Jewelers Circular Keystone articles from November 2007

Jewelers Circular Keystone archives from November 2007

JCK's Annual Salary Survey.
November 1, 2007... By Staff The 2007 JCK Annual Salary and Job Satisfaction Survey drew the highest number of respondents ever, 782, from both online e-mail and mail surveys to the JCK Retail Panel. In addition to retailers, the 2007 survey is JCK 's first...

The Right Media.
November 1, 2007... By Rosabel Tao Diversity of media plus consistency of message equal a powerful advertising strategy. Not long ago, reputation and location were all that most jewelry-store owners needed to attract prospective customers. While these...

Pearls in Paradise.
November 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA, Senior Editor While akoya farmers in Japan and China are labeling everything 'product of Japan...'... Pinctada margaritifera and P. maxima farmers in other regions of the world use country of origin to their...

Uncle John Wants You!(John Kennedy helms a project to create local crime-alert networks that take a 'giant step' in fighting crimes against jewelers.)
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster, Senior Editor John Kennedy helms a project to create local crime-alert networks that take a 'giant step' in fighting crimes against jewelers. A national campaign to create hundreds of local crime-prevention...

You've Got Cash! FAQs About the De Beers Antitrust Settlement.
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates, Senior Editor De Beers owes money to anyone who bought diamonds in the last 13 years. Here's how to get it. $300,000,000-that's how much De Beers is paying to make its American legal problems go away. (See sidebar for...

Expand Your Mind to Expand Your Business.
November 1, 2007... By Rick Bannerot It's almost the time of year for top 10 lists and articles on New Year's resolutions to begin appearing, so I've combined those two notions to create a reading list that will, I hope, open new paths and stimulate you to...

Gem Pricing Report.
November 1, 2007... By Staff The September crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Burma has sparked calls to strengthen the sanctions imposed on its military government. Current law allows importation of gems mined in Burma into the United States if...

Brand-Building Negotiations.(negotiating skills help to improve your profit margins.)
November 1, 2007... By Martin C. Shanker Many of my clients have improved their margins by as much as 5 percent in a year by strengthening the negotiating skills of their sales associates. And that has helped them build trust in their brand and prices. The...

Investment Diamonds Again?
November 1, 2007... By Frank Dallahan I am not sure what, if anything, diamonds have in common with pork bellies, orange juice, and soybeans. Some in the industry, however, insist on trying to commoditize diamonds. I suppose there are premium pork bellies and...

Why We Love This Business.
November 1, 2007... By Hedda Schupak Fear not, however. The article-while its facts may be accurate-is misleading, because its criteria for 'better' and 'worse' jobs are tied directly to the growth opportunity in that industry, not the actual working...

Diamond Roundup 2007.
November 1, 2007... By Ben Janowski We enter the holiday season this month and look for a satisfying end to a roller-coaster year. It's a good time to assess conditions in the trade. I write at Labor Day, and, with things changing fast, what I say may be old...

Time to Vote!(the retailers of America to cast their votes in the first annual JCK Jewelers Choice Awards.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Mark Smelzer The time has come for the retailers of America to cast their votes in the first annual JCK Jewelers Choice Awards. As the name suggests, these are the first industry design awards voted on exclusively by retailers....

An Endangered Species: The Independent Sales Rep.
November 1, 2007... By Deborah E. Hecht, G.G. Today, independent jewelry reps are leaving the road by the 'caratful.' To earn income that covers our growing expenses, we either have to expand our territories or carry more merchandise. We have to juggle...

World's Largest Diamond?
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates A reported record-shattering 8,000 ct. diamond made headlines around the world-but later was revealed to be a hoax. The stone, discovered in South Africa, was said to be more than double the weight of the 3,100 ct. Cullinan,...

Nirupa Bhatt Leaves Rio Tinto Amid Argyle Rumors.
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates Nirupa Bhatt, longtime head of Rio Tinto's India office, is leaving her post at the end of this month. Announcing the shift, Rio Tinto Diamonds' general manager of marketing, Jean-Marc Lieberherr, said, 'I would like to...

LVMH Exec to Head De Beers Marketing.
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates Francois Delarge, a 16-year LVMH veteran, has been named CEO of De Beers Group Marketing, the new division that will coordinate the company's worldwide marketing efforts. (See 'DTC Reorganizes Marketing Division,' JCK ,...

European Commission to Appeal Ruling on Alrosa.
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates The European Commission will likely appeal the decision that voided its prohibition of further diamond sales between De Beers and Alrosa, reports say. (See 'Court Allows Alrosa/De Beers Sales,' JCK , September 2007, p. 56.)...

L.I.D. Reaches Agreement With Banks.
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates L.I.D., which has been operating under Chapter 11 since March, said its lender banks have agreed to a long-term financing agreement that will allow the New York-based diamond jewelry company to accelerate its growth plans for...

GIA Names H. Goldie Design Competition Winner.(Gemological Institute of America)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates GIA London recently named Jennifer Lam, a graduate of GIA London's graduate gemologist program, winner of the inaugural H. Goldie Jewelry Design Competition. Lam won a [pounds sterling]1,000 award and [pounds sterling]500 trip...

New Chairman Takes Helm of IDC.(Stephane Fischler has appointed as chairman of the International Diamond Council)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates Stephane Fischler has been named chairman of the International Diamond Council, the low-key body that rules on gemological and nomenclature issues. He replaces Edward Asscher, who has been chairman since 1990. Fischler is...

4-Billion-Year-Old Diamonds Found.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Rob Bates A startling scientific discovery has journalists proclaiming 'maybe diamonds really are forever.' Micro-slivers of diamonds recently discovered in western Australia are 4 billion years old, or within 300 million years of...

Trend Alert.
November 1, 2007... By Jennifer Heebner Fruit motifs are in season for the jewelry industry. Fruit is a logical (and organic) choice for a group with a clear affinity for nature (see Trend Alert, JCK , October 2007, p. 62, and March 2007, p. 72). Selections...

A Blue Topaz Christmas.
November 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA The gem and jewelry industry has little to worry about from irradiated blue topaz, says Dr. Andrew Karam, adjunct professor of radiation safety at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He says a blue topaz...

Krementz Out, Lawrence In.(Rick Krementz has announce his resignation and Barbara Lawrence appointed as new president of American Gem Trade Association)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA During a conference call on Oct. 5, American Gem Trade Association president Rick Krementz told the AGTA board of directors that, for personal reasons, he was offering his resignation. First vice chairman Barbara...

GIA New Color Reports.
November 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA The Gemological Institute of America's Gem Laboratory is offering additional services with its colored gemstone identification reports. These include expanded origin reports and an analytical report, i.e., a...

Lightning Ridge Holds Opal Design Contest.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA The International Opal Jewellery Design Award winners for 2007 have been announced. The biannual competition was launched in 2001 to promote and showcase freeform and undulating opal as well as cutting methods...

An Ideal Book.
November 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA If you want to know the history of the Ideal-cut diamond, read American Cut: The First 100 Years , by Al Gilbertson, research associate for the Gemological Institute of America, in Carlsbad, Calif. It's not only a...

Uprising in Burma Sparks Boycott Talk.
November 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA A government crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Burma has renewed debate on whether or not to enforce the ban on Burmese gems. Many in the colored stones industry believe a boycott of Burmese gems won't be...

Zale Sells Bailey Banks & Biddle to Finlay.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster and Rob Bates Zale Corp. has sold the 175-year-old upscale Bailey Banks & Biddle store chain, which it has owned for 45 years, to Finlay Fine Jewelry Corp. for $200 million. The purchase, plus an inventory...

Citizen Will Buy Bulova for $250 Million.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Japanese watchmaker Citizen Watch Co. Ltd. said on Oct. 5 that it will buy Bulova Corp. from Loews Corp., a New York-based conglomerate. The purchase price is $250 million, JCK was told by Darren Daugherty,...

Edmundo Calhau, Director of Brazil Association, Dies.
November 1, 2007... By Hedda Schupak Edmundo Calhau Filho, international director of the Brazilian Gems and Jewellery Trade Association (IBGM), died Aug. 17 in Brasília, Brazil, following a battle with cancer. He was 56. Calhau's was a familiar...

Newswire.(Scull and Co. has appointed Pierre Tardy to the role of director of merchandising and store operations)(Sterling Jewelers was awarded best workplaces )(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By Staff Tardy Joins Scull and Co. Staff Scull and Co. has appointed Pierre Tardy to the role of director of merchandising and store operations. Tardy will counsel Scull clients on issues relating to display and will provide...

JCK Wins Three Awards.(JCK Luxury magazine)
November 1, 2007... By Staff JCK recently won two Eddie Awards and one Ozzie Award at a ceremony in New York. The Eddie Awards, sponsored by Folio magazine, honor editorial excellence, while the Ozzies honor design. Gold, silver, and bronze awards are given...

Patrizzi Takes Antiquorum Operators to Court.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Osvaldo Patrizzi, founder of Antiquorum, the international fine-watch auctioneer, has filed legal actions against those who took it over and ousted him and other top officials in early August. Meanwhile, an...

SIHH Won't Expand or Overlap Basel.(Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie), a top luxury watch trade fair, won't expand in 2008 and-for the first time in years-won't coincide in 2009 with BaselWorld, in Basel, Switzerland. The August...

Wyler Genève Goes Carbon Neutral.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Swiss watchmaker Wyler Geneve says it's going carbon neutral to aid the environment. The company's annual emissions of carbon dioxide were recently assessed by the Edinburgh Center for Carbon Management at 31...

Swatch Group Reports 'Excellent' First Half.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Swatch Group, the world's largest watchmaker, said in August that first-half 2007 gross sales climbed 16.7 percent to $2.2 billion, led by watches and jewelry, its core business. That segment rose 20 percent, to...

Frederique Constant Presents First Passion Awards.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Swiss luxury watchmaker Frederique Constant presented its first Live Your Passion awards in June in Switzerland. The two winners were Peter-Frans Pauwels, founder of TomTom, the first world supplier of GPS...

Swatch Group's Hayek Will Develop Eco-Friendly Car Engine.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Swatch Group chairman Nicolas Hayek Sr., originator of the Smart car concept, is taking part in a joint venture to develop a fuel-cell-powered engine for cars, a group spokesperson told JCK in August. The project...

Newswire.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Half-year net sales (ended July 7) of watchmaker Fossil Inc. rose 16.8 percent to $611.3 million. Net income totaled $39.7 million (versus $21 million in 2006). Gross profit rose 17.9 percent, year over year, to...

Lange & Söhne Opens Watch School for Retailers.
November 1, 2007... By William George Shuster German luxury watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne on July 31 opened a new watch academy-for retailers, not budding watchmakers. Located in Glashutte, Germany, the school's classrooms-in a building once used by...