Jeweller - August 2021

VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY AUGUST 2021 

Cut and colour 

A GUIDE TO FANCY AND CLASSIC 

COLOURED GEMSTONE CUTS 

Ultimate luxury 

HOW LVMH CORNERED - AND 

CONQUERED - THE MARKET 

Christmas stocking 

NEW PRODUCTS READY FOR THE 

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Swarovski’s most astonishing innovations have always emerged from the company’s legacy of craftsmanship and technology. 

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AUGUST 2021 

Contents 

This Month 

Industry Facets 

15 Editor’s Desk 

16 Upfront 

18 News 

34 

36 

38 

10 YEARS AGO 

Time Machine: August 2011 

MY STORE 

Colette 

NOW & THEN 

Offe Jewellers 

41 

LEARN ABOUT GEMS 

Diaspore 

104 

MY BENCH 

Andy McGee 

51 Jewellers Showcase 

106 

SOAPBOX 

Ryan Purdie-Smith 

61 CHRISTMAS STOCK SPECIAL 

Show & Tell 

4Discover the array of exciting new 

products ready to stock for the buying 

season with Jeweller's special. 

Features 

42 

54 

LAPIDARY DESIGN FEATURE 

Coloured Gemstones: A Cut Above 

LUXURY SECTOR FEATURE 

LVMH: Why No Other Company Compares 

94 CONSUMER FEATURE 

Alpha Wave 

61 

94 

CHRISTMAS STOCK SPECIAL 

Show & Tell 

CONSUMER FEATURE 

Meet Generation Alpha 

4ARABELLA RODEN explores Generation 

Alpha, the consumers of tomorrow, and how 

businesses can adapt to their shopping habits. 

Better Your Business 

98 

100 

101 

102 

103 

BUSINESS STRATEGY 

DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN reveals a new paradigm for marketing. 

SELLING 

A new financial year is an opportunity to turbo-charge sales, writes SUE BARRETT. 

MANAGEMENT 

Find out how to enjoy your work and create balance with DAVID BROWN's tips. 

MARKETING & PR 

STEVEN VAN BELLEGHEM reveals the secret to Netflix's success. 

LOGGED ON 

SIMON DELL concludes this guide to Instagram Shops in the final of two articles. 

41 LEARN ABOUT 

Diaspore 

4The interplay of colour 

and light is essential 

to understanding these 

fascinating, colourchanging 

gemstones. 

FRONT COVER The Australian 

Pink Diamond Exchange is the 

first Australian marketplace made 

exclusively for pink diamond investors 

and enthusiasts. Buy and sell pink 

diamonds with absolute confidence 

using this advanced technology 

platform, backed by a team with more 

than 25 years of experience working 

with certified Argyle pink diamonds. 

apdx.com.au 

August 2021 | 11

Items featured above, top to bottom: 

124425, 124653, and 123013. Items 

featured on facing page, top to bottom: 

123457, 124095, and 51996.

Rescheduled 

Dreams 

Come True 

2021—Stuller’s Year of the 

Wedding —continues to be a 

banner year for bridal sales. 

We’ve thought of everything 

from design and manufacturing 

to customization and special 

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Editor’s Desk 

From billion-dollar valuation to bankruptcy: 

Lessons of the Alex and Ani saga 

ARABELLA RODEN examines how management missteps created 

a perfect storm for a once-prosperous jewellery business. 

It’s an all-too familiar story – an exciting new 

business, powered by a charismatic founder, 

rockets to stratospheric success. 

Investors jump on board, followed by 

speculators, further inflating valuations – and 

expectations. Then, inevitably, the cracks 

begin to show; overexpansion leaves orders 

unfulfilled, budgets and targets go unmet, 

retailers feel frustrated, and inexperiencedyet-overconfident 

management scrambles for 

more financial resources. 

The jewellery industry has witnessed its 

share of these scenarios, and the most recent 

example is Alex and Ani – touted as one of the 

industry's great success stories of the 2010s. 

Founded in 2004 by Carolyn Rafaelian, Alex 

and Ani rode the charm bracelet wave to 

meteoric heights, at one point employing 

more than 1,000 people and boasting a 

market valuation of $US1 billion. 

Rafaelian once claimed, “Alex and Ani’s total 

sales have increased over 11,000 per cent 

between 2010 to 2014.” 

However, in a not unfamiliar story, two 

months ago the company filed for Chapter 11 

bankruptcy – roughly equivalent to voluntary 

administration under Australian law. 

According to Forbes, Alex and Ani's sales fell 

precipitously during the COVID-19 pandemic, 

dropping from an estimated $US400 million 

in 2019 to $US240 million in 2020. Staff had 

halved to 524 employees and the business 

was saddled with more than $US150 million 

in debt. 

So, what went wrong? 

Leadership lacking 

With a personal fortune of $US900 million, 

Rafaelian – who inherited Alex and Ani’s 

manufacturer, Cinerama Jewelry, from her 

father – once featured on the cover of Forbes 

magazine’s ‘Richest Self-Made Women’ issue, 

and imbued Alex and Ani with her own New 

Age spirituality, from numerology to poetry 

and shamanic blessings. 

Yet according to some industry pundits, 

much of Alex and Ani’s early success could 

be attributed not to Rafaelian’s spiritual 

alignment but to CEO Giovanni Feroce, who 

led the business from 2010 to 2014. 

Under his tenure, Alex and Ani’s annual 

revenue reportedly increased from $US2.2 

million to $US230 million. Feroce placed 

great emphasis on marketing as well as ‘High 

Street’ retail over shopping centre locations. 

Amid rumours of a personality clash with 

Rafaelian, he left the company and Rafaelian 

took over as CEO. An exodus of senior 

leadership took place in the ensuing months, 

including its chief financial officer, chief 

technical officer, chief strategy officer, chief 

digital officer, acting chief operating officer, 

and vice-presidents of retail and wholesale. 

A business is only as good as its staff. 

While labour is one of the highest costs to a 

company, productive employees – particularly 

in key operational roles – are also one of its 

greatest assets. 

Losing senior staff led to a vacuum of 

‘institutional knowledge’ at Alex and Ani, 

as well as the disruption of “key business 

relationships”, according to its 2021 

bankruptcy filing. 

Indeed, Alex and Ani lost its Australian and 

New Zealand supplier, House of Brands, after 

barely two years following failed negotiations. 

Declining distribution 

Despite its management problems, Alex and 

Ani’s jewellery was still in demand and the 

business was striving to keep pace. 

In the bankruptcy filing, current CEO Bob 

Trabucco noted, “Alex and Ani’s explosive 

growth in the early 2010s resulted in certain 

operational challenges as the company’s 

existing infrastructure struggled to keep up 

with demand for its products.” 

Put simply, the business’ leaders did not 

adequately prepare for success – nor did 

they adapt to changing conditions, creating a 

cumulative negative effect. 

According to Forbes, the business began 

to falter, leading to “haphazard” product 

distribution and delivery. Management then 

implemented a strategy similar to that 

of Pandora Jewelry, opening more of its 

Put simply, 

the business’ 

leaders did not 

adequately 

prepare for 

success – nor 

did they adapt 

to changing 

conditions, 

creating a 

cumulative 

negative effect 

company-owned ‘concept’ stores while 

slashing retailer accounts – which once 

numbered nearly 2,000. 

This strategy has its own pitfalls; more 

concept stores means higher costs, while 

fewer retailer accounts leads to fewer 

opportunities for sales and promotion. 

By the time of Alex and Ani’s bankruptcy 

filing, the wholesale channel accounted for 

just 19 per cent of revenue. 

Financing fumble 

Alex and Ani also attempted to follow a 

Pandora-like vertical integration model, 

securing a $US170 million loan in 2016 from 

a consortium led by Bank of America (BOA), 

of which $US100 million was reportedly used 

to purchase its manufacturer, Cinerama 

Jewelry, from Rafaelian. 

That decision would prove to be instrumental 

in Alex and Ani’s downfall. 

In December 2018, BOA claimed a loan 

repayment was missed and withdrew access 

to its credit line. With its cash flow severely 

disrupted, Alex and Ani was left unable 

to purchase seasonal inventory, which it 

claimed led to a steep decline in sales. 

Rafaelian was then forced to restructure the 

company and launched legal proceedings 

against BOA, seeking $US1 billion in 

damages. BOA disputed the allegations 

and the legal claim was later dropped, with 

Rafaelian ultimately forced out by majority 

shareholder Lion Capital. 

Alex and Ani reportedly defaulted on its credit 

agreements three more times, with BOA 

calling for the business to be sold – though 

Lion is insisting on further restructuring. 

Notably, a former Pandora executive is now 

chairman of Alex and Ani. 

Ultimately, the Alex and Ani saga shows that 

even a fairytale business can fall victim to 

management misfires. What's more, it’s not 

the first example in the jewellery industry – 

and it won’t be the last. 

Arabella Roden 

Editor 


Upfront 

#Instagram hashtags to follow 

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#earparty 

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#emeraldjewelry 

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#highjewellerydream 

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#jewelleryartist 

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HISTORIC GEMSTONE 

The 

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#pearls 

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#sterlingsilver 

4.4 MILLION POSTS 

#tourmalinering 

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#uniquering 

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Alpha Order 

4Now part of Her Majesty Queen 

Elizabeth II’s collection, the Timur Ruby is in fact a spinel. Weighing 

352.5 carats, it was once believed to be the largest ruby in the world and 

is enscribed with the names of its past owners, including 14th Century 

conqueror Timur – who is said to have first acquired it after sacking Delhi in 

1398 – and Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan. 

Following the British colonisation of India, the spinel came into Queen 

Victoria’s possession at the Royal Exhibition in London in 1851, later 

being set into a gold necklace by jewellery house Garrard, designed to be 

interchangeable with the Koh-i-Noor diamond. However, the necklace has 

never been publicly worn. 

Celebrity Style 

Image credit: Boucheron Image credit: Getty Images 

4The Cannes Film Festival made 

a triumphant return following the 

cancellation of last year’s event. While 

the red carpet was – as usual – replete 

with glittering jewellery, supermodel 

Bella Hadid (above) stole the show, 

wearing a Schiaparelli gold-plated brass 

and rhinestone neckpiece, accented with 

ruby earrings and a ‘Phoenix’ fire opal 

ring by Chopard. 

Stranger Things 

Weird, wacky and wonderful 

jewellery news from around the world 

Foot the bill 

4An NBA player has made 

headlines for wearing real diamond 

sneakers during Game 6 of this 

year’s finals. PJ Tucker, of the 

Milwaukee Bucks – who won the 

match and the championship – 

donned custom-made Nike Air 

Jordan 1s encrusted with 2,020 

white diamonds set in 14-carat 

white gold. Valued at $US250,000 

($AU339,611), the deluxe pair 

was crafted by jeweller Jason 

of Beverley Hills and footwear 

customiser The Shoe Surgeon. 

Stock ticker 

4A Korean company has begun 

selling ‘fractional ownership’ of 

luxury watches as an investment 

product. Piece allows consumers 

to invest between KRW100,000–20 

million ($AU117.60–23,520.65) in 

a ‘package’ of Rolex watches, with 

a dividend paid once the models 

are sold. The most recent package 

featured 11 watches and earned 

investors a 23 per cent return, 

according to Piece. 

The report found 

ad-driven content 

on Instagram 

had far higher 

engagement than 

‘organic’ posts. 

Digital Brainwave 

4A new report by digital marketing 

firm Spike and social media analytics 

tool SocialInsider has compared the 

effectiveness of social media channels for 

jewellery businesses over two years. 

While the engagement rate was higher on 

Instagram posts than Facebook, the report’s 

authors noted Facebook saw more ‘spikes’, 

indicating room for improvement. 

The best-performing Instagram posts were 

carousels and ‘status’ style posts. 

Jewel Watch 

4French jewellery house Boucheron 

has unveiled its latest collection, 

entitled Holographique, designed 

by creative director Claire Choisne. 

Inspired by rainbows and the Aurora 

Borealis, the 25-piece range features 

coated ceramics and rock crystal, 

enamel, diamond pavé, aquamarine, 

yellow sapphire, and white opal. 

Sneaky swap 

4A court case over the 2016 theft 

of seven diamonds, valued at £4.2 

million ($AU7.8 million), from UK 

jeweller Boodles took a twist in July 

with the defendant – who was later 

found guilty – claiming her dead sister 

was responsible. The Romanian 

woman posed as a valuation expert 

and swapped the diamonds for 

pebbles. However, she claimed 

her sibling – who had a string of 

convictions for theft and money 

laundering – stole her passport and 

committed the crime. 

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 

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

arising from the published material.

Supplying Australia Since 1974

News In Brief 

Alrosa introduces 

laser 'nanomarking' 

4 Alrosa – the world's largest diamond 

producer by volume – has introduced new, 

non-invasive diamond tracing technology. 

Developed alongside scientists from the 

Russian Academy of Science and the 

Yakutniproalmaz Institute, the technology 

allows a laser 'nanomark' to be imprinted 

inside a diamond's crystal lattice, making 

it impossible to destroy or remove through 

polishing but invisible without a scanner. 

Rise in searches for 

'engagement watches' 

4 New research by online shopping 

platform Lyst has noted a 42 per cent rise 

in consumer searches for 'engagement 

watches', 'couple watches' and 'wedding 

watches'. In Lyst's Wedding 2021 

Report, content lead Morgan Le Caer 

notes, "This season, more couples 

have been foregoing traditional rings as 

engagement presents, instead opting for 

gender-neutral watches." 

New distributor for Swarovski 

lab-created diamonds 

Duraflex Group Australia is the new distributor for 

Swarovski's range of lab-created diamonds. 

Duraflex Group Australia (DGA) has inked an 

exclusive distribution deal with Swarovski to 

supply its Created Diamonds to the local market, 

with the range available from the end of July 2021. 

Swarovski Created Diamonds are only supplied 

as loose stones, rather than finished jewellery, in 

sizes 0.50–2.50 carats with other sizes on request, 

and are available in six shapes and 17 colours, 

including white (colourless) and 16 fancy colours – 

which it claims is “the most extensive assortment 

of hues available on the global market today”. 

All lab-created diamonds are hand-selected and 

graded with the ‘four Cs’ by in-house Swarovski 

gemmologists, and those weighing 0.70 carats or 

larger are accompanied by a grading report from 

the International Gemological Institute (IGI) and a 

Swarovski Quality Certificate. 

Lab-created diamonds weighing 0.10 carats or 

larger are laser engraved to ensure authenticity. 

Phil Edwards, managing director DGA, told 

Jeweller, "We are all aware that the created 

diamond market is rapidly growing with 

significantly more consumer awareness and an 

undeniable increasing demand, and we wanted to 

offer our retail partners a superior quality product 

to meet their customers' needs. 

"We will support and work together with our retail 

partners to ensure the benefits of stocking this 

unique brand are maximised." 

DGA will carry an extensive range of the stones 

including fancy colours, and have access to the 

global stock-on-hand for immediate delivery. 

In addition, retailers will have access to the 

Swarovski Created Diamonds Retail Program. 

As of 2020, Swarovski Created Diamonds were 

manufactured at independent facilities in 

Switzerland, India, the US and China, with colours 

induced through treatments such as irradiation. 

Previously, the range was exclusive in Australia to 

the Showcase Jewellers buying group. 

Richemont doubles 

quarterly sales 

4 Swiss luxury group Richemont – 

parent of Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, 

Baume & Mercier, IWC Schaffhausen, 

and others – has indicated its sales have 

more than doubled in the three months 

to 30 June, reaching €4.4 billion ($AU7.1 

billion). The increase is attributed to a 

strong performance in North America, 

and a 43 per cent rise in jewellery 

category sales. 

Nationwide continues to reward members 

conference, and to acquire gifts from the group’s 

Rewards Redemption catalogue. 

According to Colin Pocklington, managing 

director Nationwide Jewellers, “Every time a 

member purchases from one of our preferred 

suppliers, their settlement discount plus their 

rewards benefit equates to an additional 4 per 

cent saving, over and above the usual group 

trade discounts.” 

'Exceptional' 342-carat 

diamond found 

4 Petra Diamonds has recovered a 

342.92-carat Type IIa white rough stone 

at the iconic Cullinan Mine in South 

Africa. The diamond is described as 

“exceptional” in terms of both colour 

and clarity, and that is likely to be 

sold at Petra's September tender. The 

company sold a 299.3-carat Type IIa 

stone for $US12.2 million in March and 

a 39.34-carat blue diamond for $US40.2 

million in July. 

Buying group Nationwide Jewellers has introduced a 

successful members' reward scheme. 

Nationwide Jewellers, Australia and New 

Zealand’s largest buying group, issued more 

than 10 million ‘reward points’ during the 2020- 

2021 financial year. 

Under the program, Nationwide’s 391 members 

can earn points when they purchase products 

and/or services from preferred suppliers, and by 

participating in various Nationwide events. 

The earned reward points can then be redeemed 

for free attendance at Nationwide’s annual 

He explained that more than 192 members have 

accumulated sufficient points to attend the 2022 

annual conference at no cost. 

“Members can even use their points to book 

hotel rooms at trade fairs,” Pocklington added. 

“We have seen very strong support for our 

preferred suppliers since the new scheme 

commenced, and there is no doubt that 

members appreciate the added benefits 

that the scheme provides." 

All Australian and New Zealand members have 

been mailed their 2020/21 Rewards Statement 

along with an updated Reward Redemption 

catalogue. 

18 | August 2021

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 

William@LJWestDiamonds.com | www.LJWestDiamonds.com | www.ScottWestDiamonds.com

Sydney jewellery fair cancelled; new 

events launched for October 

The Blush Pink range is an epitome 

of charm and opulence intertwined 

together. Delicate and utterly 

elegant, it features affordable styles 

that retain an exquisite sense of 

rare luxury. 

The 2021 International Jewellery & Watch Fair has been cancelled, with two new 

buying events announced for Sydney and Brisbane in October. 

With continuing high COVID-19 case 

numbers and an extended lockdown 

in greater Sydney, organiser 

Expertise Events has cancelled the 

upcoming International Jewellery 

& Watch Fair, (IJWF) however 

two new events are launching in 

Brisbane and Sydney. 

The IJWF, due to take place at 

the ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre 

in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, was 

previously postponed from 29–30 

August to 24–27 September 2021. 

Gary Fitz-Roy, managing director 

Expertise Events, said it was 

“devastating” to cancel what would 

have been the 30th IJWF. 

“It’s clear that the situation is not 

improving quickly enough to have 

confidence that the September dates 

in Sydney can proceed to the scale 

that it has been previously,” Fitz-Roy 

said in an email to exhibitors. 

“It was an extremely difficult 

decision to make, but ultimately 

the health and safety of everyone 

involved and limiting the potential 

threat of spreading the virus was 

the most important consideration, 

as is the confidence of our 

visitor audience to attend large 

gatherings.” 

Expertise Events confirmed the next 

IJWF will take place from Saturday 

27 to Monday 29 August 2022. 

“Our staff are immensely grateful 

for the understanding, kindness and 

unwavering support everyone has 

demonstrated during these very 

difficult and trying times and we 

promise to reward this support with 

the most memorable trade show 

ever next year.” 

Fitz-Roy acknowledged that 

suppliers and retailers were 

depending on this year’s Sydney fair 

to meet face-to-face in time for the 

crucial Christmas and New Year 

sales periods. 

Taking this into consideration, 

Expertise Events has announced 

new buying days, similar to the 

successful Trade Days format earlier 

this year. 

Named Stock Up & Top Up (SUTU), 

the events are scheduled to be 

held at: 

• Brisbane: 9–10 October 2021 at 

the Brisbane Convention Centre 

• Sydney: 23–24 October 2021 at 

the ICC Darling Harbour 

Both will have capped exhibitor 

numbers; IJWF exhibitors will be 

invited to attend first, with the ability 

to ‘roll over’ their deposits to SUTU 

or to the 2022 IJWF. 

“As you will understand, our office is 

closed but we will do our very best 

to call you personally to seek your 

instructions,” Fitz-Roy said. 

All buying groups are invited, 

with Nationwide Jewellers and 

Independent Jewellers Collective 

already committing their support. 

E pink@samsgroup.com.au W samsgroup.com.au P 02 9290 2199

aume-et-mercier.com Riviera automatic, 42 mm 


(02) 9417 0177 | www.dgau.com.au

Class-action lawsuit calls for jewellery 

and gemstone businesses 

Damien Cody, director of Cody Opal Australia, is among the plaintiffs in the classaction 

over pandemic insurance payouts. Image credit: ABC News/Kyle Harley 

Watch: Jack 


Gordon Legal, which is representing 

a number of businesses against 

insurance firm Lloyds of London, has 

called for more policyholders to join 

the class-action lawsuit. 

The focus of the class-action – which 

was launched in July – is business 

interruption insurance during the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

Andrew Grech, partner at Gordon 

Legal, commented, “We believe 

that the insurers have wrongly 

denied claims to thousands of 

jewellery businesses and gemstone 

merchants, and failed to support 

them when they needed it most. 

"Accessing the payout that we 

believe they are entitled to will mean 

the difference between survival and 

failure of many businesses.” 

Among those already represented 

is Cody Opal Australia, the parent 

company of the National Opal 

Collection (NOC). 

A claim against NOC's policy was 

rejected in May 2020, with the 

insurer asserting that the business’ 

losses – which Cody estimates total 

more than $3 million – would need 

to have occurred as a consequence 

of COVID-19 cases within 20km 

of the premises, rather than 

“overarching factors resulting from 

the COVID-19 pandemic as a whole”. 

Grech told Jeweller, “Jewellers 

and gemstone merchants were 

hit very hard during the pandemic, 

as these non-essential stores 

were forced to close due to trading 

restrictions in our major cities. They 

have been severely let down by the 

underwriters who provided them 

with business interruption insurance 

through Lloyds of London.” 

The Insurance Council of Australia 

(ICA) has appealed a separate NSW 

test case to the High Court, and 

insurers have “other avenues open 

to delay further,” according to Grech. 

“We think a class action will help 

resolve the issue more quickly 

than would otherwise be the 

case,” he added. 

The class action is being financed 

by litigation funding firm Omni 

Bridgeway, meaning that businesses 

who join – known as ‘Group 

members’ – are not required to pay 

upfront or out-of-pocket costs. 

“If the proceedings are successful, 

as is expected, Omni Bridgeway is 

entitled to recover a commission 

which is paid out of the damages 

awarded,” Grech explained. 

Gordon Legal has suggested Lloyds 

of London business interruption 

policyholders start the claim process 

and seek legal advice. 

A ‘townhall’ webinar has been 

scheduled for 4pm on Wednesday 

18 August, accessible via the Gordon 

Legal website, open to all jewellery 

businesses. 


World-first Argyle pink diamond 

trading platform launched 

The Argyle Pink Diamond Exchange is designed as an 'end-to-end' sales channel, 

exclusively for certified Argyle pink diamonds. 

Users can browse for Argyle pinks 

as well as sell diamonds using the 

secure platform, with all stones 

undergoing a rigorous authenticity 

check prior to listing. 

Steve Der Bedrossian, managing 

director APDX, told Jeweller, “We 

have had many enquiries from 

members of the public looking 

to sell as well as buy certified 

Argyle pink diamonds, and they 

wanted to do so through a trusted, 

prestigious source. 

“The APDX team has decades of 

experience working with Argyle 

pink diamonds, so we had the 

expertise to develop this platform 

and facilitate the process,” he 

explained. 

APDX is designed as an ‘endto-end’ 

sales channel, providing 

secure transport of the diamonds, 

full authentication, high-quality 

photography and video, and online 

marketing and promotion, as well 

as delivery to the buyer. 

“We want to assist sellers to 

put their best foot forward,” Der 

Bedrossian said. 

“It’s similar to the process of 

selling real estate – we ensure 

the certified Argyle pink diamond 

is promoted to potential buyers 

in the best possible way, across 

multiple online sales channels.” 

Indeed, with the closure of the 

Argyle Mine in November 2020, 

speculation has abounded over 

the ‘secondary market’ for its pink 

diamonds – particularly for those 

who have purchased them as an 

investment, given prices have 

appreciated by an estimated 500 

per cent over the past 20 years. 

“Our platform assists retailers to 

educate their Argyle pink diamond 

customers on the most common 

question: exit strategy,” Der 

Bedrossian explained. 

“APDX gives the consumer 

confidence that they have a 

platform to sell their stone 

in the future.” 

Der Bedrossian says APDX is 

a world-first for the exclusive 

trading of certified Argyle pink 

diamonds, and is available to both 

local and international buyers and 

sellers. 

All stones submitted for sale 

must be accompanied by Argyle 

certificates to ensure complete 

transparency and reliability.

When two diamond miners go to war: 

Rio Tinto in legal stoush 

Cut and polished diamonds from the Star-Orion South project, which is the subject 

of a dispute between Rio Tinto and Star Diamond Corp. Image: Star Diamond Corp 

SEE THE NEW SS21 COLLECTION 

REED GIFT FAIR Melbourne [stand BB17] 

& IJF Sydney [stand D01] 

Timesupply 


Rio Tinto continues to be embroiled 

in a legal conflict with Star Diamond 

Corp, the joint partner in its 

Star-Orion South venture, based 

in Canada. 

Following Star Diamond filing 

documents in a Canadian court 

alleging Rio Tinto had engaged 

in “bad faith predatory practices” 

last year, it has now objected to Rio 

Tinto's call for a budget meeting for 

the Star-Orion South project. 

According to Star Diamond, Rio 

Tinto has set a proposed budget 

for June 2021 to March 2022 of 

$CA17.8 million ($AU19.03 million) 

and will seek to add a further 

$CA64.4 million ($AU68.8 million) of 

expenses from 2019 to May 2021 to 

that budget. 

Star Diamond’s management 

believes the proposed meeting is 

invalid, contending that no joint 

venture has been formed with Rio 

Tinto Canada; this claim forms the 

basis of a legal case currently 

before the Court of Queen’s Bench 

for Saskatchewan. 

On 8 July 2021, Star Diamond 

announced that it had written to 

Dave S Andrews, head of exploration 

growth at Rio Tinto, responding to 

the company's attempt to convene 

a meeting of the joint venture’s 

management committee. 

“Star Diamond is deeply 

disappointed by Rio Tinto's latest 

conduct. This appears to signal 

a return by Rio Tin to its prior 

predatory and coercive tactics 

designed to misuse its economic 

clout to misappropriate from Star 

Diamond and its shareholders some 

portion of the very significant value 

that exists in the Star-Orion South 

Diamond Project,” the letter states. 

“Rio Tinto has already irresponsibly 

run wildly over-budget.” 

The company has also objected to 

Rio Tinto exercising an option to 

acquire a 60 per cent stake in the 

Star-Orion site five years earlier 

than anticipated. 

In its own court documents filed 

in April 2020, Rio Tinto denied 

wrongdoing, adding that it “at all 

times, conducted itself in good faith 

and carried out the operations in a 

good and workmanlike manner”. 

It claimed that the withheld 

sampling results “do not exist” and 

that Star Diamond Corp had itself 

improperly retained ownership of 

mineral dispositions and surface 

rights. Rio Tinto also stated that the 

exploration costs – totalling $CA103 

million ($AU113 million), incurred 

between 2017 and 2019 – were not 

previously disputed by Star Diamond 

Corp and were “justified in the 

context of the project”. 

A preliminary economic assessment 

of the site estimated 66 million 

carats could be recovered over 

34-year period, generating $CAD3.3 

billion ($AU3.6 billion) in revenue. 

p +61 (0)8 8221 5580 

sales@timesupply.com.au 


Tiffany & Co. settles nearly 

decade-long Costco lawsuit 

TOK 

- Est. 1974 - 

Custom-made fine jewellery 

Proudly 100% Australian owned & 

operated family business 

Following an eight-year legal battle, Tiffany & Co. has reached a confidential 

settlement with Costco over 'counterfeit' engagement rings. 

Months after a $US21 million ($AU29 

million) verdict against Costco was 

overturned, Tiffany & Co. has settled 

its eight-year lawsuit with the discount 

retail chain. 

The terms of the settlement have 

not been disclosed, however Reuters 

quotes David Bernstein, a legal 

representative for Costco, as saying 

the two companies “amicably resolved 

their dispute”. 

Notably, Reuters also states that 

Tiffany & Co. – which was acquired 

by French luxury conglomerate Moët 

Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) in 

January – recently attained new legal 

representation. 

Media reports of a potential out-ofcourt 

settlement had been circulating 

since March, when Tiffany & Co. last 

filed a joint-status report in which it 

requested a jury trial. 

The international jewellery company 

first filed suit in early 2013 over a 

collection of six-prong diamond 

engagement rings sold by Costco with 

the descriptor “Tiffany” on the tags 

and in-store signage. 

An estimated 3,349 customers 

purchased the Costco rings, netting 

Costco $US3.7 million in profits. 

A 1-carat platinum solitaire ring with 

VS clarity was listed at $US6,399.99 

– a similar ring on the Tiffany & Co. 

website retails for $US14,000. 

Tiffany & Co. argued that the rings 

constituted trademark infringement 

and counterfeiting, as it was possible 

customers were misled to believe 

that the rings were manufactured by 

Tiffany & Co. 

It also contended that Costco had 

instructed its jewellery suppliers 

to copy Tiffany & Co. engagement 

ring designs. 

Meanwhile, Costco claimed that the 

descriptor “Tiffany” referred to the 

six-prong setting of the rings and that 

“Tiffany setting” could be considered a 

generic term in the jewellery industry. 

US district judge Laura Taylor Swain 

awarded TIffany & Co. $US19.35 

million ($AU24.3 million) in 

compensatory and punitive 

damages in 2017. 

However, Costco appealed the 

decision, stating, "Tiffany & Co. did 

not claim in the lawsuit that it lost 

a single sale to Costco as a result 

of any sign. This was not a case 

about counterfeiting in the common 

understanding of that word – Costco 

was not selling imitation Tiffany 

& Co. rings." 

Its claim was upheld by the US Court 

of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 

which overturned the lower court’s 

judgment in Tiffany’s favour in 

August 2020. 

Following the settlement, Tiffany 

& Co. filed for a dismissal with 

prejudice, meaning it cannot bring 

the lawsuit again. 

- CAD design 

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- Casting 

- Finishing 

- Stone sourcing 

- Valuations 

CALL: 1300 101 735 

EMAIL: info@tokbrothers.com.au 

VISIT: 

The Dymocks Building 

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428 George Street 

Sydney NSW 2000

New chairman for Israel diamond 

industry organisation 

Arnon Juwal, a partner at diamond manufacturing firm S Juwal & Co., has been elected 

chairman of the Israel Diamond Institute, following the resignation of Yoram Dvash. 

DURAFLEX 


The Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) 

has named Arnon Juwal as its new 

chairman following the resignation 

of Yoram Dvash earlier this month. 

Founded in 1967, IDI is a nonprofit 

organisation that represents 

the Israeli diamond industry and 

promotes it through marketing, 

public relations, and trade events. 

It also operates a portal dedicated 

to the industry, a trading website 

and an information centre. 

New chairman Juwal is a secondgeneration 

diamantaire and 

partner in diamond manufacturing 

firm S Juwal & Co. 

He is a member of the Israel 

Diamond Exchange (IDE)'s board 

and chairs its insurance and 

taxation committee. 

Upon his election, Juwal said, 

“It is a great honour to serve as 

chairman of the Israel Diamond 

Institute, as well as a major 

responsibility. 

"We are emerging from a very 

difficult time, and although the 

Israeli diamond industry has 

rebounded, there are still many 

issues that we must deal with. 

"IDI is responsible for several 

functions that are essential to the 

success of the Israeli diamond 

industry. He added, “I hope that 

my expertise as a diamantaire will 

enable me to contribute to the 

success of IDI and I look forward 

to leading the institute in these 

crucial times.” 

The chairman position usually 

carries a three-year term; Dvash 

was elected in November 2020, 

replacing Boaz Moldawsky, 

following widespread industry 

encouragement. 

No specific reason for his 

resignation has been made public. 

Dvash is also president of the 

World Federation of Diamond 

Bourses (WFDB) and previously 

resigned the presidency of the IDE 

in order to focus on his WFDB role. 

In February 2021, Moldawsky 

was elected president of the IDE, 

replacing Dvash. 

In a statement, Moldawsky said, 

"The members of the Diamond 

Exchange have chosen an 

experienced and responsible 

management. It is an honour 

and privilege for me to lead the 

exchange in the coming years, and 

especially during such a complex 

and challenging period for the 

industry." 


LVMH Watches & Jewellery division doubles profit in first half of 2021 

LVMH’s overall results saw revenue increase from 

€18.4 billion ($AU29.6 billion) in the first half of 2020 

to €28.7 billion ($AU46.12 billion) in 2021. 

This was largely attributed to the robust US and 

Asian markets and a “gradual recovery” in Europe, 

as well as outstanding performance in Fashion 

& Leather Goods, which is consistently its topperforming 

division. 

The excellent results follow the successful integration of Tiffany & Co. into the LVMH portfolio. Image: Tiffany & Co. 

'Tiffany T1' 2021 campaign. 

French luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy 

Louis Vuitton has recorded bumper results for 

the first half of 2021, with its Watches & Jewellery 

division significantly boosted by the acquisition of 

Tiffany & Co. 

After sustaining a loss of €17 million ($AU27.3 

million) during the first six months of 2020 due to the 

COVID-19 pandemic, the division – which includes 

Bulgari, Chaumet, Fred, TAG Heuer, Hublot, and 

Zenith in addition to Tiffany & Co. – recorded a profit 

of €794 million ($AU1.275 billion) in the first half 

of 2021. This represents a 122 per cent increase 

compared with the first half of 2019. 

LVMH acquired US-based jeweller Tiffany in January 

2021 for a record $US15.8 billion, following a 

protracted negotiation that lasted more than a year 

and almost culminated in a court battle. 

Excluding Tiffany & Co., the Watches & Jewellery 

division’s profit increased 27 per cent when 

compared with 2019. 

In a statement, LVMH management noted 

the successful launch of Tiffany’s first men’s 

engagement ring setting, as well as solid results 

from Italian jewellery house Bulgari and increased 

marketing efforts from TAG Heuer and Hublot. 

Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, 

said, “LVMH has enjoyed an excellent half-year 

and is reaping the benefits of having continued 

to innovate and invest in its businesses throughout 

the pandemic despite being in the midst of a 

global crisis. 

“The creativity, the high-quality and enduring nature 

of our products and the sense of responsibility 

that drives us, have been critical in enabling us to 

successfully withstand the effects of the pandemic; 

they will remain firmly embedded in all our Maisons, 

thereby ensuring their continued desirability,” 

Arnault added. 

He said LVMH was “in an excellent position to 

continue to grow and further strengthen our lead in 

the global luxury market in 2021” as the international 

recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Large pink diamond found in 

Botswana; Cullinan blue diamond sold 

The 62.70-carat 'Boitumelo' fancy pink diamond, unearthed at the Karowe Mine in 

Botswana. Image credit: Lucara 

Bloom 

PINK KIMBERLEY 

This collection is truly a wonder: every piece is a work 

of art, a floral-inspired design with a breathtaking, 

gorgeous arrangement of Argyle pink diamonds. 

The blend of pink, white and gold tones is simply 

phenomenal. Reminiscent of Australian pink magnolias, 

this collection captures the moment when a flower 

blossoms in real time for it to be preserved for eternity. 

PinkKimberley.com.au 

Lucara Diamond Company (Lucara) 

has announced the recovery of a 

62.70-carat fancy pink diamond 

at its Karowe Diamond Mine 

in Botswana – the largest pink 

diamond ever unearthed in 

Botswana and one of the largest 

rough pinks on record. 

The Type IIa stone was unearthed 

from the mine’s South Lobe and has 

been named Boitumelo, which means 

“joy” in the Setswana language. 

Several other large pink diamonds 

were recovered from Karowe 

during the same production period 

– a 22.21 carat, 11.17 carat, and 

5.05-carat stone. Worldwide, it is 

extremely rare to find pink diamonds 

above one carat. 

In June, Lucara announced the 

recovery of a white diamond 

weighing more than 1,000 carats 

from Karowe – one of five stones of 

more than 300 carats and 17 greater 

than 100 carats unearthed over the 

life of the mine. 

The company recently announced 

plans for a five-year, $US514 million 

expansion project at Karowe, with 

Eira Thomas, CEO Lucara, saying, 

“Lucara is delighted to announce 

another historic diamond with 

the recovery of the Boitumelo, 

and very pleased to demonstrate 

the continued potential for large, 

coloured diamonds from the South 

Lobe production. 

“These remarkable pink diamonds 

join a collection of significant 

diamond recoveries in 2021… which 

forms a key economic driver for 

the proposed underground mine at 

Karowe.” 

Meanwhile, De Beers Group and 

diamond manufacturing firm 

Diacore have announced the jointpurchase 

of a 39.34-carat fancy blue 

stone, recovered from South Africa’s 

Cullinan Mine. 

The diamond was mined by Cullinan 

operator Petra Diamonds and 

sold for $US40.17 million ($AU54 

million), split equally between the 

two buyers. 

Paul Rowley, executive vice-president 

– diamond trading, De Beers Group, 

said, “It is a privilege to have the 

opportunity to work with such a 

miracle of nature and a delight to 

see the legendary Cullinan deposit 

producing yet another breathtakingly 

beautiful gemstone. 

“It’s great to be working again with 

Diacore on this diamond, given their 

outstanding history of releasing the 

true beauty of exceptional finds such 

as this.” 

Nir Livnat, chairman, Diacore, 

added, “We’re excited and humbled 

to have the opportunity of designing 

and shaping one of the most special 

and rare blue diamonds of such size 

and colour." 

De Beers Group and Diacore 

previously purchased five blue 

Cullinan diamonds in November 

2020. 

E pink@samsgroup.com.au W samsgroup.com.au P 02 9290 2199

De Beers profits rebound amid COVID recovery 

rough diamond demand as the midstream pulled 

through stocks in response to the recovery in 

consumer demand,” according to the report. 

“The closing price index was 14 per cent above the 

opening index over the first six months of 2021, 

reflecting positive consumer demand for diamond 

jewellery as well as tightness in inventories across 

the diamond value chain,” it added. 

Following a challenging 2020, a robust recovery in the 

diamond market has put De Beers back on track. 

The latest financial reports from De Beers 

indicate the company – the world’s second-largest 

diamond producer by volume – has returned to 

the black. 

Revenue increased to $US2.9 billion in the first 

six months of 2021, compared with $US1.22 

billion during the same period in 2020 due to the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rough sales increased from 8.55 million carats 

to 19.1 million carats, while production also 

increased from 11.3 million carats to 15.4 

million carats; De Beers has indicated its annual 

production target for 2021 is 32–33 million carats. 

The promising results were “driven by robust 

Consumer demand has been largely driven by the 

recovery in the US market, which has benefited 

from relaxed restrictions in the wake of mass 

COVID-19 vaccinations. 

Globally, international travel restrictions have 

also led to increased consumer spending on 

luxury goods. 

Meanwhile, an outbreak in India in April and May 

led to shortages, which restricted supply and 

boosted polished prices. 

De Beers recorded provisional sales of $US510 

million for its sixth ‘Cycle’ of the year, up from 

$US477 million in the previous Cycle and $US116 

million for the same period in 2020. 

In February 2021, the company reported an 

underlying loss of $US102 million for the 2020 

financial year. 

Sapphire 'cluster', potentially valued at 

$100 million, found in Sri Lanka 

a well on a property in Ratnapura – a region 

known for its gemstones – more than a year ago, 

and took months to fully clean and analyse. 

Coveted by collectors, star sapphires display 

the optical phenomenon known as asterism, in 

which their inclusions reflect light in a specific 

way that creates a star-like shape with four, six, 

or 12 'points'. The number of points influences 

the value of the gemstone. 

The Serendipity Sapphire was unearthed in Ratnapura 

last year while workmen dug a well. Image: BBC 

The world's largest star sapphire 'cluster' has been 

found in the backyard of a Sri Lankan gemstone 

trader, according to multiple media reports. 

The specimen reportedly weighs 510kg – 2.5 

million carats – with an estimated value of up to 

$US100 million ($AU136 million), and has been 

named the 'Serendipity Sapphire'. 

It was unearthed by workmen who were digging 

Speaking to the BBC, gemmologist Dr Gamini 

Zoysa said, "I have never seen such a large 

specimen before. This was probably formed 

around 400 million years ago." 

While the specimen has not been independently 

authenticated by international experts, Thilak 

Weerasinghe, the Chairman of the National Gem 

and Jewellery Authority of Sri Lanka, said, "It 

is a special star sapphire specimen, probably 

the biggest in the world. Given the size and its 

value, we think it will interest private collectors 

or museums."

Mining at long-dormant Aussie mine to begin 'in September' 

The Ellendale site in Western Australia is one of just 

two remaining viable diamond mines in Australia, and 

is known for producing large volumes of fancy yellow 

stones. Image: India Bore Diamond Holdings 

India Bore Diamond Holdings (IBDH), one of 

two Australian companies currently operating 

at the Ellendale site in Western Australia – 

which has been dormant since 2015 – has 

indicated it could begin small-scale mining 

operations as early as September 2021. 

The company was granted additional mining 

leases by the West Australian government 

in July and has also recently completed a 

Heritage Impact Assessment survey with 

traditional owners, paving the way for 

authorities to approve mining operations to 

commence. 

Peter McNally, managing director IBDH, told the 

ABC, "We've got a fairly extensive gravel channel 

there to mine and in a few weeks' time we 

should have approval to commence commercial 

mining where those good diamonds are. 

"I'm fairly confident that it will be approved, and 

we hope to be mining in September." 

McNally added, "They're not as rare as the 

pinks, the reds or the blues [but] the yellow 

diamonds are probably still the most popular 

of the coloured diamonds. We will look to learn 

from the experience that Argyle had and how 

they taught the world to market diamonds." 

The other mining company operating at 

Ellendale, Perth-based Burgundy Diamond 

Mines (BDM), has similar plans. 

Peter Ravenscroft, managing director BDM, 

has said the company hopes to follow the 

Argyle "template": "We will be looking at 

rebranding them, potentially even changing the 

name of the Ellendale diamonds and taking 

them to market ourselves," he told the ABC. 

BDM is currently in the process of building a 

bulk-sampling plant, with production estimated 

to begin by the fourth quarter of 2022. 

Ellendale once supplied approximately 50 per 

cent of the world's yellow diamonds; however, 

BDM says its production will be "smaller and 

more mobile". 

AUSTRALIAN 

JEWELLERY TOOLS 

WHOLESALER 

 

 

 

 

Glues 

 

 

 

www.labanda.com.au

Michael Hill Jewellers rash of 

robberies: seven in 12 months 

INCREASE 

Y UR SALES 

WITH LA COURONNE’S 

COMPLETE MARKETING PACKAGE 

Burglars smashed the window of the Michael Hill store in Pukekohe in an 

overnight raid in July. Image credit: South Magazine/Facebook 

New Zealand police are investigating 

another burglary at a Michael Hill 

jewellery store, taking to seven 

the number of heists targeting the 

business over the past 12 months. 

The most recent burglary took place 

on Sunday 18 July at Pukekohe in 

south Auckland. 

According to the New Zealand Herald, 

a group of offenders forced their way 

into the store at around 12.30am. 

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant 

Michele Gillespie said a “quantity 

of jewellery” was stolen, with the 

burglars fleeing the area afterwards. 

An employee said she received a 

phone call from security shortly 

after the incident; a team member 

met with police later that morning. 

The latest incident follows a robbery 

two weeks ago – the sixth in the 

past year – when two men robbed 

the Michael Hill store at Waitakere’s 

West City Mall on Saturday 3 July. 

According to media reports at 

the time, the thieves made off 

with pieces valued at $NZ100,000 

($AU94,683), including the store’s 

stock of larger chains and watches, 

some of which were valued at 

$NZ18,000 to $NZ25,000. 

A Michael Hill employee said, “They 

knew what they were getting.” 

In May, two off-duty police officers 

and local retailers stepped in to 

foil the robbery of a Wellington 

jewellery store. 

As previously reported by Jeweller, 

Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura 

and her partner, retired Detective 

Inspector David Archibald, noticed a 

commotion inside the Michael Hill 

store in the Lambton Quay area while 

on a morning walk. 

Archibald told New Zealand news 

website Stuff.co.nz, “I ran into 

the store and saw a masked and 

gloved man grappling with the store 

manager. I managed to get quite a 

good grab on him. He was pretty 

strong but from experience, you know, 

[I] never let go.” 

Kura phoned police and several staff 

from nearby stores rushed to provide 

assistance. 

“I saw someone pulling his belt off 

and another had the price tag still on 

it,” Archibald recalled. 

“A staff member had brought the 

belt from their stock to help tie him 

up, which was smart thinking.” 

On-duty officers soon arrived at the 

scene and arrested the would-be 

robber, recovering jewellery valued 

at $NZ28,000 ($AU26,049). 

Added Kura, “Police, with the help 

of some brave members of the 

public, have taken a risk-taking thief 

off the street.” 

The Pukekohe robbery is one of 

a spate of Michael Hill Jewellers 

targeted in the Auckland region 

including the Queen Street store 

which was subjected to an overnight 

smash-and-grab raid on Friday 

23 April, and the Westfield Albany 

store that was burgled on Monday 

26 April, with a “large quantity” of 

jewellery stolen. 

Several people – including teenagers 

– have since been charged in relation 

to those crimes.. 

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News In Brief 

Swatch returns to profit, 

trade shows 

4 Swatch Group has reported a strong 

recovery in the first six months of 2021, 

with sales increasing more than 50 per 

cent to CHF3.39 billion ($AU5.1 billion) and 

operating profits rising to CHF402 million, 

compared with an operating loss of CHF 

-327 million in the previous year. Meanwhile 

executives from Longines, RADO, Tissot 

and Hamilton will be present at the Couture 

trade fair in Las Vegas later this month. 

New diamond tracing 

partnership 

4 In a bid to improve diamond tracing, 

Gem Certification & Assurance Lab 

(GCAL) has announced it will share 

data – including certification information 

and photos – with blockchain platform 

Everledger. Angelo Palmieri, COO GCAL, 

said, "It will provide consumers with 

greater assurance... and retail jewellers 

with more substantial information about 

the diamond to help close more sales." 

New luxury 

conglomerate? 

4 The family that controls Ferrari is 

rumoured to have approached Italian 

fashion brand Giorgio Armani with a 

view to creating a new European luxury 

conglomerate, Reuters and Business 

of Fashion report. The holding company 

for the Agnelli family has recently 

made significant investments in French 

accessories brand Christian Louboutin 

and Chinese luxury group Shang Xia. 

Fancy colour diamond 

prices inch higher 

4Blue diamond prices have outpaced 

pinks in the latest Fancy Color Diamond 

Index report, published by the Fancy 

Color Research Foundation (FCRF) and 

based on trade data from New York, 

Tel Aviv, and Hong Kong. While pink 

diamonds experienced an overall rise 

of 0.3 per cent over the quarter, blue 

diamond prices increased 0.4 per cent. 

Yellow diamond prices remained stable, 

increasing 0.1 per cent. 

Everything changes in a COVID world: India 

Jewellery Show moves cities 

This year's India International Jewellery Show will 

take place outside Mumbai for the first time. 

One of the world’s largest jewellery trade fairs, 

the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS), 

is being relocated from Mumbai to Bengaluru 

(formerly Bangalore). 

Organised by India’s Gem & Jewellery Export 

Promotion Council (GJEPC), IIJS Premiere 2021 

will take place between 15–19 September this 

year at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre 

(BEIC), rather than the traditional Bombay 

Exhibition Centre. 

It is the first time the trade fair will take place 

outside of Mumbai and will be India’s first 

‘physical’ show since the COVID-19 pandemic 

began in early 2020. 

In its heyday, prior to the pandemic, IIJS boasted 

more than 1,300 exhibitors and 35,000–40,000 

visitors, of which more than 1,000 were 

international buyers. 

The BIEC has five exhibition halls encompassing 

77,220 square metres of covered exhibition space 

and parking for approximately 6,000 vehicles. 

Shailesh Sangani, exhibitions convenor at the 

GJEPC, said that one of the considerations in 

moving the show was the restrictions of the 

Mumbai location. 

“We have finalised Bangalore as our destination 

to host IIJS Premiere this year, owing to the 

venue constraints in Mumbai. The Karnataka 

[state] government was quick to offer all the 

necessary approvals to organise the show,” 

Sangani explained. 

He added, “Shifting the venue has not affected 

the participants' enthusiasm, as evident from the 

applications received from 1,275 companies for 

2,444 stalls. As always, the security of this show 

will be handled by Central Industrial Security 

Force, which has already completed the initial 

[reconnaissance] visit of the location.” 

Karnataka is the largest state in southwest 

India with Arabian Sea coastlines. The capital, 

Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), is a high-tech 

hub known for its shopping and nightlife. 

Colin Shah, chairman GJEPC, said, “We are 

delighted to announce the 37th edition of IIJS 

Premiere 2021. Ensuring that all [COVID-19] 

protocols are followed will be our top priority. 

We are looking forward to the show and hoping 

to meet the sourcing needs of buyers for the 

upcoming festive season. 

“An event of this magnitude needs a great venue, 

so we are glad that BIEC stepped up to help us 

organise it. I would like to express my gratitude 

to the Central and Karnataka State government 

for offering all the support in organising the first 

physical show after the lockdown,” Shah added. 

Coinciding with the IIJS announcement, the 

GJEPC has launched a new ‘brand identity’, 

comprising a redesigned logo and new mission 

statement to “position India as a unique 

destination for gems and jewellery”. 

The GJEPC was established in 1966 by the 

Ministry of Commerce and Industry with aim to 

promote the Indian gem and jewellery industry 

and its products. 

The new logo, designed by ANC, features a gold 

and silver circular symbol. 

A media statement explained that the new logo 

represents India’s ‘centrality’ to the international 

gemstone and jewellery industry, as well as the 

GJEPC’s authority and importance as an apex 

body: “The concentric circles represent a 

powerful force that radiates outwards from India, 

reaching out to the world. At another level, the 

symbol strongly connects to the category: gems 

and jewellery. The lines represent the facets of 

a cut gem.” 

Shah called the new logo a “nonverbal strategy 

that speaks volumes of the Council’s evolution.” 

And finally, on 20 July the winners of the 2021 

The Artisan Awards, India’s premier jewellery 

design competition, were announced at the 

Hotel Four Seasons in Mumbai. Both Indian and 

international craftsmen and women participated 

in the competition to showcase excellence and 

innovation in jewellery design. 

The theme for the 2021 awards was ‘Reinventing 

Vintage’ and included three jewellery eras 

from diverse cultures “to create timeless yet 

modern silhouettes”. Indian heritage was 

celebrated through the sub-theme Temple 

Jewellery; Japanesque was a recognition of Asian 

inspiration; and Victorian design referenced the 

colonial past. 

A total of 586 entries were received including from 

Japan, USA, Taiwan, Russia, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, 

and Australia. 

Eleven awards were announced as there was a tie 

in two of the three sub-categories. 


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10 Years Ago 

Time Machine: August 2011 

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

Historic Headlines 

4 Jewellers should invest in ‘pretty’ websites 

4 Ole Lynggaard hires new Australia manager 

4 New distributor for Police 

4 US jewellery brand makes debut in Aus 

4 Conscientious jewellery consumers rising 

Sams Watchmaker Jeweller 

undergoes re-branding 

Family-operated Australian distributor Sams 

Watchmaker Jeweller has rebranded itself as 

SAMS Group Australia and expanded its offering 

by taking on the distribution of fashion jewellery 

brand Tresor Paris and RM Williams’ watches. 

The company is predominantly known for its 

Classique watch brand, which founder Sam Der 

Bedrossian designed and started distributing 

throughout Australia – a few years after he 

established the company in 1967. 

From its initial beginnings as a watch assembler, 

Sams Watchmaker Jeweller developed into a 

watch wholesaler and is now looking to expand 

into jewellery. His son Steve Der Bedrossian, 

who is now manager of the business, said 

the repositioning is vital to keep up with the 

changing needs of retailers. 

Australia’s first diamond 

processing plant? 

Ausdex Diamonds Pty Ltd has appointed 

Infinite Capital to secure investors for a new 

venture to “become Australia’s first diamond 

manufacturer”. 

The company had previously advertised online 

seeking $US8 million ($AU7.7 million) in venture 

capital funding. 

Ausdex Diamonds should not be confused with 

a similarly named business, Ausdex Australian 

Diamond Exchange that was closed last 

December after its owner, Francine Gumina, 

declared bankruptcy. 

Although Gumina is the sister of Ausdex Diamonds 

director Sandro Catalini, he advises there was no 

connection between his company or the website 

Ausdexdiamonds.com.au, and the similarly named 

but now defunct Ausdiamondex.com.au. 

August 2011 

ON THE COVER Tuskc 

Editors’ Desk 

4Survival in a Branded World : “Branded 

product is great in good times and 

when there are lots of ‘free’ customers 

courtesy of the brand, but what about 

when sales slow down or customers 

aren’t returning to your store? 

Well, the first thing you need to do is 

know who this new customer is – after 

all, you can’t have a relationship with 

someone you don’t know. It’s just like the 

rules of dating – you have to be able to 

contact the date in order to ‘court’!” 

Soapbox 

4A Fast Track to Nowhere: “In an age 

where every Australian knows that 

if they don’t buy Product X today then 

it’ll be on sale in three weeks’ time, 

the whole retail system has been 

reduced to the lowest common 

denominator: price. 

“Consumers are squeezing the 

retailers, and the retailers are 

squeezing the wholesalers even 

harder. What I would like to know is 

where does the Australian wholesaler 

go from here?” 

– Robin Sobel, managing director, 

Protea Diamonds 

STILL RELEVANT 10 YEARS ON 

When The Going Gets Tough: 

When sales are dropping and customers 

are bargain-hunting for better deals, 

the instinctive response is to cut prices 

and offer dramatic discounts. While this 

might appear to be a good short-term 

solution, such a quick fix approach 

can also result in price wars, tarnished 

customer relationships and a 

diminished reputation. 

Pandora revises 2011 targets 

Pandora has updated its financial 

expectations for 2011, following a sharp 

decline in worldwide revenue according 

to a recent company announcement. 

At the same time, chief executive officer 

Mikkel Vendelin Olesen has resigned from 

Pandora, leaving board member Marcello 

Bottoli as interim CEO, while the company 

searches for a replacement. 

Following the significant decline in revenue 

this year – attributed to substantial price 

increases and poor marketing execution – the 

company has downgraded its 2011 guidance 

for revenue and EBITDA margins, with revised 

expectations to be at the 2010 levels. 

Another snag for NZ 

industry unification 

Talks between New Zealand’s major industry 

associations over the formation of a peak 

industry body have hit yet another stumbling 

block after Jewellers & Watchmakers New 

Zealand (JWNZ) cancelled the latest meeting 

at short notice. 

The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday 15 

July at the office of the New Zealand Retailers 

Association in Auckland. Representatives from 

the Jewellery Manufacturers Federation were 

also scheduled to attend. 

The JWNZ’s Steve Crout said he had “simply 

deferred the meeting until after our trade 

fair”, but he did not respond to questions as 

to why JWNZ could not meet before the fair, 

which is not for another month. 

READ ALL HEADLINES IN FULL ON 

JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM 


PETER W 

BECKAUSTRLAIAN 

MADE 

VISIT US AT THE INTERNATIONAL JEWELLERY & WATCH FAIR

INSIDE 

My Store 

Colette 

CALIFORNIA, USA with Colette Steckel, Founder and designer • SPACE COMPLETED 2021 

4Who is the target market and how did they 

influence the store design? 

The contemporary fine jewellery customer spans 

a wide range. I wanted to create a store that 

welcomed not only more seasoned collectors, but 

also younger clientele who are starting to learn 

about fine jewellery and expressing interest in 

investing in the category. 

The location in Brentwood, Los Angeles also 

plays a huge role – it’s a great community of local 

businesses with people out and about all day. I’m 

so thrilled to be part of that mix. 

4With the relationship between store 

ambience and consumer purchasing in mind, 

which features in the store encourage sales? 

I’ve always found the ambiance of the store really 

important to a customer’s experience, ultimately 

helping to influence a purchase. 

When designing the new location, I thought about 

my favourite in-store experiences and set out 

to create an environment that is welcoming and 

luxurious at once. 

Shopping for fine jewellery can often be 

intimidating, and that’s the opposite of how 

I want our customers or passers-by to feel when 

they see the store. 

Incorporating the lifestyle aspect with a curation 

of home goods and other items from Mexico 

City and Paris – representing my own heritage 

– ‘diffuses’ the jewellery a bit and gives the 

store a more relaxed feel. The extended product 

offering also gives visitors the opportunity to find 

something at a range of price points. 

They may come in to see the jewellery, but they 

can also walk out with a backgammon set! 

4What is the store design’s ‘wow factor’? 

The centrepiece is a beautiful velvet-like marble 

that is featured throughout the store. It has a 

gorgeous mix of lavender, pale pink and blues that 

brings the whole space together. 

That, coupled with our herringbone floors 

and the gorgeous light flowing in, makes the 

space feel very reminiscent of a contemporary 

Parisian apartment. 


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INSIDE 

Now & Then 


Celebrating 96 Years • MURRAY BRIDGE, MOUNT BARKER AND BERRI, SA • A moment with Jennifer Burch, director 

MILESTONES 

L to R: Desmond and Deborah Stapleton outside the renamed Offe’s Hourglass Jewellers; a devastating fire 

destroyed the historic Murray Bridge store in 2002. 

After World War I, William “Bill” Offe 

returned to South Australia from France, 

only to discover his family farm could no 

longer support him or his siblings. 

So, Bill entered a watchmaking 

apprenticeship with Keightly Jewellers 

in Angaston, in the Barossa Valley. 

Following his apprenticeship, Bill opened a 

business in the town of Renmark and then 

later expanded to Berri; however, times 

became tough as one of the region’s biggest 

employers, the Hume Pipe Company, closed. 

Undeterred, Bill and his wife Lilian decided 

to move ‘down river’ to the growing town of 

Murray Bridge, where they opened a small 

store, Offe Jewellers, in the newly complete 

Ruges Arcade. 

Over time, Bill expanded the store into 

china and giftware – but there were more 

challenges on the horizon. 

The years of World War II were difficult 

for many jewellery and watchmaking 

businesses throughout Australia. 

Importing goods became almost impossible, 

alarm clocks and watches were sold on 

a priority basis to essential services, and 

gold and jewellery were strictly rationed 

as luxuries. 

Still, Offe Jewellers survived, and a 

glassware section was added; Bill’s son 

Ian – a qualified gemmologist – then joined 

the business. 

After Bill passed away in the 1960s, Ian took 

over and worked alongside his mother to 

keep Offe Jewellers thriving. They celebrated 

the store’s 50th anniversary in 1975 with 

extensive renovations to the jewellery 

section, as well as modernised entrances 

coinciding with wider alterations to the 

Ruges Arcade building. 

In the early 1990s, the Offes sold the 

business to jewellery industry veteran 

Desmond “Des” Stapleton and his wife 

Deborah, who rebranded the store as Offe’s 

Hourglass Jewellers. 

Des had started in the industry in 1962 

as a messenger boy for a jewellery supplier 

and went on to establish his own business 

importing jewellery from Europe. The 

decision to move into retail was motivated by 

his desire to reduce his travel commitments 

and spend more time with his family. 

A new era of expansion took place when 

Des decided to open a second location; he 

approached Mt Barker Jewellers owner and 

manufacturing jeweller Michael Vivian about 

a partnership, and together they opened 

a new, larger store named Hourglass 

Jewellers Mt Barker. 

Having worked to re-establish the wholesale 

part of the family business while studying at 

university, I joined Offe Jewellers full-time in 

the early 2000s after completing my degree. 

While my focus was on wholesale and 

buying, my brother Damien came in to 

support our father as retail manager of 

the Murray Bridge store. My other brother 

Michael also joined the business supporting 

me within the wholesale arm. 

One of the toughest times came in 2002, 

when a devastating fire destroyed the Murray 

Bridge store – forcing the historic building to 

be demolished. It took two years to rebuild, 

throughout which Offe Hourglass Jewellers 

operated from a temporary location. 

1925 

William “Bill” Offe and wife 

Lilian move to Murray 

Bridge and open Offe 

Jewellers, later adding 

china, giftware, and 

glassware sections 

1953 

Bill and Lilian’s son Ian, 

a gemmologist, joins 

the business 

1975 

Offe Jewellers celebrates 

its 50th anniversary with 

extensive renovations 

1992 

Desmond “Des” Stapleton 

and wife Deborah purchase 

the business from the 

Offes and rename it Offe’s 

Hourglass Jewellers 

1993 

Michael Vivian, jeweller 

and owner of Mt Barker 

Jewellers, partners with 

Des to open a large new 

Hourglass Jewellers store 

in Mount Barker 

1995 

The Murray Bridge store 

marks its 70th year with 

another renovation , adding 

a full-time manufacturing 

jeweller and state-of-theart 

workshop 

2000 

Des and Deborah’s 

daughter Jennifer joins 

the business, followed 

by brothers Damien 

and Michael 

2002 

The Murray Bridge store 

is destroyed in a 

devastating fire; 

rebuilding takes two years 

2007 

Michael’s daughter Ellie 

begins working at the 

Mount Barker location 

2008 

Des is approached by 

Riverland Central Plaza 

shopping centre to open 

a store in Berri; Damien 

oversees the new location 

2018 

Des and Deborah pass on 

the business to Damien, 

Jennifer and Michael, and 

all three stores revert to 

the original business name 


Above: The original Offe Jewellers in Murray Bridge 

moved to its present location in 2018. 

Thankfully, we were able to return to our 

corner site once the rebuild was complete, 

and a stunning, modern new store rose 

from the ashes. 

In the following years, Michael Vivian’s 

daughter Ellie joined him at the Mount 

Barker store, bringing another generation 

into the business. We also joined the 

Leading Edge Group Jewellers buying 

group, which led to our being approached 

to open a third store in Berri. 

This was particularly poignant, as Bill 

Offe’s first business had a store in Berri. 

Damien re-located there to oversee the 

new store. 

After taking over the business from our 

parents, we rebranded back to our original 

name – Offe Jewellers – in 2018 and the 

original Murray Bridge store moved to 

24 Bridge Street with a new workshop. 

The Mount Barker and Berri stores 

have also recently undergone 

refurbishments to create beautiful, 

contemporary retail spaces. 

The future of Offe Jewellers will focus on 

manufacturing and repairs, as well as 

offering a broad range of fine and branded 

jewellery and watches. We have also 

placed great emphasis on e-commerce, 

allowing our customers to browse both 

online and in-store. 

With our experienced family team, we look 

to continue the Offe Jewellers legacy for 

many years to come. 

Read the full length interview 

on Jewellermagazine.com 


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Behind every gemstone, 

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with GAA brings the 

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Gemmologist and Diamond Technologist 

Diamond 

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Gem-Ed Australia 

ADELAIDE BRISBANE HOBART MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY 

Passionately educating the industry, gem enthusiasts 

and consumers about gemstones

REVIEW 

Gems 

Diaspore: Colour and light 

L to R: Lance Fischer earrings; Kat Florence necklace; Erica Courtney ring 

Below: Jack Kelége ring; Provenance Gems ring 

Diaspore derives its name from the Greek 

word diaspora – meaning ‘to scatter’. The 

prized colour-change varieties may be better 

known as Csarite or, formerly, Zultanite. 

Gem-quality diaspore is best known for 

its colour change, an optical effect that 

occurs when different types of lighting 

interact with the gemstone. 

In daylight, this stone is usually a 

greenish colour, that changes to a pinkish 

brown or even red in incandescent light. 

Trace elements of titanium, vanadium, 

iron and chromium within the structure 

are responsible for this effect. 

It is this variety of diaspore, which many 

may know by the name of Zultanite, 

that consumers encounter on cruise 

ships and other tourist markets around 

the world. This material is not readily 

available as the market is controlled by 

two producers. 

Aside from colour change, diaspore may 

also be pink, yellowish, bluish, greenish 

brown, white, or colourless. 

The hue of diaspore tends to vary across 

deposits around the world – green and 

purple from Norway, reddish pink from 

South Africa and chromium-rich green 

from Russia. 

A recently discovered deposit in Pakistan 

produces a particularly attractive purplish 

pink that is growing in popularity. The 

colour change variety is exclusive to the 

Anatolian Mountains of Turkey. 

With a brilliant lustre and very high 

dispersion, this gemstone breaks up light 

into the seven spectral colours better than 

diamond. Such impressive fire contributes 

to the appeal of a well-cut diaspore. 

Crystallising in the orthorhombic 

system, diaspore is strongly trichroic. 

This means three different colours are 

prominent when viewing the specimen 

at different angles – usually a violet-blue, 

red, and pale green – an effect distinct 

from colour change. 

This, coupled with the colour change 

phenomenon and the rarity of transparent 

gem-quality diaspore, are three main 

factors that determine its value. 

Another feature affecting the value is 

a rather rare cat’s eye chatoyancy – a 

captivating single-ray gleam of light 

reflected off the inclusions within, and 

best shown when cut en cabochon. 

The hardness of diaspore sits at 6.5-7 on 

Mohs’ scale. Being on the slightly softer 

side and featuring two planes of cleavage 

– one perfect and one distinct – it is 

best suited to less exposed jewellery not 

intended to be worn every day. 

Knocking this gemstone in just the right 

spot will split it in two! 

Navigating this cleavage when cutting 

diaspore can be very tricky. Large gemquality 

specimens are very rare, partly 

due to the amount of material lost in the 

fashioning process. 

When working with this gemstone, it 

is important to be aware and cautious 

Diaspore 

From the Greek 

diaspora, meaning 

“to scatter” 

Colour: Pink, yellowish, 

bluish, greenish brown, 

white, colourless, 

colour-change 

Found in: Norway, South 

Africa, Russia, Turkey, 

Hungary, USA 

Mohs Hardness: 6.5–7 

Class: Oxide mineral 

Lustre: Adamantine, 

vitreous 

Formula: AlO(OH) 

of its brittle nature. Warm soapy water 

is recommended in place of ultrasonic 

cleaning. 

Synthetic diaspore is not available – 

potentially a result of a lack of substantial 

demand to drive commercially viable 

synthesis. Gemstones labelled as 

synthetic diaspore are likely to be another 

synthetic material with a colour-change 

effect imitating Zultanite. 

In the world of gemstones, imitation 

gems are often created and marketed 

to resemble more expensive or rarer 

crystals. 

In the case of diaspore, colour change 

glass ‘doped’ with rare earth elements is 

an example of an imitation. 

However, is a relatively easy stone for 

the trained gemmologist to identify and 

separate from other material. 

Though not as pronounced as alexandrite, 

the colour change phenomenon is highly 

desired. This characteristic, combined 

with an attractive high dispersion and the 

rarity of diaspore, make it admired and 

collected by many. 

Mikaelah Egan FGAA Dip DT 

began her career in the indsutry at 

Diamonds of Distinction in 2015. She now 

balances her role as a gemmologist at 

Vault Valuations in Brisbane with studying 

geology at the University of Queensland. 

Visit instagram.com/mikaelah.egan 


GEMSTONE FEATURE 

Lapidary Design 

COLOURED 

GEMSTONES 

JUSTIN K PRIM explores the fascinating variety 

of coloured gemstone cuts and how each one 

enhances the rough crystal to its full potential.

GEMSTONE FEATURE | Lapidary Design 

by JUSTIN K PRIM 

Once upon a time, buyers of coloured stones 

were solely focused on colour and size, 

but in the 21st Century, gemstone and 

jewellery customers are becoming more aware 

of the effect of the cut on coloured gemstones. 

Gemstone grading laboratories started issuing cut grades 

on diamonds in 2006 – which caused the entire diamond 

industry to become more conscious of the cutting quality – 

but in coloured gemstones, this revolution has yet to arrive. 

Some laboratories are starting to issue cut grades 

on reports and a few have even offered the option of 

including the cutter’s name as an attempt to add value 

and provenance to a gemstone. 

Each type of cutting style offers unique benefits to the 

gemstones, whether that means enhanced colour, weight 

retention, or more sparkle. 

Each cutting style offers unique 

benefits to the gemstones, whether 

that means enhanced colour, 

weight retention, or more sparkle" 

When the cutter picks up a piece of rough in order to plan 

the cut, they must make many complex decisions around 

how the stone will be cut, with respect to the rough 

stone’s original shape, colour, and weight. 

In an attempt to make gemstone and jewellery buyers 

more aware of the benefits of different types of cutting, 

this guide outlines the benefits and differences between 

some of the most popular cuts. 

Cutting quality 

A disclaimer must be made in a guide such as this – 

not all cutting is equal. 

The stones that are about to be presented here are 

perfectly cut to represent the best qualities of each cut. 

When you enter a gem market, this is not always – and 

not usually – the case. 

Often, we find stones in the market whose cut has 

been compromised in order to make the best use 

of the original rough. 

For buyers, this means that we might see a cut that 

fails to present beauty in some way because it has a 

window that is leaking light, a poorly shaped outline, 

is unintentionally asymmetrical, or a myriad of other 

problems which are outside the scope of this article. 

Chaumet 'Labyrinthe' brooch 

from the Perspectives Collection, 

featuring oval rubellite, baguette 

tourmaline, jade and brilliant-cut 

diamond 

Chopard Red Carpet Collection 

Earrings, featuring brilliantcut 

topaz, cabochon sapphire, 

and brilliant-cut orange and 

blue sapphire 

Van Cleef & Arpels 'Iwamoto' 

ring from the Sous Les Étoiles 

Collection, featuring octagonal 

sapphire, hexagonal emerald, 

green tourmaline, baguette 

diamond 

A note on shape 

Before we get into cutting styles, a word must be said 

about the shape of the stone. In almost every example in 

this article, the outline shape of the stone and the cutting 

style are independent features of the cut. 

For example, a round stone is often cut in the Brilliant 

style but it’s also possible for it to be cut as a Step cut, a 

Portuguese cut, a Mixed cut, and many more. 

Almost any cutting pattern can be applied to any shape, 

so there is a creative choice to be made by the cutter 

when designing the stone. 

The outline shape will usually follow the shape of the 

rough material but the cutting pattern will be chosen 

based on the colour and tone of the stone as well as 

the optical effect and visual feeling that the cutter 

wants to create. 

Major cutting styles 

Let us begin our journey through the world of gem cuts 

with the three major styles. There are some cutting 

styles that we see being used over and over in every 

type of gemstone. 

These three styles represent the most popular cutting 

styles used throughout the world of coloured gemstones. 

» Brilliant – The Brilliant cut is the best cut for creating 

sparkle and flash in a stone. It reflects more white light 

and gives the stone a feeling of scintillating light. It’s a 

great cut for adding life to a stone, especially if it’s light 

or white coloured. 

The downside to this cut is that it loses much more of the 

stone’s original rough weight and also, since it adds white 

light into the stone, the colour saturation decreases. 

If you have a stone with a moderately deep colour 

saturation and you give it a Brilliant cut, you tend to lose 

some of that colour; whereas if you have a dark stone, 

the Brilliant cut might be just the thing to lighten it up. 

The Brilliant cut was originally made to enhance the 

brilliance of diamonds in the 1600s but was quickly 

adapted for use in the coloured gemstone world as well. 

Any stone can be cut as a Brilliant, though since this is 

the cut that loses the most weight, we see it used more 

often in stones of lower value as well as melee. 

It’s a cut that is regularly used in garnet and topaz, and 

rarely seen in emerald and tourmaline; it would be rare 

to find a Brilliant cut ruby and slightly challenging to find 

a Brilliant cut sapphire. 

» Step – Step cut means that the cut is composed of 


Lapidary Design | GEMSTONE FEATURE 

Round brilliantcut 

Montana pink 

sapphire by Phil 

Lagas-Rivera 

Rough and 

polished amethyst 

in a variety of 

shapes and cuts 

long parallel rectangular facets. There are different types 

of Step cuts – both the Emerald cut and Asscher cut 

are types of Step cuts, although the traditional one is a 

square or rectangular baguette shape. 

Because the pavilion of the stone is rounder and slightly 

deeper than a Brilliant cut, this style ends up being the 

best way to retain the weight of the rough stone as well 

as intensifying the colour saturation. 

Almost any cutting pattern 

can be applied to any shape, 

so there is a creative choice to 

be made by the cutter when 

designing the stone" 

The Step cut is the traditional cut for coloured 

gemstones and we can go all the way back to the 1400s 

to see where it started being used in sapphires, rubies, 

and later on in emeralds. 

The rectangular Step and the Emerald cut are very 

popular for gemstones that grow in long shapes such 

as emerald, tourmaline, and aquamarine. 

These stones have a crystal habit which is long and 

pencil-like, and it makes sense to give them long designs 

with long facets that follow the shape of the crystal. 

» Mixed cut – The Mixed cut combines the best of 

both the Brilliant and Step cut designs. 

The crown of the stone is faceted as a Brilliant cut to 

give the stone sparkle and flash, and the pavilion of 

the stone is faceted as a Step cut to retain weight and 

optimise colour. 

This is the most popular type of cutting in the world 

today and many popular cutting houses have put this 

style in the spotlight. 

It originated at the end of the 1800s, coming from the 

Step-cut emerald by 

Doug Menadue 

'Starbrite' Mixed-cut Malaya 

Garnet by John Dyer 

Portuguese/Brilliant-cut yellow 

tourmaline by Daniel Stair 

Old Mine-style diamond cut, but has now been adapted 

with different angles that are more appropriate for 

coloured gemstones. 

We often see this cut used on ruby and sapphire, though 

any gemstone can be found with this style, from spinel 

to garnet to tourmaline. 

It’s a popular style that makes almost any gemstone 

look good, though it would probably be hard to find an 

emerald with this cut. 

Popular cutting styles 

The next set of cuts are ones that we see frequently in 

the coloured gemstone market but are not as readily 

available, as the major three described above. 

All of these popular styles are cut in the various cutting 

centres around the world, and all have unique benefits. 

» Portuguese – The Portuguese cut can be very 

hit-or-miss. The famous cutting houses in Germany’s 

Idar-Oberstein have been popularising this cut for more 

than 100 years and, in their careful hands, the cut can 

make a subtle-coloured stone like a peachy morganite 

or a seafoam tourmaline look vivid and soft, without 

becoming too flashy and bright. 

The famous cutting houses in 

Germany’s Idar-Oberstein have 

been popularising this cut for 

more than 100 years" 

Unfortunately, many other cutting centres have adopted 

this cut as well and typically when you find the cuts 

coming from India or Thailand, they aren’t well executed. 

When done poorly, the cut is used solely to retain weight 

but at the cost of making the stone look undesirable. 

The typical Portuguese cut has a bulky pavilion that 

makes the stone have a lifeless window when looking 



L to R: 'Starbrite' Mixed cut Oregon 

sunstone by John Dyer; Asscher 

cut citrine by Doug Menadue; 

Cabochon jade, 1stDibs; princesscut 

garnet by Magus Gems; 

trillion-cut morganite by John 

Dyer; lapidary worker polishing 

boulder opal; lapidary machine 

into the table, surrounded by a black extinction 

halo with the true colour of the stone only 

revealing itself in small areas along the outside 

edge of the stone. 

This cut is a weight-saver so it can be found 

on all types of stones. Popular stones that are 

readily found with this cut would be tourmaline, 

tanzanite, amethyst, kunzite, and aquamarine. 

» Cabochon – The Cabochon is the oldest cut for 

coloured gemstones. It’s the only cut on this list 

that isn’t a faceted stone. 

The top of the stone is a dome that can be shallow 

or deep. The bottom is flat or slightly rounded to 

fit into a bezel setting. 

A cabochon can also be cut as a Sugarloaf, 

which means that it has four sides – like a 

rounded pyramid – which gives an effect like a 

smooth, colourful piece of candy. The benefit of 

the Cabochon is that it ‘glows’ colour, whereas a 

faceted gemstone shines. 

The Cabochon is often used for lower-quality 

transparent material that isn’t as useful for 

faceting, though for certain materials such as 

jade and opal, the most premium colours and 

clarities of the gemstone become the most 

beautiful in a Cabochon cut. 

Cabochons are also the optimum cut for 

displaying phenomenal effects such as stars, 

cat’s-eyes and adularescence, which are not 

visible without a dome shape. The Cabochon 

was once the only cut and its popularity still 

continues today. 

Every stone can be found as a cabochon but 

highlights include jade, star ruby and sapphire, 

opal, emerald (especially as a Sugarloaf), 

turquoise, cat’s-eye chrysoberyl, moonstone, 

and labradorite. 

» Trillion – The Trillion cut is a three-sided 

triangular cut and is one of the only styles on 

this list that is dependent on the shape. 

The cutter might choose to use this shape for a 

piece of rough gem that is naturally three-sided. 

The cutting style is usually a Mixed cut with 

a Brilliant crown and either a Brilliant, 

Portuguese, or Step cut pavilion. 

If the stone is cut on top and bottom in the 

Brilliant style then sometimes the name can 

be written as ‘Trilliant’. 

The benefit of the Cabochon 

is that it ‘glows’ colour, 

whereas a faceted gemstone 

shines... For certain materials 

such as jade and opal, the 

most premium colours and 

clarities of the gemstone 

become the most beautiful in 

a Cabochon” 

The benefit of this cut is that since it has 

an odd number of sides, each side reflects 

the light of the two opposite sides making 

Trillions naturally brighter and more sparkling 

than other styles. 

The Trillion cut is less common than some other 

styles on this list, so you don’t see as many 

gemstones readily available in this cut. 

The gemstones that you are likely to find 

are tanzanite, aquamarine, topaz, amethyst, 

and tourmaline. 

» Princess – The Princess cut is essentially 

a Brilliant cut for square stones. Since the 

Brilliant cut is composed of triangular shaped 

facets, it doesn’t fit inside of square shapes. 

So, in the early 1900s, gem cutters created this 

design to be able to give the square shape the 

same brilliant sparkle that they were able to 

achieve for round shapes. 

The Princess cut started as a popular cut 

for diamonds but now is used for coloured 

gemstones and works very well for brightening 

up dark material – though you don’t often see 

it used. 

It can be used on a square, rectangular 

or Emerald cut outline, and gives much 

more flash and light return than a Step 

cut, but at the cost of losing extra carat 

weight in the process. 

Sapphires are sometimes cut as Princess cut 

because they are frequently sold on shelves next 

to diamonds and the cut name often attracts the 

eyes of diamond buyers. 

However, any dark-toned stone would 

benefit from a Princess cut, such as spinels, 

tourmalines, and garnets. 

» Star – The Star cut is a useful cut that lies 

somewhere between a Brilliant cut and a 

Portuguese cut. 

Essentially, it’s a Brilliant cut that is given an 

extra set of facets on the pavilion that can help 

soften and diffuse lighter colours such as yellow, 

pink, and peach. 

It’s a cut that is often used in India and Sri Lanka 

but is quite useful on pastel coloured gemstones 

that might otherwise become too light with a 

normal Brilliant cut. 

The Star cut also has the benefit of giving the 


Like everything else 

when it comes to 

gemstones, the quality 

of the cutting has as 

much to do with the 

final appearance as 

the cutting style" 

typical Brilliant cut a slightly fresher look, so if you want 

something bright but not so ordinary, this might be 

a good choice. 

Star cuts are commonly seen but aren’t always recognised 

because of their similarity to Brilliant cuts. You can 

most often find them enhancing the pastel colours of 

tourmaline, morganite, aquamarine, topaz, and garnet. 

» Asscher – The Asscher cut is another design that was 

originally created for diamonds but which has recently 

become popular for coloured stones. 

It is a square emerald cut, but when executed correctly 

can present a very flashy and bright ‘hall of mirrors’ effect. 

The stone was named after its creator Joseph Asscher in 

the early 1900s and went out of fashion until the early 2000s. 

Today, we are seeing it presented as a newer cut for 

coloured gemstones and many people like its shape, which 

gives a slightly antique feel, harkening back to the Art 

Deco days from which it originated. 

Like the Princess cut, the Asscher cut isn’t a traditional 

style for coloured gemstones. Usually, the gemstone needs 

to be custom-cut to find this style; it is most often seen in 

tourmaline, garnet, spinel, and sometimes sapphire. 

Modern cutting styles 

There are thousands of modern cuts that 

could be presented here, but only a few 

popular favourites have been chosen. 

These modern cuts are not usually 

available in stores or commercially; they 

are typically designed and cut 

by boutique cutters in the 

precision market. 

» Opposed Bar – The Opposed 

Bar cut is an American d 

esign from the middle of 

the 20th Century that gives 

a unique optical illusion, 

Above: Opposed 

Bar-cut green 

tourmaline by 

John Dyer 

Left: Asscher-cut 

Ceylon sapphire by 

Jeff White


L to R: Tourmaline crystals; 

prong setting work on the 

'Iwamoto' ring from the Sous 

les Étoiles Collection, courtesy 

Van Cleef and Arpels 

Above: Hanami-cut amethyst 

and citrine by Marco Voltolini 

resembling flashing pixels that light up as the 

stone is rotated. 

The cut needs to be done on a square or 

rectangular-shaped stone and is comprised 

of rectangular facets on the crown, running 

widthwise, and long rectangular facets running 

perpendicular on the pavilion. 

These opposing rectangles give this modern cut 

style its name and the effect they create is unlike 

any other design. 

The Opposed Bar favours long crystals such as 

tourmaline, aquamarine, and heliodor. Bi-colour 

and tri-colour stones work especially well in this 

cut so watermelon tourmaline and ametrine are 

particularly stunning in the Opposed Bar style. 

» Checkerboard – The Checkerboard cut is a 

design that has no table; instead, the crown is 

faceted into tiny squares arranged in a grid that 

resembles a checkerboard. 

Because there is no table, you don’t easily see 

inside the gemstone, so instead your eye tends 

to focus on the colour. 

This is an excellent cut for material that has 

inclusions; because your eye becomes distracted 

by the checkerboard pattern, the inclusions are 

less obvious, making the gemstone look more 

presentable. The pavilion can be cut in any style 

such as Brilliant or Step cut. 

The Checkerboard pattern can be used on any 

type of gemstone but can often be found on 

amethyst, smoky quartz, topaz, aquamarine, 

garnet, rose quartz, morganite, and sometimes 

even an included ruby. 

» Hearts-and-Arrows – Hearts-and-Arrows is 

another diamond cut that has been adopted by 

the coloured gemstone industry. 

It’s a Brilliant cut with very specific and 

precisely-executed angles that give the 

illusion of tiny hearts and arrows that 

appear in the negative space between the 

flashes of the stone. 

Because it requires specific angles, it’s 

difficult to ‘pull off’ in coloured gemstones – 

which is why you don’t often see this design 

available in the commercial market. When done 

well, the effect is subtle but impressive. 

The Opposed Bar favours 

long crystals such as 

tourmaline, aquamarine, and 

heliodor. Bi-colour and tricolour 

stones work especially 

well in this cut" 

The Hearts-and-Arrows cut is most often seen in 

sapphire in centrepiece sizes, as well as melée 

size. Since this is typically used as a diamond 

cut, it’s often asked for by diamond customers 

who are entering the world of coloured 

gemstones for the first time. 

Tsavorite garnets can sometimes be found with a 

very stunning Hearts-and-Arrows cut as well. 

» Hanami – The Hanami cut is a 21st Century 

American cut by Marco Voltolini, a prolific 

American gemstone cut designer. 

The design of the stone emulates the shape of 

the cherry blossom flower; the Japanese term 

hanami means “the act of viewing a cherry 

blossom in full bloom”. 

The clever use of both polished and frosted 

(unpolished) facets on the crown gives the 

stone the optical illusion of having curves in 

the angular flat facets. This is a cut that you 

definitely won’t find in a store, so if it interests 

you, contact your local boutique cutter and have 

it customised in the material of your choice. 

Concluding thoughts 

There are many types of cuts out there and many 

qualities of cutting. Like everything else when it 

comes to gemstones, the quality of the cutting 

has as much to do with the final appearance as 

the cutting style. A good design executed poorly 

will not enhance the appearance of a gemstone. 

When a gem-cutter understands the basic 

laws of gemmology and has the right skills 

and equipment to give the stone a cut with an 

appropriate design, well-proportioned angles, 

and good meetpoints, the stone’s beauty will be 

maximised and can be enjoyed for a lifetime. 

This is an edited version of an article that was first 

published as "A Coloured Gemstone Buyer's Guide 

to Cut Styles" in The Australian Gemmologist, 

Volume 27(3), 2020, pp 108-113, and is reproduced 

with permission. 

JUSTIN K PRIM is an American lapidary and 

gemmologist based in Bangkok, Thailand. He has 

studied gem-cutting traditions all over the world 

as well as attending gemmology programs at 

the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and 

Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS). 

He works as a lapidary instructor for the Institute 

of Gem Trading as well as writing articles, 

producing videos, and giving talks about gemcutting 

history. Visit: www.justinkprim.com 


July 2021 | 41 

ziro_wd

CELEBRATING 

Local Talent 

Jewellers Showcase 

ARBOR BRUNSWICK 

The Little Things 

Black Diamond Ring 

Metal: 9-carat yellow gold 

Gemstone: Black diamond 

Elise Newman 

Melbourne, VIC 

SARAH 

GARDNER 

JEWELLERY 

Emerald And Pink 

Sapphire Splatter 

Earrings 

Metal: 18-carat 

yellow gold 

Gemstones: 

Emerald, pink 

sapphire, diamond 

Sarah Gardner 

Sydney, NSW 

KIP WILCKENS 

Snake Ring 


Gemstone: Diamond 

Kip Wilckens 

Adelaide, SA 

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 

HAMISH MUNRO 

Large Window Ring 

and Parmentier Ring 


yellow gold 

Gemstones: Pink 

sapphire (left), 

ruby (right) 

Hamish Munro 


TONYA GILBETT 

Etrusca Opal 

Earrings 

Metals: 18-carat 

gold, silver 

Gemstone: Opal 

Tonya Gilbett 

Hobart, TAS 


Jewellers Showcase 

PAUL TAYLOR 

JEWELLERS 

Green Amethyst 

Emerald Cut 

Pendant 


yellow gold 

Gemstones: 

Green amethyst, 

diamond 

Paul Taylor 

Auckland, NZ 

HOLLY RYAN 

Gold Wabi 

Sabi Ring with 

Diamonds 

Metals: 9-carat 

yellow gold 


Holly Ryan 

Sydney, NSW 

ADINA JOZSEF 

Grace Diamond, 

Sapphire & Pearl 

Drop Earrings 


yellow and white gold 

Gemstones: 

Pearl, diamond, 

sapphire 

Adina Jozsef 

Sydney, NSW 

JOHN MILLER 

DESIGN 

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Earrings 


yellow gold 

John Miller 

Yallingup, WA 

MANIAMANIA 

Etherea Ring 



Melanie Kamsler 

Sydney, NSW 

YOSSI 

Bespoke Ring 

Metal: White gold 

Gemstones: Citrine, 

pink tourmaline, 

amethyst, blue topaz 

and tsavorite garnet 

Yossi Jablonski 


ARBOR BRUNSWICK 

Aurora Borealis Ring 

Metal: Platinum 

Gemstones: Sapphire, white and 

champagne diamond, ruby 

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LESSONS IN LUXURY 

Understanding LVMH 

LVMH: 

WHY NO OTHER 

COMPANY 

COMPARES 

Luxury industry expert DANIEL LANGER 

explores the behemoth that is Moët Hennessy 

Louis Vuitton, and what every luxury business 

can learn from its success. 

Louis Vuitton 2021 'Bravery' High Jewellery Campaign

Tiffany & Co 

LESSONS IN LUXURY | Understanding LVMH 

TABLE 1: LVMH VS KERING & RICHEMONT 

Revenue of Europe's largest luxury groups, as at FY2020. 

REVENUE (€M) 

# of Brands 

Dior 

LVMH 44,651 74* 

Richemont ** 13,144 25 

Kering *** 13,100 12 

by DANIEL LANGER 

KEY FIGURES 

Luxury By 

The Numbers 

* Excludes Tiffany & Co. which was acquired in January 2021. 

** Richemont does not have a Wines & Spirits, Cosmetics & Perfume, or 

Selective Retailing division; however, it does have an Online Retail division 

*** Kering does not have a Wines & Spirits, Cosmetics & Perfume, 

or Selective Retailing division | Jeweller Research 

Most people are astonished by the size 

and dynamics of the luxury market. 

Intuitively, they assume luxury is 

a niche business – even people who work for 

luxury brands share this outlook. 

But what many underestimate is a luxury brand’s 

enormous value creation potential. 

This year, 2021, marks a historic moment for the luxury 

industry. All brands are hoping for better performances 

than last year and a speedy recovery for the European and 

North American luxury markets. 

Both regions fared poorly during the pandemic, with some 

categories losing 50 per cent or more of their market in 

these geographic regions, which many of the world’s mostadmired 

luxury brands call home. 

However, with the pandemic still raging across the first 

quarter of 2021, and most key European markets in strict 

lockdowns, the news that Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton 

(LVMH) became Europe’s most valuable company might 

have come as a surprise. 

According to data analyzed by Finaria, the French luxury 

conglomerate reached a staggering $US319.4 billion 

(€264.6 billion) as of February 26, 2021, surpassing Nestlé, 

the Swiss food giant. 

What’s driving this all-time-high valuation is how the 

luxury group used 2020 better than other luxury houses 

and put itself in the pole position for when the markets 

returned to – relatively – normal trading. 

In short, their strategy execution is a masterpiece of 

extreme value creation from which other brands can learn. 

The value of luxury 

What many businesses don’t fully understand is that 

consumers don’t buy luxury for the product itself, but for 

the brand’s exclusive value – which I describe using the 

term ‘Added Luxury Value’ (ALV). 

€264.4b 

LVMH valuation, 

26 February 2021 

Source: Finaria 

€196.8b 

Personal fortune of 

LVMH CEO Bernard 

Arnault, June 2021 

Source: Forbes 

41% 

Revenue from 

the Asian market 

Source: LVMH Annual 

Report 2020 

75 

Number of luxury 

brands – ‘maisons’ – 

owned by LVMH 

€4.02b 

Revenue from 

LVMH’s Watches & 

Jewellery division in 

the first half of 2021 

ALV is fascinating yet at the same time tricky. It is a 

value that results from psychological effects that make 

our brains attribute positive aspects – such as higher 

attractiveness, more expertise, a better life, and more 

self-esteem – to a person who buys or showcases a 

luxury item or brand. 

In other words, a luxury handbag or luxury watch 

ensures you are perceived as smarter, more attractive, 

and more fun to be with, according to my research. 

Brands with powerful stories that 

create desire can add significant 

premiums due to the rare value 

they produce; it is not only the raw 

materials, but what the branded 

product represents, that the 

consumer purchases" 

It is an automatic, archaic response in our brains that we 

cannot deny. Studies in Europe, China, Japan, and North 

America confirmed that the ALV effect is universal – 

regardless of how much we like luxury and independent 

of age or other variables. 

Even the product is mostly irrelevant, as this desire is 

driven primarily by the perceived story about the brand. 

Hence, brands with powerful stories that create desire 

can add significant premiums due to the rare value they 

produce; it is not only the raw materials, but what the 

branded product represents, that the consumer purchases. 

If your business’ brand creates high perceived consumer 

value, you can price for it and achieve profitability far 

beyond other categories; conversely, if brands cannot 

develop powerful stories, offer consistent experiences, 

or price their products correctly, ALV either does not 

develop or collapses completely. 


Understanding LVMH | LESSONS IN LUXURY 

7% 

Watches & 

Jewellery 

11% 

Wines & Spirits 

Bulgari 

12% 

Perfumes & 

Cosmetics 

47% 

Fashion & 

Leather Goods 

A TIMELINE 

THE MAKING OF 

A LUXURY TITAN 

ACQUISITIONS & MILESTONES 

23% 

Selective Retailing 

& Other 

1984 

1987 

1988 

1990 

1993 

1994 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999 

Businessman Bernard Arnault acquires Boussac, the bankrupt 

parent company of Christian Dior, for $US60 million 

Louis Vuitton merges with Moët-Hennessy to form LVMH in 

a $US4 billion deal; disputes immediately begin over control 

of the companies and Henry Racamier, long-term CEO Louis 

Vuitton, invites Arnault to acquire stock to secure his position 

LVMH acquires couture fashion house Givenchy from its founder, 

Hubert de Givenchy; it already controls Parfums Givenchy 

via subsidiary Veuve Clicquot 

Following a legal battle between Arnault and Racamier, 

Racamier steps down from LVMH 

French businessman Yves Carcelle joins LVMH as strategic 

director; under his leadership, the company invests in 

marketing through PR stunts, celebrity endorsements, and – 

most effectively – generating artificial scarcity 

Italian men’s apparel and leather goods brand Berluti and 

French-Japanese fashion brand Kenzo are folded into the group 

French perfume, cosmetics, and skincare brand Guerlain – 

founded in 1828 – is sold to LVMH by the Guerlain family 

Founded in 1945, Paris-based fashion and leather goods brand 

Céline is fully integrated into LVMH at a cost of FR2.7 billion; 

Spanish fashion house Loewe, founded in 1846, is also acquired 

LVMH invests $US2.6 billion to acquire a 61 per cent stake in 

DFS, a specialty retailer catering to international travellers 

(duty-free shopping); it also acquires winery Chateau D’Yquem 

LVMH acquires French perfume and cosmetics retailer Sephora 

for $US267 million 

The Asian economic crisis eats into sales, with the Specialty 

Retail division recording a 22 per vent decline in revenue for the 

first nine months of the year; however Arnault is undeterred and 

proceeds with the acquisition of Le Bon Marché, an exclusive 

Paris retailer, as well as champagne brand Krug 

The conglomerate pursues even more expansion, with 

the purchase of several US cosmetics companies and the 

establishment of its Watches & Jewellery division including 

TAG Heuer, Zenith, Ebel, and Chaumet; LVMH establishes US 

headquarters in New York 

And once it’s gone, it rarely returns. 

That is why many brands in the luxury sector decline quickly 

or never take off at all – managing ALV is a core task in 

luxury, and few brands spend the proper time on it. 

Unsurprisingly, LVMH is a master of storytelling and brand 

experience creation. Its founder and CEO, Bernard Arnault 

– who briefly became the world’s richest man in May – 

famously described luxury as “the ability to create desire”; 

the greater the lust, the higher the value creation. 

LVMH is a master of storytelling 

and brand experience creation. Its 

founder and CEO, Bernard Arnault 

– who briefly became the world’s 

richest man in May – famously 

described luxury as “the ability to 

create desire”; the greater the lust, 

the higher the value creation " 

In turn, more customers flock to the brands with the highest 

value creation and are willing to pay prices that correspond 

to that value. 

Creative strategy 

So how is that value achieved? The answer is with a 

combination of the best managers in luxury and uniquely 

talented creatives like Dior’s Kim Jones and Louis Vuitton’s 

Virgil Abloh. 

A good example is the acquisition of Rimowa in October 

2016. Before LVMH controlled the luggage brand, it was 

without a clear profile or quality brand storytelling. 

It overemphasised its heritage – displaying almost 

a complete lack of innovation – and exclusively sold 

products wholesale, with little oversight of how they were 

merchandised or marketed. This impacted consumers’ 

‘brand experience’ significantly. 

As CEO, Alexandre Arnault – Bernard’s 29-year-old son, 


LESSONS IN LUXURY | Understanding LVMH 

CHART A + TABLE 2: LVMH COMPOSITION 

BY PRODUCT CATEGORY & REVENUE 

Category % REVENUE # of Brands 

Fashion & Leather Goods 47% 14 

Selective Retailing & Other 23% 16 

Perfumes & Cosmetics 12% 14 

Wines & Spirits 11% 24 

Watches & Jewellery 7% 6 

who reportedly convinced his father to pursue the acquisition 

– cleaned up the 122-year-old brand’s distribution, removing 

wholesalers and promotions, significantly increasing prices, 

and making the brand a disruptive force. 

Because of Rimowa’s efforts, carry-on luggage became as 

desirable as handbags for the first time in history, with seasonal 

collections that created the urge among wealthy travellers to 

showcase their newest and latest Rimowa holdalls. 

The Off-White x Rimowa transparent trolley quickly 

became an instant hit, as did a collaboration with streetwear 

brand Supreme. 

Then, with travel limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, 

Rimowa switched to backpacks and more practical items that 

people could use every day. 

With an injection of creativity and 

‘experience creation’, as well as more 

coherent pricing and assortment 

strategies, Tiffany will have enormous 

potential to expand" 

As a result, Rimowa became the perfect example of how a 

lagging brand can transform into a creative luxury powerhouse 

with a compelling brand story. 

During the pandemic, LVMH acquired the 

famed jeweller Tiffany & Co. I expect 

the company to give the brand 

a complete transformation 

similar to Rimowa’s, which 

will breathe new life and 

significant growth into the 

iconic American brand 

which already enjoys 

massive appeal in Asia. 

With an injection of creativity 

and ‘experience creation’, as 

well as more coherent pricing 

and assortment strategies, 

Tiffany will have enormous 

TOTAL 100% 74 

Source: LVMH Annual Report 2020, excludes Tiffany & Co., 

which was acquired in January 2021. Jeweller Research 

Tiffany & Co. 

2000 

2001 

2005 

2011 

2013 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2019 

2021 

Tiffany & Co. 

LVMH sells its stake in Gucci to Pinault-Printemps-Redoute 

(now Kering) for $US806 million 

LVMH takes a controlling interest in Italian fashion houses 

Emilio Pucci and Fendi and a minority stake in Rossimoda, later 

acquiring sole ownership 

LVMH acquires a 55 percent stake in iconic Art Deco-Art Nouveau 

French department store La Samaritaine and its real estate 

assets for €256 million; the store falls into disrepair in 2005 and 

LVMH later increases its ownership to 100 per cent in 2010 

The conglomerate acquires an 89 per cent stake in US fashion 

brand DKNY, later selling it for $US650 million 

The year also marks the start of LVMH’s attempt to take a 

controlling interest in Hermès; however, its accumulation of 

shares via subsidiaries is later found to breach French financial 

laws, leading LVMH to divest its 23.1 per cent stake in 2015 

The flagship Louis Vuitton ‘Maison’ opens on the Champs- 

Élysées in Paris to great fanfare. LVMH’s retail distribution 

network reaches 1,700 stores worldwide 

In a $US5.2 billion deal, LVMH acquires a controlling stake in 

Italian jewellery brand Bulgari from the Bulgari family 

LVMH spends €2 billion to acquire an 80 percent stake in the 

Italian luxury textile and ready-to-wear company Loro Piana 

Furthering its financial interests in the jewellery sector, LVMH 

purchases a minority stake in Italian jewellery brand Repossi, 

later increasing its stake to 69 per cent 

A €640 million deal sees LVMH take an 80 per cent stake in 

German luggage Rimowa 

LVMH makes its most expensive acquisition yet, spending 

$US13.1 billion to take control of Christian Dior 

The conglomerate announces plans to acquire US jewellery 

company Tiffany & Co. for $US16.2 billion; however, due to 

the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deal is later 

renegotiated amid legal wrangling 

LVMH completes its acquisition of Tiffany & Co. for $US16 billion, 

its largest deal to date 

Following an $US894 million refurbishment to turn it into a ‘retail 

destination’, La Samaritaine is re-opened in Paris 

Jeweller Research 


Understanding Up Close and LVMH Personal | LESSONS | PERSONALISED IN LUXURY JEWELLERY 

CHART B: LVMH GROWTH OVER TIME – REVENUE/SALES & NUMBER OF STORES 

REVENUE / SALES (€M) 

NUMBER OF STORES 

GFC 

COVID-19 

PANDEMIC 

60,000 

40,000 

20,000 

0 

2000 

2001 

2002 

2003 

2004 

2005 

2006 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013 

2014 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

2020 

Sources: LVMH Annual Reports (2000–2020), Jeweller analysis. Note: Store count unavailable for 2000–2001 | Jeweller Research 

potential to expand. Notably, Alexandre Arnault left 

his CEO role at Rimowa earlier this year to join 

Tiffany & Co. as its executive vice-president of product 

and communication. 

In March, LVMH named Ruba Abu-Nimah – a creative 

director, design and experiential consultant – as Tiffany’s 

creative director, with Cartier’s Nathalie Verdeille as 

vice-president and artistic director of jewellery and high 

jewellery, appointed in July. 

Pandemic potential 

Unlike many other luxury houses, LVMH has refrained 

from lowering prices or from promoting during the 

pandemic – a strategy that I suggest is the best practice 

for luxury brands. 

In fact, brands like Dior introduced price increases, 

reflecting the extreme value its brand creates. 

Another of LVMH’s strong characteristics is that it isn’t 

afraid of making tough decisions. 

LVMH provides a lesson for other 

luxury brands: if you focus on the 

excellent execution of a strong 

brand story, avoid the urge to 

promote, and digitally engage 

with your customer base in tough 

times, then you will be rewarded in 

customer desire, larger revenues, 

and higher profitability" 

One such decision was putting Fenty – the glamorous 

fashion house it created together with pop singer Rihanna 

– on hold in February 2021. 

Rumours about Fenty’s disappointing results and the high 

cost of establishing a new brand led LVMH to shift its focus 

to more promising and scalable brands for the time being. 

SNAPSHOT 

Notable 

Acquisitions 

1987 

1988 

1997 

1999 

1999 

2011 

2017 

2021 

In 2020, key LVMH brands like Dior continued to expand 

digitally by experimenting with newer platforms like TikTok, 

while other luxury brands were reluctant and slow to adapt. 

As such, the Dior x Air Jordan limited edition shoe created 

one of the highest instances of ‘digital demand’ ever, with 

more than 5 million people attempting to buy the shoes 

over the Dior website. 

This increased resale prices of the limited edition shoes to 

between $US10,000–$20,000, depending on the platform. 

That initiative alone shows the power of ALV. 

The ability to consistently manage a complex brand 

portfolio with the primary focus of creating desire and ALV 

– and translating that extreme value into higher prices – 

explains LVMH’s success story and has driven its market 

valuation to unprecedented heights. 

The company’s brands have been among the best 

managed during the pandemic, connecting strongly with 

their customer groups while always innovating. 

LVMH provides a lesson for other luxury brands: if you 

focus on the excellent execution of a strong brand story, 

avoid the urge to promote, and digitally engage with 

your customer base in tough times, then you will be 

rewarded in customer desire, larger revenues, and higher 

profitability. 

The current surge behind LVMH reflects that investors 

believe the company is well-positioned to lead, even in a 

pandemic. 

Do people have that kind of faith in your brand? 

This is an edited version of an article that was first 

published by Jing Daily in March 2021, and is reproduced 

with permission. 

DANIEL LANGER is one of the world’s most renowned 

experts on luxury brand building and extreme value 

creation. He is professor of Luxury Strategy at Pepperdine 

University, a keynote speaker, and a consultant to iconic 

luxury and lifestyle brands. Visit: daniellanger.digital and 

twitter.com/drlanger 


FRESH FOCUS 

REMAKING TIFFANY 

Since acquiring the American jewellery juggernaut in 

January 2021, LVMH has undertaken a full-scale transition 

of its executive leadership. Veterans of its other divisions – 

including senior management from Louis Vuitton and Rimowa 

– have taken the reins, with creative positions filled 

by executives from brands such as Cartier and Revlon. 

Among plans for store renovations and pop-ups – including 

the successful yellow store on Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive, to 

accompany the Tiffany Diamond – LVMH has also indicated it will 

invest significantly in expanding the Tiffany & Co. brand worldwide. 

Jean-Jacques Guiony, chief financial officer LVMH, told investors 

earlier this year, “Integrating Tiffany is very important to us... [The 

company is] a big acquisition for us [and] our number one priority. 

“It will take years to do what we want to do with this brand, from 

a distribution, merchandising, and marketing viewpoint. It is a lot 

of work – we are committed to doing it.” 

High-profile new celebrity spokespeople have been announced 

in recent months, including actresses Anya Taylor-Joy (top right) 

and Tracee Ellis Ross (top center), Olympian Eileen Gu, Blackpink 

singer Roseanne ‘Rosé’ Park (top left), and performer Jackson Yee. 

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT 

CHAIRMAN 

Michael Burke 

Also chairman, Louis Vuitton 

The Diamonds by DGA range includes 

9K and 18K gold bridal sets, wedding 

bands, earrings, bracelets, 

rings and pendants. 

New season designs now available. 

CEO 

Anthony Ledru 

Former executive vice-president of 

global commercial activities, Louis Vuitton 

VICE-PRESIDENT OF PRODUCT 

& COMMUNICATION 

Alexandre Arnault 

Former CEO, Rimowa 

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Ruba Abu-Nimah 

Former creative director, Revlon 

V I C E - P R E S I D E N T / 

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF JEWELLERY 

Nathalie Verdeille 

Former creative director, Cartier 


Jeweller Research 


EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY 

02 94170177 / WWW.DGAU.COM.AU

2021 BUYING GUIDE 

Christmas Ready 

SHOW & 

TELL 

Christmas 

Jeweller has compiled a selection of 

jewellery and watches to inspire and 

delight your customers, as well as 

services to ensure your store is wellprepared 

ahead of the all-important 

shopping period. 


Christmas Ready | 2021 BUYING GUIDE 

Ania Haie 

Duraflex Group Australia 

Preparing for a stylish summer, Ania 

Haie’s new collections encapsulate the 

season’s hottest styles. The Forget Me 

Knot collection stems from the catwalk 

trend of knotted and netted materials. 

Exploring the use of shape and 

construction, it features contemporary 

chunky T-bar chains, knotted ear cuffs 

and sleek, stackable knot rings. 

aniahaie.com.au 

Atlas Pearls 

Atlas Pearls is a global leader 

in sustainable, ethicallyproduced 

white and silver 

South Sea pearls. More than 

500,000 pearls are harvested 

each year from six farms 

located in pristine waters. 

Atlas Pearls is proud to supply 

pearls certified from the 

source, worldwide and online. 

atlaspearls.com.au 

Autore Pearls 

Detailed in 18-carat white 

gold with white diamonds and 

South Sea pearls, the Autore 

Hercules Knot Ring is part of 

the Mediterranean Collection. 

The design was inspired by 

the Hercules knot, an ancient 

Roman love symbol. 

autorepearls.com.au 

Ayres Packaging & Display 

Available in four stylish colours, 

the Belmont packaging range 

provides the look of luxury at 

an affordable price. It features 

a European fine linen case with 

soft fabric inner, with matching 

packer and interchangeable 

pads to reduce costs. 

ayres.com.au 

Aztec Gold & Silver 

A blast from the past, the Spratling Bracelet 

takes you back to the swinging’ 60s! Enhanced 

by amethysts, this uniquely colourful jewellery 

has been well received and is part of the 

hand-finished Classic Bangle Collection, 

which is available at an accessible price point. 

Baume & Mercier 


Originally created in 1973, the iconic 

Riviera watch has been given a new 

lease on life this year. Revamped in 

green to express the energy, joie de 

vivre, and natural environment of 

its homeland – the Mediterranean 

coast – it retains the original’s 

distinctive dodecagonal bezel and 

streamlined steel case. 

baume-et-mercier.com/au 


SPRING SUMMER 2021 I 22 

SEE THE NEW SS21 COLLECTION - REED GIFT FAIR Melbourne [stand BB17] & IJF Sydney [stand D01] 

Timesupply 


p +61 (0)8 8221 5580 

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



Beco Technic 

The Battery Man 

The Beco Technic Hand 

Setter features zeropoint-fixing 

and an 

attachment for optional 

movement holders, as 

well as intermediate 

plates for adjusting. 

beco-technic.com 

Blush Pink Diamonds 

SAMS Group Australia 

Tasteful, tender and always 

in fashion, the Blush Pink 

Collection is where comfort 

meets glamour. Imbued with 

the soft pink hues of Australian 

Argyle pink diamonds, every 

piece features intricate design 

touches, combined with a 

strong, sophisticated style. 

The Blush Pink range is the 

ultimate affordable luxury. 

pinkkimberley.com.au 

Breuning 

Osjag 

Dare to be different and 

bring glamour back with 

these stunning blue topaz 

and amethyst pieces, 

set in sterling silver with 

gold-plated highlights – the 

latest high-quality creative 

design from Breuning, 

Germany’s largest jewellery 

manufacturing house. 

breuning.de 

Bronzallure 


The Maxima Collection’s 

versatile freshwater pearl styles 

are perfect for formal occasions 

or for an elevated everyday look. 

bronzallure.com 

Bonbon Guy Promotions 

The Bonbon Promotion has 

consistently proven to be one of 

the best tools for major December 

turnover increases within the 

jewellery industry. Bonbon Guy 

Promotions has run the promotion 

successfully since 2014 for a select 

group of retailers, and has now 

made it available to all jewellers. 

The Alba Collection features nature’s 

most sought-after hues in contemporary 

designs, with new additions malachite, 

amazonite and red fossil wood. 


PINK KIMBERLEY DIAMOND SEALS 

ORIGIN PROVIDED BY ARGYLE 

To 

To 

ensure 

ensure 

the 

the 

highest 

highest 

standard 

standard of 

of 

authenticity 

authenticity 

and 

and 

provenance, 

provenance, 

each 

each 

Pink 

Pink 

Kimberley 

Kimberley 

diamond 

diamond 

seal 

seal 

established 

established 

comes 

comes 

with 

with 

true 

true 

Argyle 

Argyle 

ine 

ine origin, 

origin, 

complete 

complete 

with 

with 

Argyle 

Argyle 

ot 

ot 

umber 

umber 

or 

or 

Argyle 

Argyle 

erticate 

erticate 

provided 

provided 

by 

by 

the 

the 

mine. 

mine. 

Pink Kimberley does not rely on third-parties to establish the Argyle origin. 

Pink Kimberley does not rely on third-parties to establish the Argyle origin. 



SAMS GROUP 

E pinksamsgroup.com.au W samsgroup.com.au P 02 9290 2199 SAMS AUSTRALIA GROUP 

pinksamsgroup.com.au samsgroup.com.au P 02 9290 2199 AUSTRALIA


Chemgold 

Chemgold proudly presents our full range of casting 

alloys, The Colours of Chemgold. The collection of 

alloys is the largest in the country, offering options in 

platinum, white gold, yellow gold, silver, bronze and 

brass. For the highest quality casting, backed with 

impeccable service,contact the Chemgold team. 

chemgold.com 

Classique 


Setting the ultimate standard of 

excellence, Classique is an Australianowned 

brand with Swiss-made quality. 

Known for its sleek designs and 

scrupulous craftsmanship, Classique 

is well ahead of its time. The brand 

boasts an unbeatable dedication to 

sourcing the highest quality materials. 

classiquewatches.com 


Cluse 

Heart & Grace 

Bold. Elegant. Sophisticated. If 

you want to make a statement, 

the Cluse Fluette watch is your 

best friend. Designed with a 

polished 30.6mm case and 

stainless-steel link bracelet, its 

uniquely rectangular shape and 

minimalistic flair makes the 

Fluette an eye-catching watch 

with a strong presence. 

cluse.com 


BLUE SHARK III AZORES 

The latest edition of Delma’s ultimate dive watch, water resistant 

to 4000 meters, has joined the collection with the poignant 

mission to preserve the sharks and their habitat in the abundant 

waters of the Azores archipelago. 

TIME TO PERFORM 

Represented by Keda Konsulting, www.keda.com.au Email: mark.watson@keda.com.au


Cudworth Enterprises 

Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2021, 

Australia’s leading men’s supplier of fashion 

jewellery is launching a new collection. One of 

the many fresh styles included is this Multi- 

Strand Leather Bracelet, with an extendable 

design crafted in navy and black Italian leather 

with antique ion plating. 

cudworthenterprises.com 

Coeur de Lion 

Timesupply 

A beautiful new style from Coeur de 

Lion, this bracelet features elegant 

spheres of natural soft pink stone, 

sparkling European crystals and 

crystal pearls with haematite accents, 

handmade in Germany. Also includes 

matching necklace and earrings. 

coeurdelionjewellery.com.au 

D1 Milano 

West End Collection 

The Skeleton Automatic is made for those 

who seek a bold style. It features a 41.5mm 

see-through case and stands out for its 

24-jewel self-winding Japanese movement, 

enriched by a stainless-steel bracelet. 

d1milano.com 

Delma 

Keda 

delma.ch 

The Cayman Field aspires to 

travel with style and reliability. Built 

upon the design of a 1970s Delma 

dive watch, the functionality of the 

new edition is apparent with bold, 

luminous numerals set against a solid 

black dial, while the red 24-hour track 

makes military time easy to register. 

A tribute to Delma’s first chronograph, 

launched 75 years ago, the Heritage 

Chronograph LE Collection is limited to 

only 75 pieces per model in recognition of 

this milestone. The collection maintains 

the essential characteristics of the original 

and features a tachymeter and telemeter, 

now powered by an automatic movement. 

The new edition of Delma’s ultimate 

dive watch, the Blue Shark III Azores, has 

a poignant mission: to preserve the sharks 

and their habitat in the abundant waters 

surrounding the Azores archipelago. Water 

resistant to 4,000m, these models possess 

a unique textured gradient dial embodying 

the colours of the subtropical oasis. 


2021 BUYING GUIDE | Christmas Ready 

Dansk Copenhagen 

Timesupply 

Bold and organic styling is 

reflected in these beautiful 

new earrings from Dansk 

Copenhagen. Matte gold 

contrasts against solid black and 

makes a dramatic statement. 

danskcopenhagen.com 

Diamonds by DGA 


Duraflex Group Australia is delighted to 

share the latest addition to the unbranded 

Diamonds by DGA range – 9-carat gold and 

diamond Initial Necklaces, available in yellow 

or white gold. The on-trend Initial Necklaces 

feature a single diamond-encrusted letter 

pendant suspended on a fine chain. 

dgau.com.au


DJ Diamond Designs 

DJ Diamond Designs is a fine 

diamond and coloured gemstone 

jewellery supplier that has been 

serving the industry for more 

than a decade. Discover the 

latest additions to the beautiful 

DJ Diamond Designs collection, 

including these diamond, sapphire 

and emerald earrings and the 

18-carat yellow and white gold 

crossover bangle, set with more 

than 3 carats of diamonds. 

djdiamonddesigns.com.au 

Distell International 

Featuring morganite, 

Mozambique garnet, and 

diamonds set in 9-carat rose 

gold, Distell’s new Bespoke 

Collections inspire and delight. 

distellinternational.com.au 

DPI Jewellery 

DPI Jewellery has added many fresh designs 

to its ever-popular Blaze men’s range for 

the upcoming season. This multi-strand 

bracelet, featuring plaited leather and rose 

gold accent beading, has the added benefit 

of an adjustable clasp – a new feature 

throughout DPI’s latest designs. 

jewellerydpi.com 

Efva Attling Stockholm 

Nordic Fusion 

Efva Attling Stockholm embodies modern 

elegance with an edgy twist. One of Sweden’s 

most-recognised designers and silversmiths, 

Efva says, “I want to boost people with my design 

and let the jewellery be conversation pieces. I 

love to mix humour with seriousness and love, to 

create unique pieces with a deeper meaning.” 

efvaattling.com 



Ellani Collections 

Discover the stunning array of spring colours in 

Ellani Collections’ latest Spring/Summer 2021 

release, from soft greens to pastel pinks and purples. 

ellani.com.au


Evotech Pacific 

Evotech Pacific supplies a range of technology solutions for the 

Australian and New Zealand jewellery industry, including Gemvision 

MatrixGold Jewellery Design Software, Gemvision CounterSketch 

International Jewellery Design Software, the Evograver Combined 

Micromotor/Graving Unit, the Evolight 3D Scanner and the XT 

Lasers 100W Laser Welder. 

evotechpacific.com.au 


Georgini 


Simple and stylish, the 

Splendore Earring is your go-to 

for sparkle. Featuring a classic 

halo pear design, these earrings 

make everyday elegance easy. 

georgini.com.au 



Fabuleux Vous 

fabuleuxvous.com 

In the Declaration 

Collection, every piece 

tells a story and inspires 

new ones. These 

handcrafted sterling 

silver medallions each 

feature a rose gold-plated 

emblem, with 15 different 

stories to choose from. 

Matching earrings and 

bracelets available. 

These statement earrings – 

featuring stunning freshwater 

pearls – will turn heads. They 

are crafted in sterling silver, 

with rose gold and yellow goldplated 

options available. 

Galvin Watch Company 

Galvin Watch Company was founded in Sydney 

by Finnish watchmaker Susan Galvin in March 

2020. The company’s inaugural range, the Alku 

Collection, is inspired by European dress watches 

of the 1940s, with a domed dial being a key feature. 

galvinwatchcompany.com.au


Gerrim International 

Bring on the joyful spring with the Shiraz 

Collection! Adorned with citrine, pink 

sapphire and rhodolite garnet, these designs 

combine vibrant yellow with the luxurious 

elegance of diamonds and the heart’s desire 

through pink and red accents. Celebrate 

special moments with Gerrim jewellery. 

gerrim.com 

Grown Diamonds 

Physically, optically and chemically 

identical to mined diamonds, Grown 

Diamonds’ lab-created stones are 

ethical, eco-conscious and affordable. 

In stock is this stunning 5.01-carat 

VS1 oval-cut lab-grown diamond – the 

largest currently in Australia – which is 

available to view online. 

growndiamonds.com.au 

18ct Diamond & Coloured Gemstone Jewellery 

DJDIAMONDDESIGNS.COM.AU 

Daniel Jacuk - 0412 071 103 

Ice-Watch 


Go green and do your part for the planet 

with the new Ice-Watch Solar Sunset. This 

black solar-powered timepiece is ultra 

slim and feather-light. Water resistant to 

5 ATM and made with tough ABS plastic, 

just expose it to a light source to charge. 

ice-watch.com 

Sydney 74 International | August 2021 Jewellery Fair 

August 28-30th - Stand C44

Golden Mile 

Golden Mile has a huge range of new fashionable designs, 

both solid and silver-filled, including the ever-popular 

Paperclip Chain. See Golden Mile for new styles and restock 

on the bestsellers. With fine chains now in stock in 

finished lengths, get products in-store quicker than ever. 

goldenmile.com.au 

Ikecho Australia 

Ikecho Australia presents an 

array of stunning pearl and 

opal jewellery, including hook 

earrings and pendants, set in 

9-carat yellow and rose gold. 

On-trend keshi pearls and 

pink Edison pearls give these 

designs a modern update. 

ikecho.com.au 

RJ SCANLAN TRADE ONLY WEBSITE 

OVER 1500 ITEMS OF EUROPEAN JEWELLERY 

APPLY FOR ACCOUNT OR CALL TO DISCUSS - 03 9553 4033


Inspiring Pearls 

Specialising in freshwater pearl jewellery, 

Inspiring Pearls’ latest additions include 

earrings, enhancers, and pendants 

featuring baroque shapes paired with 

rhodium-plated sterling silver, lavender 

pearls with rose gold, and classic pure 

white hues. 

inspiringpearls.com.au 

ImajPak 

ImajPak is excited to add ‘Chai’ colour packaging to 

its extensive range. Chai is available in RT, TR, TB 

and GBCH ranges. ImajPak products include supplies 

packaging, display, jewellery boxes and money boxes. 

imajpak.com 

La Couronne Jewellery 

Specialists in jewellery for more than 35 

years, La Couronne’s exquisite product range 

and marketing materials set an industry 

benchmark. Existing to boost your sales, 

each seasonal catalogue and collection is 

quintessential to today’s consumers. Discover 

the latest addition to the collection, crafted in 

lavish 9-carat gold and diamonds! 

lacouronnejewellery.com.au 

LJ West Diamonds and 

Scott West Jewelry 

LJ West Diamonds presents the Twin Hearts 

of Australia – a 0.75-carat Fancy Red, and 

0.78-carat Fancy Deep Bluish Violet heartshaped 

diamond, accented by 4.94 carats of 

white pear diamonds in the The Twin Hearts 

Ring. The design is inspired by the Linnaea 

flower and celebrates two rare diamonds, 

separated at 'birth' – but destiny has brought 

them back together forever. 

ljwestdiamonds.com 

Luminox 

Duraflex Group Ausralia 

For more than 20 years, Luminox has partnered 

with maritime commandos to hone and refine 

a watch tough enough for the world’s finest 

warriors. Luminox is proud to announce the new 

Navy SEAL 45mm Military Dive Watch XS.3508. 

GOLD, sporting the proprietary Carbonox casing 

and constant glow for up to 25 years. 

luminox.com.au 



J.S. Landau Diamonds 

This Swiss Blue topaz and diamond ring, 

set in 9-carat white gold, epitomises 

J.S. Landau Diamonds’ commitment 

to the highest-quality diamond and 

coloured gemstone jewellery. J.S. 

Landau Diamonds’ exclusive range of 

European-inspired designs includes 

both contemporary and vintage styles. 

jslandaudiamonds.com 

JAG 


JAG originated in 1972 on Chapel Street 

in Melbourne. Today, it is internationally 

renowned as an iconic Australian brand. 

The seasonal JAG fashion watch collections 

offer an affordable range of models for 

men and women, featuring casual and 

timeless styles with an urban feel. 

dgau.com.au/jag 

Jewellery Centre 

New to the Jewellery Centre’s collection, 

these elegant pendants in rhodium-plated 

sterling silver and hard rose gold-plate 

feature cubic zirconia and are the perfect 

addition to your range. 

jewellerycentreaustralia.com


Mark McAskill Jewellery 

markmcaskill.com.au 

New to the Mark 

McAskill Jewellery Estelle 

Collection, this stunning 

white gold dress ring 

features a 9x7mm claw-set 

aquamarine and a halo 

of round and pear-cut 

diamonds, with a fine 

rounded band adding to the 

modern feel of the design. 

A new spin on a popular Mark 

McAskill design, this yellow and white 

gold dress ring features a central 

6x5mm natural emerald and two 

3mm emeralds top and bottom in 

talon claw settings. A bead set oval 

halo and split shoulders round out the 

striking look of the piece. 

Maserati 


Technology changes, but the spirit of 

Maserati remains unchanged. The 

Traguardo, from the Hybrid Collection, 

encloses all the dynamic performance 

of a Maserati watch – and much 

more. By connecting the watch to your 

smartphone, you can monitor physical 

activity as well as manage a large 

number of apps and notifications. 

maseratistore.com 

Manufacturer of 

High Quality Findings 

Since 1975 

9K, 10K, 14K, & 18K Gold 

1/20 14K Gold Filled 

Sterling Silver 

TEL: 001.585.292.0770 

sales@jkfindings.com 

www.jkfindings.com 

Mats Jonasson Maleras 

Shillcombe 

Mats Jonasson Maleras produces 

Swedish crystal sculptures that are 

handmade using casting, engraving 

and hand-colouring techniques. 

The brand is synonymous with 

innovative design and artisan 

traditions, available in a range 

of sizes and themes including 

birds and wildlife, art glass, bowls 

and drinkware – the perfect 

accompaniment to jewellery. 

maleras.se/en


Art Deco-inspired, this gorgeous 

new pink tourmaline dress ring is a 

worthy addition to Mark McAskill’s 

Estelle Collection. The double claw 

settings of the 7x5mm cushion-cut 

centre gemstone add to the vintage 

feel, while the 0.50-carat diamond 

halo and shoulders provide a 

stunning counterpoint. 

Ceylon sapphires are sure to 

delight as the newest addition to 

the Pink Caviar Collection by Mark 

McAskill Jewellery. This new double 

halo dress ring features a 6x5mm 

blue sapphire set in rose gold talon 

claws, surrounded by bead-set 

Australian Argyle pink diamonds. 

Maurice Lacroix 


Maurice Lacroix gives the 

manufacturer’s ML234 calibre 

its maiden voyage in the new 

Swiss Skeleton Automatic 

Watch. It is housed in Maurice 

Lacroix’s classic wide Aikon 

case, reshaped and redesigned 

in order to enclose this new 

type of movement. 

mauricelacroix.com/ch_en 

STERLING SILVER 

SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES 

FOR STOCKIST ENQUIRIES 

+61 413 872 810 

INFO@BIANC.COM.AU 

@BIANC_JEWELLERY 

WWW.BIANC.COM.AU


Mystery brand 


Get ready for SAMS Group’s 

exciting new brand launch! The 

team has been working hard to 

launch a brand that combines 

exquisite luxury with a touch of 

modernity. Every piece has been 

carefully curated to create an 

original design that speaks the 

ultimate art of self-expression 

and elegance. Watch this space! 

samsgroup.com.au 

Bear Grylls Survival 

3720 Sea series 


Opals Australia 

Opals Australia 

showcases both loose 

gemstones and gold and 

silver Australian opal-set 

jewellery. With more than 

90 years of experience 

and expertise in sourcing 

our national gemstone, 

Opals Australia provides 

beautiful and unique 

opals that reflect 

Australia’s natural beauty. 

opals-australia.com 

02 9417 0177 | www.dgau.com.au 


OR009SS 

IP150EU-OK6 

Nomination 

Timesupply 

Sparkling white crystal-set pendants enhance the beautiful 

natural baroque freshwater pearls in the Whitedream 

Fashion Jewellery Collection from Nomination, made in 

Italy. Nomination is world leader in gold and stainless 

steel jewellery, with collections that reflect the artisanal 

craftsmanship and design that is synonymous with Italy. 

nomination-jewellery.com.au 

Palloys 

Palloys is Australasia's premier jewellery 

manufacturing and custom jewellery 

service. From fabricated metals and 

findings, to design, print, casting, refining, 

diamonds, finishing services and finished 

jewellery, it all comes together at Palloys. 

palloys.com 

OP006SS 

OE006SS 

OR008SS 

LUXURY pearl AND opal JEWELLERY 

+61 2 9266 0636 

enquiries@ikecho.com.au 

www.ikecho.com.au


Paterson Fine Jewellery 

Introducing Paterson Fine 

Jewellery’s new e-store 

for trade customers. Order 

bespoke designs in opals, 

diamonds, gemstones and 

personalised jewellery. Easy 

to use, with 24/7 access, the 

e-store also offers competitive 

pricing, express delivery, and 

a consignment box service. 

Special offer for free delivery 

also available for a limited time. 

pfj.com.au 

PDPAOLA 

Heart & Grace 

PDPAOLA began in Barcelona in 2014. Siblings 

Paola and Humbert Sasplugas pursued their 

dream of turning Paola’s childhood passion 

for jewellery and design into a lifetime project. 

Effortless elegance and timeless designs 

create the PDPAOLA universe, with unique, 

trend-setting jewellery and an aspirational 

brand identity. 

pdpaola.com 

FIND US ON INSTAGRAM 

MILLENNIUM_CHAIN 

Australian leading wholesaler, specialising in manufacturing 

9ct and 18ct yellow gold, rose gold and white gold. 

Machine made and hand made, any kind, chains and bracelets, 

bangles and findings. Suppliers to retailers and wholesalers. 

MILLENNIUM CHAIN 

P: 03 9650 5955 | E: sales@millenniumchain.com.au 

www.millenniumchain.com.au


Peter W Beck 

pwbeck.com.au 

These complimentary and stylish 

double-sided displays will encourage 

your customers to take advantage of 

our unique complimentary engraving 

offer, or our personalised Express 

Yourself engraving services. 

Peter W Beck has put 

together a unique selection 

of 49 classic wedding rings, 

covering the most popular 

profiles and finger sizes, 

from I to Z+7 plus half-sizes, 

and seven widths. All are 

guaranteed to comply with 

the Peter W Beck ‘Original 

& Accurate’ finger size 

standards. 

The Original Comfort 

Wedder has a distinct 

smooth inner curve which 

provides a luxuriously 

comfortable fit. The Original 

Comfort Wedder is also 

hand-finished and polished, 

meaning that each one is 

not only unique, but also 

guaranteed to have the 

signature silky-smooth feel. 

Zirconium is strong, 

lightweight and hypoallergenic, 

with a distinctive black finish. 

Peter W Beck has created a 

range of luxurious ring styles 

combining zirconium with 

gold. Discover more in the 

comprehensive Peter W Beck 

Zirconium Range Catalogue. 

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 

Curators of extraordinary 

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The GemLightbox, Turntable and Aerial set allows you to 

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PFJ? 

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Added to the very popular Gingko 

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m a n u fac t u r e d in the U K 

Reflex Active 

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South Sea Pearls & Jewellery 

South Sea Pearls & Jewellery stocks a full range 

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DECLARATION - GOOD LUCK 

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New to our signature 

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The Lux Collection 

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Thomas Sabo 


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UNOde50 

Timesupply 

New to Australia and New Zealand, UNOde50’s 

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Vina by Pinaroo 

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One-stop shop packaging component supply and solution 

Packamate Limited is a well-established manufacturer 

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World Shiner 

Alongside its extensive collection of white, 

pink, yellow, and champagne diamonds, 

World Shiner proudly introduces a new 

range of Italian-made jewellery with 

old-cut diamonds. The collection includes 

rings, earrings and pendants. 

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Wolf 1834 


The British Racing Green Collection by 

WOLF 1834 is a truly English collection of 

watch winders, boxes and watch rolls. It 

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Worth & Douglas 

Introducing the new Luv You Collection of 

stackable rings, personalised with up to 

three individual names and birthstones. 

Available in all metal types, with synthetic 

or semi-precious gemstones. The 

in-store point of sale package includes 

gold-plated samples on a display pad. 

wdrings.com 

ZETAGS 

ZETAGS has released its new CloudTT 

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can print tags straight from Google Chrome 

on both Windows and Mac computers. The 

Lite version is free for ZETAGS customers 

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INTERNATIONAL 

J E W ELLERY & WATCH FAIR 

Organised by 

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ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre 

Darling Harbour 

Est. 1990

FEATURE INSIGHT 

The New Consumer 

MEET 

GENERATION 

Alpha 

world domination| 

ARABELLA RODEN examines 

the next wave of consumers, 

who are set to become the 

largest generation in history 

– with unprecedented 

spending power.

FEATURE INSIGHT | The New Consumer 

KEY TRAITS 

Introducing 

the Alphas 

Digitally Integrated 

Technology is interwoven 

in every aspect of Alphas’ 

lives, from education to 

leisure and socialising 

T 

he glass generation. Millennials on steroids. 

Screenagers. Generation Alpha has been 

called many things, but what cannot be 

denied is the unprecedented power they will wield 

when they come of age. 

Born between 2010 and 2025, Generation Alpha are the 

children of Millennials and the youngest Gen Xers, and the 

younger siblings of Gen Z. 

The name was coined by Australian social researcher Mark 

McCrindle around 2005, referring to their status as the first 

generation born entirely in the 21st Century. 

In Australia today, Generation Alpha is aged between zero 

and 10 years, numbering approximately 3 million people – 

or 12.39 per cent of the population. 

Globally, more than 2.7 million Generation Alphas are 

born every week and by December 2024, there will be 

approximately 2 billion worldwide, making them the largest 

generation in history. 

To put that figure in perspective, in just four years, they will 

outnumber the Baby Boomers. 

“Generation Alpha represent the future and provide a lens 

through which we can look to the next decade and beyond,” 

McCrindle and fellow social researcher Ashley Fell write in 

their 2020 report Understanding Generation Alpha. 

“While they currently populate our primary schools, over 

the next decade the oldest will move through the teen 

years to reach adulthood. But even still, these youngsters 

are influencing their Millennial family purchasing and are 

early adopters of technology.” 

By the end of this decade, many Alphas will be working 

and voting, as well as spending. Read on to discover how 

Generation Alpha will shape the businesses of the future. 

Who they are 

McCrindle and Fell’s research predicts the Alphas will 

live longer, work later into their lives, attain more formal 

education – by 2050, they believe approximately 50 per cent 

Connected and 

diverse 

Culturally and socially, 

Alphas are more varied 

and internationallyfocused 

than their 

predecessors 

Parental ties 

Alphas are particularly 

close to their Millennial 

and Gen X parents, 

who influence and 

inform their consumer 

behaviour to a greater 

degree than friends or 

social media 

Highly educated 

Researchers predict 

one in every two Alphas 

will attain a university 

qualification, increasing 

their wealth and 

knowledge 

Powerful consumers 

Already influencing 

their parents’ spending, 

Alphas will gain greater 

material wealth and 

consumer power with age 

of Alphas will hold a university qualification – eventually 

forming the “largest generation of middle-class 

consumers our world has ever seen”. 

The average life expectancy for Australian Alphas born 

today is 80.9 years for males and 85 for females; in 

1988, it was 73.1 for males and 79.5 for females. 

This makes Generation Alpha the longest-lived of any 

Australian generation. 

However, McCrindle and Fell observe that the beginning 

of the “adult life stage” – marked by marriage, 

mortgage, and children – will be postponed even further 

for Alphas than it has been for Millennials and Gen Z. 

Globally, more than 2.7 million 

Generation Alphas are born every 

week and by December 2024, 

there will be approximately 

2 billion worldwide, making them 

the largest generation in history” 

“This generation will stay in education longer, start their 

earning years later and so stay at home with their parents 

for longer than was previously the case,” they write. 

Alphas are also what the researchers term “upagers” 

– social, psychological and commercial sophistication 

sets in far earlier in childhood than in previous cohorts. 

Put simply, Alphas are more aware of, and engaged 

with, their surroundings at a younger age and become 

consumers more quickly. 

This is largely a result of their unprecedented global 

connectivity through technology. 

Indeed, the first Alphas were born the same year that 

the Apple iPad and Instagram were launched, and 

when ‘app’ was the word of the year, with McCrindle 

and Fell calling them “part of an unintentional global 


C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

The New Consumer | FEATURE INSIGHT 

2020.pdf 1 28/7/21 18:39 

TABLE 1: CHANGING GENERATIONS - 2020 

Today, Millennials are the largeset generation in Australia, followed by Baby 

Boomers; Generation Alpha is set to overtake both by 2025. 

2020: AUSTRALIAN POPULATION 

Age 76 + 

Other 

7.1% 

Age 0 - 9 

Generation Alpha 

12.4% 

CHART A: 

AUSTRALIA TODAY 

The children of Millennials and the 

youngest Gen Xers, Generation Alpha 

comprises less than 13 per cent of 

the population today. 

As at 30 June 2020 

% of Population 

Generation Alpha Age 0-9 3,185,008 12.39% 

Gen Z Age 10-24 4,798,451 18.67% 

Age 55 - 75 

Baby Boomer 

20.9% 

Age 10 - 24 

Generation Z 

18.7% 

Millennial Age 25-39 5,664,798 22.04% 

Gen X Age 40-54 4,860,961 18.92% 

Baby Boomer Age 55-75 5,358,838 20.85% 

Other Age 76+ 1,830,037 7.12% 

TOTAL 25,698,093 100.00% 

Age 40 - 55 

Generation X 

18.9% 

Age 25 - 39 

Millennial 

22.0% 

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 

experiment where screens are placed in front of them 

from the youngest age as pacifiers, entertainers and 

educational aids”. 

This immersion in technology will lead to what workplace 

researcher Dan Schawbel terms “the entrepreneurial 

generation”. 

Writing about Generation Alpha in 2014, Schawbel – 

managing partner of human resources advisory firm 

Workplace Intelligence – predicted, “Every generation 

from here on out will become more entrepreneurial than 

the next, because they will have had more access to 

information, people and resources earlier. 

Put simply, Alphas are more 

aware of, and engaged with, their 

surroundings at a younger age 

and become consumers more 

quickly. This is largely a result 

of their unprecedented global 

connectivity through technology” 

“We will see a lot of Alpha entrepreneurs starting 

companies before 10 years old. As most will fail in their 

business pursuits, they will learn a lot and have much 

better luck as they get older.” 

Schawbel adds, “They will be more successful 

entrepreneurs because they will have taken more 

risks earlier, and had time to build reputations and 

relationships, before Millennials, Gen X and [Baby] 

Boomers did.” 

Indeed, the highest-earning YouTube ‘content creator’ in 

2020 was nine-year-old Ryan Kaji, whose channel Ryan’s 

World generated $US29.5 million ($AU40 million) in 

advertising revenue, according to Forbes. 

AT A GLANCE 

By the 

Numbers 

2 billion 

Total number 

of Generation Alphas 

born by 2025 

Source: McCrindle 

$US500b 

Estimated annual 

value of purchases in 

the US influenced by 

children under 12 

Source: AdAge 

72% 

Of children aged six 

to nine years old who 

had heard of Amazon 

Source: Wunderman 

Thompson Commerce 

survey of 4,000 children 

Kaji, under the supervision of his parents, has been 

making “unboxing” videos – unwrapping toys and 

reviewing them – since 2015 and now boasts his own 

line of branded children’s products, including backpacks 

and toothpaste, that is stocked by US retailers including 

Target, Walmart, and Amazon. 

Another Alpha, seven-year-old Anastasia ‘Nastya’ 

Radzinskaya, was the only female in the top 10 highestearning 

YouTube content creators of the past year; her 

channels generated $US18.5 million ($AU25 million). 

Both Ryan and Nastya boast global audiences, and indeed 

their fellow Alphas are more internationally-oriented and 

culturally diverse than previous generations. 

How they shop 

While their vast numbers and material wealth will make 

these consumers attractive for businesses in the future, 

their influence – even now, as young children – cannot 

be denied. 

According to US publication AdAge, 81 per cent of Alpha 

kids “significantly influence family purchases”, with 

children under the age of 12 influencing purchases 

valued at $US500 billion ($AU678.3 billion) per year. 

However, this influence relationship goes both ways, with 

Schawbel noting Alphas are being raised by older, more 

indulgent parents: “[Alphas] will be extremely coddled 

and influenced by their Gen X and Y parents. 

“Every generation is now more influenced by their 

parents – more than friends, strangers, etcetera. Gen 

Alpha will be no different, so if you want to sell to them 

or hire them, their parents should be part of your 

marketing campaign.” 

While incredibly technologically literate, Generation 

Alpha also has a shorter attention span and has been 

exposed to digital advertising almost since birth. 

Unable to remember an era before social networking, 

Alphas prefer shopping and communication via 

mobile phones. 


FEATURE INSIGHT | The New Consumer 

TABLE 2: CHANGING GENERATIONS - 2050 

In 30 years, Generation Alpha will number more than 6 million people. 

2050: AUSTRALIAN POPULATION PROJECTION 

As at 1 July 2050 

% of Population 

Generation Gamma Age 0-9 3,666,132 11.17% 

Generation Beta Age 10-24 5,666,535 17.27% 

Generation Alpha Age 25-39 6,342,754 19.33% 

Gen Z Age 40-54 5,798,890 17.67% 

Millennial Age 55-69 5,664,595 17.26% 

Gen X Age 70-84 4,123,878 12.57% 

Generation X 

12.6% 

Age 55 - 69 

Millennial 

17.3% 

Age 70 - 84 

Baby Boomers 

Age 85+ 

4.7% 

Age 0 - 9 

Generation 

Gamma 

11.2% 

Age 10 - 24 

Generation 

Beta 

17.3% 

CHART B: 

AUSTRALIA TOMORROW 

Alphas are on top in 2050, followed 

by their older and younger siblings – 

Generation Z and Generation Beta – 

and their parents, the Millennials. 

Baby Boomers Age 85+ 1,551,321 4.73% 

TOTAL 32,814,105 100.00% 

Source: World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision – United Nations 

Department of Economic and Social Affairs, World Population Division 

Age 40 - 54 

Generation Z 

17.7% 

Age 25 - 39 

Generation Alpha 

19.3% 

They respond to simple, visual information that is 

customised to their needs, with McCrindle and Fell 

observing that Generation Alpha has also been 

“shaped in an era of individualisation and customisation 

where they can get their name printed into the 

storyline of books, embroidered onto their shirts 

or put on a jar of Nutella”. 

In 2015, US thinktank the Pew Research Center found 

that 81 per cent of parents with children aged five and 

under said their kids watched videos or played games on 

an electronic device on a daily basis. 

Today, many are influenced 

by social media stars to make 

purchases; of consumers aged 

between six and 12 years, a quarter 

cite social media content creators 

as the primary influence on 

their purchasing” 

Today, many are influenced by social media stars to 

make purchases; of consumers aged between six and 

12 years, a quarter cite social media content creators – 

operating on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and 

Snapchat – as the primary influence on their purchasing. 

This places them only slightly behind friends, according 

to a 2019 report by UK market research firm Wunderman 

Thompson Commerce (WTC). 

“Young people today are being influenced by a wider 

range of factors than ever before and more of these 

factors are external,” the report – based on a survey of 

4,000 children aged between six and 16 in the US and 

UK – stated. 

“We’ve moved far beyond the bus and the playground. 

Now, children are influenced by social media platforms, 

“I’M NOT A FAN” 

Turn-offs 

Lack of values 

Alphas are likely to be 

even more conscientious 

consumers than Gen Z; 

they will not shop from 

businesses that are 

misaligned with their 

own values, or lack 

an identity 

Poor service 

Personalised, ultraconvenient, 

omnichannel 

shopping is the minimum 

for Alphas, who are spoilt 

for choice and more 

demanding of retailers 

than their predecessors 

Slow delivery 

Growing up with 

e-commerce, Alphas 

already expect their items 

to be delivered 25 per cent 

faster than their parents– 

two days is the maximum 

Unsustainable 

models 

Environmental protection 

is a key concern for 

Alphas; they will 

favour businesses with 

recyclable packaging 

and materials, low-waste 

operations, and carbonneutral 

policies 

programmatic advertising and on-demand TV. This 

means that brands need to be across multiple channels 

– and more importantly, the right channels – to ensure 

they’re finding their target audience.” 

WTC’s research found that Alphas tend to mirror their 

parents in terms of shopping method – “If their mum 

and dad purchase online, so will they” – and are invested 

in the “emotional rollercoaster of delivery [of online 

shopping] and expect not to have to wait”. 

This provides a clear signal to retailers to invest in order 

fulfilment and logistics for their e-commerce offering. 

The report noted that approximately 49 per cent of the 

US children surveyed had access to an Amazon account 

– compared with 42 per cent of UK children – and 72 per 

cent of children aged six to nine had heard of Amazon. 

However, the report emphasises that Alphas aren’t ready 

to abandon bricks-and-mortar retail. 

As Naji El-Arifi, head of innovation at Wunderman 

Thompson Commerce, notes, “Technology – and the 

convenience and exciting experiences it can offer – is 

clearly at the heart of Alphas’ visions for the future of 

shopping. But at the same time, it’s interesting that the 

majority of children want to see online channels work 

alongside physical stores, and indeed better alignment 

between the two. 

“These findings underline the need for retailers to take 

a truly omnichannel approach to engaging with the 

next generation of shoppers, and be ready to use new 

technologies not simply to replace the physical store but 

to complement it,” El-Arifi adds. 

While the age of Generation Alpha may seem far in the 

future, the pace of technological change in our modern 

world creates a need for ever-earlier anticipation; and 

with these tech-savvy tykes already forming consumer 

habits, it’s up to retailers and business owners to 

capture the next great generation – before they even 

begin shopping. 

In the world of retail, forewarned is fore-armed. 


BUSINESS 

Strategy 

Modern marketing: 

A new paradigm for success 

With the rapid pace of technological change and increasingly savvy consumers, 

DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN reveals the key to adapting your marketing strategy for today’s world. 

Marketing may seem like a modern 

phenomenon, but in reality it is an old 

profession. For as long as people have 

been selling products and services in a 

free market, marketing has existed in 

some form or another. 

It became more formalised in the 20th 

Century, in which it has also undergone 

the most rapid phase of its evolution. 

In the early ’80s, many companies began 

to take a serious look at their marketing in 

a strategic manner. 

They realised that their primarily 

‘outbound’ strategy – traditional marketing 

that seeks to push messages out to 

potential customers, via methods such 

as cold-calling – had to change, because 

consumers didn’t appreciate being 

interrupted in their daily lives. 

‘Inbound’ marketing was then developed, 

largely alongside the Internet, focusing 

on attracting, engaging and delighting 

consumers. 

However, marketers discovered customers 

were still irritated by some inbound 

marketing techniques, such as pop-up 

ads and cookies following their every move 

online. So, how can businesses keep up 

with consumers as marketing evolves? 

The customer is always right 

What has changed over the past five years 

is marketing’s deeper awareness of, if not 

complete adherence to, what customers 

like and dislike. 

The major trends that we have seen and 

their impact on marketing, include: 

• Adding chatbots – The likes of 

Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp allow 

businesses to catch consumers on the go 

with highly personalised messaging 

• Voice-recognition and voice-search 

technology – Products such as Google 

Home and Amazon Alexa allow customers 

to find what they want simply by asking; 

however it is a huge challenge for 

businesses because these services only 

give the first search engine result 

• The rise of video – Video content 

has taken over social media, with apps like 

TikTok influencing the development 

of other platforms such as Instagram 

and Facebook 

Progressive 

companies have 

realised that to 

satisfy today’s 

consumer they 

must move 

toward what I 

term, ‘customercentricity’; 

putting 

customers at the 

heart of their 

business 

• Journey mapping overtakes influencer 

marketing – With the increasingly 

detailed data available from devices, many 

businesses have shifted their marketing 

plans to mirror their customers’ paths to 

purchase, which are largely through online 

means rather than referrals from their 

‘influencer’ groups, such as family 

• Zero-party data – Businesses have 

bypassed the need for passive data 

collection from social media apps and are 

instead increasing their direct engagement 

with customers through social media 

polls, quizzes and competitions 

Satisfaction guaranteed? 

In the past decade or so, conglomerates 

such as Procter & Gamble and Nestlé, 

renamed their marketing staff ‘brand 

builders’, in the hope of adapting to this 

new world. 

They failed, miserably. 

The reason is that despite changing the 

name, they continued to market in the 

same way. With very few exceptions, 

communication was still all about the 

brand, rather than its customers. 


Business Strategy 

More progressive companies have realised 

that to satisfy today’s consumer they must 

move toward what I term, ‘customercentricity’; 

putting customers at the heart 

of their business. 

People understand a lot more about 

marketing than we give them credit for – 

and certainly, a lot more than they did just 

a few years ago. 

Firstly, they know that companies have 

marketing plans and regular promotions, 

so they wait for sales or coupon discounts 

before purchasing. 

They also realise that in today’s world, 

products have become increasingly 

similar; the format, colour or perfume 

may be different, but the performance is 

comparable – therefore, customer loyalty 

is a rare commodity! 

Today’s consumers are far more likely to 

have a portfolio of brands in each category 

from which they choose, rather than one. 

And finally, they have come to expect 

constant innovation, and quickly adapt to 

once-novel ideas before searching for the 

next improvement. 

Indeed, according to Accenture’s 

Customer 2020: Are You Future-Ready or 

Reliving the Past? report, nearly half of 

consumers say that they are more likely 

to switch brands now than 10 years ago. 

The COVID-19 factor 

Just as brands were adapting to the new 

savvy consumer, along came COVID-19 

and with it another dramatic change in 

consumer behaviours. 

The McKinsey report Reimagining 

Marketing in the Next Normal observed 

six potentially important changes in 

consumer behaviour as a result of 

the pandemic. 

Some are an acceleration of existing 

trends, while others are newly emerging: 

• Shopping – there has been a marked 

acceleration in consumers turning to 

digital and reduced-contact ways of 

accessing products and services; 

this trend is particularly pronounced 

in Millennials, Gen Z, and higherincome 

consumers 

• E-services – consumers are 

embracing online service platforms, 

which presents opportunities for 

new marketing strategies and 

cross-promotions 

• Home – consumers are searching 

for ways to integrate all aspects of life 

into their home, from work to exercise 

and more; therefore marketing via homebased 

devices such as Alexa and Google 

Home is becoming more important 

• Community – experiences are 

increasingly localised, which gives small 

businesses an edge when it comes to 

marketing to nearby shoppers 

• Trust – safety is top-of-mind for 

consumers, with many likely to return 

to regular bricks-and-mortar shopping 

only when they can trust that spaces are 

hygienic and/or touch-free 

• Purpose – consumers are holding 

companies to higher standards; if 

businesses decide to undertake sociallyconscious 

marketing or promotions, they 

must be ‘backed up’ with real action 

To summarise, it appears that people 

have come to the realisation that they 

have more control than before, with 

higher expectations. 

Given these trends, customer-centricity 

the only viable strategy – and marketing 

needs to adapt to it. 

The customer-centric test 

Companies that place the customer 

at the heart of their business are easy 

to recognise. Their websites are filled 

with useful, accessible information, 

entertaining content, and their contact 

pages are detailed. 

These businesses also involve and seek 

advice from their customers, and their 

packaging is user-friendly, with products 

and services that are easy to find and buy. 

Their advertising also usually presents the 

customer – not the brand – as the hero. 

In every aspect of a customer-centric 

organisation, the customer clearly drives 

each and every decision. 

With this in mind, here are some essential 

A FRESH 

APPROACH 

Deeper 

insights 

Engage with 

customers to 

learn more 

about them and 

understand 

how they buy 

Tech's appeal 

Chatbots, 

voice-search 

devices, and 

video content 

are powerful 

marketing tools 

Raise the bar 

Review your 

sales channels 

– website, store, 

and social 

media – from 

a customer’s 

perspective and 

optimise them 

for convenience 

first steps to adopt a customercentric 

strategy: 

• Make customers visible – Place 

pictures of your prospective customers 

everywhere so staff start to naturally think 

about them 

• Validate customers – Whenever a 

decision is made, ask “What would our 

customers think about this?” 

This step helps businesses avoid practices 

that customers perceive as ‘cheating’, 

such as taking credit card details for a free 

trial, in the hope that the customer will 

forget and be automatically charged later 

• Review your website – Take a closer 

look at the language used on your website; 

if there are more “we’s” than “you’s” then 

you know what to do! 

Assess the site from a customer’s 

perspective – is everything useful? 

• Update personas – Customer 

personas, also known as avatars, are 

frequently used in marketing plans to 

create a simple reference for the target 

segments or demographics. 

Refresh yours to reflect new trends 

• Examine your advertising – Consider 

developing creative concepts that make 

use of your customers’ experiences and 

their emotional triggers 

• Get connected – Spend time with frontline 

staff and customers, whether online 

or in-store, to learn more about the people 

who buy your products and discover new 

opportunities for marketing to them 

• Focus on employees – Share customer 

insights with staff and communicate with 

each employee so they understand the role 

they play in satisfying customers. Make 

them ‘fans’ of your customers 

These are your starter tasks for evolving 

your marketing towards a customer-first 

strategy. So what are you waiting for? 

DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN has 

more than 30 years’ management 

experience. She runs C3Centricity 

consultancy. Visit: c3centricity.com 


BUSINESS 

Selling 

Kickstarting sales in the new financial year 

The new financial year represents a fresh start for sales teams, writes SUE BARRETT, 

who advises the best ways to capitalise on this time and ensure success in the months to come. 

Let’s get straight to the point – things 

have changed dramatically as a result 

of COVID-19, with new opportunities and 

markets emerging, old ways of operating 

in decline, leaders and staff needing 

to rethink processes, and customers 

trying out different ways of buying and 

engaging with businesses. 

With that in mind, here are seven 

strategies business owners can 

implement to improve and sustain sales 

this financial year – and beyond. 

Review your sales strategy 

If you have a sales strategy in place that 

was developed more than 18 months 

ago, it’s time to review it; if you don’t 

have a sales strategy in place, it’s time 

to develop one. 

This process provides the best starting 

place to allow leaders and sales teams 

explore and tackle sales challenges and 

opportunities, giving clarity on what 

strategic and tactical moves to make, 

how to structure sales efforts, and 

guidance to plan the next steps through 

the crisis. 

Businesses that fail to develop sales 

strategies and re-think the way they sell 

and operate are likely to find continued 

pressure on price and margins, coupled 

with diminishing sales volumes, 

decreased competitive advantage and 

potential obsolescence. 

Undertake market segmentation 

Are your traditional markets, pre-COVID, 

still your best option? 

Maybe it’s time to explore what other 

opportunities have emerged with the 

changes of the past 18 months. 

Consider undertaking a sales 

segmentation questionnaire and 

workshop to assist in identifying the 

right segments, sub-segments, and even 

micro-segments for your business. 

By taking a more three-dimensional view 

of market segments, we can unearth 

deeper insights that can be used to 

Now is an ideal time to reassess strategies, goals, and staff training. 

focus on the most productive areas and 

eliminate unnecessary effort. 

Harness the power of customer service 

Your business’ customer service staff 

can also be its best sales team, given the 

right training. 

There’s an oft-quoted statistic that 

approximately 65 per vent of a business’ 

sales come from repeat customers. 

Though this percentage varies between 

industries and according to business 

size, it is still a significant proportion 

– and most of those sales are realised by 

customer service teams, not sales teams. 

From experience, when customer service 

staff are advised on the business’ sales 

strategy and how to identify opportunities, 

then both customer satisfaction and sales 

can improve dramatically. 

Assess your staff 

Start the new financial year by 

assessing sales and customer 

service staff’s strengths and 

weaknesses so you know which type 

of training to provide. 

Start running regular remote small 

group training sessions to practise and 

implement how to communicate, engage 

with, and sell to customers. 

You can do this on its own, or back it up 

Businesses that 

fail to develop 

sales strategies 

and re-think 

the way they 

sell and operate 

are likely to 

find continued 

pressure on 

price and 

margins, 

coupled with 

diminishing 

sales volumes 

with an online sales curriculum that 

people can go through at their own pace. 

Implement online training 

Learning through live webinars, Zoom 

workshops and online training works. 

Now content, delivery, and methodology 

need to follow. 

People can’t stay focused on a screen 

training for a full day, so workshops are 

best kept to two or three hours depending 

on the size of the group and how 

interactive the session needs to be. 

Instead of one eight-hour day, split 

training into segments over a number of 

days or weeks. 

A fragmented program improves learning 

by breaking information into ‘bite-sized 

chunks’, with the opportunity for learners 

to practice in-between sessions. 

While at first glance it might appear that 

a fragmented training program requires 

more time and effort, online learning 

means the travel time is zero and there is 

less disruption to the workday. 

Training can also be initiated on short 

notice to cover urgent topics, which this 

crisis has taught us is critical! 

This is a unique chance to update the 

overall approach, improve learning 

outcomes, training efficiency, and overall 

staff retention and satisfaction around 

their development opportunities. 

Set a challenge 

When all staff are clear about the 

sales strategy, target markets, what 

you’re selling to whom, and your value 

proposition, and is equipped with skills, 

tools and knowledge, set a 28-day group 

and individual challenge to help embed 

these new techniques and turn them into 

productive sales habits. 

SUE BARRETT is founder and CEO of 

innovative and forward-thinking sales 

advisory and education firm Barrett. 

Learn more: barrett.com.au 


BUSINESS 

Management 

The joy of business: 

How to get more pleasure from your work 

With a quarter of business owners unhappy at work, DAVID BROWN provides 

advice on reducing stress, improving well-being and increasing productivity. 

The average is person estimated to 

spend almost around 90,000 hours 

– or 30 per cent – of their life engaged 

in paid employment. 

That’s a lot of time to spend on something 

that doesn’t provide pleasure and yet 

statistics show a significant proportion 

of employees and business owners don’t 

enjoy what they do. 

Data from Small Business Trends – an 

online hub for entrepreneurs, business 

owners and experts – shows that around 

25 per cent of business owners, or one in 

four, don’t love what they do. 

That’s a worrying statistic where 

performance is so closely related to 

enjoyment and motivation. 

Often the source of our unhappiness is 

related to our expectations of the job, as 

much as the job itself. 

If you are one of the unfortunate business 

owners who takes no joy in the job, there 

are several things that you can do that will 

make the experience more pleasurable 

and lead to greater satisfaction. 

• Learn to accept imperfections – We 

can be our own worst taskmasters at 

times and one of the biggest causes of 

frustration is to expect perfection from 

ourselves and from others. 

No matter how hard you try, things will 

never be done exactly the way you want 

them every single time – even when 

you’re doing the task yourself! 

• Roll with the punches – Leading on 

from the expectation of perfection is 

another lesson: when things go wrong, 

sometimes it pays to simply accept it. 

Many of us are familiar with the Serenity 

Prayer, which was first composed during 

the Great Depression. It reads, “Grant 

me the serenity to accept the things 

I cannot change, courage to change 

the things I can, and the wisdom to 

know the difference.” 

Too frequently, we focus on the things 

that go wrong in a day instead of taking 

Prioritise your wellbeing at work to achieve better results. 

the time to be grateful for the things that 

go right. 

• Keep things in perspective – Small 

problems, particularly when we are 

stressed, can be blown out of proportion 

in our minds. 

It’s all easy to lose perspective when a 

sudden ‘emergency’ appears, but most of 

today’s problems won’t exist in a week’s 

time – and won’t even be remembered 

three months later! 

When a ‘major disaster’ breaks out, 

ask yourself, “Will this still be an issue 

next week?” 

If the answer is no, then don’t give it more 

‘emotional bandwidth’ than it deserves. 

• Start the day positively – Increasing 

your enjoyment of your job can be as 

simple as having a positive mind-set. 

Our frame of mind dictates how we 

respond to challenges. 

Many people find it helps to begin each 

morning with a walk, meditation or 

reading from an inspiring book. 

• Set clear objectives – A large source 

of frustration for business owners is 

failing to achieve daily objectives or 

complete tasks, but an even greater 

source of aggravation can come from not 

having any objectives in the first place. 

Performance 

is so closely 

related to 

enjoyment and 

motivation. 

Often the 

source of our 

unhappiness is 

related to our 

expectations of 

the job, as much 

as the job itself 

Therefore, it’s important to clarify what 

you expect from each day. 

Have at least one thing that absolutely 

must be done on each day’s agenda so 

that no matter what happens, you can feel 

a sense of achievement. 

• Take a break – Productivity is lost 

the longer you go on without pausing to 

recharge the batteries. This is not only 

true during the day, when several breaks 

are necessary, but longer term when it 

comes to taking holidays. 

Many business owners feel their 

business can’t survive without them, 

but too often this is a misconception 

and results in exhaustion and lower 

levels of job satisfaction. 

An absence of balance between work 

and relaxation can also lead to full-scale 

burnout, which will force you to be absent 

from your business anyway! 

In order to escape your business from 

time to time, you need to ensure your 

staff are equipped to cope without you. 

• Delegate, delegate, delegate – I have 

spoken to many business owners over the 

years who won’t leave their business for 

more than a day at a time for fear there 

will be nothing left when they return. 

This says more about them than their 

employees or the business itself! 

Effective empowerment and delegation 

frees up the owner to focus on the bigpicture 

tasks and strategy, as well as 

giving them time to ‘smell the roses’ and 

truly enjoy what they do. 

Ultimately, the happier you are at 

work, the more productive you will be. 

Even implementing a few of the above 

strategies is likely to improve your mindset, 

reduce stress, and assist you in 

achieving your potential. 

DAVID BROWN is co-founder 

and business mentor with Retail 

Edge Consultants. Learn more: 

retailedgeconsultants.com 


BUSINESS 

Marketing & PR 

Six lessons business owners can learn from Netflix 

STEVEN VAN BELLEGHEM explores how streaming service Netflix has found enduring 

success through its rigorous focus on customer experience and satisfaction. 

Founded in 1997, Netflix is considered 

quite old by technology-firm standards, 

but it has been able to reinvent itself 

several times since then – evolving from 

a DVD mailing service to a streaming 

service and then a production studio. 

Today, it is the ‘king’ of frictionless, 

tailored and joyful customer experience, 

which businesses across many different 

industries can emulate. 

Take your product very seriously 

Netflix has identified entertainment as a 

human need, which feels extra relevant in 

these lockdown-filled times. 

It describes its mission thusly, 

“Entertainment, like friendship, is a 

fundamental human need; it changes how 

we feel and gives us common ground. 

We want to entertain the world. If we 

succeed, there is more laughter, more 

empathy, and more joy. 

“We want to entertain the world.” 

How’s that for an ambitious mission? 

Know what you sell 

At the same time, Netflix management 

realises that on a deeper level, they 

actually sell attention rather than 

entertainment. The company does not 

only compete with other streaming 

services, but also with anything that takes 

consumers away from its service, such as 

video games. 

This has tremendous repercussions; 

Netflix must constantly battle for 

attention, and therefore has no other 

choice but to offer the absolute highestquality 

experiences and products. 

Measure, test and repeat 

The Netflix model means being obsessed 

with customers. 

Gibson Biddle, former vice-president of 

product at Netflix, has said, “At Netflix, the 

customer is constantly under scrutiny – 

not just through analysing personal profile 

data to better recommend the right movies 

and series, but just as much through focus 

Extensive consumer research is just one facet of Netflix’s competitive edge. 

groups, usability sessions, one-on-ones 

and demographic or cancel surveys and 

then A/B testing the assumptions that flow 

out of these inputs.” 

Netflix refers to this process as 

‘consumer science’, which is the driver 

behind their ultra-tailored experience and 

it’s also the reason why in-house content 

– such as Black Mirror and The Queen’s 

Gambit – is so popular. 

As CEO Reed Hastings says, “If the 

Starbucks secret is a smile when you get 

your latte, [Netflix’s secret] is that the 

website adapts to the individual’s taste.” 

Focus on joy 

Alongside consumer science, Netflix also 

places emphasis on customer service. 

In addition to a wide range of self-help 

solutions, English live support is available 

24 hours a day through live chat or phone. 

Customer service also focuses on joy 

instead of second-guessing the customer. 

A recent example was of a Netflix 

subscriber who was watching a series 

and noticed the sound was garbled at one 

point. Unprompted, Netflix sent an email 

the next day with a small credit to be 

applied to their account, as an apologetic 

gesture for the disruption. 

This is customer service done right; if 

something goes wrong, don’t wait for the 

Netflix must 

constantly 

battle for 

attention, and 

therefore has 

no other choice 

but to offer 

the absolute 

highest-quality 

experiences 

and products 

customer to call to fix it; fix it before that, 

and make them feel good in doing so. 

Remove friction and frustration 

When Netflix started as a video rental 

service, Hastings was obsessed with 

“making the movie experience so much 

better than the regular video rental, that 

everyone wants to do it.” 

Its strategy eliminated: 

• Going to the video store – Netflix 

mailed DVDs to its subscribers 

• Product selection – The business was 

able to offer a wider range of titles and 

had more copies in stock than a standard 

video store 

• Late fees – A monthly subscription 

removed late fees and lowered prices 

Following on from its first iteration, 

Netflix reviewed its customer journey and 

foresaw that streaming could easily solve 

all frustrations even better. 

Happy staff make happy customers 

Though not all great customer 

experiences are rooted in great employee 

experiences – see Amazon warehouses 

– Netflix views employee happiness as a 

competitive advantage. 

The company has stated on its website, 

“We have great people working together 

as a dream team. With this approach, 

we are a more flexible, fun, stimulating, 

creative, collaborative and successful 

organisation.” 

Not only is this smart ‘branding’ – making 

Netflix an attractive place to work for 

talented potential employees – but it also 

fosters an innovative environment where 

the focus is on continuously improving for 

the benefit of customers. 

STEVEN VAN BELLEGHEM is a 

business consultant and keynote 

speaker, specialising in customer 

experience and the future of marketing. 

Visit: stevenvanbelleghem.com 


BUSINESS 

Logged On 

How to use Instagram Shopping to increase your 

e-commerce sales: Part II 

In part two of this series on Instagram Shopping, SIMON DELL provides a step-by-step 

guide to setting up an Instagram Shop to best benefit your business. 

Part one of this series explored the benefits 

of embracing the Instagram Shopping 

feature; now, let’s take a look at how to set 

up an Instagram Shop. 

Before we begin, business owners should 

note that they will need to comply with 

Instagram’s commercial policies, including 

that only physical items can be sold; 

services – such as repairs or remakes – 

can’t be sold via an Instagram Shop. 

It can take a little bit of time, but this stepby-step 

guide makes it easy to get started. 

Step 1: Open a Facebook Shop 

Facebook owns Instagram, so business 

owners will need to create a Facebook Shop 

before they can establish one on Instagram. 

If you’ve already got a Facebook Shop with a 

catalogue of products ready to go, you can 

skip this step! 

Otherwise, there are two options for setting 

up a Facebook Shop: 

• Set up a Facebook Shop from scratch 

through a Facebook account 

• Set up a Shopify e-commerce store, and 

sync it to Facebook 

It is strongly recommended to select the 

second option. Firstly, chances are you’ve 

already got an e-commerce website. If 

that’s the case, you don’t want to manage 

two separate stores. 

If you choose to start a Shopify store and 

sync it to Facebook and Instagram, you’ll 

only need to update one platform; any 

products you add will automatically go 

across to the two social platforms! 

Secondly, a standalone Facebook Shop 

doesn’t have all the great features that 

a dedicated e-commerce service provides. 

Step 2: Switch to a business profile 

Before you can create an Instagram Shop, 

ensure your Instagram account is set as a 

business profile. 

This is allows you to access tools like ads, 

action buttons and some analytics, so it 

is worth doing even if you do not create 

Setting up an Instagram Shop is a quick and simple process. 

a Shop. Simply go to Settings, click 

‘Account’, and then choose ‘Switch to 

Business Profile’. 

Then, you will need to make sure your 

Instagram business profile is linked to 

your Facebook page. 

Go to Instagram Settings, click ‘Account’, 

and then choose ‘Linked Accounts’. Enter 

your Facebook details, and you’re done. 

Step 3: Add your product catalogue 

If you are using a standalone Facebook 

Shop without Shopify – or have already 

linked your Shopify store to Facebook 

Shop – skip ahead to Step 4. 

Instagram Shopping ‘pulls’ your product 

catalogue from your Facebook Shop, 

which means that if you are using Shopify, 

you must link it to Facebook: 

• Go to your Shopify dashboard, and look 

for the left-hand sidebar menu 

• Click the plus icon next to ‘Sales 

Channel’ 

• Click the Facebook option, and enter 

your Facebook details as required 

• Go back to your Shopify dashboard, 

and look for the left-hand sidebar menu 

• Click on ‘Products’ 

• Highlight the products you want on 

your Facebook Shop (or ‘Select all’) 

There’s never 

been a better 

time to embrace 

Instagram 

Shopping and 

harness this 

powerful sales 

channel 

• Click ‘Make Products Available’ and 

select ‘Facebook’ 

Even though your Instagram Shop can’t 

link directly to Shopify, you still need to let 

Shopify know that you’ll be using Instagram 

as a sales channel. 

• Go to your Shopify dashboard and click 

the plus icon next to ‘Sales Channel’ on the 

left-hand sidebar menu 

• Click the Instagram option, and enter 

your Instagram details as required 

Step 4: Wait for approval 

At this point, Instagram will review your 

account to ensure everything is in order. 

This process can take a few days, so don’t 

panic if you don’t get approved instantly. 

When you’re approved, you’ll get a 

notification from Instagram that you can 

begin tagging products in your posts. 

Step 5: Connect accounts and tag products 

The final step is ‘telling’ Instagram which 

Facebook Shop you want connected to 

your profile. Either click the ‘Get Started’ 

button on your approval notification or go 

to your Instagram Business Settings, click 

‘Shopping’, and select Facebook Shop. 

All the products on your Facebook Shop 

should now be synced with Instagram, and 

you can begin tagging products in posts. 

Instagram allows you to tag up to 5 in a 

single post, or 20 per carousel. 

You’ll see an option to ‘Tag Products’ right 

below where you would normally ‘Tag 

People’, so it’s as easy as that! You can also 

tag your products in Instagram Live. 

Following the steps in this simple guide, 

there’s never been a better time to embrace 

Instagram Shopping and harness this 

powerful sales channel. 

SIMON DELL is co-founder and CEO 

of Cemoh, a Brisbane-based firm that 

provides marketing staff on demand. 

He specialises in digital marketing and 

brand management. Visit: cemoh.com 


My Bench 

Andy McGee 

Stelios Jewellers, Perth WA 

Age 48 • Years in Trade 34 • Training 7-year apprenticeship to obtain New Zealand Technical Certificate in Metalsmithing and Jewellery • First job After-school 

engraver at Skelts Jewellers in Invercargill, New Zealand in 1987 • Other Qualifications De Beers diamond qualifications, and 34 years of on-the-job training! 

SIGNATURE PIECE 

‘LUGGER’ BROOCH 

STOCK PIECE 

I made this piece 15 years ago and it is one of my absolute 

favourites. It is entirely handmade using 18-carat white and 

yellow gold, platinum and titanium, and set with diamonds and 

Australian South Sea pearls. It is named ‘Lugger’ after the sailing 

vessel you can see in the design. 

4FAVOURITE GEMSTONE Erongo tourmaline from 

Namibia due to the fusion of colours that seamlessly 

change and transition through the gem, and Argyle 

pink diamonds! The more I have worked with them 

over the years, the greater my appreciation of their 

colour spectrum. It never ceases to amaze! 

4FAVOURITE METAL 18-carat yellow gold because 

I don’t have to rhodium-plate it. It’s such a refreshing 

change too as the decade has been dominated by 

white metals. 

4FAVOURITE TOOL Foredom Brushless 

Micromotor. I have used it nearly every day for 14 

years and have only ever had to replace one collet! 

4BEST NEW TOOL DISCOVERY My 65mm saw 

frame with polishing ribbons. With the world of CAD 

today there really aren’t too many places you can’t 

polish with this bad boy. 

4BEST TIP FROM A JEWELLER At the end of the day, 

jewellery is the winner! 

4BEST TIP TO A JEWELLER It’s not too late to learn 

to lay bricks! 

4BEST PART OF THE JOB Being able to sit with 

a customer, source and select the gemstones with 

them, and then turn the two-dimensional design 

into a 3D art piece to be adored – and adorned – for 

generations to come. 

4WORST PART OF THE JOB Not having a gold and 

diamond mine in my backyard to make everything 

less expensive to meet customer’s expectations! 

Also, having to re-educate customers who have been 

blatantly misinformed by poorly-trained sales staff. 

4BIGGEST HEALTH CONCERN ON THE BENCH The 

average life expectancy of a jeweller in the early 1900s 

was 42, I’m on borrowed time daily. 

4LOVE JEWELLERY BECAUSE Every day is different, 

every customer is unique, and every piece has its own 

unique challenges. Plus, the amazing friends I have 

made in the industry over the years and the fact my 

work will stay ‘alive’ long after I am gone. 


OPINION 

Soapbox 

Understanding how young 

consumers buy jewellery 

RYAN PURDIE-SMITH discusses why jewellery retailers should put their customers 

first – particularly if they plan to appeal to younger shoppers. 

In my first few months in the jewellery 

industry, I was genuinely shocked at how 

a good portion of jewellers spoke about 

and treated their customers. 

Being part of a few online jewellery 

groups and pages, I would hear so much 

jaded complaining on a daily basis – an 

‘us-versus-them’ mentality with no 

intention of retaining or building customer 

life-time value (LTV). 

Many jewellers had a transactional approach 

to each customer, with a focus on shortterm 

margins and little to none on branding. 

Coming from a business background, 

rather than through the ranks as a trained 

bench jeweller, gave me a different 

perspective and allowed my jewellery 

business, Crooked Howlet Designs (CHD), 

not to be stifled by standard practices or 

archaic ways of thinking. 

In a way, there was a competitive advantage 

to being blissfully ignorant about how things 

‘should’ be done, and instead seeking out 

best practices. For example, I was – and still 

am – completely bewildered by jewellers 

who charge for finger sizing tools. 

It is absolutely mind-blowing that large, 

engagement ring-focused jewellery brands 

– many here in Sydney, where my business 

is based – will charge $5 for a finger sizer 

to be sent to a potential purchaser of a 

$15,000 ring! 

This puts up an unnecessary psychological 

barrier-to-purchase for the customer. 

Instead, we send out two free finger sizers to 

potential customers, with a note to ‘gift one 

on’. The finger sizers are branded and have 

scannable QR codes that collect data about 

the potential customer. 

We also offer free re-sizing and go above 

and beyond to leave the customer happy 

on the first purchase, even if that first 

order is a net loss, because a strong LTV – 

repeat purchasing over time – is the most 

important factor. 

In the first years of the business, we 

also invested heavily in creating a ‘brand 

personality’. We focused on building trust 

with our customers and establishing a brand 

that provides value outside jewellery. 

Social media has not only not only provided 

an amazing opportunity to create this 

personality and reach a new audience, but it 

also has an accessibility and personal touch. 

Taking a closer look at our customers led to 

another key realisation: why they purchase 

from us, and therefore how we should 

position ourselves in a marketing sense. 

Young consumers need to be able to ‘see 

themselves’ in a brand today – especially 

for high-ticket items or purchases that 

hold emotive significance, like jewellery. 

They need to feel connected to the brand’s 

personality, or to the attributes associated 

with the business’ founder. 

This has led to the development of our 

‘brand mission’, which is to provide a blank 

canvas for experiences, and to give our 

jewellery purpose and a legacy. In fact, I 

would never say that we are in the jewellery 

industry – we are in the experience industry. 

Here are some of the tactics we’ve 

implemented to achieve our brand mission: 

• The CHD Ring Library, which is an 

archive recording every single one of our 

pieces. It is housed in an aged, bison 

leather binder, and contributes to the 

sense of legacy by giving each customer’s 

ring a defined and documented age. 

It’s something that our customers can 

refer to when they visit us in 20 years. 

• Our online marketing is very focused on 

provenance – where and how the pieces 

are made. Every piece is made to order, 

Young 

consumers need 

to be able to ‘see 

themselves’ in 

a brand today 

– especially 

for highticket 

items or 

purchases that 

hold emotive 

significance, 

like jewellery. 

They need to 

feel connected 

to the brand’s 

personality, or 

to the attributes 

associated with 

the business’ 

founder 

with purpose. We give a lot of in-depth 

production education and information 

about our team of jewellers. 

• All our rings are delivered to the customer 

in whiskey label-style packaging, listing the 

ring’s cast date, the alloy it was made from, 

and the weight. Hand-writing these details 

gives the rings a specific purpose and 

differentiates them from the sea of massproduced 

junk on the market. 

• A very important element in building our 

brand, and creating a community around 

it, was the launch of the CHD Design 

Competition in which people can submit 

designs with the chance to have theirs 

made and sold by us for one month. 

The competition allows us to engage 

with highly involved customers and 

followers, who give us feedback on the 

design submissions. 

This creates trust and provides insights 

on future product designs, but it would 

be extremely difficult to convince the 

majority of the industry of the benefits of 

this type of campaign. 

However, it’s important for me – and 

every other jewellery business owner – to 

remember that our industry is, first and 

foremost, product-centric. 

In this day and age, getting too engulfed 

in consumer purchasing behaviours and 

content marketing can fool you into thinking 

that is the most important part of your 

business. But if your product stinks, then all 

an efficient marketing funnel will do is find 

the right customers – and let them know, 

efficiently, that your product stinks! 

Name: Ryan Purdie-Smith 

Business: Crooked Howlet Designs 

Position: Founder and jewellery designer 

Location: Sydney, NSW 

Years in the industry: 5 


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INSURED AMOUNT 

NO EXCESS ON ALL CLAIMS 

Like-for-like replacement to the same quality and craftsmanship 

that was lost 

We do annual revaluations so the item is never under-insured 

Commission for every one of your customers that process a policy 

Easy, fast claims process. Claims payments made within 

5 business days 

COVER FOR ACCIDENTAL 

DAMAGE, LOSS &THEFT 

ANNUAL REVALUATIONS TO 

MATCH REPLACEMENT COST 

www.centrestone.com.au 

JOIN AS A PARTNER JEWELLER 

CALL NOW 

+61 2 8316 3995

Australian Pink Diamond Exchange 

Announcing the world’s first digital marketplace exclusively 

for Argyle pink diamond enthusiasts and investors! 

Australian Pink Diamond Exchange provides a smart and safe 

platform to buy and sell your Argyle pink diamonds. 

Every diamond we list undergoes and completes a strict 

authenticity verication process. A will also arrange safe and 

secure transportation, no matter if you are buying or selling. 

Our team has over 25 years of industry experience and expert 

knowledge in working with Argyle pink diamonds. 

apdx.com.au

Jeweller - August 2021

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