Jewelers Circular Keystone articles from March 2009

Jewelers Circular Keystone archives from March 2009

The Facebook Phenomenon.
March 1, 2009... By Hedda T. Schupak A few years ago this page discussed "digital creep," referring to those of us over a certain age who didn't grow up with mouse in hand but have gradually grown more dependent on technology till we can't conceive of life...

The Frugal Consumer: When Shoppers Lose the Urge to Splurge.
March 1, 2009... By Rob Bates, Senior Editor Americans are cutting back on spending and becoming more careful about what they buy. Experts explain how to navigate the new consumer psychology. It was only last summer that the Wall Street Journal was...

Jewelers to Government: Help!
March 1, 2009... By William George Shuster, Senior Editor Santa Claus failed them. Jewelers are hoping Uncle Sam can do better. U.S. jewelers have an urgent plea for the new president and Congress: Lower the taxes! And, while they're at it, make...

Can U.S. Jewelry Manufacturers Survive?
March 1, 2009... By William George Shuster, Senior Editor In the second Part of JCK's roundtable on the state of U.S jewelry manufacturing, senior editor william george shuster asks the panel about relations with retailers, theeffects of the recession, and...

Rolex-Led Alliance Unveils New Watchmaking Curriculum.
March 1, 2009... By William George Shuster, Senior Editor The program will augment the service capabilities of U.S. watchmakers employed by retailers. A Rolex USA-led alliance of U.S. watch training organizations and schools has unveiled a new...

Say Bye-Bye to the Good Old Days.
March 1, 2009... By Rick Bannerot After attending the Centurion Show in Arizona, where I talked to other attendees, went to seminars, participated in roundtable discussions, and listened to keynote speakers, several things are apparent. One and all...

Gem Pricing Report.
March 1, 2009... Staff The AGTA GemFair in Tucson, Ariz., illustrated the strength of the global gem trade. Although prices for most colored stone varieties are down, that was largely limited to commercial and good-quality grades. Fine-quality material is...

Four Steps to a Better 2009.
March 1, 2009... By Tim Malone To prosper during this time of unprecedented challenges, your store must provide superior shopping experiences that lead to more sales. Don't focus only on cutting costs. Cost cutting is a prudent approach, but don't reduce...

How to Avoid Shipping Disaster.
March 1, 2009... By Glen A. Beres, Contributing Editor Proper packing and shipping procedures are essential to maintaining goodwill--and not wasting money needlessly. While packing, shipping, and receiving jewelry is a basic, integral part of any...

How To Handle Layoffs.
March 1, 2009... By Suzanne DeVries Staff cutbacks may be the only way for some jewelers to survive the economic downturn. Following are some of the main issues jewelers must address when considering layoffs, according to staffing experts: Develop a...

Retail Bankruptcies Pile Up.
March 1, 2009... By Rob Bates The jewelry industry was hit with two noteworthy retail bankruptcies as 2009 began. First, in January, was Shane Co., a Midwest retailer that operates 23 stores in 14 states, which filed for Chapter 11 in the middle of the...

A Thousand Cuts.
March 1, 2009... Staff Many jewelry companies began 2009 by making major staff reductions. Among them: Cartier put almost all 200 full-time workers making watch cases at one of its Swiss watch factories on part-time status. De Beers plans to cut...

JADE Law Updated.
March 1, 2009... Staff The Customs Service issued new regulations for ruby and jadeite importation under the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008. The act says Burmese rubies and jadeite cannot enter the United States even if they were transformed...

Did Colibri Shutdown Violate Law?
March 1, 2009... By William George Shuster The sudden shutdown of the 80-year-old Colibri Group on Jan. 14 outraged its 280 workers, with some claiming the company violated federal law. The closing was announced in a Jan. 14 evening e-mail from...

De Beers Copes With Crisis.
March 1, 2009... By Rob Bates After what some called its lowest sights in 20 years, De Beers told clients it will slash mine production in half this year, a decision that has prompted massive layoffs in its African mines. In a more controversial move,...

From the JCK archives--June 1951.
March 1, 2009... Staff New applications of color television promise to add an important attraction to the retail store. The first step toward the use of television for commercial purposes has been taken by the Jordan Marsh Co. of Boston, who will utilize...

Visits to SIHH Down.(Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... By William George Shuster Attendance plunged 20 percent at the prestigious Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie luxury watch fair in Geneva, held Jan. 19-23. Show officials blamed the global slowdown, but not overlapping Basel World...

From the JCKonline.com Blogs.
March 1, 2009... By Rob Bates Joseph Schlussel Dies Last week, we lost one of the nicest men in the diamond industry, Joseph Schlussel. -- In the trade press world, he is probably best known for producing one of the first publications devoted to the...

Newswire.
March 1, 2009... Staff Retailer J. Edwards Diamonds of Albuquerque, N.M., has taken the Better Business Bureau of the Southwest to court over its rating on the organization's Web site, according to New Mexico Business Journal . J. Edwards was assigned a D,...

Lana Fertelmeister.
March 1, 2009... By Jennifer Heebner One-time clothing designer Lana Fertelmeister launched her jewelry business six years ago after unsuccessful attempts to find chic, affordable styles. She commissioned a jeweler to make a pair of earrings--her signature...

Global Meltdown.
March 1, 2009... Staff In a global poll of consumers, 72 percent said they're cutting back expenses in some way in this economy. Among emerging markets, only Brazil is not showing a decline in consumer confidence. China's consumer optimism declined 47...

GIA Launches New eLearning Program.
March 1, 2009... Staff The Gemological Institute of America has announced a new online multimedia format for its distance learning courses in gemology and jewelry sales. The format, called "eLearning," features video for demonstrations, interviews with...

JVC and NCDIA Produce Color Diamonds Guide.
March 1, 2009... Staff Jewelers Vigilance Committee and Natural Color Diamond Association have released "The Essential Guide to the U.S. Trade in Color Diamonds." It includes an overview of the geology of natural color diamonds; simplified nomenclature to...

Plan for the Worst.(Column)
March 1, 2009... By Frank Dallahan Growing up in West Philadelphia in a working-class neighborhood listening to my parents talk about the Depression never made a dent in my consciousness. We baby boomers have lived in really good times. The most serious...

The Fat's in the Fire.(Column)
March 1, 2009... By Ben Janowski benjanow@gmail.com That's the only way to put it. In the last few weeks I heard the same expression voiced in the auto industry and ours: "Down 20 percent is the new good." The industry has emerged from a disastrous...

The Facebook Era Arrives.
March 1, 2009... By Mark Smelzer I've just returned from Tucson, Ariz., where I attended the Centurion show and the AGTA show. As always, the warmth of Tucson (figuratively and literally) was a terrific escape and the trip was a chance to see our...