Jeweller - June 2019

VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY
JUNE 2019
Go for bloke
UNDERSTANDING TODAY’S MAN
AND THE MEN’S JEWELLERY MARKET
Brand plan
+ +
GETTING IT RIGHT WHEN IT COMES
TO BRANDED JEWELLERY
Attention!
HOW TO KEEP CONSUMERS ENGAGED
IN A WORLD OF DISTRACTIONS

Peridot
In stock & online now
Visit our website or call our Melbourne office for details:
Room 405, 4th Floor, Wales Building, 227 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: +61 (0) 3 9654 5200 / Interstate Orders 1300 843 141 E: sales@oagems.com www.oagems.com

WORLD SHINER PTY. LTD.
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www.rmdistributors.com.au

UNDERSTANDING TODAY’S MAN
AND THE MEN’S JEWELLERY MARKET
VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY
GETTING IT RIGHT WHEN IT COMES
TO BRANDED JEWELLERY
JUNE 2019
HOW TO KEEP CONSUMERS ENGAGED
IN A WORLD OF DISTRACTIONS
CONTENTS
JUNE 2019
19/
27/
35/
FEATURES REGULARS BUSINESS
19/ MALE ORDER
Find out how to make the most
of the men’s jewellery category
with smart retailing techniques.
27/ BRAND OF GLORY
Jeweller explores the complexity
of stocking branded jewellery and
how to get the right brand mix.
9/ Editorial
12/ Upfront
14/ News
18/ New Products
33/ Gems
Organic Gems Part III:
Ivory alternatives
41/ My Store
42/ 10 Years Ago
43/ Calendar
44/ My Bench
46/ Soapbox
David Paterson is excited about
fostering community spirit in
the industry.
35/ Business feature
Francesca Nicasio reveals how to
eliminate shopper distractions.
37/ Selling
Jeremy Miller’s advice for
overcoming sales obstacles.
38/ Management
Comparison is the key to
decisions, writes Bernadette
McClelland.
39/ Marketing
Embrace bad feedback to get
ahead, says Jeannie Walters.
40/ Logged On
Why Mandy Edwards has
‘Facebook fatigue’.
Go for bloke
Brand plan
+ +
Attention!
Front cover description:
Men’s jewellery is a small
but dynamic category.
June 2019 Jeweller 5

GEOCUBE®
THE TIMELESS DESIGN CLASSIC
Inspired by the Bauhaus style, in 1999
Carola Eckrodt successfully created
a timeless design classic with her
GEOCUBE®: featuring clean lines and
beautifully nuanced colours that can be
reinterpreted over and over again with
fresh colour compositions in a variety
of materials. The GEOCUBE® is the
perfect complement to any outfit.
Although Carola creates new and
diverse jewellery designs the multi
award winning GEOCUBE® continues
to be the signature collection. It is
now regarded as a design classic and is
prized by women all over the world.
Timesupply
jewellery + watches
p +61 (0)8 8221 5580
sales@timesupply.com.au
coeurdelionjewellery.com.au
exclusive distributor AU & NZ

THE VITAL SOURCE FOR NATURAL FANCY
COGNAC DIAMONDS
Wales Corner
Suite 1204, 227 Collins Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Australia
Ph: (03) 9639 1008
Fax: (03) 9639 0179
sales@vitaldiamonds.com.au
www.vitaldiamonds.com.au
OVER 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN DIAMOND MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALING

The Jewellery Design
Awards are back
Returning to the 2019 International Jewellery & Watch Fair, the Jewellery Design Awards represent the industry in
recognising and celebrating the best of the best in Australian and New Zealand craftsmanship.
The Awards Finalists will have their designs showcased as part of an exclusive display at the
International Jewellery Fair 2019 held at ICC Sydney, with cash prizes to be won!
AWARD CATEGORIES
• 1st & 2nd Year Apprentice/Student Award • 3rd & 4th Year Apprentice/Student Award
• Australian Opal Award • Bridal Award • CAD/CAM/Cast Award • Coloured Gemstone Award • Diamond Award
• Innovative Timepiece Award • Men’s Accessories & Jewellery Award • Pearl Award • Precious Metal Award
Do you have what it takes?
Enter the Awards online at www.jewelleryfair.com.au
INTERNATIONAL
JEWELLERY & WATCH FAIR
AUGUST 24 > 26, 2019
ICC Sydney I Exhibition Centre I Darling Harbour
Organised by
For further information regarding the awards, including full terms and
conditions, please visit www.jewelleryfair.com.au or give our
team a call on 02 9452 7513

EDITORIAL
SELLING ON PRICE IS A COSTLY MISTAKE
On reading this month’s Selling column, I was
reminded of an experience I had many years
ago when I decided to buy a watch. I visited
a jewellery store and after greeting me, the
salesperson began to ask a few questions
about the type of watch that I might prefer –
classic or sports, mechanical or quartz, etc.
My responses were very specific because I
wanted to analyse how she would handle
me, and the sale. Good sales staff quickly
recognise shopper types and alter their sales
pitch accordingly.
For example, on this day I was not the
‘chatty customer’, nor was I a ‘wanderer’ or a
‘showroomer’. And most of all I was definitely
not a ‘bargain hunter’. I was an ‘on-a-mission’
shopper wanting to identify a suitable watch,
and buy it.
The salesperson began qualifying me by
asking about my budget. I was clear that
I had just started looking and price was
less important than quality. I emphasised
that I wanted to buy a watch that would last
for many years.
It had to be water resistant, suitable to be
worn on all occasions, and I was not brandconscious:
the watch, rather than the brand,
was most important.
She gathered three models that might suit
my needs and immediately started talking
about price. One model caught my eye and
I asked her about its features. She continued
talking about the price – and then offered a
large discount before I had even handled
the other two! She either ignored all my
cues or didn’t understand them.
She had one approach to selling: price. Not
value, price.
As Jeremy Miller points out this month,
price is not a feature: “Unless you’re selling
a commodity, price is not the reason why
consumers buy products. Price may be a
factor for helping consumers select one brand
over another, but it’s rarely the reason why
that consumer sought to buy that product
in the first place. Selling on price should
therefore be avoided.”
All too often sales staff don’t ‘read’ customer
cues and continue on their merry way, selling
to everyone in exactly the same way.
Most importantly, they often don’t understand
the difference between features, benefits,
value and price. All four are important in
varying ways to the customer.
A feature is fact: “This product can do X.”
It is something that your product has or is,
and usually has no inherent value. However,
it is important for the salesperson to mention
and demonstrate the features because what
might be obvious to him or her may not be
obvious to the customer.
Crucially, a feature might be very important to
one person but not to another. For example,
a water resistant watch was critical to me but
another customer might not care at all.
ALL TOO OFTEN
SALES STAFF
DON’T ‘READ’
CUSTOMER
CUES AND
CONTINUE ON
THEIR MERRY
WAY, SELLING
TO EVERYONE
IN EXACTLY THE
SAME WAY
That’s where ‘benefits’ come in. Whereas a
feature is a fact – the watch is water resistant –
a benefit is subjective.
These are the outcomes or results that
users will hope to experience by using the
product, and this can be the very reason
why they purchase.
The benefit to me of having a water resistant
watch is that I can wear it when I hit the
surf. For another person who does not swim
or surf, this feature is not relevant because
there’s no benefit.
A benefit is something that is designed
to help the customer – it’s about what’s
in it for them. That’s why benefits should
be mentioned after the product’s features,
because it’s about customer preference.
Value is another subjective issue. What
has value to one person can be worthless to
another. It’s often about longer-term goals
and objectives – for example, I wanted to own
the watch for many years.
Value extends beyond what your product or
service can do for your customer and aligns its
benefits with their larger goals and objectives.
Again, value is about the customer’s
perspective, whereas price is another fact.
Most customers – not all – care more about
value than price. Price is about today; value is
about tomorrow and long after.
Coleby Nicholson
Managing Editor
June 2019 Jeweller 9

UPFRONT
n RARE FOSSIL FOUND
A 3cm piece of Burmese amber has
been revealed to contain an ammonite,
an ancient ancestor to the modern
squid, which lived around 100 million
years ago. It’s extremely rare for seadwelling
creatures to be preserved
in amber, as it is made from fossilised
tree resin. The ammonite amber also
contained around 40 other creatures,
and was purchased for just $750
by a Chinese collector.
n MUM’S THE WORD
A British mum-to-be has caused a stir
on social media after revealing she’s
planning to turn her breastmilk into
jewellery. As it turns out, the unusual
trend first found popularity in 2013.
Usually a ring or pendant, the pieces
feature a hollow accent stone that can
be filled with the milk.
n ANCIENT GEM FRAUD
Archaeologists excavating a prehistoric
burial ground in southern Spain
believe they have discovered the
oldest example of jewellery fraud in
Europe. Two sets of beads, dating back
to 3,000BCE, were thought to be real
amber. However, they turned out to be
seeds that had been coated in resin. The
fakes were found near real amber beads,
suggesting the owner had been duped!
MOONSTONE:
JUNE BIRTHSTONE
DID YOU KNOW?
This mystical stone is so named for its
unearthly glow – in fact, the Ancient Romans
believed moonstones were actually made
of moonlight. In Hindu mythology, the
moonstone was thought to bring beautiful
dreams. Today, moonstones are associated
with femininity, serenity and peace. While
they come in many colours, the most prized
have a clear body with a blue sheen.
DIGITAL
BRAINWAVE
WHO SAID?
“The brand debate has been
going on for years. The critical
thing for any brand is to ensure
they are constantly evolving with
design and presentation.”
To find out who, turn to page 27>
BLOCK THE ROCK
Earlier this year, the first ‘blockchain
diamond’ engagement ring was
created in the UK, assisted by Australian entrepreneur Leanne Kemp’s tech company
Everledger. The ring’s central stone was chosen from a selection of diamonds from
mines in Russia, Botswana and Canada, which were cut and polished by three different
manufacturers in India. It was then fashioned into a ring at London jewellers Taylor &
Hart. Once finished, the customer was presented with the piece and a ledger of timestamped
transactions showing every step of his diamond’s journey. He had specifically
requested a blockchain-tracked diamond for the ultimate guarantee of provenance,
which was accomplished through Everledger’s technology.
TOP PRODUCT
Maillon is the latest addition
to the Les Georgettes by
Altesse family. Part of the Les
Essentielles collection, this
new bracelet design features
intertwining lines. Maillon is available in widths
8mm, 14mm, 25mm and 40mm, as well as
silver, gold and rose gold finishes. Each leather
insert is reversible, giving two beautiful colour
options. Made in France. Available from 13 June,
distributed by Renaissance Luxury Group.
VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN
JEWELLERY INDUSTRY
jewellermagazine.com
Publisher & Editor
Coleby Nicholson
Associate Publisher
Angela Han
angela.han@gunnamattamedia.com
Journalists
Arabella Roden
arabella.roden@jewellermagazine.com
Production Manager
& Graphic Design
Jo De Bono
art@gunnamattamedia.com
Accounts
Paul Blewitt
finance@gunnamattamedia.com
Subscriptions
info@jewellermagazine.com
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Reproduction in whole or in part is
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Gunnamatta Media Pty Ltd strives to
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12 Jeweller June 2019

It all comes
together at
DESIGN . PRINTING . CASTING . FINISHING . FABRICATED METALS . FINDINGS . REFINING
Very soon, all of your jewellery needs will come together.
Palloys, AGS|PJW, Regentco and A&E Metals will shortly combine under one name – Palloys.
The singular jewellery production destination.
1300 886 108 | AUSTRALIA WIDE
palloys.com
A PALLION COMPANY

NEWS
NEWS
Questions over ‘sustainable’ synthetics
A US-based synthetic diamond industry
group has announced it will be issuing a
‘sustainability badge’ to complying members.
The newly-established Lab-Grown Diamond
Council (LGDC) is working with SCS Global
Services to create benchmarks across the
synthetic diamond supply chain, against
which members will be assessed.
These benchmarks will include environmental
stewardship, social responsibility and
economic viability. Successful companies
will be awarded the SCS Sustainably Grown
Diamond certification mark.
The move comes after the US Federal Trade
Commission warned a number of lab-grown
diamond producers against using ‘green’ and
‘eco-friendly’ wording in their advertising.
“The challenge is that these terms are
currently unsubstantiated,” Chris Casey,
president LGDC, said. “The development of a
fully-certified sustainability standard will help
put an end to incorrect assumptions
and descriptions.”
Meanwhile, the Diamond Producers’
Association (DPA) has released the results of
TRUCOST ASSESSED THE IMPACT OF MINING
a comprehensive investigation into the
impact of diamond mining.
The report, titled Total Clarity: The Reality
Of Modern Diamond Mining, examines the
environmental and human impact of the
world’s seven largest diamond-producing
companies.
Independent assessor Trucost found that
mined diamonds produce 69 per cent less
carbon per carat than synthetic diamonds,
which require huge amounts of energy to
produce in factories.
Additionally, diamond mining from DPA
members was shown to have generated
US$16 billion in socioeconomic benefits.
Palloys attains new ethical certification
Palloys, part of the Pallion group, has become
Australia’s first jewellery manufacturer and
wholesaler to be certified by the Responsible
Jewellery Council (RJC).
Chris Botha, operations manager jewellery
division at Palloys, said, “This is a significant
event for Palloys and more broadly the
Australian jewellery industry. Palloys’
certification evidences our commitment
to responsible and environmentally-friendly
jewellery sourcing and production and
the increasing emphasis on chain of
custody certification.”
Botha also explained that metal used in
Palloys production is sourced from ABC
Refinery, the only independent Australian
refinery certified by the London Bullion
Market Association (LBMA) and Shanghai
Gold Exchange (SGE).
“RJC accreditation is not only an
acknowledgement of our jewellery
manufacturing processes – it’s also an
acknowledgement of the Pallion bullion
division,” he said.
Ethical and environmentally sustainable
practices have become a growing focus
in the casting and refining industry, as
reported by Jeweller.
The RJC is a not-for-profit international
organisation that independently audits
companies against its own rigorous Code
of Practices for the responsible handling of
diamonds, gold and platinum group metals.
These standards cover areas including human
rights, labour rights, environmental impact,
mining practices, product disclosure and
other supply chain elements. It has more than
1,100 members worldwide.
+ MORE BREAKING NEWS
JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM
IN BRIEF
*
WORLD-FIRST PEARL TEST
In what is believed to be a world first,
radiocarbon dating has been used
to establish the age of a pearl. The
30.24-carat Ana Maria Pearl – a natural
saltwater baroque valued at $1.5 million –
was examined by two Swiss laboratories,
which confirmed it formed sometime
between 1500 and 1650 – consistent
with its reported origin.
*
THE GODFATHER’S WATCH SOLD
A Rolex Datejust once belonging
to Marlon Brando has been sold at
auction, fetching $49,200 – four times its
estimated price. The 31mm stainless steel
watch was gifted to the Hollywood icon
after he won the Best Actor Oscar for
The Godfather in 1973. It is engraved
with his character’s name, Vito.
*
WA FUNGUS ABSORBS GOLD
The CSIRO has discovered a fungus in
Western Australia that draws gold from
its surroundings. The Fusarium oxysporom
– found near Perth – is believed to use
the gold particles for protection. While
fungi are able to recycle other metals
like aluminium, iron and manganese,
researchers described the gold reaction
as “both unusual and surprising”.
*
SYNTHETIC DIAMOND TENDER
The first-ever tender of rough lab-grown
diamonds has taken place, hosted by the
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre. The
tender, held at the Almas Tower at the
Dubai Diamond Exchange, was organised
by a Hong Kong-based trader. It involved
55 parcels of Chemical Vapour Deposition
(CVD) diamonds, totalling 50,000 carats.
*
KING TUT’S MYSTERY GEM
A study published in the journal
Geology has shed new light on one of
Tutankhamun’s treasures. The pharaoh
was buried with a captivating yellowgreen
stone, later discovered to be ultra
rare Libyan Desert Glass (LDG). In the new
study, researchers found that LDG is likely
created by the intense heat and pressure
of meteorites hitting the African desert.
14 Jeweller June 2019

Hollywood calls for QLD jeweller
SAMS GROUP
AUSTRALIA
A stunning pink diamond and morganite
engagement ring from Calleija, based on
the Gold Coast in Queensland, has taken a
starring role in Hollywood film The Hustle.
The ‘Aria’ ring, valued at $75,000, gets stolen
by on-screen thieves Anne Hathaway and
Rebel Wilson in the action comedy, which
takes place on the French Riviera.
The ring features an Astar-cut 9.54-carat
morganite centre stone surrounded by a
halo of Argyle pink diamonds and white
diamonds. Jeweller John Calleija said, “To
be selected to play a role within the film
THE CALLEIJA ‘ARIA’ RING HAS HIT THE BIG SCREEN
and to showcase such incredible Australian
Argyle pink diamonds within Aria’s setting is
something we are extremely proud of.”
West End adds Claude Bernard
Following the collapse of Lion Brands
earlier this year, Swiss watch company
Claude Bernard has found a new distributor
in West End Collection.
John Rose, managing director West
End Collection, said, “After Lion Brands
discontinued their distribution earlier in the
year, West End Collection met with Claude
Bernard in Basel, Switzerland to discuss the
future of the brand and were very impressed.”
“Claude Bernard is a high quality entry-level
Swiss watch brand offering a stunning range
of fashion and sport watches.”
“Their strength lies in their design, quality
and attention to detail. Despite the high
quality Swiss made finish, retail pricing of the
Claude Bernard range starts in Australia at
$299,” Rose added.
Founded in 1973, Claude Bernard
manufactures both mechanical and
quartz watches in Les Genevez in the
Jura region of Switzerland.
Iconic Perth jeweller saved after collapse
Receivers for Rosendorff Diamonds have
announced the business has been sold on
behalf of creditors. It is believed the buyer is a
local West Australian diamond dealer, and the
sale includes the Rosendorff trading name,
stock and intellectual property.
The business – an institution of Perth’s Hay
Street for more than 50 years – collapsed last
month, owing more than $18 million.
An administrator’s report lists Rosendorff
Diamonds as owing $17.9 million to
three companies of which founder Craig
Rosendorff is sole director, as well as $2.1
million to asset advisory and investment
firm Gordon Brothers, and $165,000 to the
Australian Taxation Office.
In addition, The West Australian reports that
administrators from FTI Consulting found
“anomalies” in company accounts – though
there is no suggestion of wrongdoing.
CUSTOMERS QUEUE AT ROSENDORFF DIAMONDS
IMAGE CREDIT: LISA BARNES/WA TODAY
Receivers KordaMentha held a huge $9
million clearance sale of all stock beginning
last month, with huge discounts and
negotiations offered on big-ticket items.
Shoppers were seen queuing around the
block for a chance to snap up a bargain.
The sale will continue while the takeover
deal is finalised.
Precious Gemstone & Diamond Set Jewellery
Sapphire, Paraiba & Emerald with Argyle Pink Diamonds
A delicious range of natural precious gemstone
jewellery set with sparkling white diamonds,
available in every colour of the rainbow!
Beautifully crafted in 18ct gold.
E pink@samsgroup.com.au
W samsgroup.com.au
P 02 9290 2199

NEWS
Breakthrough in diamond exploration
Scientists at the Diamond Research Group of
the University of Alberta – which is partially
funded by De Beers – have found that
Canadian diamonds are formed in a very
different way to other stones.
It was previously believed that diamonds
could only be found in the kimberlites of
very old geological formations called cratons,
as they are in South Africa. All South African
diamonds are more than 2.5 billion years old.
In contrast, samples from the Victor Mine in
Ontario were just 700 million years old. They
also formed in a different type of rock.
The discovery opens up the possibility
of exploring parts of Canada which were
thought to be incompatible with diamond
production due to their geology.
Jeweller previously reported that the
Canadian diamond industry was facing
challenges due to low-value yields and
difficult terrain in its remote mining regions.
“The outcome of the project fundamentally
changes our understanding of where
diamonds come from,” study lead Thomas
Stachel said. “[It] has the potential to
cause diamond companies to retool their
approach to exploration.”
Canada’s mining industry is worth US$2
billion per year, and it is the third-largest
producer of diamonds by volume.
Synthetic coating found on diamond
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
has discovered a natural diamond coated in
a synthetic layer, which was used to change
the stone’s size and colour.
The 0.64-carat stone was surrounded by
about 0.10-carats of Chemical Vapour
Deposition synthetic diamond, with the GIA
noting its colour was noticeably different
from the natural material.
The outer layer was greyish-blue, while the
inside was yellowish, giving the stone a
fancy greenish-blue appearance.
It’s the second time the GIA has identified
such a stone: a 0.33-carat fancy blue
diamond was found to have the same type
of synthetic layer back in 2017.
“With the second of these composites seen
at GIA, this could be a new type of product
entering the market,” research associate
Troy Ardon and analytics technician Garrett
McElhenny wrote in a lab note, published
in the spring 2019 issue of the GIA
journal, Gems & Gemology.
Meanwhile, 25 undisclosed synthetic
diamonds were recently submitted to
a GIA lab in California, with 16 showing
unusual signs of colour. They ranged from
faint yellow-green to very light green – the
result of higher nickel concentrations. The
synthetic diamonds were created using the
High Pressure-High Temperature method.
Pandora woes continue as sales fall
Pandora International has reported soft
figures for the first quarter of 2019, with
global sales falling six per cent and net
profits down 31 per cent.
over the next year. Pandora will also sack
a further 1,200 employees at its Thailand
manufacturing facility, following the
dismissal of 700 workers in February.
SAMS GROUP
AUSTRALIA
PinkKimberley.com.au
E pink@samsgroup.com.au
W samsgroup.com.au
P 02 9290 2199
ALEXANDER LACIK,
PANDORA CEO
One of the steepest drops was in the US,
with sales falling 12 per cent.
Anders Boyer, chief financial officer Pandora,
said: “As expected, the first quarter was
characterised by continued weak like-for-like
[figures], further burdened by our deliberate
commercial reset.”
The company’s cost-cutting measures
will include closing 50 ‘concept stores’
Pandora’s net growth has been falling
steadily since 2014, and is now in the
single digits.
New CEO Alexander Lacik, who took the
reins on 23 April, urged patience and said
Pandora was focusing on “understanding
where we went wrong with the consumer”
as well as sharpening its product offering
and merchandising.

De Beers expands marine mining
Leading diamond producer De Beers is
expanding its marine diamond recovery
fleet – which is owned and operated in
partnership with the Namibian government
– by building a new custom vessel.
Superior Quality
Ring Mounts
The US$468 million ship is a world-first
and “represents the largest-ever single
investment in the marine diamond industry”
according to the company.
It is expected to be operational by 2022
and will add an estimated 50,000 carats to
Debmarine’s production, an increase of
35 per cent.
Bruce Cleaver, CEO De Beers Group, said in
a press release, “Some of the highest quality
diamonds in the world are found at sea off
the Namibian coast.”
“With this investment we will be able
to optimise new technology to find
and recover diamonds more efficiently
and meet growing consumer demand
across the globe.”
The Debmarine Namibia project was set
up in 2002 in order to mine diamonds from
the ocean floor. It currently has five mining
vessels and one exploration and sampling
vessel, and employs 975 people.
However, it’s not entirely good news for De
Beers. The company’s most recent rough
A NEW DEBMARINE VESSEL IS BEING BUILT
diamond sales report, published on 21 May,
showed totals of US$415 million for this
cycle – a drop of US$166 million compared
to the previous cycle.
De Beers releases 10 sales reports a year,
which combine the totals for global sightholder
sales and auction sales.
While this time of year is usually slow in the
diamond trade, sales were also down 25 per
cent when compared with the same period
in 2018. It is De Beers’ worst sales result since
the first quarter of 2017.
Cleaver attributed the weak result to
“macroeconomic uncertainty” and
the closing of Indian factories for the
holiday period.
More Jho Low jewellery handed over
The mother of disgraced Malaysian
businessman Jho Low has handed over
jewellery valued at US$1.7 million to
government officials, as legal proceedings
continue against her son.
Low commissioned US celebrity jeweller
Lorraine Schwartz to design the pieces – a
pair of diamond earrings and a matching
7.53-carat ring – back in 2012.
He is alleged to have paid for the jewellery
using money embezzled from the 1Malaysia
Development Berhad (1MDB) fund, though
according to the terms of the agreement,
the returning of the jewellery cannot be
considered an admission of guilt.
During the police investigation in 2017,
Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr was
forced to return US$8 million in jewellery
to the authorities, which had been gifted
DISGRACED MALAYSIAN BUSINESSMAN JHO LOW
to her by Low. Authorities have also seized
a mansion and US$250 million super yacht
from the Low family.
The 1MDB scandal involves billions in
misappropriated funds, with former
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak
currently facing trial for his role. Low has
been charged with money laundering, but
has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Princess,
6 claw & 4 claw
ring settings
Enquire Now
1800 811 116
sales@peekays.com.au
www.peekays.com.au
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Bridal Jewellery
NEW PRODUCTS
NEW PRODUCTS
HERE, JEWELLER HAS COMPILED A SNAPSHOT
OF THE LATEST PRODUCTS TO HIT THE MARKET.
BLUSH PINK
DIAMONDS
The Aida is a fabulous three-band
dress ring with a row of Argyle pink
diamonds sitting beautifully on top of
two rows of claw-set white diamonds.
Set in 18-carat rose and white gold.
Visit: samsgroup.com.au
OPALS
DOUBLETS & BOULDER
COEUR DE LION
The stylish new haematite crystal-set, rose gold-plated bangle from
Coeur de Lion teams beautifully with a variety of the Coeur de Lion
GeoCube bracelets, including this onyx and rose gold Swarovski
Crystal model. Handmade in Germany. Visit: timesupply.com.au
CLUSE
Cluse introduces their first-ever
collection for men. Named
Aravis, the range features polished,
brushed and sandblasted cases
with either Italian leather or
stainless steel straps for a
classically elegant look.
Distributed by Heart & Grace.
Visit: heartandgrace.com.au
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enquiries@ikecho.com.au
www.ikecho.com.au

MEN’S JEWELLERY
Eyes on
the
guys
MEN’S JEWELLERY HAS LONG BEEN
CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREAT-
UNTAPPED JEWELLERY MARKETS.
ARABELLA RODEN DISCOVERS
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THIS SMALL
BUT DYNAMIC CATEGORY
he reason Australian men don’t buy more
jewellery seems simple enough: they don’t put
the same value on jewellery that women do.
Jewellery represents values that marketers
traditionally say men just don’t respond to – it’s not
functional or efficient, it doesn’t eliminate a negative issue
or solve a problem and it’s perceived as feminine – but
that’s not the case for all men.
Men’s jewellery is a small market and it may never reach
the scale of the women’s sector, yet it shouldn’t be
ignored, according to David Paterson, managing director
Paterson Fine Jewellery, which manufactures men’s ring
and cufflink range Alfie Black.
“Absolutely it’s still a growing trend in the jewellery
industry,” he says.
Phil Edwards agrees, the managing director of Thomas
Sabo distributor Duraflex Group Australia noting,
“For some men, jewellery is a very important fashion
statement and form of personal expression.”
June 2019 Jeweller 19

WEST END COLLECTION
WATCH BANDS
Quality watch bands in an array of colours and styles.
Extra long and extra wide sizes available.
For the more conservative males, purchasing fashion jewellery
is usually out of the question but these consumers may be
tempted by the simple luxury of a beautiful wedding ring, even
if they rarely wear it.
Indeed, there are ways to overcome the resistance men have for
buying pieces of their own: creating spaces that appeal specifically
to men, tailoring sales techniques to the different types of men
who buy jewellery and developing a product offering that
combines timeless favourites with the latest trends.
Chris Scanlan is manager of RJ Scanlan & Co, which distributes
Dora men’s wedding rings. “It comes back to demographics,” he
explains of selling to men.
“There are a lot of different types of men around the country,
different people out there buying things for different reasons.
There’s also different retailers promoting different types of
products, and there’s the online component too.”
KNOW YOUR MAN
The key to selling jewellery to men is to consider how they
perceive it. The men’s market can generally be divided into three
categories: those that are open to jewellery on their own terms,
those that embrace heritage jewellery pieces and those that do
not consider buying jewellery at all.
“It really depends on the man,” says Darren Roberts, director of
Cudworth Enterprises. “Bracelets can be part of accessorising.
Cufflinks can make a statement – especially designer brands.
Men are relaxed wearing jewellery, as long as it
remains masculine.”
For the first group, it’s important to
differentiate men’s jewellery from
women’s. Marketing it as a fashion
accessory and focusing on masculine
design are both central to courting
this segment.
Timesupply
jewellery + watches
To these men, the accessory – be it
a ring, pendant or cuff bracelet –
is part of a particular outfit, rather
than something to be worn
constantly like a wedding ring.
p +61 (0)8 8221 5580
sales@timesupply.com.au
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RJ SCANLAN & CO

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We are exhibiting at Reed Gift Fair
MEC Melbourne August 3-7,2019 Stand # BB56
International Jewellery & Watch Fair
ICC Sydney August 24-26,2019 Stand # D22

MEN’S JEWELLERY
John Rose, managing director of West End Collection, which distributes Paul
Hewitt, says, “We find that men’s jewellery sells very well alongside our watch
brands. They are designed to complement the design of the watches and
enhance the look of the watch itself when worn alongside each other.
“The ‘stacked’ look is very on trend right now and is a great up-sell for
any retailer.”
He adds that the Paul Hewitt range uses nautical symbols like the anchor and
shackle, which appeals to men while calling back to the brand’s northern
German heritage.
DURAFLEX
CUDWORTH
These customers will buy different pendants for the same chain or rings with
different finishes for each look.
The Thomas Sabo men’s collection Rebel at Heart speaks to this type of man
by using a palette of silver, black and turquoise to create a masculine feel, as
well as tough materials like leather and blackened silver. The design motifs
present as a rock’n’roll take on religious iconography and wild animal themes.
Pendants can be bought separately from the chain to create a custom look,
appealing to a male consumer’s sense of control and individuality.
Mark Boldiston, director of men’s jewellery boutique Lord Coconut in
Melbourne, caters to this market too.
“The guys who enter my store love the purchase process,” he says. “It probably
helps that I’m up on level five so they’ve already made the commitment to
come into the store and, nine times out of 10, they’ve already looked at the
range online. They’ve come to make a decision.”
Items stocked in the store have unique, masculine design elements like
uneven, jagged edges, fingerprints and cratering, as well as motifs like skulls,
grenades, knives and hands.
Social media remains the major purchasing influence on these men, who tend
to be younger – either Millennials or Gen Z. Influencers, overseas trends and
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the personal style of stars like entertainer Jaden Smith, singer Harry
Styles and model and jewellery designer Anwar Hadid inspire them.
Gen Z in particular is less-rigidly bound to gender roles and
shopping habits. A recent Ipsos MORI survey found that Gen Z
are far less likely than any other generation to want “gendered
clothes, shoes, sports goods, perfume and deodorant”.
Though it is considered a men’s range, Edwards reveals that
Thomas Sabo’s Rebel at Heart is nearly as popular with female
consumers as it is with men. “I feel all men’s jewellery may be
considered unisex and this has not really changed over the recent
years,” he says.
Boldiston too has seen a narrowing in the gender divide.
“Although we sell ourselves as being a men’s jewellery store – so
any guy who comes into the store has the confidence to know
everything in stock is made for blokes – there is no denying
that everything in the shop is in fact unisex,” he says. “As gender
boundaries are getting closer and closer together, there is a huge
market for unisex jewellery.”
For Roberts, it comes down to the individual. “Some of our pieces
can be worn by both men and women – it’s a personal choice.”
Rose agrees: “There is a large section of the jewellery mix that can
be worn by men and women. Paul Hewitt’s Phreps bracelets are
certainly designed to be worn by both sexes.”
When it comes to the men’s jewellery market, however, the
generational gap is clear. “For younger generations [jewellery
is] more of a fashion accessory,” Paterson explains. “I think for
many older men it’s a heritage piece that has significant meaning
to them.”
Alfie Black plays into this sense of history and heritage with its
collection of signet rings and cufflinks inspired by classic British
design. Paterson notes that engravable, flattop signet rings are
proving very popular.
Boldiston has also seen significant growth in the signet-ring
market. “These allow people to have something a bit more
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MEN’S JEWELLERY
individual that matches their personality or the look and style they are trying to
achieve,” he explains.
On the other hand, Scanlan has noticed a significant number of men of all
ages trending back towards a more conservative outlook on jewellery. “There’s
been a shift to plainer, more-conservative wedding bands in straight colours
like white or yellow gold. Guys are toning down the rings that they’re wearing,”
he says.
Scanlan believes the most marked divide is not age but geography, existing
between urban and regional consumers.
“You’ve got men who live in metropolitan, urban areas who are likely to
be spending a little bit more on their rings and spending on rings that have
flashy design, look a little different and are more individual and customised,”
he explains.
RJ SCANLAN
DURAFLEX
“Whereas there are guys on the complete other side of the coin that are coming
from, say, regional areas, where at times it’s a battle to get him to wear a ring – or
perhaps he can’t wear a ring at work for safety reasons. He wants to potentially
just buy something simple and hardwearing. You’ve really got to know your
market when choosing stock because there’s a lot of factors in play.”
Rachel Vellacott, director of Jamies Jewellers in Central Otago and Queenstown,
New Zealand, agrees: “In our area, a large number of guys aren’t into jewellery;
they want a work watch and their wives force them to wear a wedding band
and that’s it!”
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
When it comes to selling to men, simplicity is key.
“The retail space has to make men feel comfortable spending time in your
store; nothing too fancy, definitely little or no bling and not too bright,”
Boldiston says.
“The store has to be welcoming but staff have to know how to read the guy
as soon as he walks in the store and either offer assistance or to leave him
alone – he will ask if he needs help.”
Boldiston’s boutique Lord Coconut has a “19th-century, natural history look
and feel” that’s welcoming but interesting enough that even men who
mistakenly walk in will stay to admire the fit-out, rather than “racing out
and feeling like a fool”.
For retailers targeting a mixed clientele with mostly female customers,
it’s still important to ensure the men’s section is discrete and has the
right ambience.
“The men’s jewellery line should be a separate category within a store or
brand collection,” Edwards advises.
Vellacott confirms that Jamies Jewellers stores have a separate section for
the men’s range, featuring “a nice range of items including rings, bracelets,
pendants, pocket watches, cufflinks, tie slides and bangles”.
The same principle applies to e-commerce. Some brands such as Thomas
Sabo have separate social-media channels for their men’s collection. These
channels link to specific men’s sections of a retail website.
Marketing materials and displays specific to the men’s market can also work
well if a retailer is stocking branded men’s jewellery; however, Vellacott
notes that online shoppers are still mostly women.
“Our online men’s jewellery sales tend to be women buying for their men!”
Norwegian Children’s Jewellery
P: 0411 725 740 • E: piaperaustralia@hotmail.com • piaperaustralia
www.piaper.com.au
Retailers should consider offering gifting options and styling tips as part
of the men’s section of their websites, giving customers an idea of exactly
how a piece should be worn and if it will fit with the personal style of the
man who will wear it.
According to market research firm NPD Group, rings are by far the largest

SEEKING EXPERIENCED
Wellington Goldsmith
Partridge Jewellers are looking for an experienced
Goldsmith to join our Wellington team.
jewellery category for men,
generating a third of jewellery
sales. This means they should be a
major focus of the retail display.
RJ Scanlan & Co introduced carbon
fibre rings nearly two years ago after
PATERSON FINE
noticing their popularity in Europe. The
JEWELLERY
combination of a textured black surface with
yellow gold and even rose gold has proved a hit with consumers.
“We’ve been surprised by the popularity of rose gold with carbon
fibre and I think that just comes down to the contrast of the rose
gold with the black – it’s a nice look that’s been our best colour
combination,” Scanlan says. “I know other suppliers have other
black materials – things like zirconium and zirconium with rose
gold have been popular for them.”
Vellacott agrees, saying, “For wedding bands, we’ve noticed a
definite trend for black zirconium and more modern-looking rings.”
Meanwhile, Boldiston says the average width of wedding rings is
narrowing from 7mm two years ago to 5mm and even 3mm today.
Retailers should carry a range of widths as well as sizes.
Other popular ring trends are industrial-style metals like tungsten
and titanium. While Scanlan notes that these rings have brought
the average price of wedding bands down, there’s no denying
their popularity.
“If you Google men’s wedding bands, one of the first things you
see is a tungsten ring or a black ring,” he says. “These cheaper,
alternative metals are flooding that sphere. That’s creating an
expectation with men and they like what they’re seeing.”
“Many consumers are sold on the appearance and the
maintenance aspect; they’re hard and black and strong. Men like
the price but it’s about those other selling points,” he adds.
Finally, when it comes to closing a men’s jewellery sale, Boldiston
advises streamlining the process.
“We try to make the purchase straightforward, such as having a
fixed price on our gold rings. Uncertainty leads to them feeling not
in control; we like to keep it simple,” he says.
Indeed, for the whole of the men’s jewellery market, “keep it simple”
seems to be the best advice of all. i
This is a new role and exciting opportunity to join a 5th
generation family business specialising in the design and
manufacture of fine jewellery. Partridge Jewellers are a
family owned business and have operated in New Zealand
for over 150 years. Our reputation is a culmination of
over six generations of experience within the jewellery
and watch industries in New Zealand.
Specialising in diamonds, precious gems, pearls, gold
and platinum we design and manufacture much of our
own jewellery but also import a selection of pieces from
leading international jewellery houses.
We are seeking a Goldsmith who is experienced in
all facets of jewellery manufacturing including hand
fabrication, model making and the ability to use
or learn CAD. We require minimum of five years’
experience and a high degree of skill commensurate to
the jewellery we sell throughout our seven stores. The
ability to deal directly with customers if required is a
benefit. You will work alongside one of our designers
turning customers’ requirements and dreams into
reality, as well as crafting pieces for sale in our stores.
The position is based in Wellington city close to our
existing retail store on Lambton Quay.
Partridge Jewellers is an exciting company to work for,
with International exposure, allowing the successful
applicant to learn more about our interesting and
fascinating trade and the Partridge brand.
Please apply in writing to Grant Partridge with relevant
CV and a list of skills and images of your work to date:
grant.partridge@partridgejewellers.co.nz
CUDWORTH
PATERSON FINE JEWELLERY
www.partridgejewellers.com

lesgeorgettes.com
contactaus@lesgeorgettes.com

BRANDED JEWELLERY
DURAFLEX
Brand and
deliver
NAVIGATING THE BRANDED-JEWELLERY LANDSCAPE REQUIRES
AN UNDERSTANDING OF NOT ONLY YOUR CUSTOMERS BUT ALSO
THE BRAND STORY OF THE RETAILER. ARABELLA RODEN REPORTS
hether to stock branded jewellery is a decision every retail jeweller
must consider. If so, how much of one’s inventory should brands
occupy and what are the right brands to stock?
There are many factors in play in this decision, including price and margin, brand
image and marketing, and supplier support. There’s also the matter of trust –
newer brands don’t have the same prestige or built-in customer base as wellestablished,
international brands.
But there are major positives to stocking a variety of branded jewellery and
various ways to overcome the misgivings retailers might have about embracing
this category.
Phil Edwards, managing director at Duraflex Group Australia, which supplies
Thomas Sabo and Ania Haie, says, “Branded jewellery comes with much more than
just the product itself. It should come with the complete story, from point-of-sale
(POS), packaging, marketing material and even social-media content. Ideally a
branded product should be bringing consumers to the retailer’s door with its own
brand awareness.”
Frédéric Brunel Acquaviva, vice-president of sales at Renaissance Luxury
Group, says, “A brand identity is not only about the product itself, but the whole
universe that the brand has to offer. Retailers worldwide are struggling with instore
traffic; they are struggling to differentiate from other stores and to compete
with e-commerce. “
“They need to create a memorable shopping experience for the consumer by
having real and true storytelling – a creative, unique and emotional message that
encourages the consumer to come back often.”
Renaissance developed the Les Georgettes By Altesse range, which was first
introduced to the French market in 2015 before expanding overseas, as a
unique product offering which is not only eye-catching and colourful, but also
customisable. This means consumers will keep coming back to purchase the
interchangeable elements.
One benefit for retailers is that suppliers heavily support brands by building brand
awareness, managing distribution lines and providing retailers with the right tools
to promote the product.
“The brand debate has been going on for years,” Helen Thompson-Carter, director
of Fabuleux Vous, explains. “The critical thing for any brand is to ensure they are
constantly evolving with design and presentation. Retailers now are wanting to
feel the love from suppliers and suppliers have had to become a lot more flexible
in their approach and offering.”
June 2019 Jeweller 27

# f a b u l o u s y o u # f a b u l o u s j e w e l l e r y
# w e a r y o u r f a b u l o u s
F V J E W E L L E R Y . C O M
SAMS GROUP AUSTRALIA
LES GEORGETTES BY ALTESSE
TRIED AND TRUE
It’s hard to establish a brand and even harder to see it grow and thrive
over time. Retailers must know what they seek in a brand, what it takes
to make that brand succeed and how to get the brand mix right in
their retail stores.
Edwards says there are many reasons retailers might hesitate to stock
a brand: “Will it actually sell? How many nearby competitor stores may
discount the brand? What’s the minimum buy-in or investment? How
will the brand be supported and marketed? Is it a trend or a long-term
investment? Are the staff actually engaged with the brand and willing
to drive sales?”
The majority of these concerns can be addressed by choosing a
bigger, more established brand.
Steve Der Bedrossian is CEO of SAMS Group, which has established
the Pink Kimberley Diamonds and Blush Pink Diamonds brands. While
they were started in 2008 and 2014 respectively, SAMS Group has a
long history. “The benefit to retailers is working with a company that
has been around for more than 50 years in the jewellery and watch
trade,” he says.
Liberté - You were chosen to be free!
FV Jewellery, we are a brand with a
soul, where being socially responsible
is engrained in our DNA.
Brunel Acquaviva describes the support for retailers of Les Georgettes
By Altesse as “a 360-degree plan offered each season which brings
together marketing, communication and merchandising tools to
promote the brand and increase sales in the best way”.
For many retailers, the decision to stock a brand is contingent on one
thing: its ability to get customers through the door. Simply put, bigger,
more established brands have name recognition and a built-in market,
as well as the budget to promote the brand to consumers.
Der Bedrossian says, “Our award-winning creative designs are easy
to sell due to our market research and pre-selection. We have brand
recognition and a lot to offer, with both on-trend and classic designs.”
FVJEWELLERY.COM
sales@fabuleuxvous.com | Helen +64 274 203 137
Bevan Hill, business manager at Jewellery By
Design in Townsville, Queensland, says,
“We stock well-known brands such
as Adina, Najo, Swarovski, Ikecho,
Australian Chocolate Diamonds
and Pink Kimberley. We find that
there is already brand recognition
within the community, which
makes selling the items much easier
as customers already feel connected
to a brand from what they have seen
IKECHO
PEARLS

BRANDED JEWELLERY
Have you experienced challenges
in establishing a jewellery brand?
“Our market research showed that more than 65 per cent
of retailers only wanted to stock what was tried, tested
and true. There were only five to 15 per cent of retailers
– who we referred to as the ‘innovators’ – that were
very keen to give something new a go, and they were
critical to getting the brand up and running.” – Helen
Thompson-Carter, director Fabuleux Vous
“Initially retailers wanted to still weigh the branded
sterling silver product [from Thomas Sabo] and convert
to a cost per gram – clearly not a relevant option for
a branded product that has so many other features
and elements to the story!” – Phil Edwards, managing
director Duraflex Group Australia
“As with any new brand, there are many hurdles that
need to be overcome. Low brand awareness is always
a significant challenge – brand awareness is needed
to gain the retailers’ trust as well as the confidence of
the end customer.” – Frédéric Brunel Acquaviva, vicepresident
of sales Renaissance Luxury Group
in the media and feel more compelled to purchase those items over
non-branded.”
The other advantage is that buying and wearing well-known brands
makes consumers feel on-trend, with a certain social cache attached.
“A well-known brand gives the customer a confidence in their
purchase – not only because there is a perception of quality in that
item but also because customers like to feel that they are wearing
something that is fashionable and trendy,” Rachel Vellacott, director
of Jamies Jewellers in Central Otago and Queenstown, New Zealand,
explains. “Especially to younger customers, we sell a lot of certain styles
because friends are wearing that piece or wearing that brand.”
Timesupply distributes Nomination, Coeur de Lion and Dansk
Smykkekunst, all of which were founded between 1971 and 1987.
Managing director Ken Abbott puts the continuing popularity of these
brands down to “timeless designs” as well as passion, innovation and
high-quality craftsmanship. That pedigree continues to appeal to
consumers year after year.
For the last two years, Timesupply has distributed German brand
Qudo, which was founded comparatively recently in 2009. Receiving
a very positive reception from local retailers, Abbott says the brand’s
philosophy – “to inspire and excite jewellery lovers with clever and
innovative ideas using the latest technologies and creative elements” –
has been a key selling point.
New collections
‘Bohemian Dream’, ‘Fringe Appeal’
and ‘Mineral Glow’ now available
with more releases coming soon
Proudly distributed by
02 9417 0177 | www.dgau.com.au

FABULEUX VOUS
Similarly, Ikecho was founded 20 years ago and
continues to keep customers intrigued.
“We have two seasonal collections per year and I think customers
like that we are always keeping on trend with pearl designs,” Erica
Miller, founder and director of Ikecho, says. She adds that her biggest
challenge over the years has been finding consistently high-quality
pearls to use in her designs, as it’s the commitment to exceptional
gems that’s sustained her brand.
When it comes to merchandising, established brands can offer clear
guides and support with stock presentation and sales techniques.
“In 1999, we started off slowly with a small amount of POS, strut cards
and packaging,” Miller explains, “then we brought in our core pearl
studs on stands, as well as earrings and pendant stands with the logo.
This worked well in-store. We then introduced window displays in two
different sizes.”
Many international brands have marketing teams that tailor content
to specific markets and increase brand awareness among consumers.
They may also appoint international celebrity ambassadors.
“Well-established brands tend to have expert backing with dedicated
teams who constantly update their product ranges while investing
in marketing to let customers know what’s on offer,” Pranay Parekh,
manager of Springfield Jewellers in Springfield, Queensland, explains.
Indeed, SAMS Group established Blush Pink in order to make rare and
expensive Argyle pink diamonds more accessible to a wider range
of consumers. “Blush Pink features fancy light pinks, more pave-style
settings and a smaller price tag,” Der Bedrossian explains.
Recently, brands have been embracing social media and digital
marketing to target younger consumers, generating word-of-mouth
and building their brand stories.
“Facebook and Instagram play a big part nowadays for branding,”
Miller says, adding that Ikecho’s website has been revamped three
times over the years and has a great e-commerce offering that funnels
sales to retailers through a ‘click and collect’ function. “We’re always
making improvements to our site,” she adds.
In the digital realm, Thomas Sabo and Ania Haie have country-specific
websites and have also embraced influencer marketing, forming
partnerships with social-media stars from the US, UK and Europe.
Proudly distributed by
SMALL AND MIGHTY
From a practical perspective, the supplier for a larger brand will
generally have strong existing infrastructure and support staff on hand
to assist retailers; however, there are some drawbacks.
Simply put, the more well-known the brand, the more likely it is that
multiple stores in the same area will stock the range. This can dilute
02 9417 0177 | www.dgau.com.au

BRANDED JEWELLERY
sales and erode a retailer’s point of difference. “It can be limiting,” Miller
says of retail oversupply. “In a small town, there should really only be
one retailer that stocks that brand.”
That’s where smaller and younger brands come in.
“Depending on who your target market is as a retailer, brands will
bring consumers to the store but they can also have an adverse effect
– those consumers who don’t want to be like everyone else could
bypass that store,” Fabuleux Vous founder Thompson-Carter says.
There can also be problems for retailers when a larger brand decides
to change direction. A recent example is Pandora’s restructure, which
has seen it withdraw from third-party distribution both in Australia and
around the world.
As many as 100 Australian accounts were closed in 2018, with reports
of back orders not being honoured and widespread stock liquidation;
this damaged the reputation of retailers as well as their relationship
with loyal customers.
Retailers can also become too reliant on branded products and
displays, neglecting their own sales techniques and merchandising
skills and assuming that customers already know what they want.
While seeming like a risk at first, stocking younger brands can pay off
in the long-term. Flexibility is the key with small local brands able to
offer lower buy-ins, a deeper understanding of the different factors
and customer needs in the local market, and more freedom with sales,
packaging, marketing and merchandising.
“Smaller brands do all the things that big brands do, but are nimble in
changing design direction with much care and attention,” Thompson-
Carter explains.
“I have seen a shift from retailers wanting everything from smaller
brands to wanting the choice to integrate product into their own
store’s story versus the brand’s story,” she adds, noting that many
retailers have confessed to feeling like the identity of their stores had
been overwhelmed by a large brand’s display.
Meanwhile, Brunel Acquaviva notes, “Today, customers are turning
to niche brands which put more emphasis on producing quality
products that reflect the consumer’s personal sense of style.”
THE BRAND MIX
There are both benefits and challenges to stocking larger, mature
brands and smaller, younger ones. The right brand mix is crucial.
SAMS GROUP AUSTRALIA
IKECHO PEARLS
Timesupply
jewellery + watches
p +61 (0)8 8221 5580
sales@timesupply.com.au
exclusive distributor AU & NZ

BRANDED JEWELLERY
Springfield Jewellers stocks 12 per cent branded jewellery. “Since we relocated to
our new premises in November 2015, we have stocked Nikki Lissoni and Thomas
Sabo as well as Pink Kimberley,” Parekh explains.
“We stock branded jewellery to ensure we offer our customers a full range
of jewellery products. While we specialise in custom-made jewellery and
workshop-related services, branded jewellery fills a huge potential gap in
our retail offering.”
Vellacott has been building the brand offering of both her stores over the last six
years and the ratio is now at 38 per cent branded jewellery. She says that brands
“give your customers a certain degree of confidence in the store – they can
provide a sense of comfort and help entice customers into the shop where they
can see our other products.”
FABULEUX VOUS
THOMAS SABO
Vellacott advises other retailers to “do more research and ask more questions”
before deciding whether to bring in a new brand. “I think there is a risk in
stocking unproven brands – there seems to be a fairly large buy-in for new
products that then don’t offer the support and back-up that they promise,” she
says. “We are a little more wary of promises that some brands make!”
Jewellery By Design has stocked brands since opening 13 years ago.
“Approximately 40 per cent of our current range is branded jewellery,” Hill
says, adding, “It’s important to consider if a brand is a good fit for current
customers or if there has been demand that may bring in new customers. While
it is important to stock a well-known, high-quality brand, it is also important to
consider that brand’s after-service care and how they interact with their retailers.”
Meanwhile, Parekh notes, “Most brands invest in product development ensuring
their newest releases are in line with the latest fashion trends. Products are
backed up with quality finishing, a decent warranty and after-sales care, all of
which builds trust.”
When deciding whether to stock branded jewellery, there are many factors to
consider. Retailers should choose carefully but not be too timid to experiment.
By carefully selecting brands that match well with a store’s customer base and
offer plenty of support, retailers can attract new customers and boost sales. i
Christian Paul
SYDNEY
Australia’s leading jewellery brand, distributed by
West End Collection. Georgini’s exciting new collections
fuse modern elegance with fashion forward design

GEMS
ORGANIC GEMS PART III: IVORY ALTERNATIVES
of vegetable ivory. A sustainable and effective
imitation of animal ivory, vegetable ivory is
derived from the large nuts of these trees, as
well as several other species of palm found in
Africa and the South Pacific.
The central part of the nut is a dense white
material that, once dried, can be easily carved
and polished to leave surfaces with a waxy
lustre – perfect for carving figurines and other
aesthetic objects. It was historically used to
make buttons, chess pieces and dice.
Bone, sourced from the long bones of large
animals or the antlers of deer and moose,
is also used as an ivory imitant. It can be
distinguished from ivory by its porosity, along
with its bright whiteness in contrast to the
yellowish hue of ivory – although in some
cases it is stained to appear less bright.
Ivory is a biological gem material used by
humans for thousands of years, with early
artefacts including carvings and jewellery
dating back 32,000 years. However, due to
ethical concerns, possession and import
of modern elephant ivory harvested after
1975 is an offence in Australia.
The use of ethical alternatives has become
increasingly popular, including imitants,
vegetable ivory and fossil ivory.
Ivory is composed of dentin, also spelled
dentine. This is a whitish yellow and
moderately hard tissue of the continuously
growing teeth (tusks) that belong to certain
species of mammal. Elephants are the most
well-known source, but ivory may also come
from walrus, hippopotamus, sperm whale,
narwhal, dugong and various species of
ungulates such as the boar and the warthog.
The opaque material is relatively soft without
physical constraints that may arise in other
crystalline gem materials. Fine details can be
captured by skilled artisans, making it ideal for
carvings. It is often used in antique artworks,
musical instruments, jewellery and other
personal and decorative items.
Elephant ivory is recognised as the principal
ivory of commerce, and is associated with
the illegal poaching of threatened species of
African and Indian elephants. Fossil elephant
ivory comes from the now-extinct woolly
mammoth or American mastodon. Whilst
rare, it is considered an ethical alternative,
with large and well-preserved specimens
attracting great value.
The legalities and ethical conflict surrounding
elephant ivory has led to a market flooded
with imitations including glass, plastic and
organic alternatives.
The corozo or tagua palm from Central
America and northern South America is a
long-used and commercially available source
WHILE ELEPHANT
IVORY IS A SCARCE
ORGANIC GEM
ASSOCIATED
WITH MUCH
GLOBAL CONFLICT,
VEGETABLE IVORY
HAS PROVIDED
THE MARKET WITH
AN ATTRACTIVE
ALTERNATIVE
Ivory can be easily distinguished from its
imitants by careful visual examination with a
10x hand lens. Elephant ivory is characterised
by the identification of ‘Schreger lines’,
sometimes referred to as ‘engine turning’, a
pattern visible on the surface or cross section
of the tusk. This pattern is a result of the
internal structure of dentinal tubes.
Plastic ivory imitants lack these Schreger
lines, and are much lighter than true ivory.
They may also show gas bubbles or mould
marks. Glass imitants are largely identified by
coldness, compared to the soft warmth of
animal ivory.
While elephant ivory is a scarce organic
gem associated with much global conflict,
vegetable ivory has provided the market with
an attractive alternative that can allow for
creative expression without threatening harm
to Earth’s remaining wildlife. i
STACEY LIM FGAA BA Design, is a qualified
gemmologist and gemmology teacher/assistant.
She is a jewellery designer, marketing manager
and passionate communicator on gemmology.
For information on gemstones, visit: gem.org.au
June 2019 Jeweller 33

Behind every gemstone,
there is a fascinating story
waiting to delight clients
around the world. Studying
with GAA brings the
expertise, networking and
confidence to build a solid
career in a multimilliondollar
industry. Joining
one of the most supportive
and passionate professional
communities of gemmologists
in Australia was one of the
best decision I ever made.
Gina Barreto FGAA DipDT
Gemmologist and Diamond Technologist
Diamond
Courses
Practical Diamond Grading &
Diploma in Diamond Technology
Enrolments now open
For more information
1300 436 338
learn@gem.org.au
www.gem.org.au
Be
Confident
Gem-Ed Australia
ADELAIDE BRISBANE HOBART MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY
Passionately educating the industry, gem enthusiasts
and consumers about gemstones

BUSINESS
DEALING WITH DISTRACTED SHOPPERS
Keeping customers engaged can be
a struggle for retailers but there are
strategies that can help. FRANCESCA
NICASIO reports.
It’s no secret that shoppers these days are
more distracted. Between social media
updates, smartphone notifications and life
in general, people simply have a lot more on
their plate, and all of these can distract them
from shopping.
The problem is particularly prevalent with
online shoppers. Research from software
company Namogoo found that the majority
of consumers are multitasking while
shopping online. Of those surveyed, 57 per
cent shop online while at work, 51 per cent
shop while doing household chores and 32
per cent shop while cooking.
Other activities include shopping while
dining out with family and friends, running
errands, commuting to work and exercising.
Throw in distractions such as smartphone
alerts, children, pets and competing stores
and it’s easy to see why it can be hard to grab
the attention of consumers.
While some interruptions are hard to avoid,
such as an unexpected call or a crying
baby, other distractions such as shoppers
checking their phones in the middle of
sales interactions can be overcome or even
prevented altogether.
Here are some ways to do just that.
MIND THE DECOMPRESSION ZONE
The decompression zone is the first few
feet inside a store. It’s the entry area
that customers use to adjust to the new
environment. Think of it as the first impression
zone of your store. Here, shoppers are prone
to distractions, which is why retailers should
keep it simple and uncluttered. Avoid placing
too many products or fixtures in this area, as
people will likely just walk past them.
Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy: The
Science of Shopping, says, “By the time the
person is starting to engage with the physical
environment, some of the stuff you’ve put by
the door is blown past.”
Underhill advises sellers to display a small
number of key items in this area and use
EACH SHOPPER
REQUIRES
A DIFFERENT
APPROACH
DEPENDING ON
HIS OR HER MOOD
AND PERSONAL
PREFERENCES
– FOR INSTANCE,
WHILE SOME
CUSTOMERS MAY
FEEL DISTRACTED
BY NEARBY
SALESPEOPLE,
OTHERS MAY NEED
HANDHOLDING
“lighting and flooring that contrast with the
outside environment” so customers will slow
down and take note of what’s around them.
In addition, retail experts Rich Kizer and
Georganne Bender recommend that
shopping trolleys, baskets and floor signs
be placed at the end of the decompression
zone to ensure that customers actually see
and use them.
KEEP SHOPPERS INTERESTED
Train salespeople to recognise that each
shopper requires a different approach
depending on his or her mood and personal
preferences. For instance, while some
customers may feel distracted by nearby
salespeople, others may need handholding.
Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to greet
shoppers and acknowledge their presence
when they walk into your store. Aside from
deterring potential shoplifters, greeting
people makes them more aware of their
surroundings and helps them focus.
Greeting customers also gives you an
opportunity to direct them to the right aisle or
June 2019 Jeweller 35

BUSINESS
to remind them of any deals or hot items that
they may have missed when they were in the
decompression zone.
Have salespeople offer shopping trolleys or
baskets. As Kizer and Bender note, “Studies
show that customers with shopping [trolleys]
spend 25 per cent more in the store and up
to 15 minutes longer browsing.”
OFFER RELEVANT CONTENT
The best way to grab someone’s attention
is to present them with messages that
are relevant to their needs. This holds true
whether you’re trying to reach people
online or offline.
On the e-commerce front, effective websites
offer content that speaks directly to each
customer. This can come in the form of
an extremely relatable Instagram ad or an
online assortment curated for the shopper.
An example of this is Showpo, an Australian
e-commerce company that sells women’s
clothing. Showpo uses AI to personalise
web content so that each user sees products
that are relevant to their individual tastes
and preferences.
“With this visual merchandising tool, [the
website’s content] is based on what you
looked at and what people like you have
checked out,” Showpo founder Jane Lu
explains, adding that her company doesn’t
want “to show content or products that
don’t matter to the individual” since the
attention spans of consumers are dwindling.
You can apply this same principle offline
by making sure that you treat customers
as individuals. If dealing with returning
customers, have a look at their purchase
history so you can recommend the
right products.
This level of personalisation gives customers
a more compelling shopping experience,
which makes them less prone to distractions.
USE TECHNOLOGY
Worried that customers are too distracted
by their smartphones? Don’t be. Instead of
being frustrated with technology, find ways
to use it to your advantage.
For instance, T-We Tea in San Francisco
embraces technology through mobile
payments. Rather than discouraging
smartphone use, they invite shoppers
to download the PayPal app so they can
complete purchases without having to whip
out their wallets.
This not only gives people faster checkout
but also allows T-We Tea to add a cool
factor to their shopping experience. Owner
Christopher Coccagna calls it “a very sexy
sales experience” and it helps the business
make a big impression on customers.
Other stores are using smartphones and
social media to spread the word about their
businesses. DK’s Donuts & Bakery in Los
Angeles offers deals to customers who
make a purchase and check-in via Yelp.
Doing so encourages sales while putting
the business in front of their customers’
friends and followers.
Team Manila, a clothing store in the
Philippines, has special hashtag stickers
on its fitting-room mirrors to encourage
shoppers to snap social-media selfies while
trying on clothes.
These are just a few examples of retailers
utilising technology to be more awesome.
Instead of seeing smartphones as shopper
distractions, they see them as tools that can
help forward their business. Adopt the same
mindset and find ways put your customers’
gadgets to good use.
SPRUCE UP STORE DISPLAYS
Make use of updated and attractive store
fixtures. Don’t skimp on shelves, counters
and equipment as these all contribute to the
shopper experience. For instance, you may
want to replace your clunky cash register
with a sleek iPad-based POS system. Doing
so frees up more space and reduces visual
noise for your customers, thus helping them
focus on the products that you’re selling.
You should also think about your displays.
Are they directing shoppers to focus on the
right items or are there too many things
going on? A good rule of thumb is to decide
on a focal point – highlight just one item
and lay out the rest of the products around it
or use complementary elements like plants to
enhance the look and feel of a shop window.
USE FOOT-TRAFFIC ANALYTICS
Your store’s design can either grab customer
attention or scatter it. One of the most
ARE YOUR VISUAL
MERCHANDISING
EFFORTS
DISTRACTING
PEOPLE OR
CONVERTING
THEM? WHICH
PARTS OF YOUR
STORE ARE
CONFUSING YOUR
CUSTOMERS?
effective ways to ensure that your store is
doing the former is by using in-store analytics
to track shopper movement.
Are your visual merchandising efforts
distracting people or converting them?
Which parts of your store are confusing your
customers? Beacons, people counters and
other foot-traffic tools can help you answer
these questions.
GO OMNICHANNEL
Whether you’re selling online, offline or
both, you can bet that your customers
will be looking at multiple screens as they
go through their shopping journey. That’s
why it’s important to establish an
omnichannel presence.
You need to adapt and ensure that shoppers
can easily engage with your brand if and
when they switch to a different device.
This starts with creating a responsive website
that works equally well on various screens.
If possible, allow your customers to create
accounts so that they can access their
shopping trolleys via multiple retail channels.
If you’re running a bricks-and-mortar store,
find ways to gather customer data in-store so
you can connect with them via email or text.
There are two easy ways to do this:
Collect customer details at checkout – Ask
shoppers if they’d like to provide their email
addresses or phone numbers so you can
get in touch with updates. Consider using
your loyalty program to further incentivise
customers who give you their info.
Offer free WiFi – If possible, set up a guest WiFi
network to which shoppers can connect so
they can go online while in your location.
Set up your WiFi system in such a way that
shoppers would need to provide their contact
info before connecting.
Using these strategies will help stop
distractions, keep customers happy and
encourage sales conversion. i
FRANCESCA NICASIO
is a retail expert from
Vend, a POS, inventory and
customer loyalty software for
merchants. vendhq.com
36 Jeweller June 2019

SELLING
HOW TO OVERCOME COMMON SALES OBSTACLES
IN ANY APPROACH TO SALES, THERE ARE TWO INEVITABLE HURDLES: THE PRICE CONVERSATION AND CUSTOMER REJECTION.
THE WAY TO DEAL WITH BOTH THESE CHALLENGES IS WITH TIMING, CONFIDENCE AND RESILIENCE, WRITES JEREMY MILLER.
Premature price conversation is a problem
afflicting thousands of salespeople every
year. Like the more well-known premature
affliction, premature price conversations can
leave both parties feeling underwhelmed,
disappointed and maybe even a little
embarrassed. This doesn’t need to happen.
Premature price conversations are
preventable. With a little self-awareness
and some training, any salesperson – or
anyone responsible for selling anything
– can kick this dreadful habit.
The first thing to acknowledge is that
price is not a feature. Unless you’re selling
a commodity, price is not the reason why
consumers buy products.
Price may be a factor for helping consumers
select one brand over another but it’s rarely
the reason why that consumer sought to
buy that product in the first place. Selling on
price should therefore be avoided.
When you focus on what makes your
services unique and how your service or
product solves a problem for consumers,
you automatically rise above premature
price conversations.
If you can explain what makes your products
and services special, clearly and concisely,
customers will not only welcome having the
price conversation with you but also want to
know how to get started.
PRICE IS NOT A DIRTY WORD
We’ve clarified that price should never come
first in any sales conversation; however,
talking about price remains a fact of sales.
You shouldn’t avoid price conversations
because customers will eventually want
to know what products and services cost.
Avoiding price conversations altogether is as
bad as having them too soon.
When a customer asks for the price, be direct
and specific. Don’t be shy about it – your
products cost what they cost. Salespeople
establish credibility by talking about price
PRICE MAY
BE A FACTOR
FOR HELPING
CONSUMERS
SELECT ONE BRAND
OVER ANOTHER
BUT IT’S RARELY
THE REASON WHY
THAT CONSUMER
SOUGHT TO BUY
THAT PRODUCT IN
THE FIRST PLACE
DISCUSS PRICE AT THE RIGHT TIME
with authority. Customers don’t want to
dance around and play games; they want
the facts.
LEARN TO LOVE ‘NO’
In sales, as in life, rejection is inevitable.
Fortunately, rejection can also be the key
that unlocks remarkable opportunities –
Walt Disney was turned down 302 times
before he got financing for his Walt Disney
World theme park; JK Rowling was rejected
by 12 publishers before Bloomsbury took
a chance on Harry Potter; Colonel Sanders
pitched his secret recipe for Kentucky
Fried Chicken 1,009 times before he got
his first “yes”.
“No” is not a bad word but unfortunately
we’re taught that it is!
In his well-known sales book How to Master
the Art of Selling, Tom Hopkins takes a
contrarian stance, teaching the reader to
“learn to love no”.
Equally philosophical is author Jack Canfield,
whose best-selling self-help book Chicken
Soup for the Soul was originally rejected by
144 publishers.
“If we had given up after 100 publishers,
I likely would not be where I am now,”
Canfield writes. “I encourage you to reject
rejection. If someone says no, just say next!”
It’s how you respond to rejection that
matters, as every “no” you receive is a
valuable opportunity for input.
Listen to it, understand the fears and doubts
you’re hearing from your customers or
clients and learn from the experience.
The next time you pitch, you can adapt your
message and get better. More importantly,
keep moving forward. Every time you hear
no, you’re one step closer to yes.
More challenging than an external “no” is
internal rejection. You know that voice inside
your head, the one that only talks about
worst-case scenarios and what-ifs? Tell that
voice to back off.
Steven Pressfield describes this type of
internal rejection as ‘resistance’ in his book
The War of Art.
“Resistance cannot be seen, touched, heard,
or smelled but it can be felt,” Pressfield
explains. “We experience it as an energy
field radiating from a work-in-potential. It’s
a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is to
shove us away, distract us, prevent us from
doing our work.”
Resist the “no” inside your head with all your
might. It is the hardest to overcome but
resistance is essential because you can’t get
anyone else to say yes until you believe in
what you’re doing.
Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed; I’ve
just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. I
am not discouraged because every wrong
attempt discarded is another step forward.”
Every time you hear a “no”, smile a little.
You’ve just passed another milestone and it’s
time to try again. i
JEREMY MILLER is a brand
builder, keynote speaker and
bestselling author of Sticky
Branding. stickybranding.com
June 2019 Jeweller 37

MANAGEMENT
THE ART OF MAKING BETTER DECISIONS
IN ORDER TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES, MANAGERS NEED CLARITY OF PURPOSE AND A WAY TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THEIR
OPTIONS. BERNADETTE MCCLELLAND EXPLORES THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS – AND WHY INDECISION CAN BE PARALYSING.
It was a very simple question between two
very simple options – should I have the
carrot cake or the friand?
I chose neither, and it had nothing to do with
calorie counting. In fact, I don’t actually know
what it was that made me so uncertain.
This rattled me, the fact that I couldn’t
make the decision. The choice should’ve
been simple and insignificant and it got me
thinking about the millions of decisions we
make – or don’t make – every single day,
minute by minute.
There are decisions that we don’t think
twice about, and decisions that cause us
stress and confusion.
What causes this indecision and how does
it impact our businesses, our roles and even
our lives?
What are the decisions we aren’t making that,
if we did, would catapult us off in a different
direction?
MAKE CHOICES BY DEFINING WHAT’S IMPORTANT
of what we save against the actual cost and
a saving of $20 seems more valuable in the
first example.
Providing a second example gives us a
reference of value, the contrast that enables
us to decide.
and going off half-cocked. That’s when
we can make mistakes.
• Similarly, if we rely too much on our
head, wanting things to be perfect, we
may miss an opportunity.
In this volatile and fast moving world,
we don’t have time to gather all the
information we need to make decisions
that are 100 per cent factual.
If we do, we’ll miss the boat so we need to
make decisions intuitively but also smartly
– not too fast, not too slow, just right!
We can’t fall to pieces over which cake
to have, just as we can’t delay decisions
in our day-to-day business operations.
Responsiveness is key.
Defining what’s important to us goes a
long way toward helping us clarify the issue
we need to decide about. We can make
more informed decisions when we know
what we want – and why.
THE VALUE OF COMPARISON
Fear is said to stop people making decisions.
From a psychological standpoint, it creates
procrastination and paralyses people from
acting; however, what if you don’t feel afraid
of anything but you’re still indecisive?
Many decisions come down to a comparison
or choice between two items, activities or
pathways – left or right, red or green, the
carrot cake or the friand?
When we compare one thing with another, it
gives us contrast and we can assess the value
of one thing against the value of another.
Would you travel half an hour to save $20 on
a pair of shoes that cost $80 or would you
drive half an hour to save $20 on a pair of
shoes that cost $200?
You’d probably choose the first option. Why,
though – $20 is $20, isn’t it?
Yes, but one is a 25 per cent saving and the
other a 10 per cent saving. We base the value
THE SCIENCE
BEHIND DECISION-
MAKING TELLS
US THAT OUR
‘GUT’ PLAYS A
HUGE PART IN
OUR SELECTIONS.
SOMETIMES A
CHOICE “JUST
FEELS RIGHT”,
DOESN’T IT?
INTUITIVE REASONING
How do we know the real value of
something if there are no items or options
for comparison?
The science behind decision-making tells
us that our ‘gut’ plays a huge part in our
selections. Sometimes a choice “just feels
right”, doesn’t it?
The other component of decision-making
is in our ‘head’, the rational part of our brain
with its headquarters in the prefrontal
cortex. Once this area is fed enough
information, it tends to dominate the gut –
logic kicks in and a decision is made.
For years, decision-making has relied
on fact-driven, logical data collection;
however, strong leadership today relies on
both the head and the gut, especially in
this ‘connection economy’ or what some
call the ‘imagination era’. Here’s why:
• If we rely wholly and solely on our gut,
we are prone to being too emotional
Having a purpose or outcome in mind
also contributes to decision-making, as it
becomes another data point.
Finally, for us to make an informed decision,
we need those ‘gut feeling’ comparisons to
help us assign value to each option.
So why did I have so much difficulty
choosing between the carrot cake and the
friand? As it turns out, my decision was not
which type of cake to buy, but whether to
buy a cake at all.
I chose not to purchase and it was a
purposeful and informed decision.
Both literally and figuratively, it really was
a gut decision! i
BERNADETTE
MCCLELLAND is a keynote
speaker, executive sales
coach, and published author.
3redfolders.com
38 Jeweller June 2019

MARKETING & PR
WHY BAD FEEDBACK IS THE BEST FEEDBACK
WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR BUSINESS, SOME OPINIONS CAN BE VERY HARD TO HEAR – BUT JEANNIE WALTERS EXPLAINS WHY
IT’S ACTUALLY BEST TO BITE THE BULLET AND ACCEPT ALL FEEDBACK, NO MATTER HOW BAD IT SOUNDS AT FIRST.
Employers need to provide oodles of
feedback to employees to ensure they know
what they’re doing, what they’re supposed
to be doing, what they’re doing well and
what they could be doing better.
Good feedback is great for reinforcing
confidence and building morale and,
surprisingly, negative feedback can be just
as useful, if not more so.
This is because negative feedback, whether
from employees or customers, provides
a way to prevent little annoyances from
becoming reasons for good customers to
leave and good workers to quit.
Bad feedback tells you what you need
to change and shows you what’s really
important to the most important people
in your business – your customers and
your staff.
FEEDBACK IS BIG
The hardest part of my job is collecting
and then reporting bad feedback to
clients about behaviours and aspects of
their business that harm their customers’
experiences. Here are some of the truly
horrific things I’ve had to utter to clients:
Your website or app stinks – Customers
have asked for the same website or app
improvements over and over again. They
don’t understand why it’s not a priority,
especially when your competitor is
delivering on it now! In fact, your sales
team goes out of its way to avoid showing
it to prospects.
Your customer communication is self-serving
or non-existent – Customers have reported
giving up on your business simply because
you’re not communicating effectively with
them. They need to hear from you about
things that matter to them, and not just
when you have a new marketing newsletter.
Your social media is stagnant – Customers
are offering you vital feedback and you’re
providing them with no response, which
NEGATIVE
FEEDBACK,
WHETHER FROM
EMPLOYEES OR
CUSTOMERS,
PROVIDES A WAY
TO PREVENT LITTLE
ANNOYANCES
FROM BECOMING
REASONS FOR
GOOD CUSTOMERS
TO LEAVE AND
GOOD WORKERS
TO QUIT
DON’T SHY AWAY FROM NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
soon becomes a reason not to interact any
further with your brand.
Your social channels are a two-way street.
They are there to keep you in the front
of your customers’ minds, update them
on any changes and provide important
information about your business. They
are also there to give customers a place to
ask questions. Don’t neglect them.
Your sales and marketing teams are at war
– The key teams in your business are, in
essence, working against each other and
the customers are paying for it when their
expectations aren’t met.
Your staff hate their jobs – Your workers feel
useless and frustrated. They reported not
getting enough direction or feedback to do
their jobs – or even to care about keeping
those jobs.
Your internal communications are cold
and numbing – Your messages to staff do
nothing but scold and make demands of
your employees. It’s important to keep staff
members informed but shaming them for
the way they do their jobs or demanding
they attend training simply for training’s
sake doesn’t serve anyone.
You’ve hired the wrong people – While you’ve
chosen people who have the right set of
skills, you haven’t hired people who truly
want to do right by your customers.
Some people get the job done with a focus
on process and policy, not with a focus on
the customer experience. These staff won’t
go above and beyond for your customers.
This is just a sample of items that can go
wrong in a business and the list is limitless.
CAN YOU TAKE IT?
I won’t lie; it’s not easy to listen to negative
feedback. I actually had one CEO downright
refuse to hear it. In fact, he said I must have
spoken to the ‘wrong’ customers!
I had another business leader who got so
excited about hearing my feedback that
she asked me to get her people on board
and up to speed by training them on
customer-centric attitudes. Guess which
company fared better?
Yes, difficult feedback is hard to take. We’ve
all had that sinking feeling that something
you know in your heart to be true is laid out
there for the world to see.
It’s easier to ignore, deflect and defend, to
put that head in the sand and carry on with
the status quo.
I’m asking you to be brave. Put your
defences aside and understand that
feedback, in all its ugly glory, allows you
to improve proactively instead of waiting
passively for the inevitable decline.
There are always organisations and leaders
out there who are ignoring the feedback
that could help them soar. Don’t be one
of them. Take a good look at what your
staff and customers are saying about your
business before it’s too late. i
JEANNIE WALTERS is
the founder and CEO of
Experience Investigators
By 360Connext.
experienceinvestigators.com
June 2019 Jeweller 39

LOGGED ON
IS IT TIME FOR US ALL TO RETHINK FACEBOOK?
IN LIGHT OF THE SOCIAL-MEDIA GIANT’S BUSINESS PRACTICES, DATA SECURITY BREACHES AND FALLING USER NUMBERS, MANDY
EDWARDS ASKS IF IT’S REALLY SERVING CLIENTS’ NEEDS – AND IF DIGITAL MARKETING NEEDS TO EVOLVE BEYOND FACEBOOK.
I probably shouldn’t confess this in public,
much less put it in writing, but I hate
Facebook. Frankly, if I didn’t have my
business, I wouldn’t be on it.
Despite the fact everyone is on it and
businesses can benefit from that, Facebook
is a place full of fake news, people
portraying lives they do not live, ridiculous
fluff posts and oversharing that goes
beyond the boundaries of TMI (too
much information).
So why did I build a business around it, you
may ask? Well, Facebook is still a wonderful
tool for businesses, helping them to reach
their target audience directly, and that’s
what I enjoy most about it – connecting
businesses with people.
However, I began to rethink the whole
premise of this in the wake of the
Cambridge Analytica privacy breach.
This was all over the news so I won’t
rehash all the details here but, in a nutshell,
an analytics company got their hands
on the personal data of over 50 million
Facebook users, without their knowledge or
permission, and used it to create highlytargeted
ads. These ads helped influence
the 2016 US election as well as the UK’s
Brexit vote.
This is your information, my information,
your mother’s information and your
children’s information, used to influence
significant public decisions... and
unfortunately, this wasn’t the end of
the matter.
Earlier this year another massive data
breach was discovered, this time
compromising the personal data –
including passwords, comments, check-ins
and photos – of 540 million users.
It turned out Facebook had allowed
third-party app developers to access user
data and store it in plain sight on a cloud
computing service!
In the past few years Facebook has also
been overrun by fake news. Russian trolls
have allegedly run millions of dollars of
ads to influence politics, people have been
allowed to target advertising specifically to
racist groups and now there have been two
huge data breaches.
As a marketer, we naturally encourage
Facebook because that’s where the
people are but is it time for us to rethink
that and use a strategy that does not
involve Facebook?
Blasphemous, I know; however, Facebook
use is down for the first time ever and, in
my honest opinion, it’s about time. In light
of the data breach, can you really trust a
company that allows that to happen? Any
company so focused on making money will
always have a real internal struggle.
Sandy Paralikas, a former Facebook
employee who worked there enforcing
privacy and other rules, was quoted in
the New York Times as saying, “The people
whose job is to protect the user always
are fighting an uphill battle against the
people whose job it is to make money for
the company.”
Making money is more important than
protecting information. Internally, Facebook
is a hot mess. My friend and mentor, socialmedia
marketing expert Mark Schaefer, had
a great suggestion on how they can clean it
up: go private.
Everything that has ever gone wrong with
Facebook all started when they began
trading as a publicly-listed company and
had shareholders to appease. As much as
I do not like Facebook, I think this may be
the smart move. They need to right the ship
or they will sink and sink fast.
Personal feelings aside, when working with
businesses, Facebook is always the first
platform we consider. Why? It’s the biggest,
but not only that, it’s also where the most
data is available to run highly-targeted ads.
FACEBOOK IS A DIGITAL MARKETER’S DREAM – AND A USER’S NIGHTMARE
MAKING
MONEY IS MORE
IMPORTANT THAN
PROTECTING
INFORMATION.
INTERNALLY,
FACEBOOK IS A
HOT MESS – THEY
NEED TO RIGHT
THE SHIP OR THEY
WILL SINK AND
SINK FAST
Why is that? Think about it for a minute.
Think about all the information you put
on your profile, all the pages you like, all
the meaningless quizzes you take. All of
those activities record data about you and
that data goes back to Facebook to allow
marketers to create those targeted ads.
It’s scary on the personal side, amazing on
the business side – that’s how I describe
it – and because I put the best interests of
my clients first, and because it’s in their best
interest to market on Facebook, then that’s
what I do.
Still, the day may be coming when
everyone may have to branch out and
move away from Facebook and we need
to be ready. In the meantime, if you are
not already diversifying your social-media
marketing strategy and using other
platforms, this is the time to start. Look at
other platforms where your target audience
gathers and increase your presence there.
All in all, retailers should never solely rely on
just one platform. i
MANDY EDWARDS is
founder of ME Marketing
Services, a social media and
management consultancy.
memarketingservices.com
40 Jeweller June 2019

MY STORE
JESSICA DE LOTZ
JEWELLERY
LOCATION: London, UK
NAME: Jessica de Lotz
POSITION: Owner and
jewellery designer
When was the space completed? In 2016.
I didn’t waste any time; within a month
and a half of starting refurbishments,
I opened up. I wanted to launch on
Valentine’s Day, which speaks volumes
about my brand: romantic and nostalgic.
Who is the target market and how did
they influence the store design? My
audience is very broad, but I also have
loyal families that come back to me
for every celebration. My jewellery has
a big heart and, I like to think, a soul! I
really wanted that spirit to be felt upon
entering the shop – not like some other
jewellery stores, which can be slightly
intimidating with everything underneath
glass. I have lots of the pieces resting on
the cabinet and I encourage people to
pick them up and try them on. I want
the environment to be friendly and my
collection of antique displays make you
reflect on the past.
With the relationship between store
ambience and consumer purchasing
in mind, which features in the store
encourage sales? I have a wish list/love
letter wall, for which I have printed tiny
vintage telegram notes. I encourage my
customers to write a little message noting
an item they have their eye on, important
dates coming up, and whom they may
like to give a gift to. I then send an email
to that person suggesting some pieces
based on their note. On my website this
service is called ‘Drop A Hint’.
What is the store design’s ‘wow factor’?
I have a partition wall with an adorable
‘peep hole’ which is surrounded by my
fob-shaped logo and behind it is my
workshop. Visitors really enjoy seeing ‘my
world’ and asking questions. I also have
some pretty bizarre display items, like
giant enamel 1930s glasses that suspend
from the wall! They make people smile
and add a flurry of colour. They’re the best
thing I ever brought home from Canada,
other than my husband! i
June 2019 Jeweller 41

10 YEARS AGO
WHAT WAS MAKING NEWS 10 YEARS AGO?
A SNAPSHOT OF THE INDUSTRY EVENTS THAT MADE NEWS HEADLINES IN THE JUNE 2009 ISSUE OF JEWELLER.
Terminology dominates at CIBJO congress
The story: The nomenclature surrounding gemquality
synthetic diamonds was discussed at length
at CIBJO’s 2009 congress, held in May. Diamond
Commission president Udi Sheintal proposed the
creation of an industry-wide working group that
will confer with members from all areas of the
jewellery trade to arrive at a consensus.
Meanwhile, CIBJO affirmed its position that the
term “synthetic” is the most appropriate descriptor
for non-natural diamonds.
Also on the agenda was the disclosure of a new
treatment applied during the growth process
Westfield jewellery
sales stable
The story: Jewellery retailers in Westfield
Group shopping centres across Australia are
doing well in the downturn, according to the
shopping-centre giant’s quarterly report.
The sector was up by 5.3 per cent over the 12
months to March 31, 2009, and up by 9.8 per
cent in the three months to March 31.
According to the Westfield website, there
are more than 450 stores selling jewellery
throughout Westfield’s 44 shopping centres
across Australia – though they’re not all
jewellery-specific retailers.
of Akoya cultured pearls, where metal fluids are
injected into the pearl’s sac to induce colour. The
technique had been used in Japan.
Pearl Commission president Martin Coeroli reported
that the body resolved to disclose such treated
gems as “colour-induced cultured pearls”.
GIA REFRESHES WEBSITE
The story: The Gemological Institute
of America (GIA) has unveiled a new
website that aims to make it easier for
visitors to access its information and
online services.
GIA president and CEO, Donna Baker,
said, “The goal is to make the GIA
website the destination of choice
for anyone seeking up-to-date
gemmological information.”
The site’s home page (www.gia.edu)
is organised to deliver visitors to
GIA’s most requested information
in one click. This includes in-depth
descriptions of the Four Cs, a video
on how the GIA grades diamonds,
a colour-stone buying tutorial,
and GIA’s online report verification
service, “Report Check.”
In addition, the home page provides
links to educational programmes,
laboratory services and updates on
research activities.
”The redesign has been a massive
project, but it’s only the beginning of
GIA’s new online presence,” Baker said.
“Our goal is to make GIA increasingly
accessible to people around the
world, with greater ability to get
them the information and services
they want instantly.”
Ole Lyngaard designs for Queen
The story: The head designer of Denmark-based
jewellery brand Ole Lynggaard, Charlotte Lynggaard,
has created a tiara for the Queen of Denmark.
Entitled ‘Midnight Tiara’, the piece took almost 300
hours to make, and is valued at around $AU360,190. It
features rose and white gold, diamonds, moonstone
and black silver, and was part of an exhibition at the
museum within Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.
“The most exclusive piece of jewellery a woman
can wear is undoubtedly a tiara. No other piece
represents so much power, rank and wealth,” Ole
Lynggaard sales representative Vibeke Weinreich
Mignard said.
She added, “The piece has been shown to the
Queen at the exclusive opening of the exhibition at
Amalienborg. She was very impressed and loved it!”
42 Jeweller June 2019

EVENTS
JEWELLERY AND WATCH CALENDAR
A GUIDE TO THE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY AND WATCH EVENTS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE YEAR AHEAD.
JUNE 2019
AUGUST 2019
w
HONG KONG WATCH
& CLOCK FAIR
OCTOBER 2019
JUBINALE INTERNATIONAL
JEWELLERY AND WATCHES
TRADE FAIR
Krakow, Poland
June 13 – 15
jubinale.com/en
HONG KONG JEWELLERY
& GEM FAIR
Hong Kong, China
June 20 – 23
exhibitions.jewellerynet.com
JULY 2019
WINTON OPAL TRADESHOW
Winton, Australia
July 12 – 13
qboa.com.au
LIGHTNING RIDGE OPAL
& GEM FESTIVAL
Lightning Ridge, Australia
July 24 – 27
lightningridgeopalfestival.com.au
AUSTRALIAN OPAL
EXHIBITION
Gold Coast, QLD
August 1 – 2
austopalexpo.com.au
INDIA INTERNATIONAL
JEWELLERY SHOW
Mumbai, India
August 9 – 12
iijs.org
INTERNATIONAL
JEWELLERY FAIR
Sydney, Australia
August 24 – 26
jewelleryfair.com.au
JAPAN JEWELLERY FAIR
Tokyo, Japan
August 28 – 30
japanjewelleryfair.com/en
SEPTEMBER 2019
INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY
LONDON
London, UK
September 1 – 3
jewellerylondon.com
Hong Kong, China
September 3 – 7
m.hktdc.com/fair/hkwatchfair-en/
BIJORHCA PARIS
Paris, France
September 6 – 9
bijorhca.com
VICENZAORO
Vicenza, Italy
September 7 – 11
vicenzaoro.com/en
PALAKISS VICENZA
SUMMER SHOW
Vicenza, Italy
September 7 – 11
palakisstore.com
BANGKOK GEMS
& JEWELRY FAIR
Bangkok, Thailand
September 10 – 12
bkkgems.com
SHENZHEN
INTERNATIONAL
JEWELLERY FAIR
Shenzhen, China
September 12 – 16
newayfairs.com/EN
BHARAT DIAMOND WEEK
Mumbai, India
October 14 – 16
bharatdiamondweek.com
INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY
TOKYO AUTUMN
Yokohama, Japan
October 23 – 25
ijt-aki.jp
NOVEMBER 2019
CHINA INTERNATIONAL
GOLD, JEWELLERY & GEM
FAIR SHANGHAI
Shanghai, China
November 28 – December 1
HONG KONG JEWELLERY &
GEM FAIR
Hong Kong, China
September 16 – 29
exhibitions.jewellerynet.com
June 2019 Jeweller 43

MY BENCH
Alan Linney
WORKS AT:
Linneys, Perth
AGE: 68
YEARS IN TRADE: 53
TRAINING: Six-year
apprenticeship and a year of
gemmological studies.
FIRST JOB: Ron Brown, a
manufacturing jeweller.
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS:
Gardening!
Favourite gemstone:
Pink diamonds because
they are a West Australian
precious natural resource,
are extremely rare, and the
intensity of the colour mixes
well with other diamonds.
Favourite metal: 18-carat
yellow gold. I create the
most interesting and
detailed jewellery with it.
You can see it in our recent
collection, Butterfly Lovers.
Favourite tool: I still have
my pliers from the 1970s.
The other jewellers in our
workshop always ask to
borrow them!
Best new tool discovery:
Laser welder.
Best part of job: Exceeding
expectations on challenging
designs. Also, building a
relationship with our loyal
customers over the years.
Worst part of job: I never
find it difficult being at work!
I really enjoy every aspect.
Best tip from a jeweller:
Communication is key.
Best tip to a jeweller:
Follow all instructions.
Biggest health concern on
the bench: Look after
your hands and fingers
as they are your most
important resource.
Love jewellery because:
You can start the day with a
few raw materials and at the
end of it you have a piece
of wearable art that can be
passed on for generations.

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SOAPBOX
TIME TO EMBRACE AND
PARTICIPATE IN OUR INDUSTRY
The decision by two of the major
buying groups to cancel their respective
buying days and encourage their
members to attend the three days of
the International Jewellery & Watch Fair
(IJWF) is a very positive move for the
greater industry.
As an exhibitor of the Sydney trade fair
in every year of its existence bar one,
Paterson Fine Jewellery is more excited
about this year’s event than at any time in
recent memory.
Instead of the usual dread about weeklong
accommodation costs and arguments
about how to fill the last day, the thought is
now if three days will even be enough time
to catch up with customers.
This is an opportunity to hear all about
what’s working, what has slowed down,
and where we can step in and help, as
well as explain our new concepts and
ranges that we have been working on
since the last Fair.
It’s brave and magnanimous of Showcase
and Leading Edge to follow the lead of
Nationwide and keep all their members
together at the one location.
From a supplier’s point of view, condensing
what has been a week-long event into
three or four days will save time and
money and bring more people together
in a positive reflection of what our industry
should be.
Previously, a supplier who was lucky
enough to be invited to participate in
these buying group days committed to
a conference in August. It started with
getting to Sydney with all your stock
and displays for the week ahead, before
attending Group A’s buying day, at a
random venue.
That rolled into Group B’s buying day
at another venue, which rolled into the
set-up day of the Fair, where the supplier
would need to make sure their booth
at the Convention Centre was ready
and decorated.
Then there were the three days of the main
Fair, followed by packing up and bringing
all stock and displays back to the office. It
was a fun week, but tiring and challenging.
It was a challenging time for members
of the buying groups too. They wanted
to support their group and take advantage
of the camaraderie at the dinners, the
marketing training, and the supplier
offers and products.
But they might also have wanted to see
what was new and exciting at the Fair,
and there was the added concern of being
away from their store for a full week.
Now, for the first time in a long time,
manufacturers, wholesalers, jewellery
and watch brands are coming together
for one event.
Suppliers can expect more numbers in
the one location and be able to focus
their time and attention on delivering a
more attractive booth, consolidating their
stock in one location, and having better
offers for all visitors.
And most importantly, they can still
RELATIONSHIPS
ARE AT THE HEART
OF EVERYTHING
WE DO. OUR
RELATIONSHIPS
WITH CUSTOMERS,
SUPPLIERS,
AGENTS AND
REPS – EVEN OUR
RELATIONSHIPS
WITH OUR
COMPETITORS –
DEFINE WHO WE
ARE AS A BUSINESS
catch up with friends and colleagues
that they don’t get to see as often as
they might like, and hopefully form
relationships with people new to
the industry.
Relationships are at the heart of
everything we do. Our relationships
with customers, suppliers, agents and
reps – even our relationships with our
competitors – define who we are as a
business and how we are perceived,
and hopefully valued.
That is why a united jewellery fair is so
critical to our industry and why it is so
important that it is not dismissed with
the usual excuses: “It’s too far”, “I can’t be
away from the shop”, or “I’m not buying
at the moment”.
Every person who has used one of these
excuses changed their mind once they
committed to attending, had a great time,
and found it very useful in their business.
Big or small retailer, group member,
independent, buyer, seller, on the bench, or
on the road – all will be under the one roof
for three action-packed days (and nights).
So book your flights. Choose a hotel.
Organise your staff roster. Let’s all get
together to celebrate the best of what our
industry has to offer: its people. i
Name: David Paterson
Business: Paterson Fine Jewellery
Position: Managing director
Location: Moorabbin, VIC and Bangkok, Thailand
Years in the industry: 23
46 Jeweller June 2019

Where passion meets creativity
Immerse yourself in a world of spectacular, original jewellery at the 2019 International Jewellery & Watch Fair.
Be inspired by excellence in creativity of the latest designs and the passion in workmanship. See the latest global trends,
seek new business opportunities and gain knowledge from industry insights. Talk with the experts and select from
thousands of stunning pieces, just right for your business. Register to attend today at www.jewelleryfair.com.au.
INTERNATIONAL
J E W ELLERY & WATCH FAIR
August 24 > 26, 2019
ICC Sydney > Exhibition Centre > Darling Harbour
Organised by
WWW.JEWELLERYFAIR.COM.AU

AUSTRALIAN NATURAL
PINK DIAMONDS FROM ARGYLE
Blush Pink Diamond jewellery is crafted from 18ct gold with an
exquisite blend of fine white diamonds and natural Australian pink
diamonds from the Argyle Diamond Mine, located in the East
Kimberley region of Western Australia. These pink diamonds are
the rarest and most precious diamonds in the world.
PinkKimberley.com.au
E pink@samsgroup.com.au W samsgroup.com.au P 02 9290 2199
SAMS GROUP
AUSTRALIA