Jewelers Circular Keystone articles from September 2007

Jewelers Circular Keystone archives from September 2007

Buying Trends Among U.S. Women.(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... By Frederic de Narp, president and chief executive officer, Cartier North America My background is European, and in European countries, women have a different approach to buying and wearing jewelry. They express themselves and their style...

The Viability of Jewelry.
September 1, 2007... By Dennis Ulrich, chief executive officer, and David Meleski, president, The Richline Group (Bel-Oro, Aurafin, Michael Anthony) We believe the future viability of our products for the consumer, particularly gold primary-value items, is...

The <EMPHASIS TYPE="ITALIC">JCK</EMPHASIS> 2007 State of the Industry Report.
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster What is the most critical issue facing the jewelry industry in the next couple of years, and how can we deal with it? That's the question JCK posed for its 2007 State of the Industry report. To answer it, we...

Responding to Changing Buying Patterns.(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... By Joel Schechter, chief executive officer, Honora The Internet, and how it affects traditional distribution channels, will have a growing impact in each coming year. Some high-end jewelry brands are partnering with larger, more visible...

Survival.
September 1, 2007... By Ben Janowski, president, The Janos Group Ltd. We all know that first-half 2007 sales have been slow. The government reported a paltry 0.5 percent growth over 2006. Considering that gold and diamond prices are up, we also know that means...

Do We Sell Diamonds or Carbon?(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... By Joseph Schlussel, president, The Diamond Registry Inc. The biggest threat to our industry is not synthetics manufacturers who turn carbon into diamonds. It's commoditizers who want to turn diamonds back into carbon. For centuries,...

Developing New Forms of Consumer Advertising.
September 1, 2007... By Roger Marks, chief executive officer, Rogers Jewelry Co. As retailers, our biggest challenge will be how to effectively reach the consumer with our advertising message. Communicating with the public as we have for years with the standard...

Global Competition.
September 1, 2007... By John Kennedy, president, Jewelers' Security Alliance The most critical issue facing the U.S. jewelry industry is how it responds to increasing global competition, as the jewelry firms in other countries become more powerful each year....

Improving Cash Flow.
September 1, 2007... By Joseph M. Menzie, president, Joseph M. Menzie Inc. Improving cash flow may be the most important issue facing our industry over the next few years, followed closely by the need to fuel consumers' drive to purchase. Everything we do is...

In to Africa.(De Beers Botswana Mining Company (Proprietary) Ltd.'s management overview)(Company overview)
September 1, 2007... By Rob Bates, Senior Editor The continent's diamond-producing countries want to take control of their own destinies. Africa used to be tucked away in the back of the industry's consciousness. That's no longer true. It isn't just...

Cultural Conflicts in Copyright and Patent Litigation.
September 1, 2007... By Peter L. Berger As more American businesses are purchased by international companies, and as more manufacturing occurs outside the United States, lawyers are seeing greater cultural conflict during litigation. These problems go to the...

Mechanicals on the Move.
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster, Senior Editor Mechanical watches were the stars of the major watch shows in Switzerland and the United States. Quartz mechanisms may dominate the watch business in volume, but mechanical watches are where the...

It's Time to Run Faster and Jump Higher.
September 1, 2007... By Rick Bannerot Other industries and businesses transform nascent ideas to products on the shelf far more quickly than the jewelry industry does. To compete effectively for the consumer's discretionary dollars, retail jewelers need to...

Keep Employees Engaged for Management Success.
September 1, 2007... By Glen A. Beres The Gallup Organization drew on 10 million employee and manager interviews to learn how successful managers keep employees engaged. The result is a book called 12: The Elements of Great Managing , by Rodd Wagner and James...

Catalogic.
September 1, 2007... By Elizabeth Ross A great catalog can drive traffic, boost sales, and promote your store brand-but it requires careful planning and flawless execution. As a retailer, you're constantly searching for a powerful and cost-effective method...

Gem Pricing Report.
September 1, 2007... By Staff The colored stone market has experienced a marked increase in activity during the late summer. Dealers are reporting sales of pink and blue sapphire, especially in smaller calibrated sizes. Also selling well are exotic agates and...

Vendor Incentive Programs: Short- Term Gain, Long-Term Damage.
September 1, 2007... By Steven Kaiser The past decade has witnessed a rise in the use of vendor incentive programs targeted toward retail sales associates. This tactic is one of many used by branded companies to increase sales and gain market share in a...

New Product and Vision for the Future.(palladium jewelry)
September 1, 2007... By Mark B. and Lainie Mann Award-winning jewelry designer, bench jeweler, and third-generation store owner Lee Krombholz custom made this 950 palladium ring combining his CAD/CAM (computer-aided-design/computer-aided-manufacturing)...

Strengthen Three Core Capabilities to Grow and Achieve More.
September 1, 2007... By Martin C. Shanker I've coached many individuals on ways to become more effective salespeople, negotiators, managers, or organizational leaders. I've often noticed highly motivated and intelligent people struggle to learn and apply...

Doug Hucker.
September 1, 2007... By Frank Dallahan One of the big surprises that occurred at The JCK Show ~ Las Vegas was the rumor that Doug Hucker was leaving the American Gem Trade Association as its president and chief executive officer. I use the word surprising...

Discrimination-or Good Business?
September 1, 2007... By Hedda T. Schupak An article on JCKonline.com sparked a firestorm of discussion on our Web site's Talkback forum. The article, posted July 17, outlines a discrimination lawsuit filed by the Asian Law Caucus against nationwide jewelry...

Green Diamonds.
September 1, 2007... By Ben Janowski The diamond industry has been heavily involved for years with resolving the issues surrounding conflict diamonds. The Kimberley Process has put the industry on notice that both governments and nongovernmental organizations...

Welcome, Jewelers Choice Sponsors.
September 1, 2007... By Mark Smelzer Summer is coming to a close, but as fall nears, things are getting exciting at JCK . The reception to our recently announced JCK Jewelers Choice Awards has been amazing. The JCK Jewelers Choice Awards is a new program...

DTC Reorganizes Marketing Division.(Diamond Trading Company)(De Beers Group S.A.)
September 1, 2007... By Rob Bates De Beers is splitting its marketing and sales departments, a move that may affect its future advertising plans. In most companies, the sales and marketing functions work together, but De Beers does not have a conventional...

Court Allows Alrosa/De Beers Sales.
September 1, 2007... By Rob Bates European antitrust regulators cannot prevent Russian diamond producer Alrosa from selling to De Beers, an EU court ruled recently. In 2006, the European Commission's antitrust division said Alrosa could not sell to De...

New York Diamond Company Sued.
September 1, 2007... By Rob Bates Over 40 New York diamond dealers are suing New York's A. Taub Diamond Co. for $3.3 million, accusing the company of taking dozens of stones on consignment and never paying. Listed as defendants are Alfred 'Avi' Taub; his...

JSA: Watch Out for Diamond Switch Artist.
September 1, 2007... By Rob Bates Jewelers' Security Alliance is warning that a diamond switch artist is working the area from Oregon to Southern California. The suspect has been involved in six switch cases on the West Coast, according to the San Diego Police...

In the Name of LVOE.(Rony Tennenbaum)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... By Jennifer Heebner Jewelry designer Rony Tennenbaum has designed a lot of jewelry during his 10-year employment with Fabrikant-Tara International LLC, but perhaps his most meaningful creations-commitment rings-will be sold this year. ...

For a Good Cause.
September 1, 2007... By Jennifer Heebner Since breast cancer awareness and research is the corporate charitable cause of Rembrandt Charms, it is donating 10 percent of annual proceeds from the sale of its Breast Cancer Awareness charm to the cause. Rembrandt...

Topaz Alert.
September 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA Jeffery Bergman, a gemstone expert based in Thailand, has issued a warning for retailers and consumers to be aware of inexpensive topaz being sold with what he terms a 'color-stability problem.' 'In the last...

Tiffany Diamond on View at Smithsonian.
September 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA The world-famous Tiffany Diamond is making its first-ever appearance at the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection in Washington, D.C., and will remain on view until Sept. 23. The loan of the diamond celebrates a...

Vaux Collection in Philly to Stay in Philly.
September 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA The soap opera in southeastern Pennsylvania surrounding Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences mineral collections finally ended when, on June 15, the private sale of the Vaux gem and mineral collection was...

A Who's Who at German Gem-A's 75th.
September 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin, G.G., FGA In June, the German Gemmological Association celebrated its 75th anniversary, hosting Europe's first International Gemmological Symposium, entitled Gemmology: The Present and The Future. Gem expert and author...

John Hardy Purchased.
September 1, 2007... By Rob Bates John Hardy has sold his stake in his namesake firm in a management buyout headed by company president Damien Dernoncourt and creative director Guy Bedarida. Hardy will no longer have a full-time position or stake in the...

EBay Tightens Diamond Description Rules.
September 1, 2007... By Staff Internet auction site eBay has tightened its rules on how sellers can describe diamonds and diamond simulants like cubic zirconia. These changes follow numerous examples of sellers listing synthetic diamonds that were actually...

Handicapped Jeweler Survives Bridge Collapse.
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster A disabled jeweler narrowly escaped death on Aug. 1, when Minnesota's Interstate 35W bridge collapsed beneath his van. Marcelo Cruz, 26, paralyzed from the waist down since being shot defending a friend years...

Blue Topaz Arouses NRC Interest.
September 1, 2007... By Gary Roskin Many jewelers are yanking blue topaz from their shelves after the Jewelers Vigilance Committee warned them the stones they are selling may not be in compliance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. JVC said in...

CIBJO Meets With U.N. Secretary General.
September 1, 2007... By Staff A CIBJO (World Jewellery Confederation) delegation headed by president Gaetano Cavalieri met recently in Geneva with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon at the 2007 session of the Economic and Social Council. Moon and the...

De Beers Chain Names New COO.
September 1, 2007... By Staff Cartier veteran Hamida Belkadi has been named chief operating officer of De Beers Diamond Jewellers U.S. She was previously vice president of sales and marketing. She is a member of the New York Bar and holds a graduate degree...

Is LVMH Eyeing Tiffany?
September 1, 2007... By Staff Rumors that luxury behemoth LVMH is eyeing Tiffany have boosted Tiffany's stock. Neither company will comment, but the rumors, mentioned by Reuters and the Wall Street Journal , caused Tiffany's shares to jump 7 percent in one...

Corrections.
September 1, 2007... By Staff In the article 'Metals: Contemporary Alternatives' (JCK , July 2007, p. 76), the wedding band on page 78 was incorrectly identified as being from the Triton collection by ArtCarved. It is from the ArtCarved collection and has a...

Swiss Watch Federation Wants Tougher 'Swiss Made' Criteria.
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH has voted overwhelmingly to ask the Swiss government to strengthen criteria for putting the 'Swiss made' label on watches, using an FH proposal. At least 80 percent of...

Consortium Acquires TechnoMarine.(consortium of businessmen and investment groups)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster A consortium of businessmen and investment groups has acquired 100 percent of the shares of Swiss luxury watchmaker TechnoMarine Group. The June announcement said the new owners include French businessmen Gilbert...

Harry Bulova Henshel Dies at 88.(Obituary)
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Harry Bulova Henshel, former chairman and chief executive officer of the Bulova Watch Corp., died June 29 in Scarsdale, N.Y, after a long illness. He was 88. Henshel was the last family member to head the...

Number of Swiss Watch Workers Hits 25-Year High.
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Manpower in the Swiss watch industry increased to 44,444 workers in 2006, a 6.5 percent gain and the highest number in 25 years, said a June report from the Federation of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry FH. Male...

Newswire.(Raymond Weil S.A.)(Lemar)(Nicolas Hayek)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Swiss upscale brand Longines in June was named official timekeeper of the prestigious Ascot racecourse in England. All Ascot races, including the renowned annual Royal Meeting in June, will be timed by Longines....

Richemont, Polo Ralph Lauren Will Make Watches, Jewelry.
September 1, 2007... By William George Shuster Fashion design house Polo Ralph Lauren and luxury goods producer Richemont have launched a joint venture to produce fine watches and jewelry. Under the agreement, Polo Ralph Lauren has created a new division...