Jewellery World Magazine - September 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021 

AUSTRALIA AND NEW 

ZEALAND’S PROFESSIONAL JEWELLERY MAGAZINE

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REGULARS 

6 News 

14 Palloy's Points 

16 Trade Well with Rami Baron 

18 JAA News 

44 Keeping Skills Alive 

46 Watches 

48 New Products 

50 Directory 

FEATURES 

22 Straight outta the lab 

The meteoric rise of lab grown diamonds 

through the eyes of Australian industry 

22 

36 

38 

36 Cudworth Enterprises' Century of Success 

Australia's premier men's jewellery company 

celebrates 100 years in business 

DISCLAIMER: 

38 A Glimmer of Hope 

How the engagement ring sector has 

survived COVID 

This publication may not be reproduced 

in whole or part without the written 

permission of the Publisher. 

Articles express the opinions of the 

authors and are not necessarily those of the 

Publisher or Editor. Mention of a product or 

service in this magazine does not indicate the 

Publisher’s endorsement. 

The Publisher excludes all liability for 

loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false 

or misleading statements that may appear 

in this publication. 

42 Jewellery Industry Summit 

A wrap-up of this highly successful event 

that brought the industry together during 

a time when we needed it most 

AUSTRALIA AND NEW 

SEPTEMBER 2021 

ZEALAND’S PROFESSIONAL JEWELLERY MAGAZINE 

4 

All information is copyright. 

jewellery world - September 2021 

FRONT COVER 

Cudworth Enterprises 

100 YEARS 

www.cudworthenterprises.com

All Silver is Rhodium Plated 

All Silver is Rhodium Plated 

• Sydney AGHA Gift Fair - February 21-24, 2020 (Homebush) 

• International • Sydney AGHA Jewellery Gift Fair -September - February 21-24, 12-14, 2020 (Homebush) 

(Darling Harbour) 

• International Jewellery Fair -September 12-14, 2020 (Darling Harbour) 

TJDSILVER.COM.AU 0400272365 ADMIN@TJDSILVER.COM.AU

News 

Showcase Jewellers returns 20% of 

member investments 

The Showcase Jewellers buying group has reaped the 

rewards of a stable business model despite pandemic 

uncertainties. The Group, which describes itself as 

member-owned, has generated a strong profit despite 

the uncertainty of the current economic climate, 

declaring a significant 20% return on members’ trading 

loan for the 2020-2021 financial year. Showcase 

Jewellers members have seen a total $3 million return 

on their trading loan that would ordinarily be retained 

by owners of competitor business models. 

The well-established buying group was set to celebrate 

the milestone of 40 years in business at their second 

annual conference this August 2021, but have 

postponed celebrations until the new year due to 

lockdown restrictions in Greater Sydney. 

Farmer of the Year award for Aussie pearl farmer 

Pearl farmer James Brown of Cygnet Bay Pearls in Western Australia and Broken Bay 

Pearls in NSW has been named 2021 Australian Farmer of the Year. 

Brown, whose family have been pearling pioneers for three generations, has 

focused on research and diversification to navigate a challenging decade for 

the pearling industry, beset by obstacles such as aquatic disease and natural 

disasters, as well as the external factors such as COVID-19. He was selected by an 

independent judging panel for the ABC Rural and Kondinin Group award. 

Brown said he was “very humbled and very grateful” to receive this recognition 

from the broader farming industry on behalf of his business. 

“I often say pearling is never a single person’s achievement,” he said. “Every single 

pearl and every single oyster is touched by dozens of people along the many, many 

years it takes to produce that end crop.” 

National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson praised Brown’s resilience and 

innovative thinking. 

“At a time when so many pearl farmers were going broke, we saw James take on 

that challenge and grow his business… and take that to the next level,” Simson said. 

“And whether you’re a land-based or water-based farmer, that’s the sort of 

outcomes that farmers are looking for in their businesses.” 

Although current pandemic circumstances present as 

challenging, Showcase Jewellers has held steadfast in 

providing consistent support to its members over the 

past 12 months, while many members in turn have 

persevered through trials to thrive in unprecedented 

times. 

Sotheby’s honours Black jewellery designers 

Sotheby’s will be holding a new exhibition in New York. – 

Brilliant and Black: A jewellery Renaissance – to promote 

the work of Black jewellery designers. 

The exhibition, which will be held from 17-26 September, 

will feature the work of more than 20 of the world’s 

leading Black jewellery designers from the 1950s to the 

current day. British writer, author and stylist Melanie 

Grant, who curated the exhibition along with Sotheby’s, 

said that the exhibition “represents a shift in thinking from 

‘African inspired’ to Black talent being the inspiration.” 

“I think we will look back at this moment 

as a game-changer, amplifying the 

often overlooked and sometimes 

underappreciated talents and 

stories of Black 

jewellery 

designers.” 

6 

jewellery world - September 2021 

Enchanted Garden earrings in diamonds, 

rubies, rose gold, and titanium, by Vanleles 

Isis Goddess Tahitian black 

pearl and green tsavorite 

garnet ring in 18k black gold, by 

Marei New York

News 

Margot Robbie stuns in white and 

pearls 

Final Argyle tender marks end of an era 

After 38 years of dazzling the diamond industry, Rio Tinto’s final annual Argyle Pink 

Diamonds Tender has taken place in Antwerp, Belgium, featuring the last spectacular array 

of rare pink, red, blue and violet diamonds to come from Argyle, now that mining has 

ceased from November 2020. 

Patrick Coppens, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Rio Tinto’s diamond 

business explained the extraordinary rarity of the Argyle diamond: “When you consider 

the number of diamonds presented at the annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender since 1984 

would barely fill two champagne flutes, you begin to grasp the rarity and the tremendous 

gravitas of this final collection.” 

As a global ambassador for Chanel, Margot 

Robbie has plenty of fashion choices when 

she hits the red carpet in her other role as 

internationally acclaimed actress. 

For the premiere of The Suicide Squad, Robbie 

chose a different fashion style than her usual 

glamorous gown, wearing a white halter-neck 

wraparound fabric top with white trousers. 

The sleek outfit was emblazoned with Chanel 

accessories, including two floral pendants with 

the trademark double C on the halterneck and a 

pearl belt. 

“Many of the invitees have participated in the annual Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender for 

more than three decades and across generations, so it is an emotional moment in the 

history of Rio Tinto’s Argyle Pink Diamonds business and the natural fancy coloured 

diamond industry,” Coppens said. 

Pandora posts record US profits 

Pandora has posted record revenue for the second quarter of 2021. Its U.S. sales soared to 63 percent 

over the same period in 2019. 

The company attributed its strong performance to the stimulus payments awarded by the U.S. government to 

its citizens as part of the American Rescue Plan, and expects a natural correction once the stimulus is removed. 

CEO Alexander Lacik nevertheless believes that Pandora has been building the market share in America. 

Pandora 

Brilliance Collection 

Lacik also indicated that the company's lab grown diamond line, called Brilliance, was doing well during its launch in the UK. 

The brand is “a baby at this stage in terms of launch,” he added. “And I think the critical question we are asking, not just ourselves, but the consumer, 

is: does this value equation, which is very different from [our traditional] charms and bracelets proposition, does it hold with our consumer base?” 

Pandora will do a proper evaluation over the next six months, he said, before deciding whether to roll out the new line globally. 

An average of 15 percent of Pandora’s physical stores were temporarily closed during the quarter due to COVID-19. Currently, 8 percent of its stores 

are temporarily closed. 

8 

jewellery world - September 2021

WWW.CUDWORTHENTERPRISES.COM

News 

Meghan Markle’s jewellery a 

tribute to her children 

The Duchess of Sussex, formerly Meghan 

Markle celebrated her milestone 40th 

birthday by launching a charitable initiative 

entitled 40x40 where she has recruited 

40 of her most famous friends to offer 

mentoring advice to women juggling 

career and family. 

The initiative was announced via a 

scripted video call between the Duchess 

and actress Melissa McCarthy. The 

Duchess wore an outfit of soothing 

neutrals, impeccably coordinated with 

the sandstone colour scheme and even 

Tiffany & Co sign Beyoncé and Jay-Z 

and reveal their first campaign 

Celebrity couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z became Tiffany 

& Co’s latest brand ambassadors in July. Their first 

joint campaign, About Love, releases in print and film in September. 

Alexandre Arnault, executive vice president of product and communications at the brand, said: 

“Beyoncé and Jay-Z are the epitome of the modern love story. As a brand that has always stood 

for love, strength and self-expression, we could not think of a more iconic couple that better 

represents Tiffany’s values. We are honoured to have the Carters as a part of the Tiffany family.” 

The rollout of the campaign will last a year and will include a short film. Beyoncé will sing Moon 

River, a nod to Audrey Hepburn in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. 

As part of the partnership with the musicians, Tiffany & Co have pledged a $2 million 

commitment towards scholarship and education programs for historically Black colleges and 

universities. 

Beyoncé wears the Tiffany Diamond during the campaign — only 

the fourth woman to ever wear the jewel. 

The yellow gemstone weighs 128.54 carats and was mined from 

the Kimberley mine in South Africa in 1877. It was purchased by 

Charles Tiffany who had founded Tiffany & Co forty years earlier. 

The three other women lucky enough to wear the diamond 

include Mary Whitehouse who wore the jewel at a Tiffany Ball in 

1957. Audrey Hepburn then wore the pendant during publicity for 

the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961. 

The diamond has been reset on a few occasions between wearers 

to become part of different necklaces and for museum exhibits. 

the brown and white dog sleeping in the 

background. 

She also wore her birthday gift, two 

intertwined delicate gold and diamond 

chain necklaces. The “constellation” 

necklaces are tributes to her two children 

– the diamond design in one featuring 

Archie’s Taurus star sign, while the other 

necklace has the pattern of the Gemini star 

sign for Lilibet. 

In 2019, the stone got its third outing when Lady 

Gaga wore it to the Oscars and received her 

Academy Award for Best Actress. 

Now Beyoncé has become only the fourth woman 

ever to wear the diamond for her and her husband’s 

debut campaign with Tiffany & Co. 

Gal Gadot will wear it next, in the COVID-delayed 

film Death on the Nile, which will be released next 

year. 

10 


Redefine the Luxury of Shopping 

AR Virtual Try-On Technology Provides 

Growth Opportunities for Jewellery Retailers 

Ground-breaking augmented 

reality (AR) technology is 

transforming how customers 

see and experience jewellery 

in real-time. Trueview AR is 

a solution that allows buyers 

to virtually try on jewellery 

anywhere and anytime. 

The software is providing 

business owners with a new 

way to increase revenue by 

directly enhancing the customer 

experience. 

Now exclusively available 

in Australia and New Zealand 

through Troy Australia, Trueview 

AR is designed for retailers at all 

stages of business growth, who 

aim to enhance their ecommerce 

business and improve customer 

engagement. 

Research from Gartner shows 

that retailers are investing in AR 

to drive sales among consumers. 

However, in the jewellery industry, 

only a select group of retailers 

have had the financial capability 

to adopt it. 

Troy Australia and Trueview AR are committed 

to changing that with a virtual try-on system 

that’s designed to be accessible to all types 

of jewellery e-commerce businesses.“ Most 

virtual try-on solutions were custom-built for 

the company using it. That’s a luxury the studio 

designer, or family-owned jeweller in metro or 

country stores often can’t afford,” says Bahruz 

Agayev, the managing director of Trueview AR. 

Right: Carson Webb, 

CEO Troy Australia 

“We’re taking a democratic approach with our 

product and removing the red tape, so everyone 

in the jewellery industry capture customers via 

this cool shopping experience — and boost their 

conversion rates as much as the big guys,” he says. 

Trueview AR is a sophisticated, multi-application 

system that’s compatible with any existing 

ecommerce platform. A simple web plugin 

enables a 3D virtual experience for customers 

without them having to download a separate app. 

70%+ 

of shoppers said they would shop 

with a retailer more frequently if 

virtual try-on is available. # 

#Source: retailperceptions.com/2016/10/the-impact-of-augmentedreality-on-retail/ 

Accelerating 

business growth 

Customisation options: 

Shoppers can change the 

metal, gem type, shape, 

and size while they’re in 

try-on mode – and can view 

different looks on a single 

product display page. 

Analytics: Trueview AR 

provides data analytics 

and insights, so retailers 

know which products, 

customised combinations, 

gems, or designs are the 

most popular. They can 

also determine what 

pieces are sampled the 

most. Designers can use 

these insights to develop a 

collection that’s informed 

by customer behaviour. 

Social sharing: Online 

shoppers can snap-andshare 

ring selfies and other 

images from their try-on 

experience to social media 

channels. This empowers 

businesses to meet Gen Z 

consumers where they are 

and provides opportunities 

for organic exposure to 

an expanded, qualified 

audience. 

visit trueviewar.com for more details

News 

Lightbox to offer bigger diamonds 

The De Beers-owned brand Lightbox will now be 

offering bigger versions of its lab grown diamonds, 

as well as better-quality stones. The range will 

come online from October this year. 

Up until now, Lightbox has standardised the price point for its lab 

grown diamonds at USD $800 per carat and capped their size at 

1 carat. Now, a 2 ct cap will be in place, meaning their standard 

stones — which are G through J colour, VS clarity and very good cut 

— will sell for USD $1,600. 

The brand is also adding a new collection, Finest, which will sell at USD 

$1,500 per carat. These stones will be D through F colour, VVS clarity 

and excellent cut. 

All the new stones in the Lightbox range will be available in the three 

standard Lightbox colours - blue, pink and white. 

The brand was originally only available in the United States, 

but is now available in 75 countries. International sales 

make up 20 percent of its e-commerce revenue. 

As for the brand’s environmental impact, one third of the 

energy used to create polished carat comes from renewable 

sources, with the company planning to increase that to 50 

percent by the end of this year and to 100 percent by the end of 2022. 

Lightbox stones are produced via the chemical vapour deposition 

(CVD) method. Their colour is boosted with a high-pressure hightemperature 

(HPHT) treatment — though Lightbox doesn’t label it as 

a treatment. (Most CVD diamonds look brown when they come out of 

the growing machine.) 

Time to buy Australian-made 

Ph: (03) 9650 5955 Fax: (03) 6950 5977 

Email: sales@millenniumchain.com.au 

Web: www.millenniumchain.com.au 

6th Floor, 313 Lt. Collins St. 

Melbourne 3000 Victoria 

Millennium Chain 

Finished Top 5 in the category of 

Best Selling Gold Jewellery Suppliers in 

Australia and NZ, as voted by retailers. 

millennium_chain

News 

Jewellery ad with model ‘playing’ the oboe leaves 

musicians baffled 

A photo of a billboard ad has been floating around the internet recently 

advertising a brand of jewellery and featuring a model in a compromising 

situation with an oboe. 

Stock photography is rarely kind to musicians — from violin bows in the 

middle of fingerboards, to upside down guitar holds, to impossibly long 

fingernails on supposed piano-players (previous page!) — but this image 

takes the cake. 

The text on the ad apparently reads “A 

fancy diamond — colourful treasure 

collection” but the music world has 

been puzzling over the model’s creative 

fingerings and relaxed embouchure. 

Oboe players have taken the ad to heart 

and meme-d it their own, with several 

offering talented performances utilising the new technique. 

Ginormous sapphire cluster found in backyard 

The world’s largest star sapphire cluster was unearthed in a 

backyard in Sri Lanka as a man carried out some renovations to 

his home. 

The man happened to be a third-generation gem trader who 

knew instantly what he was looking at. 

The cluster, which has since 

been named the Serendipity 

Sapphire, weighs a 

staggering 2.5 million carats 

and roughly half a ton. It 

could be worth as much as 

$100 million. 

It took over a year to clean 

in and around the stone. Small sapphires separated from the 

stone during the procedure and were found to be very high 

quality.

COCHI’S COMMENT 

Andrew Cochineas, CEO, Pallion 

PALLOYS - 70 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP 

2021 marks 70 years since the founder of Palloys Felix Parry (a Polish war hero 

who fled to Australia as a refugee after World War II) incorporated Palloys. 

At Palloys and within the broader Pallion 

group, we see this milestone in the 

eyes of our clients – our partners in 

precious metal. 

Their returning custom is a privilege. Our 

success comes from their trust in us to execute 

their vision as a “brand behind brands”. And it 

is from their perspective that we plan for our 

next 70 years. 

ESG – the new market mantra 

Prior to 2018, words like “environment”, 

“sustainability” and “governance” (collectively 

referred to as “ESG”) were barely heard 

outside corporate boardrooms. Fast forward 

to today and ESG has become the catchcry for 

almost every industry. 

But ESG is not a “nice to have”. Solid ESG 

credentials are an essential requirement 

for economic success. Put simply, ESG is 

a baseline requirement of an increasingly 

educated consumer. It is from that perspective 

that Palloys and the broader Pallion group plan 

to celebrate this inauguration milestone. 

That’s why in the next 70 years of Palloys’ 

development, our focus will be on delivering 

to our clients a solid, verifiable foundation on 

which they can market their ESG credentials 

to the world. We are committed to ensuring 

that when you deal with Palloys or any Pallion 

group company, you can be assured that our 

precious metal products are some of the most 

highly externally ESG accredited products 

globally. 

ESG – mere claims don’t cut 

the mustard 

The problem is that ESG has become – of itself 

– just a marketing tool. 

It is all too easy for companies to slap a slogan 

on their website, expecting a consumer to 

simply believe that a claim to ESG is equivalent 

to meeting the rigorous standards which come 

with attaining external ESG accreditations. 

But ESG is not just a slogan. 

Your clients will require you to verify your 

ESG claims. So, you should require that your 

suppliers provide proof to you of their claims. 

Because if you just blindly accept a supplier’s 

ESG claims and later find out that the claims 

just don’t reflect reality, what was your 

supplier’s problem suddenly becomes your 

problem. 

Transparency, not lip service 

Our focus on the provenance of precious 

metals means that we have complete control 

over the chain of custody of our products that 

we supply to our customers.We don’t rely on 

the assurances of third party suppliers. We are 

the supplier. 

It all begins with 

the refinement of 

the precious metal 

that is contained in 

all of our products. 

Palloys precious 

metals are sourced 

from another Pallion 

group company, ABC 

Refinery. 

ABC Refinery is one 

of only 68 refineries 

globally that are 

accredited as good 

delivery refiners 

by the London 

Bullion Market Association (LBMA). As such, the 

provenance of our precious metals is subject 

to strict annual independent Responsible Gold 

14 


It’s the reason why major international luxury 

jewellery and watch houses, central banks 

and international mints specify our precious 

metals. It’s also the reason why we are the 

only Australian independent precious metals 

supplier that can verify our claim to supply all 

Australian mined precious metals. 

And as part of Palloys’ 70th anniversary 

celebrations, we are launching two new 

registered hallmark trademarks —Pallion 

Australian Gold®and Pallion Australian Silver®. 

Only Palloys clients will be able to engrave 

or stamp their products with this trademark 

to evidence the source of their precious 

metal creations and the veracity of the ESG 

credentials behind them. 

Commitment to industry 

Guidance (RGG) Audit as well as OECD and 

World Gold Council Conflict Gold Policies (all 

available for download at pallion.com/about/ 

responsibility). 

There is no other independent precious 

metals refiner in Australia that can give you 

that assurance – period. 

So, when our clients buy precious metal 

products from us, we can say with absolute 

certainty where that metal came from. We 

know the mining, labour and governance 

conditions of those precious metals. We know 

workers have been paid a living wage. We 

know our miners are acting ethically and with 

best environmental practices. 

We actually refine our precious metals 

ourselves, we also know how our precious 

metals have been refined. ABC Refinery is the 

only refiner in the Southern Hemisphere to 

utilise acidless separation (ALS) technology to 

refine its precious metals (unlike traditional 

refining technologies). It is indisputably 

the most environmentally friendly refining 

technology available today. All Palloys 

products incorporate precious metals that 

have been refined utilising ALS technology. 

Complementing our investment in 

sustainable practices and provenance, are 

our precious metal laboratories. We don’t 

rely on guesswork or XRF hand held guns. Our 

precious metals are verified as to purity and 

caratage by the most accredited independent 

precious metals laboratory in Australia. For 

full details of ABC Refinery’s laboratory 

accreditations, see pallion.com/about/ 

accreditations. 

When it comes to product, we only give our 

clients the very best alloyed precious metals– 

made daily with 100% fresh bullion. No Palloys 

product is made with casting tree residue, 

jewellery scrap or wedding ring swarth. That’s 

why fabricated metal products are renowned 

for being easy to work, clean and the best of 

their kind. 

All of these initiatives and more are why we’re 

not just members of the Responsible Jewellery 

Council (RSG) – we are the only Australian 

Wholesaler and Manufacturer accredited by 

the Responsible Jewellery Council. Full details 

of our Pallion ESG initiatives are detailed in the 

annual Pallion Sustainability Report, available 

for review at pallion.com/about/responsibility. 

Pallion Provenance, Pallion 

Australian Gold and Pallion 

Australian Silver 

Our investment in and assurance of superior 

supply chains, production processes and 

environmental protections benefits all of our 

client partners. We call that supply ecosystem, 

Pallion Provence. 

Felix Parry 

In our 70th birthday year, Palloys remains 

steadfast in its commitment to the 

Australian jewellery industry and resolute in 

determination to give our clients every tool 

to give their clients the best that the precious 

metals industry can offer. 

We are honoured to continue to support new 

jewellers in their studies at TAFE, university 

and during apprenticeships. We are proud to 

promote the Australian jewellery industry at 

home and abroad through our partnerships 

and significant donations to entities like 

Worldskills Australia. 

Together, I hope these things mean that Felix 

Parry is looking down on all of us with a smile 

on his face. Proud to have been a part of 

the development of a dynamic, responsible 

Australian jewellery industry. 

Happy birthday Palloys! And thank you to all 

of our valued customers past, present and 

future. We’re in this together. 

September 2021 15

ARE YOU A GOOD COMMUNICATOR? 

I think that most of us have a fairly good idea as to our effectiveness as a communicator. 

The question is, how do others perceive our skills? In the diamond and jewellery space, 

where so much of it involves either selling product, design or just general customer service, 

if we weren’t reasonably good at communicating, we wouldn’t be in business or have a job. 

I 

want to challenge you to re-examine your 

communication skills. Like anything which is 

so fundamental to our success in both our 

personal lives and our business environment, 

communication should be at the top of the 

list as something which needs to be analysed, 

exercised and deserving of some outside 

feedback. 

I think it’s fair to say that a large majority of us 

exercise. Some may even go to a gym, join a 

class or have a personal trainer. Why? Because 

we want to improve our health,appearance or 

both. 

things get done. You might be reading this 

and thinking who has time? You might believe 

that it’s your employee's job to understand 

what you're trying to say. There might be a 

bit of truth in both but consider how much 

more time you would have if you didn’t have 

to repeat yourself numerous times, if your 

communication skills were more effective 

and less susceptible to misinterpretation, and 

hence fewer mistakes were being made. 

Clearly, there is no such thing as one shoe fits 

all. What I’m going to suggest is five key points 

which you may find useful. 

are probably thinking what they are going to 

be having for dinner, or hoping they don’t miss 

their bus or train. 

My personal view is if it is an important 

message, delivering it early in the day is 

more effective and gives people a chance to 

discuss it with other team members during 

the day. Hopefully misunderstandings are 

resolved, and they even come to you during 

the day with further queries. It’s all about how 

important that message is and the impact it 

can have on your business, which will dictate 

when you choose to deliver the message. 

It makes sense that we should also train 

to improve our communication. As an 

exercise,why don’t you ask a few people 

close to you if they think you are a great 

communicator or whether you could improve? 

You might be surprised with the answers. 

Ever had a conversation with the team at work 

and walked away feeling very confident that 

everyone was on the same page and that they 

understood the message, only to find out a 

few days later that it was as if people were on 

another planet? 

“I don’t know who they were listening to, but 

it wasn’t me.” Sound familiar? How is it even 

possible that people can misinterpret what we 

are saying to the extent that it is diametrically 

opposite to what we meant? 

It’s easy to blame everyone else — “I know 

they weren’t listening.” 

But maybe, just maybe, we need to rethink 

our delivery. 

Over time, people learn our style, especially 

those around us. They pickup on our nuances, 

silences and body language so that, thankfully, 

My late father gave me a book when I was 

13 years old, which he had read in another 

language when he was 13 years old. The book 

was published in 1936, sold over 30 million 

copies and was deemed to be in the top 100 

hundred most influential books of all time. The 

name of the book was How to Make Friends 

and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. There 

is no doubt that there are a bunch of timeless 

gems in there, and yes, I did buy a copy for my 

kids. There is also an updated version called 

How to Make Friends and Influence People in 

the Digital Age. It’s worth a read. 

So,let’s begin: 

Timing 

This is probably the easiest one, depending on 

the importance of what you are trying to get 

across. Choosing the right time to do it, will 

have a massive impact on your team’s ability 

to hear the message. Explaining to people 

something a bit more complicated at the 

end of the day may result in only half of the 

information being absorbed. They are tired 

and their concentration levels are down. Most 

The one-on-one 

Our days are littered with starts and stops, 

but when we need to have a more important 

conversation with a member of our team, 

think about where the best place is to have 

this conversation, and when. Rather than 

sitting behind your desk, getting out of the 

office and having a cup of coffee down the 

road is a far less confrontational. If your 

employee is fearful and expecting this 

conversation as a reprimand, the first five 

to ten minutes of the conversation is lost 

because they are still in the “fight or flight” 

mode. Going for a walk always reduces 

anxiety. 

Asking the other person for their take on an 

issue, problem or something else that has 

transpired before you speak shows respect 

and an appreciation that there is always 

two sides to every story. Remember, so 

much of what we deal with is second-hand 

information. Let them speak first — it is the 

only way that the other person will ever be 

able to hear you, and normally reveals things 

from another perspective. 

16 


DDCA NEWS 

Rami Baron 

President, Diamond Dealers Club of Australia 

rami@ddca.org.au 

We need to open our mind to different 

versions and/or chains of events. If you 

don’t give them the chance to download at 

the start, I guarantee you that they are not 

going to hear anything you have to say. Your 

employee or colleague will be stuck at the 

start of the conversation,where you said 

something that upset them before you heard 

their side of the story. 

The bottom line is, are you trying to 

communicate effectively, or do you just want 

to download on someone because it’s going 

make you feel better? 

I think we all agree that some conversations 

are just lecturing. You may feel better, but in 

most cases, you haven’t solved the problem. 

You may have merely created animosity, 

frustration, and effectively a no-win situation. 

This is the moment where you might want to 

ask yourself if you want them to learn from 

what happened. Think before you dive into 

one of those in the future. 

Listening 

Yup, I never forget the famous saying, “you 

have two ears and one mouth, use them 

proportionately”. If you don’t actively listen, 

you are failing yourself and the person/people 

in front of you. Active listening is such a buzz 

term, but what it means is stop thinking 

that you know what they are going to say, or 

know what they mean or what the underlying 

message is. Just tell your brain to SHUT UP 

… and BITE YOUR TONGUE IF YOU MUST, but 

listen to the other person. If you need to, take 

notes, ask them to repeat something or clarify 

something, but don’t challenge anything they 

say until they have delivered their side of the 

story. If you stop and challenge them mid-way, 

it shows that you have already made up your 

mind and have stopped listening. Yes, it’s very 

hard, but it’s also the most powerful thing that 

you can do. 

How are you feeling? 

You might be tired, irritated or focused on 

something that is happening at home. There 

is a myriad of things you have to juggle at 

any moment in time. Before you begin an 

important discussion, ask yourself is this the 

best time for you? Can you be distracted? If 

so, go back to the first point and choose a 

better time. It is very difficult to switch gears, 

and therefore when we are not feeling good, 

our body language is sending one message 

and our mouth a very different one. I know 

it’s not always ideal, or even practical to delay 

certain conversations. However, if you at least 

give yourself a moment to ensure this the 

right time for me to have this conversation, 

you’re stimulating that self-reflective quality 

which is exceptionally difficult to master, but is 

without doubt one of the most powerful tools 

we can develop in our efforts to improve and 

communicate better. 

Admitting our mistakes 

Don’t you just hate when you’re wrong? Wait, 

is Rami telling me I’m supposed to publicly 

admit it?Luckily am leaving this to the end 

of the article. My first question is, have you 

ever admitted to your team that you made a 

mistake? The ability to show leadership by way 

of admitting mistakes has a double impact. 

The first demonstrates that we’re not infallible 

and by sharing our experience we hope that 

others in the team can learn. The second 

positive impact is that you create a culture 

where no one is hesitant to admit to mistakes 

for fear of retribution, but instead fosters an 

environment where all can learn from errors 

and become stronger. I know from my own 

experience, that even when we admit to our 

mistakes, we like to throw in a 'but'. You know 

what I mean – but someone else didn’t check 

the paperwork before they gave it to me, but 

they should have reconfirmed the order before 

they sent it to me. Just own it, and accept 

that you should have checked the paperwork 

twice, that you should have reconfirmed the 

offer. 

Verbalising our mistakes without retribution 

is the sign of a confident leader and 

communicator. 

I’m sure, or should I say I hope that when you 

read this, you say to yourself that Rami forgot 

a whole bunch of other examples that are 

even more important. I’m sure you’re right, 

and I don’t have a problem admitting I was 

wrong. 

If you’re able to self-reflect on how you 

speak to those around you, you may well find 

other ways to improve yourself and coach 

your team into improving their method of 

communication with you and their colleagues. 

P.S. Get me out of this bloody lockdown. 

Trade well,,, Rami Baron. 


PRESIDENT'S 

MESSAGE 

Jo Tory 

All sectors have been challenged by Covid, least of all our own. 

For our industry it has meant that businesses 

have opened and closed, and opened again, 

and two national industry trade fairs have 

been postponed. But we have managed the 

best we can. 

Despite all this I am fairly confident that 

trading will be healthy, and will increase 

towards the end of the year. 

Jewellery manufacturing in Australia remains 

strong, and, prior to the current NSW 

lockdowns, the retail sector has been healthy. 

We only need to look at what happened 

last year, despite all the uncertainty and 

lockdowns. Last year the surge in spending 

was unexpected. None of us would have 

foreseen it. 

The September quarter saw an increase of 

7.9% in household consumer spending and 

the December quarter 4.3%. Many retailers 

and manufacturers experienced the best year 

they had ever had, or at least the best they 

had seen in many years 

I rather expect that this November and 

December will be similar to last year for a 

variety of reasons. 

There will be no spending on international 

holidays – perhaps not even on national 

holidays – which means more available funds 

for discretionary spending. 

If the government can reach its targets of 70% 

of the population vaccinated by November 

and 80% by December (age 16 and above) 

there will be the easing of restrictions. There 

is renewed government financial assistance 

that will bring more funds into the economy 

and Christmas is a time to celebrate and 

appreciate our loved ones, and I am sure 

everyone will all want to do that. 

Let’s remember that last year many retailers 

and suppliers were uncertain of the effects of 

a pandemic and thus were caught short with 

not enough stock. Manufacturing was slow 

due to diminished workforce and deliveries 

were delayed due to restricted shipping and 

courier companies. It was a difficult time to 

juggle the supply and demand. 

Just as we experienced last year, I expect 

that trade will be buoyant in November and 

December, and that spending will continue 

to increase. I am sure we will all have great 

Christmas trading. 

With all this in mind, my message is to be 

prepared. 

Place your orders, or forward orders, early. 

Reserve your stock. Make sure that you have 

healthy levels, and don’t be caught short for 

the best trading season of the year. 

On another note, I would like to remind all the 

wonderful, creative jewellers and designers 

who will be entering their pieces into the JAA 

Australasian Jewellery Awards to send their 

entries in by 9 November. We are so looking 

forward to seeing these imaginative and 

conceptual pieces that will collectively make 

another brilliant JAA Awards program. 

Head to our website for more information on 

entering the Awards – jaa.com.au/awards 

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By Stefan Juengling 

Troy 

STRAIGHT OUTTA THE LAB: 

THE METEORIC RISE OF 

LAB GROWN DIAMONDS 

Lab grown diamonds have fast become the hot topic in the industry. Whether it was De 

Beers launching their lab grown diamond fashion jewellery range Lightbox back in 2018, or 

Pandora’s announcement to only use lab grown diamonds in their collections, the created 

stones have catapulted into the modern jewellery zeitgeist. Here with input from some 

major players in the Australian lab grown diamond industry, we’ll look at the industry’s 

success, how consumers are responding to the stones, and what their future looks like. 

Lab grown diamonds (LGDs) have been 

around since 1954, back when they 

were first used for industrial-grade 

tools in a sector in which their affordability 

and durability were major advantages. In 

the decades leading up to the 21st century, 

jewellers largely shunned LGDs, labelling 

them as an inferior product on the fringe of 

the market. Today, thanks to improvements in 

technology, some big forays into the industry 

by names (like those mentioned earlier), and 

increased consumer education, LGDs are fast 

becoming mainstream, and our respondents 

concurred as much. 

Troy 

Big growth on the road to the 

mainstream 

Troy is a new retail support service for 

independent jewellery retailers, and 

CEO Carson Webb agreed that LGDs are 

“becoming” mainstream, but are not quite 

there yet, mostly due to industry take up and 

not the consumer. 

“I see many stores across Australia both chain 

stores and independents that are clearly 

testing the waters (rightly so) and dabbling in 

bits and pieces,” he said. 

“While obviously I can’t quote any specific 

figures, I can certainly say that the appetite 

for created diamonds globally has recently 

outstripped the supply.” 

Craig Miller is CEO of mined/labgrown 

diamond wholesaler JC Jewels, and he said 

LGDs have become a new addition to the 

diamond category which has created a new 

choice or opportunity for the consumer. 

Troy 

“(It’s) an opportunity to own and enjoy 

diamond jewellery at more affordable prices, 

creating a new consumer in many ways,” he 

said. 

He said the most significant area of growth 

is the number of retailers implementing and 

presenting LGDs in their offerings, a huge 

turnaround from where the market was at 

6-12 months ago. 

Another lab grown diamond wholesaler is 

Grown Diamonds MMDIA Pty Ltd, and director 

Miriam Neubauer said her team has seen 

a huge shift in the market in favour of lab 

grown diamonds, where they’re much more 

accepted in the industry compared to 12 

months ago. 

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JC Jewels 

“We have seen a large number 

of jewellers who initially told us 

they would never deal in lab 

growns ever, have now become 

some of our biggest clients,” 

she said. 

Brett Bolton from Bolton Gems said LGDs have 

become mainstream due to pricing, ease of 

availability, and the quality of stones being 

produced. 

Bolton Gems 

“The market has grown exponentially in 

Australia over the last six to twelve months, 

and this curve shows no signs of mitigating but 

rather continuing to rise further,” he said. 

Glenyville Italian 

Jewellery is a 

Victorian-based 

jewellery wholesale 

business that has 

recently branched 

out to offer LGD 

and LGD jewellery 

to their clients. 

Senior sales 

manager Matthew 

Francescini said that LGDs are accelerating in 

popularity, and have become more affordable 

to everyone. 

Glenyville Italian Jewellery 

“Given the challenging market we find 

ourselves in at the moment, we have seen a 

huge amount of stable growth within the LGD 

market over the past 12 months,” he said. 

He said there were several possible factors 

contributing to LGDs’ recent success, 

but whatever they were, it made for 

a positive market and industry, 

particularly when jewellers 

can demonstrate LGDs’ value 

for money against a mined 

diamond. He also lauded the 

GIA’s certification of LGDs, and 

believes this has added credibility to the 

stones, making them more appealing to a 

wider audience. 

“GIA-certified LGDs provide the jeweller with 

a competitive advantage as they are not sold 

online and are much harder to come by.” 

JC Jewels 

It’s a similar story from the retail jewellery 

sector. Founder of Gold Coast-based online 

jewellery store and physical store My Jewellery 

Shop Catherine Pevy-Trewartha said that LGDs 

are on the way to becoming mainstream as 

there is greater awareness among consumers 

and more consumers actively seeking them 

out. 

“We have seen double digit growth and the 

momentum is building,” she said. 

Which diamond-making recipe is 

the best? 

As you probably know, there are two 

primary methods of creating diamonds in a 

lab: Chemical Vapor Disposition (CVD)and 

High Temperature High Pressure (HTHP). 

When probed on what the retailers (and 

My Jewellery Shop 

consequently consumers) like 

best, our suppliers had mixed 

responses. 

Craig said that JC Jewels has more 

than 40,000 certified CVD Type IIa 

diamonds listed on their portal, and a 

few thousand HTHP diamonds as well, but 

98% of their sales in diamond goods 0.30 

points and above are CVD Type IIa. 

Conversely, Brett said that they are finding 

most consumers are prioritising the 

appearance and merits of the stone as 

opposed to the method of its production. 

“Predominately we have customers looking for 

D/E/F colour, which leaves us to the majority 

of HPHT diamonds,” he said. 

JC Jewels 

Matthew lauded modern lab created diamond 

methods as “nothing short of amazing” and 

dismissed debates about the preferred growth 

mechanism as a non-issue because the quality 

is identical to mined diamonds. 

Similarly, Miriam said that 95% of their clients 

are happy with either method, with only a 

handful of clients who are picky. 

“At the end of the day they are both diamonds 

that were grown in the lab, just using a 

different method,” she said. 

For the retail side, Catherine said that My 

Jewellery Shop only offers larger certified 

stones in CVD, with all the smaller stones 

being HPHT. 

From the retail support sector, Carson said 

that each method has pros and cons and that 

24 


JC Jewels 

retail jewellers need to be very transparent 

with education, but not too technical to 

confuse the consumer. 

“In production the CVD factories will tell you 

something along the lines of needing less 

manpower to operate 

the reactors and the 

tech is more refined in 

CVD,” he said. 

“However, there’s still 

the fact that many 

CVDs still go through 

HPHT postproduction 

treatments anyway and that virtually all the 

smalls are all HPHT.” 

He said both methods produce a beautiful 

product, and the cut is going to be the critical 

factor every time. 

Lab grown/mined diamonds: all 

diamonds are here to stay 

Troy 

Bolton Gems 

As shown time and time again by market 

research, sales figures and as reported by 

our respondents, LGDs perfectly complement 

mined diamonds in the market with neither 

category’s sales reducing the other’s. 

In Craig’s opinion, the segregation between 

LGD and mined diamonds is very trade-driven, 

so he and his team at JC Jewels prefer to look 

at the ‘’overall category’’ of diamonds. 


“Segregating them may be a concern to 

mining companies but when I supply my 

retailers, I think of them and their clients’ best 

interest,” he said. 

“Thus both have a place in the window, 

presenting them side by side, delivered with 

transparency and educational facts to your 

clients.” 

He said what’s most important is that we are 

seeing more consumers buying diamonds than 

before and growing the overall awareness and 

sales for the category as a whole. 

Brett doesn’t believe LGDs have had significant 

impact on mined diamond sales because the 

market will support both, just as it did with 

cubic zirconia or the Biron emeralds in the 

natural emerald market. 

“Each of the products appeals to a different 

range of clientele,” he said. 

“In most cases one is for fashion and the other 

is forever.” 

In contrast, Carson said LGDs could have a 

significant impact on natural diamond sales if 

retailers aren’t strategic in their retail offering. 

“It must be done right, a few of the major 

chains you’ll notice have simply gone lowest 

grade product replicating their mined 

diamond collections which to me doesn’t 

make any sense,” he said. 

“It’s all about a strategy offer, not simply more 

of the same.” 

A greener lab created stone 

Despite what some clever jewellery marketers 

and salespeople might say, while LGDs 

require significantly less manpower and 

energy to produce per carat than their mined 

counterparts, they are not carbon neutral, 

need enormous amounts of energy to make 

and cut, and so environmental considerations 

play a part in LGDs future. 

Matthew conceded that LGDs require a lot 

of energy, but that it does not produce the 

sort of environmental impact, destruction 

of the earth, displacement of wildlife, and 

polluted waterways that mined diamonds 

My Jewellery Shop 

26 


JC Jewels 

are responsible for. He also looked to 

improvements in technology as a way of 

improving environmental outcomes for 

LGDs. 

“As technology evolves, the energy and 

power that it requires to produce LGDs will be 

significantly reduced,” he said. 

“Solar power and the use of Tesla storage 

batteries could help with the carbon footprint.” 

Craig agreed there 

are debates about 

environmental considerations between 

LGDs and mined diamonds, but he 

focused on LGD improvements in this 

area, pointing to key growers invested in 

making a positive environmental change 

for the future. 

“I am going in the direction of offering 

our clients Origin Traceability, Ethical 

Stewardship, Climate Neutrality, Sustainable 

Production Practices and Sustainability 

Investments,” he said. 

Bolton Gems 

He said this will clearly reflect the attitude among those in the LGD 

industry towards sustainability with clear evidence. 

Carson said the market will inevitably produce improvements 

in LGD production (and thus a more environmentally friendly 

product) as global demand for LGDs increases. 

My Jewellery Shop

Grown Diamonds 

Troy 

“They’ll get faster, smaller, more efficient and 

carbon neutral, they’ll simply have no choice 

and advances in technology provides these 

things,” he said. 

When asked about whether her customers 

ask about environmental considerations, 

Catherine said most of her clients who are 

that way inclined have normally done some 

research and have made up their mind before 

they come to My Jewellery Shop. 

“We do not make any promises, we offer 

information and allow the client to decide 

what is best for them,” she said. 

Leading the way with renewable energy 

Brett said that Bolton Gems has taken a 

positive approach by installing a 100kw solar 

system, and water tanks to produce a more 

sustainable future for our business. 


“I implore every business to do the same, 

whether they’re selling lab grown diamonds or 

not,” he said. 

On a similar note, Miriam said that because 

LGDs are created using power attached 

to the grid, there are more opportunities 

to use sustainable energy as opposed to 

mined diamonds which are usually in remote 

areas that rely on energy that cannot be as 

sustainable. 

“(Plus) with lab grown diamonds there is less 

of a carbon footprint when setting up the 

operation as opposed to the carbon footprint 

when setting up a diamond mine,” she said. 

Planting the seeds for tomorrow’s 

lab grown diamond industry 

When asked about how the LGD industry will 

fare in the future, most of our respondents 

were optimistic. Miriam expects to see all 

jewellery stores selling LGDs in 10 years’ time 

to keep up with public demand. 

“Technology could possibly change for the 

28 


THE FUTURE OF 

Diamonds 

Beautiful diamonds without 

harming the environment 

Bolton Gems 

better, making LGDs grow with better clarity and colours,” she said. 

In the immediate future, Brett said the current socio-economic 

environment made things difficult for LGDs. 

“Diamonds are to be seen and worn to celebrate, so when half the 

country is in lockdown and discouraged or prevented from social or 

celebratory gatherings, the demand is affected accordingly,” he said. 

“I believe that when restrictions are eased, we will see a substantial 

sales increase in lab grown diamonds.” 

In the distant future, Brett believes LGDs will not only merge in the 

mainstream jewellery market, but also in the technology market, so that 

LGDs could be used in computers and other electronics. 

Also touching on 

LGD’s potential future 

use in science and 

technology, Carson 

said LGDs could 

eventually be used 

in quantum physics, 

computing and space 

exploration. 

“We can enjoy LGDs 

as an emotional 

investment for special 

Grown Diamonds 

occasions and loved ones etc however, the LGD journey has really just 

begun and the technology that delivers them to us will provide major 

advances for the human race as a whole over many years,” he said. 

Matthew was uncertain as to where LGDs would be in the future, but 

said they there will always be a market for LGDs so long as the quality is 

the same as a mined diamond but without the price tag. 

“With considerably more marketing and advertising campaigns the 

demand will only increase especially as technology improves,” he said. 

Catherine said she is looking forward to a very positive future for LGDs. 

“Our clients are embracing the beauty of LGDs, and we will continue to 

offer them as a part of our diamond business,” she said. 

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Class action launched to 

recover COVID-related 

losses for jewellers and 

gem merchants 

Small and medium jewellery businesses and gem 

merchants who have their COVID-related business 

interruption claims rejected by Lloyds of London 

have launched a class action through leading 

Australian law firm, Gordon Legal. 

The class action was commenced in the Federal Court of Australia in July 

and is supported by one of the world’s leading litigation funders, Omni 

Bridgeway. Gordon Legal believes the class action group members are 

entitled to compensation as the Insurers have wrongly rejected claims 

from struggling businesses on the basis that their business interruption 

insurance policies do not cover pandemics. 

“We believe that the insurers have wrongly denied claims to thousands 

of jewellery businesses and gem merchants, and failed to support them 

when they needed it most,” said Andrew Grech, Partner at Gordon Legal. 

“Accessing the payout that we believe they are entitled to will mean the 

difference between survival and failure of many businesses. 

“We launched this class action because we believe that the best chance 

businesses have to recoup what is rightfully theirs is through the 

strength in numbers a class action delivers. We think insurers are taking 

every legal option open to them to slow down the process and avoid 

settling claims.” 

We encourage all policyholders to lodge a claim with Lloyds of London 

and seek legal advice, even if their brokers and insurers discourage them 

from doing so. If they have a policy with another insurer, they should 

take the same steps.” 

Policyholders of Lloyds of London can check eligibility and membership 

of the group by contacting Gordon Legal. In particularly those meeting 

the following criteria are urged to seek advice: 

1. Jewellers and gem merchants who held business interruption 

insurance with underwriters at Lloyds of London during the Covid-19 

Pandemic; and 

2. Lloyds of London business interruption policyholders who suffered 

interruption to their business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; 

Gordon Legal is also investigating potential class actions against other 

insurers and is urging those with business interruption insurance policies 

to register their interest. 

Further details are available on the Gordon Legal website. 

gordonlegal.com.au 

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Palloys Gold Partner of 

WorldSkills Australia 

Palloys will be the Gold Partner of the WorldSkills Australia 

National Championships and showcase held in the last week of 

August in Perth. 

WorldSkills Australia is the country’s largest trade and skills 

competition and is a chance to witness greatness, uncover potential 

and explore new skills amongst the upcoming generation of Australian 

craftspeople. 

Over three action packed days attendees witness more than 50 

different competitions, immerse themselves in cutting edge tech and 

the ability to learn new skills themselves at demo stalls. 

Australians to showcase their trade and skills talents. Winners of 

selected national events are given the opportunity to compete at 

the international competition in 2022. 

Aligned to National Training Packages, Apprenticeships Australia 

and Jobs Australia schemes, the championship is Australia’s 

biggest vocational education and excellence competition. 

WorldSkills Australia is celebrating 40 years in 2021, as Palloys 

celebrates their 70 years of servicing the 

Australian jewellery and precious metals 

industry. 

Palloys Involvement 

Palloys supports WorldSkills Australia and each 

competitor as a gold partner. The jewellery 

category has five finalists competing in the 

National Championships. 

Palloys has kindly donated $30,000 worth of 

18ct yellow gold sheet, wire and solder for the 

up-andcoming jewellers to craft into their 

winning creations as well as jewellery benches 

and lights for the competition. 

The competition takes place at the Perth Convention and Exhibition 

Centre which is open to the public. Due to Covid and border closures, 

non Western Australian residents will compete from their home state, 

which will be available for viewing on WSA Live – WorldSkills Australia’s 

first ever dedicated livestream site. 

About WorldSkills Australia 

WorldSkills Australia promotes and builds a 

skills culture while celebrating excellence. This 

enterprise is a passionate advocate of vocational 

training and education to support young people 

in Australia. 

Mike Granshaw, the 

general manager for 

Palloys said, “We 

are committed to supporting up-andcoming 

designers including students and 

apprentices. We are honoured to support 

these championships as they are vital 

for industry to succeed in the future. We 

absolutely love being a part of it and cannot 

wait to see what the competitors create.” 

Their skills-based competitions enable young 

32 


Influencer Queens 

UK-based jeweller Diamonds Factory has examined the jewels of seven of history’s greatest queens 

and imagined what their Instagram accounts might look like if they existed as ‘influencers’ today. 

As a campaign running across their blog and socials, the article is both amusing and informative, and 

a beautiful example of using imagination, humour and creativity to advertise jewellery. 

“As icons of their time, many of these women had significant influence over the fashion, beauty and 

jewellery trends we see today,” states the article. James Harris, a diamond jewellery consultant at 

Diamonds Factory has identified these trends and the estimated value of the gems adorned in the 

portraits at today’s prices. 

Marie Antoinette (@mrsantoinettexx) stands in front of Antoinette’s Cakes store and offers a 

#LETMEEATCAKE code on her fake profile. Antoinette was also involved in the scandal which sparked 

the French Revolution, known as ‘The Affair of the Diamond Necklace’. Louis XV commissioned 

a necklace for his wife worth two million livres (see the necklace held in Antoinette’s left hand) 

(around AUD $28-35 million today) which was stolen in 1785. Harris estimates the worth of the pearl 

necklace around Antoinette’s neck would be worth $56,000. 

Other queens featured in the blog include Cleopatra, Catherine the Great, Elizabeth I and Empress 

Wu Zetian. 

Read the article at diamondsfactory.co.uk/blog

THE TAHITIAN PEARL 

CELEBRATES 60 YEARS 

There’s just something special about pearls, and the most unique and beautiful pearl is 

without any doubt the black Tahitian pearl. Up until a few decades ago, only the French 

Polynesian people had access to the Queen of Pearls until a man who’s been dubbed the 

Pearl Emperor introduced it to the world – Robert Wan. 

To celebrate the Tahitian pearl’s 60th 

anniversary, Richard Wan, Commercial 

Director of the family group and Robert 

Wan’s grandson, has given his expert advice 

on what’s so particularly special about this 

unique pearl. 

Facts about the Tahitian pearl 

• The production of a single Tahitian pearl 

takes at least 4 years. 

• They are formed from the black lip 

oyster (Pinctada Margaritifera). 

• The Tahitian pearls aren’t actually black. 

The wide range of hues includes blue, 

green, brown or silver, but never a true 

black. Traditionally the most sought-after 

Tahitian pearls will have a dark green body 

colour and peacock overtones. 

• There are up to 1000 pearl farms in 

French Polynesia. Despite its name, the 

Tahitian pearl is actually not produced 

on the island of Tahiti, but in the two 

archipelagos Tuamotu Islands and 

Gambier Islands. 

• Only 15 years ago a perfect strand of 

black pearls for $100,000 would have 

been considered a bargain, while today 

the price is considerably lower due to the 

expanded industry. 

How to choose a pearl 

The pearl is known for being hugely versatile 

available in a wide range of mesmerising 

shades and shapes and is available in different 

pearl ratings based on their imperfections. 

“The most important thing is to choose a pearl 

shape and colour that suit your style the most, 

not based purely on the price,” says Richard 

Wan. “While a perfectly round peacock pearl 

is extremely rare, you should only pick the 

pearl that you can see yourself wearing for 

years to come.” 

The Tahitian pearl 

comes in countless 

hues: black, grey, 

medium grey, yellow, 

brown and so on. 

There are five main 

undertones (or 

subsidiary colours): 

pink, green, pistachio, 

blue and magenta. 

Some colours, like 

Robert Wan 

peacock green, are particularly sought after but 

your taste should only be the reason for your 

choice. 

Shape: Tahitian pearls come in many different 

shapes, whereas the most popular and rare one 

is the perfect sphere. Other shapes include the 

asymmetrical baroque pearl, which has lately 

gained traction in the industry, the button, the 

pear, the teardrop etc. 

34 


The origin of the Tahitian pearl 

Ancient Polynesian legends believed the god of fertility and peace, Oro 

travelled on a rainbow to visit Earth and he brought a magical oyster 

with him to the people of Polynesia. Inside the oyster, a gorgeous black 

pearl was formed inside which Ora then gifted to Princess Bora Bora. 

IP3556N-9YG 

One of the biggest pioneers in 

introducing the Tahitian pearl to 

the world was Robert Wan, who’s 

the biggest producer of the pearl 

industry today. Thanks to Wan, the 

Tahitian pearl has been ranked as 

the only French gem, the star of 

haute-Joaillerie (fine jewellery) and 

answers to more than half of the 

country’s export earnings. 

“Investing in a piece of Tahitian 

pearl jewellery is a big decision, 

and at Robert Wan, we believe 

in the importance of making 

an informed one. We want to 

educate the customer about the 

complicated process behind it, how unique they all are and what kind of 

pearl is best for you.”, says Richard Wan. 

IKE03-9YG 

IP82-G014-9Y 

IP82-G014-9YB 

LUXURY pearl AND opal JEWELLERY 

Robert Wan lists the endless variety of colours possible with Tahitian pearls 

and notes the colours often considered most auspicious. 

www.ikecho.com.au | enquiries@ikecho.com.au 

Tel: (02) 9266 0636

By Stefan Juengling 

CUDWORTH ENTERPRISES’ 

CENTURY OF SUCCESS 

Few Australian jewellery brands have been in the 

jewellery game for as long, or have had as rich and 

storied success as Cudworth Enterprises. This year, 

Australia’s largest men’s jewellery and accessories 

wholesaler celebrates its 100-year anniversary from 

1921 to 2021, and here we explored Cudworth’s history, 

its accomplishments, and its goals for the future. 

From humble beginnings 

What eventually became Cudworth Enterprises originally started 

as Norman P Joseph Pty Ltd, first registered on February 17, 1921 

by owners Norman P. Joseph and Norman Schureck as a company 

wholesaling in giftware and men’s cufflinks and accessories under the 

registered trademark Smartset. Both owners remained as directors 

until Joseph’s death in 1945, upon which Shureck took over as sole 

director. 

The Norman P Joseph display in 

various stores in Sydney from the 

1940s to the 1960s. 

Vintage ad for the Smartset brand registered by Norman P Joseph in 1930. Cudworth Enterprises own 

the trademark now since buying the business in 2002. 

A rich tapestry of achievements across the decades 

In 1950, Harry Whitman was appointed as business partner with 

the company continuing to sell the same products in jewellery and 

menswear stores across Australia. Following Schureck’s passing in 

1961, Whitman became the company’s new owner. 

The famous Cudworth name finally emerges when Dennis Cudworth 

started as a Sydney-based sales representative for the company in 

1962. During this period, the business relationship with David Jones 

commenced, which continues to this day. 

36 


In the early 1970s, Dennis Cudworth and Mr 

MacMurray bought the company and changed 

the name to Cudworth-MacMurray Pty Ltd. 

They then proceeded to commence a business 

relationship with Myer, which also continues 

to this day. 

Dennis also met future wife Lesley Rylah 

during this era. Lesley was working at Prouds, 

to whom Dennis was selling Cudworth- 

MacMurray products. The couple married in 

1979. 

Denis O’Beirne commenced as the Victorian 

sales representative during this period, and he 

remained in that position until 2009. 

The Cudworth dynasty 

The 20-plus year partnership with Mr 

MacMurray ceased in 1982, and the 

company’s current name: Cudworth 

Enterprises Pty Ltd was then registered with 

Dennis and Lesley Cudworth as directors. 

During this period in the 80’s, the company 

commenced its long association with 

Hourglass/IBSM which is now known as 

Leading Edge Group. 

Dennis also became patron of The Father’s 

Day Council of Australia which holds its annual 

event: The Australian Father of the Year Award 

in Sydney annually in August. 

Dennis passed away in December 2001, and 

Neil McCammon and Darren Roberts acquired 

the company, driving it forward in the new 

century. 

In 2003 the Cudworth brand expanded into 

men’s jewellery, it became the first company 

in Australia to introduce stainless steel 

jewellery, plus a first time exhibiter at the 

Australian Jewellery Fair in Sydney. 

Over the years from the early 2000s to today, 

Cudworth acquired many big name brands 

as distributors including Lanvin & Hoxton 

in 2010, Hugo Boss writing instruments in 

2015,and London brand Tateossian in 2017. 

They also showcased their brand at various 

European jewellery fairs in 2011 including the 

UK at the London Jewellery Fair and Vinceza 

in Italy. 

CEO Darren Roberts said that to this day, 

Cudworth Enterprises continues to be the 

market leader in men’s fashion jewellery, 

and understands the Australian market. The 

company continues to be consistently offering 

new designs and trends while keeping it 

masculine yet fashionable. The Cudworth 

brand is now a global phenomenon with 

distributors across Australia, New Zealand, The 

South Pacific, Europe and the UK. 


By Kirsten Ehrlich Davies 

A GLIMMER OF HOPE – 

HOW ENGAGEMENT RINGS 

HAVE DEFIED COVID 

As the world has shut down in response to the ongoing COVID crisis, the jewellery 

industry has felt the negative impact along with other industries. Yet 

engagement rings have shown an unexpected resilience, giving people 

a promising glimpse of a happier future. As Australians patiently 

wait out our second major lockdown, it’s worth taking a look at the 

jewellery item that maintained its value the first time around. 

Several studies and surveys on the impact of COVID-19 have 

found the pandemic inspired couples to become engaged 

sooner, even if they were prepared to delay the actual wedding. 

The Knot 2020 Jewelry and Engagement Study, involving more than 

5,000 newly engaged individuals, found that the crisis worked as an 

incentive to propose 

spontaneously or sooner 

than originally planned. 

The International 

Gem Society (IGS) also 

found in their annual 

survey Jewellers Going 

Digital that 56% of the 

businesses surveyed 

reported an increase in 

engagement ring sales. 

Shopping for a ring 

The engagement ring is a central element of any proposal, and COVID 

did have a huge impact on when and how the ring was purchased. 

According to Pandemic Proposals: COVID-19’s Impact on Engagement 

Ring Trends a survey published in May 

2021 by JewelryTalk.com, 37% of newly 

engaged couples turned to virtual 

retailers to purchase their 

engagement ring. Virtual 

shopping was an easy 

transition for this particular 

demographic, as 

many of these couples had 

met through online dating. The International Gem Society (IGS) also 

found in their annual survey Jewellers Going Digital that while more 

than half the jewellery businesses surveyed experienced an increase in 

online traffic, only 30% continued with the same marketing mix. 

Olivar Musson, creative director of Musson Jewellers said that 

lockdown has been “a time to pivot and use online resources for 

education and communication.” 

“As qualified 

gemmologists, our 

staff are professionals 

at communicating 

diamond quality and 

other specifics directly 

with clients,” Olivar said. 

“It’s been great to 

be able to take those 

conversations from 

the real world into the 

virtual, while giving 

our clients the same 

Musson experience.” 

Those who did 

change their online 

marketing strategy 

expanded their online 

38 


All images by Musson Jewellers 

inventory, posted more regularly on social 

media sites such as Instagram and Facebook, 

and provided ecommerce options on their 

websites. to rely on in-store visits as their 

primary sales channel. According to the IGS, 

the key takeaway from these figures is that 

retailers must grow their online interaction 

with customers and vendors in order to 

thrive and survive in the jewellery 

industry. 

“Perhaps most disturbing 

is that 27% of retail 

jeweller respondents 

either stopped advertising or 

don’t advertise. Those who stopped 

advertising or don’t advertise at all saw the 

biggest downturn in sales.” 

The 2020 shopping experience was truly 

unique, with couples relying on WhatsApp, 

Zoom, FaceTime and other video conferencing 

apps to window-shop for the perfect ring. 

Those who did venture into a bricks-andmortar 

store, enjoyed a one-to-one service 

by appointment, with hygiene and safety 

standards strictly observed. 

“We are constantly evolving our 

digital marketing strategies 

to suit the everchanging 

world 

in front of us,” 

Olivar Musson said. “Our digital budgets have 

been increased in response to lockdown, to 

make sure we cover off the lack of real-world 

touchpoints with clients. 

“It’s also been a really important time to 

engage socially with our customer, and along 

with showcasing our beautiful designs, also 

create conversation and elevated sense 

of community.” 

Engagement ring styles 

The pandemic crisis surprisingly also had a 

significant impact on the style of engagement 

ring chosen by newly engaged couples. 

Yellow gold is proving to be the most popular 

precious metal as its investment potential 

improves. Diamonds maintained their position 

as most popular “quarantine gemstone”, 

according to 73% of JewelryTalk respondents. 

Other contenders in the JewelryTalk survey 

were sapphire (5.1%) ruby (4.6%) amethyst 

(1.8%) and emerald (1.8%). Yet respondents 

were not necessarily buying into the classic 

“Diamond is Forever” campaign. During these 

uncertain financial times, the diamond was 

recognised for its strong investment value, and 

with limited opportunities to try multiple rings 

before choosing one, brides preferred to stick 

with the classics. 

In order to add a little individuality to a classic 

engagement ring design, brides would choose 

alternative stone cuts such as a half-moon 

diamond, combine a diamond with accent 

gemstones or choose an unusually shaped 

band to highlight a solitaire. 


“We are seeing a surge in trilogy designs, both in all diamond and 

with gemstone hero centres,” said Olivar 

Musson. “It’s a classic style that has never 

gone out of fashion but is back at its zenith 

on the design wheel. 

“Coloured diamonds have been 

incredibly popular and with the cease 

of the Argyle Mine, their pinks are 

some of the most coveted shades.” 

Vintage rings are increasingly popular 

for couples on a budget, and have 

the benefits of holding great long-term 

value and standing out from the crowd.

The pandemic has also seen a growing appreciation for the 

European trend of wearing a band style ring, intended to 

represent both engagement ring and wedding ring. This is a 

romantic way to compensate for an endlessly delayed wedding 

day, and wearing a solo ring also proves to be clean and 

convenient during a time of extreme sanitisation! 

“We always encourage our clients to purchase bands set with 

gemstones, but we are seeing a trend of clients increasing the 

size of their centre stones, sometimes even before the proposal,” 

said Olivar. “Sadly, without the travel cost of a honeymoon, 

or even a large wedding, the budgets for engagement ring 

purchasing has increased.” 

A Symbol of Hope 

As lockdown stretches on and all social events are cancelled 

or postponed while the number of COVID cases continue to 

rise, the engagement ring is proving to be an investment in the 

future, not just an investment in precious stones and metals. 

NEW CATALOGUE 

OUT NOW 

All images by Musson Jewellers 

www.jewellerydpi.com

JEWELLERY 

INDUSTRY 

SUMMIT 

Pushing ahead despite COVID challenges, the success of the 

recent Jewellery Industry Summit reminded participants of 

the strength of our community and provided opportunities for 

businesses to develop and grow. 

Building a successful business takes time, 

dedication, and often a lot of support! 

Like raising a baby, it often takes a village 

to make a business successful and will always 

include a lot of hard work. 

The recently held Jewellery Industry Summit, 

provided members of the jewellery industry 

with that village. Held at the National Wine 

Centre of Australia, the Summit pulled 

together business experts, service providers, 

trainers, suppliers and so much more, to give 

guests support for their business. 

The two day program was quickly morphed 

into a hybrid event, with Covid19 restrictions 

threatening its ability to go ahead and 

preventing many industry members from 

attending at all. The event organisers from 

the Jewellery Industry Network worked fast 

to register guests to the online platform and 

upload content and videos for remote guests 

to still consume. 

Back to Back on Stage 

The Summit program went live with an 

uplifting talk from motivational speaker and 

business coach, Dan Kuss, who set the scene 

for the Summit and gave guests some fire 

in the belly. Following Dan was a suite of 

experts all providing tools and resources for 

jewellery industry members to take into their 

businesses. 

Speakers discussed, technology in the 

jewellery industry, the state of retail during 

the pandemic, marketing solutions, insurance 

for jewellers, owning a gemstone production 

line, the history of hallmarking, and gemstone 

knowledge for retailers, to name a few topics. 

Sparkling Highlights: 

The Jewellery Industry Summit 

was no ordinary conference 

with not only a full agenda, it 

also brought with it luxurious 

highlights which rounded out 

the event experience. 

South Australian Gourmet 

– Delicious lunch and 

refreshments were provided 

to guests on both days with 

South Australian wine opened 

on the first night to celebrate 

the Summit and the JAA’s 90th 

anniversary. 

The final day of the Summit, saw guests 

networking on the rooftop bar of the Mayfair 

Hotel, overlooking the city at sunset. The 

champagne flowed well into the evening, with 

a cocktail laneway experience rounding off the 

evening, as guests debriefed on the Summit 

events and caught up with new friends and 

colleagues. 

Fashion meets Jewellery – The absolutely 

incredible and world renowned fashion 

designer, Paolo Sebastian, lent one of 

his ethereal hand made dresses to the 

Jewellery Industry Summit, to be dressed 

with handmade jewellery by local artisans. 

Showcasing the immense talent in Australia 

and bringing together fashion and jewellery 

designers. 

Professional Development – Investing 

directly in jewellery businesses, Summit 

organisers wanted guests to increase their 

professional profile by having their headshot 

taken by a professional 

photographer, free of 

charge. Guests were not 

only snapped for social, 

but also professionally 

photographed for their 

own business use. High 

resolution images were 

sent through to guests 

after the event. 

Prizes – The talented 

Jen from Refinery Row, 

donated a framed hand 

drawn Asscher Cut 

diamond to the Jewellery 

42 


Industry Summit which was won by Leanne 

Pyle Brown from LB Enjoy Jewellery from VIC. 

‘I want to say thank you for organising a 

wonderful summit. I had the most amazing 

time and learnt so much from the guest 

speakers and the two workshops I did with 

Sam.’ – Leanne Pyle Brown 

Your Voice 

Built to enhance all kinds of businesses in 

the Jewellery Industry, the Summit is about 

collaboration with industry groups, members, 

and businesses. As part of this collaboration, 

the Summit placed interactive boards around 

the event where guests could have their voice 

heard. 

Industry Voices 

also identified 

education, 

jewellery tech 

and networking 

opportunities 

as key areas the 

industry should 

develop. 

‘We have so much 

to thank Laura 

for, and big pity 

that some states 

could not travel 

due to the COVID 

lockdowns. I am very happy and lucky that I 

did attend such a wonderful jewellery event 

with so many smiling faces.’ — John Michaelis 

A Focus on Care 

Allowing guests to also concentrate on their 

health and wellbeing was a core focus of 

the event with Summit exhibitors including 

Functional Body Mechanics who focus 

on assisting bench jewellers, valuers and 

gemmologists stay fit and healthy at the 

bench. 

The Summit continues. 

The Jewellery Industry Summit is part of 

the Jewellery Industry Network which now 

enables all industry members to access the 

material which was available at the Summit, 

online through the JIN portal. 

Industry challenges and needs were among 

the top topics discussed, where Government 

Support, Mentoring needs and information on 

global trends all top requests. 

Guests also identified the need for an online 

Australian Suppliers Directory, a request which 

has since been answered with the Jewellery 

Industry Network Suppliers Directory, going 

live in August. 

Workshops and Tools 

Upskilling and keeping up with new trends 

and information is a must for every business 

owner, especially as technology develops and 

consumers evolve, so guests were able to 

participate in two workshops run by Samantha 

Kelly on jewellery design, and also learn from 

gemmologist Lise Jensen who discussed 

gemstone knowledge for the retailer. 

Guests also had access to tools and advice 

from business services including insurance, 

marketing, merchandise and more and could 

also meet with representatives from industry 

bodies including the GAA, NCJV and JAA. 

Summit speakers were recorded on stage and 

these recordings are now available inside the 

Jewellery Industry Network portal where a 

host of additional resources are also available, 

including the new Suppliers Directory. 

With so many businesses in lock down 

currently and future of some businesses 

unknown, its refreshing to see hives of activity 

and industry support through great industry 

initiatives such as this. The Jewellery Industry 

Network, recently launched, is open to all 

industry members and with great events and 

services like the Summit already executed, it’s 

exciting to see what else JIN will provide for 

the industry. 

You can register your free account for the 

Jewellery Industry Network by heading to 

their website 

www.JewelleryIndustryNetwork.com 


KEEPING SKILLS ALIVE 

Claw Set Bezel Ring 

The following tutorial will demonstrate a really easy way 

to make an illusion stone set dress ring. This is a great 

project for beginners as the course was made specifically for 

students with limited equipment. 

The stone I am using is an 8mm round Amethyst. You can use 

any size round stone for this design. You could also add to the 

illusion effect by texturing the bezel. 

1 

The first step is to make a washer 

shaped bezel using 1.2mm thick 

sterling silver sheet. 

Mark out the inner circle with a 

diameter at least 1mm smaller than the 

stone size, then drill for your saw blade 

and cut the inner hole out. Now set your 

dividers to 2mm and mark around the 

edge of the hole. Cut out the washer 

shape and dome it slightly with your 

doming block. 

2 

File the inside of the bezel at an 

angle until the stone sits slightly 

above the inside edge. 

Now prepare 1mm round wire for 

the claws. Cut four evenly spaced notches 

inside the bezel at the same angle. First 

cut with a saw blade and then with a 1mm 

tapered bur until you can see half of the 

burred notch when you place the stone 

on top. 

3 

Make sure that your wire fits tightly 

then prepare for soldering. Flux and 

hard solder the claws in place. If 

your burring is accurate the claws 

should hold in place during the procedure, 

but it is likely that you will need to make 

some corrections. 

Check to make sure the claws are straight, 

then pickle and clean up the setting ready 

for the shank. 

4 

To make the shank, I am using 

45mm long x 3mm squarewire. 

Taper the ends, either with your 

roll mill (if you have one) or do 

it the traditional way, forge it using a 

flat stake or anvil and hammer. Taper 

the ends to around 2.2mm square, 

leaving about 15mm in the centre 

section remaining at 3mm. Finish off by 

flattening the tapered ends to around 

1.7mm thick. 

5 

Make sure that the metal is 

annealed. 

There are a few ways to form the 

ring. If you have a ring bender it will save 

you a lot of time and effort, otherwise, 

brute force works well. Cross the ends 

over to tension the joint, then cut through 

and line up the ends. 

6 

When you are working to an 

exact finger size, you need to 

allow for the shaping and forge 

work, so at this stage make the 

ring at least three sizes smaller before 

you hard solder the joint. 

Quench and pickle to remove the flux 

and oxides. 

44 


7 

Shape the ring on your mandrel 

working towards the correct finger 

size then forge the top of the ring 

to spread the metal and form the 

shoulders. The height at the top of the ring 

should be around 3.5mm – 4mm. Do as 

much shaping by cold working the metal 

rather than filing metal off. 

8 

Cut a ‘V’ shape out of the top of 

the ring and file it to a ‘U’ shape. 

This should be around the same 

width of the stone size. File the top 

of the ring to fit the setting and shape the 

shoulders so that they meet up with the 

setting. Keep positioning the setting to 

check and then emery finish the ring ready 

for soldering. 

9 

Now the two parts can be 

fixed together. To connect the 

components before soldering, bind 

them with binding wire. Double 

the wire over and twist it before you wrap 

it over the setting and tighten the bind 

around the shank. Take your time to line 

them up. Once the components are fixed 

together straight, solder with medium 

grade solder. As always, fix one joint and 

then check and adjust before finishing the 

soldering operation. 

10 

Before you set the stone, polish 

around and inside the setting. 

The stone I am setting has a 

thick girdle, so I am using a 

small ball bur this time to cut the seating/ 

bearing into the claws. Cut around a third 

into the thickness, or until the stone will fit 

firmly in place. You will also need to remove 

metal from below the seating cut to allow the 

pavilion of the stone to fit. 

11 

Check that the stone is level, and 

make adjustments if necessary. I 

am using a brass pusher to bend 

the claws to an upright position. 

Make sure that you push the claws in 

order – north, south, east and west – to 

minimise the chance of the stone tilting. 

12 

Once the stone is secured level 

and straight you can shorten 

the claws with end cutters so 

that they are level with the 

table of the stone. Now file them flat, but 

be careful not to contact the stone. Push 

the claws down further if there is are any 

gaps and then finish the tips with a 1.8mm 

cup bur to round them off. Give the ring a 

final polish and you are finished. 

If your first attempt looks untidy, just start 

again. I guarantee it will look so much 

better. 

Peter Keep is a 

master jeweller 

and teacher. He 

offers structured 

online courses 

that have helped 

thousands of 

students around 

the world improve 

their skills. 

Jewellery Training Solutions offers a comprehensive online training service including the 

very popular Ten Stage Apprenticeship Course. 

For the video of this project go to: 

https://jewellery-training-solutions.thinkific.com/courses/claw-set-stone-on-bezel-ring 

Check out the other courses and options: www.jewellerytrainingsolutions.com.au 


AEROWATCH 

CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC PILOTE 

Les Grandes Classiques 

Swiss brand Aerowatch has released its newest chronograph to celebrate its aviation history. 

The watch evokes the early days of flight with a classic face and prominent numbering. The classically sporty 

watch takes off with the dream of conquering the globe and comes to land snugly on the wrist. With a case 

diameter of 44mm and the signature blue dial with day-of-week and date display, it also expresses genuine 

style, with a touch of vintage flair. 

All chronograph functions are convenient to operate and are always legible. 

Aerowatch was inspired by historic pilot’s timepieces when it selected a brown leather strap. Although it is 

preferably airborne, the Chronograph Automatic Pilote is water resistant to 5 atm and is thus also equipped for 

a water landing. 

www.aerowatch.com 

A SPLASH OF COLOUR 

EMILE CHOURIET CHALLENGER DEEP 

A sporty-chic diver’s watch in two new vibrant versions. 

Named after the deepest known point on the Earth’s surface at 

10,916 metres below sea level, the Challenger Deep collection 

of diver’s watches by Emile Chouriet honour Swiss explorer 

Jacques Picard and U.S. Navy Captain Don Wash’s history-making 

expedition and their spirit of discovery. 

Taking on the striking colours often found in tropical marine life, these 

watches feature a matte dial and soft, durable rubber straps. Providing 

effortless legibility in any situation, the syringe-shaped hands and 

baton hour markers are filled with white SuperLumiNova pigments that 

emit a bright green glow in the dark. 

A functional and distinguishing feature of diver’s watches, the 

timepiece features a unidirectional rotating bezel crafted in stainless 

steel with a black engraved ceramic insert capable of withstanding 

extreme fluctuations of temperature and pressure. Protected by the 

solid steel case back, the automatic movement delivers a minimum 

power reserve of 38 hours when fully wound. 

Collection Sporty, Model Challenger Deep 

Automatic, diameter 42.5 mm, stainless steel case 

Fit for any adventure, yet stylish enough for every occasion, the 

Challenger Deep collection is tailored for those who choose to live out 

their passions during the precious moments they dedicate entirely to 

themselves. 

46 


TAG HEUER TEAMS UP WITH 

POP CULTURE ICON 

SUPER MARIO 

To celebrate the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the two 

brands, TAG Heuer and Nintendo have created a limited-edition smartwatch 

featuring Nintendo’s most famous character: the energetic Mushroom Kingdom 

hero, Mario, who takes over the TAG Heuer Connected. 

What happens when Super 

Mario meets the Tag 

Heuer Connected? A 

watch that stands out and brings 

new creativity and daring style 

to the avant-garde watchmaker’s 

collections. The intrepid, iconic 

hero comes to life in this luxury 

smartwatch that combines 

sport, technology and elegance 

in one dynamic package. In this 

collaboration, the Tag Heuer 

Connected is offering wearers a 

fun new way to get more active, feeling the thrill of achieving goals 

throughout the day. 

Generations of gamers have grown up with Super Mario, with more 

than 370 million Super Mario games sold worldwide since 1985. Since 

the first Super Mario Bros. game launched in Japan in 1985, Super 

Mario – with his red cap and blue overalls – has become recognised 

the world over. 

With its watchface, which becomes livelier and more animated the 

more the wearer is active, this edition of the Tag Heuer Connected 

changes as its user makes progress, for a fun and motivating way of 

keeping active throughout the day. 

The animations are based 

on the gamification rewards 

system: Mario greets you with a 

welcoming salute in the morning 

and as the day progresses and 

you rack up your step count, you 

unlock rewards at each stage of 

your daily target – 25%, 50%, 

75% and 100% – a different 

animation plays out on the dial. 

These take the form of Super 

Mario’s famous objects: at 3 

o’clock the Super Mushroom that makes Mario grow, at 6 o’clock the 

Pipe that allows him to travel fast and at 9 o’clock the Super Star that 

makes him invincible lights up. And when you reach 100% of your daily 

step count target, Mario climbs the Goal Pole, another iconic feature of 

the video game. 

The idea is inspired by the famous “easter egg” concept that all gamers 

know very well, which consists of hiding features and surprises as a 

bonus in video games. 

“The inspiration for this collaboration came from our desire to gamify 

and bring excitement to our new wellness application and Super 

Mario instantly came to our minds,” says Frédéric Arnault, CEO of Tag 

Heuer. “And it’s not just his international and intergenerational appeal 

that clinched it. Mario is the ultimate super-active character whose 

perseverance and tenacity get him out of every situation. The new 

hero watchface gives life to this iconic character and encourage users 

to team up with Mario to get out there and be more active.” 

The TAG Heuer 

Connected x 

Super Mario 

Limited Edition 

is presented in a 

packaging designed 

exclusively for this 

collaboration. It also 

comes with a travel 

case in Super Mario 

red. This edition 

limited to 2,000 

watches. 


NEW PRODUCTS 

DPI Blaze | +61 3 9894 7891 

DPI Blaze Men’s range online now – Over 200 new items 

added including men’s leather bangles with stainless steel 

detail available in a range of colour options. 

www.jewellerydpi.com 

Ellendale Diamonds Australia | +61 8 6180 1562 

Make a statement with this 18k white/yellow gold pendant, 

featuring 20 round brilliant cut fancy intense yellow diamonds 

VS-SI totalling 0.20ct with 34 round brilliant cut G+ SI2 

diamonds totalling 0.34ct. 

www.ellendalediamonds.com.au 

DPI Silver Essentials | +61 3 9894 7891 

New to DPI Silver Essentials – 925 Sterling Silver 

half hoop earrings with mini-CZ star charm. Petite 

and on-trend, available online now in silver, rose 

gold and gold. 

www.jewellerydpi.com 

Zahar | +61 413 872 810 

Introducing Zahar's latest collection. 

Everything is available now and ready for order! 

This season, Zahar features statement link chains, dainty layering 

pieces, as well as some fun and flirty coloured glass rings. 

info@zahar.com.au 

@zahar.collection 

www.zahar.com.au 

48 


NEW PRODUCTS 

Ellani Collections | 02 9899 1525 

As spring bursts into leaf, these stainless steel leaf earrings 

from the new Ellani Collections Spring/Summer 2021 release 

are right on trend. 

www.ellanicollections.com.au 

Ikecho Australia | +61 2 9266 0636 

9ct yellow gold white round Edison 12mm diamond 

enhancer. Dia 0.23ct. 

www.ikecho.com.au 

Bianc | +61 413 872 810 

Bianc introduces to you their latest collection. Everything is 

ready for order now. 

This season you will be enchanted by Bianc’s radiant rainbow 

moonstone and rose quartz, twinkling tourmaline and topaz, 

and precious pearls. 

info@bianc.com.au 

@bianc_jewellery 

www.bianc.com.au 

Jewellery Centre | +61 7 3221 3838 

Jewellery Centre’s latest arrivals in Pink Hard Gold Plate. 

Sterling silver PHGP huggies with white CZ hoop drop. 

Sterling silver PHGP white CZ bar pendant with 42cm chain + 5cm extender. 

Sterling silver PHGP white CZ teardrop pendant with 42cm chain + 5cm extender. 

Visit website for other latest arrivals. 

www.jewellerycentreaustralia.com 


chain 

PO Box 112 

Toronto NSW 2283 

P: 02 9380 4742 ∙ F: 02 8580 6168 

E: sales@adelaimports.com 

services 

AUSTRALIAN 

JEWELLERY TOOLS 

WHOLESALER 

SPECIALISING IN QUALITY 

JEWELLERY TOOLS & EQUIPMENT 

WITH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE 

Glues 

FOR SALE 

Individual Jewellery 

Individual Jewellery is a boutiquestyle 

store in Melbourne's Maling 

Road, in Canterbury, Victoria. 

A retail manufacturing business of 

25 years in a highly visible location 

in an upmarket heritage shopping 

precinct, this business has built a 

solid reputation and loyal clientele, 

renowned throughout Melbourne 

for fine jewellery and bespoke 

treasures. A busy foot traffic 

trade adds to the high turnover. 

POA with negotiable stock level. 

Contact Peter on 

0416 176576 or 

03 9830 2244. 

for sale 

Adela Imports offer over 180 

designs of sterling silver chain, 

with up to 20 lengths available 

in each from stock. 

Also offering a range of 

uniquely designed silver 

jewellery. 

Catalogue available. 

www.adelaimports.com 

services 

(07) 3876 7481 

sales@labanda.com.au 

FAX: (07) 3368 3100 

ADELAIDE (08) 7221 2202 

MELBOURNE (03) 9038 8545 

PERTH (08) 6363 5517 

SYDNEY (02) 8004 1626 

www.labanda.com.au 

services 

Fast 

Versatile 

Attentive 

“I finished off 3 of your CADs today - all were 

awesome and easy to assemble and set.” 

Helen@DesignDrawCAD.com.au 

Looking for a 

Vine Change? 

Retail & Manufacturing Jewellery 

business for sale in the beautiful 

Clare Valley, SA. 

Modern, boutique-style jewellery 

store & workshop with well 

established custom. 

Great location in main street. 

Did we mention great lifestyle? 

Owners looking to retire but willing 

to assist if required. 

Vendor finance available. 

All interest to 0412087023 

or email rogersipad1@hotmail.com 

($120k plus stock at value, neg.) 

Relaxing... 

Asia 

Gem 

Jewellery 

Specialising in handmade 

jewellery, CAD/CAM 

modelling, repairs and supply 

of opals and gemstones. 

Located in Sydney’s 

Chinatown. 

M: +61 491 174 922 

E: asiagem2000@yahoo.com 

MILN & CO. Pty Ltd 

Ph: 02 4655 7707 M: 0412 702 834 

E:stuart.miln@milnco.com.au 

Lancier Watch Bands - Leather, metal, sports. 

Watchglasses. Seals. Batteries. Quartz Movements. 

Pins/tools. Jewellery findings. J C Hurst Bangles. 

Fischer Barometers and Tide Clocks 

Chris O’Neill 

Piecemaker 

2015 YJG Bench Challenge 

Hand Engraving Champion. 

Also specialising in quality 

Handmakes, Repairs and 

Antique restorations in the 

Sydney CBD. 

0405 689 834 

NEVER PURCHASE JEWELLERY 

BASED FROM A PHOTOGRAPH. 

IT MAKES 

YOU LOOK 2D 

PENDANT. 

WHY? 

Are you Jewellery 

World's biggest joker? 

Hard to top this one, though, hey? 

Oh, come on! 

Lockdown has been going for how 

long? Brighten our days. Please! 

Send your joke to 

jeremy@jewelleryworld.net.au 

50 


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A L L O Y S 

P R O M 

I S E 

P 

P 

R 

I C E 

B E A T 

G U A R A N T E E

Jewellery World Magazine - September 2021

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