Jewelers Circular Keystone articles from April 2005

Jewelers Circular Keystone archives from April 2005

Diamond.
April 1, 2005... Thanks in part to DPS's diamond right-hand ring promotion, interest in diamond fashion rings--and diamonds for the self-purchasing woman-has risen tremendously. The three-stone diamond anniversary ring continues to make headway, and the bridal...

Gold.(jewelry designing in gold)
April 1, 2005... There's no such thing as plain gold anymore. From mirror polish to painstaking granulation to soft, satiny surfaces, gold can accomodate a range of looks and assume a variety of personas. It can be punk or prim, daring or delicate. It can mimic...

Colored stone.(use of colored stone in jewelry designing)
April 1, 2005... Color is Hot! As expected, the color trend continues on the runways. The hottest colors to look for this season are all about springtime and the seashore: greens and blues, pinks and oranges. From the rich vibrant turquoise and watery green...

Pearl.(use of pearls in jewelry industry)
April 1, 2005... They're hot! From freshwater to their more exotic high-end counterparts, pearls play an important role in completing this season's fashions. Pearl jewelry is the perfect companion to the feminine frocks that have dazzled both designers and...

Platinum.(use of platinum in jewelry designing)
April 1, 2005... Beyond pure, rare, eternal, beautiful, and precious, the key word for platinum remains "unique." Platinum is firmly established as the modern bride's--and groom's--metal of choice, and new creations in platinum make today's bridal jewelry...

Venetti: introduces affordable Platinum jewelry.(Best of USA)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Venetti has introduced a new series of platinum bridal rings designed to assist retail jewelers increase sales in the face of today's high platinum prices. "Our new platinum series of bridal rings fits perfectly into our corporate strategy...

Metal.(use of non traditional metals inmaking jewelry)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Titanium, stainless steel, and other non-traditional metals are making inroads into fine jewelry. With their high-tech, scientific origins in aerospace, medicine, and other industries, these metals have a special appeal to designers who are...

Silver.
April 1, 2005... Sterling silver is one of the most versatile materials in jewelry. Its affordability offers designers and consumers the opportunity to experiment with different looks and create new options. No matter what form a piece of sterling jewelry...

Packaging & display.
April 1, 2005... If perception is reality, does your store accurately reflect the image you want to create? Retail experts agree that one of the strongest elements of a shopping experience is the visual presentation of merchandise, both before and after the...

Watches.(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... Big, Bold, Beautiful... Today watches tell a lot more than time--they speak volumes about the wearer's fashion sense. Men's watches take design and technical inspiration from science, automobiles, airplanes, and computers. Fine mechanical...

Gifts.
April 1, 2005... Today's consumers reward themselves with luxuries of every type. Give your customers yet another reason to visit your store by offering a fine array of giftware, from the traditional silver and tableware one would expect to find in a jewelry...

Bench & jewelry services.
April 1, 2005... 1 Zale Richard Rubins -- Traditional and digital product photography for catalogs, promotions, web and ads. Additional trade show, design and graphics services available. Photo by Zale Richard Rubins Photography -- 3268 Motor Ave., Los Angeles,...

Calendar.(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... U.S. SHOWS AND EVENTS APRIL 1-2 AKS Spring Bead & Gem Fest, Kenner, La.; (504) 455-6101, fax (504) 455-6157. 2-3 Midwest Jewelry Expo, Madison, Wis.; (608) 257-3541, fax (608) 257-8755. 13-16 AGS International Conclave,...

JCK Shows provide growth & unlimited networking potential for all.(JCK Show Buzz.)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... The growth and expansion on the horizon for The Venetian Hotel and Sands Convention Center planned for 2007 will add remarkably to the convenience and ease of participating in The JCK Show ~ Las Vegas. The changes being undertaken by the...

Two charged as accomplices: suspected killer of three jewelers may face death.(SPOTLIGHT.)
April 1, 2005... The man charged with the shocking killings of three jewelers during a string of robberies in December and February could face the death penalty, authorities said. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The murders in New York and Connecticut were...

Guess my weight.(QUIZ. the Taylor-Burton diamond.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Taylor-Burton diamond: How much does it weigh now? Originally 69.42 cts. t.w., the colorless pear-shape Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton diamond was put up for auction in 1979. But before it could be sold, it needed to be recut--the gem...

Jewelry show sees armed break-in.(SPOTLIGHT)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... An armed intruder was shot, and later died, during a robbery attempt at a small gem and jewelry show in Florida in January. It's the first known attempted armed robbery of any U.S. jewelry show in at least 13 years, says the Jewelers Security...

Odimo has IPO.(SPOTLIGHT)
April 1, 2005... A second jewelry Web site has gone public. Odimo.com's initial public offering in February raised some $28 million, at $9 a share, down from its initial estimates of over $40 million, at $11 to $13 a share. The company is partially owned by...

Online diamond sales surge on Valentine's Day.(SPOTLIGHT.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Online purchases of diamonds surged 130 percent this Valentine's Day compared with last year's figures, according to VeriSign, which processes nearly 40 percent of North American Internet sales. It was the biggest increase of any category...

Friedman's to close 165 stores.(SPOTLIGHT.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... As part of its Chapter 11 reorganization, Friedman's will close up to 165 stores in 17 states and sell in excess of $25 million of inventory. When finished, Friedman's will operate approximately 481 stores in 20 states. The decision to...

New York jeweler says good-bye ... with a bang!(SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT.)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... After working in the same location for more than 35 years--29 South Moger Avenue, Mount Kisko, New York--no one could blame Philip Silverstein for wanting to retire while he was still young enough to enjoy life. And, he was certainly ready for...

The hunt is on for gemmy critters: a literary treasure.(SPOTLIGHT)(Book Review)
April 1, 2005... The rewards of reading are often intangible, but A Treasure's Trove by Michael Stadther can lead readers to some very real gifts. The expressive 116-page fairy tale, geared to both children and parents, tells the story of a group of forest...

Plaintiffs denied class-action status: De Beers wins victory, but keeps defaulting.(DIAMONDS.)
April 1, 2005... De Beers has received some good news in its continuing legal battles. A court recently denied class-action status to a group of consumers who sued the company because they claimed they were defrauded on their diamond purchases. The...

De Beers sets new sales record.(SUPPLIER OF CHOICE CREDITED.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... De Beers hit another sales record in 2004, when rough sales through its Diamond Trading Company jumped 3 percent, to hit $5.7 billion. A statement noted that during 2004, "the DTC raised its rough-diamond prices on three occasions, the...

Balance Your Diamond Inventory, speaker says.(DIAMONDS.)
April 1, 2005... Jewelers need to reconsider their diamond inventory in terms of what their consumers want, Malcolm Alderton of ARMS (Advanced Retail Management Systems) said at a seminar on "Balancing Your Diamond Inventory" at The JCK Show ~ Phoenix 2005. ...

DISC returns to represent America.(DIAMONDS. The Diamond Industry Steering Committee.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The long-moribund Diamond Industry Steering Committee--which for years served as the American industry's mouthpiece to the larger diamond world--is being revived in an effort to put the entire U.S. industry "under one umbrella." At press...

GIA [Gemological Institute of America] expands its labs.(DIAMONDS.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Gemological Institute of America is expanding its East Coast and West Coast laboratories to meet increased demand and complaints of backlogs. When construction is completed by the end of the year, the New York location will have added...

New publication defines treatment terminology: CIBJO wants no uncertain terms.(GEMS. Periodical from the International Confederation of Jewelry, Silverware, Diamonds and Stones.)
April 1, 2005... Retailers and colorstone dealers have been grappling with the thorny issue of enhancement disclosure for decades, but diamond dealers seem to be not so well informed on the issue. To address that perceived gap in knowledge, Harry Levy,...

Fifty-carat unenhanced emerald goes on tour.(GEMS.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Not many retailers, and even fewer consumers, have ever seen an unenhanced 1-ct. gemmy emerald, let alone a 50-carater, but they'd probably like to. At least that's what Arthur Groom and a number of select jewelers are banking on. Groom, New...

Rio Tinto reports on Argyle Mine.(GEMS.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... It seems almost impossible that champagne--a.k.a. chocolate--and fancy vivid-pink diamonds may soon be history, but this is the reality of gem mining. Confirming what was written in our February gem feature (see "Argyle Is Still in the Pink,...

Smithsonian adds a star.(GEMS)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Smithsonian Institution has been given a 16.21-ct. natural Ceylon star ruby. The Star of Katandru has classic Sri Lankan color and a perfect star--six straight, centered, unbroken legs. Jeffrey Bilgore, gem dealer in New York, says a...

Pittsburgh blues.(GEMS)
April 1, 2005... Soaring ceilings of the Carnegie Music Hall Foyer, towering green marble columns, matching marble floors, a gold-gilded balcony... what a magnificent venue for a gem show! The 2004 Seventh Annual Carnegie Gem & Mineral Show in Pittsburgh...

Hues you can use: understanding color.(FASHION)
April 1, 2005... Tiffany, Pepsi, and Microsoft. Three brands with very separate plans, but something big in common. All use various shades of blue as their signature color--their brand. And, according to a recent study by international research and marketing...

A jewel of an exhibition.(FASHION)
April 1, 2005... French jewelers staged an unusual exhibit in Paris in November, showing more than 300 contemporary jewels for public viewing at Hotel Drouot Montaigne. The exhibit, Un Bijou d'Expo, the first in a series organized by the mayor of Paris, aimed...

Quote-worthy.
April 1, 2005... "What's in? Unusual necklaces and bracelets. Big earrings have been done to death.... What's out? Chandelier earrings. Leave chandeliers on the ceiling here They belong." --New York Daily News, Jan. 8, 2005

Westwood Next?(RUMOR MILL)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Westwood Next? Another fashion brand will dabble in jewelry beginning this spring. This time, however, the jewelry will be launched by a well-known jewelry insider. German manufacturer and designer Gert Hellmuth, Hellmuth Simply Good, has...

Trump Motto: Why Pay Retail?(RUMOR MILL)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Trump Motto: Why Pay Retail? The Trumps did little for the bridal jewelry industry, despite the recent marriage of Papa Donald and the engagement of Donald Jr. New York media reported that the Donald paid only half price for the ring he gave...

Classics Forever.(RUMOR MILL)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Classics Forever. The top-three jewelry buys at Ross-Simons this holiday season were diamond drop earrings, a classic circle pin, and a cuff bracelet, according to a company report. Darrell Ross, president of Ross-Simons, told the media: "White...

A growing population.(FASHION)
April 1, 2005... Like fashion retailers, jewelers run the risk of falling for what's trendy, without taking their customers into consideration. To avoid that pitfall with one market segment, consider this: As of 2000, 19.8 percent of the U.S. population can be...

Fergie, H. Stern get the Grammys started.(FASHION)
April 1, 2005... Grammy-nominated Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas, attended the awards ceremony adorned in H. Stern's Diane von Furstenberg-created collection. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Necklaces return to the red carpet.(RED CARPET)
April 1, 2005... There wasn't a whole lot of bling on the red carpet, and there's good reason... the buzz in pre-Oscars Hollywood was that "bling" is out, elegance is in. One element of that elegance is, apparently, the necklace. While there were those who...

Man jewels!(RED CARPET)
April 1, 2005... While the ladies were slightly less jewelry crazy than in past years, the gents on the Academy Awards red carpet embraced the idea of precious accessories more than ever. From diamond earrings and cufflinks to bejeweled watches (and even a...

Who wore what at the Oscars.(RED CARPET)
April 1, 2005... JCK tracks which stars made the ultimate product placement--an A-list star at the Academy Awards. Scarlett Johansson, in a bejeweled 19th-century Fred Leighton tiara [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Usher, in an Avenue Chronograph diamond...

Best and worst.(RED CARPET)
April 1, 2005... While we cheer all who chose beautiful baubles for their Academy Awards red-carpet waltz, there were--as always--those who pulled it off well and those who, well, should have put it on differently. Worst [1] We applaud Hilary Swank for...

Tops $9 billion: Swiss watch exports set record in 2004.(WATCHES)
April 1, 2005... The value of Swiss watch exports in 2004 set a new record, for the first time topping 11.1 billion Swiss francs ($9.2 billion). This is a 9.2 percent gain over 2003 figures (up more than $775 million), says the Federation of the Swiss Watch...

Dickson Concepts (International).(NEWSWIRE)(acquisitions)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Dickson Concepts (International), an international Hong Kong retailer and distributor of luxury products, completed acquisition of Bertoluccl, the Swiss luxury watch brand, in January. Swiss media report that Dickson will invest about $24.8...

MCH Swiss Exhibition Ltd.(NEWSWIRE)
April 1, 2005... MCH Swiss Exhibition Ltd., owners of the BaselWorld watch and jewelry trade fair, have appealed to the Swiss Supreme Court to condemn a SARS order against BaselWorld 2003 from the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health. MCH filed its appeal in...

Luxury watches boost swatch.(WATCHES)(Swatch Group Ltd.)(profits)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The 2004 sales of the Swatch Group rose 4.7 percent to $3.49 billion, propelled by double-digit sales in upscale and luxury watches, says a February report from the Group, which noted that production of watches, movements, and components also...

TAG Heuer Golf watch debuts.(WATCHES)(TAG Heuer North America)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Daniel LaLonde, president and CEO, TAG Heuer North America, presents the first TAG Heuer Professional Golf Watch to golf champion Tiger Woods in January. The Swiss luxury sports watch [bottom], developed in collaboration with Woods, integrates...

Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre unite on new watch.(WATCHES)
April 1, 2005... Luxury jeweler-watchmaker Cartier and luxury watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre have partnered to create a new movement and a new watch. The 42-mm Pasha de Cartier, unveiled this month in Geneva at the SIHH luxury watch trade show, uses the new 8000...

Blancpain keeps time for chef's contest.(WATCHES)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Swiss luxury watchmaker Blancpain was again official timekeeper of the prestigious international Bocuse d'Or haute cuisine competition, held in late January in Lyon, France. Twenty-four of the world's top chefs vied in two five-hour sessions to...

Reducing aged inventory.(BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... While disposing of aged inventory can be a daunting task, Kathy Corey makes the job seem a lot easier. During the The JCK Show ~ Phoenix 2005, the vice president of merchandising for Day's Jewelers, Waterville, Maine, offered jewelers tips for...

JCK queries retailers nationwide on a variety of topics: what's the silliest excuse you've ever gotten for a return?(NORTH-SOUTH-EAST-WEST)
April 1, 2005... BOXER REBELLION Steve Ginsberg, vice president, Ginsberg Jewelry, Cedar Rapids, Iowa A man bought a Levian ruby and diamond ring set in 18k gold for his wife. Shortly after, he went back to the store to return it. "I don't want this,"...

HSN seeks 'interactive TV shopping' this year.(NEWSWIRE)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Cable television shopping network HSN plans to initiate shopping by remote control, according to news reports. The TV retailer is negotiating with cable television operators nationwide to launch "interactive TV shopping," in which customers...

ICE.com adds catalogs.(NEWSWIRE)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Online jewelry retailer ICE.com has added catalogs to its marketing mix, according to media reports. Its first catalog, printed in October 2004, delivered a .25 percent conversion rate and $547,000 in sales. It featured 375 items from ICE.com's...

LVMH drops Christian Lacroix.(BUSINESS)(LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... LVMH has sold the Christian Lacroix brand, reportedly because of lack of profits, to the U.S.-based Falic Group. The move is part of a plan by LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault to refocus on the company's core brands, including Fendi leather goods, by...

Thinking outside the (jewelry) box?(BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... In the art, music, and literature worlds, it's called "genre crossing"--combining two genres to create a new one. (Novelists Lindsey Davis and Steven Saylor, for example, combine mystery with history, setting their detective novels in ancient...

Fine point.(BUSINESS)
April 1, 2005... "The key to becoming more disciplined in any area is to approach it not as a chore but as an exciting challenge." Source: "The Discipline Challenge," by Dan Struzel, Nightingale-Conant's AdvantEdge magazine

Cost, margins, and goldsmiths.(readers' forum.)(Column)
April 1, 2005... Remaining competitive in the jewelry market requires constant research, skill upgrading, cost management, and a host of other "hands-on" efforts. We have all watched as companies competing within our market areas have undercut standard margin...

The trade-show advantage.(counterpoint)
April 1, 2005... It hardly seems possible that another show season is upon jewelry retailers. The fourth-quarter selling season is barely a memory and it's time to talk about the May and June shows! According to all the research published on why retailers...

A taste for platinum delicacies.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Sure, platinum is pure, rare, and eternal. By now, everyone in the trade has heard this mantra of the Platinum Guild International, and any retailers who haven't recognized platinum's power in the bridal category are surely in a time warp....

Stable market adds sheen to platinum sales in 2005: a calmer market, ongoing high-end sales, and celebrity exposure augur healthy times for platinum jewelry and watches.(PLATINUM MARKET REPORT)
April 1, 2005... Following two years of volatile, rising prices, the platinum market will be calmer in 2005, say experts, providing a stable basis for healthy sales of jewelry and watches made from the metal. Supporting those sales are new programs for...

Sunburst.(PLATINUM PREVIEW)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... 580 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1212 New York, NY 10036 Tel: 877-8Sunburst Fax: 212-713-5904 Web Site: www.sunburstcollection.com Natural Ideal fancy yellow diamonds manufactured in Belgium. Important center stones. Perfectly...

Super bell jewelry.(PLATINUM PREVIEW)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... 611 West 6th St., Suite 2288 Los Angeles, CA 90017 Tel: 800-884-3888 Fax: 213-612-4404 E-mail: info@sbjewelry.com Web Site: www.jewelryclubhouse.com 14k white gold bridal ring set with 1 ct. t.w. of baguette and...

Precision set.(PLATINUM PREVIEW)
April 1, 2005... 13711 Omega Rd. Dallas, TX 75244 Tel: 972-788-9277 Fax: 972-385-7032 Web Site: www.precisionset.com Round Diamond channel set (full round) semimount with matte finish. Platinum, 43 ct. t.w. Does not come with center...

Leo Ingwer to have and to hold.(PLATINUM PREVIEW)
April 1, 2005... 62 West 47th St. New York, NY 10036 Tel: 212-719-1342 Fax: 212-869-5462 E-mail: info@leoingwer.com Web Site: www.leoingwer.com 14k white gold semimount containing .86 t.w. half-moon diamonds and .13 t.w. small round...

Michael Werdiger.(PLATINUM PREVIEW)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... 35 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036 Tel: 800-223-7390 Fax: 212-302-5269 Web Site: www.michaelwerdiger.com Brilliant cut round diamond with marquis diamonds set in Platinum. Part of Michael Werdiger's newly-launched...

House of baguettes.(PLATINUM PREVIEW)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... 580 Fifth Avenue, Mezz. B New York, NY 10036 Tel: 212-840-0042 Fax: 212-840-0228 Web Site: www.houseofbaguette.com Unique, impeccable, expertly set diamonds in Platinum and 18k white gold. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Timeless designs by Jacob Boyan.(PLATINUM PREVIEW)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... 2 West 47th Street, Suite 305 New York, NY 10036 Tel: 212-730-1360 Fax: 212-354-6650 E-mail: info@timelessdesigns.com Web Site: www.timelessdesigns.com Three vintage-inspired bridal rings featuring princess cut, half...

Grade expectations: GIA's new cut grade will likely have a huge impact on the industry. Will it settle the debate over cut--or complicate it?(GIA'S CUT GRADE. [Gemological Institute of America])
April 1, 2005... It's taken more than a decade of research, millions of dollars, and many false promises--but the Gemological Institute of America says it's finally ready to release its first-ever cut grade sometime this year. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

A retail space odyssey: pulling together the disparate elements of a 17,000-sq.-ft. jewelry, watches, flatware, hollowware, and clocks department was "like doing a giant jigsaw puzzle," but the result--for the Fortunoff store in White Plains, N.Y.--is a retail space that embraces employees and customers alike.(FORTUNOFF DESIGN)
April 1, 2005... It pays to have an architect in the family. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Andrea Fortunoff is the architect for the Fortunoff family's retail empire, charged with creating new retail spaces for the company as well...

The ghost of appraisals past: a jeweler could have lost his JBT standing, his reputation, and even his business--all through no fault of his own.(APPRAISAL LAWSUIT.)
April 1, 2005... On Nov. 16, 2004, John Anthony Jr. stood in a Pennsylvania courtroom awaiting a jury's verdict. He was accused of a reputation-demolishing, potentially business-destroying offense: switching a diamond. The civil case revolved around a 1988...

Mall exodus? Some large-scale retailers are exploring their options beyond "center court.".(MALL EXODUS)
April 1, 2005... Zale Corp., known as a mall jeweler, now believes in the power of off-mall locations. It will soon open 25 off-mall Zales stores in New York City, and it's testing several Gordon's Jewelers in power centers--open-air shopping centers of...

Coming to America: in a strategic makeover, the Swiss luxury watch Hublot is focusing on the U.S. market.
April 1, 2005... Hublot, the luxury Swiss sport watch best known for its "porthole" bezel and natural-rubber strap, is shifting its primary marketing spotlight to the United States, and its watch-design focus to American tastes, JCK has learned. "Hublot will...

What once was old is new again: some contemporary jewelry designers have put an exceptional modern slant on three ancient techniques.
April 1, 2005... With fashion's recent emphasis on all things ladylike, many women have been seeing their grandmother's hand-me-down jewelry in a new light as they hunt for long-discarded brooches or flashy right-hand rings. Some jewelry designers also are...

Jewelers create pieces with a purpose.(JEWELER'S NOTE BOOK.)
April 1, 2005... Recently, under the combined banners of AGTA, AGS, GIA, and ICGA, the jewelry industry responded to the tsunami disaster by establishing the Jewelry Industry Relief Fund. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A few more charitable projects: The...

Sri Lankan sapphire.(jewel of the month.)
April 1, 2005... Sri Lanka, the West Virginia-size pear-shape island 40 miles southeast of India, has been a treasure trove of gems for more than a thousand years. Even as gem deposits from other locales come and go, the mines of Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon,...

Lady-like luxe.(Luxuries!)
April 1, 2005... THE ELEGANTLY STREAMLINED DRESSES, FROCKS AND JACKETS THAT MARCHED DOWN THE RUNWAYS FOR SPRING BROUGHT ALL EYES TO ATTENTION, HIGHLIGHTING DECOLLETAGE AND A WOMAN'S NATURAL WAISTLINE AND FORMING AN EXCELLENT BACKDROP FOR SOME OF FINE JEWELRY'S...

Pretty packaging: fine packaging is more than just gift wrap and bows.(JEWELER'S NOTEBOOK)
April 1, 2005... Rosalie Powel has seen her share of poorly wrapped packages--she wrapped most of them herself. The worst are "probably the ones I give to my children," she confesses. "Sometimes I give gifts to them in the bags they came in because I don't have...

Jewelry with a purpose: designers and manufacturers are raising the bar in their cause-related marketing by creating exclusive jewelry to benefit charities.(JEWELER'S NOTEBOOK)
April 1, 2005... Cause-related marketing is a growing movement that the jewelry industry has endorsed for many years. Countless retailers and manufacturers have donated time, resources, and money to charitable causes through sponsorship of charity events,...

Fine, extra-fine strong in Tucson.(gem pricing update)
April 1, 2005... MARKET IN BRIEF: March 4, 2005... The color-stone market continues to demonstrate a strong demand in a narrow range of products. Fine and extra-fine unenhanced gem materials are selling well. Prices are strong with little resistance from...

Top 10 add-on questions.
April 1, 2005... Selling add-ons is one of the major keys in developing a business and maximizing selling opportunities. Lay the groundwork for selling add-ons early in the presentation by asking the right questions. Find out what the appropriate add-on(s) will...

Jewelry.(WHAT'SNEW)
April 1, 2005... Xen Stainless-steel and diamond Constancy ring from Xen. Xen, Ringwood, N.J.; (973) 839-8222, www.xen-usa.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gretchen Gray Black onyx and opalite necklace retails for $360. Gretchen Gray,...

Vibrograf introduces new line.(BENCH & LAB)
April 1, 2005... Vibrograf U.S.A. has introduced the Elmasonic S-Line of ultrasonic cleaners. Eleven units, from half-quart to 8 gallons, are equipped with 37 KHZ industrial transducers. Features include electronic timer, sweep cleaning, degas function, and...