Jeweller - April 2023

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APRIL 2023 

Contents 

This Month 

Industry Facets 

17 Editorial 

18 Upfront 

20 News 

32 

35 

64 

66 

10 YEARS AGO 

Time Machine: April 2013 

LEARN ABOUT GEMS 

Tools of the Trade II 

MY BENCH 

Hassan Kamkar 

SOAPBOX 

Ross Paterson 

Features 

37 PINK DIAMONDS FEATURE 

Fancy colour 

phenomenon 

4Jeweller speaks with some of the world’s 

leading jewellers on the nature of pink 

diamonds and why they’ve become so wildly 

popular with consumers and creators alike. 

30 

37 

47 

INHORGENTA MUNICH 2023 

All the latest trends and styles from Germany 

PINK DIAMONDS FEATURE 

Why are pink diamonds so popular? 

PEARL FEATURE 

Pearl jewellery is appealing to a new audience 

Better Your Business 

58 

60 

61 

62 

63 

BUSINESS STRATEGY 

What does it mean to be a contributor? RYAN ESTIS reveals the formula for quality staff. 

SELLING 

TOM MARTIN breaks down the habits of exceptional salespeople. 

MANAGEMENT 

DAVID BROWN says that sometimes ‘doing nothing’ is the right approach. 

MARKETING & PR 

HEATHER COOPER returns with another installment of generational marketing advice. 

LOGGED ON 

SIMON DELL explores the importance of staff reviews. 

47 PEARLS FEATURE 

Treasures of the sea 

4Learn more about the significant changes 

in pearl jewellery trends, driven by some of the 

world’s most recognisable names and faces. 

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April 2023 | 15

Editor’s Desk 

Don’t wait for the storm to pass, 

learn to dance in the rain 

It’s difficult to escape the doom and gloom messaging around the economy. 

ANGELA HAN calls for retailers and suppliers to remain proactive no matter what the future holds. 

When it comes to the forecasts that 

impact your business the most, who 

can you really trust? 

I’m sure you’ll agree when I say that the 

media has recently been dominated by 

the wailing of market pundits. 

Terms such as depression, recession, and 

economic collapse are bandied from one 

talking head to the next on television, on 

the radio, and in the newspapers. 

I don’t intend to dispute the impact of 

increasing inflation and cost of living 

pressures – filling the family car with 

petrol this week was all the evidence I 

needed to know that times are tough. 

Consumers feel the pinch from day-today, 

retailers carry the burden of weakened 

consumer spending, and suppliers feel the 

pain of struggling retailers. 

In January, representatives of The World 

Bank predicted that this year would be 

headlined by a global recession. That 

same month, Forbes published an article 

declaring that “a majority of economists 

believe a recession is likely in 2023”. 

A similar story published by CNBC hinted 

at a more important underlying truth: 

“Recessions often take everyone by 

surprise. There’s a very good chance the 

next one will not,” writes markets editor 

Patti Domm. 

“Economists have been forecasting a 

recession for months now, and most see it 

starting early next year. Whether it’s deep 

or shallow, long or short, is up for debate, 

but the idea that the economy is going into 

a period of contraction is pretty much the 

consensus view among economists.” 

Word play 

My question is, if recessions “often 

take everyone by surprise” then how 

much faith should we have in the words 

of these experts? 

How do we know that they are right this time, 

when clearly they’ve been wrong in the past? 

Recall that the Global Financial Crisis of 

2008 was predicted by just a handful of 

economists worldwide. 

While the rest of the herd may bleat that the 

“warning signs were clear” with the benefit 

of hindsight, few publicly predicted the GFC. 

How about the phrase ‘pretty much’ the 

consensus? I’m sure you’ll agree this 

is curious language. I was under the 

impression that something either is or 

is not a ‘consensus’. It comes from the 

Latin word consentire, meaning agreement. 

Here’s another slice of Latin that is 

worthwhile remembering - argumentum 

ab auctoritate – which translates to ‘an 

appeal to authority’ in English. 

An appeal to authority, or an argument 

from authority, is one of the most 

commonly committed logical fallacies. 

• Person A claims that X is true. 

• Person A is an ‘expert’ in the field 

concerning X. 

• Therefore, X should be believed. 

Humans are wired to feel strong emotional 

pressure when it comes to digression from 

authority figures and majority positions. 

That doesn’t mean we can’t rise above the 

limitations of our ‘mental hardware’ and 

seek the truth elsewhere. 

Ground floor 

So far, two major meetings of the 

Australian jewellery industry have taken 

place this year – the Melbourne Jewellery 

Expo in February and the Australian 

Jewellery Fair (AJF) in Sydney. 

Buyers and suppliers alike have had many 

positives to share despite the so-called dark 

clouds looming above. These are two local 

trade fairs that pale in size compared with 

larger international gatherings; however, 

looking abroad and the news has been 

equally optimistic. 

At Inhorgenta Munich, the total number of 

visitors increased by a staggering 51 per 

cent compared with the past year’s event. 

In Turkey, more than 30,000 people took part 

in the Istanbul Jewellery Show. At the rapidly 

emerging Jewellery, Gem and Technology 

in Dubai, visitor numbers increased by a 

startling 46 per cent. 

There’s optimism to be found if you know 

where to look. 

Further, how many experts predicted that 

consumer spending on luxury items such as 

jewellery would be strong during a two-year 

international pandemic? Very few. 

That said, the performance of international 

jewellery fairs is just a blip on the radar 

of the international economy; just as the 

performance of Australia’s local trade 

Humans are 

wired to feel 

strong emotional 

pressure when 

it comes to 

digression from 

authority figures 

and majority 

positions. That 

doesn't mean we 

can't rise above 

the limitations 

of our 'mental 

hardware' and 

seek the truth 

elsewhere. 

shows has little bearing on the international 

jewellery industry. 

I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a factor to worth 

considering like any other. 

Moving forward 

Perhaps the most interesting insight 

from the AJF came from one supplier 

who spoke to Jeweller on the importance 

of staying proactive. He said that any 

negativity should be viewed in context 

and added that he recommends retailers 

ignore the ‘computer gurus’ who lack a 

detailed understanding of the finer aspects 

of the trade. 

This message of ‘staying proactive’ and 

ignoring all the doomsayers reminds me of 

the fable about the business owner and his 

son arguing about the store's appearance. 

The son believed the store needed a 'refresh'; 

with signage to be repainted and he told his 

father that the decor needed to be updated. 

The father refuses; however, because 

he had read in the newspapers that a 

recession was on the way! 

A year passes, and the store's turnover is 

less than the year before and the son once 

again tells his father the store needs a new 

look. The father refuses again saying they 

need to save money because “every day that 

passes is one day closer to the recession.” 

Yes, you guessed it, 12 months on - and 

without this impending recession - a new 

store opens in town and more sales are lost. 

Again the son argues with his father saying 

the store was drab and needed a redesign 

to entice customers, and the father 

refuses – saying: "The time isn’t right, 

we have to save money. The experts still 

say a recession is coming". 

A third year passes and sales have fallen 

so low that the store is forced to close. 

As the sign is flipped to ‘closed’ one final 

time, the men reflect on the decline of the 

business and the father remarks – “ 

at least we didn’t waste any money on that 

refurbishment you wanted!” 

So what’s the moral of the story? Keep it 

simple! Restrict the influence that exterior 

chatter has on your business, and always 

operate in a positive and proactive manner. 

And as they say, learn to dance in the rain. 

Angela Han 

Publisher 


Upfront 

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HISTORIC GEMSTONE 

The Rockefeller Sapphire 

4The Rockefeller family is one of the most powerful 

and wealthy in US history and so it should come 

as no surprise that members of the family became 

accustomed to the finer things in life. 

Among them is the Rockefeller Sapphire, a 66-carat 

internally flawless sapphire with an exceptional 

‘cornflower blue’ colour. 

The gemstone entered into the Rockefeller dynasty in 1934 after John 

D. Rockefeller, Jr. purchased the sapphire from an Indian Maharajah. 

In the early 1940s, skilled jewellers Pierre Cartier and Raphael 

Esmerian, worked together to re-cut the stone into a magnificent brooch, 

flanked by calibré-cut sapphires and diamonds. 

When the brooch was sold along with the rest of Rockefeller’s Zurich 

estate in 1971, it was Esmerian who purchased it for $US170,000. 

Raphael’s son Ralph would later purchase the gemstone for 

$US2,850,000 which at that time, was a world record. 

Trend Spotting 

4Pearls are back in a big way. 

Long thought of as a timeless piece, 

pearls roll in and out of popularity. 

Off the back of a busy New York 

Fashion Week, men sporting pearls 

as they strutted down the runway was 

identified as a key highlight. 

Mikimoto Comme des Garçons; Comme des Garçons 

Park Ji-min, Tiffany & Co. 

Stranger Things 

Weird, wacky and wonderful 

jewellery news from around the world 

Gigantic diamond discovered 

4Gem Diamonds recently 

confirmed the discovery of a 

122-carat D colour white diamond at 

the Letseng Mine in Lesotho. This 

is the first 100-carat diamond to be 

discovered in 2023. The rate of larger 

diamonds discovered has been below 

average in the past 12 months, with 

just four 100-carat plus diamonds 

found. The average since 2008 has 

been eight per year, per IDEX. 

Disgraced 

jewellers possessions 

4Luxury items once belonging 

to disgraced jeweller Nirav Modi 

will be up for auction. A courtappointed 

liquidator in India 

plans to auction precious metals 

and gemstones belonging to 

Firestar Diamond International, 

the company once owned by the 

former diamond tycoon in order 

to clear total claims of lenders 

amounting to more than $US1.5 

billion. Modi’s downfall began after 

he was arrested for his alleged role 

in financial irregularities. 

Just because you can 

afford it, doesn’t mean 

you should purchase 

it. People who use 

buy now, pay later 

applications experience 

more stress than those 

who don’t. 

Digital Brainwave 

4A new report from the Consumer Financial 

Protection Bureau in the US has found 

that users of ‘buy now pay later’ (BNPL) 

programs experience more financial stress 

than those who abstain. 

The report found that 18 per cent of BNPL 

users had at least one reported delinquency 

in another account compared with 7 per cent 

of non-borrowers. Delinquency rates were 

also higher for credit (9 per cent) and retail 

cards (8 per cent) among BNPL borrowers 

against non-users at 3 per cent and 1 per 

cent, respectively. 

Campaign Watch 

4Tiffany & Co. has unveiled K-pop star 

Jimin as its newest brand ambassador. 

The BTS singer, whose full name is 

Park Ji-min, will appear in his first 

campaign for the brand within the next 

three months. The announcement was 

accompanied by a photo of a shirtless 

Jimin wearing a black suit and a 

collection of the brand’s ‘lock’ bracelets. 

Wait…how old? 

4A group of international scientists 

has claimed the discovery of the 

world’s oldest diamond, according to 

the Russian Academy of Sciences. The 

0.3mm diamond was found in the rocks 

of the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe, 

the largest diamond deposit in Russia. 

The diamond is estimated to be more 

than 3.6 billion years old. This age 

was determined using isotopic dating, 

which is the calculation of the fraction 

of radioactive decay of elements. 

VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY 

Published by Befindan Media Pty Ltd 

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

Publisher Angela Han angela.han@jewellermagazine.com • Journalist Samuel Ord samuel.ord@jewellermagazine.com 

Production Learoy Bangis art@befindanmedia.com • Advertising Toli Podolak toli.podolak@jewellermagazine.com • Accounts Paul Blewitt finance@befindanmedia.com 

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

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

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

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

arising from the published material.

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News 

Latest trends capture the spotlight at bustling Australian Jewellery Fair 

The Australian Jewellery Fair (AJF) has come 

and gone for another year, further cementing its 

position as a staple event of the industry. 

The two-day event, held at Sydney’s International 

Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICC), turned into 

a bustling event for retailers and exhibitors alike. 

Fair organiser and Expertise Events managing 

director Gary Fitz-Roy told Jeweller that the fair 

was a “resounding success”. 

“With Mother’s Day fast approaching, the fair 

provided an excellent opportunity for retailers to 

view the newest releases and get a feel for the year 

ahead. The event was time-efficient for attendees, 

allowing them to make the most of their visit and 

get back to their businesses as quickly as possible,” 

he explained. 

“On behalf of Expertise Events I would like to thank 

all those who attended the fair and helped make 

it such a success. We look forward to continuing 

to provide a valuable platform for the industry to 

connect and thrive.” 

Satisfied exhibitors 

‘Connection’ is often cited as the key aim for 

exhibitors at events such as the AJF and New 

Century Findings (NCF Aus) marketing manager 

Jeni Langanke said face-to-face encounters were 

vital in the trade. 

“We were able to connect with many new people at 

the fair and enjoyed talking with a variety of industry 

people, from retailers to students and custom 

designers,” she said. 

“The fair is an ideal opportunity to better 

understand what’s going well, and not so well, in 

the industry so we can adjust our inventory and 

delivery accordingly. The significant positive was the 

volume of sales we made - which was unexpected.” 

This was also the experience reported by the 

staff at Ellendale Diamonds, which takes pride 

in the unique range of homegrown diamond 

jewellery on offer. 

“Because we are based in Western Australia, it is 

important for us to be present and connect with 

local jewellers as often as possible to showcase our 

exclusive inventory of Australian loose diamonds 

and jewellery range,” marketing manager 

Gersande Price said. 

“We enjoyed the show as always and are pleased 

to report we have connected we many new 

retailers with successful sales and great future 

opportunities.” 

For some businesses, the most important goal 

of an event such as the AJF is not to create new 

partnerships, but to strengthen existing ones. 

Becks national sales manager Larah Brown told 

Jeweller it was always a pleasure to see such a 

large percentage of the industry under one roof. 

“The most significant positive was connecting with 

existing clients, as well as signing up new business 

accounts,” Brown said. 

“We had a great fair. We were run off our feet with 

new and existing clients asking about our new 

service, Bespoke by Becks. We have had great 

feedback from retailers who are using this service, 

and new businesses who are eager to get on 

board.” 

She added: “We actually ran out of our brochures 

due to interest.” 

Optimistic outlook 

The AJF came hot on the heels of the successful 

Melbourne Jewellery Expo in February and once 

again three of Australia’s buying groups supported 

the event, with Nationwide Jewellers, Leading Edge 

Group Jewellers, and the Independent Jewellers 

Collective each taking part. 

The Australian Jewellery Fair offered exhibitors and 

retailers a chance to understand the trends of 2023. 

Nationwide Jewellers director of merchandise and 

marketing Niven McArthur praised both the venue 

and the fair itself. 

“The biggest positive for me was watching suppliers 

and retailers interact face-to-face. Trading was 

brisk and all our preferred suppliers I spoke with 

found the event profitable and worthwhile,” he 

explained. 

“The Cockle Bay room at the ICC is a perfect venue 

with easy access. Both days had a steady stream 

of visitors. Sunday was the busiest of the two days. 

Nationwide were able to meet with attending 

Suppliers and retailers are both optimistic following the 

Australian Jewellery Fair. 

members in a comfortable working environment.” 

In the past, all three buying groups have praised 

members who have showcased proactivity and 

forward-thinking in the face of a challenging 

economy. 

This was a message echoed by John Wertheim, 

managing director of JS Landau, who said 

businesses with low on inventory because they 

think the economy will ‘stall’ risk future difficulties. 

“We believe the Australian economy is overall 

very strong and consumer sentiment is generally 

positive and a good year is in store, and the 

negativity around should be viewed in context,” 

he explained. 

“We decided early in the pandemic to be positive 

and invest. We also increased our stock levels 

massively with new designs and continue to attend 

all the Expertise Fairs - they have great pulling 

power being the traditional fair.” 

Don’t miss out 

All eyes now turn to the International Jewellery 

Fair (IJF) in Sydney, beginning on Saturday 19 

August at the ICC. The theme of this year’s IJF 

will be ‘The Real Thing’. 

Fitz-Roy said that the success of the AJF 

highlighted the value of reinvestment in the trade. 

“The fair also underlined Expertise Events’ 

investment in the industry, with the organisers 

controlling costs while adding value wherever 

possible,” he said. 

“This commitment to providing a quality event that 

delivers results for exhibitors and retailers was 

evident in the strong support from the three major 

buying groups.” 

One of the most eagerly anticipated ‘sub-plots’ of 

the IJF will be the launch of Jewellers Den, a new 

initiative to support up-and-coming members of 

the industry – with tens of thousands of dollars of 

prizes on the line. 

20 | April 2023

News 

$9 billion deal turns sour as Perth Mint 

rocked by alleged gold doping scandal 

Perth Mint accused of potential 

commodities breaches 

The Perth Mint has been thrust into the national 

spotlight after the revelation of coinciding 

scandals involving a notorious biker and a $9 

billion bullion deal with China gone wrong. 

The ABC’s Four Corners program aired a report 

detailing a potential $9 billion recall of gold bars 

featuring diluted bullion which was sold to the 

Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE). 

‘Gold doping’ is the addition of trace amounts of 

elements such as silver or copper to bullion. It’s 

an accepted practice as long as a standard of 

99.99% purity is maintained. 

“The mint began doping its gold as a costsaving 

measure in 2018, expecting to save up to 

$620,000 a year — a tiny fraction of its annual 

sales,” the ABC report reveals. 

“Within two years this desire to save money 

would put the mint at the centre of what may be 

one of the biggest gold scandals in Australian 

history. From the outset, there were signs of 

trouble. 

“Just months after the doping began, the report 

says refinery staff identified concerns that silver 

and copper levels may have exceeded those 

allowed by the SGE. Despite this, refinery staff 

continued doping the gold.” 

In September of 2021, officials at the SGE 

alleged that two gold bars contained too much 

silver and were non-compliant. 

The Perth Mint allegedly launched an internal 

investigation which concluded that up to 100 

tonnes of stock would need to be recalled from 

Shanghai and replaced. 

A purity test of the two bars identified as 

problematic by the SGE revealed that they were 

above 99.99 per cent pure, but had exceeded the 

SGE’s strict standards for silver. 

“But it wasn’t just one bad batch, it meant most 

of the gold bars during the three-year doping 

program were potentially non-compliant with 

Shanghai standards. 

“Crucially, the mint did not share this information 

with its largest client,” the report continues. 

The SGE opted not to make its complaint public 

and accepted assurances of quality from the 

mint, agreeing that certificates of ‘assay’ would 

accompany all future bars. 

Visit from the Hells Angels 

The Perth Mint has also been accused of 

permitting a renowned member of the 

Hells Angels to purchase $27,000 in gold 

in June of 2022. 

Dayne Brajkovich made the purchase at the 

Perth Mint’s gift store, despite the law requiring 

rigorous background checks to identify high-risk 

customers and prevent money laundering. 

Brajkovich is no longer a member of the 

Hells Angels; however, he has previously been 

imprisoned for possessing a commercial 

quantity of MDMA. 

In September, the Australian Transaction 

Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) ordered 

the appointment of an external auditor to assess 

the operations of the mint. 

The audit was reportedly launched as officials 

suspect the mint has failed to appropriately 

report up to 5,000 transactions. 

The Perth mint is the largest processor of newly 

mined gold in the world and in the past year has 

completed sales in excess of $20 billion. 

Gold Corporation is the parent company of 

the Perth Mint. The mint was established 

in 1899 and is owned by the Government of 

Western Australia. 

The controversy has continued this week with the 

revelation the Perth Mint was warned in 2022 that it 

was potentially breaching commodities laws in the 

US by holding gold for customers in its depositary. 

WA Premier Mark McGowan made the comment 

in the chamber as the fallout over the Perth Mint 

continues. 

“In September 2022, the mint publicly 

acknowledged it was addressing ‘historic noncompliance 

issues; with the US laws and had selfreported 

the issue to regulators,” the ABC reports. 

“But what it failed to mention was that those 

potential breaches dated back nearly 25 years and 

covered around 1,500 accounts holding $US254 

million ($AU380 million) worth of precious metals 

on behalf of clients.” 

In May of 2022, the Perth Mint reportedly received 

external legal advice about these potential 

breaches and was told that even if the issues were 

rectified, the mint may still be liable for penalties. 

Current WA Premier Mark McGowan was the 

minister responsible for the mint between 2017 

and 2021 and said the government awarded $34 

million to upgrade computer systems and employ 

additional staff to fix these issues. 

Specifics 

In order to prevent fraud, the Model State 

Commodity Code (MSCC) was implemented 

in the US in 1985. 

The MSCC is used in 23 US states and requires 

anyone purchasing gold receives a physical 

delivery of that gold within 28 days unless the 

seller is an ‘exempt person’. The Perth Mint 

allows internationals to purchase gold and store 

it via a Depository Service. Approximately six per 

cent of the mint’s customers are based in MSCCcompliant 

US states. 

The Perth Mint is not considered an ‘exempt 

person’ under the MSCC and thus, could be in 

breach of commodities laws. 


News 

Hong Kong show will be 

one to remember 

Jewellers Den: Kickstarter for Young Jewellers 

Expertise Events has announced Jewellers Den, 

a new initiative for up-and-coming designers to 

forge a new career as a jewellery supplier. 

Anticipation is building for the Jewellery and Gem 

Asia Hong Kong (JGA) trade show, scheduled to 

begin on 22 June. 

The four-day show, which hasn’t occurred since 

2019 due to the COVID pandemic, will be hosted at 

the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre 

(HKCEC). 

The Hong Kong Government recently ended its mask 

mandate and removed the final major restriction 

imposed during the pandemic. 

Celine Lau, director of jewellery fairs for Informa 

Markets, said this is an event many years in the 

making. 

“To many of our loyal show attendees, revisiting JGA 

might feel like a homecoming,” she said. 

“We are all looking forward to making up for all that 

was missed in the last three years. 

“The thrill of product discovery, the joy of networking 

and the excitement of being a part of one of our 

community’s biggest gatherings in Hong Kong since 

the pandemic.” 

JGA will be headlined by thousands of ranges of 

jewellery including diamonds, colour gemstones and 

pearls, among others. 

There will also be sections dedicated to equipment, 

packaging, and technology. 

“JGA has always been known for its rich and diverse 

selection of finished jewellery, and as a sourcing 

destination for precious materials,” Lau added. 

“Professional buyers will be delighted to learn that 

our signature pavilions will be back as well.” 

Following JGA, Informa Markets will host Jewellery 

and Gem World Hong Kong in September. 

Celebrating it’s 40th anniversary, the show will 

open at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo from 18-22 

September, while the trading will continue at HKCEC 

from 20-24 September. 

In September of the past year, Informa Markets 

hosted Jewellery and Gem World Singapore, a oneoff 

event that attracted nearly 1,000 exhibitors. 

To be launched at the International Jewellery 

Fair (IJF) in Sydney on 19-21 August, Jewellers 

Den will provide young Australian designers 

exposure to the wider jewellery industry and 

introduce them to potential investors in a startup 

business. 

Fair organiser, Gary Fitz-Roy said, “New and 

up-and-coming jewellery designers have the 

power to help shape the future of the Australian 

jewellery industry but first they must be 

‘discovered’ and then nurtured towards success. 

And that’s why we’re thrilled to announce our 

new initiative to support local designers.” 

He explained: “Jewellers Den is a dedicated 

pavilion-type area provided free of charge on the 

main floor where new designers can connect 

with industry professionals, showcase their work 

at the Fair, and pitch their brand and business to 

a panel of industry experts. 

“The prize package could set them up for 

immediate and ongoing success. In short, 

Jewellers Den is a platform where they can meet 

potential investors who can help them take their 

business to the next level.” 

The actual Jewellers Den area will consist of 

around 20 participating Australian designers 

who exhibit their products and designs over the 

three days at the fair – at no cost – and on the 

Sunday each designer makes a presentation to 

the panel who will decide the winner. 

The prize package has been created as a means 

to professionally launch the business and/ 

or products into the Australian, and perhaps, 

international markets. 

Leading Australian supplier Palloys is providing 

$5,000 of manufacturing materials and services 

while Nationwide Jewellers – Australia and New 

Zealand’s largest retail group – will endorse the 

winner as a preferred supplier. 

Nationwide will provide six months of support 

to the designer by promoting the products in 

its member communications guaranteeing 

positive cash flow for the business. The designer 

will also be free to supply other independent 

retailers. 

While the Palloys and Nationwide Jewellers 

sponsorships assist in manufacturing and 

supply, the designer will need assistance in 

running the business. 

The Deb Templar Group has agreed to offer 

six months of commercial advice, training and 

mentoring to cover branding and other retail 

management expertise. This component is 

valued at $6,000. 

Befindan Media, publisher of Jeweller, has also 

agreed to support Jewellers Den. 

Publisher Angela Han said, “This is a wonderful 

idea because the future of the Australian 

jewellery industry lies in the hands of creative 

people,” she said. 

“It’s important that we’re actively nurturing the 

next generation, and this initiative could not 

have come at a better time; there is no shortage 

of hidden talent that’s waiting to be uncovered, 

especially after COVID where skills and creativity 

have had time to incubate.” 

“Local apprentices and designers should think of 

this as ‘Kickstarter for Young Jewellers’!” 

Befindan Media has agreed to provide a 

12-month advertising and marketing 

package to the value of $10,000 covering 

both its print and digital platforms. 

Fitz-Roy said, “While the initial idea was 

to help young jewellers in Australia get a 

headstart, Jeweller magazine’s enormous 

worldwide reach could see the designs being 

picked up internationally.” 

He added, “The aim of Jewellers Den and the 

launch prize is to promote the story behind the 

designer who created that piece? How did they 

get their start? What inspired them to pursue a 

career in jewellery design? We are hoping to see 

the future faces of the industry kickstart their 

career as a supplier to the trade. 

“This is an incredible opportunity for young 

jewellers to get the exposure they need to 

succeed in the competitive world of design. It’s 

a chance to make connections, get feedback, 

and learn from experienced professionals who 

can help them launch, grow and establish their 

business.” 

Apprentices, young jewellers and designers who 

would like to participate in Jewellers Den must 

complete an application form to be considered 

as one of the 20 exhibitors. 


News 

Slump in sales performance 

for US diamond jewellery giant 

The world’s largest retailer of diamond jewellery, US-based Signet 

Jewelers, has reported a decline in fourth-quarter sales. Sales 

decreased by 5 per cent year-on-year to $US2.67 billion ($AU3.97 

billion) in the three months ending 28 January. 

Additionally, same-store sales at branches open for at least one year 

declined by 9 per cent, while profit decreased 12 per cent. Signet CEO 

Virginia C. Drosos said that despite the results there was still cause for 

optimism. 

“We delivered on our three key priorities of increasing market share, 

achieving an annual double-digit non-GAAP operating margin, and 

leveraging capital allocation to drive shareholder returns despite 

headwinds and volatility throughout the year,” she said. 

“As we turn to FY24, we are confident in the sustainable competitive 

advantages we’ve built and our ability to leverage our enhanced 

infrastructure and scale to grow ahead of the jewellery industry.” 

The discouraging sales performance was attributed to a variety of 

causes including extreme weather conditions, labour strikes, and 

weakened currency in the UK. 

“While timing and magnitude are difficult to predict, Signet also 

anticipates a continued shift of consumer discretionary spending away 

from the jewellery category, reflecting decelerating levels of consumer 

confidence and pent-up demand for experience-oriented categories, as 

well as expects further impacts of inflation and other macroeconomic 

factors on consumer spending.” a statement from Signet reads. 

Worldwide, Signet owns more than 2,800 stores including Kay 

Jewelers, Zales, Jared, Diamonds Direct, JamesAllen.com, Rocksbox, 

Peoples Jewellers, H.Samuel, Ernest Jones, and Sterling Jewelers. 

Michael Hill International 

celebrates first-half revenue 

CEO Daniel Bracken has credited improved marketing and strong 

holiday-period sales for Michael Hill International’s record-breaking 

first-half revenue. 

Michael Hill achieved revenue of $AU383.4 million for the period 

ending 1 January, an $AU30 million increase from the 2020 financial 

year, despite presently operating 22 fewer stores. 

“To deliver record results across sales, gross profit, and comparable EBIT 

for the first half is a testament to all facets of the business having aligned to 

produce these results, demonstrating the traction of our strategic initiatives 

and reaffirms the success of our brand elevation journey,” Bracken said. 

“With the impacts from COVID behind us, significant productivity gains on 

pre-pandemic trade have been delivered across an optimised store network 

in all markets.” 

In Australia retail revenue increased by 18 per cent to $AU190.6 million on 

a year-by-year comparison with the opening of three stores and the closure 

of one leaving Michael Hill with 282 in total. Revenue in New Zealand 

increased by 13.8 per cent to hit $NZ76.3 million ($AU69.7 million). 

Brilliance by Michael Hill, the company’s loyalty program, now has 

more than 1.7 million members and accounts for 82 per cent of sales. 

Digital sales declined by 9 per cent compared with the previous year; 

however, they remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. 

Our new Sapphire Dreams Autumn Edit is full of unforgettable 

jewellery designs crafted in premium 9ct or 18ct gold, centred 

around unique, one-of-a-kind Australian Sapphires. The 

pieces in this range showcase the beautiful colour range of 

these natural Australian gemstones, crafted into luxurious 

rings, pendants and earrings. 

SapphireDreams.com.au 

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News 

ACCC forms new taskforce to target 

fraudulent greenwashing claims 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) plans to 

continue its pursuit of businesses making fraudulent claims about the 

‘environmentally friendly’ nature of products, launching a new taskforce. 

The ACCC’s focus on environmental claims and sustainability will broaden 

beyond consumer and fair trading issues to include competition law and 

product safety considerations. 

ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said that unfounded claims about 

environmentalism don’t just harm consumers, they also harm businesses. 

“We’ve established a new internal taskforce focused on sustainability 

that will build our expertise, inform and coordinate our efforts across the 

agency,” she said. 

“In particular the taskforce will examine and seek to influence a range of 

issues where environmental and sustainability issues intersect with the 

application of competition and consumer law, including product safety.” 

In October-November of the past year, ACCC completed a sweep of 

businesses and of the 247 reviewed, 57 per cent were identified as having 

made potentially misleading claims. 

“Misleading claims about environmental or sustainability credentials 

have an impact right across the economy. Consumers, shareholders, 

and governments are looking for legitimate change not ‘smoke and 

mirrors’ when it comes to environmental initiatives implemented by 

businesses,” Cass-Gottlieb said. 

The ACCC plans to confirm its annual product safety priorities at the 

National Consumer Congress. 

Pandora creates ‘sustainability’ bond 

Pandora is offering investors a €500 million ($AU804 million) bond linked 

to ‘eco-friendly’ sustainability goals. It is is selling the senior unsecured 

bond with a five-year maturity in what’s been described as ‘additional 

motivation’ to reach sustainability goals. 

Featuring Swiss Quartz movement and elegant 

white diamonds, Classique’s diamond range is 

unique and luxurious. 

classiquewatches.com 

ClassiqueWatches.com 

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02 9290 2199 

The first two goals focus on emission reductions, both its own emissions 

and those in its value chain, with deadlines in 2025 and 2030. The third goal 

is to reach 100 per cent use of recycled gold and silver by 2025. 

“The successful issuance of our first ever Eurobond underpins our strong 

financial characteristics and marks an important milestone in our journey, 

allowing us to further diversify our funding structure,” said Pandora CFO 

Anders Boyer. When the bond matures in 2028, Pandora will need to pay 

more to investors if these three goals are not met. 

Pandora recently published its full-year financials for 2022, highlighting 

a 9 per cent increase in revenue in the fourth quarter.

News 

Mixed reception to single-day MoonSwatch release 

The Swatch Group’s collaborative interstellar project 

with Omega has continued, with the release of 

the ‘Mission to MoonShine’ MoonSwatch model in 

Japan – with models available in select stores for 

one day only. 

The watch debuted in Tokyo on 7 March with 

launch events also scheduled for Zurich, 

London, and Milan. 

This model features a ‘moonshine’ gold seconds 

hand, moonshine being a coating of recycled gold 

sourced from the Swatch Group refinery. The alloy 

consists of gold, silver, and copper. 

The MoonSwatch collaboration debuted in March of 

2022 and has since sold more than 1.5 million units. 

Reception to the launch has been mixed with 

some onlookers optimistic that this limited launch 

is a sign of more significant plans ahead, while 

others described feeling ‘underwhelmed’ after the 

excitement of the original release. 

“Well, I really didn’t think we were getting a solid 

gold MoonSwatch. I had a hunch this would involve a 

coating of some sort, but I at least hoped we would 

get a golden-hued Bioceramic case, or at least an 

homage to a MoonShine gold Omega Speedmaster,” 

wrote Danny Milton of Hodinkee. 

“Instead, what we have is a global event on a smaller 

scale than the pandemonium that was the original 

MoonSwatch launch. And what’s for sale is a limited 

[production-wise] special edition Mission to the 

Moon with Moonshine gold-coated hand. When you 

spell it out like that, it sort of loses its luster a bit.” 

Other commentators have suggested that this is 

Swatch CEO Nick Hayek’s attempt at reigniting 

the ‘scarcity’ factor which played a crucial role in 

MoonSwatch’s popularity. 

“Hayek’s willingness to confound those happy to 

drink in the hype that his own brand creates 

does not end with a release so apparently 

underwhelming if the comments on Instagram 

are anything to go by, said Tim Barber of Wired. 

“The chief characteristic of the MoonSwatch 

story, since a launch that saw Swatch shops 

around the world swamped by huge crowds 

of buyers and flippers, has been scarcity, with 

Swatch’s boutiques massively undersupplied 

and the watches unavailable online. 

“Perhaps the real mission of the Mission to 

Moonshine is to fire up the scarcity issue all 

over again.” 

This model is slightly more expensive than 

the original 12-piece collection, priced at 

$US260 ($AU394). 

Rising enthusiasm boosts luxury watch market 

approaching $100 billion milestone 

According to a recent report from the Boston 

Consulting Group (BGC), the luxury watch 

market will reach $US100 billion ($AU149.5 

billion) before 2026. 

The report estimates that the retail market for 

second-hand luxury watches is worth $US24 

billion ($US35.8 billion) and that the combined 

value of the new and second-hand markets 

$US79 billion ($AU118.1 billion). 

“[The $US100 billion figure] would be 50 per 

cent larger than 2019, the last year before 

the pandemic, demonstrating just how much 

watch collecting as a passion, and watch 

investing as a business has transformed the 

industry,” writes Rob Corder of WATCHPRO. 

“Prestigious Swiss watchmakers had their 

best year ever in 2022, with the value of exports 

nudging $US25 billion ($AU37.8 billion) for the 

first time.” 

The survey found that luxury watch consumers 

fall into four ‘common’ identities: classic 

timeless, fashionable professionals, luxury 

watch hobbyists, and collectors/investors. 

“Watches have also performed well against 

other alternative assets in recent years,” 

Corder added. 

“From 2005 to 2018, returns for watches 

were lagging behind jewellery, cars, wine and 

art, but have outperformed every alternative 

investment category except art and wine since, 

and was the top performer from 2021 to 2022.” 

The BGC report was produced in conjunction with 

second-hand watch specialist WatchBox based on 

consumer surveys completed in October of 2022. 

The rising enthusiasm for luxury watches was 

reflected in the recent edition of Inhorgenta 

Munich, the German watches and jewellery 

trade show. Organisers reported a 51 per cent 

increase in attendance with more than 800 

exhibitors taking part.

News 

Russian diamonds continue 

to flood Belgium 

Diamond sales continue to slow for mining giant 

parent company Anglo American. 

Prior to joining De Beers, Cook was executive 

vice president of exploration and production 

international at Equinor, Norway’s state-owned 

petroleum company. 

De Beers Group, has published the results 

from its second sales cycle for 2023, identifying 

another decrease in sales. It hosts 10 sales 

cycles each year, with the second running from 

20 February through 7 March. 

Provisional sales totalling $US495 million 

($AU750.6 million) were completed, a significant 

decline compared with the $US652 million 

($AU988 million) in sales realised in 2022. 

Cook released a statement on LinkedIn on 

his first day as CEO and highlighted a number 

of key objectives for his time as leader of the 

world’s largest diamond mining company. 

“Although today is my first as an employee of De 

Beers, I have spent as much time as possible 

building my understanding of the industry. The 

more I learn, the more people I meet, the more 

impressed I am,” Cook said. 

“My first priority in every visit will be safety. Over 

27 years in the energy business, including three 

years in offshore operations, I’ve learned that we 

have to put safety first,” he said. 

Belgium’s import of diamonds from Russia spiked 

in January by a remarkable 36 per cent despite 

heated political discussion around economic 

sanctions within the European Union. 

Belgium’s import of rough diamonds from Russia 

reached €EU132 million ($AU211.8 million) 

in January, compared with just €EU97 million 

($AU155.6) in 2022 – just weeks before the invasion 

of Ukraine. 

In late February the US and EU installed a tenth 

round of economic sanctions against Russia as 

a punitive response to the invasion; however, the 

diamond industry was once again spared. 

According to recent reporting, Russian diamond 

sales in Europe increased following the invasion 

of Ukraine, despite retaliatory economic sanctions 

from western powers. 

“The Belgian government argues such sanctions 

would only divert Russia’s diamond exports to 

other countries without actually causing Moscow 

economic pain. Belgian diplomats also pointed 

out that Russian imports were going down even 

without sanctions, because of public pressure and 

consumer awareness,” writes Barbara Moens of 

Politico. 

“However, imports to Belgium rose again in 

December and January in the lead-up to Valentine’s 

Day on 14 February. However, this looks like a 

temporary spike linked to higher demand around 

Valentine’s Day, according to a Belgian official. In 

February, the import value dropped again to €61 

million ($AU97.9 million).” 

The Belgian Foreign Trade Agency reported that 

total exports from Russia increased by more than 

two-thirds during January; however, these figures 

were significantly impacted by increases in the 

price of gas. 

New De Beers CEO Al Cook was unperturbed 

by the 24 per cent year-on-year decline in sales 

and said he expects sightholders to purchase 

more aggressively in the later stages of the year. 

“In this, my first sight update to the market, I 

am pleased to see continued steady demand for 

rough diamonds in line with our expectations for 

sales as the year progresses. 

“For example, we know that sightholders 

planned more of their purchases for later in 

2023, given the economic uncertainty at the 

time they were taking their planning decisions 

at the end of 2022. It is also encouraging to see 

some positive trends in end client demand for 

diamond jewellery at the start of the year.” 

New leadership 

Cook has assumed the role of CEO from Bruce 

Cleaver, who has transitioned to a new role with 

Once working as a geologist by trade, Cook said 

he has always been fascinated by gemstones 

and that he is looking forward to encouraging 

further industrial innovation. 

“One thing has surprised me for a company as 

historic as De Beers, there is a strong spirit of 

innovation,” he continued. 

“Whether it’s pioneering the use of blockchain 

so that a customer knows exactly where their 

diamond has come from, building the world’s 

most advance diamond recovery vessel, or 

exploring for new kimberlite pipes deep inside 

the earth, I keep finding amazing technology 

everywhere.” 

Attention now turns to the third De Beers 

sales cycle (27-31 March) in light of recent 

suggestions by US trade bodies that further 

sanctions will be placed on Russian diamonds 

mined by De Beers rival Alrosa. 

Burgundy abandons plans for Ellendale mine 

Perth-based Burgundy Diamond Mines (BDM) 

has confirmed that it will not exercise its twoyear 

option to purchase the Ellendale Mine. 

Located in the West Kimberley region of WA, 

the Ellendale Mine was once the source of 

approximately 50 per cent of the world’s yellow 

fancy colour diamonds. 

BDM acquired the dormant mine from Gibb 

River Diamonds in 2021, one year after GRD 

was granted exclusive mining and exploration 

leases by the WA government. 

BDM managing director and CEO Kim Truter 

said the decision was “in the best interests 

of shareholders and in line with the strategic 

direction of the company.” 

“Burgundy will therefore cease development of 

the project immediately,” a statement from the 

mining company reads. 

“Burgundy has elected to instead focus on 

completion of the acquisition and integration 

of the Ekati Diamond Mine into its portfolio, 

located in Canada’s northern territories and 

purchased from the Arctic Canadian Diamond 

Company.” 

BDM recently expanded its cutting and polishing 

plant in Perth enabling it to manufacture twice 

as many fancy colour diamonds. 

Production at Ellendale ceased in 2015 when 

the previous owner Kimberley Diamond 

Company entered liquidation. 

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November 2022 | 27

News 

Perth Mint releases Jewelled 

Snake collaboration 

Retailers demand more protection for sales staff; 

New Zealand struggles after weak holiday spend 

The Perth Mint has released the latest addition to the 

Masterpiece series, the eye-catching Jewelled Snake. 

This is the sixth release from its exclusive range 

of diamond-studded coins, joining the Jewelled 

Phoenix, Dragon, Tiger, Horse and Koi coins. 

Neil Vance, Perth Mint general manager of minted 

products, said he expects the Jewelled Snake will 

be in strong demand following a record year for 

sales for the mint in 2022. 

“It’s a large undertaking to design and craft these 

intricate coins but the results are outstanding, and 

we have no doubt that collectors will be impressed 

by The Jewelled Snake’s design,” Vance said. 

Australian retail representatives are demanding 

state governments implement tougher penalties 

for individuals who assault retail workers. 

In the past year, the South Australian 

Government introduced a maximum penalty of 

five years for those convicted of basic assault 

against a retail worker. 

Similar laws have also been a talking point 

during the lead-up to the NSW election. 

Spokespeople for the National Retail 

Association, Shop Distributive and Allied 

Employees Association, and Australian Retailers 

Association (ARA) has called for other states to 

implement similar laws. 

ARA CEO Paul Zahra said aggression directed 

at retail staff became an issue during the 

COVID-19 pandemic and is yet to subside. 

“Customer aggression has been an ongoing 

challenge for frontline staff. We saw a big rise in 

the number of customers who chose to unleash 

their frustrations on retail staff during the 

pandemic,” he told Ragtrader. 

“We expected this to subside when restrictions 

lifted – but it simply hasn’t. The rise of antisocial 

behaviour is also a concern for us. 

“A crime does not need to have been committed 

in order for physical or mental harm to be 

done to retail workers and so we also need the 

community to play their part in stamping out 

unacceptable behaviour.” 

New Zealand retailers struggling 

New Zealand retailers are being encouraged to 

brace for a difficult year ahead following weak 

sales performance during the holiday period. 

New Zealand’s GDP shrunk by 0.6 per cent in 

the fourth quarter of 2022, with the retail and 

accommodation sector declining by 1.9 per cent. 

Retail NZ CEO Greg Harford said that around 

half of all retailers believe they will fail to meet 

sales targets in the second quarter of 2023, 

with a further 30 per cent expressing a lack of 

confidence in surviving the next year. 

“The significantly soft results in a key period 

for retailers across New Zealand has led to 

a pessimistic outlook for the sector going 

forward,” he explained. 

“In the same period, Retail NZ’s Retail Radar 

found that while 63 per cent of retailers had 

expected to hit their sales targets for the 

quarter, only 34 per cent managed to 

achieve this.” 

He added: “The first two and a half months of 

2023 have been incredibly tough for retailers.” 

“Significant weather events, a downturn in 

consumer confidence, inflation being impacted 

by domestic factors like wage increases, 

supply chain, and supplier price increases – 

demonstrate the seriousness of the challenges 

faced by the sector.” 

New Zealand’s retail sector employs more than 

220,000 people. 

MORE BREAKING NEWS 


“The Perth Mint takes enormous pride in 

presenting magnificent masterpieces to the global 

luxury market and The Jewelled Snake is no 

exception. We are dedicated to creating unique, 

collectable art into the future.” 

Each Jewelled Snake coin is struck from 10oz 

99.99 per cent pure gold, with the hero piece an 

18-carat rose and yellow gold snake coiled around 

a tree branch. 

The snake’s body is embellished with 175 handset 

pink diamonds sourced from the Argyle Mine, 

as well as 111 white diamonds, and two emeralds 

for its eyes. 

This collection is a collaboration between the 

Perth Mint and famed jeweller John Glajz. The 

Perth Mint is the world’s largest refiner of newly 

mined gold. 

Istanbul Jewellery Show a tremendous success 

More than 30,000 visitors travelled to 

participate in this year’s Istanbul Jewellery 

Show across four days. 

Closing 19 March, visitors from 149 

countries made the voyage to Turkey’s 

Istanbul Expo Centre for the fair which 

was organised by Informa Markets. 

The number of international visitors 

increased by 17 per cent compared with 

the 2022 show, with 29 per cent of buyers 

coming to the fair from abroad. More than 

1,500 brands and companies exhibited. 

Istanbul Jewellery Show founding partner 

Sermin Cengiz said: “We feel the justified 

pride and happiness of bringing together 

the jewellery sector for the 53rd time.” 

“The largest ever held Istanbul Jewellery 

Show is now over. The business network 

held at this event has contributed positively 

both to the sector and to exports. 

“We foresee that Istanbul Jewellery Show 

will continue to be a preferred event for 

the entire global jewellery sector primarily 

for Türkiye, and the number of both the 

participants and the visitors will keep on 

rising in the fair to be held in October.” 

The Istanbul Jewellery Show was 

established in 1986. 


News 

New program to help retailers 

increase diamond jewellery sales 

The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) has outlined plans for a new 

educational program aimed at helping retailers improve diamond 

jewellery sales. 

A recent study commissioned by the NDC found that 93 per cent of 

customers were more likely to purchase jewellery featuring ‘natural’ 

diamonds when they had been ‘properly educated’ by a salesperson. 

The study was conducted in US 116 stores that carry either natural 

diamonds, lab-created diamonds or both, during December and January. 

“The research confirms that the role of the sales staff in educating 

customers is paramount,” said NDC managing director Kristina 

Buckley Kayel. 

“However, the content of that education is far from complete, 

especially in conveying the facts and storytelling around natural 

diamonds beyond the 4Cs.” 

The data revealed 64 per cent of customers did not find in-store 

merchandising presentations of natural diamonds significantly differed 

from those of lab-grown. 

Meanwhile, in 40 per cent of interactions, sales staff were recorded as 

not providing ‘adequate natural diamond education’ to generate a sale. 

Only 6 per cent of respondents noted retailers spoke to them about 

ethical considerations and the importance of provenance. 

The NDC was established in 2000 with a mission to advance the 

integrity of the modern diamond jewellery industry and educate 

and support consumers. It was formerly known as the Diamond 

Producers Association. 

Dubai fair continues to expand 

as reputation spreads 

Jewellery, Gem and Technology in Dubai (JGTD) has been judged a 

success by buyers and suppliers alike after a three-day run at the 

Dubai World Trade Centre. 

The event closed on 14 February with attendees exceeding 7,200 in 

total – an increase of 20 per cent compared with the past year’s event. 

Informa Markets senior vice president David Bondi said close to 350 

suppliers from 25 countries and regions spread across an expanded 

show floor that was 46 per cent bigger than the inaugural edition. 

“The energy was positive on the show floor, and the opportunities to do 

business were incredible. Participants came away with renewed energy 

and purpose for the year ahead,” he said. 

“Challenges and uncertainties are here to stay, but so are opportunities 

for expansion. The need for powerful marketplaces like JGTD has never 

been more evident or more important than today.” 

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By region most visitors came from the Middle East (71.9 per cent), with 

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Year-on-year visitor traffic increased by 20 per cent while international 

representation remained strong, with overseas buyers making up 

40 per cent of attendees. 

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FEATURE 

Inhorgenta 

Inset: Palloys 

THE RISE OF 

Inhorgenta Munich 

CONTINUES UNABATED 

MARTIN FOSTER reflects on the 2023 edition of Inhorgenta Munich 

following a remarkable increase in attendance. 

I 

Inhorgenta Munich unfolded across four days 

late last month and provided a refreshing 

change from the conflicts plaguing the Swiss 

industry exhibitors in recent years. 

Inhorgenta Munich continues to offer the format and facilities 

emulating the engaging elements of the best days of 

Baselworld and now presents an attractive prospect for watch 

exhibitors in the coming years. 

Baselworld has declared itself finished, however; Inhorgenta 

Munich is now wide open and inviting annual bookings. 

The event was once very strong with its watch industry 

presentations until about a decade ago when Baselworld was 

successfully promoting its ascendancy. 

The landscape has now changed following the COVID-19 

pandemic, the shutdown of Baselworld, and the political 

hostilities making headlines in Europe, China and Hong Kong. 

The most recent of these of course is Russia’s invasion of 

Ukraine in February of the past year. 

These events have all contributed to Inhorgenta Munich being 

seen as an ideal venue for the wide variety of middle-range 

and intermediate watch brands which otherwise get lost in the 

melee of the Geneva events. 

Expansion 

The ‘big end of town’ in terms of brands, such as Rolex, 

Patek Philippe, Chopard, Vacheron Constantin and LVMH 

are unlikely to appear at Inhorgenta Munich as they are 

now clearly committed to their higher profile at Watches 

and Wonders Geneva. 

30 | April 2023 

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New Releases 

Citizen 

Bering 

Seiko 

With that said, the Munich trade fair is understandably 

expanding again, especially among mid-luxury brands, 

including SEIKO, Citizen, Festina, Garmin, Junghans, Liu Jo, 

Mondaine Watch, Montres Edox as well as Nordgreen, Casio 

and Staudt Chronometrie. 

Six spacious exhibition halls greeted visitors and were 

dedicated to watches, jewellery and gemstones, glamorous 

craftsmanship and innovative designs. 

These were joined by a supporting program of diversity 

- from counterfeit watches and artificial intelligence in 

jewellery design to sustainable supply chains. 

Inhorgenta Munich continues to offer the format and 

facilities emulating the engaging elements of the best 

days of Baselworld and now presents an attractive 

prospect for watch exhibitors in the coming years. 

The Watch Boutique in Hall A1 hosted presentations by 

MeisterSinger, Mühle-Glashütte, Tutima Glashütte, Michel 

Herbelin, Alexander Shorokhoff and Raymond Weil. 

The Salon Suisse enjoys an increasing demand, with brands 

such as Al-Time, Aerowatch, Continental and Elka Watch 

participating for the first time. 

In terms of how well the fair performed, Stefan Rummel, CEO 

of Messe München revealed that there were approximately 

24,000 visitors, a 51 per cent increase compared with 2022. 

Commenting on a foreign visitor share of 40 per cent he 

says “Inhorgenta Munich is back in a spectacular way, 

more international than ever and strikingly confirmed as

a serious platform for the watch, jewellery and gemstone 

industry in Europe. 

“With around 800 exhibitors from all over the world, 

including many brands of great charisma, the foundation 

has been laid for further international growth for brands 

and retailers in 2024, when Inhorgenta Munich celebrates 

its 50th anniversary.” 

The event organiser conducts an annual design award and the 

winners are announced and featured at a gala during the fair. 

In terms of how well the fair performed, 

Stefan Rummel, CEO of Messe Munchen, revealed 

that there approximately 24,000 visitors, 

a 51 per cent increase compared with 2022. 

“The Inhorgenta Award is our way of providing a great stage for 

exceptional creations from the jewellery, watch and gemstone 

industries - from a piece of jewellery by a young newcomer, 

a special watch by an established brand to a newly conceived 

retail concept,” explains Rummel. 

“We are particularly pleased with the strong international 

participation, as 80 of 137 submissions came from 37 

foreign countries.” 

The category ‘watch design’ demanded applicants produce 

an innovative concept and independent design with a high 

recognition value. 

The award winner for 2023 was Uhrenfabrik Junghans. 

Inhorgenta Munich is a supporter of technical education 

and provides exhibition space and financial assistance 

FRESH IN 2023 

New Releases 

Casio 

Junghans 

Seiko 

to the Goldschmiedeschule mit Uhrmacherschule in 

Pforzheim, a goldsmith and watchmaking school situated 

in southwest Germany. 

This ‘traditional’ school was established in 1767 and is a 

vocational institution with headquarters and classrooms 

at St. George’s Way in Pforzheim, combining faculties for 

goldsmiths and watchmakers. 

Augsburg, a very old area of German clock, watch and 

jewellery manufacture is also a significant supplier of tools 

and equipment for the industry. 

Pleased suppliers 

Today, Inhorgenta Munich is the only broad-spectrum 

European Union trade fair which includes a tools and 

equipment category. 

The range of high-quality tools, equipment and machines 

available for the industry from Boley, Augusta, Beco, Flume, 

Horbach and other major German houses can only be fully 

appreciated by taking the time to visit them all at the fair. 

All exhibitors reported strong footfall and good sales. 

The fair provides a wide cross-section of machines, tools, 

watches, clocks, jewellery and maker’s forums which is 

certainly informative and highly relevant to this industry. 

Most exhibitors speak English if your German is at all shaky. 

Next year Inhorgenta Europe will open its doors at the 

grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre on 16-19 

February 2024. 

Before then; however, attention will turn to Watches and 

Wonders Geneva, beginning on 27 March and concluding 

on 2 April. 


10 Years Ago 

Time Machine: April 2013 

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

Historic Headlines 

4 G-Shock celebrates 30-year anniversary 

4 World’s largest lab-created diamond produced 

4 Etsy drops fine jewellery 

4 De Beers names new sightholders 

4 Pandora launches Mother’s Day campaign 

Pink diamond appears 

after 50 years 

The largest fancy pink Golconda diamond 

ever to be offered for sale at auction will go 

up for bid this month. 

The Princie Diamond – which will be 

auctioned on 16 April by Christie’s New York 

– is a 34.65-carat fancy intense pink cushioncut 

diamond whose origins can be traced 

back to the ancient mines of Golconda in 

south central India. 

The stone has a rich history, having been 

recorded as initially belonging to the royal 

family of Hyderabad, who ruled one of the 

wealthiest provinces of the Mughal Empire. 

The diamond was originally put up for 

auction by the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1960 

and was bought by the London branch of Van 

Cleef & Arpels for £46,000. The stone was 

christened the “Princie” in honour of the 

14-year-old Prince of Baroda who attended a 

party at Van Cleef’s Paris store. 

Jewellery industry reacts to 

Chamilia exit 

Chamilia’s imminent departure from the 

Australia and New Zealand jewellery market 

has left the industry in a mixed state of shock, 

apprehension and optimism. 

As reported by Jeweller last month – and 

following much speculation – Chamilia will be 

closing its Sydney office and effectively ending its 

product offering in Australia and New Zealand 

on 30 April 2013. 

Judy Cameron of Cameron’s Fine Jewellers 

in Swan Hill, Victoria, said she was shocked to 

hear of Chamilia’s decision to close. She said 

she would have liked the company to continue its 

operations through wholesaling in a similar way 

to when it was introduced initially in Australia by 

supplier Arctic Wolf. 

April 2013 

ON THE COVER Guess 

Editor’s Desk 

4When is Tiffany not Tiffany? 

“The argument about the “Tiffany” 

setting could face similar challenges. 

After all, we need laws that evolve 

and change with community 

standards, right? 

I have often wondered where we would 

be if the inventor of the wheel had 

been able to stop others from using his 

design or, closer to home, if the person 

who first strung sea shells onto twine 

to create jewellery could have stopped 

other tribesmen from copying him. 

Food for thought, huh?” 

Soapbox 

4 Don’t underestimate the benefits of 

going back to school 

“A thorough knowledge of the individual 

gemstones can add more depth to a 

sales pitch. 

When a client is looking for a deep green 

stone, you know instantly which stones 

to pull out and show them. 

If the client suggests that they want to 

wear the stone every day, you know to 

put away the emerald. 

Story telling is a powerful sales tool.” 

Amina McPhee 

STILL RELEVANT 10 YEARS ON 

Paying the premium 

“Consumers can buy a pair of sunglasses 

with UV protection for around $10 at 

numerous outlets throughout the country. 

So why would they pay much, much 

more? Because some people perceive the 

designer brand to be of greater value to 

them than the other.” 

$40 million for ancient diamond 

READ ALL HEADLINES IN FULL ON 


The largest fancy pink Golconda diamond ever to 

be offered at auction has sold for almost US$40 

million – $10 million more than its estimated 

price, setting a new record in the process. 

The 34.65-carat Princie Diamond sold for 

US$39.3 million (A$38m) at a Christie’s auction 

in New York last Tuesday. The sale price achieved 

a new record for the most valuable diamond ever 

sold at Christie’s, surpassing the previous house 

record of $24.3 million (A$23.5m) set in December 

2008 with the sale of the Wittelsbach Diamond. It 

is also now the most valuable Golconda diamond 

to ever sell at auction. 

An anonymous collector bidding by phone 

purchased the stone. 

Tiffany vs Costco – Round Three 

Lawyers for Tiffany & Co have gone back to court 

in an attempt to have Costco’s counterclaim that a 

“Tiffany setting” is generic, thrown out. 

Tiffany’s original lawsuit against Costco, in 

February this year, did not accuse the supermarket 

giant of using the phrase “Tiffany setting”. It alleged 

the defendant used the mark “Tiffany” alone to 

describe two multi-thousand dollar engagement 

rings, the styles of which replicated a ring with a 

real “Tiffany® setting”. 

It added that Costco knowingly and willfully violated 

its trademark by promoting and selling rings as 

‘’Tiffany,’’ when in fact Tiffany & Co did not make 

the rings. 

Costco sought to have the case dismissed on the 

grounds that the ‘’Tiffany setting’’ should be a 

generic term and therefore unenforceable as a 

trademark, according to papers submitted before 

the US District Court of New York. 


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ADELAIDE BRISBANE HOBART MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY 

Passionately educating the industry, gem enthusiasts 

and consumers about gemstones

REVIEW 

Gems 

Tools of the Trade: Part II 

L to R: Ultraviolet Torch; Gemmologist using a dichroscope 

Photos from Shutterstock 

In the previous issue of Jeweller, we began 

this series with an examination of the ‘basic’ 

tools of gemmology, including the loupe, 

tweezers, and dichroscope. 

Following this discussion of the pocketfriendly 

gemmological instruments, 

part II continues to complete the field 

gemmology bag, while also beginning 

to stock the gemmologist’s office with 

some of the more intensive tools used in 

identifying gemstones. 

The ultraviolet torch 

Yes, ultraviolet – like that emitted by the 

sun! Gemmologists use both longwave 

ultraviolet light (LWUV, better known 

to the public as UVA) and shortwave 

ultraviolet light (SWUV or UVC) to observe 

photoluminescence. 

More advanced gemmological instruments 

use even shorter wavelengths to produce 

more informative reactions. 

When exposed to different types of 

ultraviolet light, some gemstones get 

excited on an atomic level and emit light 

to release this extra energy, known as 

photoluminescence. 

This may be in the form of either 

fluorescence or phosphorescence. 

The former is the immediate reaction 

observed when the ultraviolet light is hitting 

the gemstone, and the latter is the residual 

light the gemstone continues to emit after 

the ultraviolet light has been removed. 

The various colours gemstones 

fluorescence or phosphoresce can provide 

information on the gemstone species, 

the gem’s country of origin, and even 

treatments it may have undergone. 

Picture if you will, photoluminescence as 

a glow gemstones can exhibit in an array 

of fantastic colours – some peachy like in 

sapphire, others vibrant red like in ruby, or 

even different colours in geometric patterns 

like in diamonds. 

Although testing for photoluminescence 

never provides enough information to 

identify a gemstone on its own, a strong 

LWUV torch like the Convoy torch is a great 

addition to any gemmologist’s tool bag. 

Both SWUV and LWUV illumination can be 

offered in one instrument, such as in the 

Gemetrix PL-Inspector. 

This is particularly handy when looking 

for clues to distinguish a natural diamond 

from a lab-created diamond, for example, 

as natural diamonds will fluoresce 

stronger in one type of UV than the other, 

and vice versa. 

The polariscope 

Though traditionally a more bench-top 

suitable instrument, the polariscope may 

also be hand-held or even homemade to be 

deconstructed and transportable. 

The foundational concept behind the 

polariscope is the polarisation of light 

in a similar way to how polarised 

sunglasses work. 

As it travels, white light is vibrating in all 

different directions. When passed through 

a polariser, all directions of light vibration 

are cancelled except one. 

A polarising sheet at the bottom of the 

polariscope apparatus creates a single 

plane of vibrating light, only passing 

through in the given direction. 

Another polarising sheet sits at the top of 

the apparatus, called an analyser, above 

the stage the gem would sit on. 

These two polaroid sheets (top and 

bottom) are rotated so that the allowed 

path of light is at 90 degrees to each 

other and light passing through the 

bottom cannot pass through the top 

when no gemstone is in the middle. 

Many gemstones 

can exhibit 

photoluminescence 

as a glow in an 

array of fantastic 

colours – some 

peachy like in 

sapphire, others 

vibrant red like 

in ruby, or even 

different colours in 

geometric patterns 

like in diamonds. 

When light passes through the gemstone 

on the stage between the polarisers, it 

bends and continues out (in singly refractive 

gemstones), or bends and splits into two 

rays (in doubly refractive gems). 

If the gemstone observed is singly 

refractive, no light will make it through 

and the gem appears dark through a 360 

degree rotation of the stage. 

For doubly refractive gemstones, one of the 

bent rays of light is able to make it through 

in some rotations and the stone will change 

from appearing dark to appearing light as 

you rotate the stage it sits on. 

Deeper understanding 

So, what does this mean for the 

gemmologist? 

A polariscope is a great tool for determining 

whether a gemstone is singly refractive or 

doubly refractive. 

Doubly refractive gems include examples 

such as tourmaline, sapphire, and zircon. 

Singly refractive include spinel, diamond, 

garnet, to name a few. 

This allows you to narrow down your options 

and step closer to determining which 

gemstone you may be dealing with. 

More on how gemstones interact with light 

and how a gemmologist may use this to 

their advantage will be unravelled in part III 

of this series in the next issue of Jeweller. 

Mikaelah Egan FGAA Dip DT 

began her career in the industry at 

Diamonds of Distinction in 2015. She now 

balances her role at the Gemmological 

Association of Australia with studying 

geology at the University of Queensland. 

Visit instagram.com/mikaelah.egan 

For more information on gems and 

gemmology, go to www.gem.org.au 


FEATURE 

A Pink Love Affair 

The Creators & Consumers 

Extremely rare, immensely valuable, and uniquely Australian, pink diamonds have 

captured the world’s attention. SAMUEL ORD examines the unique values which have 

prompted jewellers and consumers alike to fall in love with these captivating treasures. 

Musson x Glajz, The Diavik Midnight Sun – 2023

To schedule an appointment, please contact us: 

L. J. WEST DIAMONDS INC. | 589 5th Ave, Suite 1102 | New York, NY 10017, U.S.A. | T +1 212 997 0940 

L. J. WEST AU PTY LTD | Level 9, 225 St Georges Terrace | Perth, WA 6000, Australia | T +61 40 997 6981

Info@LJWestDiamonds.com | www.LJWestDiamonds.com | www.ScottWestDiamonds.com

A Pink Love Affair | FEATURE 

Ballerina Skirt Earrings 

Scott West Jewelry 

'The Diavik Midnight Sun' 

Musson x Glajz 

E 

very consumer and designer has their 

own unique taste and style when it 

comes to jewellery. 

And so it must be said that when one particular subject 

captures the hearts and minds of both crowds – it’s a 

phenomenon worthy of close examination. 

Australia is home to many incredible and unique gemstones; 

however, pink diamonds exist in a class of their own. 

This ‘homegrown’ heritage adds an extra dimension of civic 

pride for both the jewellers that work with pink diamonds 

and those that adore wearing them. 

In contemporary jewellery, it’s said that nothing is desired 

with the same intensity as pink diamonds – and so it’s only 

appropriate to ask, why? 

Extremely rare, immensely valuable, beautiful to examine, 

and uniquely Australian – are these the reasons why the 

world has fallen in love with pink diamonds? 

Or could there be more to the story? Jeweller has consulted 

those who work with pink diamonds closest of all to find the 

truth. 

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie 

The ‘Aussie origins’ of pink diamonds has always been a 

crucial factor in their appeal says Justin Linney, creative 

director of Linney’s. 

“We love the fact that Argyle pink diamonds are unique 

to WA. We have been working with Argyle pink diamonds 

since the very beginning,” he explains. 

“As a manufacturing business we have always focused on 

sourcing whatever precious materials we can from WA. 

“Using Argyle diamonds with Kalgoorlie gold and Broome 

pearls became our three pillars which the business was 

founded upon.” 

MAKING HISTORY 

Legendary Pinks 

1 

The Martian Pink 

Round brilliant-cut 12-carat 

diamond mounted on a 

18-carat gold ring belonging to 

famed jeweller Harry Winston. 

2 

The Star of the South 

Discovered in Brazil in 1853, 

this 128-carat pinkish-brown 

fancy colour diamond was 

purchased by Cartier in 2002. 

3 

The Pink Sunrise 

An intense pink 29-carat 

diamond made famous by Gabi 

Tolkowsky. Internally flawless 

and cut to a heart shape. 

John Calleija, founder of Calleija Jewellery, fondly recalls his 

first encounter with a pink diamond. 

“I remember seeing my first Argyle pink diamond in Sydney 

decades ago. She was a one-carat, pear-shaped pink and I 

was so besotted with her beautiful colour, I purchased her 

immediately,” he recalls. 

“I then made a ring for myself, which I continue to wear 

today, and this was the beginning of my journey.” 

He adds: “As a gemmologist, I saw champagne-colour 

diamonds, yellow diamonds and more from time to time - 

yet nothing like Argyle pink diamonds. They are the pinnacle 

of all diamonds and have such a mesmerising beauty.” 

Pink diamonds are the rarest of the rare. Of the 15 million 

carats of diamond rough extracted annually from the 

Argyle mine, fewer than one per cent were pink. 

Calleija agrees that the Australian identity is appealing to 

both locals and international consumers who are aware of 

the country’s reputation for producing remarkable diamonds. 

“Pink diamonds are irreplaceable gems with impeccable 

Australian provenance,” Calleija explains. 

“When you discover the intensity, range of colour and calibre 

of pink diamonds and learn they have not been found anywhere 

else in the world, it’s hard not to fall in love with them.” 

Rarity 

Following the closure of the Argyle Diamond Mine in 

2020 demand for pink diamonds whipped into a frenzy. 

Pink diamonds are the rarest of the rare. Of the 15 million 

carats of diamond rough extracted annually from the Argyle 

mine, fewer than one per cent were pink. 

More than 90 per cent of the world’s supply of pink diamonds 


Find comfortable glamour in the Blush Pink collection, showcasing a beautiful 

glimpse of Australian history in elegant designs. The Blush Collection features 

fancy light pink diamonds from Argyle, set in stunning jewellery pieces. 

Pinkkimberley.com.au


Flamingo Necklace 

De Beers 

Argyle Pink & Blue Diamond Ring 

Ellendale Diamonds 

The Viva Ring 

Calleija 

originates from WA and those that don’t pale in 

comparison when it comes to quality. 

As far as Michael Neuman, company director 

of Mondial Pink Diamond Atelier, is concerned, 

Australia’s reputation as the source of the world’s 

finest colour diamonds is unchallenged. 

“First and foremost I love the fact that they are a 

natural treasure of Australia, with over 90 per cent 

of the world’s pink diamonds believed to have been 

born of the rugged beauty of the Kimberleys in WA,” 

he reveals. 

“We say “over 90 per cent” however I’m 

convinced that closer to 99 per cent of the strong 

and vibrant arresting pinks, purplish pinks and 

reds, come from this land.” 

Neuman agrees with Callejia and Linney that 

the real ‘magic’ behind pink diamonds isn’t any 

single individual factor – it’s a confluence of highly 

desirable attributes. 

“I love that these unique diamonds are something 

recognised and renowned globally as being 

supreme and coming from Australia – there aren’t 

many things like that,” he says. 

“I love their sheer beauty and variety of colour and 

I love specialising in and knowing about something 

which so relatively few people can speak with 

authority about.” 

Irene Deutsch, managing director of Fairfax & 

Roberts, says pink diamonds allow jewellers to 

offer consumers a unique piece of Australia’s 

national fabric. 

Pink diamonds however are believed 

to be different. Instead, the colour may 

be caused by a distortion in the diamond’s 

crystal lattice, created by heat and 

pressure from all directions. 

“We are the country’s oldest jeweller, celebrating 

165 years of operation this year, and something we 

really take pride in is being a part of the Australian 

story,” she says. 

“I think the popularity of and desire for pink 

diamonds mostly comes down to the scarcity of the 

diamonds and its stunning beauty. 

“Our customers also appreciate that they are an 

Australian diamond and that their jewellery piece 

allows them to be part of the unique national story.” 

Colour 

There are five qualities a buyer should look 

for when pursuing colour diamonds – hue and 

intensity, purity of colour, cut, tone, and size. 

When it comes to colour, pink diamonds 

have a tremendous range, varying from subtle 

tones reminiscent of a rose, to the rich texture 

of a raspberry. 

Trends exist even within a product category 

as niche as pink diamonds. James Temelli, 

marketing manager of Temelli Jewellery, tells 

Jeweller he’s noticed a shift in demand for a 

certain ‘type’ of pink diamond. 

“Ultimately the beauty and rarity is the most 

desirable aspect of working with natural pink 

diamonds,” he says. 

“We’ve noticed an increased demand lately for 

accent pinks, whether it be side diamonds, in a halo 

or even as part of a side feature in a ring setting. 

We have incorporated this into some of our recent 

custom-designed and bespoke creations. 

“There’s still a strong emphasis on quality, higher 

quality and colour pinks are more in demand, 

regardless of size.” 

Justin Linney 

Linney’s 

John Calleija 

Calleija Jewellery 

Michael Neuman 

Mondial Pink 

Diamond Atelier 

Irene Deutsch 

Fairfax & Roberts 

“We love the fact that 

Argyle pink diamonds are 

unique to WA. We have 

been working with Argyle 

pink diamonds since the 

42 very beginning.” | April 2023 

“Every time I see the 

captivating palette of 

Argyle pink diamonds with 

different hues and tones, 

my imagination is ignited.” 

“I love that these unique 

diamonds are something 

recognised and renowned 

globally as being supreme and 

coming from Australia – there 

aren’t many things like that.” 

“I think the popularity of 

and desire for pink diamonds 

mostly comes down to the 

scarcity of the diamonds 

and its stunning beauty.”

FEATURE | A Pink Love Affair 

The Jewelled Snake 2023, 10oz Gold Proof Coin 

Perth Mint x Argyle Pink 

Fancy Intense Purple Pink Diamond Ring 

Fairfax & Roberts 

Argyle Tender Stone Rings 

Pink Kimberley Diamonds 

Deutsch says that the colour is what often initially 

captures the attention of a jewellery designer. 

“Our designers love working with pink diamonds 

for many reasons. One such reason is the intensity 

of the colour, which enables them to mix metals to 

highlight the pink colour,” she explains. 

“The pink diamond, as with other colour 

gemstones, also allows us to achieve contrast 

in our designs, particularly using pink and 

white diamonds against each other.” 

She adds: “We also find the fact that they are 

so rare makes them an exciting diamond to 

work with.” 

Linney agrees with Deutsch and says designers 

are clamouring for the chance to work with pink 

diamonds. 

“Our designers are always wanting to work 

with pink diamonds as they are the best of the 

best. Pink diamonds are the ultimate rare and 

collectable fancy natural colour diamond which 

makes designing jewellery an exciting process.” 

Colour diamonds are created when trace 

elements interact with the carbon atoms during 

the diamond’s formation. The presence of 

chemical elements such as nitrogen, sulphur, 

and boron can colour diamonds in shades of 

yellow, green and blue. 

Pink diamonds however are believed to be different. 

Instead, the colour may be caused by a distortion in 

the diamond’s crystal lattice, created by heat and 

pressure from all directions. 

Beyond Australia, pink diamonds have 

been unearthed in many major diamondproducing 

regions such as Brazil, Russia, 

Canada, and a range of African nations, 

including Tanzania, South Africa, 

Botswana, and Angola. 

This is otherwise known as non-isotropic stress, 

and occurs after the diamond is created deep 

within the earth. 

Distortion displaces carbon atoms from their 

normal positions and alters the qualities of the light 

reflected by the diamond. 

“Every time I see the captivating palette of Argyle 

pink diamonds with different hues and tones, my 

imagination is ignited,” Calleija says. 

“It unlocks completely when I start to sketch and 

think about different designs that can complement 

the beautiful blushing colour of each diamond.” 

Neuman says that one of the key features pink 

diamonds offer designers is flexibility. 

“The design benefits come from the colour and 

shades of pink, allowing the jewellery designer to 

contrast and highlight the differences between the 

pinks, whites and other gems when combined with 

them,” he explains. 

He adds that one key change he’s noticed in 

consumer mindsets is an improved desire for 

information concerning provenance. 

“As a business long associated with pink diamonds 

and showcasing a large and significant range to the 

public for more than 30 years, nothing much has 

changed in customer’s attitude,” he says. 

“They are still mostly shocked at the prices and 

lack of availability of larger diamonds. They are 

surprised by the extreme rarity and most sales, 

or indeed ‘non-sales’, are still about education 

and telling the story.” 

He continues: “One thing that has changed in 

consumer attitude in the past decade would be that 

customers want their pinks to be laser inscribed 

James Temelli 

Temelli Jewellery 

Garry Holloway 

Holloway Diamonds 

George Bouklas 

Australian Diamond 

De Beers 

“Ultimately the beauty 

and rarity is the most 

desirable aspect of 

working with natural 

pink diamonds.” 

“Since Argyle pinks have 

such intense colour, 

diamonds from other 

sources tend to be insipid 

in smaller sizes. ” 

“Pink diamonds have always 

been considered an exclusive 

diamond segment. Their 

rarity and beauty attract the 

attention of someone looking 

for a very special April 2023 piece.” | 43


Lucinda Couture Argyle Pink Ring 

Musson 

Argyle Pink & Rose-cut Diamond Ring 

Rohan Jewellers 

Pink Diamond & Pearl Orchid Earrings 

Autore 

Argyle Ehtheral Tender Diamond Ring 

Calleija 

and to be accompanied with Argyle certificates. That wasn’t a 

priority in the past.” 

Value 

Beyond Australia, pink diamonds have been unearthed in 

many major diamond-producing regions such as Brazil, 

Russia, Canada, and a range of African nations, including 

Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, and Angola. 

Rarely are these diamonds comparable in colour to the best 

Argyle diamonds; however, these mines are the source of 

many five-carat and above pink diamonds which have been 

commanding millions of dollars at auction. 

Since the closure of the Argyle mine, Garry Holloway of 

Holloway Diamonds says there have been two notable 

developments. 

Many owners of ‘investment’ pink diamonds 

believed the closure marked the time to sell - 

particularly those who inherited. 

Many owners of ‘investment’ pink diamonds believed the 

closure marked the time to sell - particularly those who 

inherited. 

“It’s hard for siblings to cut a pink diamond in half,” jokes 

Holloway. 

“The second major development is that the steepest price 

rises have been for smaller diamonds. Melee has 

gone through the roof because it is still in high demand 

from jewellers all over the world in regular production of 

hot products. 

He clarifies: “Since Argyle pinks have such intense colour, 

diamonds from other sources tend to be insipid in smaller 

sizes. The average rough diamond carat weight mined in 

Argyle was around 0.10 carat, so Argyle produced a huge 



4 

CTF Pink Star 

This 59-carat oval mixed-cut 

diamond sold at Sotheby’s in 

April of 2017 for $US71.2 million, 

the world record at auction for 

any gemstone. 

5 

The Pink Jubilee 

Unearthed in the Argyle Mine in 

2012, this 12-carat pink diamond 

was donated to the Melbourne 

Museum. 

6 

The Hortensia Diamond 

A 20-carat pale orange-pink 

diamond which is cut on five 

sides and is currently on display 

at the Louvre in Paris. 

quantity of very small diamonds used as accent stones.” 

The quality of colour observed in pink diamonds mined 

from the Argyle Mine far exceeds that of pink diamonds 

mined elsewhere. 

It should come as no surprise then that Australian pink 

diamonds are many times more valuable than their 

international counterparts. 

Customers are increasingly asking about pink diamonds as 

an ‘investment’ option according to George Bouklas, general 

manager of Australian Diamond Company. 

“Pink diamonds have always been considered an exclusive 

diamond segment. Their rarity and beauty attract the attention 

of someone looking for a very special piece,” he says. 

“Another reason for rising interest is the increase in value 

over the years. Many people see pink Argyle diamonds as an 

investment option when looking to diversify their portfolio.” 

Temelli makes a similar observation and says it’s been 

particularly pronounced in recent years. 

“The demand for pink diamond jewellery and ‘investment’ 

pinks has always been constant; however, the demand over 

the past two years has definitely increased,” Temelli notes. 

“We have sold various investment pink diamonds, 

including an Argyle-certified red, various Argyle-certified 

pinks and even lot-numbered blue diamonds. 

“The interest across the board for natural fancy colour 

diamonds has been constantly increasing.” 

Temelli continues by suggesting that the market will likely 

continue to expand. 

“Whether it be for investment or for personal enjoyment, the 

change in consumers is noticeable and more customers are 

wanting to get into the market,” he reveals. 

“I do believe the enthusiasm and interest will continue to 

increase. Any pink diamonds we are able to secure and 


FEATURE | A Pink Love Affair 

Ellendale Diamonds 

Ayano Ring 

Calleija 

present to customers are often gone in one or two months, 

so the demand is definitely there!” 

Neuman says he has observed similar trends; however, he 

feels it’s a ‘movement’ which detracts from the majesty of 

pink diamonds. 

“The second major shift in consumer attitude has been the 

desire to purchase pink diamonds for ‘investment’ purposes,” 

he tells Jeweller. 

Rarely are these diamonds comparable in 

colour to the best Argyle diamonds; however, 

these mines are the source of many five-carat 

and above pink diamonds which have been 

commanding millions at auction. 

“This is something which we have never pushed and this 

attitude had unfortunately been mostly instilled and fuelled by 

people on the edges of the trade, in order to generate sales.” 

He clarifies: “I say unfortunately, because it commodifies pinks 

and shifts the focus away from their incredible attributes of 

beauty and individuality –which are certain and undeniable. 

“It becomes about making a profit when the customer tries 

to resell, which is very uncertain, and in my experience leads 

more often than not to disappointment rather than joy.” 

Holloway says that rare gemstones are a popular investment 

for a valid reason; however, he urges anyone considering 

purchasing a pink diamond to do their homework. 

“Right now there are a lot of people trying to cash in 

and sell larger diamonds they bought as investments or 

inherited. There may be more sellers than buyers, and 

consumer sellers have a harder time finding buyers than 

people in the trade,” he explains. 

“I believe there is a great reason to have very rare gems as 



7 

The Graff Pink 

An emerald-cut 24-carat fancy 

intense pink diamond which 

set a record for most expensive 

gemstone sold at auciton in 

2010, fetching $US46 million. 

8 

The Spirit Of The Rose 

In 2020 Sotheby’s auctioned this 

14-carat internally flawless fancy 

vivid purple-pink wonder of the 

natural world, which was cut from 

pink rough mined in Russia. 

9 

Williamson Pink Diamond 

A 23-carat round brilliant cut 

diamond which was gifted to the 

late Queen Elizabeth II in 1947. 

investments, however they should be seen as longer term 

options. By all means make them available for sale as soon 

as you can, but with an expectation of at least a five-yearplus 

horizon.” 

Recipe for success 

As is evident in the words of those working closest with these 

wonders of the natural world, pink diamonds are a perfect 

combination of desire for consumers and designers alike. 

Extremely rare, immensely valuable, and uniquely 

Australian, pink diamonds have seized the world’s 

attention and remain unrivalled. 

These factors combine to create formula of appeal that 

continues to draw in consumers and designers alike. 

“Pink diamonds have an underlying element of romance,” 

Linney says. 

“This is heightened due to their rarity and then further 

enriched by the intrigue around their formation and the 

story of the Argyle Diamond mine. 

“It is a privilege to be able to work with these amazing gifts 

from nature and it is our speciality to capture their beauty 

in a piece of jewellery.” 

Calleija echoed these sentiments and suggests that while 

trends always come and go in jewellery, the majesty of pink 

diamonds is eternal. 

“I think people appreciate the rarity and pristine provenance 

of Argyle pink diamonds. They are masteries of nature and to 

possess one is considered an ultimate privilege,” he says. 

“People understand that an Argyle pink is an unrepeatable 

phenomenon and part of history that will be treasured for 

generations.” 

Indeed, so long as the quality of pink diamonds mined from 

the Argyle Mine remains unrivalled, it’s difficult to envision 

their popularity fading. 


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FEATURE 

An Era for Pearls 

George Villiers, 1592 - 1628 

Driven by some of the world’s most recognisable names and faces, a new wave 

of enthusiasm by men for pearl jewellery has arrived. SAMUEL ORD explains 

why it should come as no surprise that men are increasingly attracted to pearls.

Powerful Pearls | FEATURE 

HISTORY LESSON 

Pearls & Power 

King Henry VIII 

1491 - 1547 

Cerrone 

Allure Pearls 

T 

raditionally jewellery has played a 

muted role in men’s fashion; however, 

change is in the air. 

For example, men’s wedding rings are typically plain 

compared with that of their counterparts. 

Watches with a ‘minimalist’ design featuring 

straightforward displays are popular and if a man 

is feeling particularly adventurous, perhaps he’ll 

wear a simple silver bracelet or chain. 

In recent years there’s been a clear shift away from 

this ‘quiet’ approach to jewellery. The cause of this 

shift is up for debate. 

Some would suggest that there has been a constant 

push for ‘genderless’ fashion, matching popular 

political discourse around ‘gender identity’. 

Others may say that this is merely fashion working in 

a cyclical nature, where everything that was once old 

is eventually new again. 

Whatever the cause, one thing is clear – male 

celebrities and trendsetters are increasingly pushing 

the boundaries. 

When it comes to jewellery, men are wearing 

increasingly more striking pieces, including Baroque 

earrings, ornate brooches, diamonds and gemstones 

- and more recently, pearls. 

“Pearls for men have been everywhere lately — and 

we think they’re here to stay,” writes Lia McGarrigle of 

Highsnobiety. 

“That is not only because the number of brands 

offering pearls has skyrocketed, but also because the 

campaign for turning a gemstone previously known 

for being worn by grandmothers into a staple for all 

genders has some serious ‘celeb’ firepower.” 

Sir Walter Raleigh 

1552 - 1618 

George Villiers 

1592 - 1628 

Charles, Prince of Wales 

1600 - 1649 

She adds: ‘Pearls are such a classic piece that they’ve 

transcended age, style, and now gender.” 

Goddess of Love 

Pearls have a fascinating history. For example, few 

people are aware that Roman emperor Julius Caesar 

decreed that pearls could only be worn by members 

of the ruling class. 

In Ancient Rome, pearls were viewed as more 

valuable than diamonds, and were adored as a 

representation of wealth and power. 

“In recent years there’s been a clear shift 

away from this ‘quiet’ approach to jewellery. 

The cause of this shift is up for debate.” 

Caesar was particularly enamoured with pearls – it’s 

said he believed he was an ancestor of the goddess 

Venus. 

For many Romans, the Goddess of Love was believed 

to have been the source of pearls. 

The emperor also gifted a mistress the legendary 

‘Servilia’s pearl’ – a black pearl which reportedly cost 

the modern equivalent of $US1.5 billion to acquire! 

Caesar is far from the only famous historical figure 

to adore pearls. Cleopatra, the ruler of Egypt, once 

dissolved a pearl in vinegar and drank the mixture. 

YongZheng Emperor was the fifth ruler of the Qing 

dynasty in Imperial China. 

His royal portrait shows him wearing formal regal 

attire and his court pearl necklace, known as the 

chaozhu. 

Such court necklaces typically consisted of more 


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Pharrell 

2014 

Song Weilong x Mikimoto 

2023 

Timothée Chalamet 

2022 

Autore Moda for Men 

than 100 flawless pearls with a bead of a different colour 

or material, called the fotou or ‘Buddha’s head’, placed 

between groups of 27. 

Indeed, if diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then perhaps 

historically pearls belong to the boys, posits Nick Haramis 

of the New York Times. 

“The history of men in pearl necklaces — a perilous internet 

search, if ever there was one — can be traced to the early 

16th century, during the Mughal Empire in India, when long 

strands could be seen on the emperor Babur and his male 

descendants,” he explains. 

“When it comes to jewellery, men are wearing 

increasingly more striking pieces, including Baroque 

earrings, ornate brooches, diamonds and gemstones - 

and more recently, pearls.” 

“In Europe, Henry VIII wore clothes embroidered with 

them during his reign as the king of England in the 

first half of the 1500s. 

“A mourning costume presented to Captain Cook in 1774 

during one of his voyages to Tahiti featured a mask and 

breastplate made of mother-of-pearl.” 

He adds: “For each of them, ornamentation suggested clout.” 

Cycles and celebrations 

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when pearls fell out of favour 

with male consumers. 

As well as a symbol of power and wealth, pearls were also 

once associated with adventure, given the seafaring spirit it 

takes to acquire them naturally. 

In 1888, Japanese entrepreneur Mikimoto Kokichi obtained a 

loan to begin his first pearl oyster farm. 

Kentaro Nishimura 

Mikimoto 

"The momentum at which pearls 

have increased in popularity is 

incredible and is in large part due to 

their timelessness and elegance." 

Lia McGarrigle 

Highsnobiety 

"Pearls are such a classic piece 

that they’ve transcended age, style, 

and now gender" 

Marty Hurwitz 

MVEye 

“Pearls are nature’s perfect 

gemstone - natural, renewable, 

sustainable and growing them 

enhances the ocean environment" 

Following five years of trials, Kokichi – facing bankruptcy 

and humiliation – successfully seeded an oyster with 

mother of pearl. 

From there he created the first batch of hemispherical 

cultured pearls, launching Japan’s iconic cultured 

pearl industry. 

This led to the widespread availability of pearl jewellery and 

perhaps for many, detracted from the ‘natural wonder’ and 

excitement of pearls. 

Another explanation was the focus of marketing campaigns 

driven by the popularity of iconic figures such as Audrey 

Hepburn, Coco Chanel and Jacqueline Kennedy. 

As a company, Mikimoto will soon celebrate its 130th 

anniversary. 

According to US chief operating officer Kentaro Nishimura, 

pearls remain “essential jewellery for everyday life for all 

genders and generations.” 

“The momentum at which pearls have increased in popularity 

is incredible and is in large part due to their timelessness and 

elegance,” he tells JCK Online. 

“We are looking forward to sharing the beauty and history of 

Mikimoto and its high-quality pearls with the world.” 

Styles and styles 

In February, one British heartthrob dominated Australian 

media headlines as ‘Harry Styles mania’ swept Australia’s 

capital cities. 

Formerly of One Direction and X Factor fame, Styles’ solo tour 

featured sellout performances in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth 

and the Gold Coast. 

Despite still being in his 20s, Styles has been a fashion icon for 

much of the past decade. 

If any single figure were to be created with the resurgence of 

pearls in the male jewellery sphere, it would be the awardwinning 

singer and songwriter. 


Mikimoto x Comme de Garcon 

Jaden Smith 

2020 

Harry Styles 

2020 

Linneys 

Jason Mamoa 

2020 

“A pearl necklace on a guy? Standard practice. And we can 

largely pay thanks to Harry Styles for this transmutation,” 

writes Murray Clark of British GQ. 

“Who else could’ve facilitated the conservative fidget spinner 

of detached, moneyed housewives into a grail item proper? 

Nobody! That’s who! 

“In his Gucci-sponsored deep space showman state, 

the singer has massaged the boundaries of menswear, 

womenswear and everything in between to become a 

style icon.” 

The rise to prominence for Styles has coincided with his shift 

away from traditional masculine clothing and the decision to 

embrace more ‘genderless’ design. 

“Pearls were also once associated with 

adventure, given the seafaring spirit it 

takes to acquire them naturally. “ 

It’s a decidedly humorous contradiction, given the ‘enthusiasm’ 

he generates from large swathes of the opposite sex, 

evidenced by fans fainting at the sight of the singer on stage. 

Pearls have been at the centre of his look for the majority of 

this ascent – beginning with his appearance at the 2019 Met 

Gala when he sported a single pearl earring. 

This continued in late 2019 and early 2020 with a flurry 

of television appearances in the US and UK – each time 

showcasing pearl jewellery. 

“Over the course of the past decade, Harry Styles has 

transformed himself from a boy band heartthrob into an 

international renaissance man with an eye for fashion,” writes 

Eliza Huber for Refinery29. 

“The addition of traditionally feminine jewellery into the 

singer’s repertoire doesn’t come as much of a surprise 

given the number of gender-bending looks that he’s 

QUICK REVIEW 

Pearls 101 

Rainbows 

Depending on the region and 

oyster variety, pearls come 

in every variety of colour, 

including black, lavender, 

gold, pink, and green. 

7,500 

The estimated age 

of the oldest known pearl, 

discovered in the UAE 

in 2019. 

Famous Four 

The most common pearls 

worn as jewellery are the 

Freshwater, the Akoya, the 

Tahitian, and the South Sea. 

30 Countries 

While pearl jewellery is 

popular everywhere, the 

production of pearls is limited 

to around 30 countries. 

donned recently. 

“The hype around his jewellery arrives at a time when genderfluid 

fashion is gaining mass-market appeal.” 

Influencers adopting pearls 

Styles may be a key figure in the ‘pearl jewellery for men’ army 

but he’s far from the only soldier. 

US actor Timothée Chalamet commonly attends major 

events in ‘gender bending’ outfits detailed with pearls. 

Musicians such as A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Jaden 

Smith, Tyler the Creator, and Shawn Mendes are all known to 

sport these aquatic rarities. 

“The latest advocate of pearl jewellery domination is none 

other than Timothée Chalamet,” writes McGarrigle. 

“This is far from being the first time that we’ve seen Chalamet 

venture into wearing pearl jewellery, in fact, the actor has 

become a leading face in the pearl resurgence which has been 

bubbling away.” 

She continues: “Of course, men wearing pearls have 

attracted some ‘haters’ that argue the trend is played out, 

but we beg to differ. 

“The gemstone has remained ubiquitous in women’s jewellery 

for decades now — everyone from that fashion week influencer 

you follow to your mother likely has a pair knocking around.” 

Compelling data 

It’s all well and good that a few famous faces are endorsing 

pearl jewellery; however, trends are ultimately determined by 

retail data and not fame. 

Are there any numbers to support the idea that this is anything 

more than a passing celebrity fad? 

The answer to that question is ‘yes’. 

According to a report from fashion technology company Lyst, 

men purchasing jewellery increased by 150 per cent in 2020. 


Based in Broome, Western Australia, Allure 

South Sea Pearls creates exquisite pearl and 

diamond jewellery. 

From the pristine coastal waters of Australia, Tahiti 

and the Philippines, we select only the finest quality pearls 

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With decades of experience in the pearling and jewellery 

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Become an exclusive Allure stockist: 

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ALLURESOUTHSEAPEARLS.COM.AU 

54 | November 2022

November 2022 | 55


Maharaja Dilip Singh of Lahore 

1852 

Maharaja Rana Nihal Singh of Dholpur 

1870 

Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja IV 

1906 

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala 

1911 

Searches for ‘men’s pearls’ increased by 17 per cent 

and searches for specific pearl styles such as anklets 

and earrings respectively increased by 67 and 25 per 

cent respectively. 

More recently, online marketplace TheRealReal published 

its 2023 edition of the Luxury Consignment Report and found 

that “demand for pre-owned jewellery continues to climb.” 

Searches for ‘men’s pearls’ increased by 

17 per cent and searches for specific pearl styles 

such as anklets and earrings respectively 

increased by 67 and 25 per cent respectively. 

“Unique personal pieces like colour gemstones, vintageinspired 

brooches and pearls lead the way, making it 

clear shoppers see the value in timeless styles, even 

when they’re not new.” 

You might as well come through because I think you might be 

here at the same time Sam Keene 

Adored by young consumers 

Market research firm MVEye recently completed a study 

alongside the Cultured Pearl Association, surveying more 

than 1,000 fine jewellery consumers aged between 25–55. 

The report found 42 per cent of millennials are very likely to 

request pearl jewellery, as compared with only 19 per cent of 

46-to-55-year-olds. 

Some 24 per cent of millennials are ‘very likely’ to purchase 

pearl jewellery for themselves compared with 10 per cent of 

46-to-55-year-olds. 

Additionally, 47 per cent are very likely to purchase pearls as 

a gift compared with 16 per cent of 46-to-55 ear olds. 

Another major finding was that 36 per cent of millennials will 

consider a pearl as the centrestone in an engagement ring, 

and a further 40 per cent said they might ‘give it a go.’ 

REWIND THE CLOCK 

Precious Then, 

Precious Now 

Egypt 

Mother of pearl was used 

in pottery, ornaments, and 

jewellery in Ancient Egypt. 

China 

The earliest record 

of pearls being used 

culturally is traced to 

2300BC, when pearls were 

presented to Chinese 

royalty as gifts. 

Iran 

The world's oldest 

known pearl necklace 

was discovered in the 

sarcophagus of a Persian 

princess, known as the 

'Susa Pearls'. 

Americas 

English and Spanish 

colonialists both wrote of 

Native Americans wearing 

pearls in northern and 

central America. 

“Pearls are nature’s perfect gemstone - natural, 

renewable, sustainable and growing them enhances the 

ocean environment,” Marty Hurwitz of MVEye tells Forbes. 

“There is tremendous interest in pearls among consumers. 

Jewellery retailers need to catch up.” 

Timeless appeal 

McGarrigle echoes this sentiment and says that for jewellery 

retailers, ignoring the trending popularity of pearls now risks 

irrelevance in the future. 

“The report found 42 per cent of millenials are 

very likely to request pearl jewellery for themselves 

compared with 10 per cent of 46-to-55 year-olds.” 

“Men wearing pearls isn’t a fad, it’s an example of how 

the jewellery world is finally opening up to the genderless 

style,” she says. 

“While pearls are currently reserved for the most fashionforward 

among us, in a few years, pearl necklaces are 

about to be as commonplace as chains are for men. 

Watch this space.” 

Whether or not her brazen prediction will prove accurate 

remains to be seen, however; one thing is clear – pearls 

have timeless appeal. 

Pearls have been admired by societies across the world for 

thousands of years and they’ve tended to symbolise different 

meanings to different cultures – from strength to good 

fortune, perfection, wisdom and beauty. 

Legendary fashion designer Marc Jacobs even describes 

his favourite strand of pearls as his “good luck charm.” 

Whether it’s this fashion cycle or the next, the fact that the 

passion for pearls is able to take so many shapes and forms 

all but guarantees they’ll be back on top eventually. 


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BUSINESS 

Strategy 

Checklist – do your staff have these 

10 traits for success? 

Finding quality staff is harder than ever before. 

RYAN ESTIS shares key traits you should keep an eye out for when hiring. 

When I decided to start my business more 

than 10 years ago, I wasn’t sure where 

it would take me, however; what I did 

know was who I wanted to join me on the 

journey. 

Lynn was my first friend at my first job 

out of college. We started our careers 

simultaneously; I was in entry-level sales 

and Lynn was an account manager. 

Our lives and career paths have included 

exciting twists and turns however our 

friendship persevered. To this day, I am 

grateful she makes the business better and 

that is reflected on the bottom line. 

That is the value of teamwork and in this 

economy, it’s never been more important. 

According to the data time spent by 

managers and employees in collaborative 

activities has ballooned by 50 per cent or 

more. The proportion hovers around 80 per 

cent at many businesses and this trend is 

only likely to continue. 

Teamwork indeed makes the dream work! 

The most worthwhile things I have ever 

achieved haven’t been solo ventures. 

However, you may be wondering - what 

makes a good teammate? 

Consider the following 10 key traits 

with plenty of science to support each 

characteristic. 

1. Emotional stability 

Great teammates decide how they show 

up and they tend to be optimistic and full of 

positive energy. They are deeply invested 

in their organisation’s vision of the future 

and own their role in making that future 

happen. 

Having a good sense of emotional 

intelligence in the workplace ensures a 

comfortable and productive environment 

for everyone. 

When someone can regulate their 

emotional states and show empathy 

towards their fellow staff, they report 

higher job satisfaction and perform better 

at what they do. 

Who wouldn’t want to work with someone 

who is aware of both their own needs and 

the needs of those around them? 

2. Takes ownership 

Great staff members are competent in 

their roles and they take full ownership 

of their area of responsibility by making it 

better. 

This makes collaboration easier for 

everyone else and it also fuels the growth 

of the business. When you own your work, 

you’re able to give more to the business. 

In a 2015 study on behaviour in the 

workplace researchers found that when 

individuals have ownership over their work 

they’re significantly more generous with 

their time and resources. 

3. Obsessed with customer experience 

Customer expectations are evolving rapidly 

and meeting customers where they are is a 

key differentiator for any business. 

In a competitive environment, such as the 

jewellery industry, how you interact with 

Customer 

expectations are 

evolving rapidly 

and meeting 

customers where 

they are is a key 

differentiator for 

any business. 

customers and meet their needs can be 

the deciding factor for a customer between 

your store and a competitor. In fact, 86 per 

cent of customers will pay more for better 

customer service. 

Personalisation, customisation, sense 

of urgency, and trust and reliability in a 

business is what consumers want, and a 

great employee knows when to go above 

and beyond. Great employees set the tone 

for everyone’s behaviour and standards of 

service. 

Their dedication to providing excellent 

customer experience is contagious. 

4. Competitive readiness 

Business is a competitive sport. The 

drive to win deals and outperform the 

competition is essential to the success of 

any salesperson. 

I’m naturally a competitive guy so it’s 

important that the people within my 

business match my intensity. Great 

employees want to win. 

They are dedicated to common goals and 

to doing what it takes to achieve them. 

Competition is also one of the primary 

driving factors of a productive work 

environment, with 67 per cent of workers 

saying that it’s a strong motivator for them 

to give it their all and win. 

If you want to win you must hunger for the 

challenge of competition that brings out 

the best in us. And you need to surround 

yourself with others who feel the same. 


5. Shares credit 

The best employees don’t care who gets 

credit for a win — they just want the best 

for the business and they are genuinely 

happy for other people’s success. 

Science agrees with this concept and 

recognising and celebrating your staff’s 

accomplishments improves a team’s 

productivity. 

In one TINYpulse Employee Engagement 

and Organisational Culture Report, 

participants reported that having the 

respect of their peers was the number one 

reason they go the extra mile at work. 

6. Creative Problem-Solver 

Recent years has demonstrated how 

important it is to have creative problemsolvers 

in your business. Organisations 

across the globe have had to overhaul the 

way they provide services, collaborate 

as a team, and grow their companies. 

In an environment like that you want 

contributors who are curious and open to 

innovative ideas. 

Great staff stay in the learning lane. They 

are willing to test, experiment and get 

better in every facet of their life. They own 

problems and solve them in creative and 

effective ways. 

They are dedicated to continuous learning 

and creative problem-solving, which sets 

up their organisations for resiliency during 

uncertainty and disruption. 

7. Trustworthy 

One of the most valuable traits in a 

teammate is the status of being someone 

you can trust. 

That means having high integrity and being 

willing to weigh in, challenge the status 

quo and offer constructive feedback. When 

they call it like they see it you know their 

feedback is meant to push you and your 

company to reach maximum potential. 

According to David Horsager of Trust 

Edge Leadership Institute, “a lack of trust 

is the biggest expense in organisations.” 

He says that trust is the core that holds 

together a business’ day-to-day operations 

and when things start to break down - no 

matter the department or the type of issue 

it is - a lack of trust is always the common 

denominator. 

I’m sure you’ll agree this is particularly 

true in the world of jewellery retail, where 

trust – on many levels - is everything. 

Everyone wants to align and work with 

people who have their back. 

8. Coachability 

The best employees want to be challenged. 

To be coachable is to have the mental 

mindset to receive constructive feedback 

and turn it into an opportunity for growth. 

However not all feedback is equal or 

effective. In fact, only 14.5 per cent of 

managers strongly agree that they are 

effective in providing feedback, according 

to a 2018 Gallup survey. Effective team 

members not only sort through the 

feedback they receive to make high-impact 

changes, they also can provide effective 

feedback to their teammates. 

A great contributor to a business gives 

and receives feedback regularly. They 

listen to the feedback and find ways to 

make meaningful improvements because 

they always want to grow and get better. 

When the feedback is negative, they are 

highly self-aware and don’t take things 

personally. 

9. Knows when to disagree and commit 

In business it’s important you aren’t 

afraid of a little healthy conflict and you 

should tend to be forthcoming about their 

THE 

NUMBERS 

50% 

Increase in 

time spent on 

collaborative 

activities 

according to 

managers and 

employees. 

86% 

Percentage 

of customers 

willing to spend 

more for quality 

customer service. 

67% 

Percentage of 

staff members 

who say that 

validation from 

co-workers is 

their biggest 

motivator. 

14.5% 

Percentage of 

managers who 

feel they give 

high quality 

feedback to 

employees. 

opinions. When you encounter challenges 

and tough decisions it’s always great when 

someone weighs in and brings thoughtful 

arguments to the table. 

You won’t always agree and sometimes 

you can encounter a problem with no clear 

winning solution. In those cases where 

you must make a tough choice, a great 

employee always commits to whatever it 

is we decide, even if it’s not the route they 

would have chosen. 

Alignment to the business’ direction helps 

keep everyone on track and ensures 

that you remain unified when faced with 

complicated situations. 

10. Enjoy the ride 

Work hard and have a blast doing it! That 

works for me. When someone is a quality 

contributor on every front they make 

working together fun and engaging every 

step of the way. 

Teamwork makes the dream work - 

especially in today’s difficult economy. 

If you want to be successful surround 

yourself with people who exemplify these 

traits. More importantly, strive to be that 

kind of person. Most organisations need 

more people who exemplify these traits, 

especially as the world becomes more 

connected, collaborative, and competitive. 

I invite you to consider this formative 

question: How do I want to be remembered 

by the people I work with? 

The answer is important, and you should 

reflect and write it down. Let this be your 

guide for how you show up and what kind of 

contribution you intend to make. 

RYAN ESTIS is a key notespeaker, 

author, and founding partner of Impact 

Eleven. Visit: ryanestis.com 


BUSINESS 

Selling 

The key listening habits of exceptional salespeople 

To sell effectively a salesperson must be relationship orientated. 

TOM MARTIN explains the habits exhibited by the best in the business. 

The most important skill in building 

strong, enduring relationships is the 

ability to be a good listener. 

Ironically, most of us are terrible listeners. 

Most people understand the importance 

of listening, however, we can’t bring 

ourselves to actually do it consistently. 

Reflect 

There’s another key idea worth borrowing 

from the relationship/conflict resolution 

therapy world. It’s called ‘reflective 

listening’. Reflective listening means 

repeating back - often in your own words 

- what the person just said. 

Luckily for you becoming a better listener 

is something you can work towards and 

in doing so improve as a salesperson. 

Consider the following four most important 

aspects you need to practice in every 

conversation to achieve your goal of selling 

like a pro. 

Focus on the prospect, not the sale 

People purchase products because 

they have a problem they want to solve. 

Great salespeople are problem-solvers 

at heart. And thus, most sales training 

programs focus on identifying the problem 

to be solved and then convincingly 

demonstrating how your product or service 

is uniquely qualified to be the solution for 

the prospect’s problem. 

Great salespeople tend to ignore this 

common advice and instead proceed in a 

most counterintuitive manner - they simply 

let the potential customer speak. 

Then as they listen, they are constantly 

confirming back to the sales prospect ’you 

are being heard and understood’ with the 

language they use. 

This gives the prospect permission 

to engage in a safe, pressure-free 

conversation, resulting in rapport building 

with the salesperson. 

By refusing to lead with problemsolving 

and advice-giving directly, great 

salespeople avoid the relationship building 

interference such an approach creates. 

There will be a time and a place for 

showing how your product or service 

solves the person’s problem. And you’ll 

know when that time is because they’ll ask 

for that information. 

Until then - chill out! Focus on just being 

present in the conversation. 

Ask open-ended questions 

If you pay attention to the questions 

people ask as well as the ones you ask 

them, usually you’ll find that people ask 

questions to get answers. 

Most of the time when we ask someone 

a question we are subconsciously 

encouraging them to give a single, 

definitive answer. We call those closed 

questions and they’re the antithesis of 

good, active listening. 

As you’ve likely heard here before, when 

you’re trying to create conversations that 

convert prospects to customers, the goal 

is less about information exchange and far 

more about forming a connection. 

Open-ended questions communicate 

that you’re interested and care about the 

prospect. Closed questions communicate 

that you care about information. The 

former is relationship first. The latter is 

transaction orientated. 

Being a good listener is making the 

conversation all about the person across 

from you and not the information they can 

supply to you. That’s why so many ‘info 

gathering’ calls do so little to move a sales 

prospect closer to a sale and instead, 

usually annoy the target customer. 

Start each question with ‘what’ or ‘how’ 

– they are designed to give the sales 

prospect room to expand and expound. 

Never start a question with ‘why’. Why is 

that you may wonder? Because ‘why’ can 

impart or imply judgment and no one likes 

to be judged. 

In other words, 

reflective 

listening makes 

people feel heard. 

And when people 

feel genuinely 

heard, all sorts of 

good things start 

to happen for a 

great salesperson. 

Remember that it’s not about information, 

it’s about making the sales prospect feel 

understood and connected to you. 

When we reflect on what another person 

is telling us, it shows them that we care 

and that we’re listening carefully. 

In other words, reflective listening makes 

people feel heard. And when people feel 

genuinely heard, all sorts of good things 

start to happen for a great salesperson. 

Validate 

As we discussed above, reflecting back 

what someone says builds trust and 

confidence that you understand and care 

about what they’re saying. 

Similarly when you acknowledge and 

validate the prospect’s fears, concerns, 

and emotions you send the message that 

you understand them on a deeper level 

and you are with them in their journey to 

find the best solution. 

It’s really not that hard. Just state the 

concerns and fears they’ve already 

revealed and show them that you 

understand what they’re feeling. When 

you do this you give them something very 

few customers ever report receiving: 

the right to feel whatever it is they feel 

without shame or fear. 

There isn’t a sales relationship in your 

life that won’t improve dramatically if 

you can get in the habit of validating your 

sales prospect’s fears, concerns, and 

emotions. 

TOM MARTIN is the founder of 

Converse Digital, a sales and marketing 

agency. He is also a keynote speaker and 

author of The Invisible Sale. 

Visit: conversedigital.com 


BUSINESS 

Management 

Sometimes doing nothing is the best solution 

Whether we call them problems, headaches, dilemmas, or issues, at the end of the day we still must deal with them. 

DAVID BROWN explores the lessons learned from studying one of soccer’s greatest players. 

Argentina’s Lionel Messi is considered by 

many to be the finest soccer player in the 

world today, and others argue he is the 

greatest of all time. 

During his long and successful career - 

primarily with Barcelona and most recently 

at the FIFA World Cup with Argentina - he 

has achieved every club trophy that’s been 

available while setting numerous goalscoring 

records in the process. 

Despite the accolades and achievements 

throughout his career Messi has failed to 

achieve one thing – he has never scored 

in the first two minutes of a competitive 

match. 

This is an accomplishment that has 

been commonly achieved by many 

of the world’s other best strikers. 

For someone of his stature this is a 

remarkable statistic and yet it is easy 

to understand when you see the way 

that he plays. 

Messi does something in the first five 

minutes of every game that few other 

footballers do - he does not run. Sounds 

ridiculous, right? 

This is his preparation time. 

You will notice that he wanders 

backwards and forwards across the 

opposition’s defensive line determining 

player positions, reactions, and potential 

weaknesses that he can exploit. 

His teammates avoid giving him the ball 

during this time, despite knowing how 

talented he is. 

They know that this is the period when 

he assesses the opposition, and the five 

minutes he ‘wastes’ during this time will 

pay big dividends for the team later in 

the match. 

This is a calculated decision as a 

team which has proven successful 

many times over. 

Messi’s approach says a lot about 

preparation and is a valuable lesson for 

all business owners. 

Take your time 

While normal business behaviour dictates 

the need to start hustling from the first 

minute, there is much to be learned from 

taking the time to get the lay of the land 

and determine where best to utilise your 

energies effectively. 

Planning and preparation have long been 

held as invaluable for anyone undertaking 

a task, yet seldom do we invest the time 

to do it effectively. Instead so many people 

view it as time wasted that could be better 

utilised ‘getting on with the job’. 

It takes a huge amount of discipline to 

survey the landscape when those around 

you have got off to a running start. 

Here are a few lessons from the little 

maestro himself that can help you 

to effectively plan to maximise your 

outcomes. 

• Know what you want to achieve: In 

the case of Messi, he is looking for 

a competitive advantage that can be 

turned into a goalscoring opportunity 

when the time comes. 

Where are the opposition players 

positioned and what are their strengths 

and weaknesses? Do they have a side 

they favour? Are they communicating 

with each other? 

Planning and 

preparation 

have long 

been held as 

invaluable 

for anyone 

undertaking a 

task, yet seldom 

do we invest 

the time to do it 

effectively. 

Are they staying in position or are they 

getting caught ‘ball watching’ rather than 

watching the player they must mark? How 

much attention are they paying to Messi 

and who is paying the attention? 

• Save your energy: Messi is happy to walk 

during this period saving his more valuable 

energy bursts for later when he can use it 

more effectively. 

• Map your surroundings: Messi is 

believed to plot the positions of every player 

on the pitch so he is aware of his options 

when the ball arrives to him. 

He wants to know where others will be, 

particularly if he’s under pressure and 

won’t have time to look. 

• Ensure your colleagues know the plan: 

Messi’s teammates are on board with what 

he is trying to do and will leave him alone 

during this period. 

The last thing he wants is the ball at his 

feet when he’s not ready to use it! 

• Regroup and revisit: The lowest period 

for goal scoring is the first 15 minutes of a 

match for Messi. His second lowest scoring 

period is the first 15 minutes of the second 

half. 

Although this period doesn’t impact his 

overall goal-scoring statistics as much as 

the start of the game does it would appear 

clear that he takes a small amount of time 

at the start of the second half to review the 

opposition for a second time. 

Sport provides many lessons that can be 

adapted to business. 

If one of the greats, a scorer of more than 

600 goals, is willing to sacrifice the first 

five minutes of a 90-minute match for 

planning and preparation to increase his 

effectiveness, then I’m sure you’ll agree 

that there is a lesson for all of us in that. 

DAVID BROWN is a co-founder 

and business mentor with Retail 

Edge Consultants. Learn more: 

retailedgeconsultants.com 


BUSINESS 

Marketing & PR 

Why generational marketing matters: Part II 

Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated! HEATHER COOPER returns for part two of her series on the defining 

characteristics and traits of consumers as defined by age. 

In the previous issue of Jeweller I 

explored the key traits that define 

Baby Boomers and Generation X as 

customers and detailed crucial ideas 

to keep in mind when targeting these 

demographics with marketing. 

As previously mentioned, there are 

currently four different generations who 

actively consume jewellery products 

and services. Each generation is 

different with unique experiences that 

have moulded how they see the world 

and their purchasing preferences. 

Baby Boomers are creatures of habit 

that are looking to take advantage 

of brand loyalty programs wherever 

possible. Traditional marketing 

strategies work the best when 

approaching this demographic. 

Generation X meanwhile are the 

most sceptical consumers, and they 

value discounting more than most, so 

wherever possible, win their favour by 

offering some kind of ‘special pricing’. 

Now, let’s move on to the two 

outstanding generations, the Millennials 

and Generation Z. 

Millennials 

Focus on innovation as Millennials tend 

to like the next big thing. 

Taking a marketing approach where you 

show a new perspective on a problem 

or task is an excellent way to reach this 

generation. 

Stay on top of the reviews left for your 

business because one of the things 

that inform Millennials’ buying activity 

is online research. They base much of 

their decision-making on what other 

people have to say about your store, 

products and services. 

Make sure that you highlight your 

positive reviews and customer 

experiences and publicly address any 

negative experiences. 

Connect through social media incentives 

and add incentives to your marketing 

plan. You can do this by asking 

Millennials to ‘check-in’ at your store 

for a percentage off or to share their 

experience with five friends. 

This is an excellent way to get more 

sales leads. Utilise rewards or loyalty 

programs. Over half (70 per cent) of 

Millennials are willing to participate in 

rewards and loyalty programs. This is a 

huge number and brands that don’t tap 

into this kind of marketing are missing 

out on a large amount of business. 

Consider trying out radio commercials! 

While this may seem more like a 

traditional marketing tactic, 93 per cent 

of millennials report listening to the 

radio for around 11 hours per week. 

Traditional marketing otherwise doesn’t 

work for this generation. They don’t 

spend a lot of time watching television in 

real-time, preferring instead to stream 

the majority of their media. 

To reach this generation, brands 

and businesses need to have a deep 

understanding of the social media 

platforms they use. Any ads they choose 

to create should grab their attention 

quickly and seamlessly fit into their 

content. 

The best form of marketing for this 

generation isn’t even created by 

the brand themselves but instead 

by ‘influencers’. The relatability of 

influencers resonates with young 

consumers, and Generation Z is twice 

as likely to make a purchase based on a 

recommendation by one. 

To reach this 

generation, 

brands and 

businesses need 

to have a deep 

understanding 

of the social 

media 

platforms they 

use. 

Generation Z 

Trust is important and with this 

generation your business has to be 

about more than just profit. Generation Z 

wants to know what you stand for. Speak 

out on what’s important to you! 

Allow this generation to speak for itself. 

When it comes to finding influencers 

to work with your brand, it’s best to 

actually find someone from Generation 

Z. Influencers matter! Investing in 

influencers is highly profitable. Take the 

time to find ones who are relevant to 

your brand. 

Communicate with precision. Since 

Generation Z is the most diverse 

generation in Australia, a one-size-fitsall 

message will not work. 

Use data to determine what works 

for this population. It’s important to 

remember that not every person in a 

generation will be the same as the other. 

Good luck 

In fact, you may have this two-part 

series and failed to see yourself in 

the description of your own personal 

generation. 

That’s ok and expected; the lines 

between generations often blur and 

your experience may not be the same as 

another. 

While generational marketing will help 

give you a broad overview of how to 

reach people of a certain age, it will 

not be enough to truly understand your 

target audience. 

You most certainly will need to further 

segment your audience by other 

demographics. It is, however, a great 

starting point for your marketing 

strategy. 

HEATHER COOPER is a writer for 

Three Girls Media, offering guidance 

on website design and build, public 

relations, and content marketing 

strategy. Learn more: 

threegirlsmetdia.com 


BUSINESS 

Logged On 

Why you should focus on staff reviews 

There’s another type of review making waves in the business world. 

SIMON DELL says they can be just as important as customer reviews. 

Customer reviews play a big part in the 

success of a business. Social proof is 

so important when building your brand, 

so making your customers happy often 

feels like priority number one. 

In many ways it should be. Google 

reviews – especially if your SEO strategy 

is good, testimonials on your website, 

and reviews on industry-specific 

websites can encourage or discourage 

potential customers from using your 

services. 

However, there’s another type of review 

making waves in the business world, 

and they can be just as important as 

customer reviews. 

We’re talking about staff reviews, 

and they can make an immeasurable 

difference to businesses. 

What are staff reviews? 

Through popular websites like 

Glassdoor, current or former staff can 

post reviews of your business from an 

employment point of view. 

Through these reviews, staff will rate 

your business on key points such as 

interviews, salary and benefits, work-life 

balance, senior management, culture 

and values, and career progression. 

This list isn’t exhaustive, however as 

you can see, people can review your 

business inside and out. 

While you may not think this information 

can really impact your bottom line – 

after all, potential customers are more 

likely to read customer reviews – the 

fact is staff reviews can indirectly impact 

your business in ways you may not have 

considered. 

Engagement impacts customers 

It’s no myth that happy staff are more 

likely to inspire happy customers. 

Particularly in customer service roles, I 

don’t need to tell you that engaged staff 

are going to be better at selling, building 

rapport and making your customers 

feel appreciated, however, it goes a little 

deeper than that. 

Research from Gallup, a US 

management consulting firm, indicates 

that businesses with highly engaged 

staff are more productive, more attuned 

to the needs of customers, and produce 

21 per cent greater profitability. 

If you’re wondering how that relates 

to your bottom line, the report also 

showed that highly engaged business 

units reported a 10 per cent increase 

in customer ratings and a 20 per cent 

increase in sales. 

If your staff reviews are showing 

dissatisfaction you may have an 

employee engagement problem, you’re 

not even aware off. 

Worst of all, it could be affecting your 

bottom line. 

Understand what staff want 

Staff reviews can show you precisely 

what people do and don’t like about 

working for your business. 

It’s not supposed to all be negative – if 

your business scores highly on work-life 

balance, for example, you know you’re 

doing something right and this should 

be celebrated. 

However, if you’re scoring poorly in 

Research 

indicates that 

more than half 

of jobseekers 

are now using 

staff review 

websites such 

as Glassdoor 

to find out 

more about a 

business before 

applying. 

other areas, it gives you the chance to 

focus your efforts into improving. 

You may have done staff engagement 

surveys in the past, and there’s a 

possibility that current staff aren’t 

willing to report all their concerns. 

On an external staff review website, 

however, they’ll feel far more 

comfortable airing all their issues. 

These reviews give you some good 

statistical data; however, even more 

valuable is the free-text component 

where people can share their 

experiences in their own words. 

Attract the best talent 

It’s no secret that many businesses are 

reporting that it’s harder now than ever 

to find quality staff. 

If you’re a regular reader of Jeweller, 

you’ll know that in the special What Do 

Jewellers Think edition of the magazine, 

many businesses reported similar 

frustrations. 

This isn’t an issue relegated to any one 

aspect of the industry either, it impacts 

the major chain stores just as much as it 

impacts independents. 

Some research indicates that over half 

of jobseekers are now using staff review 

websites like Glassdoor to find out more 

about a business before applying. 

We don’t need to tell you that poor online 

staff reviews may be a deterrent for the 

best job applicants. 

In a crowded job market where the 

best staff is starting to place more 

value on conditions, culture, and worklife 

balance over remuneration, it’s now 

more important than ever to ensure 

your business has a great reputation 

as an employer. 

SIMON DELL is co-founder and CEO 

of Cemoh, a Brisbane-based firm that 

provides marketing staff on demand. 

He specialises in digital marketing and 

brand management. Visit: cemoh.com 


My Bench 

Hassan Kamkar 

Holloway Diamonds. Canterbury VIC 

Age 49 • Years in Trade 25 • Training Trade apprenticeship at Anthony’s Jewellers. • Other qualifications Diploma in Jewellery, Gemmology and Diamond Tech 

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OPINION 

Soapbox 

Those who fail to learn from history 

are doomed to repeat it 

For the fourth time the Australian jewellery industry is being forced to choose 

between two fairs. ROSS PATERSON expresses his concern for the future of the trade. 

Recently I have found myself wondering if 

our industry will ever learn from the past. 

A second Sydney jewellery fair has 

been announced and once again I find 

myself asking, how does it benefit the 

wider industry? 

This is now the fourth attempt and on 

every previous occasion it caused nothing 

but division. There are many factors at 

play; however, I place much 

of the blame on the industry’s lack of an 

influential trade association. 

Now, before anyone jumps up and 

down, understand that I have served as 

president of the Jewellers Association of 

Australia (JAA) on two separate occasions 

for four years - from 1989 to 1991 and 

from 1995 to 1997. 

And for more than 30 years I devoted 

my time and energy to advancing our 

industry and building the JAA; however, 

today our business isn’t even a member. 

We couldn’t see the benefit anymore 

and the final straw was the debacle of 

the JAA deciding to split from Expertise 

Events to launch its own fair in 2016. 

The ramifications for that decision are 

well-known. 

Blast from the past 

It’s important to note that this was not the 

first time the industry was split by people 

thinking it would be a wonderful idea to 

launch a second jewellery fair at the same 

time as the Expertise Events fair. 

The ‘Jewellery World Show’ had two failed 

launches, once in 2007 and five years later 

in 2012, both scheduled to be held at the 

same time in the same city. The JAA’s third 

attempt in 2016 ignored history. 

There was no sense in having two 

separate fairs. Everyone could see 

the politics behind it, and the JAA 

lost many members as a result. 

And now we are witnessing division for a 

fourth time with the announcement of a 

second fair in August supported by the JAA. 

The Australian jewellery industry is simply 

not big enough to support two competing 

fairs and the consequences of this rivalry 

will again prove dire for the trade. 

History lesson 

It’s important to go back further in history to 

the commencement of the first Australian 

jewellery fair in 1992; around the time I was 

JAA president. 

Back then there was no dedicated jewellery 

fair, though many suppliers exhibited at 

Thompson’s Gift Fair, now Reeds Gift Fair. 

That show was in February, which suited gift 

suppliers but not jewellery suppliers. The 

industry needed a show later in the year to 

time with Christmas orders. 

Gary Fitz-Roy, who had worked for the 

Thompson’s Gift Fair, left the company to 

start his own business and he wanted to 

start a dedicated jewellery fair. 

As part of the planning, the JAA invited 

leading industry figures to a special 

dinner at the Hilton Hotel. 

The meeting agreed to endorse a proposal 

from Expertise Events to launch the 

Australian Jewellery Fair in August 1992. 

Representing 90 per cent of retailers and 

suppliers, the JAA was strong enough to 

‘get everyone on the same page’ for a single, 

uniform decision for the sake of the industry. 

The offer from Expertise Events was a 

compelling one and quite frankly, we 

never looked back. 

The International Convention and 

Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour 

would go on to become packed with 

exhibitors and retailers for a single 

weekend. The industry was united. 

These really were the ‘golden years’ for 

not only the industry but also the JAA. 

We generated tremendous sponsorship 

income to the tune of hundreds of 

thousands of dollars and partnerships 

Everyone could 

see the value of 

investing in the 

industry via the 

JAA. They were the 

glory days and 

the JAA generated 

enough income to 

purchase an office 

in Canberra. 

with not only Expertise Events, but also 

insurance and security companies and 

many other organisations. 

Everyone could see the value of investing 

in the industry via the JAA. As I said, they 

were the glory days and the JAA generated 

enough income to purchase an office in 

Canberra. 

Today’s headache 

We are now facing a fourth industry split. 

When will we learn? 

The Jewellery Industry Network (JIN) 

has announced plans to host the 

‘Jewellery Industry Fair’ in Sydney, 

debuting on 29 August. 

Why is the second fair needed, and 

who does it benefit? 

Does anyone spare a thought for the 

retailers and exhibitors who travel long 

distances to attend these events? 

For those outside of Sydney, it’s already 

a significant investment, with costs 

associated with travel, accommodation, and 

staff, among others – all quickly adding up. 

And how about the exhibitors – should 

they be expected to pay to attend both 

fairs? What about the buying groups? 

Do they need a second fair? 

Who really benefits from a second 

jewellery fair at the same time? 

The JAA is supporting an unproven 

second fair, rather than the fair that the 

association not only jointly started, but it 

also helped to build into a a successful 

event for the wider jewellery trade. 

As a former president, I think it’s a terrible 

waste of resources having two fairs now and 

worse; there is no longer an association of 

note to try and fix it. 

Name: Ross Paterson 

Position: Former President 

Organisation: JAA 

Location: Melbourne, VIC 

Years in the industry: 51 


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Jeweller - April 2023

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