Jeweller - May 2021

VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY 

MAY 2021 

Prime time 

WHY THE SWISS WATCH INDUSTRY 

NEEDS PHYSICAL TRADE SHOWS 

Full spectrum 

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WHY THE SWISS WATCH INDUSTRY 

NEEDS PHYSICAL TRADE SHOWS 


COLOURED GEMSTONES TAKE CENTRE STAGE 

FOR JEWELLERS AND CONSUMERS 


INNOVATIONS AND TRENDS IN THE 

CASTING AND REFINING SECTOR 


Contents 

This Month 

Industry Facets 

14 Editor’s Desk 

25 

10 YEARS AGO 

Time Machine: May 2011 

15 Upfront 

27 

MY STORE 

John Franich Jewellers 

17 News 

28 

NOW & THEN 

Percy Marks 

23 Product Spotlight 

30 

LEARN ABOUT GEMS 

Moonstone 

31 CASTING & REFINING FEATURE 

Heavy metal 

37 Jewellers Showcase 

55 

57 

MY BENCH 

David Hollanders 

SOAPBOX 

Rikki McAndrew 

4CALLUM GLENNEN explores recent 

developments in casting and refining, including 

precious metal prices and advanced technology. 

Features 

31 

39 

43 

CASTING & REFINING FEATURE 

Reset and refine 

WATCH TRADE REVIEW 

Watching the clock 

COLOURED GEMSTONES FEATURE 

All things bright and beautiful 

Better Your Business 

49 

BUSINESS STRATEGY 

Community is critical to retail success, write RICH KIZER and GEORGANNE BENDER. 

43 GEMSTONES FEATURE 

Primary colours 

4Bold designs and vibrant hues 

51 

52 

SELLING 

SUE BARRETT reveals the three principles that should guide your sales strategy. 

MANAGEMENT 

BRIAN WALKER explores the role intuition plays in running a successful business. 

Springboard forward and together 

unify the industry! 

give coloured gemstones the edge, 

writes ARABELLA RODEN. 

53 

54 

MARKETING & PR 

CHRIS PETERSEN explains why the second sale is more valuable than the first. 

LOGGED ON 

Revisit old blog posts to boost your search-engine rankings, advises BETH WALKER. 

BUY • LEARN • BE INSPIRED • NETWORK • BELONG 

39 WATCH TRADE REVIEW 

Real fair go 

Prime time 

Full spectrum Precious metal 

INTERNATIONAL 

J E W ELLERY & WATCH FAIR 

by Expertise Events 

AUGUST 28 – 30, 2021 

Organised by 

4 MARTIN FOSTER 

reviews the state of the 

Swiss fairs following this 

year’s Watches & Wonders 

Geneva and Shanghai. 

FRONT COVER 

Colonial Gemstones brings 

you premium, ethically-mined 

emeralds and emerald jewellery 

direct from the world-famous 

mines of Colombia. 

jewelleryfair.com.au 

ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour 

Est. 1990 

May 2021 | 12

Editor’s Desk 

One part water, one part soil and sharp scissors 

Recognising root rot is the first step towards saving a plant or tree, and just like gardening, 

a ‘dying’ business can often be saved by a repot and a solid prune. ANGELA HAN shares her experiences. 

Leaders and numbers 

have one thing in common... 

They both speak for themsel ves ! 

PUBLICATION 

GLOBAL 

RANKING 

TIME SPENT 

PER VISITOR 

PAGE VIEWS 

PER VISITOR 

COUNTRY 

1 Jeweller 66,094 25:31 14 Australia 

2 JCK 73,914 02:03 1.6 USA 

3 National Jeweller 118,273 01:49 1.8 USA 

4 

Jewellery Net Asia 136,914 07:11 6.7 Hong Kong 

5 Rapaport Magazine 145,914 01:57 1.6 USA 

* Alexa Global Ranking statistics as at 30 March 2021 

Jeweller been the leading voice of the Australian and New 

Zealand jewellery industries for more than two decades. 

Today we rank #1 in the world. 

Alexa, the independent global ranking system for measuring 

website traffi c and readership, now ranks jewellermagazine.com 

as the most widely read industry publication in the world. 

Better still, the daily time spent on jewellermagazine.com averages 

25 minutes, which far exceeds all other industry titles that average 

only 2–3 minutes per visitor, while Jeweller’s social media presence 

dominates and our eMags boast over 12.1 million reads. 

It’s clear, the numbers speak for themselves - 

follow the leader, and follow the readers too! 

Being a gardening enthusiast, I have a 

predilection for rescuing dying plants. As 

long as the roots are still healthy, there is 

always a chance it can be saved with some 

attention and care. While not all survive, 

it’s immensely edifying when they do. 

One of my proudest ‘rescues’ is a Hindu 

rope plant that I bought for a few dollars. 

Looking more dead than alive, I should have 

thought better than to take something home 

that may introduce new pests into my miniecosystem, 

but still took the risk knowing it 

was a rare find. 

I was told that the clusters of gem-like 

petals smelled of dark chocolate, which 

would intensify as the sun went down. 

Armed with hope and a bag of dirt, I was 

determined to save it. Having done some 

research, I knew it would need to be tightly 

root-bound in arid soil with a few hours of 

indirect sun each day – and given the rot in 

its roots, even more care would be needed. 

Because it takes Hindu rope plants anywhere 

between five and seven years to mature 

and finally flower, there was not a second to 

waste if I wanted to nurse it back to health 

and see it blossom! 

Caring for plants teaches the limitations 

of what is, and isn’t, within my control, 

especially having to work at the pace of 

Mother Nature and Father Time. 

Of the many lessons that the natural world 

reveals, here are the most important: 

A time to love, a time to hold back 

It doesn’t take long to discover each plants’ 

particularities, with some being more ‘needy’ 

than others. Tropical Calatheas can develop 

brown edges around the vibrant leaves if you 

so much as look at it the wrong way, while 

the hardy Zamioculcas thrives on neglect. 

Either way, it’s commonplace to kill 

houseplants with kindness, especially when 

you’re trying to rescue one. 

Similarly, our professional and work lives 

require varying degrees of attention in order 

to succeed, and excessive time spent serving 

the wrong needs can have destructive 

consequences. 

For example, spending too much time 

watching the bottom-line could be detrimental 

to your creative output; if the soul of your 

business suffers, at a certain point there will 

be no bottom-line left to manage. 

Inversely, spending too much time on 

creativity and neglecting the bottom-line 

could lead to cost blow-outs and wasted 

energy, whittling away the profit margin on 

even the most perfect product. 

To have a flourishing business, it’s imperative 

to regularly assess which areas need more – 

or less – attention and adjust your behaviour 

to address problems before it’s too late. 

Good ideas, and new businesses, are most 

fragile at conception; close monitoring 

is necessary but care must be taken not 

to ‘overwater’ or ‘over feed’. You can only 

expect to yield results under the right 

conditions (controllable) at the right time 

(uncontrollable). 

Fine-tuning small things each day can 

make a vast difference to ensure your 

business thrives. 

A time to prune, a time to harvest 

Ruthless pruning at the right time, and 

in the right place, is the golden rule of 

green-thumbed people; roses bloom with 

a vengeance after a good pruning, and 

peaches are sweetest after they’ve blushed. 

Like an untended garden, it’s easy to 

let innocent overgrowth consume your 

income and unclipped branches choke the 

business. However, making the right cuts 

will yield immediate changes and can turn 

a malnourished business into one that is 

robust and ready for growth. 

“Is there a need to finally address dead 

stock and throw away the tired old window 

displays?” 

“Do I need to sever ties with non-paying 

clients or deal with toxic staff members?” 

“Have I reviewed unnecessary business 

expenses that have grown out of control, 

like weeds?” 

Pruning can sometimes feel ruthless when 

you’re staring at a barebone branch, but 

patience is always rewarded in time with a 

more bountiful harvest. 

Pruning can 

sometimes feel 

ruthless when 

you’re staring 

at a barebone 

branch, but 

patience 

is always 

rewarded in 

time with a 

more bountiful 

harvest. 

A time for life, a time for death 

It’s easy to feel like a failure when you’re 

holding a dead plant over a rubbish or 

compost bin. 

“What could I have done differently?” is a 

question that has haunted anyone who has 

failed to bring their vision to fruition. 

Yet, even after doing everything right, there 

are some projects that will fail for reasons 

beyond comprehension. 

Luckily, as it turns out, death isn’t the 

opposite of life – but a critical part of it. 

In fact, many cultures believe that death 

completes and fuels the next cycle of life. 

In between the two points of existence, 

we simply learn to accept the storm, and 

cooperate with the wind and sun. 

So, remove dead matter, learn from your 

mistakes and prepare the ground for new 

endeavours. With the change in seasons 

comes a sequence of opportunities that 

can become a gift to nurture resilience 

and strength. 

A high school teacher, who was an avid 

gardener herself, once told me her daily 

prayer: “Lord, grant me the serenity to 

accept the things I cannot change, courage 

to change the things I can, and wisdom to 

know the difference.” 

For those wondering, my Hindu rope 

plant flourished and flowered within three 

years, and has continued to multiply 

each year since. The more clippings I 

share with friends and colleagues, the 

more it seems to grow. Six years on, this 

overachieving ex-runt thrives on neglect 

and boasts ropes of dark glossy leaves 

draping to the floor. 

And yes, the rumour was true; through 

the nights of spring and summer, the pink 

flowers of the Hindu rope plant exude a 

rich chocolate perfume that comes alive 

when the sun goes down. 

Now if you’d excuse me, I have some 

pruning to do! 

Angela Han 

Publisher 

JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM 


Upfront 

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HISTORIC GEMSTONE 

Aurora Australis Opal 

4Discovered at Lightning Ridge, NSW in 1938, the 180-carat Aurora 

Australis is believed to be the world’s most valuable black opal, with 

an estimated value of $1 million. Miner Charlie Dunstan recovered the 

gemstone which displays a harlequin pattern and vibrant red, green, and 

blue play of colours. 

It was sold to opal specialists Altmann + Cherny, 

who cut, polished, and renamed it The Aurora 

Australis after the ‘southern lights’ – the 

southern-hemisphere equivalent to the 

Aurora Borealis, or ‘northern lights’. 

The opal is on permanent 

display at the Altmann + Cherny 

showroom in Sydney. 

Celebrity Style 

4Writer-director Emerald Fennell 

(above) attended the virtual British 

Academy Film & Television Awards 

(BAFTAs) – where her feature Promising 

Young Woman won Best British Film – 

wearing a selection of green tourmaline 

and diamond cocktail rings (inset) 

designed by her father, acclaimed 

jeweller Theo Fennell. 

Image credit: Tiffany & Co. Image credit: Zoe McConnell 

Stranger Things 

Weird, wacky and wonderful 

jewellery news from around the world 

A rail honest guy 

4A New York train conductor 

has been honoured by the 

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) 

for discovering and turning in 

36 diamond engagement rings, 

which had been left on an evening 

rush hour train. Valued at 

$US107,000, the find is believed to 

be one of the LIRR’s most expensive 

lost property cases. Thanks to the 

conductor’s honesty, the rings were 

soon reunited with their owner – a 

jeweller who had forgotten them on 

his train ride home! 

Gift fit for a Khaleesi 

4To celebrate the 10th 

anniversary of the Game Of 

Thrones TV show, Fabergé has 

designed a limited-edition 

themed version of its iconic Egg 

objet d’art, in collaboration with 

Thrones costume designer Michele 

Clapton. The enamel Egg opens 

in three sections and features 

18-carat white gold dragons, pink 

sapphires, white diamonds, and a 

hidden ruby crown. 

French luxury 

conglomerate 

Kering has now 

trained 400 staff 

in 16 countries to 

conduct ‘distance 

sales’ using 

digital means. 

Digital Brainwave 

4European luxury brands have begun 

to embrace ‘distance sales’ during the 

COVID-19 pandemic, with Italian jeweller 

Gismondi 1754 revealing it recently sold 

a €300,000 10-carat diamond ring via 

WhatsApp and video chat. 

Massimo Gismondi, CEO Gismondi 1754, 

said, “I was on the phone chatting with the 

lady who is buying it, and it came up that this 

was the dream of a lifetime for her.” 

Gismondi assisted the customer to find 

the perfect ring via video, which was then 

delivered to her home in Switzerland. 

Campaign Watch 

4Tiffany & Co. has announced 

Roseanne ‘Rosé’ Park (above, in the 

new Tiffany HardWear campaign), from 

girl group Blackpink, as its new global 

‘ambassador’. New Zealand-born, 

Australian-raised Park said, “I’ve worn 

Tiffany jewellery since I was in high 

school... I’m very honoured and excited.” 

Weapon of choice 

4US jewellery brand Amulet By 

D has released a ‘self-defence’ 

collection, with pieces that can be 

quickly converted into weapons 

such as diamond-studded sterling 

silver knuckle dusters and necklaces 

with functional whistles and spiked 

clasps. Founder Doris Chou Durfee 

– who is an experienced martial arts 

practitioner – said the designs were 

inspired by her experiences as an 

Asian-American woman, including 

witnessing recent hate crimes 

in the US. 


Published by Befindan Media Pty Ltd 

Locked Bag 26, South Melbourne, VIC 3205 AUSTRALIA | ABN 66 638 077 648 | Phone: +61 3 9696 7200 | Subscriptions & Enquiries: info@jewellermagazine.com 

Publisher Angela Han angela.han@jewellermagazine.com • Editor Arabella Roden arabella.roden@jewellermagazine.com • Production Assistant Lauren McKinnon art@befindanmedia.com 

Digital Co-ordinator Trish Bucheli-Preece trish@jewellermagazine.com • Advertising Toli Podolak toli.podolak@jewellermagazine.com • Accounts Paul Blewitt finance@befindanmedia.com 

Copyright All material appearing in Jeweller is subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without prior written consent of the publisher. Befindan Media Pty Ltd 

strives to report accurately and fairly and it is our policy to correct significant errors of fact and misleading statements in the next available issue. All statements made, although based on information 

believed to be reliable and accurate at the time, cannot be guaranteed and no fault or liability can be accepted for error or omission. Any comment relating to subjective opinions should be addressed to 

the editor. Advertising The publisher reserves the right to omit or alter any advertisement to comply with Australian law and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher for all damages or liabilities 

arising from the published material. 

Timesupply 

jewellery + watches 

p +61 (0)8 8221 5580 

sales@timesupply.com.au | timesupply.com.au 

exclusive distributor AU & NZ

News 

News In Brief 

GIA recalls fancy 

diamonds 

4 The Gemological Institute of America 

(GIA) has withdrawn the grading reports 

for a number of fancy colour diamonds 

analysed between January and June 

2020, over concerns an as-yet unidentified 

treatment could have gone undetected. 

The diamonds in question were issued with 

a “green or greenish” colour grade. The 

GIA removed the diamonds from its Report 

Check service and offered free re-testing. 

COVID-19 impacts Indian 

diamond industry 

4 A second wave of the COVID-19 

pandemic in India may lead to polished 

diamond shortages, as one in four 

workers stay home and companies shift 

resources towards higher-value stones, 

Rapaport News reports. Diamond 

manufacturing in India – where more 

than 90 per cent of the world’s diamonds 

are cut – has reportedly fallen 30–40 per 

cent in recent weeks. 

Diamond ring breaks 

Aussie auction record 

4 Auction house Leonard Joel has 

sold the largest and most expensive 

diamond ring ever auctioned in 

Australia, for $1.125 million. The 

platinum ring features a square 

emerald-cut 25.02-carat centre stone. 

Hamish Sharma, head of Leonard Joel’s 

Important Jewels division, said, “If you’re 

judging it from a point of view of beauty, 

it’s unparalleled.” 

Management shuffle 

at Seiko 

4Shinji Hattori – great-grandson of 

Seiko founder Kintaro Hattori – has 

stepped down as CEO of Seiko Watch 

Corporation (SWC) after 17 years. 

Meanwhile, SWC president Shuji 

Takahashi has been promoted to 

another role within the Seiko group. 

Akio Naito – a long-term SWC executive 

who has held leadership roles in both 

Australia and Japan – has been named 

as the new president. 

Baume & Mercier releases revamped 

Riviera watch collection 

The Baume & Mercier Riviera Collection retains the 

original’s unusual 12-sided bezel. 

Swiss watch brand Baume & Mercier has 

launched the latest version of its historic Riviera 

timepiece, which was originally released in 1973. 

The Riviera was named for the iconic French 

coastline, with the unusual design representing 

“freedom and renewal” as well as “offbeat 

elegance”. 

Unveiled during the recent Watches & 

Wonders Geneva virtual event, the new 

Riviera collection features self-winding models 

for men and women in case sizes from 36mm 

to 42mm, as well as a model housing the 

brand’s signature Baumatic calibre, which 

provides a five-day power reserve. 

All the timepieces feature the Riviera’s 

Casting, refining and fabricated alloys firm 

opens Melbourne office 

Chemgold has opened a new location in Melbourne 

as it celebrates 35 years in the jewellery industry. 

Sydney-based casting, refining, and fabricated 

alloys firm Chemgold has opened a new location in 

Melbourne’s CBD, in order to serve the Victorian 

jewellery retail and manufacturing market. 

It will offer casting, refining, fabricated alloys, 

findings, bullion, mounts, laser engraving and 

the full Chemgold design catalogue. 

distinctive 12-sided stainless steel bezel, 

updated for modern consumers with black, 

blue, silver, and grey dials available, as well as 

interchangeable rubber strap or steel bracelet. 

A statement from Baume & Mercier read, “The 

Riviera is making a comeback that strikes a 

balance between its roots in avant-garde ‘70s 

design and the sport-minded classicism of 

today’s watches. 

“More than any other, the Riviera collection 

demonstrates the expertise of Baume & Mercier 

in the field of unusually shaped watches. 

Of the original model, the statement said, 

“Known for its twelve-sided bezel reflecting the 

twelve hours displayed on its dial, this unique 

watch left an impression. 

“The icon of a nonchalant generation, it 

has always carried the Baume & Mercier 

fundamentals in its genes: a love of design, a 

regard for form, and a desire for boldness.” 

The ‘revamped’ Riviera follows other Baume 

& Mercier archival revivals, such as the Art 

Deco-inspired Hampton Collection, which was 

unveiled at the digital Watches & Wonders 

Geneva event in 2020. 

Darren Sher, director Chemgold, told Jeweller, 

“We opened in Melbourne primarily to make 

our products and services more accessible to 

jewellers and retailers in Victoria,” adding that 

“existing – and potential – customers have 

requested we do this for years”. 

“We feel there is an opportunity to offer our 

quality products as well as our renowned 

personalised service. The planning has been in 

the pipeline for many years with the set up taking 

place over the last few months,” Sher said. 

The Melbourne office will also offer several 

unique services, including the ability to collect 

stockgauge, solder, findings, and selected bullion. 

“Casting will still be based in Sydney, however 

customers can collect orders and drop off 

masters, waxes, or samples in Melbourne,” 

Sher explained. 

The new office opens as Chemgold celebrates 

its 35th year in the jewellery trade, and is located 

in the heart of Melbourne’s ‘jewellery district’, 

Collins Street. 

Spanish jewellery brand UNOde50 enters 

Australian market 

Timesupply has inked a deal to distribute Spanish jewellery brand UNOde50, which is known for its distinctive 

designs and bold aesthetics. Image credit: UNOde50 

Spanish jewellery brand UNOde50 is set 

to enter the Australian and New Zealand 

market, distributed by Timesupply. 

As part of the deal, Timesupply will 

take control of UNOde50 distribution 

within Australia and New Zealand as 

well as operating the local version of the 

brand’s website. 

Javier Gala, CEO UNOde50, said, “UNOde50 

is proud to announce its strategic partnership 

with Timesupply to service the Australian and 

New Zealand markets. 

“Until now, UNOde50 has had a limited 

presence in the region. However, we are 

confident that our brand’s unique jewellery 

designs – timelessly fusing tradition with 

modernity and handcrafted quality – have 

great potential to appeal to a new group 

of consumers.” 

Ken Abbott, director Timesupply, told 

Jeweller, “We first became aware of 

UNOde50 in 2017 after seeing the brand 

in many UK retailers. 

“It was very eye-catching and obviously 

hugely popular; we considered it would be 

a great addition to our stable of brands.” 

He added, “UNOde50 has a very unique 

design DNA – it is difficult to mistake for any 

other brand. It is bold and artistic and will 

appeal not only to those who know the brand 

from Europe but also to new customers, who 

are always looking for something special. 

“UNOde50 fits perfectly with Timesupply’s 

mission to distribute unique, distinctively 

designed jewellery with outstanding 

quality and value.” 

Founded in Madrid in the 1990s, UNOde50 

jewellery is handcrafted in Spain and has an 

existing retailer network spanning more than 

45 countries. 

While its largest market is Spain, followed 

by the US, the brand has been pursuing 

an expansion strategy to new territories, 

including Ireland in November 2020. 

“UNOde50 has a very unique design 

DNA – it is difficult to mistake for any 

other brand. It is bold and artistic and 

will appeal not only to those who know 

the brand from Europe, but also to 

new customers” 

KEN ABBOTT 

Timesupply 

Its signature pieces are bracelets, which 

account for more than 45 per cent of sales, 

followed by necklaces. While known for its 

plated silver and leather designs, UNOde50’s 

range also incorporates gold plating, natural 

gemstones, and pearls. 

It takes its name from the limited quantities 

of its first jewellery collections – just 50 pieces 

and its logo is a padlock, which represents the 

‘protection of exclusive jewellery designs’. 

In addition to its 500-piece core range, 

UNOde50 releases two collections each year; 

its most recent release for 2021 is the Glam 

Collection, featuring animal motifs and ontrend 

gold chains. 

Timesupply currently distributes a number 

of European brands, including Coeur de 

Lion, Nomination, DANSK Copenhagen, 

QUDO, and RAS. 

17 | May 2021

News 

News 

Diamond organisation warned over advertising 

The National Advertising Division (NAD) – the US 

advertising industry’s self-regulation body – has 

issued a warning to the Natural Diamond Council 

(NDC) following a complaint from lab-created 

diamond company Diamond Foundry. 

In March, the NDC made its own complaint to the 

NAD, challenging descriptions and nomenclature 

used in digital marketing for Diamond Foundry and 

its subsidiary, jewellery brand Vrai. 

LVMH watch and jewellery division records 138 per 

cent increase in revenue following Tiffany deal 

The warning pertained to advertising that 

compared natural mined diamonds with manmade 

diamonds – also known as lab-grown, labcreated, 

or synthetic diamonds – appearing on 

the NDC’s website and in marketing assets made 

available to retailers. 

Diamond Foundry disputed the NDC’s claim that 

natural diamond production generates ‘three 

times less carbon emissions’ than lab-created 

diamonds – a figure the NDC derived from a report 

commissioned and published by its predecessor, 

the Diamond Producers Association, in 2019. 

In an April 22 statement, the NAD determined that 

the NDC’s evidence for the ‘three times less carbon 

emissions’ claim was “not sufficiently reliable” 

and was “concerned that such claims conveyed 

a broader implied message about the overall 

environmental benefits of mined diamonds versus 

man-made diamonds”. 

NAD recommended NDC remove the claim, 

alongside online advertising that referred to the 

“scarcity of mined diamonds [and] the resale value 

of mined diamonds versus man-made diamonds”. 

“NAD recommended NDC remove the claim, 

alongside online advertising that referred 

to the ‘scarcity of mined diamonds [and] the 

resale value of mined diamonds versus 

man-made diamonds’” 

NAD determined that “Diamond Foundry must, 

consistent with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 

Jewelry Guides, make an effective disclosure that its 

diamonds are man-made. NAD further found that, 

consistent with the FTC Jewelry Guides and the 

FTC Dot Com Disclosure publication, the advertiser 

should distinguish its LGDs from mined diamonds”. 

Formerly known as the Advertising Self-Regulatory 

Council (ASRC), NAD is an independent non-profit 

that monitors truth and accuracy in advertising. 

While not an official regulator, it often refers cases 

to the US Government’s Federal Trade Commission. 

Frequently, its cases are established based on 

challenges from competing businesses. 

Tiffany & Co. has contributed to a 138 per cent increase in revenue for LVMH’s Watch & Jewelry division. Pictured: 

New Tiffany & Co. celebrity spokesperson Anya Taylor-Joy. Image credit: Nolan Zangas/Tiffany & Co. 

In its first financial update for 2021, French 

luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy Louis 

Vuitton (LVMH) has reported revenue of €13.96 

billion ($AU21.6 billion), an increase of 32 per 

cent compared with the same period last year. 

During the first quarter of 2021, €1.88 billion 

($AU2.9 billion) came from LVMH’s Watches 

& Jewelry division – up 138 per cent compared 

with 2020. 

US publication JCK Online reports Guiony as 

saying, “Integrating Tiffany is very important to 

us... [The company is] a big acquisition for us 

[and] our number one priority.” 

Guiony added, “It will take years to do what we 

want to do with this brand, from a distribution, 

merchandising, and marketing viewpoint. It is a 

lot of work – we are committed to doing it.” 

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Michael Hill International reports positive 

sales trends, continues COVID recovery 

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael Hill 

International has recorded increased revenue and 

same-store sales for the quarter ended 28 March 2021. 

In its latest quarterly financial report for the 

trading period ended 28 March 2021, Michael Hill 

International (MHI), has recorded encouraging 

results, including a 16.4 per cent increase in samestore 

sales and revenue of $118.5 million, up 11.6 

per cent compared with the same period last year. 

Australia – MHI’s largest market – was a key 

driver of revenue, recording sales of $70.3 million, 

an increase of nearly 20 per cent. Canada, MHI’s 

second-largest market by store count, recorded 

revenue of $CAD17 million. 

The results were significantly hampered by 

temporary store closures due to the COVID-19 

pandemic, with 134 of its 288-strong store network 

forced to shut their doors. 

Daniel Bracken, CEO MHI, said, “I’m delighted by 

these results... Considering the ongoing challenges 

of navigating COVID-19, particularly in Canada, 

this result demonstrates the resilience of the 

Michael Hill business and further validates our 

transformation to a modern, differentiated, omnichannel 

jewellery brand. 

“I’ve never been more confident in our leadership 

team, and with a clear plan for growth, we are 

well-placed for continued strong results despite the 

uncertain environment,” he added. 

Online sales also continued to climb for the 

jewellery chain, with e-commerce accounting for 5.6 

per cent of total sales – an increase of 69.2 per cent 

from the previous quarter and more than 90 per 

cent higher than the same period in 2020. 

The increase is largely attributed to the 

acquisition of international jewellery company 

Tiffany & Co., which was finalised in January. 

Tiffany & Co.’s annual revenue – which totalled 

$US4.4 billion ($AU6.8 billion) in 2019, the last 

financial year for which figures are available 

– is approximately equal to that of LVMH’s 

existing Watches & Jewelry division, which 

includes TAG Heuer, Bulgari, Hublot, Zenith, 

Chaumet, and Fred. 

A statement published on the LVMH website 

noted, “The Watches & Jewelry business 

group recorded organic revenue growth of 35 

per cent in the first quarter of 2021 compared 

to the same period of 2020 and 1 per cent 

compared to that of 2019. The quarter marked 

the integration for the first time of the iconic 

jewelry Maison, Tiffany & Co, which saw an 

excellent start to the year.” 

The company also noted that while the US and 

Asian markets have improved significantly, 

Europe remains hampered by temporary store 

closures and travel restrictions as a result of 

the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While LVMH management described Tiffany 

& Co.’s Q1 2021 performance as “excellent”, 

its chief financial officer Jean-Jacques Guiony 

recently told investors that the company has 

“tremendous” potential to expand. 

“It will take years to do what we want 

to do with this brand [Tiffany & Co.], 

from a distribution, merchandising, 

and marketing viewpoint. It is a lot of 

work – we are committed to doing it” 

JEAN-JACQUES GUIONY, 

Möet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) 

Alexandre Arnault, the 28-year-old son of 

LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault and former 

CEO of luggage brand Rimowa, was named 

Tiffany’s executive vice-president of product 

and communications in January.. 

Barely two months into Arnault’s tenure, 

Tiffany & Co. cancelled its New York Times 

print-edition ad, which had run on the third 

page since 1896. Fashion publication Women’s 

Wear Daily reports that Arnault has used 

Instagram Stories to ask followers for input 

into the future of Tiffany & Co., posting, “What 

would you like to see us do at Tiffany?” 

The company has also begun utilising a new 

group of celebrity spokespeople, including 

entertainer Jackson Yee, Roseanne ‘Rosé’ 

Park, of South Korean girl group Blackpink, 

The Queen’s Gambit actress Anya Taylor-Joy 

and male model Alton Mason. 

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News 

US sanctions Myanmar 

gemstone company 

Nirav Modi extradition approved by 

UK government, appeal filed 

A spokesperson confirmed Home Secretary Priti 

Patel approved the extradition order on 15 April. 

Under UK law, the decision can be appealed 

within 14 days. 

Modi sought permission to appeal both Goozee 

and Patel’s decisions in an application received 

on 28 April. 

Former jewellery mogul Nirav Modi faces life imprisonment 

in India if convicted on charges stemming from the $US1.8 

billion PNB fraud. 

Meanwhile, Indian media report that the extradition 

of Modi’s uncle Mehul Choksi, who has also been 

charged in relation to the PNB fraud, could be 

delayed by more than seven years. 

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Myanmar (Burma) is the world’s premier source of jade (pictured), as well as highquality 

ruby. 

The US Department of the Treasury 

(USDT) Office of Foreign Assets 

Control has formally sanctioned 

Myanmar (Burma)’s state-owned 

gemstone trading company, Myanmar 

Gems Enterprise (MGE). 

The move follows a military coup in 

the Asian nation which has led to 

the deaths of more than 600 civilian 

protestors. 

According to a statement from the 

USDT dated 8 April, the sanctions are 

designed to target a “key economic 

resource for [the] Burmese military 

regime that is violently repressing 

pro-democracy protests in the 

country and that is responsible for 

the ongoing lethal attacks against the 

people of Burma”. 

MGE is a subdivision of the Myanmar 

government’s Ministry of Mines, 

which is “responsible for all 

functions relating to gemstones” 

including licensing, regulations, 

collecting royalties, granting permits 

to individuals and companies, 

and organising gemstone sales 

throughout the year. 

The new restrictions prohibit US 

citizens, US companies, or people 

within the US from undertaking 

any form of transaction with MGE; 

earlier this year, the USDT sanctioned 

three other companies it said were 

connected to the Myanmar military – 

Myanmar Ruby Enterprise, Myanmar 

Imperial Jade Co., and Cancri (Gems 

and Jewellery) Co. 

Andrea Gacki, director, USDT 

Office of Foreign Assets Control, 

said, “[The new restriction] highlights 

Treasury’s commitment to denying the 

Burmese military sources of funding, 

including from key state-owned 

enterprises throughout Burma.” 

From 2008 to 2013 the US banned 

the importation of Myanmar rubies 

and jade under the Tom Lantos Block 

Burmese JADE Act; the ban was 

extended by President Obama to 2016, 

and separate sanctions were imposed 

by President Trump two years later. 

The coloured gemstone industry 

plays a key role in Myanmar’s 

economy, with the country supplying 

approximately 90 per cent of 

the world’s rubies and jade. In 

2016-17, the Extractive Industries 

Transparency Initiative estimated 

that gemstones, pearls, and jade 

accounted for 13 per cent of the 

country’s natural resource revenue. 

While exact figures are unavailable, 

a 2017 report published by economic 

group the Association of Southeast 

Asian Nations (ASEAN) valued the 

annual revenue from government 

gemstone auctions at $US3.4 billion 

($AU4.4 billion). 

In addition, much of the gemstone 

trade is comprised of clandestine 

transactions, usually undertaken 

with Thai or Chinese buyers. At the 

time of publication, neither Thailand 

nor China had imposed sanctions on 

Myanmar. 

Disgraced jewellery mogul Nirav Modi has had his 

extradition to India approved by the UK government’s 

Home Office, following more than two years in prison. 

Modi, 50, was arrested in London in March 2019 

and faces a raft of charges in India related to the 

$US1.8 billion ($AU2.3 billion) Punjab National 

Bank (PNB) fraud, which is reported to have 

occurred between 2011 and 2018. 

On 25 February 2021, Westminster Magistrates 

Court District Judge Samuel Goozee ruled in favour 

of extradition and dismissed the defence’s claim 

that Modi would not receive a fair trial in India and 

was facing worsening mental health. 

Pandora Jewelry records promising 

first-quarter results 

Despite widespread store closures, Pandora has 

recorded positive revenue and sales results. 

Pandora Jewelry has released its Q1 2021 financial 

update, recording revenue of DKK4.5 billion 

($AU935 million) amid continued store closures 

due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Revenue was 13 per cent higher than the same 

period in 2020, when the company recorded 

DKK4.17 billion ($AU867.3 million); sales also 

increased by 13 per cent. However, in Q1 2020, 

approximately 90 per cent of Pandora stores were 

temporarily closed – starting with its Chinese 

Choksi has resided in the Caribbean nation of 

Antigua and Barbuda since 2017 and claimed 

Antiguan citizenship in January 2018. 

While it was previously reported that Choksi’s 

citizenship had been revoked, a senior official within 

the Antiguan government has now clarified that the 

case is currently before the country’s High Court. 

Lionel Hurst, chief of staff to Antigua and Barbuda 

Prime Minister Gaston Browne, told India Today, 

“[Choksi] has entered a lawsuit in the High Court of 

Antigua and Barbuda. This matter will take about 

seven years to be resolved. With enough money to 

pursue these legal challenges, 2027 is the earliest 

for a final resolution.” 

locations from 22 January. The next market to close 

stores was Italy on 11 March, closely followed by 

France and the US on 14 and 15 March respectively. 

By Q1 2021, approximately 30 per cent of the 

Pandora international store network was 

temporarily closed, rising to 35 per cent at the end 

of March. 

Compared with Q1 2019, when its full store network 

was open, the company’s revenue decreased 6.2 

per cent and sales declined 3 per cent. 

The company estimates a quarter of its network 

will be temporarily closed during the first six 

months of 2021, but that these closures will have a 

‘limited impact’ in the second half of the year. 

An aide de memoire accompanying the Q1 update 

noted, “While we haven’t fully turned around, we 

clearly see that the brand is turning around.” 

The aide de memoire also stated that the Chinese 

market would “remain a drag on total revenue 

growth in 2021 and that revenue in China for the 

year will be well below 2019.”

On The Market 

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10 Years Ago 

Time Machine: May 2011 

A snapshot of the industry events making headlines this time 10 years ago in Jeweller. 

Historic Headlines 

4 Romance and nature dominate Basel jewellery 

4 Tuskc launches e-tail site with a twist 

4 Skagen wins Red Dot design award 

4 Pandora attributes revenue dip to GFC 

4 Sir Richard Branson new face of Bulova 

Stores urged to review 

insurance cover 

Jewellery stores are leaving themselves open 

to risk by not taking out insurance for ‘business 

interruption’, it has emerged. 

While standard insurance policies cover material 

damage, may do not compensate jewellers for loss 

of earnings if they are forced to close their store for 

a period of time –even if it is due to circumstances 

beyond their control. 

Michael Ballinger, senior general adjuster, 

Crawford & Company which works with Marsh 

Insurance, said, “Most other commercial 

businesses recognise the importance of that 

coverage. At the end of the day, material damage 

is not going to change –it is what it is. But business 

interruption can have a long tail to it.” 

Financial compensation for the time a store is 

closed also allows jewellers to keep valuable 

members of staff they would be in danger of losing 

if they were unable to pay them for the time the 

store is closed. 

May 2011 

ON THE COVER Najo 

Editors’ Desk 

4I Wish We Had More Beetles!: “‘Sales 

101’ taught me there are two ways to 

handle an objection – ignore it, or brag 

about it. The VW Beetle wasn’t the 

most attractive car, was it? In fact, it 

was small and ugly – so what did the 

marketers do? 

They called a spade a spade and 

bragged about the objection. The 

early VW ad campaigns proudly 

announced, ‘Ugly is only skin deep’ 

and my favourite, ‘It makes your house 

look bigger!’ Too often, people see the 

lemon and not the lemonade.” 

STILL RELEVANT 10 YEARS ON 

Why Gen Y Likes Silver: 

They’re cashed-up, fashion conscious, 

and cyber-savvy. Silver appeals to them 

because it’s relatively affordable and 

offers ever-changing designs, allowing 

them to keep up with the trends, drip 

with brands, and impress their peers. 

Who are they? Generation Y. And they’re 

an important customer base for silver 

jewellery suppliers and retailers. 

Global watch market could be 

rocked by Japan traumas 

The spate of disasters in Japan could have 

ramifications for the global watch industry, 

although many Australian distributors are not yet 

certain how operations will be affected. 

Japanese movements are common in many watch 

brands distributed in Australia. 

Nils Rasmussen, managing director of Skagen 

Denmark distributor Jarass, believes the 

Japanese disasters will have widespread 

ramifications:“The problem is not that the 

factories have been destroyed but that to 

manufacture a movement, a consistent 24-houra-day 

electricity supply needs to be maintained.” 

New lease of life for 

men’s jewellery? 

READ ALL HEADLINES IN FULL ON 

JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM 

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MAURO CARVAJAL 

COMPANY DIRECTOR 

Independent jewellers 

triumph over chain stores 

Exemplary customer service and unique designs 

have helped three independent jewellery stores 

outrank many of Australia’s largest chains in a 

vote to find the nation’s ‘favourite jewellery store’. 

Love and Hatred and Trilby Phoenix in Sydney as 

well as e.g. etal in Melbourne were announced as 

finalists in the jewellery store category of Grazia’s 

inaugural Shopping Awards, alongside international 

giants like Tiffany & Co. and Cartier. 

Chains such as Prouds, Angus & Coote, and 

Michael Hill were notable by their absence among 

the top 10. 

Soapbox 

4The Real Cost of Valuation: “The days 

of over-inflated jewellery valuations 

are over – or at least they should be. 

But I have come to realise much of the 

industry doesn’t realise it. 

“In my short year as a valuer I have 

valued for trade, almost all of whom 

will no longer deal with my company 

because my valuations are too ‘low’ 

and I value diamonds at today’s price 

rather than that listed on Rapaport.” 

– Giselle McKenna, principal 

GeoGem Consulants 

A raft of men’s jewellery launches and 

increasing interest from retailers at Brisbane’s 

March jewellery fair suggests the category 

may be about to take off in a big way. 

Several new men’s lines made their debut at 

the Brisbane fair. Pendants Australia launched 

its first men’s line of sterling silver pendants 

based on tribal motifs, Cudworth Enterprises 

showcased German Brand Cai Men’s, and a 

completely new concept called Speed Jewellery 

also exhibited at the show. 

Cudworth Enterprises director Darren Roberts 

said, “We’re seeing a return in the strength of 

silver [for men’s jewellery]. It is more prestigious 

– there’s an elegance to silver, whereas with 

steel it’s a little bit more relaxed.” 

CONTACT US FOR SUPPORT PROGRAM INFORMATION 

+ 6 1 3 437 3 42 8 1 • contact@colonialgemstones.com 

25 | May 2021 

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INSIDE 

My Store 

INSIDE 

Now & Then 

John Franich Jewellers 

AUCKLAND, NZ with John and Jenni Franich, directors • SPACE COMPLETED 2016 

Percy Marks 

Celebrating 122 Years • SYDNEY, NSW • A moment with Cameron Marks, managing director 

MILESTONE S 

1894 

Percy Marks, a student at 

Sydney Technical College, 

is apprenticed to jeweller 

Richard (R.H) Jenkins 

1899 

At the age of 20, Marks 

opens his namesake 

jewellery store on Market 

Street in the Sydney CBD 

1907 

After developing a 

fascination with Australian 

‘dark opal’, Marks travels to 

the NSW town of Lightning 

L to R Percy Marks is escorted by police as he carries jewellery from one store to another; inside the Percy Marks 

store at 49 Castlereagh Street in the Sydney CBD. 

Ridge to fossick and 

purchase the gemstones 

Above: Percy ‘The Opal King’ Marks holds the 

then-largest ever South Australian opal rough. 

4Who is the target market and how did 

they influence the store design? 

Our target market is everyone who shares 

our passion for quality jewellery products and 

enjoys purchasing fine and fashion jewellery 

from a store that stands apart from the rest. 

We offer those traditional core values of a 

family-owned business, and our store reflects 

that through its bright, open design. 

4With the relationship between store 

ambience and consumer purchasing in 

mind, which features encourage sales? 

A great deal of attention, time and care is 

taken to create visual marketing that has that 

‘X factor’ which both encourages and draws 

customers inside for more. 

The black-and-white theme runs throughout 

the store, and strategic lighting has been 

incorporated into the shape of the reflective, 

chrome-like ceiling bulkhead. This lighting 

provides the shop with a touch of class and 

creates a smart and modern, yet timeless look. 

4What is the store design’s wow factor? 

The ‘wow factor’ is the black-and-white theme, 

including the feature carpeting which has a 

geometric design reminiscent of diamond 

facets. This presents the public with a store that 

appears spacious, bright and welcoming, as well 

as reflecting the quality and style they 

can expect in-store – both in 

terms of the jewellery and 

the services we offer. 

The store presentation 

is the start of the 

‘wow factor’ we aim 

to provide to every 

customer. 

Percy Marks was established in Sydney 

in 1899 and is one of Australia’s most 

respected family jewellery businesses, 

with four generations of the Marks 

family standing behind it. 

Its founder, the jewellery designer Percy 

Marks, played a singular role in the 

acceptance of Australian opal as the 

country’s national gemstone. 

Percy Marks came from a family of 

jewellers, whose origins were in New 

Zealand and the UK. 

He was enrolled in the Sydney Technical 

College as early as 1894 and apprenticed 

to the Sydney jeweller Richard (R.H.) 

Jenkins of Market Street. Five years 

later, Marks opened his first shop on the 

same street. 

He became a public figure – occasionally 

described as ‘The Opal King’ – through his 

promotion of what he called ‘dark opal’, 

that is, opal with a dark body colour such 

as black, grey, blue, or green. 

Marks explained in an interview that he 

first become aware of ‘dark opal’ in 1900; 

however he did not actively work with the 

gemstone until 1907 when he went to 

Lightning Ridge and returned “with two 

suitcases packed with the most glorious 

opal I have ever seen in one lot”. 

Opal was not a popular gemstone at the 

turn of the century and Marks candidly 

stated, “My problem was to find a market.” 

Promoting it as Australia’s national 

gemstone, he discounted the superstition 

that opal was unlucky, and made a 

collection for public display. 

His genius in marketing is perhaps his 

greatest legacy to Australia’s jewellery 

design history. 

Marks designed and distributed opal 

jewellery and opal exotica to a roll 

call of international visitors and major 

and minor aristocracy, as well as 

Australian celebrities. 

Among those gifted Percy Marks’ 

opal jewellery were the likes of ballerina 

Anna Pavlova and opera singer Dame 

Nellie Melba. 

One magnificent bracelet – presented 

to Alice Rawson, daughter of former 

NSW Governor Vice-Admiral Sir Harry 

Holdsworth Rawson, in 1909 – was 

acquired by Sydney’s Powerhouse 

Museum in 2020 and is described as one 

of the finest surviving Australian-made 

jewellery pieces of the early 20th Century. 

By 1935, Australian opal was celebrated 

in poetry and dance as well as in jewellery 

settings. At his most energetic, it seemed 

no Sydney visitor was safe from a Percy 

Marks opal presentation! 

In 1919, the NSW State Government 

commissioned him to inquire into the 

marketing of opals in Europe and 

North America. 

He exhibited his collection at the Foire 

Internationale de Lyon and in Paris, 

France, and presented collections of rough 

and cut opal to eight French museums 

and mining schools. 

In 1925 the French government appointed 

him Officier d’Instruction Publique. 

Believing the opal trade was being 

1909 

As Vice-Regal Jeweller, 

Percy Marks presents Alice 

Rawson – daughter of the 

then-NSW Governor – with 

a striking bracelet 

1919 

With his reputation as 

‘The Opal King’ cemented, 

Marks is tasked by the 

NSW government to 

promote Australian 

opals in Europe and 

North America 

1935 

Percy Marks passes away 

and his sons Percy Jr and 

Rolf take over the business 

1973 

The jewellery store moves 

to make way for the MLC 

Centre and in the ensuing 

17 years, several more 

locations are opened and 

closed in the Sydney CBD 

1990 

The remaining Percy 

Marks store moves to 

Elizabeth Street 

2002 

Cameron Marks, Percy 

Marks’ great-grandson, 

takes over the business 

as managing director 

2019 

The Percy Marks business 

celebrates its 120th 

anniversary with a 

special collection 

2020 

The Alice Rawson bracelet 

is identified after 111 

years in the possession 

of a British family, and 

purchased by Sydney’s 

Powerhouse Museum 

hampered by miners demanding 

excessive prices, he suggested in his 

report that a small advisory board be 

appointed by the government to protect 

and harmonise the respective interests 

of miners, jewellers and the public. 

Toward the end of his life, Marks 

seemed to sense his mortality and the 

jeweller’s munificence grew. 

In 1933, he proposed to make a white 

marble, opal-set monument as a gift for 

the Prime Minister to accept on behalf 

of the Commonwealth. 

However, the monument proposal’s fate 

is unknown, and he died two years later. 

Ultimately, Percy Marks’ opal campaign 

was wildly successful. The prominence 

that he gave opal was embraced and 

extended by other jewellers. 

Today, the Percy Marks jewellery 

business is run by myself, Cameron 

Marks, Percy’s great-grandson. 

Our expertise extends from being 

the first purveyor of Australian 

black opals to all the rare and 

magnificent gems that are unique 

to Australia – from lustrous South 

Sea pearls to the rare and most 

highly-prized Argyle pink diamonds. 

Percy Marks collections feature an 

extensive range of gemstones and 

fully certified diamonds, each 

individually selected for their 

outstanding beauty and quality. 

Read the full length interview 

on Jewellermagazine.com 



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ADELAIDE BRISBANE HOBART MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY 

The magic of moonstone 

The aptly named moonstone has been 

associated with the moon across various 

cultures throughout history. In Hindu 

mythology, moonstone is believed to be made 

of solidified moonbeams. 

This gemstone has the ability to interact 

with light in such a way that it resembles 

moonlight shining across the ocean or 

through a veil of clouds. Historically, 

legends tell of moonstone bringing its 

wearer good luck. 

The captivating gem is generally semitransparent 

to translucent, displaying a 

milky, silvery white sheen through to the 

more desirable blue sheen. 

This blue, in a more transparent stone, is 

the most valuable, sought-after, and difficult 

to source form of moonstone. Other colours 

include beige, brown, yellow, reddishbrown, 

greenish, orange, and grey. 

Moonstone is generally readily available, 

including the cat’s eye (chatoyant) variety, 

but is scarcer in higher quality material and 

larger sizes. 

An interesting and characteristic feature 

that may be found in these specimens is an 

inclusion called centipedes – long, minute 

tension cracks with shorter perpendicular 

cracks overlapping. 

Moonstone is a member of the feldspar 

mineral group, specifically being composed 

of two feldspars – orthoclase and albite. 

These two varieties grow parallel to each 

other within the stone, causing light to 

scatter and reflect off the multiple layers 

producing the silvery white phenomenon 

known as ‘adularescence’ or ‘schiller’. 

When these layers of orthoclase and albite 

are thinner and consistently spaced, the 

adularescence effect is progressively bluer. 

This adularescence gives moonstone its 

prized ‘glowing’ appearance, which rolls 

over the stone as you move it and change 

the angle of view. This makes it ideal for a 

cabochon cut – particularly with dimensions 

uniform and not too flat – as this enhances 

and highlights this sheen. 

The word adularescence comes from the 

gemstone’s original name, ‘adularia’, after 

Mount Adular in Switzerland where the first 

high-quality material was found. 

Today, gem-quality moonstone is found 

in locations including Madagascar and 

Tanzania, with the finest in Sri Lanka, 

southern India, and Myanmar (Burma) in 

limited supply. 

When cut correctly en cabochon, this multitalented 

stone may also exhibit chatoyancy, 

including asterism, with a four-rayed 

star caused by the same layered feldspar 

structure that causes the adularescence. 

Other cutting techniques include faceting, 

which offers increased brilliance, and 

carving, such as a face representing the 

‘man-in-the-moon’. 

With a hardness of 6–6.5 on Mohs’ scale, 

and cleavage – a plane of weakness – in 

two directions, this gem is better suited to 

L to R: Anna Hu brooch; Fred Leighton necklace; Neha Dani bracelet 

Below: Mvee ring; Nicole Mera ring 

Moonstone 

Named for its 

moonlight-esque 

sheen; originally named 

adularia for Mount 

Adular in Switzerland 

Colour: Blue, green, 

white, yellow, pink, 

purple, orange, grey, 

and brown 

Found in: Sri Lanka, 

India, Madagascar, 

Tanzania, Myanmar 

Mohs Hardness: 6–6.5 

Class: Feldspar 

Lustre: Vitreous 

pendants, earrings, and brooches rather 

than rings. 

To care for moonstone, it’s best to steer 

clear of ultrasonics and steam cleaners 

and opt for warm soapy water instead. It is 

susceptible to damage when exposed to a 

sudden shift in temperature, high heat, or 

hydrofluoric acid. 

This gemstone was a popular choice among 

jewellery artisans of the Art Nouveau era, 

including Louis Comfort Tiffany and René 

Lalique. The stone can be found featured 

in notable works such as special, singular 

commission carvings by Fabergé and 

oriental-inspired Art Deco clocks by Cartier. 

Like many gemstones, imitants are available 

on the market, either intentionally designed 

to fool or coincidentally resembling 

moonstone. Some of these include synthetic 

white spinel heat-treated to give the 

adularescence effect, opalescent glass, 

chalcedony with a milky consistency, and 

even heat-treated amethyst. 

To this day, this beautiful gemstone 

offers jewellery design with the same 

romanticism and mysticism we associate 

with moonlight. 

Mikaelah Egan FGAA Dip DT 

began her career in 2015 with an 

independent manufacturing jeweller. 

She now balances her role as a 

gemmologist and design consultant 

at Vault Valuations in Brisbane with 

pursuing studies in geology. Visit 

instagram.com/mikaelah.egan 


FEATURE 

Casting and Refining 

CASTING AND REFINING FEATURE | Reset & Refine 

RECENT STATS 

Precious Metal 

Trends 

The process of casting and refining may be 

restricted by the laws of physics, but that 

doesn’t mean innovation is impossible. 

New technologies are opening up new 

possibilities, writes CALLUM GLENNEN. 

Molten gold is poured. Image: SHUTTERSTOCK 

T 

he COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted 

countless industries, but consumer interest 

in jewellery has fared surprisingly well. 

Data from Retail Edge Consultants released late 

last year revealed November sales figures across 

the jewellery industry were as much as 20 per cent 

higher than what was seen during the same period 

in 2019. 

Unable to travel, a significant portion of the public’s 

discretionary spending appears to have shifted towards 

luxury goods; and with Australia still months – if not a full 

year – away from fully resuming international travel, this 

increased interest in luxury purchases could be expected 

to continue for some time. 

To fully capitalise on this, casters and refiners are 

developing new services and systems to be even more 

responsive to the needs of jewellers. 

Chris Botha, operations manager at Palloys – part of the 

Pallion Group of companies – says, “Palloys has extensively 

increased its casting and refining capacity to handle the 

additional volume in the past year, and has also doubled 

its CAD and CAM printing capability to better manage the 

increased demand and casting capacity.” 

Richard Hayes, CEO The Perth Mint – which refines the 

majority of the gold produced in Australia – has noted 

similar trends, “The vast bulk of Australian gold producers 

continue to entrust their refining needs to The Perth Mint. 

“Additional refining and casting capacity has been 

commissioned over the last 12 months.” 

With the increased demand from customers, combined 

with unpredictable metal prices, making use of every 

resource available will be crucial for making the most 

of current opportunities. 

The gold standard 

A sudden jump in the price of precious metals has 

made every piece of scrap, lemel, and sweep all the 

more valuable, highlighting the value of efficient casting 

and refining. 

“The combination of precious metal prices and COVID- 

19’s effects on business, particularly within the jewellery 

industry, has significantly increased the demand for 

Palloys’ refining services,” Botha tells Jeweller. 

“Palloys refining jobs and scrap metal buyback numbers 

have increased over the past six months. As a result, 

Palloys now offers very competitive pricing and faster 

turnarounds.” 

He adds, “Our sister company, ABC Refinery, completes 

all Palloys metals and refining services. In this way, from 

our casting alloys to our fabricated metal supply Palloys is 

the only jewellery manufacturer that can trace its precious 

52% 

increase in 

consumer demand 

for gold in the three 

months to 31 March 

World Gold Council 

17% 

forecast increase 

in platinum supply 

in 2021 

World Platinum 

Investment Council 

184tn 

forecast demand 

for silver jewellery 

in 2021, an 

increase of 24% 

Metals Focus and The Silver 

Institute, ‘World Silver 

Survey 2021’ 

95.6% 

increase in 

palladium price 

per ounce in US 

dollars, March 

2020 to April 2021 

MacroTrends.net 

$20.55 

average silver 

price per ounce 

in US dollars, 

2020 – a sevenyear 

high 

Metals Focus and The 

Silver Institute, ‘World 

Silver Survey 2021’ 

metals supply directly to its primary source.” 

Thanks to commodities being viewed as a safe store 

of wealth during uncertain times, the price of gold 

skyrocketed in 2020. After a record-breaking peak of over 

$US2,000 per ounce in August, its price has since fallen by 

approximately 15 per cent. 

Hayes explains, “Precious metals have risen in price 

over the last 18 months due to a range of global macroeconomic 

factors and geopolitical issues. 

“These include massive amounts of fiscal stimulus 

– especially by the US government – inverted and/or 

historically low bond yields and interest rates, Chinese 

territorial and economic expansionism, and COVID-19.” 

He adds, “The world has become a less certain place and 

investors have sought to manage their risk and exposure 

to more traditional asset classes, by diverting investment 

flows into precious metals. 

A sudden jump in the price of 

precious metals has made every 

piece of scrap, lemel, and sweep all 

the more valuable, highlighting the 

value of efficient casting and refining 

“The rises in precious metals prices over the last 18 

months have sparked renewed interest in precious metals 

as a store of wealth and a vehicle for wealth management 

for investors large and small.” 

While still well above pre-pandemic levels, the sudden 

changes in direction have had a substantial effect on 

gold’s availability, which will impact supply for the 

foreseeable future. 

“Currently, we are experiencing gold, and other precious 

metals, showing extreme highs followed by price 

contractions within a relatively short period of time,” Peter 

Beck, director Peter W Beck – which includes a Precious 

Metal Services division – told Jeweller. 

“As a result, refiners are feeling the expected impacts 

of the price of gold both rising and falling. This in turn 

is having an effect on the supply and demand of 

precious metals.” 

Hayes observes, “The increase in the gold price has made 

marginal gold deposits viable, which has increased refining 

volumes globally.” 

Likewise, silver has also recorded a remarkable surge; 

its price increased 137 per cent during 2020, compared 

with gold’s 38 per cent. According to international 

industry association The Silver Institute, the precious 

metal is expected to hit its highest level of demand in 

six years in 2021. 



Reset & Refine | CASTING AND REFINING FEATURE 

Silver’s supply is also 

expected to increase, 

however growing 

demand from investors 

is expected to push its 

price higher” 

Left: ABC Bullion 

As restrictions on production – due to COVID-19 – are 

gradually removed, silver’s supply is also expected to 

increase, however growing demand from investors is 

expected to push its price higher. 

Other precious metals are also being affected. 

According to Platinum Guild International, US platinum 

unit sales saw a 14 per cent increase in Q4 2020, 

compared with Q4 2019. 

Likewise, China saw a 14 per cent increase of platinum 

jewellery fabrication over the previous year for the same 

period. A global oversupply of the metal, largely due 

to the decline of car manufacturing, has also kept its 

prices low. 

Platinum’s higher margins – and the ability to drive 

incremental sales for jewellers – makes platinum 

products an effective value-add for many retailers. 

US platinum unit sales saw a 14 

per cent increase in Q4 2020, 

compared with Q4 2019. Likewise, 

China saw a 14 per cent increase 

of platinum jewellery fabrication 

over the previous year” 

Palladium, on the other hand, has skyrocketed in price, 

nearly doubling from its March 2020 low, owing to its 

application in reducing the carbon emissions of fossil 

fuel engines. 

Post-COVID, as the market begins to become more 

predictable, some in the industry are beginning to see a 

return to normalcy. 

According to Darren Sher, director Chemgold, demand 

for refining services is beginning to stabilise. 

“Whilst there was a huge spike at the beginning of the 

pandemic and overall increased demand for majority of 

2020, we have found that the demand has stabilised in 

the last three to six months,” Sher said. 

“We have found an increasing amount of our clients 

are after their return as fabricated alloys or Chemgoldbranded 

bullion.” 

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS 

Notable Trends 

We’re experiencing gold 

and other precious metals 

showing extreme highs 

followed by price contractions 

within a relatively short 

period of time” 

Peter Beck 

Peter W Beck 

The combination of 

precious metal prices 

and COVID-19’s effects 

on business, particularly 

within the jewellery 

industry, has significantly 

increased the demand for 

Palloys’ refining services” 

Chris Botha 

Palloys 

Whilst there was a huge 

spike at the beginning of 

the pandemic and overall 

increased demand for 

majority of 2020, we have 

found that the demand 

has stabilised in the last 

three to six months” 

Darren Sher 

Chemgold 

Additionally, this highly uncertain environment has 

shown the importance of recovering as much waste 

as possible. Adam Van Sambeek, treasury manager 

Morris & Watson, said this is critical even during the 

best of times. 

“[Morris & Watson] not having a minimum refining 

quantity removes a barrier for the need for frequent 

turnover of precious waste. Customers tend to regularly 

recycle their lemel and waste back into cash or reusable 

semi-fabricated metal, partially offsetting metal cost in a 

rising market,” he explains. 

At Pallion, Botha says, “ABC Refinery is Australia’s only 

independent London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), 

Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) and COMEX [part of the 

New York Commodity Exchange]-accredited refinery. 

“Our ABC Refinery accreditations and reputation of a 

high-quality service has enabled us to increase our 

market share to 30 per cent of gold and 70 per cent for 

silver in the Australian market. 

“We are now refining 100 tonnes of gold and more than 

500 tonnes of silver per annum.” 

As the major refiner for Australian mines, The Perth Mint 

is the only refinery to be fully accredited for both gold 

and silver with the LBMA, and is also accredited by SGE, 

COMEX, the Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) and 

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC). 

Old science, new technology 

Whatever new demands are placed on the industry, there 

are some factors that are simply impossible to change. 

Says Hayes, “While a number of ‘new’ refining 

technologies marketed today show good promise, there 

still remain drawbacks. 

“For example, one such process is unable to remove 

copper from ore, necessitating a secondary refining 

process, negating some environmental benefit claims. 

However, some of these technologies will undoubtedly 

evolve into sustainable future solutions.” 

Beck explains, “Gold, silver, platinum and palladium 

refining, and the techniques used revolve around 

electrowinning and chemistry. Electrowinning and its 

behaviour are governed by the laws of physics, chemistry 

is likewise governed by the laws of chemistry.” 


Reset & Refine | CASTING AND REFINING FEATURE 

www.morrisandwatson.com 

NEW ZEALAND | 0800 500 654 

AUSTRALIA | 1800 469 088 

INVESTING IN 

INNOVATION 

Top Tech 

L to R: ABC Bullion; Peter W Beck 

ABC Refinery is 

the benchmark in 

Australian ecofriendly 

refining. 

In 2021, it invested in 

an additional 175kg 

acidless separation 

refining technology 

to service the valueadded 

demand” 

Chemgold 

While electrowinning – the process of separating 

metals from impurities – may not have drastically 

changed from its discovery in the 1800s, there are 

new efficiencies to be had. 

“Efficiencies can be gained by good material 

management and procedural management,” Beck 

adds. “The art of a refiner is to take the timeless 

principles of electrowinning and chemistry and by 

using the best equipment and practices, to make 

the process as efficient as possible.” 

There are some exciting developments in this 

space. Van Sambeek said Morris & Watson has 

invested in more environmentally friendly 

processes in order to recover 80 per cent of 

the nitric acid from the fume stream before it 

reaches the chemical scrubbers. 

“This dramatically reduces the workload on 

scrubbers, eliminating potential environmental 

contaminates and recovers acid that can now be 

recycled,” Van Sambeek said. 

“We are expanding the use of this technology to 

recycle even more chemicals. 

“We’ve also invested in a state-of-the-art furnace 

for burning sweeps. This world leading furnace 

technology results in a cleaner more efficient 

use of energy.” 

Van Sambeek said these solutions are economically 

responsible – both financially prudent and better for 

the environment. 

“Over the past two years we’ve been upgrading our 

refining facility with the latest European technology. 

“There are improved processes, reducing 

handling of harmful chemicals and a much cleaner 

and efficient output. It’s safer for staff and the 

environment,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Botha says, “ABC Refinery is the largest 

independent precious metals refining facility in 

Australasia. ABC Refinery is the benchmark in 

Australian eco-friendly refining. 

“In 2021, it invested in an additional 175kg acidless 

separation (ALS) refining technology to service the 

value-added demand.” 

He added, “ALS is the world’s most environmentally 

safe refining technology and produces no noxious 

residue. ABC Refinery is the only Australian 

refinery that employs this technology.” 

In addition, ABC Refinery’s technology is – uniquely 

– accredited by the National Association of 

Testing Authorities, International Organization for 

Standardization, Commission Électrotechnique 

Internationale, Australian Standards and 

International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. 

The Perth Mint has also made strides in 

its environmental policy, appointing a chief 

sustainability officer and “actively participating” in 

the West Australian government’s “carbon neutral 

future” strategy. 

Technology breakthroughs 

in the field of casting are 

creating new opportunities 

for jewellers, including designs 

previously thought to be 

impossible” 

In addition, Hayes says, “Capital investment at the 

Mint’s refinery has amounted to $36 million over 

the past 10 years, with $17 million of this being 

invested over the last four years. 

“Spend has been spread across new equipment, 

increased capacity and improved environmental 

management.” 

He adds, “A new assay laboratory was 

commissioned a few years ago, equipped with the 

latest state of the art equipment and technology 

to ensure its assays and return of metal to 

customers is of the highest accuracy. 

Additionally, “Automation is regularly adopted 

to ensure repetitive or potentially dangerous 

tasks are performed by machines, minimising or 

eliminating the risk of injury to employees.” 

Beyond the human hand 

From the design side of jewellery production, 

technology breakthroughs in the field of casting 

are creating new opportunities for jewellers, 

including designs previously thought to be 

impossible. 

This is being driven by improvements in 3D 

printing; a technology that has had a dramatic 

effect on the industry over the past 10 years. The 

fall in cost of the average 3D printer, alongside 

the increasing detail now possible in prints, is 

leading to significant achievements. 

One example is the ‘arms race’ in breaking the 

world record for the most diamonds set in a ring. 

Hallmark Jewellers, based in Hyderabad, India, 

unveiled ‘The Divine’ in September last year, 

which features 7,801 set diamonds, arranged 

in a flower design. 

However, they did not hold on to the record 

very long, with Renani Jewels, from Meerut, 

India, displaying ‘Marigold’ just a few months 

later, set with 12,638 diamonds – demolishing 

the previous record. 

These feats have been possible largely thanks 

to advances in 3D printing. Imaginarium, an 

Indian 3D printing service, played a critical role 

in creating the mould from which ‘The Divine’ 

was cast. 

The company is working to push the limits of 

what can be achieved in casting, and producing 

moulds that would be impossible to do by hand. 

“The sheer amount of design freedom that 3D 

printing brings with it is incredible, so much 

that complexity of a design is no longer a factor 

in manufacturing,” Kamlesh Parekh, founder 

Imaginarium, recently wrote. 

“Designers now have options to experiment 

with abstract patterns and shapes that make for 

visually striking pieces of jewellery. 

“If a designer can produce it on a computer, the 

3D printer will print it, no questions asked.” 

Jewellers closer to home can take advantage of 

more practical and realistic benefits offered by 

3D printing, with several casting houses offering 

the service. 

In October last year Palloys, AGS, PJW, Regentco 

Chris Botha 

Palloys 

[The Perth Mint’s 

assay laboratory is 

equipped with] the 

latest state of the 

art equipment and 

technology to ensure 

its assays and return 

of metal to customers 

is of the highest 

accuracy” 

Richard Hayes 

The Perth Mint 

Over the past two 

years we’ve been 

upgrading our 

refining facility with 

the latest European 

technology... 

It’s safer for staff and 

the environment” 

Adam Van 

Sambeek 

Morris & Watson 

The sheer amount 

of design freedom 

that 3D printing 

[casting moulds] 

brings with it is 

incredible, so much 

that complexity 

of a design is no 

longer a factor in 

manufacturing” 

Kamlesh 

Parekh 

Imaginarium 

and A&E Metals – all part of the Pallion 

group of companies – launched a new all in 

one platform that allows jewellers to place 

customised 3D print orders. 

The platform, which took two years to design 

and implement, allows jewellers to upload 

a CAD file and receive an instant quote for 

a finished piece, including everything from 

print to mould, casting and finishing. 

“The instant quoting for CAD files, casting 

from their own mould library, fabricated 

metals and diamonds allows jewellers to 

enjoy accurate and instant quotes they 

can pass onto their customers, giving the 

jewellers an instant competitive advantage,” 

Alison Habbal, assistant operations manager 

– jewellery at Palloys told Jeweller at 

the time. 

Botha adds, “Palloys.com is significantly 

outperforming the previous website and has 

already exceeded expectations within the 

business and industry. 

“Palloys’ customers can now order a 

customised piece, including certified 

diamonds, online and receive them as a 

raw cast, semi-finished or fully finished. 

“We also offer desprue and tumble options 

for castings which have been very popular 

since launching the website. 

We have seen online orders for the jewellery 

division more than double in the new year as 

more people adopt the platform.” 

Elsewhere, Botha notes that the Palloys 

research and development department has 

also been working on “direct metal printing 

for the bullion and jewellery sector, and 

adding subtractive prototyping back into our 

manufacturing processes.” 

Unstable metal prices have emphasised 

the important of efficient and effective 

refining, and new technologies are allowing 

jewellers to customise pieces to a level that 

was previously impossible. Both of these 

developments will be important to meet the 

needs of customers in 2021 and beyond. 

3D Print 

& Cast in 

Four Days 

*STL file(s) must be received by 12pm AEST. Lead time excludes other 

casting services and shipping. 

More Than Four Decades of Casting 

Experience With Service You Can Trust 

* 


Refining | Bullion | Fabrication | CAD/CAM | Casting | Chain

CELEBRATING 

Local Talent 

FEALOFANI ELISARA 

Chrysoprase Earrings 

CARLA MAXINE 

Green and Blue Green 

Tourmaline Dress Ring 

FUSION JEWELLERS 

Leaf Pendant 

Metal: Yellow Gold 

Barrie Lander 

Busselton, WA 

Metal: 18-carat rose gold 

Gemstones: Chrysoprase, 

black opal 

Fealofani Elisara 

Sydney, NSW 

Metals: 9-carat and 

rhodium-plated 

18-carat white gold 

Gemstones: Bicolour 

tourmaline, bluegreen 

sapphire, 

demantoid garnet 

Carla Maxine Germann 

Noosa, QLD 

ARCHER & 

HOLLAND 

Pearl & Diamond 

Pendant 

Metals: 18-carat white 

and yellow gold 

Gemstones: South 

Sea pearl, diamond 

William Holland 

Whiting 

Adelaide, SA 

FRANCES ADRIAN 

JEWELLERY 

DESIGN 

Dentritic Agate 

Pendant 

Metal: 9-carat 

yellow gold 

Gemstone: 

Dentritic agate 

Anna Seelye 

Hamilton, NZ 

PAUL AMEY JEWELLERY 

The Island Sculpture 

Metal: Sterling silver, 

24-carat gold 

Gemstones: Paua 

shell, Motherof-pearl 

Other: Marble, 

travertine, 

pumice 

stone 

Paul Amey 

Noosa 

Heads, QLD 

CLEOPATRA’S 

BLING 

La Sirene Earrings 

Metal: Yellow gold 

Gemstones: Garnet, 

amethyst, freshwater 

pearl, enamel. 

Olivia Cummings 

Melbourne, VIC 

NATALIE BARNEY 

JEWELLERY DESIGN 

Mauresque Cuff 

Metal: 18-carat yellow gold 

Natalie Barney 

Sydney, NSW 

Australia and New Zealand are not only home to some of the 

rarest gemstones in the world, but also the most talented jewellers. 

Jeweller showcases a tapestry of local masterpieces that have been 

meticulously crafted with great artisanship, right here on home soil 

MARIE JEANETTE DESIGNS 

Puzzle Rings 

Metal: 9-carat white and yellow gold 

Gemstones: Sapphire, amethyst 

Maria Stavreas 

Canberra, ACT 

ALICE HERALD 

Rose Bud Drop Earrings 

Metals: 18-carat white 

and yellow gold 

Gemstones: White 

diamond, pink sapphire, 

ruby, tsavorite garnet 

Alice Herald 

Wanaka, NZ 

FINELINES 

JEWELLERS 

Diamond Ring 

Metals: Platinum, 

rose gold 

Gemstones: White and 

pink diamond 

Ben Tracy 

Gold Coast, QLD 

EVA MARTIN JEWELRY 

White Bee Ring & Riverbed Ring 

Metals: (Left) palladium; (right) 

palladium, 18-carat yellow gold 

Gemstones: (Left) blue sapphire, 

white and green diamond; (right) 

yellow sapphire, white diamond 

Eva Martin 

Sunshine Coast, QLD 

37 | May 2021 May 2021 | 38

FEATURE 

Watch Industry Review 

WATCH INDUSTRY REVIEW | Watching the Clock 

BY THE NUMBERS 

Show Data 

38 

WATCHING 

the CLOCK 

The hybrid Watches & Wonders trade event – presented digitally 

in Geneva followed by a physical Shanghai show – has rekindled 

optimism for the Swiss watch industry, reports MARTIN FOSTER. 

GREUBEL FORSEY CAMPAIGN 

Far right: Baume & Mercier. 

Below: A Lange & Söhne movement 

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic focused the 

world’s attention on large trade fair gatherings, 

declaring them off-limits for health and safety 

reasons. Yet even before this, what those within the 

watch industry regarded as ‘normal’ was already 

facing considerable challenge. 

As we know, the previous annual cycle of trade fairs – 

Baselworld, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 

(SIHH), Inhorgenta Münich, the Hong Kong Watch & Clock 

Fair, et al – was already in disarray, primarily related to 

uncontained costs. 

The history of defections from Baselworld and, to a lesser 

extent, SIHH reached a crisis point two years ago, and was 

a result of ever-higher exhibitor costs and fair management 

intransigence. 

The history of the decaying Swiss industry loyalty is 

well chronicled and does not need further exposure or 

examination, but it has informed the current state of affairs. 

In late 2019, SIHH was re-branded as Watches & Wonders 

(W&W) Geneva, with a new format incorporating a new 

experiential ‘In The City’ component that was intended to 

promote the culture and lifestyle of Geneva. 

W&W was then converted into a digital 

platform due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 

and considered a success – within the 

limitations of an online event. 

However, an organised week-long 

online presentation such as W&W 

is not a trade fair and to be 

perfectly frank, there is quite 

simply no comparison. 

Experienced journalists 

reporting digital presentations 

are degraded to ‘influencers’ 

by removing any possibility of 

genuine review. 

Handling the actual product in 

the company of the brand and 

watch brands 

presenting digitally 

at Watches & 

Wonders Geneva 

2021 

19 

watch brands 

presenting 

physically at 

Watches & Wonders 

Shanghai 2021 

23,000 

guests invited* to 

attend the digital 

event – the same as 

SIHH’s record 2019 

attendance 

*Actual attendance data 

unavailable 

CHF4,300 

cost of smallest 

exhibition space at 

HourUniverse 2021 

15% 

proportion of 

Baselworld 

attendance cost 

attributed to booth 

rental, for an average 

exhibitor 

other industry journalists is a very different scenario to 

sitting in the office staring at a computer screen while 

studio images cruise by with a smooth brand commentary. 

For the press, which has provided decades of reader and 

buyer access to new products and informed, in-depth 

industry coverage, constructing a reliable review with only 

digital imagery adds a considerable degree of difficulty. 

Of course, the highly developed physical trade fair 

format primarily incorporates brand presentations and 

commentary, and also digital components – but it is not 

reliant on these. 

Physical shows also provide the benefit of footfall to the 

newer and smaller exhibitors – it should be noted that such 

exhibitors were conspicuously absent for the seven days 

of the digital W&W, and their selling platform was simply 

non-existent. 

For the 2021 edition, W&W was split into two parts, starting 

with a digital format in Geneva, then over to Shanghai for an 

in-person salon. 

Thus, for more than 10 days, the eyes of the world were on 

the creativity and expertise of the most prestigious names 

in watchmaking. 

The Geneva digital component focused on a well-organised 

succession of brand and discussion forums during the 

second week of April. 

There were approximately 500 press conferences, 

more than 40 keynote addresses, a daily live Morning 

Show, six expert-led panels and a wealth of exceptional 

horological creations revealed by the 38 prestigious 

participating brands. 

Industry heavyweights, including those that deserted 

Baselworld, participated. Some new brands have recently 

joined, such as the LVMH Group’s watchmaking division, as 

well as Oris, Carl F. Bucherer, Maurice Lacroix and Nomos. 

Most of the historic brands which were part of the 

SIHH – and are largely owned by luxury conglomerate 

Richemont – were still present, together with the big, 

well-established independents Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, 

Chopard and Chanel. 


Watching the Clock | WATCH INDUSTRY REVIEW 

Watches & Wonders 

was split into two 

parts, starting with 

a digital format in 

Geneva, then over 

to Shanghai for an 

in-person salon.” 

EST. 1981 

GREAT WATCHES DESERVE 

A GREAT WATCH BATTERY 

L to R: Rolex; Watches & Wonders Geneva was immediately followed by Watches & Wonders Shanghai (facing page); 

Chopard movement (center) 

Chopard 

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Overall, 38 brands presented at the 

Geneva W&W via the digital platform. 

A few days later, 19 brands exhibited 

in a physical format at the invitation-only 

Shanghai show. 

Media representatives, retailers, and 

selected watch enthusiasts were able 

to handle watches presented at W&W 

Geneva, as well as new models created 

especially for the Chinese market, and 

coveted heritage pieces. 

The list included new models from Rolex, 

Tudor, Chopard, Baume & Mercier and 

Ulysse Nardin. 

In addition, the dedicated auditorium space 

saw expert panels discussing topics including 

digitalisation in business, the impact of the 

secondary market in China, 2021 trends, 

iconic watches and watchmaking’s grand 

complications. The panels were also livestreamed 

and broadcast via social media. 

Building more anticipation and excitement 

for the event, attendees were teased with 

the promise of celebrity ambassadors, 

influencers, and a 15,000-drone light 

show on the closing evening. 

Swatch Group digs in 

Matthias Breschan, who was appointed 

CEO of Longines in July 2020, recently 

reaffirmed that Swatch Group will not be 

returning to the normal form of trade fair, 

such as HourUniverse, successor to the 

now-defunct Baselworld. 

IN SUMM ARY 

Key Points 

Digital 

stop-gap 

Online trade fairs 

are no replacement 

for physical, but 

they have served 

a purpose during 

COVID-19 

Supporting 

small 

The physical 

shows offer 

opportunities 

and value to smaller, 

independent 

watch brands 

Change is 

in the air 

HourUniverse’s 

new summer dates, 

pricing structure, 

and attractions may 

prove advantageous 

The former CEO of Rado told UK-based 

industry publication WatchPro, “The whole way 

Baselworld was conducted was obsolete. 

“We need new ways to present novelties 

throughout the year and in different countries. 

We need to be flexible.” 

While it is assuredly true that it is beneficial 

for watch brands to present their innovations 

throughout the year and in different countries, 

Breschan’s Baselworld assertion is 

simplistic nonsense. 

Baselworld certainly had its problems, but 

those problems had nothing whatever to do 

with obsolescence. 

A primary release and presentation at 

a physical event creates opportunities for 

media, suppliers, retailers, and the public 

to interact with the new products and build 

relationships with the brand, as well as 

networking with other industry players. 

As has been noted by other analysts, a single 

release is more cost-effective for smaller 

brands which may lack the resources to hold 

several presentations in different locations 

throughout each year. 

In a statement released in February, 

Michel Loris-Melikoff, managing director 

HourUniverse, said, “Our ongoing discussions 

with industry stakeholders have clearly 

demonstrated that the demand from the wider 

community for a large annual gathering in 

Switzerland, in the heart of Europe, is now 

stronger than ever. 

“We are working to make HourUniverse not 

only the best business platform, but also a 

superb experience for our visitors.” 

He added, “The pleasure of all being together, 

seeing clients and the press again, discovering 

and creating new opportunities, facilitating 

transparency, openness and conviviality 

are at the heart of our endeavours.” 

For its part, the organiser of HourUniverse – 

the Switzerland-based MCH Group – says the 

entire on-site reception structure has been 

redesigned to address exhibitor concerns. 

The pricing policy has been drastically adjusted 

to allow exhibitors a better return on their 

investment, adapted to their business’ size, 

scope, expectations and needs. 

Similarly, the accommodation offered for 

exhibitors, media representatives, and visitors 

alike will be at guaranteed competitive prices. 

Outdoor catering and public entertainment 

areas are also planned; these are promising 

steps in the right direction. 

In February, MCH Group published a statement 

confirming the show – initially scheduled 

for April, to coincide with Geneva W&W 

– would instead be postponed to the Northern 

Hemisphere summer (June to August). 

It remains to be seen if the new Swiss show 

can live up to the Baselworld trade fair legacy, 

but the industry exhibitors should at least give 

it a try. 

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FEATURE 

Coloured Gemstones 

L to R: Anna Hu brooch and necklace; Van Cleef & Arpels brooch 

Beautiful 

The popularity of coloured gemstones continues to offer jewellers 

a spectrum of possibilities – and new innovations in supply 

chain transparency are making the sector even more desirable, 

writes ARABELLA RODEN. 

GÜBELIN CAMPAIGN; CHOPARD BROOCH 

There is no denying the appeal of coloured 

gemstones. From the high jewellery of Paris 

Couture Fashion Week to Tiffany & Co.’s 

Blue Book Collection – the centrepiece of its annual 

design calendar – the spotlight in 2021 has been 

firmly focused on vibrant, vivid gemstones in every 

colour of the rainbow. 

Soothing yet magnetic hues of blue and green, captured in 

aquamarine and emerald, were emphasised at Tasaki and 

David Morris, while Bucherer painted a perfect pastel picture 

with soft pink and purple spinel and sapphire. 

Inspired by the natural world, Tiffany’s Blue Book – themed 

‘Colors of Nature’ – teemed with tanzanite, tourmaline, 

and garnet. 

Beyond pure creativity, the collections also reflect consumers’ 

– and the wider jewellery industry’s – increasing desire for a 

varied palette of colour. 

“Coloured gemstones become more and more important and 

sought-after; they express individuality, style, connoisseurship 

and add colour to your life,” says Raphael Gübelin, president 

of the House of Gübelin – including Gübelin Jewellery as well 

as the Gübelin Gem Lab, which specialises in the scientific 

analysis of coloured gemstones. 

He adds, “We recognised that people are looking for the 

so-called ‘big three’ of ruby, emerald, and sapphire, and are 

also interested in gems such as Paraíba tourmalines and 

Padparadscha sapphires. 

“In our latest Gübelin Jewellery creations you will find rubies, 

emeralds and sapphires – especially fancy coloured sapphires 

– often in a sophisticated combination of colours and cuts.” 

Mauro Carvajal, director Colonial Gemstones – which 

sources emeralds exclusively from Colombia – told Jeweller, 

“Emeralds have definitely increased in popularity, and it is 

getting more and more common to wear an emerald ring for 

weddings and anniversaries. 

Jewellery Theatre 

Harry Winston 

“Emerald can be sourced from different places like Zambia, 

Brazil, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe and Colombia – though 

Colombian emeralds are famous for their quality.” 

Katherine Kovacs, director K&K Export Import, has observed 

strong demand for a wide variety of gemstones: “Tealcoloured 

gemstones have been a strong trend for the 

past year or two and this shows no signs of slowing down, 

with sales of blue zircon from Cambodia, tourmalines and 

particularly Australian sapphire seeing high demand. 

“I’m also personally pleased to see Australian opal of all 

types enjoying a spike in popularity in the domestic market 

the likes of which we haven’t seen for a number of years.” 

Recent Gemfields auction results have also reflected this 

increased demand. 

“Coloured gemstones become more and more 

important and sought-after; they express 

individuality, style, connoisseurship and 

add colour to your life” 

RAPHAEL GÜBELIN 

House of Gübelin 

Adrian Banks, managing director of product and sales, told 

Jeweller that Kagem – Gemfields’ emerald mining subsidiary, 

based in Zambia – had recently recorded its highest auction 

revenue since March 2016. 

“We were very pleased to see such strong demand and 

pricing. Because operations were suspended at Kagem in 

March 2020, the world’s largest emerald mine produced no 

new emeralds for more than a year.” 

He added, “Kagem has already surpassed the aggregate 

auction revenues achieved in the whole of 2020, which stood 

at just $US22.4 million ($AU28.8 million) as a result of the 

fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Gemfields also operates Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) in 

Chaumet 


All Things Bright and Beautiful | COLOURED GEMSTONE FEATURE 

L to R: Van Cleef & Arpels brooches; Tasaki earrings 

Carolina Bucci 

MARKET DEMAND 

GEMSTONE COLOUR TRENDS 

Many factors inform the demand for particular coloured gemstones; 

fashion – inspired by celebrities, high jewellery collections from 

the likes of Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and Dior, and media – as well 

as affordability and consumer preferences for locally or ethicallysourced 

products all influence purchasing patterns. 

In the past 12 months, suppliers tell Jeweller the most notable 

trend has been the ongoing popularity of Australian teal sapphire, 

which now commands far higher prices given the increased demand 

and more limited supply. 

Peach gemstones, deep pink rubellite and sapphire, emeralds, and 

tourmaline also remain desirable to consumers, while Australian 

opal has seen a resurgence. 

Powerful 

Stones 

Meanings & 

combinations 

customers 

will love! 

Mozambique. Banks notes recent results from seven “sequential 

mini-auctions” had “yielded the third-highest revenue figure of 

the 14 auctions which MRM has run since June 2014”. 

“We are very encouraged by the strong appetite from our clients 

and by the prices realised,” Banks added. 

Outside the ‘big three’, Charles Lawson, director of retailer and 

supplier Lawson Gems, tells Jeweller, “In the last 12-18 months, 

we saw demand spread across our whole range of stock rather 

than our usual bestsellers of Australian sapphire and opal. 

“Coloured gemstones appear to be on an ever upward climb 

in popularity, especially as public knowledge about coloured 

gemstones beyond the big three increases,” he added. 

COVID recovery 

Alongside increasing consumer demand, the COVID-19 

pandemic has undeniably impacted the gemstone market. 

Notes Kovacs, “We’re fortunate that, having been in the 

gemstone business for more than 50 years, we have a number 

of long-standing suppliers overseas who are working with us to 

continue to supply goods. 

“Obviously we can’t travel internationally to select goods in 

person because of COVID-19, so we are very fortunate to have a 

strong buying network that we can trust to assist with sourcing.” 

Lawson observes, “Our biggest issue has been the lack of 

international travel, as without being able to visit our suppliers 

and miners and purchase gemstones first-hand, it has made our 

purchasing procedures much more difficult,” adding, “Shipments 

of any sort were obviously going to be delayed during COVID-19 

restrictions and we did struggle more than usual getting our 

gemstones from the small mining communities that were hit 

hard by COVID-19.” 

Colonial Gemstones’ Carvajal called 2020 an “unremarkable 

year” but said his business had largely returned to normal 

in recent months: “The impact during COVID-19 on Colonial 

Gemstones was proportional to the rest of the industry, but we 

still exist – and we are stronger than ever.” 

For primary producers like Gemfields, mines were forced to 

temporarily close or operate at a maintenance – rather than 


Henn Gems 

productive – level, while auctions were not permitted to proceed 

for more than a year. 

“As a result of the fall-out from the COVID-19 pandemic, this 

auction was also our first since December 2019, meaning we 

realised no sales at all for some 15 months,” Banks says of 

Gemfields’ ruby division. 

“Because operations were suspended at MRM in April 2020, the 

world’s largest ruby mine produced no new rubies for almost a 

year... MRM is only now commencing mining for its next mixedquality 

ruby auction, which we hope will occur late this year. 

“Emeralds have definitely increased in popularity, 

and it is getting more and more common to wear 

an emerald ring for weddings and anniversaries” 

MAURO CARVAJAL 

Colonial Gemstones 

Adds Banks, “Gemfields is excited to be back in business after 

the lengthy pause in both mining and sales and – as always – 

we extend our sincere thanks to our hard-working teams, to 

our host governments in Mozambique and Zambia, and to our 

customers for their ongoing support.” 

With the situation far from certain as the pandemic continues, 

many of Gemfields’ regular clients viewed the early 2021 auctions 

as a “vital opportunity” to purchase rubies and emeralds. 

Driving progress 

As many analysts have noted, there is an ongoing consumer 

trend toward ethical purchasing – and indeed, the gemstone 

industry is making significant strides toward transparent 

supply chains. 

Says Gübelin, “Transparency is key when it comes to 

sustainability and provenance, and transparency is a 

‘mega trend’, becoming more and more important.” 

Lawson notes, “The last 12 to 18 months have seen some major 

moments in the battles for both human rights and environmental 

TEAL APPEAL 

In particular demand for engagement rings, 

Australian teal sapphires continue to captivate 

consumers – as they have done for the past few years. 

GREEN LIGHT 

There has been a surge in demand for emeralds 

– particularly premium Colombian specimens in 

classic emerald cut, sizes 2–5 carats. Tsavorite and 

demantoid garnet and green sapphire have also made 

it into many high jewellery collections. 

PINK PASSION 

Consumers and jewellery designers alike are 

thinking pink, with bold, saturated pink sapphires, 

rubellite tourmaline, and ruby making a statement in 

chandelier earrings and pendant necklaces. 

RAINBOW CONNECTION 

Demand for Australia’s iconic opals has increased, 

with local consumers and international jewellery 

houses entranced by its multi-hued play of colour. 

ELECTRIC BLUE 

The dazzling sky-blue shades of Cambodian zircon 

and Paraìba tourmaline are captivating jewellers and 

consumers. Cornflower-blue sapphires and tanzanite 

have also been seen in many designer collections. 

PRETTY IN PEACH 

The peach colour trend – combining softer shades 

of orange and pink – continues, with Padparadscha 

sapphire and orange tourmaline at the forefront. 

Australia/New Zealand Distributor 

PRIDE BRANDS 

www.pridebrands.com.au 

Ph: (03) 6171 8005 

sales@pridebrands.com.au 

May 2021 | 46 

2021 COLLECTION

All Things Bright and Beautiful | COLOURED GEMSTONE FEATURE 

L to R: Van Cleef & Arpels brooch; Bulgari necklace Sicis ring L to R: Jewellery Theatre brooch; Chopard necklace; Frédéric Mané earrings 

policy. This is really driving people to start demanding that 

their gemstones, just like their coffee and their cotton, have 

been sourced in a responsible manner.” 

He adds, “The plight of artisanal miners in developing 

nations did receive much more publicity due to the impact 

of COVID-19 on these communities, which has thankfully 

inspired more consumers to ask the question of how their 

gemstones were sourced and helped increase the demand 

for responsibly-sourced coloured gemstones.” 

At Colonial Gemstones, emeralds are sourced directly from 

the Muzo, Coscuez, Chivor, and Gachala Mines. 

Says Carvajal, “Colonial Gemstones is involved in every 

stage of the emerald’s life, from the moment it is extracted 

from the mine. Our emeralds are cut, polished, and graded 

in Colombia and then again at their final destination 

country, if necessary. 

“Our customers can have confidence knowing that Colonial 

Gemstones is involved every step of the way, ensuring that 

the final product is completely authentic and delivered with 

care and professionalism.” 

Kovacs observes that locally-sourced gemstones have 

been given an edge, as their provenance can be more easily 

traced: “Consumers are increasingly conscious of ethical 

supply chains and I believe that is driving the demand for 

Australian gemstones across the board,” she says. 

The vast majority of the world’s coloured gemstones are 

mined artisanally, in contrast to the large-scale, regulated 

mining that dominates the diamond market. This can 

present challenges when it comes to ensuring an ethical 

supply chain – or even a traceable one. 

“Our industry was struggling [with transparency] because 

the supply chain is very long, fragmented and complex,” Dr 

Daniel Nyfeler, managing director Gübelin Gem Lab, told 

CNA Luxury late last year. 

As a gemstone-rich country – from which tanzanite, ruby, 

sapphire, garnet and tourmaline, among others, are 

sourced – Tanzania has become a focus for transparency 

Having been in the gemstone 

business for more than 50 years, 

we have a number of long-standing 

suppliers overseas... We can’t travel 

internationally to select goods in 

person because of COVID-19, so we 

are very fortunate to have a strong 

buying network that we can trust.” 

Katherine Kovacs 

K&K Export Import 

The plight of artisanal miners in 

developing nations did receive much 

more publicity due to the impact of 

COVID-19 on these communities, 

which has thankfully inspired more 

consumers to ask the question of 

how their gemstones were sourced.” 

Charles Lawson 

Lawson Gems 

Today, three out of five jewellery 

brands we speak with are asking to 

know the provenance of gemstones 

and to learn more about the story 

behind them.” 

Victoria Favoroso 

GemCloud 

initiatives; it is estimated that approximately 1 million 

people are employed in its artisanal mining sector. 

The Moyo Gems project was established in 2019 between 

international development organisation Pact, suppliers 

Anza Gems and Nineteen48, and the Tanzania Women 

Miners Association (TAWOMA). 

“We call Moyo Gems a responsible sourcing initiative,” 

Cristina Villegas, Pact’s director of mines to markets, 

explained in a recent webinar. “What we’ve done is 

establish traceability down to the miner and the broker.” 

Participation in the Moyo Gems project involves four 

components for miners: membership to one of six preselected 

villages, completion of Gemological Institute of 

America (GIA) training – which can be provided by Moyo 

Gems – membership of TAWOMA, which is open to both 

men and women, and finally, proof of work at a licenced 

mine, or written permission to mine the concession of a 

licence-holder with Tanzania’s Ministry of Mines. 

High-quality gemstones are then selected and sold to 

Anza Gems and Nineteen48 at regulated Market Days 

within Tanzania; the project claims miners receive more 

than triple the value per gemstone selling through Moyo 

than they would have at a village or regional city market. 

Technology of traceability 

The increasing emphasis on sustainable and secure 

sourcing has also led to an influx of technologybased 

solutions. 

“In 2017, we launched Provenance Proof to enable more 

transparency to the entire gemstone and jewellery trade,” 

Raphael Gübelin explains. 

It comprises a range of technological services, including 

the Emerald Paternity Test and the Provenance Proof 

blockchain platform. 

According to Gübelin, it is the first free blockchain platform 

for coloured gemstones, open to the entire gemstone and 

jewellery industry: “Our overall aim is to offer a broad 

and comprehensive range of information that allows the 

buyer to make a conscious purchasing decision based on 

reliable data from a trustworthy source,” he says. 

The Emerald Paternity Test involves applying 

nanoparticle ‘labels’ directly to emerald rough at the 

mine, allowing the material to be traced even after 

cleaning, cutting and polishing. 

The blockchain platform was developed with technology 

startup Everledger, which also pioneered blockchain 

solutions for the diamond sector. 

“Responsible sourcing for Gemfields 

means implementing industry-leading 

policies and practices across operations, 

transparency in our auction sales process, 

[and] an active role in working groups to 

modernise the sector ” 

JACK CUNNINGHAM 

Gemfields 

Leanne Kemp, CEO Everledger, added, “[The blockchain 

platform] allows consumers to take pride in that the 

gemstone in their necklace comes from a certain part of, 

say, Zambia or Tanzania, safe in the knowledge that the 

person who mined it was properly compensated. 

“As a more ethical and sustainable capitalism rises 

to the very top of the agenda among Millennials and 

Gen Z, transparency is surely becoming a commercial 

imperative.” 

Dr Nyfeler added, “Jewellers embrace these 

transparency technologies because it gives them a rich 

source of data for their storytelling.” 

Gemfields has adopted the Provenance Proof Blockchain, 

in addition to a number of other initiatives and policies. 

Jack Cunningham, Gemfields’ director of sustainability, 

John Dyer 

Chris Wolfsberg 

Naomi Sarna 

policy, and risk, says, “Our goal is to operate in a way 

that contributes positively to national economies, takes 

a leading role in modernising the coloured gemstone 

sector and builds lasting livelihoods for the communities 

around our mines. 

He adds, “Responsible sourcing for Gemfields means 

implementing industry-leading policies and practices 

across operations, transparency in our auction sales 

process, an active role in working groups to modernise 

the sector, projects to improve health, education and 

livelihoods for the communities around our mines 

and conservation efforts [for] Africa’s wildlife and 

biodiversity.” 

Further up the supply chain, online B2B gemstone 

trading platform Gemolith recently introduced a 

traceability section to specifically cater to the desire for 

transparently-sourced material, with Greenland Ruby as 

its first featured producer. 

Victoria Favoroso, CEO of Gemolith’s parent company 

GemCloud, said in a statement, “Today, three out of five 

jewellery brands we speak with are asking to know the 

provenance of gemstones and to learn more about the 

story behind them.” 

In April 2021, another online gemstone trading 

platform, Gembridge – which touts itself as a ‘strictly 

regulated global digital platform for the transparent 

trade of colored gemstones, pearls, and jewellery’ 

– was launched. 

The business allows verified members to ‘buy, sell 

and consign, using a secure and insured door-to-door 

service’. Based in Singapore, it is compliant with that 

country’s strict Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti- 

Money Laundering (AML) regulations. 

Indeed, while it will always be the captivating colour that 

draws consumers to coloured gemstones, provenance 

and supply chain transparency offer another selling point 

for jewellers, providing a compelling story of origin as 

well as appealing to the desire for ethical products. 



BUSINESS 

Strategy 

Business Strategy 

Does your store have ‘community charisma’? 

Today’s consumers want to feel connected to the businesses they purchase from – and being part of the local 

community goes a long way towards earning their trust and confidence, write RICH KIZER and GEORGANNE BENDER. 

Much of our time each year is spent 

visiting retailers, interacting with 

shoppers, and perusing stores. In our 

31 years together we’ve seen the good, 

the bad and the really ugly. The retailers 

we meet can be placed in one of three 

categories – those who ‘get it’, those who 

don’t yet, and those who never will. 

Retailers who ‘get it’ always find a way to 

thrill shoppers. 

Those in the second category can evolve into 

category one, but the ones who never will 

are the retailers who take to social media 

to complain about the lack of sales, about 

customers who annoy them, suppliers 

that cheese them off, and the things their 

community won’t do for them. 

Sadly, most of these retailers won’t survive 

in the long run. 

Connecting with community 

When we started our business, we decided 

we’d need an office. We got a map of the 

area and put a pin in the dead centre 

between the two towns we lived in, and St 

Charles, Illinois became our new home. St 

Charles has a strong sense of community 

and an active Business Alliance that plans 

year-round events that draw thousands of 

people from all over region. 

While most businesses embrace these 

events, some don’t – and that’s their 

first mistake. 

What these businesses lack is ‘community 

charisma’; they feel separated from the 

people who should make up the majority 

of their customer base and don’t generate 

much customer loyalty or goodwill. 

Terri King, owner of gift store My Secret 

Garden in Michigan, is one of the retailers 

we have visited over the years. 

She suggests retailers jump into community 

events with both feet, saying, “When there 

is a festival in my town, we throw the doors 

open. We drag things out on the footpath, 

create photo ops, dress in costume and 

have a blast with all the energy.” 

The only opportunities you’ll miss are the 

ones you don’t take. 

You can’t win if you don’t play 

One example of a great community event 

is the annual Scarecrow Festival. Over 

The next time 

your community 

has an event, 

or another 

local business 

proposes 

a crosspromotion, 

look at it as an 

opportunity 

to engage 

shoppers 

three days, more than 150 hand-crafted 

scarecrows made by local businesses are 

displayed in the town park. 

The festival also features live entertainment, 

food, rides, kids’ activities, an arts and 

crafts show, plus special deals from local 

businesses – there’s a lot to do. 

The town is jam-packed with people (or it 

was, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 

will be again in the future). 

What is frustrating is the stores that decide 

to close during the festival while there are 

tens of thousands of potential customers 

walking past! 

This decision is justified by the limited 

parking available, because people will 

ask to use the store’s restroom, or because 

the store owner thinks shoplifting will be 

an issue. 

All of these concerns are understandable, 

but closing the store serves no benefit. 

The retailer could have stood in front of 

the store and told passersby about their 

business, perhaps holding a raffle to collect 

email addresses, and hand out coupons for 

special offers. 

The bottom line is that people notice when 

a business doesn’t participate in a 

community event, and there are real 

benefits to participating. 

Assess your charisma 

We have developed an exercise called 

‘Circles of Excellence’ that we recommend 

business owners carry out every quarter. 

Begin by drawing a circle and inside list 

all of the things that are essential to serve 

your customers – such as staff who have 

excellent product knowledge, a clear, 

informative, and functional website, and 

parking close to the store. 

Next, draw a larger circle around the first 

one; this outer circle represents the extra 

things that you offer, for example free gift 

wrapping, classes and other in-store events, 

spontaneous sales, and social media 

promotions. 

It’s most important to focus on the outer 

circle – these are the factors that make your 

store stand out and create your ‘community 

charisma’. However, once customers get 

used to the perks in the outer circle, they 

get relegated to the inner circle. 

This is why it’s so important to do this 

exercise at least once a quarter and before 

each community event. 

The power of participation 

So, what can you do to jumpstart your 

community charisma? Here are some ideas 

from our recent travels to help you get the 

ideas flowing: 

Harness the power of selfies – People of 

all ages today practice ‘lifestyle marketing’, 

sharing where they are and what they are 

doing on social media. For that reason, 

‘selfie stations’ with props are an easy way 

to make your store a part of their story. 

Sometimes all you need is a cardboard 

frame to make a selfie special. It should 

include your business’ name, address and 

hashtag. 

Alternatively, you can increase your 

business’ local exposure by hosting a selfie 

contest. Your post might read: “Take a selfie 

in our store and receive 10 per cent off your 

next purchase! Visit us between (date) and 

(date), take a selfie in the store and post it 

on Instagram. Tag us, include the hashtag, 

and you could win (prize)”. 

Change your selfie station and/or props 

seasonally to encourage shoppers to share 

photos often. 

Make your signage work harder – A survey 

commissioned by courier service FedEx 

found that 68 per cent of customers said 

they had made a purchase after a sign 

caught their attention. 

Every smart retailer knows that signs on 

that sales floor encourage purchases, so 

why are so many stores ‘under-signed’? 

And when displays are signed, why are 

those signs so boring? 

It’s okay to have fun with your in-store 

signage; express your personality! 

Chalk on the footpath is another option for 

signage as it stops foot traffic right outside 

your storefront, takes advantage of unused 

space, and is free. 

Many retailers have embraced easel signs 

too because they give a store ‘street level’ 

exposure and they are easy to change. Use 

them to highlight events going on in-store 

or to give your customers a laugh. 

Another way to build good-will and 

community charisma is to put up signs 

celebrating your employees. 

This helps build a rapport with your 

potential customers, improves your staff 

morale, and makes your business feel more 

relatable and friendly. 

Try out cross-promotions – Something that 

always stands out is when retailers support 

one another, and cross-promotion can be 

a very effective and affordable strategy for 

increasing the visibility of your store. 

Repetition is a key part of advertising 

because it helps customers recall your 

business, and cross-promotion means 

shoppers will be reminded several times. 

Large companies that own multiple 

businesses often use cross-promotion to 

their advantage. In the US, Disney owns the 

television network ABC, so advertisements 

for Disney films are regularly played in the 

commercial breaks of ABC shows. 

Another example is airlines cross- 

BETTER 

TOGETHER 

Local events 

Make sure 

your business 

is an active 

participant in 

local events that 

attract footfall 

Online meets 

offline 

In-store 

competitions 

and fun signage 

can get extra 

traction via 

social media 

Promotion 

partners 

Cross-promote 

with other local 

businesses to 

attract new 

customers 

promoting with hotels and car-rental 

companies. Product placement in movies 

and TV shows is yet another form of crosspromotion. 

On a local level, cross-promotions between 

small businesses can be even more creative. 

One example we encountered during a 

holiday season was a dance school that 

began providing ‘living window displays’ to 

stores all over town. 

The dancers would interact with shoppers 

and perform in the window, enticing them 

inside, while the businesses cross-promoted 

the school’s presentation of The Nutcracker. 

While this cross-promotion may seem a 

little unexpected at first, it is to a retailer’s 

advantage to choose a cross-promotion 

partner without many shared customers to 

reach new and untapped markets. 

The ice-cream parlour next-door isn’t a 

great fit because you probably have many 

customers in common simply by proximity 

– but the hairdresser or nail salon down the 

street could be perfect. 

Find businesses with customers who would 

be interested in what you sell and exchange 

ideas on how to promote one another. 

The bottom line 

Community is important to today’s 

customers; you attract positive reviews for 

being a good corporate citizen, protecting 

the environment, recycling, producing 

sustainable goods, and supporting charity. 

You also earn their loyalty by weaving 

yourself into the fabric of your local 

community. 

So, the next time your community has an 

event, or another local business proposes 

a cross-promotion, look at it as an 

opportunity to engage shoppers and meet 

potential new customers. 

And if someone uses your restroom without 

purchasing anything? You’ll survive! 

RICH KIZER and GEORGANNE 

BENDER are retail strategists, 

authors and consultants. Visit: 

kizerandbender.com 



BUSINESS 

Selling 

BUSINESS 

Management 

The virtues that business leaders should use 

to inform their sales strategy right now 

SUE BARRETT explains how sales performance and management can be improved by implementing 

a new strategy that is driven by three key values of trustworthiness, co-operation, and gratitude. 

Relying on gut instinct is not enough 

when building your retail strategy 

BRIAN WALKER explores the powers – and limitations – of intuition when 

it comes to managing a retail business and how experience interacts with data. 

In September 2019, I wrote an article 

advising of the strategies business 

leaders could implement immediately 

to improve their sales results in a 

challenging market. 

Given the advent of COVID-19 and the many 

lessons learnt since, it is now important to 

revisit that advice while emphasising three 

extra virtues as guiding principles. 

These virtues are trustworthiness, 

co-operation, and gratitude, which all 

underpin good business. 

Many people’s perspectives and priorities 

have shifted in the last year beyond the 

mere matter of making money; they are 

closely examining their relationship to 

work, career, others, and themselves. 

They are focusing on what really matters 

to our ongoing collective wellbeing 

and prosperity. 

As a result, trustworthiness, co-operation, 

and gratitude are particularly relevant to 

business leaders’ interactions with them 

as customers – and staff. 

Trustworthiness 

Trustworthiness is the foundation 

of both business agreements and 

personal promises. 

When trustworthy people give their 

word, they stand by it and through their 

actions they keep their promises and 

commitments. They display consistency, 

constancy, and loyalty. 

When a person or a business is worthy of 

trust, they attract abundance and create 

lasting success. 

Co-operation 

Co-operation means working together 

for the good of all. Co-operators seek 

common goals in service of a unified vision 

and combine their abilities with other team 

members to create something none could 

achieve alone. 

Particularly in times of difficulty, cooperation 

is critical as it allows groups 

to share the load. Co-operative people 

Build your sales strategy on a solid foundation of virtuous values. 

willingly do tasks others ask of them and 

look for ways to be helpful, as well as 

asking for help when it is needed. 

This quality is the one that can turn a 

dream or vision into a reality and is as 

essential for business leaders as it is 

for individual staff members within a 

business. 

As the saying goes, “If you want to go fast, 

go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” 

Gratitude 

Gratitude is a constant attitude and 

expression of thankfulness and 

appreciation for life as it unfolds. 

Operating from a basis of gratitude 

allows business owners to notice the 

small graces and blessings that take place 

each day and to understand, accept, and 

learn freely. 

Gratitude is the essence of happiness and 

a continual celebration of life; it makes 

business leaders more resilient and 

resourceful, improves morale, and creates 

stronger relationships with customers. 

Applying values to sales 

Taking into account these three virtues, 

as well as the experience of COVID-19, 

here are seven strategies to improve sales 

operations immediately: 

• Define a clear, relevant, and compelling 

reason for customers to buy from your 

business, rather than a competitor 

In times of 

difficulty, 

co-operation 

is critical as it 

allows groups to 

share the load. 

Co-operative 

people willingly 

do tasks others 

ask of them and 

look for ways 

to be helpful, as 

well as asking 

for help when it 

is needed 

• Link each staff member’s role to service 

• Shift away from the attitude that sales 

are solely for achieving financial goals, and 

instead view sales as providing a solution 

to customers’ problems or a method to 

help them achieve their goals 

• Reward salespeople by removing nonsales 

related activities from their role 

• Automate any critical non-revenue 

generating activities in sales 

• Employ and develop salespeople with 

the right character and attitude, rather 

than hiring purely on sales or technical 

experience 

• Give sales managers the freedom to be 

leaders and coaches rather than simply 

increasing their sales targets. 

In implementing these steps, reviewing, 

and developing the existing sales strategy 

is essential. 

Start by analysing the target market, 

undertaking targeted segmentation to find 

viable market segments, sub segments 

and even micro segments. 

Next, audit sales processes and protocols. 

When it comes to existing staff members, 

assess the knowledge, skills, and mindset 

of the sales team so they are able improve 

specific areas of their performance. 

It’s also important to train managers 

and salespeople regularly, focusing on 

‘bite-sized’ learning – easy to understand, 

simple, and short – that is relevant 

and has clear applications to everyday 

situations. 

Instead of falling into the old trap of relying 

on a ‘point solution’ – the panacea that 

promises to fix everything and sounds 

too good to be true, because it is – take a 

more holistic approach to managing your 

sales team. 

SUE BARRETT is founder and CEO of 

innovative and forward-thinking sales 

advisory and education firm Barrett. 

Visit: barrett.com.au 

The late economist, businessman, and 

governor of the US Federal Reserve 

Robert Heller had a saying, “Never 

ignore a gut feeling, but never believe 

that it’s enough.” 

Recently, I witnessed a senior retail 

business leader talking through their 

business’ strategy, its positioning and 

product deployment, describing how this 

had been conceived from the ‘gut’ – this 

individual’s intuition. 

In other words, it was their experience 

and instincts that led them to deliver such 

a well–crafted set of opinions, as well as 

the company’s operating strategy over a 

three–year timespan. 

The comment made me wonder about how 

reliable gut instinct really is in decisionmaking 

– and, in this retail business 

leader’s case, very important decisions! 

These decisions often require investment 

capital, intensive use of resources, and 

more often than not, radical approaches. 

How could a company’s board of directors 

endorse a strategy formed without 

independent insights, research and 

counterbalance? I wasn’t sure, although 

many have and still do. 

Over the years, retail CEOs have had to 

navigate a minefield of critical decisions; 

many of them ‘felt’ right, but were 

strategically flammable. 

Think of the department store that 

expanded its bricks-and-mortar presence 

when the world was fast discovering 

internet, or the retail group that spent too 

much on acquisitions of other businesses 

and exploded its balance sheet. 

Naturally, what comes next is to ask, in this 

rapidly changing landscape, how we can 

rely on our ‘gut’ to predict the future. 

Searching for a strategy 

In his book Intuition At Work, author 

Gary Klein expresses the common – and 

probably flawed – wisdom that intuition 

is “at the centre of the decision-making 

process” and that analysis is, at best, 

A decision may ‘feel’ right, but it can’t be made without a factual basis. 

“a supporting tool for making intuitive 

decisions.” 

Detached from rigorous analysis, intuition 

is a fickle and undependable guide; it is as 

likely to lead to disaster as to success. 

And while some have argued that intuition 

becomes more valuable in highly complex 

and changeable environments, the 

opposite is actually true. 

Making great decisions ‘from the gut’ has 

been emblematic of leaders in the past 

– there are business fables assigned to 

these moments – yet the reality is that they 

are very much few and far between. 

In fact, exceptional instinct is a superpower 

that only superheroes truly possess. 

As Ralph Lauren, former CEO 

of international pharmaceutical 

conglomerate Johnson & Johnson, said, 

“Very often, people will do a brilliant job up 

through the middle management levels, 

where it’s very heavily quantitative in terms 

of the decision-making. 

“But then they reach senior management, 

where the problems get more complex 

and ambiguous, and we discover that 

their judgment or intuition is not what it 

should be.” 

Complexity and ambiguity are absolutely 

the hallmarks of the environment we live in 

today, and the human brain is “wired to see 

patterns in the information our senses take 

The reason 

successful, 

creative 

entrepreneurs, 

particularly 

those that have 

been in their 

industries for a 

long time, are 

often known 

to have great 

instincts is 

because they 

simply have a 

deeper well of 

experience to 

draw from 

in,” explains US biology professor 

Jeanne Hardy. 

Hardy observes that most of this takes 

place in the subconscious, which forms 

“95 per cent of our brain activity”. 

“When we subconsciously process 

patterns, our body produces 

neurochemicals that trigger both the 

brain and gut. This is how our intuition is 

formed and why we get the sensation that 

something ‘feels’ right or wrong,” she says. 

According to Hardy, intuition is formed 

from two aspects – current senses, or 

the information our brain is processing 

when the ‘gut feeling’ kicks in, as well as 

memories stored in the brain. 

She posits that the reason successful, 

creative entrepreneurs, particularly those 

that have been in their industries for a 

long time, are often known to have great 

instincts is because they simply have a 

deeper well of experience to draw from. 

This sums up determining the role of 

the ‘limbic’ – or instinctive – approach to 

strategy formation and the insights that 

years of experience bring to the table. 

Similarly, on the consumer side, intuition 

isn’t just a random collection of feelings 

that happen when you’re exposed to a 

particular product or brand. 

Often, these emotional responses are 

informed by previous experiences, ideas, 

and memories. 

In summary, a seasoned executive who 

has worked in the same sector for many 

years, and has therefore acquired ingrained 

learnings, experiences and relevant 

thinking, can largely rely on their instincts – 

so long as this is supported by data. 

Trust me, I have an intuition for these 

matters! 

BRIAN WALKER is the founder and 

managing director of Retail Doctor 

Group, a retail consulting company. 

Visit: retaildoctor.com.au 



BUSINESS 

Marketing & PR 

BUSINESS 

Logged On 

Why second is better than first 

when it comes to sales 

A customer’s second purchase with your business is the most critical part of the buying journey – 

and this should be the focus of your marketing strategy, writes CHRIS PETERSEN. 

Overlooked blogging strategies that can 

improve your digital marketing results 

BETH WALKER discusses simple ways to update and upgrade your blog content to make it more 

effective at attracting readers, improving your search-engine ranking, and appealing to your audience. 

Retail has a legacy of focusing on 

immediate results. Historically, the 

results that counted were the POS tickets 

and total sales at the end of the day. The 

better retailers measured store traffic and 

calculated the conversion rates. 

Even with the launch of ecommerce, core 

metrics of success still focused on traffic – 

acquiring customers, conversion rate, and 

average order volume. 

This is important because the metrics that 

are measured are the ones that can be 

managed and improved. 

Studies repeatedly show that secondtime 

buyers are more valuable and more 

profitable than new customers, yet many 

retailers are failing to measure the second 

sale and track the related customer 

variables, which in turn build lasting 

relationships that create lifetime value. 

So, why do so many retailers focus so 

heavily on the first purchase and fail to 

measure the key performance indicators 

(KPIs) of the ‘second sale’? 

Buy twice, buy for life 

In 2018, retail marketing company 

Bluecore analysed purchases from 

16 clothing businesses. The results 

underscored the importance and dynamics 

of the second sale: 

• Although customer value increased with 

each purchase, the biggest jump in value 

was between the first and second purchase 

• Second-time buyers were far more 

likely to become repeat buyers 

• Approximately 60 per cent of second 

purchases occur within 100 days of the first 

• After 100 days, the chances of a second 

purchase drop below 10 per cent 

Yet, Bluecore also found that 80 per cent 

of post-purchase messaging from the 16 

clothing businesses focused on acquiring 

new customers. 

In the past, retailers have utilised mass 

marketing and mass media. The goal of 

the marketing strategy was reach and 

Marketing efforts should focus on a customer’s second purchase. 

frequency; that is, acquiring customers 

and getting them into the store. 

The focus, measurement and metrics 

were on product sales today, not customer 

relationships tomorrow. 

Today, e-commerce retailers like 

Amazon understand the potential of the 

second sales, and how to leverage them. 

E-commerce systems were designed from 

the beginning to be individual customerfocused, 

tracking when you visit, what you 

view and what you purchase. 

Then algorithms kick in to repeat-message 

first time buyers for add-on sales and 

second purchases, while tracking all the 

corresponding data from the messages, 

offers and future sales. 

Yet bricks-and-mortar retailers often miss 

the second sale because: 

• Legacy systems are focused on sales 

transactions, not customers 

• Useful data is difficult to access 

• Metrics are focused on transactions and 

year-over-year results, not relationships 

• Many lack integrated customer 

relationship management (CRM) systems 

to re-market and message customers. 

How to nail the second sale 

The future of retail and profitability lies 

in retention and optimising relationships. 

Second-time 

buyers are more 

valuable and 

more profitable 

than new 

customers, yet 

many retailers 

are failing to 

measure the 

second sale and 

track the related 

customer 

variables 

In order to do that, retailers must think 

and analyse from a customer relationship 

perspective, not transaction sales. 

This will require CRM and tracking that 

enables retailers to answer key questions: 

• What categories and products did the 

customer shop from? 

• What category did the customer make 

their second purchase from? 

• How long was it before they made the 

second purchase? 

• What marketing messages did they 

receive, and what impact did they have on 

conversion? 

• What categories and products were the 

second purchase from? 

• How does that compare to other 

customers purchasing similar products? 

• What is the “basket of core products” 

that create the lifetime value for the 

customer? 

Having the ability to answer questions 

about individual customers creates 

a path to retention and profitable 

lifetime relationships. 

Amazon has mastered using data 

to convert multiple sales and build 

relationships through its Prime 

delivery service. 

Traditional retailers have built their 

customer relationships over decades 

through talented sales staff – but the 

key to continued success lies in CRM and 

a focus on turning one-time shoppers into 

lifetime customers. 

There is no single model for success; 

however, measuring and managing 

the second sale is a critical metric for 

changing the paradigm from acquisition 

to retention. 

CHRIS PETERSEN is founder and 

CEO of retail consultancy Integrated 

Marketing Solutions (IMS). Visit: 

imsresultscount.com 

Content marketing takes more effort than 

simply publishing one blog post on a subject; 

it requires you to think outside the box and 

look for opportunities to be creative. 

Yet as you build a ‘library’ of content, you will 

eventually encounter a different challenge: 

writer’s block, which will convince you that you 

don’t have anything new to say. 

While it’s unlikely you’ve written everything 

on one subject, revisiting and optimising 

your previous posts is one way to overcome 

impediments to your creative flow. 

This structured approach means your 

existing posts will reach a wider audience 

and your website will climb the searchengine 

rankings while you think of ideas for 

new content. 

Below are three methods to optimise your 

blog that are often overlooked but can quickly 

improve your digital marketing results. 

Update old blog posts 

There are a few different strategies for 

updating old content. The first step is to 

identify which posts you should update first; 

this will depend on the keywords users are 

searching to find your business. 

You can identify these keywords by looking 

at the terms you rank highest for on search 

engines like Google, the top keywords that 

draw people to your site from your Google My 

Business page, and the hashtags that attract 

the most interactions on social media. 

Try the below ideas and compare the 

analytics to see which one helps improve the 

search-engine rankings for your keywords: 

• SEO optimisation – Look at your most 

popular blog posts and review them for 

on-page SEO (search engine optimisation) 

opportunities. One of the best ways to do this 

is by using an SEO ‘checker’ tool, which you 

can download. 

These tools will do a lot of the heavy lifting 

when it comes to analysing your posts and 

offering suggestions for improvement. 

• Update images – Fresh photos should be 

added to your posts. Ensure each element 

Revitalising your business’ blog is an effective way to boost your Google ranking. 

is titled and described using the correct 

keywords. 

• Add new information – Visit the earliest 

posts on your blog and read the content. 

Ask yourself if the article still aligns with 

your business philosophy, current offers, 

services, and products. If it doesn’t, 

‘unpublish’ it and redirect the link to 

prevent any errors from occurring. 

If your blog post is still relevant, optimise 

it to get more clicks by adding internal 

links to recently published content, update 

any external links to recently published 

content, and update any statistics so they 

reflect the current year. 

Rewrite content to support the new 

statistics, and adjust the wording in the 

headers to incorporate ‘long-tail’ keywords 

– that is, keywords that are longer and 

more specific. 

Add infographics or video 

If you’re explaining more technical 

concepts to your audience, your points will 

be clearer when you show – rather than tell 

– information. 

Even when you incorporate text into ta blog 

post, your audience will likely skim your 

words as their eyes are drawn to images 

or videos. 

Social media analytics firm HubSpot found 

that in 2020, 81 per cent of businesses used 

video as part of their marketing strategy – 

up almost 20 per cent in one year. 

If your blog post 

is still relevant, 

optimise it to 

get more clicks 

by adding 

internal links 

to recently 

published 

content, update 

any external 

links to recently 

published 

content, and 

update any 

statistics so 

they reflect the 

current year 

According to Google, six out of 10 people 

would rather watch online videos than 

television and YouTube is the second-most 

viewed website on the Internet, after the 

Google search homepage. 

What’s more, viewers retain 95 per cent of 

a message when they watch it in a video, 

compared to 10 per cent when reading, 

according to Insivia. 

Adding infographics and video to your blog 

posts makes them more engaging for 

readers and will improve the ‘bounce rate’ – 

how quickly users click away from a page. 

Cracking the code 

Finally, one of the best things you can do to 

improve your search engine ranking is to 

make the context of your content as easy 

for Google’s AI to identify as possible – 

essentially, ensuring Google’s bots do not get 

confused and misclassify your website. 

In addition to classic SEO techniques, like 

incorporating headers and bulleted lists, you 

can add a schema markup and structured 

data – elements that a digital marketing 

professional can assist in implementing. 

Schema markup is simply a code that you 

put on your website to help search engines 

return more informative results for users. 

Meanwhile, structured data refers to highly 

organised information. When information is 

highly structured and predictable, search 

engines can more easily organise and display 

it in creative ways. Again, this is an element 

that is part of your website’s code, rather 

than information your readers will see. 

Once you’ve updated your blog content you 

will have new information to promote on 

social media and through email marketing. 

If you’re facing writer’s block, don’t give 

up! Rather than a new blog post, look into 

your archives and incorporate one or all of 

these strategies. 

BETH WALKER writes for US-based 

SMA Marketing, which specialises 

in digital marketing strategies for 

businesses. Visit: smamarketing.net 



My Bench 

David Hollanders 

Wild Trout Designer Jewellers, Sydney, NSW 

Age 53 • Years in Trade 37 • Training Diploma in Jewellery Manufacture from Bradford & Ilkley College, Yorkshire • First job Goldsmithing apprenticeship at 

Roy’s Jewellers, Lancashire in 1983 • Other Qualifications City & Guilds Jewellery Manufacture certification, Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great 

Britain, and Diamond Setting Diploma from Sir John Cass College, London 

SIGNATURE PIECE 

GOLD AND DIAMOND BANGLE 

PRIVATE COMMISSION 

This bangle was a labour of love for a special lady who had 

recently been bereaved, losing the love of her life. The recycled 

gold used was hers, and the diamonds came from a variety of 

jewellery pieces that either belonged to her husband or were 

bought for her by him. I separated the diamonds by colour and 

pavé set them in sections. She wears it all day, every day and we 

recently made something similar for her daughter. 

4FAVOURITE GEMSTONE I can’t go past the 

vibrancy of a beautiful ruby. 

4FAVOURITE METAL 18-carat yellow gold. What’s 

not to love about a simple alloy that is both a 

pleasing colour and is very accommodating? 

4FAVOURITE TOOL Burnishers – how pleasing 

it is that two metals rubbed together can give a 

beautiful reflective finish! 

4BEST NEW TOOL DISCOVERY A few years ago, 

I discovered computer-assisted design (CAD). To 

start with it was difficult to learn, but over the 

years I’ve adapted my traditional skills to this 

modern medium. 

4BEST PART OF THE JOB Pleasing people. 

4WORST PART OF THE JOB Quoting. 

4BEST TIP FROM A JEWELLER Do it once, 

do it right. 

4BEST TIP TO A JEWELLER Do it once, do it right! 

4BIGGEST HEALTH CONCERN ON THE BENCH 

Dust is the biggest concern. 

4LOVE JEWELLERY BECAUSE It never stops 

surprising me. I started my apprenticeship in 

goldsmithing at the age of 16, but I wasn’t ready 

for the discipline required for the role – and I 

was given the boot after less than a year! After 

trying a couple of other jobs, including a trainee 

stonemason, I decided that I really wanted to 

pursue my passion in jewellery making. 

After graduating from college in 1986, I landed 

a job at the Diamond Boutique in Maidenhead, 

Berkshire as a jobbing jeweller, progressing to 

mounter. Then, under the guidance of Anthony 

Hilbourne, I gained qualifications in gemmology, 

diamond grading and diamond setting. 

Even today, there is always something new 

to discover – even though in a busy modern 

workshop, we rarely get time to step back 

and reflect! 


OPINION 

Soapbox 

Dispelling the myths and misconceptions 

about jewellery valuations 

RIKKI MCANDREW explores how jewellery valuations have evolved over time and 

what jewellers and consumers can expect from a modern valuation. 

As with most industries, jewellery 

valuation has been affected by the 

advances in technology in recent years 

and valuers have had to learn a host of new 

skills – to the benefit of jewellers and their 

customers alike. 

In days now long gone, producing valuations 

was a very different proposition. We didn’t 

have access to the technology we do today 

– including computers and digital cameras – 

so many older valuations are simply written 

documents without images. 

What’s more, the descriptions in these older 

valuations often lack detail, leaving too much 

room for misinterpretation and guesswork. 

The terminology used could be quite 

confusing to the layman, if not the trade; 

an old valuation might include a diamond 

colour described as ‘Jager’, ‘river’, ‘(top) 

Wesselton’ or ‘(top) cape’, rather than the 

alphabetical system in use today. 

However, since the foundation of the 

National Council of Jewellery Valuers 

(NCJV), a system of standardisation is in 

place and continuously being improved. 

All jewellery valuations today must have a 

photograph and a full description, including 

weights and measurements – which are also 

frequently missing from old valuations! 

In terms of implementing these standards, 

the NCJV was the first jewellery valuer 

organisation in the world to develop its own 

accredited valuer course. 

Valuations are a critical source of 

information when it comes to identifying 

lost and stolen jewellery, especially 

when there is a dispute of provenance or 

ownership, or a police investigation. 

It is hard to argue against anything unique to 

an item such as a hallmark, an engraving, 

a chip, or anything else that the valuer 

observes and notes in the valuation. 

Of course, while valuations have come a long 

way, there are still limitations; for example, 

a set diamond can’t be graded higher than 

a G colour, therefore it may be necessary to 

remove the diamond for a more accurate 

grading as this could significantly impact the 

value of the overall piece. 

For this reason, it is necessary to educate 

consumers on this point and advocate for it 

to be done routinely. 

As retailers are often the ‘middleman’ 

between consumers and valuers, the trade 

should also take these factors into account 

when advising their customers. 

There are a few other misconceptions that 

aren’t immediately obvious, but should be. 

Firstly, a valuer can’t simply look at a piece 

of jewellery and give a dollar value – nor can 

a professional valuation determine a piece’s 

previous retail value or its guaranteed 

second-hand/resale value. 

Valuations act as a reliable source of 

information which can then be interpreted 

as the basis for determining a second-hand 

value. Put simply, a seller must know and 

understand the market for the piece; the 

valuation simply tells them exactly what it is 

they are selling! 

A retail price can then be developed that 

includes a standard mark-up – something 

that is not taken into account in a valuation. 

Valuations of the same piece by different 

valuers almost certainly won’t have the 

same dollar value. 

Another important point is that valuers 

rarely have an advertised price list. One of 

the main reasons for this is variation – each 

valuation is unique, and while an average 

All jewellery 

valuations 

today must have 

a photograph 

and a full 

description, 

including 

weights and 

measurements 

– which are 

also frequently 

missing from 

old valuations! 

valuation takes one hour to complete, some 

can take eight hours or more! 

For more complex valuations, a piece of 

jewellery may also need to be shown to 

other valuers, wholesalers or antiques 

dealers for a second opinion. 

As a result, the NCJV does not monitor 

prices nor recommend a price range to its 

registered valuers. 

Still, it’s a question often asked, by jewellers 

and consumers alike: how much should a 

valuation cost? It’s similar to asking, how 

long is a piece of string? 

When developing their price structure, 

valuers will take into account the cost 

of purchasing and maintaining their 

gemmological equipment, indemnity 

insurance, continuing professional 

development, subscriptions to price 

guides and sales realisations, and NCJV 

membership fees. 

NCJV-registered valuers are professionally 

trained, and they deal in facts, not hopes 

or wishes. At the end of the day, the valuer 

signs a document which can be admitted to 

court; they can’t take into account what the 

client believes to be true, or what they were 

told when they bought a jewellery piece. 

There are still some in the jewellery 

industry who lack knowledge or experience 

with valuations, and this is where problems 

regularly arise. But there is no excuse 

for ignorance – and that’s what jewellery 

valuations are designed to prevent. 

Name: Rikki McAndrew FGAA Dip DT 

Company: McAndrew Jewellery, and 

Australian Jewellery Valuers 

Position: Director 

Location: Melbourne, VIC 

Years in Industry: 48 


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AUSTRALIA

Jeweller - May 2021

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