Jeweller - June 2021

VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY
JUNE 2021
By design
HOW CAD/CAM CONTINUES TO
EVOLVE THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Dreaming in colour
FANCY COLOUR DIAMONDS PRESENT
A SPECTRUM OF OPPORTUNITIES
Chasing rainbows
THE BEAUTY OF MULTI-COLOUR AND
COLOUR-CHANGE GEMSTONES

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worldshiner.com

PETITE SUITES | TENDER 2020
Kunming Diamonds is one of the world’s leading
Argyle Pink and natral coloured diamond trading houses.
Our kaleidoscopic collection offers quality iconic
stones in all shades, tones, hues and saturations.
The apex of nature and mastery, a rare and heavenly collection of fancy shapes,
each possessing the highest colour intesity on the Argyle colour spectrum.
Zenith, Lot 72 in the 2020 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender is one of the 12 ‘Petite Suites’,
a historic collection of rare natural Argyle specimens weighing a total of 13.90 carats.
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Access a diverse range of
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TENDER STONES | SINGLE STONES | MATCHED PAIRS | CALIBRATED MELEE LINES
ARGYLE PINK DIAMOND TENDER
To have the privilege of acquiring an Argyle pink diamond tender stone is a chance of a
lifetime. Since the penultimate 2020 Argyle tender has elapsed, the ability of procuring a
top Argyle investment diamond grows slimmer. Offer the signature novelty of an Argyle
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E pink@samsgroup.com.au W samsgroup.com.au P 02 9290 2199
SAMS GROUP
AUSTRALIA
2021 2021 2021 2020 2021 2021 2021 2019 2021 2021
pRED
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SQUARE RADIANT
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DIAMOND- pRED/SI2
GIA- FANCY RED /SI1
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DIAMOND- 3P/SI2
GIA- FANCY
INTENSE PINK /SI2
3PR
1.03 CARAT
RADIANT
ARGYLE PINK
DIAMOND- 3PR/P1
GIA- FANCY DEEP
PINK /I1
4PP
0.54 CARAT
MODIFIED OVAL
ARGYLE PINK
DIAMOND- 4PP/SI1
GIA- FANCY VIVID
PURPLISH PINK /SI1
4PP
0.41 CARAT
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ARGYLE PINK
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5P
0.50 CARAT
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DIAMOND- 5P/SI2
GIA- FANCY INTENSE
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The Natural Color Diamond Association is a not-for-profit organization
with a mission to promote fair and informed trading by providing up-todate
resources and advocating transparency, all while celebrating the beauty
and ethos of colored diamonds.
www.ncdia.com
Email: office@ncdia.com

To schedule an appointment, please contact us:
L. J. WeST DIamonDS Inc. | 589 5th ave, Suite 1102 | new York, nY 10017, U.S.a. | T +1 212 997 0940
L. J. WeST aU PTY LTD | Level 9, 225 St Georges Terrace | Perth, Wa 6000, australia | T +61 40 997 6981
Info@LJWestDiamonds.com | www.LJWestDiamonds.com | www.ScottWestDiamonds.com

JUNE 2021
Contents
This Month
Industry Facets
17 Editor’s Desk
18 Upfront
20 News
36 Jewellers Showcase
Features
26
27
35
68
70
10 YEARS AGO
Time Machine: June 2011
MY STORE
Wrights Jewellers
LEARN ABOUT GEMS
Kunzite
MY BENCH
Anthea Plug
SOAPBOX
Robyn Sparke
36 FANCY COLOUR DIAMONDS FEATURE
Feeling fancy
4Breath-taking colour and endless creative
possibilities make fancy diamonds a compelling
category, writes ARABELLA RODEN.
38
46
53
FANCY COLOUR DIAMONDS FEATURE
Natural selection
CAD/CAM REPORT
Designing the future
GEM QUARTER MULTI-COLOUR & COLOUR CHANGE GEMSTONES
The rainbow connection
44 CAD/CAM REPORT
Digital dream
Better Your Business
Leaders and numbers
have one thing in common...
They both speak for themsel ves !
4 ARABELLA RODEN
charts the evolution of
computer-assisted design
and manufacture and how
it continues to shape the
jewellery trade.
64
66
67
BUSINESS STRATEGY
Be more productive – and healthy – by doing less, writes DAVID BROWN.
SELLING
In sales, it pays to sweat the small stuff, advises JEANNIE WALTERS.
MANAGEMENT
GREG GLADMAN explains how to get results training staff with a coaching approach.
68
MARKETING & PR
DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN has five key questions for your marketing plan.
PUBLICATION
GLOBAL
RANKING
TIME SPENT
PER VISITOR
PAGE VIEWS
PER VISITOR
COUNTRY
1 Jeweller 66,094 25:31 14 Australia
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.
69
LOGGED ON
Understand how customers shop online with the funnel model, writes ALEX FETANAT.
2 JCK 73,914 02:03 1.6 USA
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.
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
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!
51 GEM QUARTER
Colour play
4In the second edition of Gem
Quarter, Jeweller explores
the phenomena that create
fascinating multi-colour and
colour change gemstones.
FRONT COVER As one of the world’s
leading fancy colour diamond suppliers,
Kunming Diamonds offers a sensational
array of high-quality stones across the
colour spectrum. A multi-generational
family business, Kunming Diamonds
is committed to excellence, providing
first-class service to our customers in
Australia and across the world.
JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM
June 2021 | 15

Editor’s Desk
What it’s really worth
The recent auction of the Sakura Diamond at Christie’s was reported to be both ‘disappointing’ and ‘record-breaking’
– so which was it? ARABELLA RODEN explores the complex factors that determine value.
Fancy colour diamonds are one of the
jewellery industry’s most fascinating
categories. Like a work of art, their appeal
is undeniable – yet entirely subjective.
One person’s dream champagne diamond
engagement ring is another’s cheap
brown stone.
A wise person once told me that things are
only “worth” what someone else is willing
to pay; that’s as true for diamonds as it is
for Australian houses!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so
is value.
Nowhere was that subjectivity more
obvious than in the headlines surrounding
the auction of a particular pink diamond
last month.
In May, a fancy vivid purple-pink stone,
poetically named the ‘Sakura Diamond’
after its cherry blossom hue, was
auctioned at Christie’s in Hong Kong.
An exceptional diamond, internally flawless
and weighing in at 15.81 carats, breathless
headlines predicted the Sakura could sell
for $US38 million, amid feverish demand
for pink stones that has eclipsed even the
Sydney housing market.
The hype was – as they say – real.
Yet, the bidding opened at $US20.6 million
and rose to a paltry $US29.3 million when
the auctioneer’s hammer finally fell – a
king’s ransom to some, but well shy of
expectations and/or predictions.
Still, the result comfortably eclipsed
the $US26.6 million record for the most
expensive purple-pink diamond ever sold at
auction; that title was previously held by the
Spirit Of the Rose, a 14.83-carat specimen
sold by Sotheby’s in November 2020.
Dutifully, the headlines proclaimed the
exciting news of a record broken; hailing it
is as further proof of the robust health of
the fancy colour diamond market.
Yet, on the very same day, other headlines
declared the result “disappointing”.
Why? It’s all a matter of perspective.
Those who used the benchmark of the
previous record were overjoyed, viewing
the result as confirmation demand for pink
diamonds – and ultra-luxury jewellery –
remains strong, despite a challenging year.
Meanwhile, those whose expectations were
shaped by hype and high estimates – the
latter often being used to generate the
former – were left underwhelmed.
Some even speculated that the COVID-19
pandemic had “seriously weakened” the
fancy diamond category overall.
There are several lessons to be learnt from
this tale.
The first is that auction prices have never
been a particularly accurate yardstick for
the health of any jewellery category, and
especially not fancy colour diamonds.
The types of stones that end up under
the hammer at Christie’s and Sotheby’s
are in a category of their own, with very
few available each year, and purchased
by a select handful of collectors and
jewellery houses.
As much as tech billionaire Mike
Cannon-Brookes snapping up Point
Piper’s Fairwater estate – once owned
by Lady Mary Fairfax – for $100 million
tells us nothing about the average
Australian mortgage, or housing
affordability in general.
It’s a trap often seen in the art world,
where journalists will measure the
‘strength’ or ‘weakness’ of the auction
season by comparing the aggregate
of final sales prices against aggregate
pre-sale estimates.
If the sales match or exceed the estimates,
the market is declared robust; conversely
if they are at the lower end or below
estimates, the market is in decline.
Yet auction estimates are not tethered
to external economic factors, but rather
calculated based on the reserve, or what the
seller is willing to accept.
Some of this can be a product of careful
market analysis, but it may be equally
A wise person
once told me
that things are
only “worth”
what someone
else is willing
to pay; that’s
as true for
diamonds as it
is for Australian
houses! Beauty
is in the eye of
the beholder,
and so is value.
weighted by psychology and intuition.
Competition from other businesses
can also incentivise auction houses to
inflate the estimate in the hope of
winning the account. However, a higher
range can discourage potential bidders.
Lower estimates entice bargain hunters
into the fray – and any resulting bidding war
could push the final sale price far higher
than the estimate, which makes the auction
house seem more impressive.
For these reasons, it’s impossible to
say whether the Sakura Diamond was
‘overvalued’, as ‘value’ by its very nature
is subjective.
The second lesson is that those
who manage their expectations are
rarely disappointed.
Healthy anticipation is all well and good,
but when expectations are formed based
on assumptions, emotions, and opinions
– rather than facts – it’s easy to be caught
off-guard when things don’t go as planned.
And when expectations aren’t met, we
can be led to the wrong conclusion.
To combat the ‘expectation gap’, it’s
important to utilise perspective; no
situation occurs in a vacuum, and
understanding context is key.
Yet perspective is often the first casualty
of hype, especially when stuck in a bubble
or echo chamber, when it can be difficult
to separate the factual from the fanciful.
In the case of the Sakura Diamond,
reading all the headlines provided the
necessary perspective to contextualise
the result.
When it comes to unique gemstones,
rather than beauty being in the eye of the
beholder, perhaps we should say beauty
is in the eye of the believer – after all,
people’s hearts tell them what to believe,
not what to do!
Arabella Roden
Editor
June 2021 | 17

Upfront
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HISTORIC GEMSTONE
The Logan Sapphire
4Mined in Sri Lanka, the 422.98-carat Logan
Sapphire is one of the world’s largest faceted
blue sapphires. Set in a diamond brooch,
it was gifted to socialite Rebecca “Polly”
Guggenheim from her philandering first
husband, Robert M Guggenheim, in 1952.
Robert purchased the sapphire from
Sir Ellice Victor Sassoon, 3rd Baronet of
Bombay, who allegedly acquired it from an
Indian Maharajah. Polly – who remarried
John Logan – formally donated the the
sapphire to the Smithsonian museum in
1960, a year after Robert’s death, because it
reminded her of his indiscretions!
Trend Spotting
4Bold, creative, and subversive, camp
jewellery – inspired by the aesthetic of
early ’90s fashion design – has emerged
as a trend in recent months, driven
largely by Gen Z. A defining piece is the
so-called ‘TikTok necklace’, Vivienne
Westwood’s Bas Relief Choker (inset).
Making its debut in 1992, the necklace
was most recently seen on singer Dua
Lipa (above) at the BRIT Awards in May.
Image credit: Getty Images
Stranger Things
Weird, wacky and wonderful
jewellery news from around the world
Love bites
4Actress Nicola Peltz has
crafted an unusual gift for
her fiancé Brooklyn Beckham,
the photographer son of A-list
celebrities Victoria and David
Beckham. As a birthday present,
Peltz had one of Beckham’s newlyremoved
wisdom teeth – and one
of her own – plated in gold and
made into pendants, courtesy
of US jeweller Anita Ko. “He
wears mine and I wear his,” Peltz
explained. “[It’s] all of our wisdom,
stuck in a tooth!”
Dirty money
4Four US men have been
sentenced to jail for an $US8
million telemarketing scam that
convinced investors they could
recover “miscroscopic particles
of gold” from dirt. The men said
they owned an 80-acre (32 hectare)
mining claim and could achieve
“20 times the yield of traditional
mining at a fraction of the cost”,
in an environmentally-friendly
manner using nanotechnology.
The DES also
includes changes
to how businesses
can claim
depreciation
of intellectual
property and inhouse
software.
Digital Brainwave
4The Federal Budget for 2021–2022 has
earmarked $1.2 billion in funding for the
government’s Digital Economy Strategy
(DES), of which approximately $500 million
will be spent in the next 18 months.
It includes a $12.7 million expansion of the
Australian Small Business Advisory Service,
and $15.3 million to drive business uptake of
e-invoicing. Prime Minister Scott Morrison
said, “Every business in Australia is now a
digital business... We must keep our foot
on the digital accelerator to secure our
economic recovery from COVID-19.”
Top Product
4True to the unique UNOde50 boho
style, this original bracelet with
UNOde50 logo engraving offers an
organic textured design. It also features
a brown leather adjustable belt detail,
providing a bold and modern look.
Handmade in Spain.
Distributed by Timesupply.
Buried treasure
4Russian police have retrieved
a cache of jewellery, valued
at RUB160 million ($AU2.8 million),
that was stolen during the
2018 Soccer World Cup and
buried in plastic bags in a forest.
A Colombian citizen – believed to have
entered the country when its strict
visa conditions were relaxed for World
Cup tourists – confessed to having
stolen the pieces from the suitcase
of a jewellery store employee who
was en route to an exhibition in the
city of Kazan.
VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY
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
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Supplying Australia Since 1974

News In Brief
New deal to promote
diamonds in China
4 The Natural Diamond Council has
entered an agreement with the Chow Tai
Fook jewellery chain to promote natural
diamond jewellery in China. Headquartered
in Hong Kong, Chow Tai Fook is the world’s
largest jewellery retailer by store count,
with approximately 4,500 locations. The
deal will include “significant investment
in marketing, advertising, visual
merchandising and sales [training]”.
Tiffany & Co. unveils
unusual pop-up store
4 As part of a new marketing strategy,
Tiffany & Co. has debuted an all-yellow
‘pop-up’ concept. The store on Rodeo
Drive in LA had a ‘Yellow Diamond Café’
installed and the canary Tiffany Diamond
on display. The pop-up will travel to
more locations worldwide and follows an
April Fool’s Day joke, in which Tiffany
declared it would switch its iconic
robin’s egg blue branding for yellow.
Jewellery sales rise
more than 250 per cent
4 A jewellery sales report compiled
by Retail Edge Consultants revealed
that sales in dollars for April 2021
increased 252 per cent compared with
the same period last year – when retail
was significantly depressed by the
COVID-19 pandemic – and 40 per cent
when compared with April 2019. Michael
Dyer, sales manager at Retail Edge, told
Jeweller the figures were “heartening”.
Sotheby’s tiara fetches
right royal price
4 A diamond and pearl tiara that
could be virtually ‘tried on’ via the
Sotheby’s Instagram account has sold
at auction for $US1.6 million ($AU2.06
million) – above its high estimate. The
piece became Sotheby’s most popular
filter on the social media app, being
used more than 22,000 times. “[This
tiara] has captured the imagination of
collectors and Instagram users alike,”
said Sotheby’s Benoit Repellin.
Buying groups to unite in support
of Sydney fair, celebrate milestones
Three buying groups will mark significant milestones
at this year’s International Jewellery & Watch Fair.
Independent Jewellers Collective (IJC),
Nationwide Jewellers, and Showcase Jewellers
have confirmed their attendance at this year’s
International Jewellery & Watch Fair (IJWF) as
well as a range of member functions to coincide
with the event.
All three buying groups are reaching milestones in
2021, with IJC marking its first year of operation,
Nationwide celebrating 30 years in the industry,
and Showcase toasting its 40th anniversary.
In a joint statement, Josh Zarb, CEO IJC, Colin
Pocklington, managing director Nationwide, and
Showcase Jewellers COO Nicola Adams and CEO
of finance and administration Jorge Joaquim, said,
“With 130 exhibitors already booked, the IJWF
Australian diamond mine revived with new
deal following previous owner’s liquidation
Australia’s largest diamond –a 104-carat stone – was
recovered from the Merlin site. Image credit: Lucapa
Lucapa Diamond Company (Lucapa) has begun the
process of acquiring the Merlin Mine in the
Northern Territory from the liquidators of its
previous owner in an $8.5 million deal.
The mining company, which is headquartered
in Perth, has entered into a binding Asset Sale
Agreement to acquire the mining lease and
in Sydney is the major industry event for 2021.
We look forward to reconnecting and seeing our
members and suppliers at this event.”
Gary Fitz-Roy, managing director of Expertise
Events, which organises the IJWF, said, “We are
pleased to see the three supporting buying groups
all celebrating milestone birthdays, which also
link to the fair itself celebrating 30 years!”
The 2020 IJWF was cancelled due to the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic, with Fitz-Roy calling the
2021 edition, “Without a doubt one of the most
important in the fair’s history as the industry
reunites and celebrates.
“It is also appropriate to note the home of the fair
in Sydney, NSW provides the best track record for
safety and the commercial approach to getting on
with business.”
Fitz-Roy said Expertise Events was “good to go”
in running the IJWF this August, following the
success of its five state-based Trade Days in
February, March, and April.
The fourth buying group, Leading Edge Group
Jewellers (LEGJ), also intends to attend the
IJWF, a spokesperson told Jeweller.
The IJWF will be held at the ICC Exhibition Centre
in Darling Harbour from 28–30 August 2021.
exploration tenement – located approximately
720km southeast of Darwin – as well as equipment
and assets, from Merlin Operations, a whollyowned
subsidiary of the mine’s previous owner,
Merlin Diamonds Ltd.
In a statement to the Australian Securities
Exchange (ASX), Stephen Wetherall, managing
director Lucapa, said, “This is a strategic
acquisition for Lucapa which represents a valueaccretive
and logical step in Lucapa’s production
strategy.
“We look forward to getting on the ground,
completing the work to deliver the various studies
and bringing Merlin into production as soon as
possible,” he added.
The site has an estimated diamond resource of
4.4 million carats; Australia’s largest diamond, a
104-carat white Type IIa stone, was recovered there
in 2003, as well as rare green diamonds.
Lucapa currently operates the Lulo and Mothae
Mines in Angola and Lesotho, respectively, which
are known for producing large white diamonds.
Final Argyle Tender diamonds
unveiled; most stones since 2012
The 2021 Argyle Tender has been named ‘The Journey Beyond’ and features six ‘hero’ stones – (from left) Argyle Stella,
Argyle Lumiere, Argyle Eclipse, Argyle Solaris, and Argyle Boheme. Source: Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto has revealed details of its final Argyle
Tender of pink, red, and blue diamonds with 70
stones weighing 81.63 carats on offer.
Including a record number of diamonds above
1 carat, it is also among the largest Tenders in
Argyle history, equalling the 2012 Tender and
second only to the 1987 Tender, which featured
83 stones.
Five ‘hero’ stones – exceptional diamonds
given special names – will be included,
headlined by the largest fancy intense pink
diamond ever offered at the Tender, the
3.47-carat Argyle Eclipse.
The other hero stones are:
• Lot 2: Argyle Stella – 1.79 carat, square
radiant fancy vivid purplish pink
• Lot 3: Argyle Lumiere – 2.03 carat, square
radiant fancy deep pink
• Lot 4: Argyle Solaris – 2.05 carat, radiant
fancy intense pink
• Lot 5: Argyle Bohème – 1.01 carat, radiant
fancy red
Titled ‘The Journey Beyond’, the Tender marks
the concluding chapter in the Argyle Mine’s
nearly four-decade history; located in the remote
Kimberley region of Western Australia, ceased
operations on 3 November 2020.
Sinead Kaufman, chief executive – Rio Tinto
Minerals, said, “I am delighted to launch this
historic collection of extraordinary diamonds, a
testament to the amazing Argyle ore body and
the men and women who have worked so hard to
bring these diamonds to market.”
First held in 1985, the Argyle Tender is one of the
world’s most anticipated diamond sales.
Patrick Coppens, general manager – sales
and marketing for Rio Tinto diamonds, said,
“The final Tender collection of these beyond
rare diamonds will be keenly sought after
as heritage gemstones of the future, coveted
by collectors and connoisseurs from around
the world.”
Offered alongside the main Tender is the ‘Once
In A Blue Moon’ collection; 41 lots of blue and
violet diamonds weighing 24.88 carats in total.
It is the third ‘Once In A Blue Moon’ collection
in Argyle’s history and the first in nearly a
decade.
“The final Tender collection of these
beyond rare diamonds will be keenly
sought after as heritage gemstones
of the future”
PATRICK COPPENS
Rio Tinto
The inaugural Argyle ‘Once In A Blue Moon’
collection of blue and violet stones – made
up of 16 lots – was offered alongside the 2009
Tender; the second, comprising 19 lots, was
offered in 2012.
The 2021 Argyle Tender will be showcased in
Perth, Antwerp, Singapore and Sydney, subject to
COVID-19 protocols. Bids close on
1 September 2021.
Notably, the 2020 Argyle Tender achieved
“record-breaking” prices according to Rio Tinto,
despite the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic
and travel restrictions preventing many from
viewing the stones in person.
PINK PINK
PINK KIMBERLEY KIMBERLEY
KIMBERLEY END
END
END
OF OF OF OF MINE MINE LIFE LIFE
OF OF MINE LIFE
hourglass
Commemorating the the Argyle Argyle Mine’s
Mine’s
Commemorating legacy, these limited-edition the the Argyle objets Mine’s
objets
legacy, d’art are these are highly limited-edition collectible. Three
objets
Three
carats d’art are of are of Argyle highly pink collectible. pink diamonds Three
float
float
carats delicately of of Argyle within the pink the hourglass, diamonds gently
float gently
delicately falling within time. the the Only Only hourglass, fifteen have
gently
have
been falling produced with time. worldwide, Only fifteen with with have each
each
been one produced one sequentially worldwide, numbered.
with each
one one sequentially numbered.
PinkKimberley.com.au
PinkKimberley.com.au
20 | June 2021
W E W
SAMS W E W samsgroup.com.au
SAMS GROUP samsgroup.com.au
SAMS SAMS
AUSTRALIA
GROUP
P P02 02 9290 2199
AUSTRALIA
SAMS SAMS GROUP
AUSTRALIA
E E pink@samsgroup.com.au
pink@samsgroup.com.au
pink@samsgroup.com.au
W PW
P02 samsgroup.com.au
02 9290 2199
P P02 02 9290 2199

Natural diamond organisations
protest Pandora statement
Mining company forms marketing council for coloured gemstones
we reviewed the research data, it became very clear
that there is a tremendous underserved consumer
market for colourred gemstone jewellery.”
Fura Gems mines ruby, sapphire, and emerald –
collectively known as the ‘big three’ of coloured
gemstones – in Mozambique, Australia, and
Colombia, respectively.
The council will provide funding, education, and marketing materials to expand the coloured gemstone market.
“North America, India, and Australia
will be the initial focus of the FMC’s
retailer activities, expanding to other
markets in 2022”
A statement announcing the new Pandora Brilliance lab-created diamond range has
been criticised as “misleading” by a range of diamond and jewellery associations.
Image credit: Pandora
Several diamond and jewellery
industry associations have demanded
Pandora Jewelry retract elements of
a recent statement regarding
its decision to stop stocking
natural diamonds.
The groups claim it promotes the
“false and misleading narrative”
that lab-created diamonds are “an
ethical choice” when compared with
natural diamonds.
In a joint statement, the Natural
Diamond Council (NDC), CIBJO,
the World Diamond Council (WDC),
the Responsible Jewellery Council
(IJC), and the International Diamond
Manufacturers Association (IDMA)
objected to the messaging in
Pandora’s announcement of its
new lab-created diamond range,
Pandora Brilliance.
diamonds are “expected to be made
using 100 per cent renewable energy”
by 2022 and confirmed it would no
longer use natural mined diamonds
across any of its product lines.
In response, the NDC, CIBJO, WDC,
IJC, and IDMA pointed out that
Pandora’s product range has not
traditionally used diamonds.
They asserted, “The misleading
narrative created by the Pandora
announcement implying the natural
diamond industry is both less
ethical and the impetus behind
Pandora’s move to lab-grown
diamonds, particularly given the
inconsequential amount of diamonds
Pandora features in its collections,
can have unintended but substantial
consequences on communities in
developing nations.”
Fura Gems has launched the Fura Marketing
Council (FMC), an initiative designed to promote
coloured gemstones worldwide.
FMC members will receive advertising funds,
sales training, and promotional materials, as well
as marketing support from The MVEye, formerly
known as MVI Marketing. The FMC was developed
following a research study conducted by The MVEye
across North America last year.
Dev Shetty, CEO Fura Gems, told Jeweller, “The
research found that 93 per cent of jewellery
shoppers love/like emerald, ruby and sapphire,
with 46 per cent saying they are likely to purchase
precious coloured gems in the next two years.
“Yet even though dealers, jewellery manufacturers
and retailers said they all make more margin from
coloured gemstones than diamonds, they were not
investing in training, promotion and inventory to
grow this category.”
Liz Chatelain, president The MVEye, added, “When
Jewellery with Meaning
It has pledged $US2 million ($AU2.6 million) to
fund the FMC’s first year, with membership open
to its direct rough-buying customers, as well as
“all other cutters, loose stone dealers, jewellery
manufacturers and retailers that are working with
Fura’s product,” Shetty said.
North America, India, and Australia will be
the initial focus of the FMC’s retailer activities,
expanding to other markets in 2022.
In the announcement, Alexander
Lacik, CEO Pandora, said that labcreated
diamonds are “as much
a symbol of innovation and progress
as they are of enduring beauty
and stand as a testament to
[Pandora’s] ongoing and ambitious
sustainability agenda.”
Pandora Brilliance products are
set with lab-created diamonds
manufactured by a third-party
supplier using the chemical vapour
deposition method and powered by 60
per cent renewable energy sources,
with the remaining 40 per cent
subject to carbon-offsetting.
Pandora noted that the lab-created
The New York Times reports that
natural diamonds were set in
approximately 50,000 – or a fraction
of 1 per cent – of the 85 million
pieces produced by Pandora in 2020.
According to a 2019 report
commissioned by the NDC’s
predecessor organisation, the
Diamond Producers Association,
the top-seven diamond producing
companies generate approximately
$US16 billion annually for local
communities, largely in developing
nations.
A spokesperson for Pandora
had no comment when approached
by Jeweller.
PRIDE BRANDS
www.pridebrands.com.au Ph: (03) 6171 8005 sales@pridebrands.com.au

De Beers re-brands Forevermark diamond jewellery
Jewellery Trade Days to return in 2022;
registrations open for 2021 Sydney Fair
Tempt Your
Customers
The world’s second-largest diamond producer by
volume, De Beers, has renamed its Forevermark
jewellery brand to De Beers Forevermark as part of
a wider marketing effort.
As part of the strategy, the brand’s website will
be merged with that of the group’s retail chain
De Beers Jewellers, which operates approximately
33 stores worldwide across the US, Europe,
UK, and Asia.
“We think there’s an opportunity to bring
the De Beers name and its fame to a new
generation of consumers”
CHARLES STANLEY
De Beers Forevermark
De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark already share
a chairman in Stephen Lussier, who is also De
Beers Group’s vice-president of consumer markets.
Charles Stanley, president of Forevermark’s US
division, told JCK Online, “[The name change is]
part of a wider transformation that’s going on
within De Beers, to make it a brand-led company.
From a brand recognition standpoint, we were not
leveraging our primary asset – our name – as much
as we could. We were spending our marketing
budget promotion on two different names. It didn’t
make sense.”
He added, “The De Beers name, for those that
are aware of it, is generally recognised by older
consumers as a leader in diamonds and diamond
expertise generally. We think there’s an opportunity
to bring the De Beers name and its fame to a new
generation of consumers.”
The De Beers brand has attracted negative
consumer perceptions – largely due to the
inaccurate assumption that the business holds a
monopoly over the international diamond trade
– though Lussier previously dismissed this as a
minority view.
As part of the marketing strategy, the ‘A diamond is
forever’ slogan will also reportedly be revived.
In Australia, Forevermark jewellery is stocked by
the Mazzucchelli’s chain and Sydney’s Musson
Jewellers, while De Beers Jewellers products are
only available online.
According to media reports, De Beers Group plans
to expand the channels through which Forevermark
jewellery is sold.
Following the success of the 2021 Jewellery
Industry Trade Days, organiser Expertise
Events has announced the state-based buying
events will return to South Australia and
Western Australia next year.
The Trade Days will be held in Perth from
Sunday 13 to Monday 14 March 2022, followed
by Adelaide on 20–21 March.
Gary Fitz-Roy, managing director Expertise
Events, said, “We are pleased to announce
we will return to South Australia and Western
Australia in 2022.
As industry events are often east coastfocused,
retailers in other markets miss out
– and it was clear from this year’s Trade Days
that a local event allows the industry a costeffective
way to connect.”
Until the 2021 Trade Days, Expertise Events
had never held a trade event in South or
Western Australia – but both the Perth and
Adelaide editions were very positively received.
“This year we started to establish a database
and baseline – and it’s the right thing for us to
come back and keep building,” Fitz-Roy said.
“East coast retailers have a number of events
to serve their needs. By going to South and
Western Australia, we are connecting the
whole industry, across the country.”
The 2022 Trade Days will maintain the same
‘all-inclusive’ approach for exhibitors, with
back walls, tables and chairs, daily lunch,
and networking drinks provided.
However, the schedule will shift from a
weekend format to a Sunday-Monday format
to better serve retailers: “In both states, city
stores are generally closed on Sundays, and
country retailers are generally busier on
weekends, so find it easier to visit the Trade
Days on a Monday,” Fitz-Roy explained.
“This format provides the best result for all.”
Meanwhile, Expertise Events has also
opened visitor registrations for the
International Jewellery & Watch Fair (IJWF)
several months ahead of schedule, due to
increased retailer demand.
Fitz-Roy said interest in registrations had
spiked following the Trade Days.
SAVE THE DATES: 2022 TRADE DAYS
• Perth – 13 - 14 March 2022 (Sun - Mon)
• Adeldaide – 20 - 21 March 2022 (Sun - Mon)
Diamond jewellery competition cancelled
presentation in October. However, executive officer
Melissa James recently confirmed to Jeweller that
the delayed 2020 awards will no longer go ahead.
The next Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery Awards will
take place in 2022, following its usual biennial schedule.
“We have taken this difficult decision due to the
ongoing uncertainty with sudden border closures
between states,” James said.
“We have also had feedback from within the
industry that many manufacturing jewellers
are currently heavily committed to an increased
workload of remodelling, repairs and new makes
– which is a good thing!” she added.
Instead, the competition will revert to its regular
biennial schedule.
AUSTRALIAN
JEWELLERY TOOLS
WHOLESALER
SPECIALISING IN IN QUALITY JEWELLERY
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT WITH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
The Diamond Guild Australia has cancelled its
2020 Jewellery Awards after postponing the
ceremony twice. Registrations were first opened in
February last year – with a presentation ceremony
initially scheduled for October 2020.
“We have now firmly rescheduled the next
Diamond Guild Australia Jewellery Awards to
2022, which will align with our normal biennial
program that runs alternate years with other
awards events,” James explained.
Australia/New Zealand Distributor
PRIDE BRANDS
www.pridebrands.com.au
Ph: (03) 6171 8005
sales@pridebrands.com.au
However, the competition was quickly delayed to
March 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The awards were postponed indefinitely in January
2021 amid a succession of ‘snap’ lockdowns in
NSW, Victoria, and Queensland.
The Diamond Guild had tentatively planned to
hold the competition in August and a winners’
She told Jeweller the gala winners’ presentation will
be held earlier than previous years, in September
2022. Registrations for expressions of interest
opened via the Diamond Guild Australia website in
May, with the deadline for entries has been extended
to 30 June 2022. Category details, prizes, and the
judging panel are yet to be confirmed.
Harper & Rowe sources only
the best freshwater pearls. Our
contemporary designs also
incorporate crystals, semiprecious
stones, sterling silver,
gold and leather.
Connect with us
@harperandrowe
harperandrowe.com.au
harperandrowe@gmail.com
(07) 3876 7481
sales@labanda.com.au
FAX: (07) 3368 3100
Glues
www.labanda.com.au

10 Years Ago
INSIDE
My Store
Wrights Jewellers
AUCKLAND, NZ with Rhian Wright and Ben Paul, owners • SPACE COMPLETED July 2019
Time Machine: June 2011
A snapshot of the industry events making headlines this time 10 years ago in Jeweller.
Historic Headlines
STILL RELEVANT 10 YEARS ON
4 Gold jewellery production drops off
4 Showcase lands US diamond expert
4 Zamels woes continue
4 Iconic Jewellery takes on silver brand
4 Timesupply stock minimums cause stir
Australia set for three
jewellery trade fairs next year
Brave New Man’s World:
Less conservative than previous
generations, and inspired by a wealth
of ideas and information found online,
the modern Australian man is slowly
but surely growing more accustomed to
accessorising... There is a perception that
men are more comfortable going into
men’s fashion stores to buy jewellery into
traditional jewellery stores..
READ ALL HEADLINES IN FULL ON
JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM
Dates have already been confirmed for next
year’s Melbourne jewellery fair– the country’s
third, in addition to Sydney and Brisbane – which
will be held earlier in the year and switched to a
Sunday/Monday format following an encouraging
inaugural event.
The show was hailed for its friendly atmosphere
and beautiful venue. However, many exhibitors
complained about slow trade on the opening day
(Saturday 30 April), attributing the lack of traffic to
jewellers having to man their stores that day.
The decision to shift the timing of the Melbourne
fair mirrors a change in format for the 2012
Brisbane show after a survey indicated that
65 per cent of exhibitors would favour a change t
o Sunday/Monday.
The Melbourne event will shift to earlier in the year,
taking place from 4–5 March 2012 – just two weeks
before the Brisbane event, which is to run on 25–26
March 2012.
Gold jewellery production
drops off
Australia’s gold mine production soared 16 per
cent in 2010, yet very little of what was mined
went towards domestic gold jewellery production,
according to precious metals consultancy GFMS.
For the second year running, Australia was
the second highest gold-producing country in
the world, after China, producing 261 tonnes
of the precious metal. However, GFMS’ 2011
World Gold Survey revealed that Australian gold
jewellery production was 3.2 tonnes last year
– the same as 2009. The statistic indicates that
Australian jewellery manufacturing continues to
move overseas.
June 2011
ON THE COVER Tuskc
Editors’ Desk
4A Group to Unite, Not Divide: “I made
what I considered to be a relatively
harmless and inoffensive call for young
people in the jewellery industry to unite
and form a new informal group.
Research shows that 54 per cent of JAA
members are 45 or older, and there
are no members under 25. Regardless
of the politics, we are going to give it a
shot. Was it Chairman Mao or Confucius
who said, ‘A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step?’”
Soapbox
4When The Going Gets Tough, The
Tough Get Creative: “I still believe two
issues, somewhat related, stifle the
industry in Australia: the narrow
(safe) focus of what is produced for
the market; and the fact that the
demographics of those in the industry
are getting older.
To once again capture the challenged
attention of a more discerning public,
there surely has to be more choice
than mass-produced product that is
seen time and time again?”
– Melissa Harris, director, Melissa
Harris Jewellery
Unisex jewellery the
next big thing?
First there was the ‘boyfriend watch’ – now
it seems women are clamouring to snap up
pieces of men’s jewellery too.
French men’s fashion jewellery brand Guy
Laroche has observed this growing trend. “The
feedback we have received is there are also
women purchasing the pieces for themselves,”
says Rachael Abbott, of distributor Timesupply.
Urban brand Tuskc experiments with unisex
designs – and stockists have found this appeals
to customers. “There’s a lot both sexes will buy,”
says Theresa Mexom, business manager at two
Leading Edge stores in WA.
Cutting edge pearl brand
eyes Australia
A California-based pearl jewellery company
credited with the biggest innovation in the pearl
market in the past 10 years has set its sights on
the Australian market.
Hailed as a revolutionary figure in the jewellery
industry, Chi Huynh founded Galatea: Jewelry by
Artist in 1992 after becoming the first person in
the world to culture a pearl using a gemstone.
Huynh is set to launch his Diamond in a Pearl,
Galatea Pearl, DavinHuynh Cut and Queen Bead
collections in Australia in 2011.
Said Huynh, “We think Australians and Americans
are very much ‘cut from the same cloth’ – being a
land of people from other nations, we’re open to
what’s new and different.”
4Who is the target market and how did they
influence the store design?
Wrights Jewellers is a long-established family
business, first opening in Pukekohe, Auckland, in
1912, so we have a very broad customer base.
Some families have shopped with us for
generations and others are new to the area and
discovering our store for the first time.
Our target market is lovers of high-quality fine
jewellery – ‘forever’ pieces which are different
from mass-produced jewellery that you would find
in a chain store.
Timber joinery and polished brass accents are
used to reflect our store’s history, paired with a
soft colour palette to create a fresh, stylish, and
inviting setting – traditional, yet modern. We
wanted our customers to know that they were
somewhere special and unique, and the store
design reflects this.
It was also important that the look of the store
suggested the high quality of our products.
4With the relationship between store
ambience and consumer purchasing in mind,
which features encourage sales?
The warm, soft hues of the interior create a
relaxing environment for our customers to take
their time when they visit us. We have jazz music
playing softly in the background to encourage
customers to feel at home.
Jewellery display counters are designed open
underneath to increase the sense of space in the
store while decreasing the separation between
staff and customer.
The clean, open store layout is easy for customers
to navigate, and the cabinets have been designed
to display the product in a way which really
highlights it and draws the customer in.
A seating area provides an intimate space for
consultations, and highlights the customer
experience by making them feel special, cared for,
and knowing that they have our full attention.
4What is the store design’s wow factor?
Hopefully the overall feel you get when you walk
in the store! Particular favourites are our dried
flower installations and the brass cabinetry.
26 | June 2021
June 2021 | 27

Behind every gemstone,
there is a fascinating story
waiting to delight clients
around the world. Studying
with GAA brings the
expertise, networking and
confidence to build a solid
career in a multimilliondollar
industry. Joining
one of the most supportive
and passionate professional
communities of gemmologists
in Australia was one of the
best decision I ever made.
Gina Barreto FGAA DipDT
Gemmologist and Diamond Technologist
Diamond
Courses
Practical Diamond Grading
Advanced Practical Diamond Grading
Diploma in Diamond Technology
Enrolments now open
For more information
1300 436 338
learn@gem.org.au
www.gem.org.au
AN EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF
ARGYLE PINK DIAMONDS
THE COLLECTOR’S EDITION
DIAMOND REPORT
Be
Confident
Gem-Ed Australia
Certified by
ADELAIDE BRISBANE HOBART MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY
INTERNATIONAL GEMOLOGICAL
1975
INSTITUTE
Passionately educating the industry, gem enthusiasts
and consumers about gemstones

THE MAGIC
OF THE
ARGYLE
MINE
The discovery of the Argyle Mine in the remote Kimberley region
of Western Australia opened up the source of approximately 90
per cent of the world’s supply of pink diamonds.
Their unique, intense and vivid colour tones made them desirable
to international jewellers, collectors, investors and connoisseurs.
It is of little surprise that terms such as “iconic”, “nature’s gift”,
“magical” and “mystical” have been used to describe their
appearance. Due to their rarity and escalating price over three
decades, they have been referred to as the most concentrated
form of wealth on Earth.
AN ETERNAL LEGACY
This special Collector’s Edition report has been created in order to
independently grade and verify the origin of natural pink and other
fancy colour diamonds from Australia’s Argyle Mine.
The story of these diamonds is unique. They were discovered in 1979
on an anthill in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia
and continue to be coveted by jewellers, collectors and investors
throughout the world.
They have often been referred to as “Earth’s magic”.
The internationally accepted gemological standards used in the
Collector’s Edition grading process enables us to preserve the legacy
of these rare diamonds, even years after the Mine’s closure in 2020.

COLLECTOR’S
EDITION
REPORT
With the Argyle Mine now closed, The Collector’s Edition
will secure the legacy of these rare and iconic diamonds,
whilst maintaining the independence and integrity of the
grading and origin identification process.
The predominant use of smaller diamonds in the Collector’s
Edition enables the product to be more attainable to a
broader customer market segment.
COLLECTOR’S EDITION
AVAILABLE AT LEADING JEWELLERS
Certified by
GINTERNATIONAL GEMOLO
1975
ICAL INSTITUTE

REVIEW
Gems
1975
IC A L INSTITUTE
INTERNA TIO NA L G EMO LO G
Pretty in pink: Kunzite
L to R: Buccellati ring; Cartier necklace; David Webb earrings
Below: Judith Ripka ring; Margot McKinney ring
ANTWERP
NEW YORK
HONG KONG
MUMBAI
BANGKOK
TEL AVIV
LOS ANGELES
TOKYO
DUBAI
ITALY
SHANGHAI
CHENNAI
JAIPUR
THRISSUR
KOLKATA
SURAT
NEW DELHI
AHMEDABAD
HYDERABAD
BENGALURU
THE GLOBAL AUTHORIT Y IN DIAMOND, GEMSTONE AND JEWELRY GRADING
© IGI 2020 • International Gemological Institute www.igi.org
Kunzite, a variety of spodumene, is a
relatively lesser-known gem in the world
of jewellery – yet its beautiful pink-toviolet
colouring, owed to the presence of
manganese, continues to attract a growing
number of admirers and collectors.
Although other varieties of spodumene
have been known since the 1800s, kunzite
was first discovered just over a century ago,
making it a relatively new addition to the
world of gemstones.
It received its name in honour of Tiffany
& Co.’s then-head gemmologist, George
Frederick Kunz.
Mostly occurring in various shades of pale
pink, kunzite may also be violet to vivid
purple in colour. A stand-out feature of this
gemstone is its trichroic nature, where
different colours may be seen from different
crystallographic directions.
This is of particular importance in the
cutting process. Because the most intense
colour is seen in the direction of the c-axis
(the length of the crystal), the stone should
be cut with its table facet perpendicular to
the c-axis to achieve the best colour.
Kunzite is generally a fairly clean, inclusionfree
stone, and is cut deep for maximum
colour. However, kunzite has two directions
of cleavage – where the stone can split
perfectly with the right amount of pressure
– making it difficult to cut.
It is also known to be brittle and
unpredictable. As a result, many skilful and
experienced cutters enjoy the challenge
of kunzite, producing beautiful fantasy-cut
stones of all kinds.
Another challenging cutting factor is the
incredible size of some kunzite crystals.
One notable example is the 3,051-carat
specimen named ‘Fragility of the
Eternal’ – a fantasy-cut by Victor
Tuzlukov, which is believed to be the
world’s largest cut kunzite.
Given the fragile nature of this gemstone,
it is important to know its best uses in
jewellery and suitable cleaning methods.
With a hardness of only 6.5–7 on Mohs’
scale, and its cleavage affecting its
durability, kunzite is best suited to jewellery
that is less exposed in everyday wear, such
as pendants and earrings.
Kunzite is also susceptible to breakage
when exposed to a sudden change in
temperature and is prone to lose colour
when exposed to heat or intense light for
long periods of time.
For jewellers, this means avoiding
showcasing kunzite in brilliantly lit display
cases for too long. To clean this gemstone,
warm soapy water is best – avoid the
ultrasonic and steam cleaning, and dilute
acids when working with this stone.
The best advice when dealing with kunzite is
simply to treat it delicately!
Kunzite is often found together with quartz,
beryl, and tourmaline, in countries like
Brazil, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Myanmar
(Burma), Pakistan, and the US. Generally,
Kunzite
Named for George
Frederick Kunz, former
head gemmologist at
Tiffany & Co.
Colour: Pink to
violetish purple,
rarely blue
Found in: Afghanistan,
Brazil, Madagascar,
US, Myanmar
(Burma), Pakistan
Mohs Hardness: 6.5–7
Class: Spodumene
Lustre: Vitreous
Formula: LiAlSi 2
O 6
it is less available than better-known
gemstones and more likely to be sourced
from specialty suppliers.
A particularly interesting gemmological
feature is its fluorescence – a strong
yellow-pink to orange colour under long
wave ultraviolet light.
To enhance its colour, kunzite may be
heat treated or irradiated. This greatly
affects the trichroism, resulting in three
very similar colours. Kunzite will even
change to a bluish green colour after X-ray
irradiation, but will revert to its natural
colour after only a few hours spent in strong
sunlight or being heated to 200°C.
Although synthetic kunzite has been
produced, it is not commercially available.
Stones that may imitate kunzite include
synthetic pink spinel, paste, amethyst,
pink topaz, and diopside, all of which
can be easily separated by a discerning
gemmologist.
Keeping in mind that caution needs to be
taken with this stone, kunzite is a great
option for a special piece, with an appealing
colour and price point suited to a large
range of clientele.
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
June 2021 | 35

CELEBRATING
Local Talent
RUSS STUDIOS
Hinged Bangle
Metal: Sterling silver,
9-carat rose gold,
18-carat yellow gold
Gemstones: Morganite
Karen & David Russ
Halls Gap, VIC
FIONA FITZGERALD
JEWELLERY
Tapestry Ring
Metal: 18-carat yellow gold
Gemstones: Malaya garnet,
ruby, pink sapphire,
tourmaline, rhodolite
garnet and champagne
diamond
TROY O’BRIEN
FINE JEWELLERY
Eclectus Parrot
Pendant
Metals: 18-carat
white gold
Gemstones: Black and
yellow diamond, agate,
blue sapphire, ruby,
tsavorite garnet
Troy O’Brien
Sydney NSW
MELANIE
KATSALIDIS
JEWELLERY
Little Steps
Earrings
Metals: 9-carat
white gold
Gemstones:
Watermelon
toumaline,
champagne
diamond, ruby
Melanie Katsalidis
Melbourne, VIC
VICTORIA
BUCKLEY
Floral Scroll
Bangle with
Diamonds
Metal: 18-carat
yellow gold
Gemstone:
White diamond
Victoria Buckley
Sydney, NSW
Fiona Fitzgerald
Melbourne, VIC
ANITA CROWTHER
JEWELLERY
Ultraviolet Earrings
Metal: 9-carat yellow gold
Gemstones: Agate,
boulder opal
Anita Crowther
Melbourne, VIC
JEWELLERS
WORKSHOP
Fleur de Jardin Ring
Metal: 18-carat yellow
and red gold, platinum
Gemstones: Hessonite
garnet, white diamond,
yellow diamond, coral
Kristy Pilimon
Auckland, NZ
VENETIA MAJOR
Peacock Feather Brooch
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
Metal: 18-carat white gold
Gemstone: Opal, sapphire,
ruby, diamond, emerald,
garnet
Venetia Major
Canberra, ACT
GERARD WOLLASTON
Dragonfly Brooch
Metal: 18-carat gold, palladium
Gemstones: Diamond,
various gemstones
Gerard Wollaston
Sydney, NSW
NICKY BURLES
Mandarin & Tsavorite
Garnet Earrings
Metals: Gold
Gemstones: Mandarin and
tsavorite garnet
Nicky Burles
Sydney, NSW
ZOE POOK JEWELLERY
Diamond Ring
Metals: Platinum,
18-carat rose gold
Gemstones: Diamond,
sapphire
Zoe Pook
Sydney, NSW
ELI SPEAKS JEWELLERY
Palacio Ring
Metals: 18-carat yellow gold
Gemstones: Burmese ruby
Kate Higgins
Melbourne, VIC
36 | June 2021
June 2021 | 37

FEATURE
Colour Diamonds
From top: David Morris; De Beers; Harry Winston (ring, above)
Natural
SELECTION
While a relatively niche category, the creative appeal and attractive margins
of fancy colour diamonds mean they continue to punch above their weight
for jewellers, writes ARABELLA RODEN.
GRAFF TRIBAL COLLECTION CAMPAIGN 2021
W
hat is the essence of luxury? Today, mere
exclusivity is not enough; only the truly
unique and personal products epitomise
beauty and status. On all counts, fancy colour
diamonds exceed the criteria.
Imbued with breath-taking hues in every colour of the
rainbow, these rare treasures are as captivating to consumers
as they are to jewellers. As a conduit for creativity and
flair, with no two exactly alike, they reflect the wearer’s
style in an inimitable way.
“It’s ultimately an expression of a person’s individuality and
taste – you’re saying, ‘This colour resonates with me.’ It’s a
way of standing out from the crowd,” says Olivar Musson, of
Sydney’s Musson Jewellers, which is an Argyle Select Atelier.
“I think you have to be confident in your own style and
individuality to wear coloured diamonds, and that in itself says
something about the wearer.”
That unique quality has made fancy colour diamonds
particularly appealing to consumers in recent years, alongside
the rise of custom-makes.
Harsh Maheshwari, director Kunming Diamonds, explains,
“Fancy colour diamonds are a demand-driven sector, and with
the rarity and beauty elements, consumers are becoming more
conscious of their preferences, sustaining the industry overall.”
Alan Bronstein, president of the Natural Color Diamond
Association (NCDIA), believes jewellery design excellence plays
a central role in the fancy colour category: “Where you compete
is original designer jewellery – that’s what elevates these
diamonds. It’s the jewellery in which the diamond is set, and
the story you create around that jewellery,” he says.
Chris Soklich, director, Ellendale Diamonds, explains, “Each
coloured diamond is so unique – this lends itself to endless
options of personalisation of created jewellery pieces.
“This gives jewellers an exciting opportunity to engage with the
consumer, presenting a plethora of different designs, colours
and shapes. For example, some fancy colour diamonds do not
lend themselves to the traditional round brilliant cut as it does
De Beers
David Michael
not show off the tonal properties to their full potential – this
is an opportunity to introduce the customer to consider fancy
cuts such as a radiant or pear.”
He adds, “Creativity is boundless and it can be used to
capture the customer’s own unique qualities.”
Indeed, Musson tells Jeweller, “My preference for colour is
based on how the stone suits the design, rather than loving
one colour more than another. For me, it’s about engaging
with an individual as a designer and creating something
unique and beautiful that suits their taste and the brief.”
It is estimated that less than 2 per cent of diamonds display
noticeable colour; of those that do, the vast majority are
yellow, followed by brown – branded as ‘chocolate’, ‘cognac’,
and ‘champagne’. Far rarer hues include orange, blue, green,
violet/purple, pink, and red.
As a result, the market is far smaller than that of white
(colourless) diamonds, yet the attractive margins –
particularly for yellow and brown diamonds – make it a
worthwhile category for jewellers.
Maulin Shah, director World Shiner, notes several other
advantages of the category for jewellers: “As every colour
diamond is unique, it’s very hard to match exact pairs – and
find a comparable diamond at a different store.
“In general and depending on the colour, fancy colours offer
higher margins and higher profit than white diamonds, which
provides jewellers with an extra avenue for income.
“And because there is a travel ban in Australia, consumers
are not spending money overseas; they are spending on
luxury items here in Australia,” Shah explains.
He adds, “It is a good time for local jewellers to try out a
colour diamond range.”
Shah names yellow, champagne, cognac, and black
diamonds as in-demand colours with excellent margins and
creative potential.
Leibish Polnauer, director Leibish, has also observed strong
sales for “intense yellows in the 1 to 2-carat size, due to their
unique colour, lustre and price point”.
June 2021 | 39

Natural Selection | COLOUR DIAMONDS FEATURE
According to Miri Chen, CEO of the Fancy
Color Research Foundation (FCRF), which
tracks fancy colour diamond prices internationally,
yellow diamonds have seen an increase in
popularity over the past 18 months due to
the “affordable price-per-carat as compared to
previous years”.
She explains, “Due to the overall slowdown in
economic activity globally during the pandemic,
fewer diamonds in circulation means increased
demand for market favourites, with yellow being
the most affordable.”
However, at the retail level, Bronstein cautions
jewellers against marketing yellow diamonds, or
any fancy colour, based on price.
“Price is not a point of differentiation; the key is
the jewellery and the romance of the stone – and
when you have a truly exceptional stone, it sells
itself,” he explains.
“The first impression should be one of excitement.
Design work is key to broadening the market
for fancy colour diamonds, and it’s the biggest
opportunity,” he adds.
Examining the supply chain
L to R:
Sotheby’s; De Beers;
Harry Winston;
Leibish; Kunming
The COVID-19 pandemic not only impacted colour
diamond prices, but also the supply chain.
Says Chen, “In the first three months of 2020, the
industry saw a near complete standstill in both
mining and mobility of diamonds.
“As activity slowly returned to the industry, with
mines reopening in Canada, Russia and Africa,
trade mobility due to air travel restrictions
continues to be challenging.”
Meanwhile, Arthur Langerman, founder of
Langerman Diamonds, observes, “Countries
shutting down and re-opening at different
paces, closures – or significant reduction of
workers – in mines and polishing centres,
meant the movement of color diamonds
As a conduit for
creativity and flair,
with no two exactly
alike, they express the
wearer’s style in an
inimitable way.”
was greatly reduced through the supply
chain, reducing the volume available in the market.
“This resulted in a significant increase in the price
of rough diamonds over the past few months and a
similar scenario is predicted for polished diamonds
during the next quarters.”
Says Maheshwari, “The diamond industry’s
supply chain has been broken and disrupted
heavily due to COVID-19. Logistical issues,
lockdowns, and business closures really rocked
the market. Luckily, consumer interests have
remained strong.”
Scott West, vice-president LJ West Diamonds,
has also observed strong demand but “a hesitation
to meet in person to see the stones, along with
much higher transportation costs because of
COVID-19, which has held back the market”.
“Once people feel more comfortable travelling
and meeting each other we think the market
will lift significantly.”
Natural Coloured
D I A M O N D S
l o S t r i v e r d i A m o n d S i S A n A u S t r A l i A n o W n e d b u S i n e S S S u p p ly i n g
C o l o u r e d d i A m o n d S t o l o C A l j e W e l l e r S f o r o v e r 3 0 y e A r S .
S u p p l i e r o f :
A r g y l e C e r t i f i e d p i n k d i A m o n d S | r i o C e r t i f i e d C h A m pA g n e d i A m o n d S | r i o C e r t i f i e d W h i t e d i A m o n d S
n At u r A l C o l o u r e d d i A m o n d S - y e l l o W , o r A n g e , g r e e n | W h i t e m e l e e | u n i q u e C o l o u r e d d i A m o n d j e W e l l e r y
40 | April 2021
3 / 1 0 5 S t g e o r g e S t C e , p e rt h WA 6 0 0 0 | 0 8 9 4 8 1 0 5 2 6 | troy@lostriverdiamonds.com | www.lostriverdiamonds.com

Natural Selection
L to R: Bulgari; David Morris; Amrapali
West notes that macroeconomic factors have also had an impact
on the fancy diamond market: “The ease of money in all major
currencies has contributed to the idea of alternative stores of
value, as well as the possibility of inflation, which we believe will
increase the value of these rare diamonds,” he explains.
The FCRF predicts a “return to normal in the very near future”,
with Chen adding, “We are looking optimistically toward a
revitalised market in 2022.”
However, with the third wave of the pandemic raging across India
– the centre of the world’s diamond cutting and polishing industry
– uncertainty still lingers.
With the third wave of the pandemic
raging across India – the centre of the
world’s diamond cutting and polishing
industry – uncertainty still lingers
Says Polnauer, “The pandemic hit the whole world, and in India,
it interrupted the supply of coloured diamonds from Surat, the
largest diamond manufacturing centre in the world. As the
diamond consumption is increasing worldwide, the supply is
substantially less and therefore will lead to price increase in the
short and medium-term.”
Langerman adds, “We have yet to see how the new COVID-19
wave hitting India will impact the country’s diamond production.
The current scenario could lead to a challenge in meeting their
current demand and a possible shortage
in the future.”
Shah has already observed shortages in certain categories:
“Most colour diamonds are manufactured in India and the
situation with COVID-19 has been crazy, so the factories are
working at a lesser capacity – 15–40 per cent staff capacity. The
high-quality material, in terms of colour, clarity, and size, are
selling out quickly and there is a shortage of that material.”
Predicting how the situation will impact the supply chain in the
remainder of 2021 and 2022, Shah says, “It all depends on the
COVID-19 situation overseas. It’s all up to the manufacturing.
We are still getting a consistent supply, but we are not sure
about the future.”
Ellendale Diamonds has also maintained consistent supply via
a “substantial inventory of fancy-coloured loose diamonds and
exquisite jewellery pieces made in Australia,” Soklich says.
Notably, the Ellendale Mine itself – which had lain largely dormant
42 | June 2021
Alan Bronstein
NCDIA
“Price is not a point of
differentiation; the key
is the jewellery and
the romance of the
stone – and when you
have a truly exceptional
stone, it sells itself...
Design work is key
to broadening the
market for fancy colour
diamonds, and it’s the
biggest opportunity.”
Miri Chen
FCRF
“Due to the overall
slowdown in economic
activity globally during
the pandemic, fewer
diamonds in circulation
means increased demand
for market favourites,
with yellow being the
most affordable.”
Harsh Maheshwari
Kunming Diamonds
“Fancy colour diamonds
are a demand-driven
sector, and with the rarity
and beauty elements,
consumers are becoming
more conscious of their
preferences, sustaining
the industry overall.”
for more than five years – was recently acquired by Burgundy
Diamond Mines, which plans to revitalise the site.
“Burgundy believes there is significant potential for the new
Ellendale leases to deliver a profitable diamond mining operation,
with the intention of becoming Australia’s next diamond producer
within the next 24 months,” a statement from the company read.
“Burgundy is currently planning an in-house marketing, cutting
and polishing operation, to take full advantage of the remaining
iconic and rare fancy yellow Western Australian, Ellendale stones.”
Argyle impacts
Another key factor impacting the fancy colour category is, of
course, the closure of the Argyle Mine.
Located in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia, the
world’s premier source of pink diamonds ceased operations in
November 2020 after nearly four decades of production.
The popularity of Argyle’s vivid stones – and the associated
marketing, via media coverage, promotions, and the annual Argyle
Tender – raised considerable awareness for the broader fancy
colour category.
“The popularity of fancy colour diamonds has grown over the
last few decades; the clever marketing of Argyle in the 1980s
led to a major surge in the demand for coloured diamonds,”
Soklich explains.
While famous for its pinks, Argyle was also a major source of
brown diamonds, which it marketed with creative descriptors such
as ‘chocolate’, ‘cognac’, and ‘champagne’.
At Langerman Diamonds, Langerman notes, “We have identified
an increase in demand for brown diamonds, varying from
champagne to chocolate hues. Brown stones have a strong colour,
which you can see clearly from afar, and more people are learning
to appreciate its beauty and uniqueness.
“I believe this will continue as the value of brown diamonds is
likely to increase as a consequence of reduced supply, following
the recent closure of the Argyle Mine.”
The final Argyle Tender was announced in May, with bids closing
on 1 September; without new material from the mine, suppliers
are looking elsewhere to source fancy stones.
Russian mining conglomerate Alrosa is one such source.
Langerman notes, “[Alrosa] has been the world’s largest producer
of rough diamonds for the past few years and has announced its
aspiration of assuming the leading position as supplier of fancy
colour diamonds.
DESERT
Rose
Loose Diamonds Wholesaler
Ellendale
Loose Yellows
Diamonds Argyle
Wholesaler
Loose Diamonds Wholesaler Pinks Blues
Ellendale Champagnes
Yellows Yellows
Argyle Pinks Whites
| Blues
Ellendale Yellows & Argyle Pinks | Blues
Champagnes | Yellows | Whites
Champagnes | Yellows | Whites
Ph: 08 6180 1562 | E: sales@ellendalediamonds.com.au
www.ellendalediamonds.com.au
Ph: Ph: 08 086180 1562 | E: E: sales@ellendalediamonds.com.au
Ph: 08 6180 1562 | E: sales@ellendalediamonds.com.au
@ellendalediamonds
www.ellendalediamonds.com.au | @ellendalediamonds @ellendalediamonds
www.ellendalediamonds.com.au | @ellendalediamonds @ellendalediamonds

Natural Selection | COLOUR DIAMONDS FEATURE
SPOTLIGHT ON
GREEN DIAMONDS
L to R: Creations Jewellers; Jewellery Theatre; Picchiotti
“Fancy colour diamonds currently account for less than 0.1 per
cent of Alrosa’s total output, so only time will tell if their intention
of becoming the world’s greatest supplier of fancy colour stones
will actually be achieved, or continue to be an aspirational goal.”
He adds, “Colour diamonds found in Russia are usually pinkish
purple, yellowish gray, brown and olive. They tend to have an
octahedral crystalline structure and a large cleavage.
“The pink stones sometimes have two distinct colours – one
part of the stone is brown, and the other is pink, which allows
skilled cutters to divide the stone obtaining two diamonds,
each with its own colour.”
Says West, “Alrosa has a range of colours. Their pinks
have, on average, more purple tones, giving them a lilac
appearance. They also have a range of other colours including
purples and strong yellows.
“The best of their fancy colours are true specimen diamonds.
With Argyle closing, we see collectors looking to Alrosa and South
African mines to find the next rare colour diamond.”
In addition to dramatically reducing the supply of pink diamonds
and, to a lesser extent, high-quality browns, Argyle’s closure has
also left something of a ‘marketing vacuum’.
Without the compelling narrative of the mine itself, nor the
glamour of the annual Tender, the jewellery industry must explore
other avenues for promoting fancy colours.
The NCDIA’s Bronstein has called for greater investment into
marketing and education about fancy diamonds of all colours in
the wake of Argyle’s closure.
“The market cannot be the same – and will not be the same –
without the halo effect from the marketing of the pink diamonds,
from Argyle directly. That was very important. Individual
companies can create some publicity for their own products, but
it won’t have the same impact.”
In July 2020, the NCDIA appointed four new international
‘ambassadors’ – bringing its total to six – in order to increase the
promotional reach and education about fancy-colour diamonds
across global markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore,
Switzerland, and Italy.
Marco Pocaterra, NCDIA’s Italian ‘ambassador’, noted at the time,
“From my experience, Italy remains fertile for education and sales
of fancy natural colour diamonds... Their beauty and desirability
are strongly underexposed to the public.
“The consequence is that Italian jewellers do not create
revenues with these extraordinary and incomparable gems. I am
committed to help them inspire their customers and take the
opportunity to have new attractive sales conversations.”
44 | June 2021
Maulin Shah
World Shiner
“In general and
depending on the
colour, fancy colours
offer higher margins
and higher profit
than white diamonds,
which provides
jewellers with an extra
avenue for income.”
Chris Soklich
Ellendale Diamonds
“Each coloured diamond
is so unique – this lends
itself to endless options
of personalisation of
created jewellery pieces...
Creativity is boundless
and it can be used to
capture the customer’s
own unique qualities.”
Scott West
LJ West Diamonds
“The best of [Alrosa’s]
fancy colours are true
specimen diamonds.
With Argyle closing,
we see collectors
looking to Alrosa and
South African mines
to find the next rare
colour diamond.”
Kunming’s Maheshwari also emphasises the need for jewellers
to take an active role: “Jewellers need to educate, promote,
and make consumers aware that they are well-versed in this
category,” he says.
He suggests hosting in-store events and focusing on educating
customers about the wide variety of colours available, as well as
the unique attributes of each one.
Soklich says education is key for both jewellers and retail staff to
create “confidence when designing jewellery pieces, which in turn
leads to successful sales”.
The appeal of fancy colour diamonds
largely lies in their ability to captivate
the individual; beyond a trend, they are
designed to be treasured – and it is up to
jewellers to complement their natural
beauty by setting them within equally
breath-taking jewellery.
Musson says, “Many fancy-coloured diamonds are so rare and
valuable, that more significant care must be taken when working
with them. Some may have attributes that may make them more
susceptible to damage, such as inclusions.
“Or, a variation in cutting has led to a thin girdle or fine corner to
maximise carat weight. These nuances may jeopardise durability
and present challenges when setting them.”
Ellendale Diamonds stones and jewellery are marketed not only
based on beauty and quality, but on guaranteed Australian origin:
“The provenance of coloured diamonds is at the core of our ethos,
and we proudly promote that our diamonds are sourced from the
Argyle and Ellendale Mines,” Soklich explains.
This provides another marketing avenue for jewellers – although
provenance cannot always be guaranteed.
Polnauer predicts virtual custom design, based on the customer’s
specific “vision” for the piece – a trend that rose to prominence
during the pandemic – will continue to feature as a key part of
jewellers’ sales strategies.
Indeed, the appeal of fancy colour diamonds largely lies in
their ability to captivate the individual; beyond a trend, they
are designed to be treasured – and it is up to jewellers to
complement their natural beauty by setting them within
equally breath-taking jewellery.
Earlier this year, the Gemological Institute of
America (GIA) recalled an unspecified number of
green diamonds it had graded between January
and June 2020. The recall related to a potential
new colour treatment of green stones.
Alan Bronstein, president of the Natural
Color Diamond Association, said, “It is already
challenging to assess green diamonds because
both natural and treated green stones achieve
their colour the same way – through radiation
– as opposed to, say, pink diamonds.”
Natural pink diamonds achieve their colour
through geological phenomena which cannot be
replicated, whereas manufacturers can imbue labcreated
or natural white diamonds with pink colour
through irradiation and/or annealing, making
differentiation very simple.
Kunming
Bronstein added, “The challenge of 100 per
cent differentiation [of green diamonds]
remains elusive.”
Several diamonds owned by Leibish were
recalled. Director Leibish Polnauer told
Jeweller, “Our gemmologist, Shmulik
Polnauer, was consulted by [GIA
Australian leading wholesaler, specialising in manufacturing
9ct 9ct and and 18ct 18ct yellow gold, gold, rose rose gold gold and and white white gold. gold.
Machine made made and and hand hand made, any any kind, kind, chains and and bracelets,
bangles and and findings. Suppliers to to retailers and and wholesalers.
technical advisor] Thomas Gelb on this matter. We
have a small number of stones that the GIA rechecked,
but all returned as having natural colour.”
Leibish believes that the recall will have a positive
effect, explaining, “It will disable the few players who
are making questionable manipulations on green
diamonds. Luckily, at Leibish, we did not conduct
business with such vendors as we sell only natural
colours without gimmicks and manipulations.”
Arthur Langerman, founder of Langerman Diamonds,
lamented the “unethical people in the industry…
attempting to forge fancy natural colour diamonds”,
predicting the process of certifying green diamonds
will become “stricter and more challenging.”
He added, “While it is possible that this recall leads to
a bit of distrust and scepticism from new customers,
those who are searching for green natural colour
diamonds will just have to be extra attentive about
which companies to trust.
“Integrity, knowledge and long-term experience
working with natural color diamonds allows
companies, such as Langerman Diamonds, to
guarantee clients the origin, authenticity and the
quality of the green natural colour diamonds.”
From top:
De Beers;
Kunming;
Leibish;
Kunming;
De Beers
MILLENNIUM CHAIN
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FEATURE
CAD/CAM Report
Perhaps the most significant change in the
jewellery industry in recent decades has been
the adoption of CAD/CAM – computer-aided
design and computer-aided manufacturing.
2021 CAD/CAM REPORT
DESIGNING the FUTURE
Computer-aided design and manufacturing have become an almost intrinsic part of the jewellery industry
– especially given the demand for custom makes and personalisation, writes ARABELLA RODEN.
Once, the words ‘CounterSketch’ and ‘3D printer’ might have
been met with a confused or dismissive look. Indeed, when
Jeweller published its first CAD/CAM Guide in 2012, it asked
the question, ‘Is CAD/CAM here to stay?’
Today, nearly a decade later, the answer is assuredly yes.
By the time Jeweller published its 2014 Report, the “CAD/
CAM revolution” had well and truly begun, and four years
later, the technology was “synonymous with jewellery design”,
while 3D printers had entered the market.
The financial limitations that once confined CAD/CAM to
larger companies rapidly fell away as technology evolved,
and new, jewellery-specific products and programs entered
the marketplace, leading jewellers of all stripes – the
pure retailers, outsourced-manufacturing, and in-house
manufacturing – to embrace the benefits.
Chris Botha, operations manager at Palloys – part of the
Pallion Group – was a vocal early proponent of CAD/CAM.
Reflecting on the evolution of the technology, he tells
Jeweller, “CAD and CAM technology has evolved from a
volume production tool to a fundamental production tool
in any sized jewellery business. Only a few years ago, CAD
required extensive training and practice.
QUICK
NUMBERS
20
number of
minutes to 3D
scan a piece
of jewellery
$25k
estimated cost
of a 3D printer
in 2009
33%
increase in
Palloys’ casting
cycle that is
CAD material
over the past
three years
“Now there are many more user-friendly, lower-cost options
available for users.”
Botha notes that the upward trajectory of CAD/CAM has gathered
pace since Jeweller’s last CAD/CAM Report, more than three
years ago: “There has been a substantial increase in jewellers
using CAD and CAM technology since 2018,” he explains.
“We have seen a shift in our casting cycle, from approximately
30 per cent CAD and 70 percent wax injections or customersupplied
material. Now, CAD is up to almost 45 per cent. It’s
incredible to see, and to see it happening so quickly.”
Larry Sher, director Chemgold, points to the increasing
number of jewellers and retailers investing in CAD software
for ‘in-house’ use, explaining that Chemgold’s customers
“take advantage of CAD-based libraries they can order, such
as our JewelMount collection.”
To account for the increasing demand for its manufacturing
services, Chemgold has significantly invested in staff training
and customer service systems over the past three years.
David Gabriel, director Lenrose, says the CAD/CAM sector is
expanding “exponentially almost by the month”.
“The number of jewellers that are now using CAD is massive; it’s
probably easier to put a figure on those who are not using CAD –
I’d say that fewer than 10 per cent of jewellers are not using it.”
He adds, “Many have jumped all the way in and are doing
their own design, have purchased small resin printers and
send their resins to us for casting.
Palloys
“Others are doing their own CAD and then sending the files
to us for printing and casting, while others simply brief us
and allow our team to do the design, print and cast.
“So it very much depends on the individual jeweller.”
Abraham Tok, operations manager at Tok Bros, estimates “at
least 75 per cent of the industry is using CAD/CAM in some
way, shape or form”.
“Our feedback shows that there are relatively few jewellers
still hand-making pieces out there compared with the past.
However, the skills of the master jeweller are still needed –
they are just utilised differently and at different stages.
“That’s why we say that a bench jeweller makes the best CAD
designer, because they can visualise how a piece is to be
made before clicking away at the software,” Tok explains.
Similarly, at Chemgold, Larry Sher observes, “It’s interesting
to note handmade jewellery is still going strong as our
stockgauge and solder sales have increased.
“For Chemgold, it’s fantastic to see traditional bench and
new technology being used side by side.
He adds, “Handmade will always have a place, but it is
important to utilise advances in technology. Jewellers benefit by
viewing CAD/CAM as another tool at their disposal to save time,
money and simplify the process in manufacturing.”
Changing attitudes
Indeed, it appears CAD/CAM has largely overcome
many of the early prejudices which hampered its
adoption both in Australia and overseas.
Where CAD/CAM costs were once prohibitively high, they
have since fallen to manageable levels for most businesses.
These costs are also offset by reducing the labour involved
in manufacturing each piece.
Additionally, CAD/CAM expedites the design and prototype
process so that consumers can receive an accurate model of
their future piece, as well as allowing jewellers more creativity
and flexibility – leading to increased sales conversions.
Shawn Montgomery, executive director of business
development – global software and CAD/CAM services
at Stuller, says, “Everything from software to hardware
is becoming more user-friendly and it is now easier to
successfully cast, prep, set and polish jewellery.
“Digital manufacturing is not just at the large
manufacturers level, it’s now at the independent
jeweller level – just like carved waxes were executed
in the ’80s and ’90s.”
He adds, “On the CAD side – those that choose to let
someone else manufacture the CAD file – we are seeing
an even more rapid acceleration in jewellery stores, [custom]
jewellers and e-commerce-only jewellers use this technology
to enhance the shopping experience.”
Larry Sher notes, “Overall, the attitude toward the technology
has improved and become more positive as it continues to
become more mainstream.
“With custom fine jewellery being a continued trend,
jewellers and jewellery retailers are increasingly seeing CAD/
CAM as a tool they can utilise to improve their business.”
Adds Tok, “Our customers were understandably hesitant at
first as it was new technology.
“But once they saw how it works, the accuracy, the cost
savings and the elimination of guess work thanks to ‘photoreal’
3D renders, the acceptance of CAD/CAM has been
widespread and in our view it is seen as the ‘new norm’ for
manufacturing high-quality custom-made jewellery.”
Gabriel echoes that sentiment, telling Jeweller, “CAD is the
future. We have said that for many years now, but as time goes
on it becomes more entrenched in the everyday life of a jeweller.”
He adds, “It is a very competitive market and jewellers only
have two hands, so they have realised that CAD/CAM is an
amazingly cost-effective way for them to increase their own
production and grow their business.”
However, some CAD files can be difficult to cast – and if there
are problems and multiple casts are made, costs can
creep up. One solution is to select a casting house with a
high level of expertise.
“Our team of precious metal specialists and engineers use
the most advanced technology and experience to review the
integrity of the file and ensure it has every chance of printing
and casting the first time,” says Chemgold’s Larry Sher.
“We understand that quality, personalised service, consistency
and attention to detail are the most important factors when
meeting the needs of jewellery production from CAD/CAM.”
Palloys’ Botha adds, “The Design & Print team at Palloys
has grown considerably and is proficient in all major CAD
applications, and we can work with your files created
in MatrixGold, RhinoGold, 3Design and JewelCAD.
“We can also work from a PDF, sketch, photo or logo for the
most streamlined, efficient CAD service.”
The Palloys.com platform – relaunched in 2020 – also
includes an STL file uploader and can provide instant
quotes based on the CAD design, ensuring costs are
manageable for the jeweller and customer.
Technology innovations
As CAD/CAM technology has matured, innovations have
been incremental, centred on making software interfaces
more accessible, as well as improving the affordability,
accuracy, and efficiency of existing products, rather
thandrastic change.
46 | June 2021 June 2021 | 47
UNLOCKING
POTENTIAL
Design Possibilities
As the accuracy,
precision, and
quality of CAD/
CAM technology
continues to improve,
the potential for
incredible jewellery
design expands.
Below is an example
from US jeweller
Tom Mathis of
Symmetry Jewelers,
who recreated his
handmade ‘fantasy
piece’ Alice In
Wonderland from
1970 using CAD/CAM.
2018
CAD/CAM
1970
Handmade

Once, the words
‘CounterSketch’
and ‘3D printer’
might have
been met with
a confused or
dismissive look.”
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Available Now
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A selection of resins from Formlabs.
at Palloys
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.com.au
Form 33 SLA 3D 3D Printer
Starting from
$6640 ex ex gst gst
For For more information contact
48 | April 2021
.com.au
Chris Botha
Palloys
Darren
Sher
Chemgold
David Gabriel
Lenrose
“CAD and CAM
technology has
evolved from a volume
production tool to a
fundamental production
tool in any sized
jewellery business... Now
there are many more
user-friendly, lower-cost
options available.”
“Jewellers are becoming
increasingly aware
of the quality we can
produce from CAD.
Our leading technology
resin and wax printers
ensure customers
receive the absolute
best surface finish from
their CAD files.”
“It is a very competitive
market and jewellers
only have two hands,
so they have realised
that CAD/CAM is
an amazingly costeffective
way for them
to increase their own
production and grow
their business.”
“Jewellers are becoming increasingly aware of
the quality we can produce from CAD. Our leading
technology resin and wax printers ensure customers
receive the absolute best surface finish from their
CAD files, along with the highest quality castings,”
explains Darren Sher.
Says Tok, “[At Tok Bros] since 2018, we have updated our
fleet of 3D printers and fine-tuned the resins that we use
to achieve a smoother print and cast surface finish.
“We have also improved the quality of our rendered
images to eliminate as much guesswork as possible
– these images are then used by jewellers with their
customers and on their social media accounts.”
Gabriel has observed a “proliferation of much smaller –
and therefore more affordable – resin printing machines”
which have enabled jewellers to produce their own
high-quality resin prints; “Previously, we needed hugely
expensive machines to achieve this quality,” he adds.
Meanwhile, improvements in resins have also become
a focus for the sector.
In January 2021, Formlabs – a 3D printing technology
developer and manufacturer based in the US –
introduced Castable Wax 40 Resin, which was developed
with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and
international jewellery findings, tools, and equipment
supplier Rio Grande.
Formlabs noted in a statement, “The introduction of
Castable Wax 40 Resin further demonstrates that the
next era of 3D printing won’t be driven by hardware,
but by materials.”
David Lakatos, chief product officer at Formlabs, added,
“The advancements happening in material science are
At Palloys, we pride ourselves on casting from responsibly sourced
and accredited Australian gold.
Coupled with superior quality and utilising the latest technologies,
Palloys casts daily.
Receive instant online quotes at palloys.com today.
It all comes together at Palloys
1300 886 108 | AUSTRALIA WIDE
palloys.com

www.morrisandwatson.com
NEW ZEALAND | 0800 500 654
AUSTRALIA | 1800 469 088
Designing the future | 2021 CAD/CAM REPORT
SPOTLIGHT ON
3D SCANNING
2021 CAD/CAM REPORT | Designing the future
utility and versatility. When revolutionary materials are combined
with the unique structures 3D printers can create, the end products
better meet the needs and expectations of consumers.”
Castable Wax 40 Resin – a 40 per cent wax-filled material – is
designed to produce results “similar to blue carving wax, the
traditional material used in lost wax casting,” according to Formlabs.
Gabriel has observed an “explosion in availability” of different resins:
“Most resin suppliers are searching for the ‘Holy Grail’ of a material
that behaves like a resin when printing and like a wax when casting.
“This is an ongoing quest and the results are varied; it becomes the
problem of the casting house to work out how to best cast these
various new materials.”
One relatively recent innovation in the CAD/CAM sector is 3D
scanning. The scanner creates a digital 3D model of a real-world
object which can then be used as the basis for future designs.
David Gabriel, director Lenrose, explains the process: “We apply a
non-reflective coating to the object that is to be scanned that does not
damage the piece. This allows the scanner to register and scan the
surface. The scanner uses a very soft light source to scan, and there is
no damage at all to jewellery or gemstones.
“In general any piece of jewellery or gemstone can be scanned but as
with every process there are size and geometry limitations.”
Gabriel says preparing pieces for scanning usually takes longer than
the scanning process itself, which he estimates is about 15 to 20
minutes per piece.
Right: Moulds of
wax cast designs.
Below: Computeraided
design in
action. Image
credits: Palloys
As CAD/CAM technology has matured,
innovations have been incremental,
centred on making software interfaces
more accessible, as well as improving
the affordability, accuracy, and
efficiency of existing products, rather
than drastic change
“We started scanning about three years ago,” he continues. “The benefit
to our customers is that we can better produce CAD models to their exact
specifications. Many gemstones have unusual shapes, so we scan the
gems and then produce CAD models that fit the gemstones exactly.”
He adds, “When fitted wedding bands are required it is much easier to
scan the engagement ring and simply CAD the fitted band to suit – you
just know it is going to fit perfectly every time. There are so many varied
applications; it really makes life for everyone so much easier. It has
really been a tremendous advantage to us and allowed us to take on
more complex jobs that otherwise would have been impossible to do.”
At Chemgold, Darren Sher notes, “Improved technology in printing
allows finer and more intricate pieces to be printed and cast easily,
when using the correct software and machine.
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& MOULD
CREATION
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“An increased number of lower-priced 3D printers are entering the
market, which are suited to jewellery businesses that want to view
the prototype before production or be able to print the wax or resin
themselves and send to us for casting.”
However, the majority of Chemgold’s customers still prefer to send
CAD files for printing.
Larry Sher explains, “In the last three years we have purchased
numerous wax jetting printers which have a better surface finish and
are faster in production, allowing us to have more throughput.
“We have also purchased many more DLP [digital light processing]
printers, which enable us to print a wider range of materials. This
has made us far more versatile where we have all the technologies
for 3D printing jewellery, including SLA [stereolithography].”
At Palloys, Botha says 3D printing is now “much more accessible and
convenient for all users”, explaining, “We have seen advancement
from FDM [fused deposition modelling] to DLP printers, and
now LCD [liquid crystal display] printers are available, and more
importantly, affordable.
“More and more jewellers are experienced with the technology, it is
fantastic seeing the industry progress digitally.”
In addition to resin and wax printers, Lenrose also makes “extensive
use of 3D scanning to further enhance the quality of CAD designs”.
Best-known for its use in motion-capture for films and TV, as well
as medical prosthetics manufacturing and robotics, 3D scanning is
increasingly being applied to jewellery in order to generate digital
models of real-world pieces.
Some of the most common applications include scanning unusual
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REFINING
FINDINGS
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Designing the future | 2021 CAD/CAM REPORT
A QUARTERLY SPOTLIGHT ON COLOURED GEMSTONES JUNE 2021
QUICK GUIDE TO
3D PRINTING
Envisiontec Easy
Cast 2.0 wax has
a 90 per cent
liquid wax content
and is developed
exclusively for
use in Envisiontec
3D printers.
SLA, DLP, FDM – what does it all mean? While 3D
printing is not new, it can be confusing. With the
technology now ubiquitous in the jewellery industry,
it’s important for jewellers to be familiar with the
terms used.
COLOUR
FOCUS
Multi-
Colour
&
Colour
Change
58 RED CARPET
COLLECTION
Who dazzled with this
opal ring?
Turn the page to find out.
Index
4Stereolithography (SLA or SLS)
SLA is printing technology developed by 3D Systems
that builds jewellery parts layer by layer. A laser beam
bounces light onto a galvanometer, which traces the
outline of the object and then fills it with castable
photopolymer resin layers, which are laser-cured.
It generally has the highest resolution print quality, but
requires additional support structures to avoid collapse.
4Digital light processing (DLP)
DLP printers are part of the SLA category. The printer
shines light onto a DLP chip, which then projects the
entire image of the object to be printed in one part.
4Liquid crystal display (LCD)
DLP and LCD printers bear many similarities,
however instead of projecting onto a chip, LCD
printers allow ultraviolet light through a mask
displayed on the LCD itself.
Because of their affordability, many jewellers purchase
LCD printers, which can print a wide variety of resins.
However, there are some pitfalls: each type of resin
acts differently and must be treated in a specific way,
which can pose problems for a casting house.
4Extrusion Wax
Extrusion wax printers are commonly used in
the jewellery industry and offer slightly different
fidelity (surface finish) but require no support
structures, making them better-suited to more
intricate designs. They also have a higher casting
success rate and speed, can print hundreds of
rings overnight.
4Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)
Less commonly used are household FDM printers
that extrude plastics, which are castable but at
very low fidelity.
52 | June 2021
Wax extrusion printer. Image credit: Palloys
engagement rings to design a perfectly flush wedding
band, creating accurate settings for fancy-cut gemstones,
and replications of existing jewellery.
The technology is also useful for jewellers who wish to
keep 3D files of stock for insurance, record-keeping, and
valuation purposes, or to identicaly replicate a customer’s
jewellery, should the original be lost or stolen.
In terms of design, Stuller’s Montgomery names
MatrixGold as the “mainstream CAD software for the
serious CAD designer worldwide”, calling it “the most
effective jewellery design software on the market”,
suitable for designing completely custom pieces ready for
printing and casting.
At Palloys, jewellers can create a custom design from
scratch via the Palloys.com platform or upload an STL file
with their design. The Palloys Design team is also able
to create custom renders for jewellers to use as a sales
feature: “Bringing a life-like element to the design is an
imminent part of the selling process. Rendering in the
modern age is of such a quality, it could almost pass as
life-like,” says Botha.
Looking to the future of CAD/CAM, Tok believes small
improvements will likely continue until the next “giant
leap forward” – direct 3D printing in precious metals.
Chemgold’s Larry Sher agrees, noting, “We are constantly
looking at new technology such as direct-metal printing.
This could also be an option in the near future if it
becomes economically viable. Currently the machines are
extremely expensive to run and the quality is not at the
standards required.”
From the days of sketches and handmade models to 3D
scanning and direct metal printing, CAD/CAM reflects the
changing nature of the jewellery trade as well as the rapid
pace of change across all industries and ways of life.
IN SUMM ARY
Key Points
1.
Widepsread use
of CAD/CAM
Technology has
become essential
2.
Incremental
innovation
Fewer large
technical leaps,
focus on refining
and improving
rather than change
3.
Scanning
benefits
Exact digital
models offer
benefits for
replication,
insurance, and
matching
4.
Sales benefits
Faster custom
design and
prototypes
give jewellers a
competitive edge
COLOUR INVESTIGATION FEATURE
The rainbow connection
Jeweller explores how various gemmological phenomena
create the stunning visual effects of colour-change and
multi-colour gemstones.
Parti-Colour & Colour
Change Sapphire
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
TREATMENTS
COLOURS
Alexandrite
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
TREATMENTS
COLOURS
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
TREATMENTS
COLOURS
Corundum
French parti, meaning to divide
9
1.76 - 1.78
Occasionally heat
Yellow-green, blue-green, blue-yellow
Chrysoberyl
Named after Tzar Alexander II
8.5
1.75 - 1.76
Rarely oil fracture-filling
Bluish green and purplish red
Parti-Colour Tourmaline
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
COLOURS
Cyclosilicate
Sinhalese toramalli, meaning gems
of mixed colours
7 - 7.5
1.62 - 1.64
Occasionally heat
All
Colour Change Garnet
Garnet
Latin granatus, meaning grain
6.5 - 7.5
1.71- 1.89
Greyish green or greenish yellow
and purplish red or orange-red
in incandescent light
QUICK PROFILE
8 Popular
Multi-
Colour
& Colour
Change
Gemstones
HONOURABLE
MENTIONS
• Andalusite
• Bi-Colour Zoisite/
Tanzanite
• Bi-Colour Topaz
• Bi-Colour Beryl
• Fluorite
• Mother of Pearl
• Sunstone
52
53
58
IN DEPTH
Dive into gem trivia
COLOUR INVESTIGATION FEATURE
The rainbow connection
RED CARPET COLLECTION
Be dazzled by this month’s colours
Ametrine
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
TREATMENTS
COLOURS
Zultanite
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
TREATMENTS
COLOURS
Opal
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
TREATMENTS
COLOURS
Ammolite
VARIETY
ETYMOLOGY
HARDNESS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
TREATMENTS
COLOURS
Quartz
Combination of amethyst
and citrine
7
1.54 - 1.55
Heat, dye
Orange yellow-purple
Diaspore
From the Ottoman Turkish title sultan
7
1.75
None
Yellowish green, light gold, and
purplish pink
Hydrated Silica
Latin opalus, meaning precious stone
5 - 6.5
1.37 - 1.47
Occasionally polymer, sugar-acid,
dye, smoking (some types)
Multiple
Mineral
From the animal ammonite, the
shells inside of which it forms
3.5 - 4.5
1.52 - 1.68
Resin
Multiple
LEARN ABOUT THESE GEMSTONES IN DEPTH: JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM

MULTI-COLOUR & COLOUR CHANGE
Colour Investigation
MULTI-COLOUR & COLOUR CHANGE
Colour Investigation
PROVENANCE SNAPSHOT
TOP 5 MULTI-COLOUR AND COLOUR CHANGE GEMSTONE PRODUCING
ARCTIC
OCEAN
Parti-Colour &
Colour Change
Sapphire
Australia
USA
Kenya
Opal
Australia
Ethiopia
Mexico
Peru
Mali
Alexandrite
Sri Lanka
Brazil
Ammolite
Canada
USA
Ammolite is formed from the
fossilised shells of extinct
ancient molluscs known as
ammonites
Alexandrite was found in Russia’s
Ural Mountains in 1834 and named
after Tzar Alexander II; its red and
green colours matched that of the
Russian military uniform
$AU2.5 million
The world’s largest gemquality
opal, the 17,000-carat
Olympic Australis, was
valued at $AU2.5 million
in 1997 – the equivalent of
$AU4.4 million today
Carla Maxine
Ametrine
Bolivia
54 | June 2021
• Parti-Colour & Colour
Change Sapphire
• Colour Change Garnet
• Parti-Colour Tourmaline
Brazil
PACIFIC• Alexandrite
OCEAN
• Bi-Colour Topaz
• Parti-Colour Tourmaline
• Bi-Colour Beryl
“As an opal
changes its
colours and
its fire to
match the
nature of a
day, so do I”
JOHN STEINBECK
While watermelon
tourmaline is the
best-known, particolour
tourmalines
can occur in virtually
any colour combination
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Madagascar
Tanzania
• Colour Change Garnet
• Parti-Colour Tourmaline
In the opal you shall
see the burning fire of
the carbuncle or ruby,
the glorious purple
of the amethyst,
the green sea of
the emerald and all
glittering together,
mixed after an
incredible manner
PLINY THE ELDER
• Bi-Colour Zoisite/Tanzanite
• Colour Change Garnet
• Parti-Colour Tourmaline
Sri Lanka
According to legend, the
world’s only source of
ametrine – the Anahi
Mine in Bolivia – is named
after a princess of the
Ayoreo tribe who fell in
love with a Conquistador
122,400 CARATS
WEIGHT OF
THE SAUER
ALEXANDRITE –
THE EQUIVALENT
OF NEARLY 25KG
INDIAN
• Alexandrite OCEAN
• Parti-Colour Tourmaline
• Colour Change Garnet
Mark Antony
– the lover of
Cleopatra – was
said to be obsessed
with opals and
banished a Roman
senator who
refused to sell him
an opal ring
PACIFIC
OCEAN
SPECIAL MENTION
Australia
Opal
Parti-Colour Sapphire
Bi-Colour Zoisite/
Tanzanite
Tanzania
Bi-Colour
Topaz
Brazil
Ukraine
Diaspore
(Zultanite)
Turkey
Australia’s opal fields are
larger than all the opal fields in
the rest of the world combined
Zultanite is a trade name
given to a type of diaspore
found only in the Ilbir
Mountains of Turkey
Colour Change
Garnet
Madagascar
Tanzania
Sri Lanka
USA
Norway
Parti-Colour
Tourmaline
Brazil
USA
Afghanistan
Madagascar
Sri Lanka
Nigeria
Tanzania
Mozambique
Malawi
Kenya
Namibia
Napoleon Bonaparte is
believed to have gifted his
beloved wife Josephine with
a 700-carat black opal
named ‘The Burning of Troy’
THE ANCIENT ROMANS
VALUED OPALS ABOVE
ALL OTHER GEMSTONES
Multi-colour and colour-change gemstones are among the most unique and beautiful of all jewellery crystals.
Here, Jeweller discovers the gemmological phenomena that create eye-catching rainbow hues.
Awe and wonder surround the spectacular phenomenon
of colour change in gemstones. The fascination of seeing
colours shift before one’s eyes can leave consumers
speechless with utter disbelief.
These rarities are chameleons of the gemstone world,
coveted for their ability to change colours in different light.
The human eye perceives light in the visible spectrum,
comprised of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet
wavelengths. Colour change gemstones have two
transmission windows in the visible spectrum of roughly
equal size, and the nature of the illumination dictates the
perceived colour.
Alexandrite is a fine example of this magical effect, with
superior quality material producing a dramatic shift that is
sometimes described as ‘emerald by day and ruby by night’;
fittingly, the ‘magician’ in this extraordinary colour play is
none other than chromium, the element responsible for the
rich red of rubies and the vivid green in emeralds.
A member of the chrysoberyl family, alexandrite contains
traces of chromium +3 ions. These ions react to light and
absorb specific parts of the light spectrum giving the
resulting colour.
Natural daylight or fluorescent light contains higher
proportions of blue and green wavelengths and will cause
the gemstone to appear to be green whereas incandescent
lighting, such as an electric globe that contains a higher
proportion of red wavelengths, will cause the gemstone to
appear red.
This mineral’s light-absorbing quality doesn’t end
with colour change; alexandrite also exhibits strong
trichroism, showing different colours when viewed
from different directions.
UNDERSTANDING COLOUR
The Rainbow Connection
55
FULL PAGE
ADVERTISEMENT
Lydia Courteille
QUICK
FACTS
90%+
of the world’s
opal is sourced
from Australia
1
number of
locations where
ametrine,
ammolite, and
Zultanite are
found
$4m
value of
the world’s
largest faceted
alexandrite
The gemstone was first discovered in Russia’s Ural
Mountains in the 1830s, but current sources include Sri
Lanka, East Africa, India and Brazil.
The attractive gemstones produced from Russian deposits
in the 19th century are still considered to be the most
distinctive, displaying vivid hues and bold colour changes.
Modern sources of alexandrite tend to exhibit muddier
tones with a less-precise colour change.
Garnet, sapphire and spinel
Rare colour change sapphires exist, with the varying
colours dependent on the colouring agents. The more
commonly seen and popular gemstones are from Sri
Lanka, and shift from purple under incandescent light to
bluish violet in daylight.
A well-kept secret is Australian colour change sapphires
from the central Queensland gemstone fields that display
some unusual colour changes – brown to green, yellow to
pink, or golden orange to orangey-green.
Rivalling alexandrite and sapphire for hardness and
durability is colour change spinel. This chameleon can
change from blue to purple or from light bluish-violet to
light pink, resembling colour change sapphire without the
hefty price tag.
Colour change garnets are another rare occurrence, with
limited deposits in Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Madagascar.
Fine quality gemstones can produce a strong and attractive
red to green colour change, rivalling that of alexandrite.
Colour change garnet is usually either pyrope type or a
mixture of pyrope and spessartite varieties.
The presence of varying amounts of chromium and/
or vanadium can produce a colour change that flashes
June 2021 | 55

Colour Investigation | MULTI-COLOUR & COLOUR CHANGE
GEMSTONE FOCUS
THE OPULENT OPAL
from reddish-purple to a steely blue, green or greyish tone. Other
possible colour combinations are reddish-orange to red, greenishyellow
to pinkish-red, light-red to purplish-red and bluish-green to
light violet-purple.
Diaspore
NORTHERN
TERRITORY
Winton
QUEENSLAND
Rounding out the top colour-change gemstones is colour-change
diaspore; called “a true Turkish delight” by the International
Colored Gemstone Association (ICA), gem-quality specimens were
discovered in the Turkish Anatolian Mountains in the 1970s at
heights of more than 1,200m (4,000 feet).
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Coober Pedy
Yowah
Natural and untreated, high-quality colour-change diaspore
has been sold under various trade names, all referencing the
Sultans, Tsars and Ottomans of Turkey – these names include
zultanite, csarite and ottomanite.
Irene Neuwirth
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
NEW SOUTH
WALES
VICTORIA
Lightning Ridge
A well-kept secret is Australian colour
change sapphires from the central
Queensland gemstone fields that
display some unusual colour changes
– brown to green, yellow to pink, or
golden orange to orangey-green
PASSION
COLOUR
EXPERIENCE
Tiffany & Co.; John Dyer
Suite 5, Level 1, 428 George Street SYDNEY NSW 2000
P +61 2 8065 8533 E info@sovereigngems.com
@sovereigngems
Precious opal is composed of minute uniform spheres of silica,
which are arranged together in an orderly three-dimensional grid.
The spaces between these spheres contain silica in solution. White
light passes through the transparent spheres directly, but when it
TAS
reaches the silica in solution, it is deflected at angles.
These diffracted beams of light may show all the colours of the
spectrum, or particular colours may predominate. The colour from
the opal is dependent on the size of the spheres, which determine
the wavelengths.
For instance, blue colours are evident where the spheres are
smaller and, at the other end of the spectrum, orange and red will
be evident where the spheres are larger. The intensity and brilliance
of the colours are a result of the degree of uniformity of size and
regularity of the grid.
The value of an opal is determined by the type of opal, the
predominant colours it exhibits, the clarity or brilliance
of these colours, and the patterns in which the colours
are arrayed. Good patterns of diffracted colours have an
enormous impact on the value of the opal. Pinfire and small
type patterns are more common, and thus less expensive
than broad patterns.
The major outcrops of opal in Australia occur along the shoreline
of what was once The Great Inland Sea. The Queensland fields are
spread across 1,000km and produce almost all the world‘s supply of
boulder opal.
Lightning Ridge produces almost all of Australia’s sensational black
opals and, despite a recent decline in production, it is still the largest
producer of opal by value.
The bulk of the world’s light seam opal has been mined at Coober
Pedy. By 2008 Coober Pedy’s production had fallen to 15 per cent of
its heyday but this dusty, hot outback town remains home to more
than 4,000 people.
Source: Cody Opal
George
Pragnell
Diaspore’s first patented trade name, zultanite, was registered in
2005 by Turkish jeweller Murat Akgun in honour of the 36 sultans
who ruled the Ottoman empire from 1299 to 1923.
Regal associations are certainly befitting this exotic, pastel-toned
gemstone coloured by manganese. Traces of chromium in the
presence of iron causes colour changes depending on the light.
What appears as kiwi green with flashes of yellow in sunlight
might seem raspberry or brownish pink under candlelight,
champagne in incandescent light, and something else entirely
in other light sources.
Another feather in diaspore’s cap is a property known as
trichroism. These colours – brownish pink, yellowish green
and sometimes violet blue – are distinct and contribute towards
its colour-change effect.
A factor impacting the value and availability of colour-change
diaspore is its tendency to cleave, which presents a challenge for
the cutter. Yield rates are notoriously low and can be as little
as 2 per cent for eye-clean material and 10 per cent for larger
sizes; consequently, large, clean and well-cut gemstones are
extremely rare and expensive.
Opal and ammolite
Like colour-change diaspore, ammolite is also exclusively found in
one location – a region in the Rocky Mountains of North America.
Ammolite forms when the fossilised shell of ammonites – nowextinct
marine invertebrate animals – are preserved and the cavities
that originally held the soft body are filled with aragonite, the same
mineral that is responsible for the nacre of pearl oyster shells.
The ammonites that form ammolite specifically inhabited a
prehistoric inland subtropical sea that bordered the Rocky
Mountains; as the sea receded, layers of sediment preserved
the shells.
Lydia Courteille
Leviev
Van Cleef & Arpels
Featuring the
delicate pink tone of
Argyle Featuring pink diamonds the
delicate pink tone of
Argyle pink diamonds
SAMS GROUP
AUSTRALIA
E pink@samsgroup.com.au
W samsgroup.com.au
PE
02 pink@samsgroup.com.au
9290 2199
W samsgroup.com.au

Colour Investigation | MULTI-COLOUR & COLOUR CHANGE
that have one colour in the core of the crystal
encircled by differently coloured layers.
Such stones are often cut as slices with perhaps the
most desirable being watermelon tourmaline, which
has a pink core and a green rim.
The captivating
magic of colour
change and
multi-colour
gemstones
will far outlive
any show.”
L to R: Paolo Costagli;
Katherine Jetter
The resulting organic gem – which resembles an opal in
some ways – is beautifully coloured, with a wonderfully vivid
iridescent sheen. This sheen is caused by an interference
effect, when white light is refracted and reflected back from
the layered aragonite platelets within the gem’s structure.
The thicker these layers, the more red and green hues
are seen; when layers are thinner, violet and blue
hues dominate.
Like colour-change diaspore,
ammolite is also exclusively
found in one location – a region
in the Rocky Mountains of
North America
The pattern, intensity and range of colour all contribute to
the overall value of an ammolite gem. Green and red are the
most common colours, with blue and violet being rarer, and
therefore more valuable.
Ammolite may be described as either fractured or sheet.
Sheet ammolite is unbroken, with a continuous movement
of colour across its surface. Fractured ammolite may have
various different patterns and some have been described
with terms such as ‘dragon skin’, ‘cobblestone’, ‘moonglow’
and ‘paint brush’.
Opal – Australia’s national gemstone – also displays
patterns and play-of-colour, but for different
gemmological reasons.
GEMSTONE FACTS
AMMOLITE
Ammolite is an
iridescent nacreous
layer that is extracted
from the fossilised
shells of ammonite, a
prehistoric creature
Ammolite and pearl
are both composed of
the mineral aragonite
The iridescence
comes from the
interference of light
that reflects off the
thin microscopic
platelet layers in the
ammonite shell; the
more layers, the more
colours are visible
L to R: David Morris; Daniel Gibbings; John Hardy; Irene Neuwirth
water and leaving the silica particles to merge together
into a solid state in the form of microscopic silica spheres.
When conditions are ideal, the silica spheres are uniform
in size and appear in a stacked structure that is orderly
and symmetrical. Small voids occur between the spheres
to create an environment where white light can be
reflected and diffracted as it enters the opal into different
wavelengths.
This results in playful, kaleidoscopic flares known as
opal’s play-of-colour.
Although opal’s play-of-colour means the gemstone can
produce every hue of the rainbow, this is not always the
case. Silica spheres of different sizes result in different
colours and violet, blue and green are the most commonly
occurring. Rarer and most enticing is red or any opal
displaying a full spectral range.
The body colour of opal is caused by trace elements that
are present during formation. Iron and titanium oxides
typically cause brown-black tones while nickel and
chromium can produce green. Other colours include white,
yellow, pink, red and blue.
In the end, it is the hue, brightness, pattern and
directionality of an opal’s play-of-colour that determines
the gemstone’s quality and desirability.
Finding material that displays play-of-colour is rare and
this distinctive attribute has made precious opal a highlysought
gemstone.
Multi-hued and parti-colour
Parti-colour sapphires are similarly desirable.
Primarily found in Australia, the most common
combination is bright yellow and green.
More rarely, blue, purple, or lavender shades can
be found, which usually originate from the famous
sapphire mines of Montana in the US.
Kenyan parti-colour sapphires are also highly
valued, and usually display more greenish tones,
rather than yellow.
The hues in a parti-colour sapphire develop based
on the chemical elements present in the crystal;
iron imparts a yellow colour, while blue and green
are the result of different ratios of titanium and iron.
Green-blue parti-colour sapphires can be
differentiated from teal sapphires by the distinctive
colour zoning, rather than a blended body colour.
Gemstones that display two truly distinct colours
in good proportion to each other are rare and are
greatly desired by collectors.
Another gemstone displaying dual-colour distinction
is ametrine, which marries two well-known
gemstones: amethyst and citrine.
Both varieties belong to the quartz family and are
coloured by the slight presence of iron impurities.
However, the marked difference in the colours of
ametrine reflects the dramatic temperature change
that occurs during the gemstone’s formation.
Similarly, rare specimens of bi-colour beryl – usually
a combination of aquamarine and morganite – have
been found, largely in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Even more rare is bi-colour topaz. Like sapphire and
tourmaline, topaz is available in a variety of different
natural colours, including blue, brown, orange,
green, white (colourless), pink and red.
However, some bi-colour specimens have been
found in limited quantities; Brazilian bi-colour
topaz tends to show a gradient of pink to orange
or deep orange to pale orange, while Russian and
Ukrainian bi-colour topaz may show natural blue
and tan hues.
The captivating magic of colour change and multicolour
gemstones will far outlive any show, and as
prices of conventional gemstones in fine qualities
are rising, these exotics present alternatives for
those who demand unique, collectible gemstones.
Opal is a form of hydrated silica containing up to
21 per cent water existing as free water within the
opal or bonded to other atoms in the structure.
Millenia ago, water carrying weathered particles of
silica in saturated solutions soaked through the
sandstone ground rock, infilling cracks and cavities
left behind from geological movement deep in the
ancient bedrock.
The landscape dried as the climate shifted, evaporating
Last but certainly not least are polychromic gemstones
– those that display multiple body colours due to crystalline
structural changes during the growth process caused
by exposure to different chemical elements, radiation, or
heat. The most well-known are parti-colour sapphires,
ametrine, and watermelon tourmaline.
Tourmaline occurs in a seemingly endless variety of hues
and may also be found with different colours in different
parts of the crystal. Some gem deposits produce crystals
58 | June 2021

MULTI-COLOUR & COLOUR CHANGE
Red Carpet Collection
THE STARS SHINE IN COLOUR
Gemstones in the Spotlight
The A-list have given their seal of approval to statement gems – be inspired by these colourful jewellery pieces worn on the red carpet.
THE FUTURE OF
Diamonds
Beautiful diamonds without
harming the environment
Irene Neuwirth
WATERMELON TOURMALINE – Sarah
Paulson, ‘Ocean’s 8’ Premiere 2018
4 These one-of-akind
flower and leaf
chandelier earrings, by US
jeweller Irene Neuwirth,
feature carved bi-colour
tourmaline leaves and
flowers, faceted pink
tourmaline, and diamonds
set in 18-carat white
and pink gold
Daniel Gibbings
ZULTANITE (DIASPORE) – Bianca Santos,
Imagen Awards 2014
Jacqui Aiche
WATERMELON TOURMALINE – Blake
Lively, Aviation Gin Event, 2018
Chopard
BLACK OPAL – Helen Mirren, ‘Catherine
The Great’ Premiere, 2019
4 From Chopard’s 2017
Red Carpet Collection, this
necklace features marquise
and brilliant cut diamonds,
pear-shaped tourmalines and
oval black opals, set in white
gold, with matching earrings
Gucci
BLACK OPAL & PARTI-COLOUR
TOURMALINE – Sienna Miller, LACMA
Art & Film Gala, 2019
Amrapali
PARTI-COLOUR SAPPHIRE – Vanessa
Hudgens, ‘Spring Breakers’ Premiere 2016
Chopard
WHITE OPAL – Cate Blanchett,
Academy Awards 2015
Irene Neuwirth
OPAL & PARTI-COLOUR TOURMALINE –
Leslie Mann, Golden Globes 2016
18ct yellow, rose or white gold
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Irene Neuwirth
BLACK OPAL – Iman, Gordon Parks
Foundation Awards Dinner 2011
60 | June 2021
Cartier
PARTI-COLOUR TOURMALINE – Carey
Mulligan, Academy Awards 2021
Irene Neuwirth
BLACK OPAL – Joanna Newsome,
Academy Awards 2020
Irene Neuwirth
WHITE OPAL & BLACK OPAL – Jenna
Dewan, Golden Globes 2012
WWW.BIRON.COM.AU
Available from

Stars shine in colour | GEMSTONES IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Red Carpet ‘Gemstones in the Spotlight’ continued...
Image credit: Arjuna Irsurtti
LIFE IS
BEAUTIFUL
WITH GERRIM
Chopard
BLACK OPAL – Zhang Ziyi, Cannes
Film Festival 2019
4 The centre gemstone of
this ring – from Chopard’s
2015 capsule collection
Fleurs d’Opales – is a
24.30-carat black opal, set
in 18-carat white gold and
titanium and surrounded by
purple sapphires, amethysts,
and tsavorite garnets
Irene Neuwirth
BLACK OPAL – Busy Phillips, Academy
Awards 2012
José Maria Goñi
AMETRINE – Lilly Singh, Met Gala 2019
Crafted by Chilean
jewellery designer José
Maria Goñi, the Pentagono
necklace is inspired by
modern architecture, and
features an ametrine as well
as nearly 10 carats of white
diamonds, set in 18-carat
rose gold, with matching ring
From Cartier’s 2019
high-jewelry collection, this
necklace features brilliant cut
diamonds, cabochon emeralds
and oval and round black
opals, set in white gold, with a
matching ring
Lorraine Schwartz
BLACK OPAL – Taylor Swift, Golden
Globes 2020
Jacqui Aiche
WATERMELON TOURMALINE –
Alisha Boe, MTV Movie Awards 2018
David Webb
WHITE OPAL – Emilia Clarke,
Emmy Awards 2019
Kimberly McDonald
BLACK OPAL – Emily Ratajkowski,
Met Gala 2017
Cartier
BLACK OPAL – Golshifteh Farahani,
Cannes Film Festival 2019
4 Part of Stephen Webster’s
Zultanite Collection, this
bracelet and cuff earring set
features elongated pear-shape
zultanites (colour-change
diaspore) with white diamonds,
set in 18-carat white gold
4 These Sutra Jewels
earrings feature 18.01
carats of Paraíba
tourmaline, with 20.06
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sales@gerrim.com
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BI-COLOUR ZOISITE/TANZANITE – Gal
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62 | June 2021
Stephen Webster
ZULTANITE (DIASPORE) – Jackie Weaver,
Screen Actors Guild Awards, 2013
Sutra Jewels
WHITE OPAL – Elle Fanning, ‘Maleficent:
Mistress of Evil’ Premiere 2019
FOLLOW US
www.gerrim.com

BUSINESS
Strategy
Business Strategy
Each year, the highlight of the
Hollywood awards season is the Oscars,
and the most prestigious award each
night goes to Best Picture.
Among the other awards handed out on
the night is Best Film Editing. Although
not given the attention of Best Picture,
there is an extraordinarily strong
correlation between the two.
In fact, between 1981 and 2013 there
wasn’t a single Best Picture winner that
hadn’t also been nominated for Best
Film Editing; two-thirds of the Best Film
Editing winners went on to receive the
Best Picture award too.
Clearly, good editing is an important part
of delivering a quality final product – and
the same is true in business.
As Steve Jobs, the late founder of Apple,
once said, “I’m actually as proud of the
things we haven’t done as the things I
have done. Innovation is saying no to a
thousand things.”
The ability to cut through to the essential
is a pre-requisite to achieving optimal
results and profit for your business.
The art of the essential: doing
less and achieving more
The key to managing a business – and a life – is balance, and that means identifying which tasks to
prioritise and which to delegate, or abandon altogether, writes DAVID BROWN.
Like a good film editor, an effective
manager has an ability to remove the
noise and clutter that can so often
distract from gaining the optimum results
and allow the focus to be on the things
that matter.
Cut it out
Despite knowing this, we can at times
allow ourselves to be distracted by the
urgent and the unplanned.
We can be guilty of considering several
different things our ‘number-one’ priority
which, by definition, is impossible.
We tend to impose too many choices on
ourselves, our staff, and our customers,
to the detriment of all – when the real
solution is fewer things done better.
Fortunately, there are several steps
managers can take that will help
eliminate the problem – and it lies in
cutting through to the essential:
• Reduce job descriptions – Asking staff to
perform unnecessary tasks serves as a
distraction and stops them understanding
your core objectives.
Research has
shown that
less choice can
lead to quicker
decisions, as
opposed to the
‘overwhelm’
that can occur
when people are
presented with
an abundance of
alternatives
Look at who is doing what and how they
are delivering; for those tasks that need
to be done, are they in the hands of the
right person? You can only proceed at the
pace of the slowest hiker so make sure
that each person is given the right jobs
for the skills they possess.
Additionally, ask your staff what tasks they
feel they do that are unnecessary. The
answers may be very revealing!
• Reduce customer options – The most
effective place to demonstrate a ‘less is
more’ policy is in the choices you offer
your customers.
Contrary to what you might think, more
choice does not lead to more sales.
In fact, research has shown that less
choice can lead to quicker decisions,
as opposed to the ‘overwhelm’ that can
occur when people are presented with an
abundance of alternatives.
Do we really need to see 23 different
brands of sauce before we make
a choice?
With this level of selection, we’re more
likely to just give up – as are your
customers if you present them with too
many options.
• Remove bottlenecks and time constraints
– Eliminating the unnecessary steps from
your systems and procedures will speed
up processes and prevent costly delays.
Simply put, a process with 15 steps is
more likely to be abandoned than one
with three.
Once you have focused on these areas,
it’s time to reflect on your own role and
management style.
Refocusing energy
Having more than one priority – at a
time – will, frequently, lead to nothing
being achieved.
As a business owner, what does your job
description say? Do you even have one?
Perhaps you are guilty of taking on too
much or unsuccessfully trying to multitask
various things you assume to be
essential, without really asking yourself if
they are necessary at all.
If there’s one trend that doesn’t appear to
be diminishing, it’s the tendency for more
and more hours to be spent on the job.
A recent study by Harvard Business
School showed that more than 90 per
cent of professionals spend more than 50
hours at work, with approximately 50 per
cent spending more than 65 hours per
week doing their job.
The trend for business owners is unlikely
to be any different – after all, the buck
stops with the person who leaves last.
With ever-more demanding work
schedules, it becomes increasingly
difficult for many business owners to
drop out of business mode.
Even weekends at home are spent
dealing with phone calls or thinking
about problems waiting at the office.
Over time this can start to take a toll on
mind-set, productivity, and health.
The problem necessitates cutting away
the unnecessary in order to focus energy
on the necessary; as Abraham Lincoln
famously said, “Give me an hour to chop a
tree and I will spend the first 45 minutes
sharpening the axe.”
In order to be an effective leader while
looking after your health, you must
sharpen and oil your metaphorical axe on
a regular basis.
The first step is to stop trying to achieve
perfection. No matter how hard you try,
things will never be perfect and expecting
it can lead to frustration and stress.
In business owners, perfectionism often
presents itself as a tendency to take on
everything or personally oversee all
tasks – a guaranteed way to overload
the working day, for only incrementally
better results.
Often, someone else getting things
80 or 90 per cent right is better than
you wasting your energy getting to
100 per cent.
Hands-off management
Another way to prevent overload is to
make yourself less available.
It may sound counter-intuitive, yet easy
access often leads to lazy questions from
people who already know the answers
but expect you to tell them.
Likewise, when you’re not at work,
unplug yourself from the system.
Have allocated periods where you will
turn your phone off and don’t check
emails. Contrary to what you might
think, the world won’t end if you
disappear for a while!
Similarly, ask yourself when you took
your last holiday – or even a sabbatical.
If the thought of taking three months
away from your business terrifies you,
don’t be so quick to dismiss it.
I know of business owners who have
taken six months off and returned to
find the business still standing and in
perfectly good working order.
If you were hit by a bus tomorrow and
had to spend three months in hospital,
your business would have to survive
without you.
Why wait for such an unfortunate
REDUCE
YOUR LOAD
Keep it
simple
Too much
choice hampers
decision-making
– make it as
easy as possible
Trust and
delegate
Keep
instructions
clear and
empower staff to
make decisions
unassisted
Take a break
Manage your
own stress levels
and recognise
when to step
back
experience to enjoy the benefits? You
should have a plan in place so your
business can keep working if you can’t.
Healthy and wise
Next, ensure you carve out time for
yourself and use it wisely – movement
can be a great de-stressor, yet we’re often
guilty of neglecting it.
The average person sits for approximately
10 hours per day, with special vulnerability
existing for those who
have desk jobs.
A short walk can do wonders for your
mood and stress levels. Meditation has
also been shown to improve mental
health and vitality.
Alongside exercise, business owners
also tend to neglect their hobbies
and other interests – particularly
during busy periods.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
When did you last do it?
Now may be a good time to renew your
membership in clubs and groups you have
been neglecting.
Spending time with your nearest and
dearest is another effective way to
improve your health and peace of mind.
Human beings are social animals – so, do
you arrange regular catchups with friends
and family? If not, why not?
The answer is generally that we are too
busy with work.
But, as demonstrated above, there are
often work tasks that aren’t necessary for
the business owner to do personally – or
aren’t necessary at all.
Sharpen your axe, trim the fat,
and refocus your energy on what
really matters.
DAVID BROWN is co-founder and
business mentor with Retail Edge
Consultants. Visit: retailedge
consultants.com
64 | June 2021
June 2021 | 65

BUSINESS
Selling
BUSINESS
Management
The importance of ‘micro-moments’ – or, why you
should sweat the small stuff
When it comes to customer service, the smallest details can be the difference
between making the sale and losing a customer, writes JEANNIE WALTERS.
How to assess, train, and support sales staff to
achieve their true potential
Retail managers often take on the role of coach, writes GREG GLADMAN, who advises they employ a
strategic, individual approach when training each member of their sales team.
All day long, we are interacting – with each
other, with our environment, with devices
– and those small moments of interaction
affect how we perceive people, brands,
products and experiences.
So, what happens if you don’t pay attention
to the details of the experience customers
are having with your brand whether it be
your store, staff, website, or social media?
As an example, what would you think if
there was a spelling mistake in a sign
outside your child’s school? It is an honest
mistake, and it doesn’t necessarily mean
your kids aren’t getting a good education.
But it does indicate that somebody didn’t
care enough about the details – which
can lead you to wonder what else the
school may be overlooking. Your trust
has been eroded.
Similarly, a poor experience with a brand
is not likely to ruin somebody’s day, but it
can be enough to, at best, lose the sale, or
at worst make a customer lose faith in
your business.
The tiny details aren’t just about obvious
issues like spelling; they can also be
subtle. For example, one day, I went to
withdraw some money from an ATM.
When I put my card in, the screen flashed
the message, ‘WE ARE DEALING WITH
YOUR REQUEST’.
I have no doubt that this was written
with the intention of being direct and
descriptive, but when you combine the
tone of the language and the all-capitals
typography, the effect wasn’t positive. I was
dealing with a negative ‘micro-moment’.
Micro-moments matter
You may think that these examples are tiny
and insignificant. I’d agree with you on the
first point but not the second.
Have you ever had one of those days that
starts poorly and keeps getting worse?
At the end of the day, you recount to
your spouse an inventory of micromoments
– little things that accumulated
to ruin your day.
The smallest moments can have a large impact on sales success.
When working with businesses, I ask
managers and sales staff to imagine their
customer going through each step of their
purchasing journey on their worst day.
Anyone can have a good experience
when everything is going right – but what
about when they’re feeling distracted,
overwhelmed, or frustrated?
When a customer goes into a sales
interaction with negative momentum,
businesses must create a positive
experience to counteract it, or at the very
least halt the negative pattern.
Let’s look at another example. Not long
ago, I tried to sign up for a brand’s mailing
list –but when I filled out the form, I was
met with the message, “There was an
error. Please try again.”
What was the error? They left it to me to
figure that out.
It’s all too common to see technology
acknowledge there’s a problem, but
neglect to offer any information on how to
fix it. After a few minutes of trying to edit
different fields of the form, I gave up.
I walked away feeling frustrated, and the
business missed out on a potential repeat
purchaser and brand advocate – the most
valuable type of customer. Yet they were
never even aware that an opportunity was
missed.
Anyone can
have a good
experience
when
everything is
going right
– but what
about when
they’re feeling
distracted,
overwhelmed, or
frustrated?
How many sales opportunities is your
organisation missing without even
realising –not just through technology, but
through other ways customers interact
with your brand?
Creating positive micro-moments
Now that you’ve seen examples of
negative micro-moments, it’s time to
look at the positive.
If you’ve ever typed in the wrong address
when trying to access a website, you’ve
probably landed on a 404 page.
A 404 error essentially tells you that the
webpage you were trying to visit does not
exist. You’re looking for something, you’ve
hit a dead-end, and that’s frustrating.
And no matter how well-designed a site
is, 404 errors will happen. One solution is
to make the 404 error page helpful, with a
search bar or links to pages people most
commonly look for.
It can even be made fun, as Google does
with its Chrome browser; by pressing the
space bar or tapping their phone’s screen,
the user can play a minigame with the
‘error dinosaur’.
Every micro-moment is a chance to
smooth the sales process while increasing
customer loyalty and brand value.
My business’ logo is a paper crane, which
was inspired by a man I once met who
loved origami. He would gift paper cranes
to strangers to brighten their day.
While it may mean very little in the grand
scheme of things, receiving a paper
crane can be the difference between a
terrible day and a good one. Everyone who
encountered that man remembered him
and remembered him fondly.
It’s proof that tiny gestures – micromoments
– count.
JEANNIE WALTERS is founder and
CEO of Experience Investigators. Learn
more: experienceinvestigators.com
When managers set out to improve their
sales team’s performance, they must first
understand three factors about each staff
member – sales mind-set, sales skills,
and hidden weaknesses.
Once these factors are defined, the
manager can ensure that the time they
spend training each person is focused on
that staff member’s individual attributes,
rather than taking a generic approach.
Training is about unlocking the potential
of each person on the team; without a
customised approach, behavioural change
is very unlikely to occur and there is little
gained for the manager’s time and effort.
Assessing sales staff
We have assessed more than 2 million
employees across 32,000 companies,
which has provided insights into the
attributes of top-performing salespeople.
In terms of sales mind-set, the best
staff display:
• Desire to be the top-performing
salesperson
• Commitment to do what it takes to close
the sale, within the values of the company
• Motivation to leave their comfort zone
and complete difficult tasks
• Positivity about themselves, the
company and the products they are selling
• A sense of responsibility for results, or
lack thereof
In addition to mind-set, sales skills are
critical to the success of top performers.
In retail, there are five that make all
the difference:
• The ability to quickly build rapport and
trust with the customer
• Practicing ‘consultative selling’ – that
is, establishing what the customer wants
and what is important to them
• Selling on value and quality, rather than
price, and the ability to move customers
from price shopping to value shopping
Take a coaching approach to training your sales team.
• The ability to spot a ‘tyre kicker’ or
window shopper, versus someone that’s
in-store to buy
• Closing – that is, overcoming
customers’ reservations or delay tactics
Finally, top performers overcome many of
the hidden weaknesses that are common
among salespeople, namely:
• Need for approval – The best sales staff
are comfortable asking tough questions of
customers
• Emotional reactivity – Top performers
‘stay in the moment’ and actively listen to
customers, without letting their emotions
distract them from their objective
• Self-limiting beliefs – There are many
salespeople that display self-limiting
beliefs, such as, “I am not a natural
salesperson”, “I am annoying/a nuisance
to customers”, or “I can’t say no to
unreasonable customer requests”
• Negative expectations – In comparison
to self-limiting beliefs, top performers
have confidence they will close the sale
and are less likely to simply let customers
walk out the door
• Fear of money – Effective salespeople
are not afraid to talk about the price of the
product or ask for the customer’s budget
• Inability to handle rejection – Top sales
To train staff
effectively,
a manager
first needs
to suspend
judgment and
assist the team
member to
understand
which parts
of the sales
process they
are doing well,
and which
areas could be
developed
performers don’t get ‘down and out’ when
they fail; they do not let rejection impact
their ability to close the next sale
These insights into the best salespeople’s
attributes provide managers with a clear
framework for how to train their staff.
Training tips
To train staff effectively, a manager first
needs to suspend judgment and assist the
team member to understand which parts
of the sales process they are doing well,
and which areas could be developed.
Focus on asking questions that lead
the staff member to reflect and
provide opportunities for them to
verbalise solutions to problems they
have encountered.
When we tell someone what they must
do, we are often met with a simple,
“Yes” or nod of the head, but this sort
of superficial commitment is not going
to change behaviour.
In contrast, if they are allowed to articulate
what it is they need to do, they are far
more likely to do it.
Other ways to achieve results include
consistency through weekly one-on-one
reviews, encouragement through group
sales meetings in which staff share in
team achievements, and support through
role-playing sales scenarios with fellow
team members.
Most importantly, managers should not
expect overnight miracles; behavioural
changes occur gradually but lead to longlasting
results.
By investing time in coaching according
to these principles every week, your team
will learn and grow consistently – and
so will their sales success.
GREG GLADMAN is CEO of Objective
Assessment and founder of Sales &
Leadership Performance, an Australian
sales development organisation focused
on customised transformation programs.
Visit: saleslp.com
66 | June 2021
June 2021 | 67

BUSINESS
Marketing & PR
BUSINESS
Logged On
Five questions your marketing plan
should be able to answer
Writing a marketing plan is easy – writing an effective marketing plan can be a much trickier proposition,
explains DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN, who advises taking a question-based approach to the task.
Understanding the marketing funnel
for selling jewellery online
ALEX FETANAT explains the benefits of structuring your e-commerce strategy using
the funnel model – and how to improve it by using automation.
A marketing plan is an essential document
when it comes to putting together a
winning strategy for increasing sales,
revenue, and brand value.
Whether you are writing a fresh marketing
plan for the new financial year or assessing
your existing plan, ask the following
questions to evaluate whether your plan
has enough detail and easily accessible
information to inform your marketing
strategies and goals.
Who are the business’ customers?
To answer this question, more information
is needed than simply age and gender.
Write out a description – often called a
persona or avatar – of a typical customer.
Use the same details you would use
to describe a friend, from job to family
to wants and needs. Don’t forget to
update your customer personas as new
information comes in.
Good answer: “Our typical customer is a
middle-aged woman whose children are
in their late teens or early twenties. She
shops in local supermarkets and gets
advice from friends on Facebook about the
best brands to buy and what’s on offer.
“She’s been buying our brand for more
than two years because it satisfies her
children’s hunger when they get home.
That makes them happy, and she then feels
proud as a mum. We call her Patty.”
How much is the average customer
worth to us?
Besides an average lifetime value for
your customers, you should also be able
to provide information about how they
perceive your brand.
This information will come from attributes
ascribed to your brand during market
research, such as “worth the price” or
“more valuable than other brands”.
You can also include statistics from your
market research and comparisons with
competitors and category leaders.
Good answer: “On average, each customer
spends about $XX each year on our brand,
Ensure your marketing plan covers all the necessary bases.
which is about $XX over 10 years (average
lifetime value).
“Our current average price in-store is $YY,
but BB per cent of our customers think
we’re actually worth more than that. This
compares to $ZZ for the category leader.”
What is the return on investment of our
marketing budget?
While return on investment is not always
the best measure of a marketing strategy’s
impact, it is still important.
Take a simple approach – list what your
total budget is, how much you spent
on advertising, communications, and
promotions, and what impact that had
on total sales.
Good answer: “Our total annual budget is
$XX, of which $YY is spent on marketing
communications and promotions.
Annually, our sales increased to ZZ, or
AA per cent.”
What is the business’ projected market
share for the end of the financial year?
Your marketing plan should include
current market share to enable year-toyear
comparisons, as well as a projection
for the end of the financial year.
However, the answer to this question goes
beyond a simple percentage; it is important
to know how your business’ market share
Include the
objective behind
the launch of
new product
lines or line
extensions, and
any new theme
or direction the
brand is taking.
Articulating
the objective
provides a
clear basis for
the marketing
decisions
compares to competitors, the category as
a whole, and the trend over time.
Good answer: “We are expecting an RR
per cent increase in sales this year, to
UUU units. This is the highest rate in the
category, so our share will increase by PP
points to MM per cent market share – the
highest market share in 10 years.”
What innovations are planned for
the business?
The answer to this question could be a
long list of new additions to your business’
product assortment, but a better answer
adds context.
Include the objective behind the launch of
new product lines or line extensions, and
any new theme or direction the brand is
taking. Articulating the objective provides a
clear basis for the marketing decisions.
Good answer: “We will be launching CC
new variants in our new organic range,
which we expect to add MM per cent points
to our total market share. We will also be
eliminating FF units that are not delivering
on expectations and contain too much
sugar for today’s customer preferences.”
What is the competition doing?
Every marketing plan should include
details about the business’ competitors.
To make comparisons simpler, include
a selection of metrics and address any
challenging market conditions.
Good answer: “Our major competitors
are XXX, YYY, and ZZZ. We are the
category leader, with MM per cent
market share, however we are facing
increased competition from YYY which
has recently invested AAA in a renovation,
digital marketing campaign, and in-store
promotion.”
DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN has
more than 30 years’ management
experience. She runs C3Centricity
consultancy. Visit: c3centricity.com
Most business owners are familiar with
the concept of the marketing funnel, a
model which illustrates consumers’ ‘buying
journey’ from awareness to opinion forming,
consideration, preference, and finally
purchase of the product. Fewer consumers
progress to each stage of the funnel.
In e-commerce, the marketing funnel is often
called the ‘conversion funnel’ and has two
extra steps – traffic sources at the start of
the funnel, and re-engagement at the end.
The marketing funnel is an efficient way
to structure your online sales strategy
and can help to quickly identify areas for
improvement.
Directing traffic
The basis of any great marketing funnel is a
great website. Put simply, your strategy won’t
lead to sales conversions if your website is
not designed to attract users or rank highly in
search engine results.
For this reason, traffic sources – the first
stage of the funnel – are largely based on
search engine optimisation (SEO) and payper-click
advertising.
There have been many articles on improving
your website’s SEO, so this one will focus on
the next stages – starting with connecting
your products to various shopping ‘feeds’.
This roughly correlates with the ‘awareness’
stage of the traditional marketing funnel.
Feeding awareness
Shopping feeds allow your website visitors to
browse your jewellery products on sites like
Facebook or Google’s Shopping tab. These
feeds then direct users to your website.
Another example is setting up an Instagram
Shop through your business account.
It is a particularly useful channel for
jewellery retailers as many people enjoy
browsing and brainstorming different ideas
on the app – especially engagement rings.
Similar principles apply to Pinterest.
Connecting your business to Google
Shopping and e-commerce-enabled social
media apps helps potential customers
Use the e-commerce ‘funnel’ to make your digital strategy more efficient.
find and engage with your brand. Once
customers click through to your website,
they enter the middle of the funnel, or
‘consideration’ stage.
Encouraging purchase
Optimising your website for e-commerce
is critical at the consideration stage, when
potential customers are weighing the pros
and cons of your product.
To progress customers to the next stage
– preference – websites should make
purchasing as easy as possible, with few
distractions.
Shoppers must be able to find products
quickly, whether through direct linking
from a social media app, fast page load
times, or website navigation and search.
Once a potential customer has landed on
the product page, they are a single step
away from purchase.
Some of the most powerful tools to
encourage conversion at this point are
positive, genuine reviews and accurate,
detailed product descriptions and photos.
The actual process of purchase – filling
in details and clicking ‘place order’ – is
the penultimate stage of the e-commerce
funnel; it goes without saying that this
should be as fast and simple as possible.
While the traditional marketing funnel
ends once a purchase has been made,
Shopping feeds
allow your
website visitors
to browse
your jewellery
products on
sites like
Facebook
or Google’s
Shopping tab.
These feeds
then direct
users to your
website
the e-commerce funnel continues to a final
step of re-engagement,, which includes
techniques to recover lost sales through retargeting
and email marketing.
Automating the funnel
Of course, all of these steps sound like a
huge digital marketing undertaking on top of
your existing to-do list – but not to worry.
Much of the process can be automated to
increase both the volume of people entering
the funnel and moving through it, focusing on
the first stage (traffic sources) and final stage
(re-engagement):
Leverage paid search-engine advertising –
Google Ads and Google Shopping Campaigns
increase the number of people entering your
funnel.
Install a tracking pixel on your website – A
tracking pixel allows Google and Facebook
to show users the same products they were
viewing on shopping feeds on your website.
The pixel also allows for ‘dynamic retargeting’
– that is, showing ads for the
products users were viewing on your site
when they visit other sites.
Use Facebook Business more efficiently
– Improve your sales conversion by retargeting
receptive potential customers.
Once you have an audience generated on
Facebook, create a Lookalike Audience that
matches the same buying patterns as the
users on your re-targeting list..
Set up automated email campaigns –
Encourage visitors who are browsing your
website for the first time to sign up to your
email list and use apps and services to create
targeted campaigns.
Of course, all of these tips take time to set
up, but once complete, you can utilise them
again and again to increase the effectiveness
of your funnel.
ALEX FETANAT is founder and CEO
of the GemFind Network, a US-based
digital marketing firm for the jewellery
industry. Visit: gemfind.com
68 | June 2021
June 2021 | 69

My Bench
Anthea Plug
Smales Jewellers, Perth WA
Age 28 • Years in Trade 8 • Training Perth TAFE Apprenticeship • First job Nina’s Jewellery Store, 2012–2018 Other Qualifications Certificate IV in Visual Arts
SIGNATURE PIECE
HANNAN TIARA
COMMERCIAL ITEM
This piece was created for the Smales Jewellers Gold Nugget
Heritage Collection. The tiara is the signature piece of the
collection, named after the famous Hannan Street in Kalgoorlie
where Smales Jewellers originated more than 70 years
ago. I designed the Hannan tiara with help from my partner
on-site at Smales Jewellers’ Subiaco, Perth workshop. It
features yellow gold and hand-picked natural gold nuggets
sourced by local prospectors from the West Australian
goldfields. Set within the tiara are keshi pearls, selected to be
distinctive, making this pendant rare and unique and reflecting
the heritage of Smales Jewellers.
4FAVOURITE GEMSTONE The amazing watermelon
tourmaline must be my favourite gemstone! The pink
and green colours have an unparalleled beauty.
4FAVOURITE METAL Platinum is my favourite
metal due to its colour and weight. It evokes the
senses like no other metal as it can be felt by
the wearer.
When other metals such as gold are worn there is
no difference in weight, but this piece of jewellery
has a point of difference in the fact that the owner
really knows they have it on.
4FAVOURITE TOOL The hammer is my favourite
tool; you can forge so much with it – and not
just jewellery. You can have fun with it and create
organic shapes and pieces, such as a metal spoon.
4BEST NEW TOOL DISCOVERY The laser machine.
It is so helpful in reducing the ‘make’ time when
assembling pieces together.
4BEST PART OF THE JOB Seeing the reaction of
customers when they receive their special creation,
having their dream come to life.
4WORST PART OF THE JOB Ensuring no
fingerprints are left from either filing or polishing.
4BEST TIP FROM A JEWELLER One of my old
mentors would always remind me, “Don’t let
mistakes get the better of you!” This is important, as
mistakes can flow on to your next piece.
You always need to start every job fresh.
4BEST TIP TO A JEWELLER Keep a creative flow
going. Never stop creating as you do not know what
you may be able to discover.
4BIGGEST HEALTH CONCERN ON THE BENCH
Slicing my fingers when cutting.
4LOVE JEWELLERY BECAUSE While don’t
personally wear jewellery, I find so much joy in seeing
the pleasure jewellery creations can bring
to others.
70 | June 2021

OPINION
Soapbox
The unexpected challenges of running
a business in rural Australia
ROBYN SPARKE turns the focus towards jewellery retail in regional and rural areas,
where population demographics impact businesses very differently than in major cities.
In our regional jewellery business,
Stephen Sparke Jewellers, one of the
most significant challenges we readily
face is that of diversification. Our business
consists of two store locations in rural
areas – one in the Queensland border
town of Goondiwindi, and the other in
Moree, in northwest NSW.
There is approximately 126km between
the locations; but despite this relatively
limited distance, and the fact that they
have roughly the same population size,
they are very different – both in terms
of the demographics and the customer
product choice.
However, as they are both regional towns,
they share similar challenges.
Moree and Goondiwindi have a ‘transient’
population; professionals in the police
force, education departments, employment
agencies, and medical and legal fields
frequently choosing to work in our
rural region for the purpose of acquiring
special contracts or government
stimulus packages.
Once these contracts have been fulfilled,
they then leave the community to further
their careers on the east coast.
This makes the acquisition of staff and
provision of career planning in our
business challenging.
The transient population provides us with
choice and diversity in our employees.
It also hinders investment in upskilling,
training staff and future career progression
in the business, as all of these are impeded
by the length of time individuals can commit
to employment when they – and/or their
partners – are climbing the career ladder.
At the same time, we encourage our local
youth to aspire to, and attain, qualifications,
which sees them leave the community for
secondary and higher education – either
boarding school or university.
Accordingly, our junior staff often leave
just after we have them trained and skilled
in customer service, product knowledge
and point of sale.
This transition to further education also
sees parents frequently visiting their
children and therefore making jewellery
purchases outside the district, in larger
metropolitan areas.
As a result of these factors, the majority
of our staff are in the semi-retired age
group with aspirations of slowing down and
spending time with grandchildren.
They have limited intention to further
progress in the jewellery industry or seek
roles in areas of management, marketing
or production, which could provide further
value to our business.
Despite this, our staff are our ‘business
family’ who are extremely loyal, proud and
hardworking and value their employment in
our small country communities.
The last three years have also seen us
employ one of our young staff members
under the Supported Wage Scheme, which
has proven to be extremely successful.
This scheme sees the employee’s wage
partially paid by the government based on
a regular productivity assessment.
The National Inland Rail Project has
attracted more people to our region, adding
to the diversity of the local population and
bringing the potential of more customers –
however, it has not delivered more potential
employees for our business.
Local employers cannot compete with
We encourage
our local youth
to aspire to,
and attain,
qualifications,
which sees
them leave the
community
for secondary
and higher
education...
Accordingly,
our junior staff
often leave just
after we have
them trained
and skilled
government wages and once again,
this development is short term with the
intended project to be completed within
three years.
While as a community we revel in this
current economic and employment
injection, it too may be unsustainable once
infrastructure has been established and
a local workforce is no longer required.
With such diversity and transience in
the population, purchasing of stock can
be challenging – especially ‘on-trend’
products. It usually takes some time for
customers to recognise that we sell
these products, despite social media
and marketing promotions!
This is likened to the real-estate market,
where the ‘wave’ of demand hits the
east coast first and it can take up to
six months before an impact is noticed
in the rural areas.
It would be lovely to focus on a niche
market or reposition as a boutique store;
however, with these challenges and
diversities we need to ensure that we can
supply and service a wide customer base.
Like any regional or rural business, we
must also provide competitive exclusivity
for the out-of-town shoppers who view
cities such as Sydney or Brisbane as
their go-to shopping destination, while
making sure that we are providing a
price point that is suitable for our local
customers – especially in competition
with online purchases.
Name: Robyn Sparke
Business: Stephen Sparke Jewellers
Position: Co-owner
Location: Goondiwindi, QLD; Moree, NSW
Years in the industry: 15
years,collectively with my husband
72 | June 2021

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