone that has been titanium diffused. During his investigation, McClure was able to determine that a once standard test can still be used to identify these stones. But you’ll have to join him to find out which test that is… The future of LED lighting in gemmology Manfred Eickhorst (part of the AGA Conference) One of our top picks for technology buffs is Manfred Eickhorst’s exploration of the future of LED lighting in gemmology. As one of the most exciting new discoveries in the world of gemmology, LED lighting will have a significant impact on gem testing and identification over the coming years. It’s thought that the specific advantages of LED will see it replace the incandescent lamp as the standard light source used throughout the industry (for instance in refractometers,

Gem-A tutor Claire Mitchell will be giving a talk at the show

spectroscopes and darkfield microscopic illumination) and throughout numerous applications in the 21st century. Eickhorst’s exciting presentation will cover the state of technology for LED illumination, its application for gemmological purposes, and a comparison with traditional lighting currently used. It will also address the limits of application for optical purposes, and introduce insights into new methods for using lighting when conducting gemmological examination. He will compare the spectral fingerprint of LED lighting to incandescent, fluorescent and natural daylight in the context of viewing, examining, and displaying diamonds, coloured stones and pearls. Participants will then be able to ‘see for themselves’ the strengths of LED illumination over other light sources used traditionally in a hands-on workshop session, guided by Eickhorst himself. Gems in estate and antique jewellery: types, cuts and settings Dr Jack Ogden Former Gem-A CEO Dr Jack Ogden will also be on-hand to share his knowledge in the history of jewellery materials and techniques. In his presentation Dr Ogden discusses the diamonds and coloured gems used in the 1800s and early 1900s, the types of cuts used and how the stones were set. The talk is aimed at all who are interested in the history of jewellery and, in particular, those who appraise or deal in estate jewellery and included tips on dating and authenticity.

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Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Shows and Exhibitions

Magnificent Jewels of Cheapside Hoard Dr Robert Weldon Tucson gives you another chance to see this astonishing treasure trove of jewels, uncovered by workmen in London’s Cheapside in 1912. Of the 500 or so items that comprise the hoard, numerous loose gems, jewels and other items offer a unique glimpse of Renaissance jewellery and tell us much about the global trade in gemstones during the late 1500s and 1600s. The Cheapside Hoard, as this treasure is known, is on display in its entirety at the Museum of London until April, 2014. Anyone who attended the Gem-A Conference will know how popular this exhibition is and will recognise the efforts made by our members to support this exhibition.

Special Exhibits A preview wouldn’t be the same without a look at the exhibits as well as some of the speakers – and we wouldn’t forgive ourselves if we didn’t mention the Smithsonian Institution Special Exhibit. Each year more than seven million people visit the Smithsonian Institution to see the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems & Minerals, home of the Hope Diamond and the single largest exhibit hall ever renovated in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. It’s one of the most popular exhibits in the world and now you can see

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Water melon catseye pendant, part of the Somewhere In The Rainbow™ collection

highlights of this fabulous collection at the Tucson show. Don’t miss this opportunity to see these national treasures and speak to curator of the National Gem Collection, Jeffrey Post, who will be joining the exhibition as it shows at Gem Hall booth 1800 for the entirety of the event. Alongside the Smithsonian’s special exhibit is The Cultured Pearl Association of America’s (CPAA) Exhibit of Extraordinary Cultured and Natural Pearls (Gem Hall booth 1900) — a new travelling exhibition displaying the CPAA’s 56 years of dedication to ‘cultivate’ awareness, interest, demand

and successful marketability of cultured pearls. Although not one of the most ground-breaking pearl exhibitions to ever grace the halls at Tucson, we definitely think it’s worth a look — even if just on the way to seeing the Smithsonian exhibit or to take in the wonderful Somewhere In The Rainbow™ collection, which exhibits in the Gem Hall (booth 1711) for another year. However, it’s not all about gemstones. In keeping with the show’s 60th anniversary tagline — ‘60 Years of Diamonds, Gems, Silver and Gold’ — a number of gold and silver exhibits will showcase some of the best specimens of these precious metals found in mines in North and Central America. Selected pieces from the Round Mountain mine in Nevada, the Eagle’s Nest mine in California, and some great samples of silver from the Silver King Mine – the great silver mines of Michigan and Mexico – will also be on display, with attendees encouraged to take a closer look at what seem to be everyday simple minerals. With a great emphasis on the rare and wonderful, this year’s show promises to be bigger and better than usual. However, some things never change as Gem-A staff will once again be on hand during the show to promote our services and courses and answer any questions about gemmological education. You can find us in booth 29 in the Gem Hall during the show.

Refresh and further your gemmological knowledge with Gem-A Attend a one-day workshop at Gem-A’s London headquarters.

UNDERSTANDING GEMSTONES Learn about origin and lore of gemstones, as well as the more practical aspects of their physical properties, including care and caution advice.

UNDERSTANDING PRACTICAL GEMMOLOGY Focus on the practical aspects of gemmology, and cover the effective use of all the readily available instruments and testers that you are ever likely to need.

UNDERSTANDING DIAMOND SIMULANTS Learn about the key differences between diamond and its simulants, and how to recognise them both as loose stones, and in set or mounted jewellery.

INVESTIGATING GEMSTONE TREATMENTS Don’t get fooled — learn about traditional treatments as well as the latest developments on the market. Full details of all workshops are given at www.gem-a.com/education.aspx, call +44 (0)20 7404 3334 or email information@gem-a.com.

Understanding Gems Visit www.gem-a.com

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Hands-on Gemmology

“Is it all right?” Making sure retail jewellers don’t get caught out, Grenville Millington FGA uses the study of a ruby to stress how some gemmological training adds interest to the job — and may well save a little embarrassment. There have always been two main questions asked of a gemmologist when a gemstone is brought in for testing or opinion (although we are always at pains to point out that opinions need to come after testing and not before). The two questions are: “Can you tell me what this is?” and “Is this a… (insert any gem name)?” Over the last few years, possibly from when that strange object the ruby/glass

2. Dichroism in a natural ruby and a synthetic ruby boule.

3. The ruby seen under a split Polaroid dichroscope.

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mixture/composite came on the scene (around 2004), I’ve found trade customers asking something else. In fact, it’s now so widely asked it’s almost become one of the trade’s technical terms in its own right. So it was in the example written about here. The customer was already under the impression it was a ruby he was handing over and now held on a short term approval note. The colour was a little un-ruby like, but the colour of many African-sourced rubies could be considered un-ruby like when we hold the red of Burma-type rubies in mind. Older members of the trade may have entered it when Thai rubies were all that were readily available and these, in commercial qualities, often looked like almandine garnets. But, also bearing in mind the ruby/glass mixture stones (that have made a lot of trade members look like they don’t know what they’re selling), the question now often being asked is, “Is it all right?” In other words, “Am I all right selling this stone as ruby?” This question also highlights the difference between the very top end of the trade and the larger, more commercial side. Where money is no real object, customers are asking for natural, untreated stones. Lower down the scale, the fact that a stone can be labelled sapphire or ruby is all that is important to the end customer and the fact the stone may have been heat-treated along the way is of no real consequence. Many retail jewellers probably have a type of disclaimer in force saying something along the lines of: “Most natural gems have undergone some form of heat treatment to aid with colour and/or clarity improvement.” In fact, you could almost argue that a customer is much better off

1. The emerald-cut, darkish red ruby, weighing 1.59 ct.

with such a stone rather than a muddy, lack-lustre wholly natural one available for the same price. Now, let us direct our attention to the stone that prompted all of this trade philosophy (1). We were told it is a ruby (although that will have to be checked, of course) and it certainly looks like one. But can it be called a ruby? The examination begins… It is an emerald-cut, darkish red gem, weighing 1.59 ct. In common with many rubies it is rather shallow for its size, measuring 7.9×5.4×3.2 mm. We are used to seeing rather shallow rubies, as a common ruby crystal form is the squat, tablet-shaped hexagonal prism. This means that the main crystal axis (the c-axis) is perpendicular to the table facet. With the standard synthetic ruby flame-fusion boule which splits along its length, the usual orientation of the cut

4. Twinning zones seen under a polariscope.

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Hands-on Gemmology

stone means the main crystal axis is parallel to the table. This orientation in both the natural and synthetic stones shows itself up with observation of the dichroism. Aiming the dichroscope at right angles to the table should show no dichroism in the natural stone and full dichroism in a flame-fusion, Verneuil type synthetic, providing they conform to this stereotype. So the theory goes (2). Under a split Polaroid dichroscope, the dichroism was pronounced (3). Obviously this is not a view along the optic axis and the shallow cut has fooled us. The gem was placed under a polariscope, with the expectation of strong light/dark extinction on rotation. The result was a slight change only, but with some areas showing the spectrum colours we expect to see in a ruby when viewing along the optic axis. The spectrum colours

5a,b. Positions of the ruby on the refractometer prism.

were limited to narrow bands across the stone, indicating twinning zones (4). When the stone was placed on the refractometer in the usual manner, i.e. stone in line with the prism, the reading was only a single shadow edge of 1.773 (5a). When the stone was turned 90° it showed two shadow edges at maximum separation, 1.765–1.773 (birefringence 0.008) (5b). This is the result to be expected when the stone is cut with the main crystal axis parallel with the table. So far, this stone had shown three interesting results, but all explainable. When examined with the 10x lens and the ruby

6 (a). The ruby viewed in daylight showing twin planes

6 (b). A differently coloured centre observed when the view was changed slightly.

held up to the light through a window, the twinning lamellar could be seen in some directions (6a). However, when the view was slightly changed a distinct, differently coloured centre area could be seen (6b). As the stone is a ruby, the difference in colour prompts the question about beryllium diffusion. I described one such ruby in Gems&Jewellery (May 2006, 15(2), 36–37); when that treated stone was immersed in methylene iodide (7) the outer edges appeared more orange than the pinker core, but there was a merging of colours. To better examine the current ruby, it was immersed in water (if necessary methylene iodide can be used, but it is always easier to try water first). The differently coloured centre area could be seen to have distinct borders, as we would expect with natural growth differences. Also the colour shows more orangey red in the centre

rather than the perimeter, suggesting this is not beryllium treated (8). Narrow twinning lamellar are a very common feature of the ruby glass composites (9), so the presence of twinning planes in this stone would prompt further examination for fracture filling.

7. A pear-shaped beryllium-treated ruby immersed in methylene iodide.

8. The ruby immersed in water showing central orangey area.

Therefore, the next step was examination under a microscope (10–12). Several veil-like feathers mostly along the length of the stone could be seen (10). Closer views of the feathers showed the unmistakeable pattern of flux-melt residue after heating, with their rounded globules and roundended stalks (11 and 12). The spectrum showed faint but distinct chromium lines in the red, including a fluorescent doublet, intense absorption across yellow and green, with very strong dense lines in the blue section. The colour, viewed in north daylight, was generally dark and the shallow cut did the stone no favours

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Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Hands-on Gemmology

“Is it all right?” (cont.)

11 (a). Twinning planes and a flux feather, magnification 30×.

11 (b). Detail of central part of 11(a), magnification 80×.

12 (a). Flux feather, magnification 30×.

12 (b). Detail of far left area of 12 (a), magnification approx. 120×.

9. Twinning planes and yellow fracture filling in the glass-filled stone. Magnification 15×.

across the centre, but the internal reflections around the edges made for an intense, strong, full red (not the shade sought in the fine Burma stones). So, what do these results add up to? The refractometer and spectroscope results point to the stone being ruby. The internal features suggest the stone is of natural origin, but also displayed are indications of it having undergone flux-healing heat treatment. The twinning lamellar are not as fine as generally seen in the ruby/glass

10. The ruby under polarized light, magnification approx. 10×

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composites, but with the healed feathers and colour, it is tempting to think that this is East African or Madagascan material that possibly forms the top-end of that material which is used for ruby/glass treatment. The orangey core also suggests that this material was, shall we say, less red when untreated and the heating has altered some undesirable colour to red or orange (compare the Mong Hsu original material, with blue to purple zones that lose their blueness on heating). A lot of thoughts and possibilities cropped up with the examination of this stone, but when the customer returns and asks “Was it all right?” our answer can be a short “Yes”. We suggest he sells the stone as “Ruby (corundum) of natural origin with heat treatment and flux assisted healing of fissures.” If he has a disclaimer worded similarly to that mentioned earlier, he could well describe the stone as ruby.

Because of our short response: “Yes”, the customer probably thinks I took a quick look and, being a gemmologist, pronounced it was “all right”. Well, that’s what he brought it in for, didn’t he? But I can’t help thinking that I had spent a most interesting time examining this none-too-attractive gem and this person, with maybe twenty years’ experience in the jewellery trade, had missed out on all of that because he couldn’t be bothered to put some effort in and get some gemmological training. All photos by Grenville Millington.

About the author For many years Grenville Millington ran his own gem and jewellery business and taught gemmology and retail jewellery at the Birmingham School of Jewellery.

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

It’s brain-teaser time! Following Gem-A’s Big Christmas Quiz, we got the taste for trivia – so for the first time ever in Gems&Jewellery we have a gemmological crossword. As it’s our maiden voyage into the crossword world there are no prizes this time round – however we have plenty more puzzles up our collective sleeves and who knows – maybe a few goodies to giveaway too!

Gemmology 1

Across

Down

1 Molten volcanic rock. (5)

1 Cu2 (OH)2 CO3 (9)

4 Shape of pyrites in twinned orthorhombic form (Marcasite) (9)

2 What amber was like when it was new. (3)

8 Diamond bearing igneous rock. (9)

4 Half round pearl with a flat base. (4)

9 Sir Walter Scott's "Anne of Geierstein" may have affected these gems. (5) 11

11 Geographic location of the Diavik diamond mine. (6)

14 15

13 To cast out (5)

15 Combines with sulphur to produce metallic cubic forms (4)

18 Fine gravels for abrasion. (5)

25 Ca Ti SiO5 RI 1.89 - 2.02 Dispersion 0.051 (6) 27 One of jewellery's glyptic art forms. (5)

26 27

7 Pinacoid horizontal to C-axis. (5) 10 The maximum displacement of a vibration from it's mean position. (9) 12 Rare earth element in apatite (9)

19 A deceased, detatched piece of rock. (9)

22 Aniseed flavoured liquer. (4) 24 Steve Hawking has this in a nutshell. (8)

6 Mesolithic time. (8)

17 The Russian parliament 1906 - 1917. (4)

21 "A little red one" Gr an Acronia (9)

5 Compact flinty chalcedony. (5)

14 Dental and tusk decoration by people in Polar waters. (9)

16 In cyanide this aqua burns. (4)

3 To wear down or erode. (6)

20 Pseudonym for Bournonite from Trewatha Cornwall (8) 23 Relative to eyes on whisky measuring. (6)

28 Tremolite - actinolite series, group name. (9)

24 With you, Cnut, there was no finish to any gem. (5)

29 A stone engraved with a rule of life ? (6)

26 A mineral to box with. (4)

30 A piece of broken stoneware or pottery. (5) 29

Pearls 1

Across

5 6

1 Sectional pattern of layers within a natural pearl. (10)

7 This direction is in a stew. (4)

9 These girls will dive in for pearls. (3) 11

10 To perform (3) 14

11 A set of things to use together (3) 12 A very large pearl, at one time gone for a Burton (2,9) 16 The product of Bombyx mori. (4) 17 Producer of pale pink pearls with a flame structure (6,6) 18 Convert carbuncle mica to produce a pearl (7,9) 19 Arabian sailing vessel (4)

22 Cultured pearls from era ok for a short while (5) 19

25 Dye used to produce pink hue (5) 21

27 Name for a straight pearl (3)

Down 27

1 Pacific source for "Pipi pearls". (4,7) 2 Cephalopod shell used for producing Osmenda pearls. (8)

30 31

3 Author of "The Pearl Hunter". (9)

4 Abalone shell, a traditional symbol of this American State. (10)

5 The _ _ _ wing oyster shell, used for the production of cultured blister pearls (Pteria penguin) (3)

36 37

6 Confused airmen, can serve at sea (6) 39

7 Translucent shell, Placuna placenta to let some light in the house (6,4) 8 Into which (44) across flows. (3)

13 Arts design style seeing a decline in the use of conch pearls. (3,4) 14 South western zone of Oceania. (9)

Winners and answers will be published on our social media sites and in the next issue of Gems&Jewellery. To submit your crossword, scan or photograph your answers and email them to: miles@gem-a.com or post them to: Miles Hoare, Gem-A, 21 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6TD Crosswords courtesy of Ewen Taylor FGA DGA.

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Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Gems and Minerals

Fabulous fluorite Anthony de Goutière describes and illustrates the cutting of a beautiful rare green fluorite crystal.

1. The green fluorite crystal.

Photo courtesy of Anthony de Goutière.

A few years ago I purchased a collection of crystal specimens from an estate, one of which was a large green fluorite crystal weighing approximately 800 g (1). Before I acquired the stone, one face of the crystal

3. The stone under short-wave ultraviolet light. Photo courtesy of Anthony de Goutière.

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had been polished to expose the beautiful green interior. There was a label on the specimen ‘Perry Mines Madoc, Ont.’ which was painted on the edge of an almost colourless area. The Perry mine closed in 1943 so this dates the specimen to the early 1940s or earlier. Last autumn I decided to send the fluorite to Rudi and Ralph Wobito, master gem cutters of Toronto. After a careful examination and assessment of the various possibilities Rudi recommended a modified pear shape to obtain the maximum yield from the green area and I told him to proceed. Working with this specimen was quite stressful because fluorite is very heat sensitive and a lot of heat is generated during the cutting and polishing process. Rudi sent me a series of photos he took during the fashioning of the gemstone (2 a–d).

2 a, b, c, d, e. The sequence of cutting of the stone. Photos courtesy of Rudi Wobito.

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Gems and Minerals

Early this spring he sent me the finished gem and it is truly a masterpiece. It measures 46 × 46 × 34 mm and weighs 104.50 g or 522.50 ct! Perhaps a bit too big to mount in jewellery but it is a wonderful example of the Wobito brothers’ craftsmanship. The only inclusion is a small, almost invisible fissure under the crown facets. An added bonus — the fluorite looks like a fine Kashmir sapphire when exposed to short-wave ultraviolet illumination (3). I now own a beautiful and rare gem that is probably one of the largest pearshaped faceted green fluorite gemstones in existence (4).

About the Author Anthony de Goutière GG, of Victoria BC, Canada. Winner of the 2012 Gem-A Photographic Competition.

4. The pear-shape green fluorite weighing 522.50 ct.

Photo courtesy of Anthony de Goutière.

The best workmen always praise their tools... Gemmological Instruments provides only the best tools for the job, from vital day-to-day gemmological tools to small lab set-ups. We also provide: A wide selection of books for students and enthusiasts Diamond take-in service for GIA Our instruments are tested in our student classrooms to check for practicality and longevity, and we constantly strive to provide the best instruments available on the market.

Understanding Gems

Visit www.gem-a.com

Page 21

Gems&Jewellery / Jan/Feb 2014

Book Reviews

Book Reviews Four weighty tomes landed at Gem-A in the last month and were met with a mixture of responses. Their covers offer much but do they deliver, asks James Riley? With the century only 14 years old 21st-Century Jewellery Designers strikes me as a sweeping title and one which is bound to be out of date in five years. Given that the book lists what I guess must be the author’s choice designers from 13 countries around the world, the perception must be that they are all internationally renowned. Certainly I had heard of a number. However, to gain an international reputation I suspect one needs to have been around a good few years, most in this case started in the late 20th century. ‘Jewellers of the turn of the century’ might be more accurate. The book falls into inevitable clichés, such as the only UK entry being Stephen Webster. While I have no problem with his designs, I think there are other designers of note whom I would place above him. This book does deliver stunning photographs of the ‘look’ which has been prevalent over the last few years. It is a success because it was impossible for me to determine who some of the designers were by the pieces and in fact they could have been made in any of the top houses in the last few years. A snapshot then of jewellery design, which would grace any coffee table and which will, I’m sure, provide inspiration to design students and jewellery lovers alike.

21st-Century Jewellery Designers: An Inspired Style By Juliet Weir-de La Rochefoucauld FGA Publisher: Antique Collectors’ Club; Slipcased Edition edition (8 Oct 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1851497293 ISBN-13: 978-1851497294 RRP: £50

Emerald: Twenty-one Centuries of Jewelled Opulence and Power By Jonathan Self, Joanna Hardy FGA DGA, Franca Sozzani & Hettie Judah Publisher: Thames and Hudson Language: English ISBN: 9780500517208 RRP: £75

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Emerald is an enigma of a book in that I’m not quite sure what it is trying to be. Basically it is a tour de force by Antiques Roadshow expert Joanna Hardy on spectacular pieces of emerald jewellery through the ages, with profiles of pieces worn by royalty, maharajahs and Hollywood stars alike. Some excellent photographs here as well, but what else? The second half of the book by Jonathan Self is a history of the gemstone and there is some good information. The publication has been sponsored by Gemfields so one might have expected a lot more detail on mining, prospecting, grading, cutting, etc. To me, it feels like it’s lacking something. It shows tremendous promise but I was left feeling disappointed. Perhaps a change of title would help — it is not the encyclopaedia that the title and cover would suggest — and some revisions to help this book decide what it wants to be. It purports to be ‘the most ambitious book ever published on this beautiful stone’. Someone needs to look at the paper quality and the binding; both of these diminish the excellent research contained within. But, if you want a book on emeralds, then look no further than Ron Ringsrud’s excellent work.

Book Reviews

Everything that Emerald isn’t, Beyond Extravagance is. Beautifully presented and with an array of authors who really know their subject — including our own Jack Ogden. A finite work in that it concentrates on a single collection — the Al Thani Collection — but one which seemingly outshines almost any single collection in a public museum. Occasionally it is a catalogue — what it is meant to be — but at the same time it sets items in their context. The photographs are mesmerising — OK, so it’s because the subject matter is so good. However both the previous books could do with using the same photographer and printer. It’s not cheap but if I didn’t have access to one in the Gem-A library it would certainly earn a space on my bookshelf — and I don’t own many jewellery books. I can’t do it justice here — buy it!

Beyond Extravagance: A Royal Collection of Gems and Jewels By Amin Jaffer Publisher: Assouline (1 Oct 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1614281297 ISBN-13: 978-1614281290 RRP: £165

When a book reaches its seventh edition it would be reasonably safe to say that it must be pretty good to have necessitated so many reprints. Don Ariyaratna’s Gems of Sri Lanka has just been updated and reprinted. It is a personal view by an individual who is passionate about gemstones and about the country of his birth. It is unpretentious yet filled with snippets of useful information about gems, how to determine what they are, and many of the dos and don’ts when travelling to Sri Lanka. It’s affordable, but don’t get excited about the picture or overall production quality. It does what it says on the tin and Ariyaratna is to be applauded for keeping this book up to date over the last 38 years. A useful addition to anyone’s library.

Gems of Sri Lanka (7th revised edition) By Don Ariyaratna FGA DGA FGS Publisher: A&B Graphics (Self-Published) Language: English ISBN: 978-955-95494-6-8

RRP: £25

Business Support: Security |

A positive update from SaferGems As a result of a SaferGems initiative to encourage members to report all suspicious incidents to both the scheme and the police, we have noticed an encouraging change in the number of theft offences recorded by SaferGems, reports Lee Henderson. t’s good news for the start of a new year – in the last 18 months we can announce that theft offences have decreased and suspicious incident reports have increased. We can probably attribute the reduced number of thefts to three key factors: the improved quality of information provided by both members and police; an increase in the circulation of alerts and the fact that members are being more aware and vigilant as far as potential thieves are concerned. Of particular note is the reduced number in reports of distraction/sleight of hand thefts involving persons or teams of Eastern European men, women and children. This drop may be as a result of jewellery shop staff being observant and aware of the criminal threat that these criminal gangs pose. Also of significance may be the continuing

successful targeting of such gangs by law enforcement agencies, with criminals being displaced into mainland Europe. Evidence of this displacement has recently been seen in the Czech Republic with two Romanian men – known to SaferGems and UK police – sought by officers in Prague for high value jewellery theft and fraud offences. Thanks to our ongoing successful relationship with our counterparts in Europe, we continue to see evidence of high value professional jewel thieves travelling across the Continent. This has recently expanded to other parts of the world with two Oriental/Asian men recently circulated by SaferGems, reported in the Middle East. A team of Eastern European men suspected of committing an armed robbery in the UK has also been reported in suspicious

circumstances at a jewellery store in Switzerland. It is clear that these criminals have no sense of borders or boundaries. However there is concern among those in the industry as well as the police regarding the possible influx of Romanian and Bulgarian migrants who will be travelling to the UK this year, when the working and living restrictions are relaxed. Since September 2013 SaferGems has recorded six robberies on travelling jewellery representatives across England, with over £2 million worth of goods stolen during these attacks alone. Arguably of more concern is the recent discovery of a GPS tracking device on a car belonging to an antique dealer who resides in the Thames Valley Police area. At SaferGems we encourage members of the industry to regularly check their vehicles for anything out of place. There are many tracker detection devices available but these are prone to affect other electronic devices, such as mobile phone and satellite navigations systems. The simplest and easiest way of locating these items is by the use of the tried-and-tested mirror on a stick device, which is used frequently by security services and the armed forces. Thankfully incidences of so-called tiger kidnaps are few and far between, however in November last year a gold bullion/precious metal dealer and his family were subjected to a vicious attack at their home address in Derbyshire. The victim was subsequently taken to his business premises and forced to hand over a substantial amount of gold and silver while his family was held hostage. As a result of this we have directed our members to the following website of the Police Service of Northern Ireland which offers useful prevention and security advice: www.psni.police.uk/advice_tiger_kidnap.pdf And meanwhile we also urge anyone in the industry – whether jewellery retailers, designers, manufacturers, agents or sales reps – who have not already checked out the joint NAG/BJA/TH March SaferGems initiative, to do so now. And here’s to an even more secure 2014.

w w w. s a f e r g e m s . o r g . u k

The Voice of the Industry 39

| Feature

Brand Profile Lars Larsen Watches Dan Corfitzen, CEO of the recently-launched Danish watch brand, talks to Belinda Morris about the philosophy behind the business. Who are the people behind the Lars Larsen brand? Lars Larsen and I both have very diverse backgrounds, with varied educations – academic and engineering – and have worked in development, production and fashion for many years. Combining these gives us the theoretical approach to many of the processes, but as we can also perform the processes ourselves, we have an understanding and vision of what is possible, and what is considered impossible, without compromise. Lars and I are old friends, both privately and through work, and we’re now at a stage where the shortcomings of one are balanced by the skills of the other. Whose idea was it to start a watch brand – and why? We had talked about it for several years, knowing that it would be a gigantic task, and that it would take more time and sleepless nights than anything else we had done before. Lars was the one who pushed to start up, knowing that the time was right and we launched in 2012. In retrospect you can do it in several ways. One is to buy a prefabricated product, change the colours of the dial, and then you have a product with the logo you want. This is the short way and the probability of

40 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

success is proportionally big… if you have the right fashion people around you. We wanted something different and, I think, took the longer approach. While realising that a watch is ‘just a watch’, we wanted to have our own unique design, and be selfproducing, controlling all processes, which is a huge undertaking. We spent two years on design, engineering, sample production, adjustments, test panels and revising back and forth. In the end this means that Lars Larsen Watches has its own DNA and that every watch is unique. How did you go about finding designers and manufacturers to create the brand? We also spent those two years finding suppliers and subcontractors we wanted to work with. Since we have a CSR policy, it was also crucial for us that the subcontractors lived up to our standards, The designers were already in-house, knowing what we were looking for in order to create the DNA string for our Lars Larsen brand. The knot that also was tied into this DNA was that Lars’ grandfather, also named Lars Larsen, started out 95 years ago, producing his own watches… which he unfortunately had to give up, to work in the family shipping business. But he carried his watch with him, wherever he went, for the rest of his life.

What difference do you think Scandinavian design makes? We are as Danes, of course, brought up amid Danish minimalism, and that colours our ‘less is more’ vision. I think most people know Utzon’s opera house in Sydney, or The Egg from Børge Mogensen, PH Lamps, Georg Jensen silver… They may not know them by name, but they are in no doubt when they see and feel it – uncompromising quality wrapped in timeless design. Describe the ‘Lars Larsen approach’. We are 110 per cent dedicated to what we do, working 10 to 14 hours a day, but our main driver has always been, and must always be, to have fun and do what we enjoy the most. As a company we are very family orientated, and when we’re with our colleagues or distributers in Denmark, we spend a lot of time in our kitchens, away from the office. Somehow a meeting about commercial aspects, development, or new markets gets a new perspective if you are cutting onions, making bread or tossing a salad. People relax more. The beautiful part is that in the beginning it was because the local restaurants were fully booked, but now the first question we’re asked before people come back is ‘What are you going to cook?’ I know it sounds corny, but it works for us. Some people live to work, others work to live. We’re just doing what we love. Is the look of the watches more important than the function? The world is getting bigger, there are more people, and everyone wants to be unique. We are very aware that consumers are many-layered – trendsetting, classic, bohemian, etc. – and that there are just as many manufacturers to cover all the needs. We try to combine the best of both worlds, with ‘uncompromising quality wrapped in

Feature | we’re confident our watches will be received well at The Jewellery and Watch Show. What is your approach to designing women’s watches? There are many designers making watches with lots of flashy stones, which is a safe look sales-wise. We take a Danish design approach – pure design and small, fine details which are only visible when seen up close. In short – femininity is the key for women’s watches, and Danish design and exquisite materials come second.

timeless design’. Personally, I wear my Sea Navigator when I’m on the water or at the beach with the family – clean design and simple useful features: waterproof, scratch resistant, etc. – I don’t need to be ‘careful’ as the watch is made to last. What are the price points and how did you arrive at them? Our prices are from £199 to £705. We believe that good quality needn’t cost a fortune. Our price range is significantly lower than that of competitors in the same quality bracket.

Do you feel that the UK market is open to the Lars Larsen concept and appeals to those retailers who don’t stock the major Swiss names? It is exactly the stores that don’t carry those leading, expensive brands, that form our client group. As I said, we provide a quality at a price not seen before. The customers who want to buy an IWC, Rolex or such brand is just not part of our core segment. I think that we have done our homework and the UK market is responding very well to our watches. With our own ‘family’ in the UK,

Are you launching any new models at the show? We’ll be showing another member of our ‘Simon’ family in plated white gold, with scratch-resistant, curved sapphire glass. Every watch is hand polished for a minimum of four hours, to have that special finish. We’ll also have a limited edition of our Sea Navigator, Swiss-made in stainless steel and rose gold. We are donating a third of the proceeds to charity. Through social media our customers worldwide will decide which charity needs help the most and it will run to the end of 2014.

Walking the walk at the new

Jewellery & Watch show A new name and a new focus on a dedicated category – Jewellery & Watch Birmingham at the Spring Fair next month promises to get 2014 off to a sparkling start. To whet your appetite, here’s a taster of news, events and seminars, plus our ‘look book’ highlighting just a few key product launches. New lines, newcomers, new directions… With over 400 suppliers unveiling more than 600 brands, the show offers visitors an impressive line-up of fine jewellery collections, major brands and innovative design direction. As part of the new look event, watch suppliers and brands will have more prominence. Look out for debut collections, for instance Colour Inspiration and Oxygen which have joined the growing Unique portfolio, and Lars Larsen Watches from Denmark. The Design Quarter will once again provide a showcase for contemporary jewellery collections from leading names… in addition to a generous helping of newcomers. Amanda Coleman, Claudia Bradby, Francesca Marcenaro, Marina Skia and Via Seres are just a few of the first-timers who will be joining Trollbeads

42 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

regular exhibitors such as Alexis Dove, Babette Wasserman, Charmian Beaton and Rachel Galley. Alongside other regulars in the main hall, such as Clogau, Brown & Newirth, Gemex and Tresor Paris, are more like Quoins, Ringl, Sif Jakobs and Belpearl. One brand exhibiting for the first time is Wolf, which is celebrating 180 years of craftsmanship. The fifth generation company, which was founded in Sweden, is renowned across the US and Asia for it elegant and robust watch winders and boxes. “Our aim over the next 12 months is to build a UK-wide network of some 75 stockists… and we are confident that the show will get us off to a flying start,” says director Simon Wolf. Always eagerly awaited by its customers is Domino’s Handbook which outlines, over 250 pages, its comprehensive selection of

high-quality settings, shanks, clusters, earrings, pendants and findings. Each individual component (however large or small) has been reproduced to exactly life-size, so that jewellers can use the illustrations with confidence to match suitably-sized stones. Dyrberg Kern

The show will also play host to a jewellery design competition in conjunction with The Houlden Group. The 2014 Bridal Design of the Year competition gives the show’s exhibitors the chance to have an engagement and wedding ring set sold through the buying group’s network of stores. The BJA will also be revealing the finalists of its cocktail ring competition… and picking a winner.

Show Preview |

Oxygen at Unique

Talking the talk Across the five days of the show experts will be offering valuable insights on everything from the latest trends to business strategies, ways to expand into online markets and opportunities to enhance sales. Here we list just a few… Designer Babette Wasserman will discuss the business of retail alongside Alan Frampton of Cred Jewellery. As well as sharing their own experiences, they will offer advice on how to grow a business and different approaches to marketing and PR. This will be discussed further by Sarah Carpin of CMJ Media, who will explore modern jewellery marketing and how to generate the best return on investment through the use of marketing, PR and social media. With advice and support for newcomers, a panel – Lloyd Amson (Watchfinder); Tom Milner (Tustains) and Rebecca Struthers, (Struthers London) – will share the insand-outs of breaking into the business of watch retailing, and how best to incorporate watch brands into jewellery collections. Wes Suter, MD of Steffans Jewellers, will give a retailer’s guide to the world of preowned watches, including pointers on brands to look out for, servicing and repair regulations, and how to best market and sell pre-owned watches. Simon Rainer, BJA CEO , will speak about entering the jewellery market, with tips on how to set up a jewellery business. Michael Allchin, Birmingham Assay Office’s CEO, will provide an analysis of market trends and key considerations to help inform buyers. Katarina Hutchinson, visual merchandiser for Links of London, will share her tips on visual display, store layout for seasonal occasions, and how to maximise a stores’ potential. As with all aspects of Jewellery & Watch Birmingham, full details can be found with a visit to their website: www.jewelleryandwatchbirmingham.com

What attracts retailers to Jewellery & Watch Birmingham?

We look for the latest trends and to be inspired. We’re searching for innovative, commercial brands, who want to support us as much as we want to support them. We need to find out what they’re doing, what they expect from us, and how much we’ll need to spend to give the product what it deserves. Lee Hooson, Mococo I always try to attend at least one seminar, especially Martin Rapaport’s – I’m definitely one of his groupies. It’s nice to say a quick hello to my suppliers if I’m passing. Otherwise it’s normally a military-run operation. This year I’m specifically looking for a cool silver brand. Richard Cohen, Eternity My visit is mostly to catch up with a large number of existing suppliers in a short space of time, but also to see if I can find anything interesting and/or new. I will also look at the list of seminars. Andrew Hinds, Hinds I go to see what’s new and the latest trends. I also network with existing suppliers who always have more to see. New suppliers in 18ct rose and white gold is what I have in mind… as well as innovative diamond suppliers. Pravin Pattni, Minar Jewellers I definitely wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m always looking for new diamond and fine jewellery ranges, designer silver and gents’ silver jewellery. Looking for new blood is important at the shows. Simon Johnson, Marmalade We’re looking forward to exploring the new collections and spotting key trends for 2014. We’re always on the look out for the next big thing (who isn’t!) and exciting new jewellery brands. It’s also a great opportunity to network, make new contacts and build relationships with our existing partners. Kyron Keogh, ROX For most of the 27 years I have run my business I have visited the event – it’s hugely helpful for gauging new trends and to get a flavour of what’s going on in the industry. I also look for new brands and it’s a good medium for keeping good relationships with existing suppliers. Harvey Morgan, Harvey’s The Jewellers and THJ I’m always interested to see what’s new and what the ‘others’ are doing, to keep everything we do fresh.We’ll almost certainly attend some seminars.I will see some existing suppliers, but I never have enough time during the NEC visit to be very social… apart from a glass of bubbly with The Jeweller. Mike Lane, Lanes Jewellery The watch section is an exciting new addition and one we’re very interested in. Our strategy is to grow our luxury watch category. By attending we have the opportunity to meet new suppliers and get a true feel of the brand. Kyron Keogh, ROX I will almost certainly check out the new watches aspect of the show… now that I know about it!” Richard Cohen, Eternity Watches are very much an important part of what Mococo does and they are set to play an even bigger part in the future. We’re looking for high turnover, fashion-led brands that fit in with our ‘affordable luxury’ ethos. Lee Hooson, Mococo

Need to know: Venue: Spring Fair, NEC, Birmingham, 2nd – 6th February, 2014 Opening times: 09:00-18:00 Sun-Wed; 09:00-16:00 Thurs. Catwalk: 12:00, 15:00 & 17:00 daily (12:00 only on Thursday) Visitor enquiries: +44 (0)844 588 8071 / visit@thejewelleryshow.com

The Voice of the Industry 43

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Look Book NEWCOMERS The show has attracted a number of new exhibitors this year – some are established names, while others are emerging brands and designers. We highlight a few of them here…

Sif Jakobs

Copenhagen-based Sif Jakobs (who was born in Iceland and educated in Sweden) is, in fact, inspired by Italian elegance when it comes to creating her ‘affordably luxurious’ jewellery collections. Sterling silver, Swarovski crystals, cubic zirconia and leather form the basis of the largely neutrally toned pieces. Stand 18 G58/H59

The innovative new personalised jewellery concept, created and designed by Trollbeads features silver, bronze, gold and black rubber X links which connect with a ‘simple twist’ to create bespoke bracelets and necklaces. A choice of 70 themed links are crafted by nine Trollbeads designers, each of whom bring their own interpretation to the design. One of the designers will be at the show to talk about the concept and the creativity behind the bead designs. Stand 18 L44/M45

Mark Kostiak

Designed and made on the Isle of Anglesey, Mark Kostiak’s jewellery is inspired by the island’s beautiful landscapes and myths. With 25 years’ experience in the industry, he offers high quality craftsmanship as well as an artistic eye and imagination in his work. The new Dwynwen Collection combines a selection of colours with solid silver charms inspired by the symbols carved into Welsh love spoons. The Celestial line uses Herkimer diamond crystals and textured silver while the bold silver and stone range features natural raw gemstones. Stand 18 DQ90

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Francesca Marcenaro

X by Trollbeads

Feminine, intricate and delicate hand-made work is this London-based designer maker’s speciality. The ‘Fairies’ collection comprises detachable pieces that can be used to make earrings, a necklace or bracelet – at the whim of the customer. The ‘Anemone’ collection is inspired by sea life in silver and gold. Stand 18 DQ49

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Jana Reinhardt Jewellery

Inspired by naïve art and a love of wildlife this collection is a partnership between two classically trained goldsmiths and jewellery designers – Jana Reinhardt and Ross Cutting. Hummingbirds, hares, foxes and sparrows all feature in this line of delicate rings, necklaces and earrings. Stand 18 DQ55

Ringl

Peculiar Vintage

Hand-made in Austria, Ringl jewellery is created using a unique carbon fibre process which produces a refined and elegant material suitable for even the finest jewellery. The technology involved – such as high-frequency laser welding and laserengraving – is combined with familiar materials such as gold and diamonds, for a collection of innovative rings, necklaces, pendants and bracelets. Stand 17 R08

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Look Book WatcheS

Lars Larsen

The new Watch section of the show has attracted a number of key fashion timepiece brands…

Scandinavian minimalism and a strong contrast between masculine and feminine, sporty of business-like, informs this collection of individual, stylish, yet functional watches. Designed in Denmark… assembled in Switzerland. Stand 18 J28/K29

Storm

The Zazi watch features a transparent case with floating Swarovski crystals within a delicate gold ring and also has crystals on the dial. The model is also available in yellow gold finish or silver. In the same elegant finishes, Tuscany is a vintage style watch with a link strap that seamlessly joins the case. Stand 18 H30/J31

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Inspired by a Brazilian artisan making jewellery from found objects, vintage-lover Stef Warde enrolled with Sir John Cass London and then launched her own jewellery. Creations are initially informed through the past, using vintage charms, tribal design and various objects and curios, which are then dismantled and re-worked using traditional jewellerymaking techniques. Stand 18 DQ25

UPERB V ALUE A DIAMOND SU SUPERB VALUE VA DIAMONDS U E LUE D O DS UP T TO 4.00CTS 4.00C 00C CTS 1 CA CARAT ARA AT SINGLE SINGLE S STONE TONE R RING ING as pr omoted promoted & best selling line in 2013

CE CERTIFICATED C E ERTIFIC A AT T TED DI DIAMONDS IA MONDS ATED IAMOND Astonishing value at well below curr current ent market prices.

‘D ‘D’ D’ COLOUR UR SI DI DIAMONDS IAMOND S D COLOU DS at exceptional prices. Supplied as earrings, pendants, 3 stones or single stones, loose or mounted.

See us at the Spring Fair – Hall 17, Stand Q11

H.W. Tankel (Scotland) ( ) Ltd,, 33A Gordon Street,, Glasgow g G1 3PF Tel: T e el: 0141 014 226 2200 • Fax: 0141 221 3040 • Email: enquiries@tankel.co.uk www.tankel.co.uk www .tankel.co.uk

O.W.L Watches

The new slim Solar watch by Bering Time converts all kinds of light into ‘electrical energy’ via the solar cell under its face, which is stored in a rechargeable secondary battery. The watch has a power reserve so that – once fully charged – it runs for six to 12 months. The slim, linear design which is characteristic of the Danish brand is clear in this new collection. Stand 18 H28/J29

Bering Time

Designed in Britain O.W.L presents a line of petite and feminine watches that combine elegance with contemporary styling. From the Chelsea Collection comes this model with a 22mm rose gold case and resin bezel. The white, dual-layered dial has an inner brushed layer and matt outer layer, with clear rose gold hour markers. The resin, linked bracelet is finished in rose gold. Stand 18 J45

Fred Bennett by Gecko

Following a re-brand Gecko will be showing off its new identity as well as introducing its first ever watch line. Shown here is the dress watch in polished steel with slate grey dial. The sports watch comes with day, date and 24-hour indicators on a matte black dial to complement a black leather strap. Fred Bennett is also launching a line of pendants, cufflinks and wristwear in silver, stainless steel and leather. Stand 18 K30/L31

Colour Inspiration at Unique

This vibrant new watch brand – with a unique concept of visualising time – has been created in collaboration with the German artist Paul Heimbach. Moving discs replace the hands and create new colour mixtures with every minute passing by. There are 12 different dial designs in two sizes of watches, which feature Miyota movements, stainless steel cases and hardened mineral glass. Stand 18 M28/N29

Oxygen at Unique (see p43) This fashion-forward Parisian watch brand, with models that feature interchangeable, strong nylon, NATO straps (switched rapidly with no tools required), comprises three key lines: Chrono, Vintage (as seen here) and Ladies’ Sports. Stand18 M28/N29

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Look Book Familiar Faces… … from innovative designer pieces and fine jewellery, to men's accessory lines and costume jewellery collections.

Sheila Fleet

‘Land & Sea’, the new collection of cufflinks and accessories by Deakin & Francis goes back to nature – inspired by fly fishing in Scotland and snorkelling in the tropics. So, expect sharks’ heads, deep sea diving helmets, carp, trout, fishing flies, speed boats, crabs and frogs… among other quirky, talking-point designs. Stand 17 T04

Sheila Fleet’s new Wave Surfer collection is inspired by the never-ending waves found around our coastlines. The elements of silver with enamel, rose and yellow gold surf the band of silver and move independently of one another. The pieces are available with more or less elements in different colours of enamels. Also new is the Snowdrop range in silver with leaf and crystal enamel. Stand 18 DQ48

Buckley London

Amore

‘Key to Your Heart’ is the new concept that costume jeweller Buckley London will be unveiling at the show. Sold as a set it consists of a delicate padlock bangle and pendant with a key-shaped charm to open the lock. For extra sparkle the padlock is pavé set with cubic zirconia, while the pieces are available in sterling silver or yellow or rose gold plating. Stand 17 U28/V29

The year 2011 saw the launch of Amore Argento – Love Silver – and this year, visitors to the brand’s stand at the show will witness the unveiling of Amore Oro – Love Gold. Shown here is a taster from the collection, to sit alongside the line of sterling silver jewellery that has become renowned for the vibrant colours of the gemstones featured. Stand 18 G03

Gemex

Gemex’ already-extensive collection of engagement rings has been extended to include over 150 new styles. On display will be the new micro set rings with round, oval, princess, marquise and emerald cut centres – all featuring matching bands. Stand 17 T04/05

Dyrberg Kern (see image on p42) Sweet Little Lies is the tongue-in-cheek (“don’t judge a book by its cover”) title of the latest collection by this Danish fashion jewellery brand. Colour – and plenty of it – is a major theme, as are big, bold, fancy shapes, with lots of crystal and cubic zirconia. Stand 18 L61

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Deakin & Francis

Gloriole Collection HALL 17, STAND U04 - V05

www.tresorparis.com

email: info@tresorparis.com | tel: +44 (0) 20 3355 4030 facebook.com/TresorParis |

twitter.com/tresorparis

JCM

This recently rebranded fashion jewellery line (renowned for its strong colours and shapes) will be showing collections including Coco, Tassels, Sherazade, Light of Nature, Legends of Time and Classic. Stand 18 H15

Goldmajor

The delicate patterns seen in nature have been interpreted into a range of chic and edgy contemporary jewellery for 2014. Familiar forms – such as flowers and flames – have been translated into jewels, complete with plenty of attitude. Comprised of matching sets of necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets, the collection features a mix of gentle themes, together with jagged edges and thorny details – to express passion and eternal love. Stand 18 DQ20

Trollbeads (see p42 for image) The original charm bead jewellery brand will launch two key themes – Arabian Nights and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Exotic and mythical, the collection features new shimmering, faceted and engraved glass beads. New silver beads, gemstones, a new lock and leather bracelet colours complete the collection. Stand 18 L44/M44

Babette Wasserman

Among the new collections being shown by amber specialist Goldmajor are pieces that demonstrate the variety of colours available – as seen in this pretty tulip brooch. Slightly more whimsical is a collection of brooches depicting cats, while a range of bracelets and collars show that the material sits alongside other stones such as turquoise, amethyst and hematite. Stand 18 M14/N15

Ariane Rocher

As well as her unique ‘Spring Ring’ system, Ariane will be showing rings from her Mille et Une Nuits line that feature grey diamonds, oxidised gold plated silver, pearls and other stones. Stand 18 DQ51

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Unique Jewels

Popular for men, leather also offers a feminine contemporary look, as in this bracelet which features plaited purple leather with a rose gold plated stainless steel clasp and crystal charm. In contrast, the sterling silver collection uses simple geometric forms to create organic, three-dimensional shapes… with inspiration from nature. As well as plaited leather combined with stainless steel the men’s line includes cufflinks, with the emphasis on fine detail and value for money. Stand 17 N14/P15

O R K N E Y

D E S I G N E R

J E W E L L E R Y

Snowdrop NEW COLLECTION Walking through the woodland at Forss in Caithness, the dense carpet of delicate winter snowdrops gave Sheila the inspiration to design this new floral collection.

Designed and Made in Orkney, Scotland

COME AND SEE US SPRING FAIR, NEC

INHORGENTA, MUNICH

2nd - 6th February Hall 18 Stand No. DQ57

14th - 17th February Hall C2, Booth 124 Gang A

Tel. 01856 861 203 Email. info@sheilafleet.com www.sheilafleet.com

Ti Sento

The long, hot Italian summers provided the inspiration for Ti Sento’s new 2014 collection, with colours drawn from beaches and sunny resorts. Included in the line are the new ‘Silver Dip’ pieces that have been cut and polished to resemble pavé set stones, which feature accents of pink or yellow gold plating. Stand 17T30/U31

Alexis Dove

The new additions to Alexis’ Vintage Curio collection feature wrens, bunnies and kittens, including this most recent piece, a kitten pendant. Also new is the Aphrodite collection, an extension to 2013’s Helios range. The new designs feature cascading olive leaves and faceted olive stones. Stand 18 DQ 50

Pandora

Kleshna’s Ray collection is a warrior inspired statement line redolent of African sunsets and rises. The Masai collar necklaces are a vibrant blend of crystal colours shooting out like shards of light tipped with a trio of angular cut crystal beads in contrasting colours. The look is finished with crystal cuffs. Stand 18 E30/F31

‘Feminine’ and ‘delicate’ sums up the new collection from Pandora which centres on sugary pastel hues and a multitude of motifs including butterflies, enamel daisies, bows, ribbons, roses and filigree lace patterns pavé set with cubic zirconia stones. Stand 18 M70/P71

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My iMenso at Unique

Kleshna Jewellery

New additions have been added to this sterling silver interchangeable coin system since its launch last year, including ‘dancing’ which sees smaller silver elements inserted between two transparent glass covers. Also new this season is the addition of leather on the coins, available in yellow or rose gold plate as well as silver. Rings too have been added to the system – all of which are able to be opened to insert a new coin. Stand 17 N14/P15

Bouton Launched last year, this angel-inspired collection (with colourful sound balls to call a guardian angel) has new designs in the range for 2014. For instance, the classic Angel Whisperer now comes with cubic zirconia set into the pendant, while another features angle wings. A new rose gold plated pendant features a heart together with an angel wing. Stand 17 N14/P15

Bouton will be unveiling its new ‘Riviera’ capsule collection this season. The lightness of the pieces is due to the premium silicone material used to create the bracelets, which are embellished with accents of cat’s-eye and simulated stones set into sterling silver with 18ct yellow and rose gold plating. As well as fondant blue-grey, the single or double-wrap bracelets are available in classic black and cream. Stand 17 U28/V29

Lily & Lotty

Among the new lines being shown for 2014 are designs inspired by the natural and mythical world – owls, stars, snakes, dragonflies and butterflies are among the motifs. Also being showcased is the ‘Love Letters’ line featuring sterling silver envelopes set with a diamond accent and inscribed with messages. Stand 18 N21

Carat Diamonfire

The 10 Characters collection offers 10 individual lines that showcase Diamonfire’s diversity and ability to suit different tastes. A strong talking point is colour with shades of ruby, sapphire and emerald in one range for instance, while canary yellow stones (and other shades inspired by the colours of fancy diamonds) appear in another collection. Stand 18 F14/G15

The Chelsea Collection represents the young and edgy side to the created gemstone brand. Made of sterling silver with platinum or 18ct yellow gold vermeil, the fun motifs include stars, hearts, lips, rockets, crosses and flip flops. Also being shown will be the Power Pearls line – perfect for the bridal market. Stand 17 P28/Q29

PH Rings

Engelsrufer at Unique

PH Wedding Rings is introducing its new ‘Cutting Edge’ range featuring innovative, bright and exciting new designs – with the emphasis on texture and background contrasts. The line also includes fashionable rose gold. Also being launched is a low-cost sample display range, which will allow the retailer to showcase its top-of-the-range models at minimal cost. Stand 17 Q12

The Voice of the Industry 57

Chavin

The jaguar – the icon of the Chavin Jewellery brand – continues play a central role in the designs of the Filigree Collection. New this season is a pendant and matching bracelet in oxidised sterling silver featuring a stylised jaguar head. As ever, a percentage of profits from the sale of Chavin jewellery is donated to the SOS Children’s Villages charity which supports Peruvian families. Stand 18 DQ 01

Fiorelli by Gecko

LucyQ

Vibrant, tropical showstoppers, iridescent aquatic looks and delicate features with a hand-made feel are all on offer in the new Fiorelli costume jewellery collection. Meanwhile the Silver line is inspired by a mix of monumental architecture, organic silhouettes and sharp geometry. Stand 18 K30/L31

Story by Kranz & Ziegler

As well as watch charms for the first time, this season sees the appearance of rose gold into the Danish fashion jewellery line. Strong colour, sumptuous materials and intricately detailed charms complete the story. Stand 18 L28/M29

Award-winning designer LucyQ takes a bold new direction with her Art Deco collection. She has found inspiration in its simple modernist forms and complex construction. Right angles and subtle curves create strong, statement pieces. Available in silver with gold overlay, as well as sterling silver, with white Swarovski crystals adding sparkle. Stand 18 DQ23

Clogau

The Welsh jewellery brand will continue to reflect the history and tradition that it has become synonymous with. All with a touch of rare Welsh gold, the pieces – from pendants and bracelets to engagement rings – are inspired by myth and legend as well as the natural beauty of Wales. Stand 17 Q28/RR29

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Balagan

Picking up the trend for personalisation and story-telling, Balagan’s successful and awardwinning sterling silver One Wish Collection has new additions for 2014. Love, inspiration or faith can be spelled out, with messages as diverse as ‘you are my cup of tea’ to ‘born to be wild’. Stand 18 K28/L29

Maree London

Greenwich-based jewellery brand Maree London will expand its popular ‘Flower’ collection for 2014 by introducing more rose gold into the line, as well as new designs. Also being shown will be the Stunning Stone range. Stand 18 C62

Charlotte Lowe

Charlotte Lowe’s photo-etched jewellery captures subtle imagery within silver and gold to ‘evoke shared memories’. Her Sun, Sand & Sea collection depicts special moments, such as families walking on a beach, combined with tiny coastline mementos such as silver shells. A proportion of her profits goes to the RNLI. Stand 18 DQ 44

Dower & Hall

Mounir

London based designer Mounir draws his inspiration this season from nature. The acorn collection consists of earrings and long and short pendants using a variety of gemstones. This set combines green quartz with vermeil making a bold statement. Other stones for this collection include labradorite, lapis lazuli, aquamarine, amethyst, blue quartz, and blue and white chalcedony. Stand 18 DQ 12

Tresor Paris

Jewel Twinkle, Chintz, Azure and Tribe are four of the new collections that will be unveiled at the show by this jewellery design duo. Besides these statement stacker rings, Jewel Twinkle features an array of briolette and table cut gemstones including lemon quartz, amethyst, blue topaz and chalcedony. The colourful line includes a cuff, dangly earrings and necklaces, as well as the rings shown here. Stand 18 C28/E29

Among the new pieces added to Tresor Paris’ vintage-inspired Bellatrix collection is this ‘Regalien Bleu’ bracelet featuring blue and white crystals. A necklace is also available. A more modern twist comes with the three strand ‘Brimbelle’ necklace in a mix of yellow, white and rose gold, dotted with crystal 8mm balls. Stand 17 U04/V05

Martick Jewellery

British wildlife provides the inspiration for Martick’s latest collection, with the creative spotlight on the fox, badger, osprey, red squirrel, otter and hedgehog. Stand 18 D30/E31

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| Opinion: John Henn

My 2013... our 2014 John Henn on his doubly eventful end to last year and an exciting and challenging enterprise to come in the months ahead. he new year will be well-established when you read this, so now is a good time to consider the highs and lows of last year and how we can continue to improve for the future. For me, one of the lows was following an ambulance 25 miles across Shropshire at 4 am, within it my exhausted wife and unborn child. On arriving at the maternity unit, a bladder full of three mugs of sugary tea were found to be the culprit of the delay. Once drained off, with a last supreme effort, Olivia Annabelle Henn entered the world. Talk about an emotional switch, I can see a short story coming on: ‘Childbirth, a Fathers View’. Perhaps not for this publication! Back to jewellery and our businesses. Hopefully you will have all experienced some highs in December when some of those old pieces of stock finally went out the door, or when a haggling, unpleasant client paid 10 per cent more for an item you had marked for reduction in the January sale.

had spent above a certain amount over the last three years, and 160 RSVP’d to attend. Rather more than we expected but armed with timed arrival slots surely we could spread them out? Tasty bite-sized nibbles were commissioned, with Cava from a local respected wine merchant and smartly dressed staff to deliver both. Welcoming security on the door and a ticket-only format saw the evening go very well. A second tablet till arrived just in time, but the postcode software hadn’t been installed… rendering it useless. However, the second GSM credit card machine was a saviour. We added a sweetener to come to the event in the form of a pair of complimentary Tresor Paris earrings for each couple; this had the effect of exposing our ranges of sub-£500 fashion jewellery to a wider audience. The result was that sales of this price category were almost unmanageable. An unusual situation to be in and thankfully the Cava kept the mood

It’s all go on the T.A. Henn sales desk

Some years ago I wrote a paper with Simon Cupitt for the EDF, about preChristmas viewing events. Simon had the enviable record of sending out 300 invites and 150 people turning up. Using those original notes we ran our first event since our store was refurbished in August. Two thousand invites went out to clients who

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upbeat as clients waited to pay. On the down side, because it was so busy, clients who may have purchased higher value goods were unable to as the VIP areas were lost to the crowd. Fortunately the atmosphere was such that we have since seen them in the store in our normal, more controlled, environment.

Olivia Annabelle Henn

The lesson we learnt was to consider splitting the event over several nights: fashion, fine jewellery, watches and workshop skills for remodelling. Additionally, when a new piece of technology is introduced give yourself lots of time for testing, as we had none. Finally, have more than one credit card machine on the shop floor: at £29.50 a month it’s the best insurance policy I’ve had for ages. What’s more we can transport it anywhere in the country and take payments/deposits with it – something we have always struggled with at those wedding fairs. The local newspaper came along and took pictures of three generations of Henns; when asked if she would like to be a jeweller Amélie, our 31/2year-old, replied, “I love it” as she grasped her mother’s ring. No chance of retiring then for the next 17 years! The year 2014 will bring with it a new challenge in the name of Simon Cupitt – one event remained unattained by him in his cycling career, and that was to cycle up the principal Cols of the Tour de France, which include all the classics finishing with Mont Ventoux. I will be organising this with a great deal of help from the team of 2012’s John O’Groats to Land’s End motorcycle ride. The event – ‘Five Alps for Simon’ – will see five chaps, cycling up five Cols over five days in September. We will be raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, with a target of £25,000. We are going to be joined by Olly Cupitt for the ‘Beast of Provence’, Mont Ventoux. Fortunately it will not be a race… however Mike McGraw will be in the support vehicle with the defibrillator. This is a game for young men who eat carbon fibre not Fruit & Fibre for breakfast. We have the support of Team Sky who will be giving us training schedules we can achieve and stuff to auction off to help with the fund raising. If you wish to help please email me john.henn@tahenn.com or go to www.justgiving.com/FiveAlpsforSimon Best wishes, for 2014 and in the words of Mike McGraw: “Please continue to be dissatisfied with today and intent on making tomorrow better.”

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| Business Support: Insurance

Pension scheme auto-enrolment State pension ages are rising, there isn’t enough money in the state coffers and, as individuals, we aren’t voluntarily saving enough for our retirement. So now we are all being firmly ‘nudged’ into saving. Steven Clemence, chartered financial planner at TH March, explains all. f you are an employer – and this does affect all employers with staff in the UK – the law now requires you to engage with the pension auto-enrolment process for your staff and failure to do so may result in financial penalties, fines and even court action. The level of advice or help you and your business may (or may not) need clearly depends upon your individual ability to ‘DIY’, financially speaking. There is a great deal of useful information widely available (see the links below) but should you find that you are completely out of your depth, it may be worthwhile engaging an expert to help you.

Workplace pensions – we’re all in! By the end of 2018, in a staged process largely governed by size of workforce, every business will have introduced auto-enrolment (AE) for all their employees who meet the following criteria: • they are between age 22 and state pension age • they earn more than £9,440 p.a. (tax year 2013-14) • they work in the U.K. The larger employers have already reached their staging dates and have started autoenrolment. Your own staging date may be approaching so it is important to make sure you know when it is. You can find out via this link (be sure to have your PAYE reference number to hand): www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/ employers/tools/staging-date.aspx The onus is on each employer to make all the necessary arrangements for qualifying individual members of staff who need do nothing themselves to be put into a scheme.

64 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

Employers have to pay a minimum contribution into the pension scheme for their eligible workers and the Government contributes too in the form of tax relief on employees’ contributions. You do not need to automatically enrol employees into a pension scheme if: • they do not meet the eligibility requirements outlined above • they are already in a workplace pension scheme that meets the Government’s standards. However, employees who are not eligible may still have the right to choose to opt into their employer's workplace pension scheme and receive contributions from you.

All employers – plan or re-evaluate now! Find out what you need to do and when by visiting: www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/ employers.aspx For lots of detail you can also look here: w w w. t h e p e n s i o n s r e g u l a t o r. g o v. u k / doc-library/automatic-enrolment-detailedguidance.aspx Getting it right with help from the ‘friendly’ regulator The Pension Regulator’s overall approach is that of enabling the process by recognising that most employers will want to do the right thing for their staff. The plan therefore is to educate and help employers to comply so they make the right choices and decisions. The responsibility for complying still rests with the employer In cases where employers haven’t understood their duties, or have genuinely been unable to comply, the regulator will work with those concerned. To learn about this first-hand from the Pension Regulator visit: www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/ what-happens-if-i-dont-comply.aspx.

You already have a pension scheme for your employees If this is the case, you may be able to use the existing scheme to meet your autoenrolment obligations. Why did you set up a scheme? You might have wanted to use it to help recruit, reward or retain your staff. You may have even felt you had a moral obligation to provide a pension. Those reasons are entirely valid but you will now need to look at the existing pension scheme, and you’ll probably need some advice in order to establish if it is still ‘fit for purpose’ in this modern world of low charges. You might want to check that it is a ‘qualifying scheme’ yourself. You can do that here (assuming you haven’t been lavish enough to provide a final salary pension): www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/ employers/dc-qualifying-scheme-tool.aspx

Let your staff build up their own little nest egg If you don’t want to (or can’t afford to) be the goose that lays the Golden Pensions Egg for your staff, but you do want to do the right thing for them, the National Employment Savings Trust may be the answer: www.nestpensions.org.uk/schemeweb/ NestWeb/public/N ESTforEmployers/ contents/nest-for-employers.html There are no set-up or running costs to the employer – you just make the contributions you are obliged by law to make. For help or advice contact Steven at: www.thmarchfinancialplanning.co.uk or email: financialplanning@thmarch.co.uk

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The Voice of the Industry 65

| Antique Jewellery

Antique JEWELLERY Medieval masterpieces As well as being ornate and beautiful, jewellery worn during the Middle Ages might have political or religious significance or simply be made with love, as Amy Oliver explains. o, a new year begins and as the glitz and glamour of the festive season has given way to the grey, leaden skies of January, I thought I’d bring a little richness and colour back into view. Our first Antique Jewellery feature of 2014 throws some light upon the extravagant adornment of Medieval Europe. If you have ever visited the Medieval galleries of the British Museum in London you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about; deep golden pieces that have been ornately wrought and richly decorated with precious stones – particular favourites being pearls, rubies, emeralds and sapphires.

Everything from necklaces and rings to brooches and cap badges were popular, and what follows will, I hope, give just a taster of what Medieval Europe had to offer (for those with the means of course). As this particular period can span over 1,000 years in Europe, I’ve narrowed the focus to jewellery from Western Europe, from the 12th to the 15th centuries.

All that glisters… Gold was the most highly prized metal in Medieval Europe, and as such was the most popular choice for jewellery. As with

most cultures, only the noble or wealthy could afford gold jewellery during this period; everyone else made do with baser metals, such as copper or pewter, which were used to replicate the style and fashions of the day. Gold – and silver for that matter – seems to have become fairly scarce at the beginning of the period we’re looking at (11th century). The archaeological record shows that though gold and silver jewellery were depicted in paintings and tapestries of the day in large quantities, this was probably a symbolic display of wealth and power, as little physical evidence of this jewellery has been found. It was also quite common for jewellery to be recycled, so great was its value. By the 13th century, however, gold and silver acquisition had increased (from places such as Hungary and Bohemia) and more archaeological evidence of jewellery has been found. Gold, and the art of goldsmithing itself, became so important during the Medieval period that a certain august (and familiar) institution came into existence. The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths – now known as The Goldsmiths’ Company – was one of the original livery companies established in London around 1300, and was given royal approval in 1327. The establishment of the Company meant that gold and silver could be standardised across the realm so as to limit the bastardising of the metals or dodgy trading.

Form and function

Medieval ring from Germany, gold and pearl

66 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

Though the styles of today differ greatly from those of Medieval times, the actual forms which jewellery took didn’t. Necklaces, especially thin gold chains, and lockets, were worn by ladies across Europe. Earrings seem to have been less common, but were nonetheless present. Rings were a category worn by both sexes, and ranged from the simple gold band to ornate signet rings and jewelled pieces. Brooches were a very common adornment as they were not only decorative but could also be used to pin clothing together, and were often in the shape of the cross. Belt buckles were popular as belts formed a necessary part of any outfit for men or women in an age without elastic. For those that could afford it, the buckles were crafted in precious metals or bejewelled in some way, or both.

Antique Jewellery | English Renaissance hat badge depicting ‘The Fall of Man’

Although they were religious pieces, the wearing of them was, at times, forbidden due to the excessive extravagance it exhibited and beads made of amber, crystal and coral were the most heavily regulated. Enamelling was one of the main techniques used to decorate gold and silver jewellery in Medieval Europe. Enamelled pieces were extraordinarily popular in the Middle Ages as they radiated with rich colours. The centre of the art of the enamelling trade in Europe was Limoges in France – the techniques they developed in the 12th century were unsurpassed by any in history, and the works they produced were highly sought after by royals and aristocrats across the whole of Europe. Unfortunately the town was besieged by Edward, the Black Prince, in 1370, and so many craftspeople were massacred that the enamelling skills and techniques were largely lost.

Draped in jewels

Enamelling was one of the main techniques used to decorate gold and silver jewellery in Medieval Europe… pieces were extraordinarily popular as they radiated with rich colours. There were also types of jewellery worn then, which today we wouldn’t really think about wearing, such as cap badges. These were basically a type of brooch worn on men’s hats. They could range from simplistic pins to elaborate gold discs studded with gems, often depicting political, historical and biblical scenes or the lives of saints. Western Europe was devoutly Christian (mainly Catholic) in the Medieval period, and outward displays of religious fervour were not just common, but expected. A particularly fine example comes from England and was made around 1525. Fashioned in gold, coloured with enamel and set with diamonds and rubies, it’s a highly detailed piece which depicts ‘The Fall of Man’ (shown above) in the Garden of Eden. Another category of jewellery not as common today is the string of rosary beads.

Although it may be frowned upon by some to call rosaries ‘jewellery’, in the Medieval period they were used as such; worn over the clothes on the arm – not only as a symbol of devotion to God, but also as a way to display wealth. Even religious persons could be seen wearing expensive items. In Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (one of the most famous Medieval texts in the world) he describes a nun – a prioress – thusly: ‘A coral rosary with gauds [bigger beads] of green she carried on her arm; and from it hung a brooch of shining gold.’ Coral was an expensive gemstone at the time, and to have it matched with gold was a symbol of great status and wealth. Other materials included Baltic amber, agates, rock crystal and glass (cheaper versions were made of knotted cord). Many had pendants displaying a silver crucifix or a figure of a saint.

Any dedicated follower of fashion knows that for the past couple of years gold in clothing and accessories has come back in a big way; you can’t open a glossy mag without seeing a pair of golden metallic sling-backs or a foil-effect designer dress, but this particular contemporary trend has nothing on the dazzling apparel seen in the royal courts of Medieval Europe. Our own regal history has some wonderful examples; let me set the scene for you… It’s 1333, and the reigning king, Edward III, is only just 20. He’s young, powerful and rich, and dresses appropriately in ‘an outfit of green velvet embroidered all over with pearls’. This is no one-off; Edward is recorded over the years wearing a variety of elaborate outfits such as ‘a coat and mantle of scarlet

English gold and malachite bishop’s ring, 13th century

The Voice of the Industry 67

| Antique Jewellery cloth trimmed with gold throughout, and embroidered with two angels studded with pearls holding a golden crossbow crafted with gilt-silver and a string of pearls’. Edward’s wife, Queen Philippa, is just as extravagantly attired. One account has her wearing a hood made of ‘brown scarlet studded with 154 pearls and trimmed with gold, each star being crafted out of seven large pearls with an especially large one at the top of each star’ and in another she wears ‘a beaver-fur hat lined with velvet and adorned with white pearls and golden baboons’. Headdresses or hats had to be worn by married women throughout the period to maintain decency, but this didn’t stop wealthy women making their headwear more stylish than the next woman’s. Many were just as bejewelled as the clothing described above, with pearls and gems sewn on and encompassed in gold trimming. These outfits are obviously exceptional, but the dress styles displayed by royalty were constantly copied by the aristocrats and wealthier merchants of the era. However this wanna-be behaviour inevitably led to concerns among the elite that commoners were rising above their stations, and so clothing laws in 1363 were imposed to curb excessive extravagance in dress. Gold, silver, gilt and jewels on clothing were allowed to be worn by lords, ladies and royalty only. Everyone below that status, even knights, were banned from adorning their clothing (women could still wear precious jewels in their hair though). However, it’s got to be said that these laws were flouted on a regular basis, especially by the wealthy mercantile classes.

Medieval headdress

68 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

Reliquary cross, V&A Museum

Meaningful masterpieces The meaning behind Medieval jewellery wasn’t always about wealth or power. As well as being recycled, intact jewellery was often passed down through the family (as it was so valuable) and therefore it carried with it an intrinsic sentimental value. Certain gemstones, as within other cultures, were thought to possess magical powers; turquoise was believed to protect the wearer from poisoning, drowning or from having an accident while riding (important when horses were the only means of transport by land!). Pearls had a religious significance; being white and luminescent they were regarded as symbols of purity. Inscriptions on jewellery were popular during the Medieval era. They were usually in Latin or French but occasionally in English: a gold ring found in the Midlands has an English inscription reading ‘Lift up your whole heart’. Other inscriptions can very helpfully tell historians why the pieces were made. Commonly, inscribed pieces were commissioned for lovers or spouses.

Some great examples have been found in the Fishpool Hoard in Nottinghamshire; one small padlock-shaped pendant has inscribed upon it ‘de tout mon coeur’ which translates as ‘of all my heart’. A beautiful heart-shaped gold brooch reads ‘je suys vostre sans de partier’ meaning ‘I am yours wholly’. The aforementioned prioress from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales had an inscribed ‘A’ on the brooch she carried, which stood for ‘Amor vincit omnia’ or ‘Love conquers all.’ (I know, it’s a bit of a strange inscription for a nun to have… and why wasn’t she wearing a rosary with crucifix?)

Here endeth the lesson I’ve really only covered the basics of Medieval jewellery here, but hopefully it might be enough to spark an interest. Some of the best examples can be seen in the British Museum’s Medieval galleries, as well as various museums throughout the UK (for more info visit: www.societyofjewellery historians.ac.uk/museums_uk).

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Notebook

Where to go, what to read, what to see…

Exhibitions January Current – 9th March: Jewels by JAR, Museum of Metropolitan Art, New York, USA A retrospective of the work of Joel A Rosenthal (known as JAR) who is considered by many to be the father of ‘fearless contemporary jewellery’. The New York-born jeweller moved to Paris where he opened a shop on Place Vendôme in 1978. www.metmuseum.org Current – 30th March, 2014: Kevin Coates: A Bestiary of Jewels, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Artist-goldsmith Coates presents his new project inspired by medieval encyclopaedias known as bestiaries, which assemble lore and myth about animals. The work, alongside a selection of ‘Birthday Jewels’, will then tour the UK for a year. www.ashmolean.org Current – 23rd March: Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancient Colombia, The British Museum, London Over 300 objects that help to uncover the

Book Reviews Fashion Jewellery: Made in Italy by Deanna Farneti Cera (£45.00, Antique Collectors’ Club) It may be precious, it may be collectable, it may be a token of love… but jewellery is also inextricably interwoven with the world, and notion, of fashion. And that is what this large, weighty tome explores – Italian fashion in particular. The author moves chronologically through the past 100 years from the beginning of the 20th century, drawing in as she does so the social, political and economic context in which jewellery was made specifically for couturiers and

70 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

truth behind the myth of the lost city of gold. www.britishmuseum.org Current – 27th April 2014: The Cheapside Hoard, The Museum of London, EC2 The 500-piece priceless treasure trove of jewellery and gemstones uncovered over a century ago – and its secrets revealed. A visit to this extraordinary exhibition is a ‘must’ if you haven’t already been. For an in-depth insight into the Hoard, valuer Shirley Mitchell FIRV has organised a special talk by curator Hazel Forsyth, followed by a guided tour, on Friday 14th February, at 11:30 am. Open to all NAG/IRV members, £10 for the talk and £10 for tour. Contact Shirley to book: sdmvaluations@btinternet.com www.museumoflondon.org.uk February 7th-9th: Desire, Chelsea Old Town Hall, Kings Road, London SW3 Contemporary jewellery and stylish silverware, including ‘Ones to Watch’, a section devoted to up-and-coming talent. www.desirefair.com

fashion designers. Under fascist rule for instance, jewellery had to be created from local materials. The late 1970s saw the international fashion world dominated by Milanese designers like Armani, Versace, Ferré… followed by Moschino and Prada, all of whom demonstrated the collaboration between jewellery manufacturer and fashion designer. Photos of pieces by named as well as unknown creators accompany the text, and sit alongside images from the media of the time, illustrating the fashion/jewellery link. 21st Century Jewellery Designers by Juliet Weir-de La Rochefoucauld (£50.00, Antique Collectors’ Club) From the fabulous recent past to the inspirational here and now… this equally impressive coffee table book highlights the

Jewellery & Watch Trade Fairs January 26th-28th: Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair, Hoveniersstraat, Antwerp, Belgium The largest ADTF yet, with 80 of Antwerp’s diamond firms exhibiting at this exclusive, invitation-only event. www.antwerpdiamondfair.com February 2nd-6th: Jewellery & Watch Birmingham, NEC See our Preview on p42 for the full report on this major jewellery and watch show. www.jewelleryandwatchbirmingham.com

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2nd-6th: AGTA GemFair Tucson, Arizona, USA The world of coloured gemstones and pearls,

most innovative jewellers working across the globe. Paying tribute to JAR, the man who, it is generally believed, kick-started the boundary-pushing in fine jewellery design, the author (a Fellow of Gem-A) then takes an in-depth look at 20 designers – their work, inspiration, techniques, materials and personalities. The pieces are breathtakingly extraordinary – whether because of the use of colour, which is something most of the designers have in common, or the scale, drama or intricacy involved. Included in the hall of design fame: the UK’s Stephen Webster and Tomasz Donocik (the latter in the ‘rising stars’ chapter), Hemmerle of Germany, Lorenz Baumer of France and Luz Camino of Spain.

Regular | including special exhibits, events, awards and seminars. (See Gems&Jewellery preview of the show – p12). www.agta.org 14th-17th: Inhorgenta Munich, Messe München International, Germany The newly opened Hall B3 will, this year, include the ‘Inspiration Lab’ with its ‘Fashion Walk’, symposiums and workshops. The Contemporary Design hall – C2 – having been redesigned in 2013 goes from strength to strength at this major fine jewellery and watch show. www.inhorgenta.com 26th-1st March: China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center Fine jewellery, diamonds, jadeite, pearls and gemstones, watches and equipment. www.chinaexhibition.com 24th-26th: Houlden Group Buying Event, Hotel Russell, London WC1 The Directors’ meeting will be followed by the Group’s Members’ Day which will include a number of industry speakers and an opportunity for networking. A suppliers’ exhibition will be held on the final day. www.houlden.biz March 5th-9th: Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Over 3,000 buyers showing fine, silver, antique and jade jewellery, branded watches and clocks, display and packaging material and tools and equipment. www.hktdc.com 16th-17th: CMJ Spring Trade Event, Hilton Metropole, Birmingham An exclusive buying event for CMJ members, including gala dinner. masterjewellers.co.uk 27th-3rd April: BaselWorld, Basel, Switzerland Europe’s largest and premier watch and jewellery exhibition offering the most prestigious, high quality brands. See next month’s issue for a preview of this show. www.baselworld.com

NAG Diary Dates March 19th: Members’ Day: Sales & Marketing, London See Michael Rawlinson Speaks Out on page 6 for the full story. Contact Amanda White at: amandaw@jewellers-online.org for further details. 19th: NAG Education Awards, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London Successful JET 1 and JET 2 students receive their certificates and awards at this glittering evening for invited guests. Email: kate@jewellers-online.org for more information.

The Voice of the Industry 71

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Last Word A major feature this month is on wedding jewellery, so it’s apt to give The Last Word to the man behind one of the UK’s most successful diamond ring businesses – Lee Ruben of Gemex. Personal Profile Despite being a well-paid graduate, working as an FX trader in the City, Ruben had always wanted to run his own business. So, in 2000, his father, Benny Bezalel, against his better judgement, allowed him to join the family company – Bezalel Gems. Based in Hatton Garden, the pioneering gem dealer (the first to bring CZ to the UK) supplied over 70 different types of gemstone in every calibrated size, quality and shape. Ruben started as a rep on the road, but soon recognised that the old established manufacturing jewellers were becoming importers and that they would have to start supplying retailers to survive. Luckily, the father had faith in the ambitious, fast-learning son and so Gemex was born. Today it exports to 18 countries. Who has been the biggest influence in your life? Undoubtedly my parents! Mum for pushing me hard in my studies and for instilling an ’anything is possible’ attitude in me; dad for teaching me how to make it in life. He emigrated from Israel to the UK in 1967 with literally enough money for a couple of hot meals in his back pocket and forged a highly successful career as a gemstone dealer and later in life in property. He’s a brilliant businessman and I’m proud to say he’s taught me everything I know. These qualities have helped me put Gemex firmly on the jewellery map, with a portfolio of almost 1,000 retail customers worldwide and winning two major awards and six finalist nominations in the last three years. If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the jewellery industry what would it be? The mentality of some retailers who say that they’re happy with their existing supplier, without taking a look at another range. I picked up a new major retail customer only because he kept getting badly let

74 The Jeweller Jan/Feb 2014

down with regards to delivery times by his current supplier. Once he saw our range and experienced our service, he admitted to me that he was absolutely bonkers for not having taken a look at our range years ago. He’s now a big and very loyal customer. However, this mentality is not all bad – it can work in your favour when your existing clients don’t wish to see a competitor’s range! What three words describe you best… in your view and according to others? In my view: ambitious, meticulous and honest. And in the opinion of others: shrewd, workaholic and (of course) very bossy! If you could go back in time, what era or moment would you choose? Why? I would have to say biblical times… imagine witnessing the Ten Plagues of Egypt or God parting the Red Sea. Looking back at your career, what one thing would you do differently if you had your time over? I would try harder to get the balance right

Lee Ruben with his father Benny

between family and work. Other than that, not a single thing! The last film you saw at the cinema? Turbo – with my kids I must add. For those of you who haven’t yet seen it, it’s worth booking at a cinema with extremely comfortable seats. It helps greatly for achieving a good snooze! Tell us something not many people know about you… After finishing my A-levels, I opted to study medicine at Queen Mary University, London. It didn’t take me long to realise that I had the makings of a businessman, not a medic. What keeps you awake at night? My own snoring! Favourite shopping destination? Manhattan, New York. What’s not to love? If not the jewellery industry, what might your alternative career have been? A doctor or a pilot. What’s your guiltiest pleasure? The rarest single malt whiskeys! Quick Fire • Cats or dogs? Neither • TV or radio? Radio • Bentley or Rolls Royce? Bentley GT V8 S any day • Jewellery on men? I have to say ‘yes’, but not on me! • Delegator or control freak? Don’t know what delegator means, so will have to say control freak, but I’ve been told I’m getting better recently… • Beatles or Rolling Stones? Beatles • Paperback or e-reader? E-Reader

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