In the Loupe December 2022 Edition

IN THE LOUPE

December 2 0 2 2 • I s s u e 106

SAN ANTONIO, TX • JANUARY 28-30, 2023

All Signs Point to a Texas-Size RJO Winter Buying Show

THEY SAY EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS.

A five-minute Texas conversation? It takes 26 minutes, according to local lore. It looks like the popular phrase will hold true next month, when San Antonio hosts the Fiesta RJO Winter Buying Show.

“We know this is a record number of hotel rooms booked by our members and vendors,” says RJO CEO Sarah Streb, “so one would assume this is going to be one of our biggest and best shows to date! We are exceeding the registration pace of our previous largest Show—which was in Nashville—so signs are looking good. We keep encouraging our vendors to bring their best!”

In addition to the great vendor offerings you’ll find on the Buying Show Floor, those who register by the Show deadline of December 27

will qualify for a number of exclusive Show benefits, including:

• one $250 travel voucher;

• discounts—via RJO Purchase Vouchers—qualifying members can save up to an additional three percent on what you buy from vendors; and

• one $10 Sunday lunch coupon (for concessions on the Buying Floor) for each store, courtesy of your generous RJO vendors.

New this Show is the Jeweler's Jackpot, where every retail member has a chance to win more than $10,000 Monday on the Buying Show Floor. Read more about it on page 8 of this issue.

While vendor registration is closed, member registration is open for seven more days. Simply log-in to: www.rjomembers.com, and go to the Buying Show section. It’s that easy.

In the Know with RJO

Getting the Right Gift

I’M DISTRACTED A BIT AS I TAP OUT this final message of the year. Emails tell me the scheduled delivery of a much-wanted Christmas gift for my youngest boy has been postponed to a later date. For the third time. The new date is dangerously close to the big day, so I’m nervously hoping for the best.

For years jewelry marketing messages—particularly around the holidays—seemed to be about “finding” the right gift. But nowadays, the finding doesn’t seem to be as demanding as it once was. At RJO in the last decade, we’ve created online directories and services that make it much easier for our members to locate whatever customers want. Additionally, our RJO Exclusive Facebook portal lets jewelers help others in locating hard-to-find items and connects them with the vendor partners who can supply them. With all of the tools now available to us, the “finding” seems to have given way to the challenge of actually “getting” the gift.

I have the pleasure of chatting with many of you throughout the year, and most of you know the struggle of solving the last-mile delivery puzzle when getting treasures to your customers. (The idea of sending one person out on the night before Christmas to deliver to every household now sounds even more magical.) But I know so many

of you go above and beyond to ensure your clients are delighted each and every holiday season.

As 2022 comes to an end, I want to thank all RJO members for what was another amazing year. Not only do you go above and beyond for your clients, you do so for your organization and we are truly grateful to share some of our year’s highlights:

• We returned nearly $15 million in dividend payments to members.

• We saw the return of RJO-hosted trips to Europe, with plans being made for next year.

• Set record Show sales in Minneapolis.

• Hosted a tremendous RJO Succession Experience.

• Continued to grow our membership, surpassing the 1,100 mark.

Just as I’m doing for RJO in this message, I encourage you to share your own accomplishments with others and give yourself a pat on the back. As busy business owners, you don’t often reflect on all you have achieved and the goals you have reached. This year, as you look back on how your store has grown and thrived, please remember your successes are wins for your family, your staff, your customers, and your community.

I know this issue reaches you at peak business. My best hope is you’ll find a moment to look through this issue, register for the Buying Show if you haven’t yet, and enjoy a good laugh.

Happy holidays to all!

Sarah Streb RJO CEO

P.S. Be sure to register—and make hotel reservations—today for the RJO Winter Buying Show, Fiesta RJO, to be held in January. Demand continues to be strong; we’ve already sold out the first host hotel and an overflow hotel and are now filling up a second overflow hotel. Register here; make hotel reservations here.

S E R V I C E S

Centralized Billing

Patronage Dividend

RJO Website (rjomembers.com)

Buying

Shows

(Summer/Winter)

In the Loupe – RJO’s newsletter

RJO Exclusive on Facebook

Educational Seminars (at the Buying Shows)

Member-to-Member Incentive Program (Recruitment Program)

Organized Buying Trips to Antwerp and IdarOberstein

RJO Directory

Travel Vouchers at Shows (offered at varying times)

Free Hotel Room Incentive (at the Buying Shows)

RJO Informational Email Blasts

Purchase Vouchers (at the Buying Shows)

RJO Membership Certificate

RJO Next Gen and RJO Succession Experiences

JewelConnect, RJOmeet.me, and RJOCustomHatch

Scholarship Opportunities (from the RJO Foundation)

From RJO’s Facebook Page

THE MEMBER-ONLY RJO EXCLUSIVE PAGE ON FACEBOOK hosts a variety of interesting discussions every day. Here is an edited exchange from an post by RJO earlier this month.

Post: During this time of giving, we have started a GoFundMe campaign for Connie and Steve Matsen, beloved former employees of RJO! Steve has been battling cancer for the past 5 1/2 years and Connie retired from RJO in 2021 to become his full-time caregiver. We wanted to reach out to our RJO family to see if we could bring them some cheer (and monetary relief) this holiday season! Connie and Steve are an amazing couple who have been a true testament in showing grace and love as they face these challenges! If you are able to give, please visit our fundraiser page, read their story and leave them a message! They will love hearing from you all!

Link: https://www.gofundme.com/96vnjr-steve-connie-matsen-support-fundraiser Donations will be accepted until December 30th.

THIS IS A SURPRISE, PLEASE KEEP IT QUIET!

Reply One: My donation goes along with lots of love to this amazing and deserving couple.

Reply Two: Connie and Steve are what makes RJO such a great group. Please consider making a donation to this special couple.

Reply Three: Done! Terrific folks!

Reply Four: So glad to help one of our very own. Done!

Reply Five: Done! Two amazing folks

Reply Six: We just love this couple so much! A fantastic example of love, dedication to family, each other, and anyone they love. Steve is such an inspiration to positivity, faith, and perseverance! May we all come together and support some of our own!

Reply Seven: I hope they are overwhelmed by the love and support by their RJO family. So happy to help them.

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

Foundation Raises Funds with Items Old and New

THE RJO FOUNDATION WILL CONTINUE its fundraising efforts for education in the jewelry industry by bringing back some popular items and introducing some new ones at this year’s Buying Show in San Antonio. The RJO Foundation provides scholarships and grants to RJO retail owners, vendor owners, and their employees. To date, the RJO Foundation has awarded RJO members more than $92,000 across 139 scholarships.

Tried And True

Returning are the popular RJO lapel pins, generously donated from DiaExpressions. Pins are $15.00. Also back—with limited supply— are our diamondshaped CZ studs, donated by Jewelers Mutual Insurance. The cost is $30.00 for 1 or $75.00 for 3. We will also offer the popular sterling silver “RJOStrong” necklaces for $30.00. Necklaces are

Mark Your Calendars Now!

made and donated by AVA Couture, which sent along this note: “AVA Couture wanted to show its appreciation to the RJO Foundation and designed the RJOStrong sterling silver necklace. Any proceeds from the sale will be contributed towards the RJO Foundation. Thank you for showing your continuing support with RJO.”

New

At the San Antonio Show an RJO t-shirt quilt will be raffled off to one lucky winner. RJO Buying Show shirts debuted in Nashville at the Winter 2019 Buying Show. Past Show t-shirts have been collected and stitched together to create a beautiful t-shirt quilt. Raffle tickets will cost 1 for $20.00 or 3 for $50.00.

Also introduced will be RJO logo necklaces, produced by Sterling Reputation. They will cost $30.00.

All items will be available for viewing and purchasing at the RJO Buying Show Registration Desk in San Antonio. All proceeds benefit the mission of the RJO Foundation.

RJO’s 2023 Europe Trip to Antwerp Set for October 5-13

AFTER ITS SUCCESSFUL RETURN IN 2022, RJO's hosted trip to Europe is on the calendar for 2023. The adventure is a purchasing event which allows RJO members to become a Direct Diamond Importer in their community. It includes two days of gem buying, exploring, and education in Idar-Oberstein with hosts from RJO vendor Rolf H. Muller, opening up a world of color. You will also enjoy a personal guide through Antwerp's historic Diamond District, cuisine at some of the finest restaurants, and a warm, welcome camaraderie with your fellow RJO retailers. Everything you need to build a successful exclusive campaign will be at your fingertips, with the support of some of RJO's finest vendors.

Included this year will be an optional two-day trip to London, beginning October 13. Members will arrive by train, tour a palace, see the Crown Jewels, visit the Churchill War Room, as well as shop and dine.

Nancy Marchell, of Signature Jewelers in Grand Forks, ND, and Erika Godfrey, of Hawthorne Jewelry in Kearney, NE, once again will serve as RJO hosts for the trip.

RJO Encourages Members to Add Number to Text Database

RJO IS CREATING A DATABASE of textable phone numbers so we can communicate important information to our membership, including—but not limited to—upcoming deadlines, hotel reservation links, important news, links to surveys, etc. These numbers WILL NOT be shared with vendor partners. Click here to add your number to our RJO text database.

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

Even More Tech Coming From RJO at San Antonio Show

By Andy Boundy VRB Internet Solutions Ltd.

WE TRY TO LAUNCH NEW online tech upgrades every Show because retailer and vendor use of our online systems shows us you love it. If you’re not familiar with all the systems RJO provides for marketing and productivity, you should check out RJOCustomHatch.com and RJOmeet.Me. Here are some of the new innovations coming at the San Antonio Show.

Referrals, Made Easy RJOmeet.Me is where hundreds of RJO stores go to find new vendors, send messages, get specials, downloads and more. Come January it also will be where you can refer business to your fellow RJO stores. Simply go to “Retailer Lookup” and choose your state. We’ll present you with a map and pins for RJO stores to which you can refer business, knowing they are RJO members. What’s more, a simple click of a button advises the member it has a referral, and the system (i.e., RJO) recognizes you as a valuable business-referrer in the group.

Messages, Made Easy

We know retailers don’t like loads of marketing emails or calls. We get it—and so do vendors—but the companies you work with have important news to share. It’s how business is done. Coming soon, vendors can send you messages in RJOmeet.Me. You can request they send messages there if you like, cleaning up your inbox and leaving all your important vendor messages in one place. It’s super easy to use— just click “Messages.”

Logging-In, Made Easy

If you’re an RJOmeet.Me user and you also have an active account on RJOCustomHatch.com (using the same email address), the system will ask you if you want to connect your accounts. This means logging onto RJOmeet.Me will also allow one-click log-in to your Custom Hatch portal too. This makes it easier to use both platforms—while remembering they do very different things.

Knowledge, Made Easy

We are working on a knowledge library within RJOmeet.Me. This will be a searchable library of articles on a variety of topics from RJO vendors, partners, and experts. This will be a place where you can search for information and get answers immediately. Obviously, it will take some time to build a comprehensive library, but we will seed the library with some basic information and work out from there.

RJOmeet.Me is already an extremely powerful tool, but soon it will be a source of information for nearly every aspect of your jewelry business.

• RJOmeet.Me: Find thousands of data points on vendors, including names, contact info, reps, products, services, and much more. Post requests for items you need, communicate, refer, research lines, and more.

• RJOCustomHatch.com: Get multiple quotes for custom design jobs from RJO vendors. Simply enter your requirements, and get the best quotes from top RJO custom vendors. Easy, quick, and valuable.

AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE JEWELRY WORLD for nearly 170 years and through six generations, it’s not surprising one might decide to branch out a bit. That’s the genesis for Mayflower Estate Buyers in Towson, MD. Amanda Coleman-Phelps is the owner of Mayflower Estate Buyers, as well as Nelson Coleman Jewelers and Jewelry By Designs. She represents the sixth generation of the family to own Nelson Coleman Jewelers, and she is expanding the family’s brand. Nelson Coleman Jewelers has been buying and selling previously owned jewelry since 1856; they also offer appraising and consulting on their clients’ pieces.

“Our knowledge is vast,” says Nicholle Mogavero, Mayflower’s appraiser and lead buyer, “and we found an opportunity by creating Mayflower in 2015, to bring this specialized skill set to our local community, but also to other jewelers all over the United States.”

Mayflower Estate Buyers provides estate jewelry expertise to jewelers in the form of estate buying events, estate jewelry trunk shows, estate jewelry mentoring services, certificate of sale programs, and mail-in appraisals. Mayflower also carries a full line of estate jewelry available for a memo program.

Mogavero says Mayflower Estate Buyers offers a variety of distinctive services via their Jewelry Store Programs, including:

•researching, planning, executing, carrying out, and training a store’s team, as well as paying for all marketing relating to large scale buying events for RJO members’ stores, where Mayflower also pays the store 10% of all items purchased.

•implementing successful estate jewelry trunk shows in RJO members’ stores, where jewelers earn great margins on our pieces.

•remotely linking directly to member stores’ EDGE to input certificates of sale to a store’s inventory, making customer service for appraisals easier with respect to customer retention and acquisition.

•offering full-service mail-in appraisals by one of Mayflower’s two Gemological Institute of America graduate gemologists.

Mayflower joined RJO this past August.

“We have always been aware of RJO through the retail store outlet,” says Mogavero, “and the integrity of RJO—along with the quantity of partnerships—has been a major driver for us to join. Also, talking with other RJO members who spoke of the community connections and helpfulness was probably the number one deciding factor in our application and eventual membership into RJO.”

“The sense of community,” she continues, “and the ability to share our expertise and learn from the expertise of others is what excites us most about RJO. The consistency in the products offered through RJO and the sustainability of its leadership is also something we look forward to experiencing.”

Mayflower Estate

and

is located at 404 W. Pennsylvania Avenue in Towson, MD Phone: (410) 236-7088 Website: www.mayflowerestatebuyers.com

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

RJO Winter Buying Show 2023

Fiesta is the Spanish word for a celebration or festival. It’s a perfect description for our Winter Buying Show in San Antonio. To get the most joy out of this fiesta, be sure to register by the deadline, then secure your own hotel reservations, and be sure to adhere to the Show’s simple safety and health rules.

Member Registration Deadline: December 27, 2022

Show Location

Henry B. González Convention Center

900 E Market St. San Antonio, TX

Siesta for Free*

RJO will cover up to three nights stay for qualifying stores. Rate is only applicable on stays longer than three nights; shoulder dates not included in the incentive. RJO does not cover upgrades or additional persons.

Currently our first two hotels are sold out, so reservations need to be made at our overflow hotel, the Staybridge Suites San Antonio Downtown. Click here for reservation information.

Atención!

Understanding Health Risks

RJO is not responsible—in any manner—for any risks related to COVID-19 in connection with attendance at the events. Attendees understand the World Health Organization has classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. Attendees further understand COVID-19 is a highly contagious and dangerous disease, and contact with the virus that causes COVID-19 may result in significant personal injury or death.

Attendees must be fully aware participation in the RJO events (including any related travel) carries with it certain inherent risks related to COVID-19 transmission that cannot be eliminated regardless of the care taken to avoid such risks.

Sunday Lunch Coupons

Our very generous vendors again are sponsoring one $10 coupon per store, good at any concession stand on the Show Floor on the Sunday of the Show. You can thank the vendors by spending the time you save on additional shopping before the Show closes.

Purchase Vouchers Discounts

Purchase vouchers will be in effect during the Show, and applicable to all of your purchases from our vendors. Your specific voucher percentage—up to an additional 3 percent off each purchase—will be based on your store’s 2022 purchase total. This information will be available at the Show Registration Desk, or you can call us.

2022 Purchase Total Additional Discount on All Show Purchases

$100,000 - $149,999.99: 1% $150,000 - $199,999.99: 1.5%

$200,000 - $499,999.99: 2%

$500,000 - $749,999.99: 2.5%

$750,000 - $999,999.99: 2.75% $1,000,000 or greater: 3%

Important: All vouchers must be completed by you and submitted to the RJO Registration Desk prior to the end of the Buying Show. Show voucher terms are six (6) months.

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

Wilkerson Meeting

3 - 4 p.m.

The EDGE User’s Group Meeting

3 - 4:30 p.m.

Earth Pebbles Meeting 4 - 5 p.m.

JD & Co. Meeting 4 - 5 p.m.

Gems One Meeting 5 - 6:30 p.m.

Early Member & Vendor Registration 5 - 8 p.m.

AVA Couture Meeting

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

IGI Meeting

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

New Member Reception

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Next Gen Meet & Greet

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

RJO Kick-off Reception & Tower Displays

6:30 - 8 p.m.

Show & Event Schedule

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28

Continental Breakfast

7:30 - 9 a.m.

Seminar and Member Show Registration 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Educational Seminars 8:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

General Membership Luncheon and Keynote 12:30 - 2 p.m.

Member Show Registration 1 - 7 p.m.

Buying Floor Grand Opening 2 - 7 p.m.

Buying Floor Welcome Reception 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Next Gen Social Hour 6 - 7 p.m.

European Rock Tour Reception 7 - 8:30 p.m.

NEW! JEWELER’S JACKPOT!

Who wants to win a Buying Show Shopping Spree? (courtesy of RJO vendors)

Here’s your chance to win more than $10,000! RJO will have a drawing for our retailers at the Show. The winner will receive a JACKPOT to spend at participating vendors’ booths on the Show Floor MONDAY ONLY.

•Winner will be announced Monday, January 30, at 11 a.m.

•As of 12/20/2022, the Jackpot sits at $10,750! You will NOT want to miss out!

•All RJO retailers present at the Show on Monday will be eligible to win.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29

Show Registration Desk Opens

8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Joint Breakfast 7:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Brain Gain Breakouts 8 - 9:30 a.m.

Buying Floor Opens 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

RJO Happy Hour 5 - 6 p.m.

Buying Floor Closes 6 p.m.

Riverboat Dinner Cruise Excursion*

6:30 - 9:45 p.m.

MONDAY, JANUARY 30

Sharing the Best of Your San Antonio Experience and Continental Breakfast 8 - 9:30 a.m.

Show Registration Desk Opens

8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Buying Floor Opens 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Farewell Event 2 - 3 p.m.

Buying Floor Closes 3 p.m.

JACKPOT RULES

1. Must be present to win. 2. Winner(s) will be given a special sales sheet of participating vendors to record their Jackpot purchases. 3. Winner(s) must use winnings for NEW purchases. Cannot be used on sales previously purchased on the Show Floor. 4. If all of the Jackpot balance is not used for purchases that Monday, the remainder will be forfeited.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:

Power Up

2023:

Be the Hero in Your Life

Saturday, January 28: 1:30 - 2 p.m.

Speaker: Liza Wisner, Diversity and Inclusion Talent Development Strategist

Liza Wisner is an award-winning television personality and was a top 3 finalist on the “The Apprentice” on NBC. She serves her community as the curator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and leads strategic initiatives to improve the diversity and inclusivity of human capital services.

Mrs. Wisner founded Texas Techies and PowerUp.org, successful organizations, which deliver STEM education to economically disadvantaged communities. Her mission is to end “Technology Poverty” by bridging the digital divide.

Educational Seminars

8:30 - 9:20 a.m.

TRACK ONE: How to Get Started with Estate Jewelry Without Using Your Own Money

Nicholle Mogavero, Mayflower Estate Buyers

TRACK TWO: Radio and Billboards — Proven Ways to Make These Powerful Mediums Work for You Better Than Most Businesses Ever Experience

Michael Buley, Jewelry Ads That Work

TRACK THREE: Resilient Leaders: 5 Steps to Reduce Stress, Burnout and Maximize Your Potential as a Leader in Your Business Bhavin Mehta, Nunu

TRACK FOUR: (Buzz Session): PostHoliday House Cleaning: Keep the Best and Getting Rid of the Rest Kate Peterson, Performance Concepts

TRACK FIVE: The Profit Panel Jim Ackerman, Ascend Marketing

9:30 - 10:20 a.m.

TRACK ONE: Selling Bridal: Our Constant in a Changing World Mark Stowe, Frederick Goldman

TRACK TWO: Navigating Our Shipping Landscape to Ship Smarter and Safer Your Friends At Jewelers Mutual

TRACK THREE: The Fine Art of Managing a Sales Floor Vince Rath and Danya Brown, Optimum Retail Solutions

TRACK FOUR: (Buzz Session): Let’s Talk RJO with Sabrina & Erin Sabrina Smead and Erin Sharp, RJO

9:30 - 11:20 a.m.

TRACK FIVE: Another Look Into the Current Diamond Market Kate Peterson, Performance Concepts

10:30 - 11:20 a.m.

TRACK ONE: Influential Trends for 2023 and Beyond

Nan Lung Palmer, Facets Consulting

TRACK TWO: Recession Proof Your Business

Becka Johnson Kibby, Edge Retail Academy

TRACK FOUR: (Buzz Session): I Hired a Manager—Now What? Vince Rath and Dayna Brown, Optimum Retail Solutions

10:30 - 12:20 a.m.

TRACK THREE: Changing Your Average Ticket Shane Decker, Ex-Sell-Ence 11:30 - 12:20 a.m.

TRACK ONE: Navigating the Wasteland of Color Gemstone Information Online Konrad Darling, Darling Imports

TRACK TWO: Burn the Ships, Drive Change, and Create a Lasting Clienteling Culture Ryan Blumenthal, Clientbook

TRACK FOUR (Next Gen Buzz Session): Cooking Up a Recipe for Retention—Customers and Employees

Kate Peterson and the RJO Next Gen Advisory Board

TRACK FIVE: You’re Invited to a Special Event!

Alisa Bunger, Chic Pistachio

VENDOR AFFILIATES

FRIDAY

3 - 4 p.m. INTRODUCING WILKERSON Presented by Rick Hayes and Russ Whitehouse

3 - 4:30 p.m. THE EDGE USER GROUP Presented by Lenny Prion 4 - 5 p.m.

LEARN WHY YOUR STORE SHOULD CARRY VINTAGE & ESTATE JEWELRY Presented by Rebekah Anderson, GG, NAJA, Earth Pebbles Vintage & Estate Jewelry

4 - 5 p.m. HOW SUCCESSFUL JEWELERS ARE RAPIDLY SCALING THEIR REPAIR BUSINESS Presented by Jimmy Lawson, JD & Co. A Trung Do Goldsmith

5 - 6:30 p.m. THE 2023 GAME PLAN IN THE NEW NORMAL Presented by Anuj Jain/Slav Galkin, Gems One Trading

5:30 - 6:30 p.m. THE STATE OF LAB GROWN DIAMONDS: WHAT’S NOW, WHAT’S NEW, WHAT’S NEXT Presented by John Pollard, Senior Director of Education with IGI

5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

WATCH OUT BLUE NILE AND JAMES ALLEN! TOOLS TO HELP INDEPENDENT RETAILERS COMPETE AND THRIVE Presented by Sanju Bhagwanji, AVA Couture

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

Jeweler Profile

Studio D Jewelers: Where Service is an Art

NINETY MINUTES northwest of Chicago sits a town filled with Victorian charm, including an opera house, a bandstand, a gazebo, and a town square. This is Woodstock, IL, population around 25,000. If Woodstock looks familiar, it may be because it played the role of Punxsutawney, PA, in the movie “Groundhog Day.” It also has been the home of Studio D Jewelers for the last four decades.

“Studio D Jewelers started as a locally owned, family operated business,” says store manager Tracy L. Gibson. “Tom and April Dougherty—along with a variety of other family members throughout the years—established and grew Studio D into a successful backbone of the community that continues to be known not only for providing fine jewelry, but also for giving back generously to the community.”

“In 1998 the business expanded by launching Thumbies, a company creating fingerprint jewelry and keepsakes, to provide comfort and keep memories alive,” says Gibson. “This year, with a desire to step back and move toward retirement, Tom and April sold Thumbies and expanded Studio D’s ownership group.”

Gibson says Wayne Read, president and one of the principal owners, provides day-to-day guidance to the team at Studio D. She says the store is undergoing a physical refresh, expanding its own in-store custom line while continuing to provide customers with unique design services and pieces from select brand partners. Due to the success of their in-house custom work, Studio D employs a full-time CAD designer, as well as two full-time goldsmiths.

“In our area some clients tend to be conservative when it comes to their jewelry looks,” explains Gibson. “We love to build original designs and have a genuine passion for color. We sometimes make a piece that becomes aged because we designed something that was more of a showstopper than most of our clients would be comfortable with. We had a large unheated aqua pendant of 34.5 carats, and we were proud to feature it and loan it to many events over the years, but it did take a number of years for it to find its person. It was recently purchased and is proudly worn daily. We often say our most valuable asset is our reputation, and while we believe that is always true, in a small community it is invaluable. With top online reviews, we find our established reputation is our biggest draw for new clients. It is a smaller community, but our founding

roots are local, and it has always been a part of our core values to be active and conscientious members of the community through charitable and community development efforts.”

“Alongside Studio D,” says Gibson, “another new business is also being launched: Forged & Formed. It will celebrate and mark all of the special moments in the lives of our pets, families, and businesses, with beautifully crafted and authentically imprinted jewelry and metals. Studio D ownership and staff have always —and continue to—present the highest level of artistry, craftsmanship and service to our clientele. That is the Studio D difference!”

Embracing artistry extends to other areas at Studio D. “We surprise people with our dedication to elevating customer service to an art form,” says Gibson. “A large portion of our business is custom, and our custom guarantee tends to surprise people. When we complete a custom piece, if the customer is not happy—for any reason—we will remake the piece at no additional charge, unless there is an upgrade of some kind, for which we will ask them to pay the difference. We have rarely re-made a custom piece, but the guarantee provides our customers with peace of mind. We also have a ‘Buy to Borrow’ program, which means if a customer purchases bridal or commitment jewelry from us, they may borrow any necklace or earrings for their ceremony. It makes the ‘something borrowed’ all built in! It is fun for us and for our customers.”

Studio D is in its tenth year as an RJO member, and Gibson says becoming a member has definitely impacted the store’s buying.

“We love to partner with RJO vendors,” she says, “as it makes buying and billing easy on both of us; the vendors and the discounts and the dividends are amazing. We look forward to the Buying Shows every year, and it helps organize our year. Attending the Shows is part of our annual employee development plan as well. We have written reference letters for vendors looking to become a part of RJO, and it is wonderful to know we are all members of a professional organization dedicated to excellent business practices and are a benefit to the jewelry industry as a whole.”

Studio D Jewelers is located at 118 N. Benton St. in Woodstock, IL Phone: (815) 337-2015 Website: www.StudioDJewelers.com

Tips to Prevent a Three-Minute Burglary

WITH JEWELRY CRIMES ON THE RISE, it’s important to stay vigilant and follow safety and security best practices. Be on the lookout for “three-minute burglary” attacks, perpetrated on jewelry stores afterhours. The thieves behind these crimes may not be as sophisticated as those that enter through rooftops or disable alarms, but they can still cause irreparable harm to your business.

Once they break in through a door or window, they will target merchandise left out of safes or vaults (including what remains in showcases) on display overnight. They aren’t concerned about whether they trigger an alarm because they plan to be long gone (in three minutes or less) before anyone can investigate the source of unauthorized entry.

The good news is there are steps you can take to make your business a hard target. Jewelers Mutual Group has compiled a list of store closing procedures, as well as general security tips to help you mitigate your losses and avoid becoming a victim of burglary altogether. Keep these in mind, not just during busy shopping times but all year round.

Store Closing Procedures to Prevent a Three-Minute Burglary

Get in the habit of making the following store closing procedures a priority:

• Lock the doors.

• Assign a guard or employee to open the doors only to allow remaining customers to exit. No one should be allowed to enter or re-enter the store after the official closing hour.

• Once all customers appear to have left the store, a team of at least two employees or guards should check restrooms or any other place where the bad guys could try to hide, waiting for an opportunity to burglarize the store once everyone else has left the building.

• DO NOT simply drape something over your showcases; even though your merchandise isn’t directly visible, this doesn’t mean burglars aren’t tipped off something valuable is still inside.

• Put away all merchandise overnight. This is the golden rule. While it is more time-consuming than leaving jewelry in showcases, there are ways to speed up the process:

- Use properly designed showcase pads that can be easily removed and placed on baker’s racks for quick transportation to a safe or vault where they can be stored. This can also significantly reduce the time needed to set up in the morning, which saves on labor costs in the process and makes your business much more secure than if merchandise was left out overnight.

- If time—and not the capacity of your safe—is an issue, it may be in your best interest to purchase a second, less durable (therefore less expensive) safe to store items of lower value. Even moving them to a more secure area of your store overnight is better than leaving them out in the open.

Security Tips to Prevent a Three-Minute Burglary

• Install proper interior and exterior lighting to give visibility to your store. This makes any suspicious incidents more likely to be recognized.

• Ensure your surveillance system is performing properly and recording non-stop. Make sure cameras are positioned to capture faces.

• Use burglary-resistant glazing material on showcases and windows with extra protection around windows and doors, such as metal gating that complements the rest of the store exterior.

• Hire a security company to respond to all alarms.

• If you’re located inside of a mall or shopping center, make sure your location has roll-down metal grates that can cover your storefront.

Want to learn more on how you can keep your jewelry store safe? Read A Jeweler’s Guide to 24/7 Security provided by the loss prevention experts at Jewelers Mutual Group.

Jewelers Mutual® Group

It’s A Joke

Most jewelers agree the end of the year can be one of the most stressful times. To help get to the new year, In the Loupe presents ... jokes. Jewelry and jeweler-related jokes.

It’s not easy to find them. Requests went out to more than 300 RJO members, and most of the responses were that the person did not know any jewelry jokes. Well, that stops here.

Following are jokes collected from RJO members (attributed), searches of the internet (unattributed), and one of the industry’s top consultants, Kate Peterson, of Performance Concepts (highlighted). This mix presents classic joke genres: one-liners, anecdotes, deadpan, and situational. There is not a knock-knock in the bunch.

The hope is these jokes will provide a smile or two as 2023 approaches.

A COUPLE IS ON THEIR HONEYMOON in the Caribbean, and they go into a shop so the husband can get his ear pierced. They walk up to the counter, and the husband says, "I'd like to get my ear pierced to celebrate our honeymoon! How much will that cost?"

The shopkeeper replies, "It'll be $20, plus the cost of the earring you get. If that works for you, you can go pick out the earring while I set up to pierce your ear."

The couple wanders off to look through the options, when another guy walks in. He's dressed in shabby clothes, has a peg leg, a parrot on his shoulder, multiple piercings, and a sword slung at his waist.

He walks up to the counter and asks "Yar! I think it be time to get another set of holes in me ears. How much be it for both?"

The proprietor responds, "That'll be $2."

The pirate walks away to go find just the right pair of earrings to match up with his existing jewelry. Hearing this, the couple comes back up to the counter, and the husband says to the shopkeeper, "Hey, what's the deal? You're charging me $20 for one ear, but that other guy gets both ears for just $2?"

The shopkeeper leans over and whispers, "He's a buccaneer."

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

AFTER A TERRIBLE, OBNOXIOUS CUSTOMER LEAVES, my Dad turns to me: I wish we had a hundred like him. I respond: What? He’s awful. Why? He says: Because we have a thousand.

— Laura Stanley Laura Stanley Personal Jeweler Little Rock, AR

WHAT DO YOU CALL A MINNESOTA VIKING with a Super Bowl ring? A thief.

WHERE DOES MIKE DITKA buy his jewelry? De Beers.

HOW DOES A MOISSANITE DEVELOP ITS FILM? In a dark room.

— Nathan Regan Burnell’s Fine Jewelry and Design Wichita, KS

WHAT TYPE OF JEWELRY does the Easter Bunny wear? 24 carrot.

MY WIFE IS COMPLAINING THAT I never buy her jewelry. In my defense, I didn’t even know she sold jewelry.

MY JEWELER FINALLY FIXED MY WATCH. I told him it was about time.

MY WIFE SAID SHE LIKED THE JEWELRY my grandmother wears. So, I bought her a Life Alert necklace.

HOW MANY BENCH JEWELERS does it take to change a light bulb? Five. One to change the light build and four to hold up a curtain around so nobody sees how it was done.

— Travis Corwin Corwins Jewelers Southampton, NY

I’M THINKING OF OPENING my own jewelry store. If anyone wants to help, give me a ring.

I HEARD THE KID WHO FELL INTO THE GORILLA PIT was actually trying to get the jewelry his mother had dropped. He didn’t get the gold, but he did get the silverback.

CUSTOMER: PLEASE TAKE GOOD CARE of my things. Jeweler: Well, we do keep them in a SAFE place!

— Leon Ayers Ayers Jewelers Stevens Point, WI

IT WAS CLOSE TO OUR ANNIVERSARY, and my wife was leaving jewelry catalogs all over the house. So, I took the hint and did what any astute husband would do: I got her a magazine rack.

WHY DID THE DIAMOND feel left out? Because he wasn’t included!

— Eaton’s Fine Jewelry St. Albans, VT

CUSTOMER: ARE THESE REAL diamonds?

Jeweler: Yes, they are “can-nard-lees.” Customer: Can-nard-lees?????? Jeweler: Yes, they are so small you can-nard-lee see ‘em!

— Allison Leitzel Williams Leitzel's Jewelry Myerstown, PA

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

— Ken Wehl Gems One New York,

NY

WHAT DO YOU CALL A FAKE IRISH GEM? A sham-rock.

— Joanna Gruver Haywood’s Westlake Smith Mountain Lake, VA

I LOST MY WATCH AT A PARTY ONCE. While I was looking for it, I saw a man step on it on the dance floor while harassing a woman at the same time. I immediately went over and punched the man in the face and broke his nose.

“Thank you so much!” the woman said.

“No problem,” I said putting my jewelry back on. “Nobody does that to a woman. Not on my watch.”

MY UNCLE, WHO HAS THE SAME LAST NAME, was an optometrist and had his office across the street from our jewelry store.

One day a lady comes in, and says, “Well, here I am!” I wasn’t sure what to say, so I said, “Well, yes you are.” She said, “I’m here for my eye exam!”

I said, “You really DO need glasses, don’t you?”

— Andy Russakoff Russakoff Jewelers Skowhegan, ME

NEVER PURCHASE JEWELRY BASED SIMPLY by looking at a photograph. It makes you look 2D pendant.

MY MOTHER GAVE ME A PENDANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY. It had a picture of my late grandmother inside. I thanked her and asked, “What made you decide on this specific piece of jewelry?”

She responded, “Well, your grandmother has always been a strong in-da-pendant type of woman.”

A MANAGER AND TWO OF HER SALES ASSOCIATES go out to lunch. They find a lamp on the booth seat. The manager rubs the lamp, and a genie appears. Says the genie, "I will grant three wishes. Since there's three of you here, you each get one wish."

The first employee says, "I wish I was by a tropical beach crowded with beautiful single women."

The genie snaps his fingers; the employee disappears. Excited, the second employee says, "I wish I was the richest woman in the world, living in Beverly Hills."

The genie snaps his fingers; the employee disappears. The manager watches this, finishes the last of her coffee, and says, "I wish for those two to be back on the sales floor within thirty minutes."

Kate Peterson: Three Jewelry Jokes

Mrs. Whembleton decided to have her portrait painted. She told the artist to paint her wearing diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, emerald bracelets, and a ruby pendant. The artist replied, "But, Madam, you are not wearing any of those things."

"True enough," said Mrs. Whembleton. "But if I should predecease my dear husband, I know he will remarry right away, and I want his new wife to go stark-raving mad looking for the jewelry!"

A man goes into a hardware store and tells the kid working there that his wife wants a dozen little gold hooks she can use for hanging her jewelry. The kid checks the stock room and comes back saying, "We don't have gold ones, but we do have silver ones. They'll work just as well".

To which the man replies, "You aren't married are you?"

Once upon a time a thief was working a well-to-do neighborhood, and after scouting out a particular house, managed to get in through a second-floor window while the residents were away for an evening. He was stuffing his pockets with jewelry when he heard a whisper, "Jesus is watching."

He froze, looking around for whoever said it, but after a minute of silence he started to think maybe he imagined it. He went back to rifling through the jewelry box, grabbing everything he could, when again he heard, "Jesus is watching."

This time he was sure the sound came from the corner of the room. He peered through the darkness and realized it was coming from a birdcage. With a sigh of relief, he went over to the cage and saw a parrot inside. The nameplate on the cage read "Moses."

The thief had a little chuckle and said, "What kind of person names their parrot Moses?" He heard a low growl from behind him as the parrot replied, "The same kind of person who names their Rottweiler Jesus."

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

CALENDAR

December 2022

January

2

2023

New Year’s Day—RJO office is closed 10 All payments must be received in RJO Office 16

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 23 All invoices must be received in the RJO office 27-30

2023 21 - All invoices must be received in the RJO office to count toward your patronage dividend - First day of Winter 23-26 Christmas—RJO office is closed 26 Kwanzaa begins 27 Retailer Registration deadline for 2023 Winter Buying Show 31 New Year’s Eve

10 All payments must be received in RJO Office 14 Valentine’s Day 20 Presidents Day 23 All invoices must be received in the RJO office

RJO Winter Buying Show, Fiesta RJO, San Antonio, TX

NEW MEMBERS

Button Jewelers

Joe & Jaimi Delagrave Wenatchee, WA

Heller Jewelers

Scott Heller San Ramon, CA

Honeycutt Jewelers

Carolyn D. Helms Southern Pines, NC

Referred by Mike Handley Gems One Trading, New York, NY

John Thomas Jewelers

John Thomas Mead Albuquerque, NM

Juniper Gem Co. Karen Fleck Elko, NV (Formerly Stonecraft Jewelers) Occasions Fine Jewelry Michael Fleck Midland, TX

Referred by Will Doland Doland Jewelers, Dubuque, IA

Peg & Co Fine Jewelry Peggy Parker Bossier City, LA (Formerly Connie and V. Cross Jewelers)

Vanessa Fine Jewelry Donnie & Vanessa Baugh Lakewood Ranch, FL

Thank you to the jewelers referring new members to our group. These jewelers will receive a $1,000 finder’s fee for their referral, payable after a new member has been in good standing for at least six months.

NEW VENDOR

Synchrony

Stamford, CT Tim Schrenk (844) 866-8014 www.syfenroll.com

Consumer financing that works for you and your customers. Put the power of the nation’s largest issuer of private label credit cards to work for you. With more than $140 billion in financed sales, our card programs offer the promotional financing your customers are looking for. A credit card with your company’s name on it provides lasting value. Synchrony Small Business Solutions can help you drive more traffic, turn browsers into buyers and grow your business. From applying to buying and more, we're here to help. Make the most of a Synchrony partnership and easily enroll today.

For terms and discounts, visit RJO’s online Vendor Directory.

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.