Jeweller - October 2023

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SILVER JEWELLERY IS MORE
IMPORTANT THAN EVER BEFORE
VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY OCTOBER 2023
DISCOVER THE HOTTEST NEW PRODUCTS
AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON
REFINE YOUR SALES STRATEGY
WITH GOLD JEWELLERY
OCTOBER 2023
Contents
This Month
Industry Facets
15 Editorial
18 Upfront
20 News
32
41
78
10 YEARS AGO
Time Machine: October 2013
LEARN ABOUT GEMS
Game-changing gemmologists: IV
MY BENCH
Carlo Romeo
43 SELLING SOMETHING SPECIAL
Gorgeous gold
4As the recovery from the global COVID
pandemic continues, the importance of
gold jewellery has evolved for retailers.
51 Buying Guide
Features
43
80
SOAPBOX
Malcolm Scrymgeour
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
Discover new ways to sell gold jewellery
66 HONG KONG REVIEW
Special anniversary
4The first Jewellery and Gem World Hong
Kong trade show since the pandemic has
come and gone. SAMUEL ORD reflects on a
celebration of 40 years of jewellery trading.
51
66
68
LATEST PRODUCTS
Christmas Buying Guide
PARTY TIME
Hong Kong celebrates 40 extraordinary years
STARTLING SILVER
Silver jewellery is more important than ever
Better Your Business
72
74
75
76
77
BUSINESS STRATEGY
The busiest time of the year is nearly here. DAVID BROCK offers helpful insights.
SELLING
ANASTASIA LLOYD-WALLIS prepares you for impatient customers.
MANAGEMENT
What does it mean to fail? DAVID BROCK encourages you to think outside the box.
MARKETING & PR
DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN continues her exploration of word-of-mouth marketing.
LOGGED ON
BRIDGET BROWN outlines where you may be going wrong with your digital promotions.
68 SILVER JEWELLERY
Young consumers?
4Silver offers jewellery retailers a unique
opportunity to connect with a younger crowd
that are searching for an affordable and
personalised look.
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Secrets of Silver
Latest & Greatest
The Golden Rules
October 2023 | 13

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Editor’s Desk
XXX
For more than a decade, people have been predicting the end of physical stores as choice and convenience lured
customers away from the streets and into the cloud. But one thing is certain, and as demonstrated by the past
two years, nothing is as ever as it first seems. ANGELA HAN explores what the future holds for retail.
“Retail is dead,” shouted some experts!
In fact, so sure have some doomsayers
timate includes small shops on suburban
strips is unknown, but it’s fair to say that
shopping experience and secondly, with a
surge in delivery fees and delay in delivery
been about
Leaders
the demise of retail that a no one was exempt from feeling the turbulence
of the pandemic rollercoaster.
online became comparable.
times, the price of items both instore and
new term was coined: ‘retail apocalypse’.
The notion started around 2010 soon Two years in, a quick stroll down the street
Coupled with this, the Australian Bureau
after the Global Financial Crisis when reveals a string of ‘For Lease’ signs and
of Statistics’ most recent turnover estimate
many major retailers began closing their storefronts closed until further notice. From
(November 2021) for retail businesses,
brick-and-mortar retail stores, especially K-mart to Woolies, we’re seeing empty
which include both physical store and online
international chains.
shelves, a lack of staff and supply chain
sales, is reported to have risen
turmoil. These problems side-by-side make
The term gained prominence around 2017
7.3 per cent month-on-month and increased
5.8 per cent on 2020. In essence,
KNOW
it easy to
THE
assume that we’re right in
DIRECTION
the
when it was first mentioned in The Atlantic
middle of the, so-called, retail apocalypse.
to describe major retail bankruptcies and
You could hear people haven’t stopped shopping, and
mass store closures of major US chains. However, the wise and percipient know
instead, their consumption has increased.
Chopin’s Funeral
Only two years later in 2019 – just before from past experience that economic
March while Moreover, what has come to light since
the pandemic
AND
– the US witnessed approximately
10,000 more businesses close their lead to new opportunities. Instead, these
SHOW
instability and the challenges therein
THE
can
WAY
watching the 2020 is to what degree consumers enjoy
doors, which was reported as
retail dominoes shopping for jewellery.
events can simultaneously expose existing
a 60 per cent increase on the year before.
collapse –
weaknesses and strengthen the position
In March 2020 I wrote: “When compared
COVID-19 was
So it’s understandable that the harbingers
of doom were already painting a dire Indeed, while COVID-19 has accelerated
of a business.
to other retail categories, there’s ample
the final kiss of evidence that many fine jewellery retailers
picture of the future of retailing – a decade
death, especially have remained resilient during the COVID
store closures, it’s also ushered in They a wave know
on, the prophecies were all coming true.
for businesses
where pandemic the readers and economic crisis”, which was
of digital revolution for the retail sector.
backed up by soaring Pandora and Tiffany
Then finally in 2020 the real impact took With consumers now living, thinking
that were on
are and protect their stock brand prices.
hold, as COVID-19 went global.
and shopping differently, businesses have life support,
You could hear Chopin’s Funeral March experiment
with what works and what doesn’t predicted.
the pundits “Hong Kong retailer, Chow Tai Fook, had
NEW PAGE WILL image BE SUPPLIED
and credibility.
while watching the retail dominoes collapse
– the pandemic was the final kiss of – a playground to freely explore
death, especially for businesses that were the opportunities that had been put off.
on life support, the pundits predicted.
As of May 2020 only a few months into the
pandemic, store closures and bankruptcies
catalysed. Household names and department
stores such as J. Crew, Neiman
Marcus, and JCPenney were among the
first major retailers to file for bankruptcy,
although it is arguable that trouble was
already brewing long before COVID.
While an exact figure is almost impossible
to ascertain, it was reported that a further
12,000 retailers had closed stores across
the US in 2020 alone. According to a 2021
UBS Group report, it’s anticipated a further
80,000 US stores are expected to shut
shop in the next five years with one-quarter
of US shopping centres also expected
to permanently close.
The US economy is often seen as a bellwether
for what happens here in Australia.
So what does this mean for
the future of retail?
Closer to home, it has been reported
that between 1,000 to 2,000 retail stores
collapsed in 2020 and 2021 following on
from a dismal year of pre-pandemic trading
through 2018-19. Whether or not this es-
Certainly, if you were dragging your feet
before 2020, the pandemic dragged you
by the hair into the new world.
KPMG’s 2021 Australian Retail Outlook
Survey indicated that despite a huge shift towards
omni-channel models – where more
than 70 per cent of retailers have to increase
their investment in digital technology – 25
per cent of respondents said their websites
generate no revenue and 21 per cent said
that less than 5 per cent of their revenue
comes from e-commerce.Fewer than 10
per cent of retailers indicated that their
e-commerce platform generates up to 50
per cent of revenue.
This is a double-edged sword: while there
has been extraordinary development and
growth in e-commerce, it’s clear that consumers
still prefer to spend more in-store,
which is a welcome revelation in amidst all
the doom and gloom of the retail apocalypse.
As customers have been forced into
e-commerce, whether they liked it or
not, The Law of Unintended Consequences
came into play: firstly, people came to realise
the importance of a tangible in-store
seen its shares rocket back to its 2018
heydays and both Michael Hill International
and the US chain, Signet Jewelers, were
recovering since the huge sell off in the
depths of the crisis and LVMH stock prices
are back to what they were pre-COVID.”
And now, 15 months further on, Pandora
has recorded all-time high revenue while
Michael Hill reports its best second quarter
in history. Richemont group’s sales have
reportedly exceeded that of pre-COVID and
even local jeweller Linneys reported historic
Christmas trading. Sales are booming!
In this month’s feature – The Great Retail
Reset – we look at the ‘retail apocalypse’
from a different standpoint. Sure, while the
catastrophic effects of the pandemic cannot
be ignored, it has equally been an opportunity
for brave and savvy retailers
to reinvent, redefine and rebirth.
In March 2020, I gave my humble advice
in these difficult times: if you want to
prepare yourself against the horsemen
of the apocalypse, don’t build a bunker –
learn to ride a horse!
It appears that some have gone a step further
and learned to tame a herd.
Angela Han
Publisher
Where the industry leaders are seen
October 2023 | 15

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Upfront
Stranger Things
Weird, wacky and wonderful
jewellery news from around the world
Nazism controversy
4Christie’s auction house has
cancelled a scheduled fourth sale
of jewellery belonging to Austrian
billionaire Heidi Horten following
controversy over her late husband’s
connection to the Nazi party. Across
three previous sales, the auction
cleared 98 per cent of the items
for a return of $US202.2 million
($AU304.7 million). The World of
Heidi Horten demolished a record
set by the auction of Elizabeth
Taylor’s possessions in 2011, which
generated more than $US115 million
($AU173.3 million) in New York.
Beyonce’s diamond dress
4Beyonce has performed in a
dress made of diamonds, which is
valued at $US1 million. The dress
first appeared in Toronto during the
performer's Renaissance World
Tour. The mesh dress is an Elsa
Peretti Diamonds by the Yard design
featuring delicate, fluid chains
and bezel-set diamonds. Peretti,
who died in 2021, was a designer
collaborator with Tiffany & Co. since
the 1970s. Beyonce is a brand
ambassador for Tiffany & Co.
‘Tis the season
4British jeweller Angelic Diamonds
has created a Pumpkin Spice Latte
ring as a tribute to the seasonal
drink - coffee plus pumpkin pie spices
(cinnamon, nutmeg and clove) - which
was launched by Starbucks in 2003.
The ring features a rose gold band,
replicating the shape of a pumpkin,
with a 'whipped cream shaped centre
diamond', a halo of white diamonds,
and orange sapphires and emeralds.
Rewind: Best Bench Tip
JULY 2015
“Set yourself up with a
good foundation and
build your knowledge.”
STEVE PALLAS
STEVE PALLAS BESPOKE
JEWELLERY
HISTORIC GEMSTONE
The Excelsior
4The Excelsior Diamond was the
world's largest known diamond from its
discovery in 1893 until 1905 when the
Cullinan Diamond was earthed. Found
in June 1893 at the Jagersfontein Mine
in South Africa, it had a blue-white
tint and a weight of 971 carats. The
diamond is the fourth largest rough of
gemstone quality ever found and was
discovered by a worker who delivered
the stone directly to the mine manager
instead of handing it to his supervisor.
He was rewarded with £500 in cash
and a horse equipped with a saddle and
bridle. It was later cut into ten stones.
Automation phenomenon
4According to recent research by the McKinsey Global Institute,
52 per cent of all activities in retail can be automated with existing
technology. Automation reduces human errors, improves quality
and speed of service, improves employee productivity, and
saves money. One specific area where this may prove helpful in
jewellery retailers is marketing automation. Software powered
by artificial intelligence can evaluate historical customer data
and personalise promotions on different channels, including SMS
messaging, emails, and social media adverts.
Timeless Trends
4Why should necks, fingers, ears,
and wrists always be in the spotlight?
According to the latest forecast from
Cosmopolitan, an increasing number
of consumers are bedazzling torsos
with jewellery. Chains under a shirt or a
delicate selection draped over a plain top
are popular.
Campaign Watch
4British jewellery house Graff’s latest
campaign brings together its diamond
collections and exceptional fine jewellery
jewellery pieces for the first time, which
signifies a new creative strategy from
the brand. The Villa La Vigie in France
provides a backdrop for four essential
collections — Butterfly, Tilda’s Bow,
Laurence Graff Signature and Wild Flower.
Image credit: Cosmopolitan/Revolve
Image credit: Graff
VOICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JEWELLERY INDUSTRY
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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 • Advertising Toli Podolak toli.podolak@jewellermagazine.com
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News
Nostalgia: Mining giant De Beers announces new $US20 million marketing campaign
The world’s largest diamond mining company, the
De Beers Group, has reintroduced the ‘A Diamond
Is Forever’ tagline as part of a major marketing
campaign ahead of the holiday season.
De Beers will invest $US20 million ($AU31.07
million) in a campaign aimed at ‘supporting
consumer demand’ for natural diamonds in
the US and China.
The investment will supplement De Beers’ current
brand activities which will include the return of the
‘Seize The Day’ promotion as part of a broad media
mix targeting customers.
The campaign will include traditional media –
print, out-of-home, and digital – and an investment
into social media influencer-developed content.
“Natural diamonds have remained icons of love for
centuries. And De Beers' advertising has remained
iconic over the decades," CEO Al Cook said.
"We’re proud to build on this tradition by reviving
and refreshing one of our most successful
campaigns.
“By investing ahead of the holiday season, we
aim to support the industry, drive consumer
demand and underline our confidence in the
future of the diamond dream.”
As part of the announcement, De Beers also
revealed findings from a recent consumer survey
in the US and China.
Natural diamonds ranked third among the
most desired luxury items for women. In the
US, four out of five women viewed diamonds
as carrying ‘significant meaning and being the
perfect way to mark an important moment in a
relationship’.
The survey found that the primary motivation for
purchasing lab-created diamonds is price.
“We went back into De Beers’ archives and De
Beers’ history and looked at some of the category
campaigns that have been effective in the past,”
chief brand officer David Prager told JCK Online.
“We were particularly looking for something
that we could turn around very quickly, that
was highly successful, and where almost all
the investment that we made would not go to
production and celebrities and film shoots but
rather would go to flighting media that would
have an impact for Christmas.”
The marketing materials will be available to
retailers free of charge.
Expanded sanctions on Russian diamond industry expected within weeks
Speculation over increased sanctions against
Russia’s diamond industry has heightened, with
media sources suggesting that new prohibitions
will be announced in the coming weeks.
Earlier this year, it was reported that all G7
countries - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
the UK, the US, and the EU – planned to ban the
import of diamonds mined in Russia, even those
cut and polished overseas.
Belgium officials have reportedly informed the
media that this import ban will be announced
within the next two to three weeks.
European Union member Belgium has proposed
the sanctions. Antwerp is the world’s largest
diamond trading hub. The sanctions would come
into effect on 1 January.
“We’re talking about restructuring a global
market,” a Belgium official told Reuters.
“Russia is the biggest supplier globally. With this
system, we are cutting them out, leaving them
in an inferior market with lower prices. We are
slashing the financial flows from this sector.”
The G7 accounts for approximately 70 per
cent of the global market for diamond jewellery,
and Russia is the world’s largest producer of
diamond rough.
Important exemptions
The import ban will reportedly be enforced with a
certificate system. There will be ‘three layers of
control’ and blockchain systems that create two
certificates for rough and polished diamonds.
Customs checks will be performed at G7
wholesale entry points for rough and
polished stones.
"I think the G7 officials involved with this are
taking it quite seriously, and I believe they will
strictly enforce it. But the enforcement method
will be the challenging part,” diamond analyst
Paul Zimnisky said.
"Industry representatives have been quite
actively included in this discussion and thus, the
government officials are being cognisant of and
trying to limit the negative impact this will have
on centres that are neutral to the issue like
India and Africa.”
As a result of these sanctions, it’s expected
that Russian diamonds would be sold to Asian
markets, while all non-Russian diamonds would
be sold to Western markets.
The system would also include an exemption for
African diamond producers.
Who pays?
According to the Reuters report, Belgium officials
do not want the extra cost of these sanctions to fall
on consumers and jewellers.
“Jewellery shoppers may see prices rise if there
is a shortage of non-Russian diamonds after
more sanctions are imposed, but increases
would likely come gradually rather than
suddenly. The industry has been expecting the
action,” writes Elizabeth Paton of The New York
Times.
“The question is whether an industry, mainly
composed of small businesses, that is organised
around the quality, size and colour of stones — not
their provenance — could segregate stones and
accurately produce paperwork that categorises
them by origin.
“That challenge likely would be further
exacerbated by the multiple supply chain loopholes
that are possible when diamonds make their
multinational journey from a mine, through a hardto-police
global web of middlemen, and ultimately
to consumers or into industrial uses.”
The issue is further complicated as the import ban
is expected to be limited to diamonds that are onecarat
or larger.
20 | October 2023

News
British Museum’s reputation in tatters following
long-running jewellery ransacking
Farewell: Allen announces
departure from Pandora
Gradel spent years appealing to the museum
to investigate, revealing his suspicions via an
intermediary in 2020 before sharing a dossier of
evidence in 2021 demonstrating that items were
being sold on eBay.
The director of the Association of Greek
Archaeologists, Despina Koutsoumba, has
called for the return of Parthenon Marbles,
stating that they are ‘no longer safe’ at the
British Museum.
The British Museum is facing an uphill battle to
repair its international reputation as a custodian
of priceless jewellery as further details emerge
about a 20-year-long ransacking.
In August, the British Museum announced
that an employee had been dismissed after
gold jewellery and gemstones were discovered
missing, stolen, and damaged.
A statement suggested that none of the
jewellery had recently been on display and was
kept for academic purposes.
Since that announcement, the situation has
only worsened for the British Museum, with a
suspected 2,000 items stolen.
It’s believed that the thefts took place over two
decades and that the museum was alerted
to the alleged sale of stolen items in 2021 but
failed to take action.
Hartwig Fischer, director of the British
Museum, has resigned over the handling of
the suspected widespread theft after holding
the role for eight years.
In a statement, Fischer said he took
accountability for the museum’s inability
to prevent the theft: “It is evident that the
British Museum did not respond as
comprehensively as it should have in response
to the warnings in 2021 and to the problem that
has now fully emerged.”
“The responsibility for that failure must
ultimately rest with the director.”
Mark Jones has been appointed as interim
director following Fischer’s resignation.
Ittai Gradel, a British-Danish antiquities dealer,
told The Guardian that hundreds of missing
objects had never been appropriately catalogued
by the museum, making recovery difficult.
“As far as I understand, these individual items
were not described, only a sum total,” he said.
“So, 935 gemstones are missing, and the
problem is, if they can’t be identified, how can
they return to the museum?”
Curator of world archaeology at Oxford
University’s Pitt Rivers Museum, Professor
Dan Hicks, has accused the British Museum
of neglecting the crucial process of
cataloguing of items.
“This isn’t a bad apple story, this is about
institutional priorities,” he said.
“This was a disaster waiting to happen
because of the lack of investment in doing
curatorial work.”
More to come?
Catharine Titi, associate professor of the French
National Centre for Scientific Research, said
that recent statements concerning the theft
raise more questions than answers.
“Now the British Museum is trying to repair
the dent to its reputation, which comes at an
inconvenient time when the museum is hoping
to raise £1 billion ($AU1.95 billion) for muchneeded
renovation work,” she writes for The
Conversation.
“About half of the museum’s eight million items
are uncatalogued, and this lack of an inventory
has certainly facilitated the thefts. The fact that
it took so long to discover the thefts also raises
the question of what else might have gone
missing without a trace.”
She continued by suggesting that the British
Museum’s troubles may be an indication
that other prestigious institutions may have
undiscovered issues.
“Yet one can’t help but wonder: Do the
museum’s current woes have other museum
directors fretting with anxiety? How many
museums have uncatalogued items in their
storerooms?” Titi asked.
“When a museum such as the Louvre explains
that its database has entries for almost 500,000
works of art, is that its entire collection or just a
percentage of its collection? In a great number
of cases, we simply don’t know.”
Located in London, the British Museum is more
than 260 years old and attracts visitors from
around the world.
Pandora Australia’s David Allen has announced that he
will leave the company, ending a 12-year tenure with the
world’s largest mass-market jewellery brand.
Allen has a long and storied connection with Pandora,
joining the company in 2011.
In 2012, when then-president Karin Adock announced
her resignation, Allen – then vice president of sales
- was named her successor. He led the Australian
division of the company until 2015 when he relocated
to Pandora’s global headquarters in Denmark to
oversee Europe, Middle East and Africa operations.
As part of a global restructuring in 2020, Allen was
named the managing director of the Pacific regional
division – a position he has held until now.
Allen announced his departure on Linkedin, reflecting
on the lessons learned during his time with the world’s
largest mass-market jewellery brand.
“From the very first day that I joined Pandora, I knew
that there was something very special about this
amazing brand – and I still believe it today more than
ever,” he said.
“Anyone can command positional authority, it is those
that can command personal authority that are great,
where people listen, respect, follow, cooperate, and
take decisions based on who they are rather than the
position or titles they have.”
He added: “You need both people who are the right fit
and have the right capabilities, as there is no choice to
be made here. It is amazing just how much more time
you have to think about your business when you are
surrounded by the right people.”
When Allen joined the company, Pandora was sold in
approximately 65 countries and employed 5,300 people
worldwide. The company operated 700 concept stores.
Today, Pandora is available in more than 100 countries
and employs 32,000 people.
The company operates 2,500 concept stores. Pandora
recently published its second-quarter financial report,
detailing a five per cent increase in sales between April
and June worldwide.
Sales decreased by five per cent in Australia, with this
decline to weak consumer demand.
MORE BREAKING NEWS
JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM
October 2023 | 21

News
Lightbox shuts down bridal
jewellery experiment
What does the future hold for luxury leaders LVMH?
Lightbox Jewelry has concluded a trial of
engagement rings, indicating that the commercial
proposition for many lab-created diamond
engagement rings is ‘likely unsustainable’.
In June, Lightbox – the De Beers Group’s lab-created
diamond jewellery brand – launched the trial, marking
a surprising change in strategy.
The collection consisted of 16 items featuring labcreated
diamonds with prices ranging from $AU895
to $AU8,950.
“Through the test, the company deepened its
understanding of lab-grown diamonds and
evaluated the changing landscape and consumer
perceptions associated with them,” a statement from
De Beers reads.
“Lightbox will continue to focus on where it sees the
most promising future opportunities in the sector
– in fashion jewellery and in loose stones at accessible
price points – and will not sell lab-grown diamond
engagement rings.”
The statement also suggested that retailers would
need to sell double the number of lab-created
diamond carats every two years to maintain a flat
absolute gross profit.
In the latest analysis of the US jewellery market from
Tenoris, the price gap between natural and labcreated
diamonds is expanding.
“In January 2020, the retail price of a one-carat round
lab-grown diamond was 35 per cent less than a
comparable natural diamond,” writes Edahn Golan.
“Currently, the price gap is 76 per cent even as the
price of natural diamonds is declining. Natural
diamonds, with all their fluctuations, are a relatively
steady commodity. Lab-grown prices, on the other
hand, sink like a stone in water.
“In this case, the body of water is the consumer
market. For lab-grown to continue to be a viable
consumer product, some perceived value needs to be
created. Until then, the lab-grown pipeline is driving
fast into a dead-end.”
The research found that lab-created diamond
jewellery accounted for 6.3 per cent of all unit sales
in August in the US. This was an increase from 4 per
cent of sales in 2022.
French luxury conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moët
Hennessy (LVMH) chairman Bernard Arnault
has thrown water on speculation about the
company's future leadership.
By market capitalisation, LVMH is the
world’s 18th largest company at $US413
billion ($AU624 billion), overseeing 75
brands – including Tiffany & Co.
LVMH enforces a mandatory retirement age
of 80 for the chief executive and chairman
position, and Arnault is 74.
The compulsory age was previously 75;
however, that was altered last year.
Arnault’s five children each hold important
positions within the company.
Arnault told The New York Times that his
successor wouldn’t necessarily be a member
of the family.
“The best person inside the family or outside
the family should be one day my successor,”
Arnault said.
“But it’s not something that I hope is a duel for
the near future.”
Delphine is CEO of Christian Dior; Antoine
is the head of communications for LVMH;
Alexandre is executive vice president of product
and communications at Tiffany & Co.; Frédéric
is CEO of TAG Heuer; and Jean is the watch
director for Louis Vuitton.
Speculation about the company's future has
been driven partly by the popularity of the
award-winning Succession television series,
which aired between 2018-23.
Created by Jesse Armstrong, the series
details the inner workings of the fictional
Roy family, the owners of a global media and
entertainment conglomerate.
Arnault’s oldest son Antoine said that
unfortunately for those who enjoyed the series,
the dynamics of his family are far less dramatic
than that of the Roys.
“I know it’s disappointing for a lot of people, but
we actually get on well,” he said.
Last year, Arnault changed the legal structure
of his family holding company Agache
Commandite SAS to ensure the family will
continue to control LVMH long into the future.
Each of his five children has a 20 per cent stake
in the holding company, and they can only sell
their shares within 30 years with unanimous
board approval.
Arnault’s second son, Alexandre, said: “There’s
the risk that none of us is able to run the
business as well as he has.”
“By the time they [Arnault’s grandchildren]
reach ages where they can have
responsibilities, my father will still probably be
CEO of LVMH. He’ll be 110 years old.”
Earlier this year, LVMH announced a major
sponsorship agreement with the 2024 Olympic
Games, which will be hosted in Paris.
22 | October 2023

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News
Tough sledding: Australian jewellery
sales performance declines in August
The latest analysis of the Australian jewellery retail market by Retail Edge
has confirmed declining sales across August.
Overall sales performance decreased by six per cent on a year-on-year
comparison; however, it improved by 58 per cent compared with 2021.
It was a similar story for comparative units sold, decreasing by 4.9 per
cent compared with the past year and increasing by 49 per cent on a twoyear
difference.
Comparative average sales (inventory only) decreased by a modest 1.1 per
cent from 2022, reaching $240 from $243.
Regarding product categories, sales dollars from diamond jewellery
decreased by 29 per cent on a year-on-year comparison, while colour
gemstone jewellery sales dollars declined by 25 per cent.
Precious metal jewellery sales dollars decreased by 17 per cent compared
with 2022, while silver and alternative metals were close to neutral.
The pattern in laybys was also negative, decreasing by 9.5 per cent in
dollar terms between new orders and pickups or cancellations. It was a
similar story in services, such as repairs, with a decline of 32 per cent.
“This is the seventh consecutive month of double-digit negative movement
in this area,” said general manager Leon van Megen.
“This is an entrenched consumer pattern that may need more than a
small shift in consumer sentiment to flip the switch from ‘off’ to ‘on’. This
is not to say you should sit back and accept what is happening but make
some noise about your services, skills and expertise.”
Special orders decreased by 37.1 per cent in dollar terms between new
orders and pickups or cancellations.
Retail Edge collects its data from more than 400 independent jewellery
stores across Australia.
Consumer confidence
These findings were reflected in the latest ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer
Confidence Index report.
“Retail sales data for July and ANZ-observed spending in August were
also weak,” ANZ senior economist Adelaide Timbrell said.
“The confidence impact of falling real wages due to inflation continues to
offset the positives in the economy and is likely the main factor that has
kept the index in very weak territory for the past six months.”
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The index has now spent a record 26 weeks below the 80-point mark,
despite recent improvements in NSW, Victoria, and Queensland.

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News
Retail nightmare: New Zealand
jewellers under siege from criminals
New Zealand jewellery retailers are continuing to grapple with a
devastating crime wave.
Since December, New Zealand authorities have pursued 14,215
prosecutions for retail-related crimes, including theft, destruction
of property, and employee abuse.
Between December and May, there have also been 388 incidents involving
offenders using vehicles to break into stores, otherwise known as a ram raid.
Earlier this year, Michael Hill International decided to permanently close its
Takapuna store, which was the most ram-raided in its network.
“Retail crime costs New Zealand retailers $NZ1 billion each year and
has a significant personal impact on those working in the industry,” New
Zealand Police said in a statement.
“This year has seen a spike in ram raid style burglaries, as we tend
to see at times with other crime types. This has affected small local
retailers and larger chains.
Police have also been actively working alongside retailers and retail
communities to give them prevention advice and support.”
Authorities have also identified social media as an increasing concern in
the fight against retail crime. Many criminals targeting retail stores film
themselves breaking the law and then post the videos online, hoping to
gain notoriety.
Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young said many factors contribute to New Zealand’s
retail crime wave.
“Issues range from businesses being targeted with ram raids, organised
crime - linked to gangs and stealing to order - youth issues are driven by
social media and wanting to gain notoriety on TikTok, and gang initiations,”
she told Ragtrader.
“We have even seen a video of a customer setting a fire in a store to create a
distraction so they could steal a trolley of goods.
“You can imagine the impact on the store: the fire alarm was set off,
sprinklers were triggered – causing significant damage, the Fire Service
was called to put out the fire, and staff are unsettled as their workplace was
targeted and they do not feel safe.”
Classiquewatches.com
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Retail NZ recently completed an in-depth survey with retailers on crime and
its impact, with the results expected to be published in late September.
Earlier this year, Police Minister Ginny Andersen confirmed a further
$NZ9 million to top up the retail crime prevention fund, bringing the
total to $NZ15 million.
The program supports retailers with installing fog cannons, security sirens,
alarms, CCTV systems, bollards or similar security measures, roller doors,
and other criminal deterrents.

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News
Rolex and Bucherer speculation: Future of luxury watch industry still uncertain
Rolex surprised the international luxury watch
industry three weeks ago when it announced the
acquisition of Swiss retailer Bucherer.
Bucherer has a worldwide store count of
approximately 100, with annual sales estimated at
$AU4.1 billion.
To date, Rolex’s only store is located in Geneva,
and with the acquisition of Bucherer the company
is expected to have a significant presence in
consumer sales for the first time.
Discerning what the change in strategy means
for the industry's future is difficult. Since the
announcement, many have speculated on how this
will impact Rolex and, perhaps more importantly,
its competitors.
“Some people have faith the company can put up
a firewall,” Brendan Cunningham, professor of
economics at Eastern Connecticut State University,
told Rapaport News.
“I don’t know how they are going to work that
out. Over time, there will be a temptation to do
more through that relationship and leverage it a
little more.”
After the announcement, Watches of Switzerland
released a statement reassuring the market that
Rolex did not intend to enter retail.
In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Breitling CEO
Georges Kern offered similar sentiments.
“We love our collaboration with Bucherer; we have
been working with them [for] many years. Rolex is a
great company,” he said.
“They have the best behaviour in the industry; they
respect all the other brands, and I'm very happy
about this acquisition. And as far as I understand,
nothing will change for us and for Bucherer in this
relationship.”
The deal between Rolex and Bucherer is still
subject to review by competition authorities before
the takeover is finalised.
The two companies have worked together for 99
years, and in a statement, Rolex said this shared
history motivated the acquisition. Ariel Adams,
writer for ABlogToWatch, said protectionism was
likely central to the deal.
“Much of the story is still a secret. We know that
Swiss companies don’t like to cede control to non-
Swiss entities, which would likely have been the
case with any other buyer that Rolex,” he said.
“What I see here is a form of protectionism, as
Rolex might not really know how to manage
all this but feels more comfortable owning the
problem than trusting it to someone else. There
is a lot at risk.”
He added: “Rolex and Bucherer clearly had to
contend with both the immediate dangers of
another new Bucherer owner and a long list of
potential problems that could occur. There is
also a very strong cultural push to keep Swiss
things Swiss.”
Michael Tay is the group managing director of
Singapore-based The Hour Glass, with showrooms
across Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan,
Australia and New Zealand.
He expects that retailers will be asked to
improve their quality of service in order to
meet Rolex’s standards.
“What retailers are going to be required to do is
step up the quality of service. This will focus their
attention on ensuring the consumers’ experience is
up to Rolex’s standards,” he told WatchPro.
“This acquisition has given Rolex an incredible
opportunity to get a sense of what the final client is
looking for. If you think about the touch points they
have with clients today, that is really centred around
the digital domain. The last mile engagement with
consumers is lacking.”
Rolex chose Bucherer as its partner for the
certified second-hand program, which launched
earlier this year. Watches of Switzerland has
announced that it has started selling certified
second-hand Rolex watches in the UK.
GIA slashes 20 per cent of workforce at headquarters, announces new scholarships
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA),
the world’s leading authority on research
into gemmology, has cut 20 per cent of the
workforce at its California headquarters.
In late July, the GIA laid off 151 employees,
primarily in its laboratory.
The decision was reportedly made due to a
declining number of diamonds being submitted
for grading.
“Many organisations in the global gemstone
and jewellery sector are experiencing a
downturn due to economic conditions affecting
the global gemstone trade,” director of
communications Stephen Morisseau told
Rapaport News.
“Due to those economic conditions, there has
been a decline in demand for GIA’s gemstone
identification and grading services, which led to
the difficult decision to reduce staffing.
He added: “The reductions will not affect our
ability to advance our important consumerprotection
mission, nor to meet the needs of
our clients.”
Following the layoffs, the GIA now has
approximately 600 employees in California.
The GIA’s total workforce worldwide is
around 3,500.
Scholarships available
The GIA is accepting applications for merit-based
scholarships available to US and international
students.
The scholarships can be used for GIA courses or
programs from 1 January through 30 June 30.
Overall, the organisation will award $2 million in
scholarships in 2024.
GIA has awarded more than $US12 million in
scholarships since 2015 for 2,500 students around
the world.
28 | October 2023

IN STOCK & &
READY TO TO SHIP SHIP
CUSTOM ORDERS
WELCOME
News
CUSTOM ORDERS
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Treasure find of the century in Norway
MR.CVD
The discovery included three gold rings, nine gold medallions, and gold
LARGEST LAB GROWN LAB GROWN JEWELRY MANUFACTURER JEWELRY MANUFACTURER
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A Norwegian man has unearthed rare sixth-century gold jewellery
in a discovery archaeologists have hailed as Norway’s ‘gold find of
the century’.
pearls believed to once form an extravagant necklace. The jewellery has
been dated to AD500. Erlend Bore, 51, was out walking on his doctor's
advice when he made the discovery in farmland.
“At first, I thought it was chocolate coins or Captain Sabertooth coins. It
was totally unreal,” he said.
Archaeologists say the discovery is unique because of the design of
the medallions, showcasing a type of horse from Norse mythology.
In August, the jewellery was unearthed on the southern island of
Rennesøy, near Stavanger.
Håkon Reiersen, an associate professor at the University of Stavanger’s
Museum of Archaeology, said the gold pendants dated from the so-called
migration period in Norway.
“Given the location of the discovery and what we know from other similar
finds, this is probably a matter of either hidden valuables or an offering to
the gods during dramatic times,” he told The Guardian.
“In Norway, no similar discovery has been made since the 19th century, and
it is also a very unusual discovery in a Scandinavian context”. Objects from
before 1537 and coins dated before 1650 are considered Norweigan
state property and must be reported to authorities when discovered.
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Michael Hill to launch new high-end
diamond jewellery brand
Michael Hill International has announced plans to launch a new jewellery
brand targeting high-end consumers called TenSevenSeven.
TenSevenSeven will be launched in the first half of next year, focusing on
personalised diamond rings.
The brand will initially be launched as an e-commerce option before
rolling out at showrooms in Australian capital cities.
Jeweller contacted Michael Hill for clarification around the name of
the brand; however, the spokesperson was tight-lipped - revealing
that the name relates to the heritage of the company and that more
information would be provided at the launch in October.
Michael Hill’s sales increased by 5.8 per cent to $629.6 million in the
past financial year.
“While inflation and rising interest rates have impacted consumer spending,
I am confident that the group strategy has us well-placed to continue
to take market share,” CEO Daniel Bracken said.
“The Michael Hill brand demonstrates its strength and resilience with a
focus on key milestone moments in the lives of our customers.
“Couple this with the launch of our new TenSevenSeven brand, the Bevilles
store expansion, and exciting product innovation for Christmas; the
group is well-positioned for the year ahead.”
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The company also confirmed that the loyalty program Brilliance by
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News
Rolex rippers: Retailers and collectors urged to be vigiliant after surge in watch theft
According to The Watch Register, a global
database for lost and stolen watches,
thefts have increased by 60 per cent in the
past year.
The London-based company maintains a
database of approximately 80,000 luxury
watches and, in a statement, said that
more than $US1.3 billion ($AU1.55 billion)
worth of thefts have now been reported.
More than 40 per cent of this database are
Rolex pieces, while Omega is the second
most common brand to be reported stolen
or missing at seven per cent.
"Recent records show a concerning surge
in the registration of luxury watches
that have been stolen or lost," managing
director Katya Hills told The Independent.
"The considerable value and prestige of
these high-end timepieces continues to
attract the attention of sophisticated and
international criminal networks, making
them a prime target for theft."
Christopher Marinello is the CEO of Art
Recovery International, a specialist law
practice that focuses on the recovery of
stolen artwork.
In recent years, the theft of luxury
watches have become something of a
priority for his company.
“Thieves know that these watches have
become extremely high value, are in
demand and achieving incredibly high
prices at auction,” he told The National.
“So they know what to steal, and they’re
stealing them from collectors and dealers
all over the world. They steal from
London, Cannes, Los Angeles, and New
York. Wherever wealthy people congregate
and vacation, the watch thieves are there.”
Rolex's Daytona, GMT and Oyster
Perpetual models are reportedly highprofile
targets for criminals, as demand
exceeds supply and prices are high on the
second-hand market.
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10 Years Ago
Time Machine: October 2013
A snapshot of the industry events making headlines this time 10 years ago in Jeweller.
Historic Headlines
4 Satellite watch technology arrives in Australia
4 Tiffany and Swatch part ways
4 Jewellers rent battle goes public
4 Stylish Australian launch for Forevermark
4 Good news for Michael Hill jewellers
Jewellery chain collapses
owing $3 million
Status, the bold jewellery and watch retail
concept, once predicted to have 12 stores,
has been placed into voluntary liquidation
with debts exceeding $3 million.
Insolvency firm Dean-Willcocks was
appointed on Friday 4 October and has
issued a draft report revealing the estimated
deficiency in the company’s assets to be
more than $3.1 million, with unsecured
creditors being owed $2.6 million.
Status was led by former Pandora Jewellery
head of marketing Jeff Burnes. The first
Status store was opened at Westfield
Chatswood in late May 2012. At that time
Burnes forecast the launch of a further
three NSW-based stores in 2012 and plans
for another five to open throughout 2013 with
the ultimate aim of 12 stores nationally.
Bevilles jewellers moves back
into CBD
After more than two years since closing
its high-profile, Bourke Street Mall store,
jewellery retail chain Bevilles will be
returning to Melbourne’s CBD next month.
The move will be temporary, however; the
retailer is opening a pop-up retail space on
the corner of Swanston Street and Little
Collins Street (a former Zamel’s jewellery
store) that will operate from mid-November
2013 to the beginning of March 2014.
It will be the first time that Bevilles
has traded in a pop-up store, and while
traditionally jewellery stores have not
necessarily been seen as ideal for this type
of short-term leasing arrangement – due to
potential threats such as a lack of security –
Bevilles CEO Michelle Beville attested that it
was the right business decision.
October 2013
ON THE COVER Dora
Editor’s Desk
4One diamond voice needed
“Many people in the luxury goods
segment, including jewellery, believe
the tech companies have “stolen” a
lot of their sales, however, we should
ask why do many consumers choose
to spend their discretionary dollars on
phones they don’t need rather than on
other products like jewellery?
Of course, everyone knows that a
diamond is forever, and that diamonds
are also a girl’s best friend, right?
Soapbox
4 Take a fresh look at pearls
“Retailers need to capitalise on
these changes. There is a market
for high quality freshwater pearls
among Australian consumers. Still
markedly cheaper than their South
Sea cousins, yet with a beauty that
enables them to be used in classic
and contemporary styles, and also in
bespoke designer pieces, the more
recent Chinese freshwater pearls
can provide retail jewellers with
a very profitable alternative to the
current offerings.”
Nerida Harris
- Pearl Perfection
STILL RELEVANT 10 YEARS ON
Paying the premium
“If you are training a person who is going
to be responsible for your social media
presence, it would be worthwhile discussing
the overall business objectives and how you
would like to be perceived by the public."
Emily Mobbs
Miranda Kerr new face of
Swarovski
Jewellery brand Swarovski has selected
Australian model and former Victoria’s
Secret Angel Miranda Kerr as the face of
its latest advertising campaign.
The new campaign includes
advertisements for print and television
and will be launched in 25 countries from
November. Kerr can be seen in a range of
the Austrian-based company’s jewellery
and accessories suitable for daytime and
evening wear.
The television commercials, featuring a
soundtrack composed and performed by
American singer and producer Pharrell
Williams, will be shown in Italy, and France.
CEO of Swarovski’s consumer goods
business, Robert Buchbauer, told Jeweller
that Kerr was selected for the campaign
because she embodied the modern spirit
and sense of style that was expressed in
the company’s collections.
Bevilles gets a makeover,
dumps giftware
Jewellery retail chain Bevilles has undergone
a major rebranding that will include the roll
out of “new-look” stores across Australia.
In addition to a new logo and tagline “Feel
Fabulous”, the retailer plans to enhance the
instore shopping experience with a fresh
colour scheme and design.
Stores will have a streamlined layout and
offer a greater selection of diamonds as
well as jewellery and watches and a muchreduced
emphasis on giftware.
READ ALL HEADLINES IN FULL ON
JEWELLERMAGAZINE.COM
32 | October 2023

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Lab Grown Diamonds
A GLIMMERING FUTURE
OR HIDDEN ETHICAL DILEMMA?
There’s a sweeping wave of change in the global diamond
market, and it’s sparking both interest and scrutiny. Consumers
are flocking to lab-grown diamonds, lauded for their nonmined
origins and identical physical properties to their mined
counterparts. However, a lingering question refuses to fade:
What about the energy used to produce them?

Introducing
Clear Neutral
In an age where every consumer choice carries weight, the
jewellery industry faces the essential task of aligning with ethical
standards and environmental consciousness. Enter Clear Neutral.

The journey
towards a truly
ethical diamond
doesn’t end in
the lab.
DENHAM HOPMAN
CLEAR NEUTRAL
W
hile lab-grown diamonds
are heralded as a modern
alternative, they also
cast a shadow on environmental
sustainability.
Cultivating these diamonds in a
laboratory is an energy-intensive
process. A single carat might
consume over 200 kWh of energy,
equivalent to a family’s entire weekly
consumption.
Indeed, lab-grown diamonds have
merits such as higher accessibility,
quality, and yield.
But we can’t ignore the environmental
costs. This complexity reveals a
nuanced landscape with its own
challenges, with some viewing
lab-grown diamonds as an ethical
solution and others questioning that
very ethics.
This has led to more interest in carbon
offsetting, which helps reduce the
harm diamond production can do to
the environment.
This approach helps build trust with
buyers, showing them that their
jewellery purchases are responsible
and not just about looking good.
As sustainability gains momentum,
companies like Clear Neutral are
leading the way.
By specialising in making lab-grown
diamonds carbon neutral, Clear
Neutral offers a precise solution
that integrates seamlessly with
existing suppliers.
Clear Neutral uses extensive
research and a proprietary system
to accurately assess a diamond’s
carbon footprint through its growing,
cutting, and polishing stages.
Considering factors like stone size,
country of origin, and growth type,
they offset emissions conservatively,
ensuring no negative impact is
overlooked. Investments in projects
such as renewable energy and
waste management underline their
commitment to ethical responsibility.
“The way we see it, the journey
towards a truly ethical diamond
doesn’t end in the lab; it continues in
the choices we make to mitigate our
impact on the planet,” says Denham
Hopman from Clear Neutral.

“With Clear Neutral, we’re striving
to make this complex process as
transparent and accessible as possible
for both retailers and consumers.”
The consumer market is growing
increasingly discerning. Recent studies
indicate that a staggering 90%* of
global consumers express a preference
for responsibly sourced products.
Moreover, 83%* are willing to dig a little
deeper into their pockets for ethically
produced merchandise.
When it comes to the jewellery sector,
the statistics are equally revealing.
An impressive 68% of Millennial and
Generation Z consumers say that
sustainability concerns could be a
deal-breaker in purchasing diamond
jewellery, according to a recent Bain &
Company survey on the global diamond
industry.
Embracing sustainable practices isn’t
just about saving the planet; it’s good
for business.
A 2023 Deloitte report revealed that
72% of employees in retail organisations
Ultimately, the journey
towards ethical
perfection is far from
over. Clear Neutral and
other initiatives like
it offer an incredible
opportunity for the
jewellery industry to
embrace responsible
practices.
with leading sustainability programs
are committed to their current jobs.
Buyers like Jake Goodwin also
appreciate an ethically sound supply
chain. “It’s more than just a gem; it’s a
statement of who I am,” he says.
The sentiment echoes among
consumers like Ainsley Caulfield, who
notes, “I love the idea of wearing a
diamond that’s not only beautiful but
also kinder to our planet.”
Jewellers themselves are taking notice
of the growing ethical concerns.
“More and more people are asking
about lab-grown diamonds. They
love that they’re more sustainable,
but they’re also concerned about the
energy used to produce them,” says
Jordan Cullen, Managing Director of
Cullen Jewellery.
“We need to ensure we’re addressing
those concerns head-on.”
Ultimately, the journey towards ethical
perfection is far from over. Clear Neutral
and other initiatives like it offer an
incredible opportunity for the jewellery
industry to embrace responsible
practices.
The opaquely symbiotic relationship
between jewellers, consumers, and the
environment will continue to evolve.
What seems clear, though, is that the
path towards ethical consumption and
responsible retailing is not just a trend.
It’s a necessary evolution that resonates
deeply with the buyers, employees,
and society at large.

Carbon Neutrality for
Modern Jewellers
Pricing to Fit Your Business
Starting from just 2% of the diamond’s value, carbon neutrality is
accessible. Your customers will likely not notice the price difference,
but the planet will certainly recognise the difference it makes.
Boost Employee Retention
A commitment to ethical sourcing aligns with
staff values, enhancing satisfaction and retention.
Future-Proof Your Brand
Aligning with sustainability and ethics ensure that your brand stays
relevant, respected, and ahead of the regulatory curve.
Join the Movement
Millennials and conscious buyers are demanding more. Don’t miss
the opportunity to align your business with their values and stand out.
Only Offset as You Sell. No Upfront Costs.
Your investment in sustainability doesn’t have to be burdensome.
Clear Neutral’s unique model allows you to offset as you sell.
No hidden fees, no initial investments – only pay for what you
need, when you need it.
Use Your Current Supplier
Stick with your trusted suppliers. Clear Neutral works alongside
your existing supply chain, providing carbon neutrality solutions
without the need to switch suppliers.

Clear
Neutral?
It’s your Path to
Sustainable Luxury
Carbon Offsetting, Simplified for You
Using existing identifiers, we measure the carbon footprint of
each lab-grown diamond through all phases: growing, cutting,
and polishing. We then offset it by investing in environmental
projects like renewable energy. This intricate task requires
expertise; let us handle the complexities for you.
Carbon Credits Verification
Clear Neutral only purchases internationally-recognised
carbon credits. They all meet the following requirements: real,
measurable, additional, permanent, and independently verified.
Authenticity Reports
Our physical reports provide tangible proof of your ethical
sourcing. Authenticity is key to building customer trust.
Online and In-Store
Marketing Materials Provided
We provide professional marketing materials, customised
for your store and website, that highlight your commitment
to sustainability.
Transform Your Jewellery Business
with Clear Neutral Today.
Your customers want this.
Your business needs this.
With Clear Neutral, the path is clear,
and the future is bright.
CONTACT US TODAY
1300 208 897
www.clearneutral.org
@clearneutralofficial
info@clearneutral.org

REVIEW
Gems
Gemmologists who changed the game:
Richard T. Liddicoat Jr.
In the latest instalment of the ‘game-changing
gemmologists’ series, we introduce a figure of such
influence that he likely requires little introduction -
Richard T. Liddicoat Jr.
Born in March of 1918 in Michigan, Liddicoat’s father
was a professor of engineering at the University of
Michigan. His grandfathers worked as copper miners
from Cornwall.
Encouraged to explore the world from an early age,
Liddicoat became interested in geology. He completed
his bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan in
1939, followed by a master's degree in mineralogy.
In 1940, Liddicoat joined the Gemological Institute of
America (GIA) in Los Angeles as sssistant director of
education. Robert Shipley had established the GIA just
nine years earlier and with its rapid expansion, needed
support in leading its education direction.
After a recommendation from his professor, Liddicoat
joined the GIA in Los Angeles in 1940 as the assistant
director of education.
After receiving a promotion to director of education in
a short time, Liddicoat left GIA in 1942 to serve in the
US Navy during World War II. Upon his return, he was
re-appointed to his position at the GIA and also named
director of research. While teaching gemmology and
developing courses, Liddicoat also worked on producing
the Handbook of Gem Identification, the first book of its
kind designed to assist students through their studies
and aid the general practising gemmologist.
In 1952, Liddicoat was named Shipley’s successor
and accepted the position of executive director of GIA.
During this time, the jewellery industry faced an ongoing
dilemma with standardising grading diamonds.
In collaboration with colleagues across Los Angeles and
New York, including Robert Crowningshield, Liddicoat
developed the iconic ‘4Cs’ system by which diamonds are
routinely graded worldwide today.
Following refining the system, he travelled through the
US, teaching this new grading system to the broader
jewellery industry.
This new system allowed diamond dealers and retailers
to communicate with each other and their consumers in
the same language — this minimised discrepancies and
allowed diamonds to be categorised on a uniform basis.
Without this system, initiatives such as the Rapaport
Diamond Report would not be possible.
Richard T. Liddicoat Jr.
GEMSTONE RESEARCHER
» Born: 2 March 1918
Kearsarge, Michigan
» Died: 23 July 2002 (Age 84)
Richard T. Liddicoat Jr. developed
the iconic 'Four Cs' system by which
diamonds are graded.
Lustrous pearls
Liddicoat continued to assist the jewellery industry in
the following years, complementing the establishment
of gemmological education at GIA with an additional,
tailored curriculum for retail jewellers.
By the 1960s, Liddicoat oversaw training some of
America’s largest jewellery retail teams. Around the
same time, he travelled to Japan to gather information
and develop a course on cultured pearls, which also led
to the development of the first GIA pearl grading system.
Liddicoat’s effort in developing crucial contacts in Japan
led to the GIA’s courses being offered in Japanese - the
first language other than English - for the first time.
Liddicoat was also an avid supporter of innovation on
the technology front. He contributed to and developed
himself several gemmological instruments in his time.
These include the Diamolite, the ProportionScope, and
the prism spectroscope.
Long-lasting legacy
His continued support of the gemstone and jewellery
industry was evidenced by regular attendance at
American Gem Society Conclaves, International
Gemmological Conferences, and the International
Kimberlite Conferences.
A firm believer in spreading knowledge, Liddicoat
expanded the GIAs gemmological library, now
named the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological
Library and Information Centre, and ensured it was
globally accessible. In honour of his 40-year dedication to
serving the gemmological and jewellery industries, the
National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC
named a gemstone species of tourmaline after Liddicoat
in 1977 – Liddicoatite.
After 60 years of mentorship, innovation, and devotion
while still serving on the board of governors at the GIA,
Richard T. Liddicoat passed away in 2002.
He left behind him a significant legacy, highlighted by
substantial contributions and insight, that has changed
the gemmology industry forever.
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
October 2023 | 41

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PRECIOUS METAL
Go Gold
Bulgari | Sotheby
Gold is a vital offering for many jewellery retailers – but how do
you ensure you maximise your sales opportunities? SAMUEL ORD
explores the weird and wonderful world of gold jewellery.
As the recovery from the impact of the
global COVID pandemic continues,
the past few years have been a
fascinating time in the world of gold jewellery.
Whether economic conditions are positive or
negative, gold jewellery is consistently in high
consumer demand.
A cursory reflection on history shows that gold
adornments have been cherished for thousands
of years.
In many ancient cultures, gold was popular in
jewellery and art because of its value, aesthetic
qualities, ductility, and malleability.
This passion for gold is evident in the metal's role
in cultural folklore and legends.
Today, gold jewellery is experiencing a resurgence
in style and design as a new generation of
consumers challenges traditional fashion
conventions.
“In recent years, gold jewellery has reached
staple status. What stylish woman doesn't top
her tailoring and all-neutral looks with a pair of
hoops in this warm metal?” asks Abigail Southan
of Harper’s Bazaar.
“Before, gold was seen as too blingy and
costume-like to be worn every day, but now, it's
celebrated for its simplicity. Jewellery designers
have moved away from baroque settings, opting
instead for pieces with smooth curves, clean
lines and subtly abstract shapes.”
Southan continues: “Still, that doesn't mean you
can't get playful with your styling. A slender chain
can go from understated to bohemian when
layered, and even the most traditional of rings
will add drama when stacked together.
“Brands are designing with mixing and matching
in mind, creating versatile, buildable looks so
that customers can get the most out of their
purchases.”
According to the latest analysis from The World
Gold Council, Australia experienced a 30 per cent
increase in demand for gold jewellery in 2022.
This was attributed to the comparatively weak
demand in 2021 due to the pandemic restrictions.
Despite these factors, the report suggests
that annual demand was healthy at 11 tonnes,
supported by a 22 per cent year-on-year increase
in the fourth quarter.
Globally, jewellery consumption was virtually flat
at 478 tonnes in the opening quarter of this year.
Jewellery manufacturing exceeded consumption
as stock building added just over 30 tonnes to
inventories worldwide.
In Australia, the news was positive, with
consumers spending $AU210 million on gold
jewellery, a seven per cent increase on a year-onyear
comparison.
So, what does this mean for your store?
Despite the prevailing adverse conditions of the
economy, the demand is still there; however, if
you’d like to improve your gold jewellery sales,
you may need to focus on your execution.
43 | October 2023

Go Gold | PRECIOUS METALS
Stephanie Albertson
Louise Olsen
Fine-tune your presentation
American actor Will Rogers said it best: “You never get a
second chance to make a first impression.”
First impressions are ever-lasting, and in the retail
business, the visual presentation of your store – and gold
jewellery – can be the difference between welcoming a
loyal customer and bidding farewell to a stranger.
Much of your success at retail and the sales you generate
is contingent upon your visual merchandising skills. The
fundamentals are easy to understand.
Customers are not drawn to sparse or poorly executed
displays. Stores that stay the same, no matter what time
of the year, are forgotten in favour of those with a better
in-store experience.
Every fixture, product, and detail should encourage a
customer to not only stay in your store but also to shop
with you again in the future.
Lakefront property (LFP) is a US retail term for the most
valuable ‘real estate’ on your sales floor.
Since 90 per cent of customers enter a store and look or
turn to the right, your LFP can significantly impact sales.
If your store has a centre door, your LFP is at the front
right side of the sales floor.
Regardless of where your LFP is situated, it is a critical
space that must be included in your themed displays
and regularly updated. If you’re struggling to sell gold
jewellery, this is where it needs to be located!
Georganne Bender is a retail strategist and an expert in
visual merchandising. Bender says a critical tool in the
jeweller’s arsenal is often overlooked.
“Speed bump displays work: they slow shoppers down.
These are also the first displays customers see upon
KEY STATS
Gold Breakdown
30%
Increase in demand for gold
jewellery in the past year in
Australia.
$23 billion
Estimated contribution of
the gold industry to the
Australian economy in 2021.
22%
Increase in demand for gold
in Australia in the fourth
quarter of 2022.
478 tonnes
Global jewellery
consumption in the opening
quarter of this year.
entering the store and a good indicator of what to expect
on the floor,” Bender says.
“While most jewellery stores are small and don’t require
speed bumps, a well-located table can do the trick.
Change or update your speed bump displays once
a week, more often if your store has a lot of repeat
customer traffic.”
If you’d like to direct your customer’s attention towards
your gold jewellery, a speed bump display may be a step
in the right direction.
Store-front windows are the ‘eyes of the store’ and
the first thing a customer sees. Unless your store is
in a high-traffic area, you should change your window
displays weekly.
"Gold displays a broad spectrum of colours
depending on how it is alloyed with other metals.
Gold is usually defined by its luminous, rich, warm
colour, unmatched by different metals. "
The lighting within your store can influence a customer’s
decision-making and purchasing behaviour.
According to one study, brightly lit spaces provoke
impulse purchasing, while soft lighting slows down
customers' pace and increases their time in your store.
Gold jewellery is unique because of the warmth and
richness of colour it displays – and the lighting in your
store should capitalise on these characteristics. Don’t
hide your gold jewellery in some dark corner!
You should carefully consider the lighting in your store
and ensure that these principles are considered.
44 4 | October 2023

Long live
doing what's
right.
BECKS is on a path of evolution.
Continuous improvement and
sustainability is at the core of our
business practices. This journey of
innovation will help us to continue
to deliver world class wedding rings
and jewellery products, crafted in
our South Australian studio.
For both our customers and their
clients, we stand by three powerful
words. Long live love.
BECKS, working towards:
Circular
Economy
Sustainable
Packaging
Positive
Impact
Meaningful
Accreditations
Toll Free. 1800 888 585
Email. info@becksgroup.au
Web. becksgroup.au

Go Gold | PRECIOUS METALS
SOURCES OF GOLD DEMAND - WORLD GOLD COUNCIL
When is it a good time to buy gold in Australia?
There is often a misconception that positive economic growth
is bad for gold. The recent inflation figures from both the
RBA (4.9 per cent), and the Fed (3 per cent), as well as other
major economies has been encouraging.
Consumer Price Indices (CPI) appear to be moving in the
right direction. Should this continue, there may be talk
around the potential of rates decreasing to help kickstart
local economies, and thereby enhance consumer spending.
As almost half (44 per cent) of gold’s demand originates from
the jewellery and technology sectors, economic improvement
generally results in increased appetite for such items. This
is where regional demand tailwinds are relevant. Consumer
demand, while global, is heavily weighted towards China and
India who account for more than half of jewellery demand.
INVESTMENT
38%
Bundling?
Bundling is a method to direct attention to specific products within your
store. If your gold jewellery sales need to improve, consider bundling as
a strategy to boost performance.
A gold necklace, a pair of earrings, and a bracelet can be displayed
together as a set.
This encourages customers to visualise themselves wearing each
product together as part of a ‘complete’ look.
This is a powerful tool for upselling for jewellery retailers – encouraging
customers to purchase multiple items rather than a ‘one off’ piece.
Given recent changes in consumer patterns, this is an important
concept to consider. Romil Patel owns Fiji Jewels and oversees the
operations of four jewellery stores.
“We’ve seen a shift in consumer patterns in our stores. I think there’s
a new approach to fashion, particularly among younger women,”
he tells Jeweller.
“I think the younger generation is conscious of the ‘complete package’.
When it comes to outfits, they want every accessory to complement the
others. There’s also a strong desire to avoid repeating outfits.
“When you’re frequently purchasing an entirely new ‘look’, the costs can
quickly add up, and that’s why I think there’s a move away from precious
gemstones and precious metals towards fashion jewellery.”
"Gold jewellery is unique because of the warmth and richness
of colour it displays - and the lighting in your store should
capatilise on these characteristics. Don't hold your gold
jewellery in some dark corner! "
TECH
7%
JEWELLERY
37%
CENTRAL BANKS
18%
Based on 10-year average annual net demand estimates ending in 2022. Includes: Jewellery
and technology net recycling, in addition to bars and coins, ETFs and central bank demand
which are historically reported on a net basis. It excludes over-the-counter demand owing to
limitations in data availability. Net jewellery and technology demand computed assuming 90
per cent of annual recycling comes from jewellery and 10 per cent from technology.
Sources: Metals Focus, Refinitiv GFMS; World Gold Council; Gold Hub
Patel suggests that jewellers should be mindful of this new consumer
mindset and its impact on personal budgets when considering what
products they stock.
“A beautiful set of diamond studs can match any outfit, but I think
people are still looking for more flash and style,” he says.
“With metal prices the way they are, younger customers would instead
get multiple colourful items than purchase one exceptional piece of
fine jewellery.
“As a jeweller, that doesn’t mean you need to reduce yourself to selling
very cheap products; it’s about finding a healthy balance in the middle.”
Relationship building with education
Now more than ever, consumers are looking for an educational
experience when dealing with businesses and offering essential insights
is vital to exchanges with customers.
This phenomenon is not just limited to gold jewellery sales; even for
casual observers, jewellery and gemmology can be a fascinating field.
It’s important to remember that just because you may be knowledgeable
about the topic doesn’t mean your customers are.
While educating customers on topics like the state of the industry or
the history of jewellery can be a time-intensive investment, it’s a
valuable avenue for increasing rapport and improving the likelihood of
repeat business.
Recent research has suggested that consumers are more likely to
purchase from a business or brand if they engage with ‘early-stage’
educational content.
46 | October 2023

PRECIOUS METALS | Go Gold
Said another way, customers enjoy dealing
with a business where they feel they learned
something important from the experience.
This insight is intriguing; however, it leaves
us with an important question – how can this
information be used to improve gold
jewellery sales?
Australian consumers have a pride and
passion for purchasing local products. In an
increasingly globalised world, losing sight of
the characteristics that make ‘homegrown’
jewellery unique can be easy.
Educating your customers on the uniquely
Australian nature of gold jewellery products is a
strategy that establishes rapport and appeals to
the desire to ‘buy local’.
Take BECKS as an example - a proudly
Australian-owned precious metals company
that supplies an extensive range of products and
services to the jewellery industry.
Managing director Greville Ingham says that
emphasising the origins of the jewellery is a
point of pride.
“We have an Australian product line where we’ve
refined and manufactured the gold ourselves, and
it features Australian gemstones like sapphires
and diamonds and opals,” Ingham said.
“Everything associated with the piece is
Australian so that we can stamp the piece with
the Kangaroo hallmark, and everyone that sees
the jewellery from end-to-end sees it and knows
that everything has been uniquely Australian
every step.”
It’s a similar story for Palloys, which
manufactures the iconic gold Melbourne Cup
each year.
Palloys offers a guarantee that its gold is
sourced from Australia.
“That guarantee means that when you partner
with Palloys, your customers wear the most
ethically sourced and sustainably refined 100
per cent Australian precious metals,” general
manager Richard Ashman told Jeweller.
Gold medals belong to winners
While some customers are concerned with
provenance, not all are. If you find sales strong
in other areas outside of gold, perhaps it’s time
to refine your pitch.
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Go Gold | PRECIOUS METALS
Jade Trau
When shopping for jewellery, customers need
to consider colour preference, skin tone, skin
sensitivities, the durability and weight of the
material, maintenance factors, and price.
Gold is incredibly durable and is the most nonreactive
of all metals: it won't react with oxygen
and most chemicals, meaning it won't tarnish,
rust, or perish.
This makes it ideal for jewellery use when
intended to retain its value and finish indefinitely.
Gold is a very workable metal, another reason
why jewellers and goldsmiths love to use it in
their designs.
Gold displays a broad spectrum of colours
depending on how it is alloyed with other metals.
Gold is usually defined by its luminous, rich, warm
colour, unmatched by different metals.
"From classic yellow gold jewellery to romantic
rose gold jewellery and the more subtle white gold
jewellery, there are so many variations of gold out
there that are not just limited to colour," writes
Emily Schinella of Shiels.
"There’s the precious solid gold, the slightly
more affordable silver-filled gold, dainty gold
vermeil and the more carefree gold-plated silver
jewellery."
She added: "Each type of gold jewellery brings
something new to the table and allows practically
every budget out there to have a little touch of gold
in their life, whether it's a funky pair of gold hoop
earrings or a few stylish gold chains."
People's skin tone traditionally determined the
choice of which colour metal to wear: warmer
colours pair well with gold and cooler colours
with silver. For those looking for ‘hefty’ jewellery,
gold is the right choice.
Gold doesn’t tarnish; however, oils, makeup,
creams, and cleaning products can dull the metal.
Fortunately, soapy water and a soft cloth are often
all anyone needs to clean gold – so maintenance
requirements are light.
It was once believed that gold and silver should
never be worn together, which might be a
sticking point for any of your customers who have
purchased white metals in the past.
"Now more than ever, consumers are
looking for an educational experience
when dealing with businesses and
offering essential insights is vital to
exchanges with customers. "
That's no longer the case; many people are
enthusiastically mixing metals.
"Throw out the old-fashioned notion that you
should always match your jewellery and never mix
them. The archaic rule is almost as pervasive as
calling socks with crocs a fashion faux pas," writes
Ruby Primrose Stephens for Harper's Bazaar.
"In the realm of fashion, the age-old saying 'less
is more' may ring true for some, but when it
comes to mixing metals, it’s all about the “more
is more” approach.
Combining the warm tone of gold with the cool
demeanor of silver may seem daunting, and
some people may feel that mixing metals is too
bold or risky."
If you’re dealing with a customer who finds mixing
metals overwhelming, encourage them to begin
with a statement piece, such as a necklace or
bracelet, and build their look around it.
The statement piece offers the customer a
foundation or focal point to build upon.
Indeed, mixing metals can look visually attractive if
you vary the textures. Customers should consider
combining smooth and matte finishes or shiny and
brushed metals.
Have no fear
If you’re finding that sales of gold jewellery at your
store are struggling – there’s no reason to panic
just yet.
Demand is still strong; however, you may need to
refine your approach to sales.
By engaging early with informative information,
you demonstrate your expertise and reassure your
customers that they’ve come to the right place – in
other words, they’re in safe hands.
Gold has played an important role in the history of
Australia, and that unique ‘homegrown’ appeal is
a strong drawcard for many customers hoping to
‘buy local’.
Finally, for those customers who are simply
choosing other metals over gold – it’s always
helpful to remind them of the many unique and
unrivalled qualities of gold jewellery.
48 8 | | October 2023 2023

PROFIT OR PLAY...? DO BOTH!
MARCH 24–25, 2024
GOLD COAST CONVENTION
& EXHIBITION CENTRE
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOLLOWING BUYING GROUP MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE
Supported by
Organised by
Est. 1990
AU S T R A L I A’S N O.1
JEWELLERY EVENTS
Register NOW!

ADVERTISING FEATURE
2023 Buying Guide
'Tis the
Season
The holiday period is the most important
time of the year for jewellery retailers and
it's vital that your store is prepared. Jeweller
presents a Christmas Buying Guide, jampacked
with products that will position your
business for success as 2023 draws to an end.
51 | October 2023

2023 'Tis the Season | ADVERTISING PROMOTION
Adidas Originals
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
An 80's retro digital vibe coming
straight from adidas Originals'
rich archive and combined with
modern flair. With a green resin
strap, the Digital Two watch is
a fun accessory with serious
timekeeping features, including
time and date display, alarm
and chronograph functions.
Athan
athan.com.au
Italian-Made Tennis Mounts:
Athan's premium range of
Italian-made tennis mounts are
crafted in 18-carat white and
yellow gold and are available
in multiple sizes, styles, and
finishes, ready to be set with
your choice of gemstones.
Paperclip Huggies: Athan's
best-selling Paperclip Huggies,
are available in three colours
and both small and medium
sizes. The meticulously crafted
18-carat gold earrings feature
clean and modern lines that
can be stacked or worn alone.
August Berg
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
Made using the finest materials
and with the utmost regard for
Morris & Co.'s heritage patterns,
this new collection reflects the
value of craftspersonship and
beauty first espoused by William
Morris. The double rose gold
case in 30mm, made of pure
high-quality surgical grade
stainless steel (316L), is paired
with an Italian leather Cochineal
Prink strap. The delicate crown
features an engraved "AB-infinity
logo completing the elegant look.
Autore
autorepearls.com.au
Hercules Knot Lariat: Detailed
in 18-carat rose gold with white
diamonds and white South Sea
pearls measuring 11 - 13mm.
Serpent Necklace: Detailed in
18-carat yellow gold with pink,
champagne and yellow diamonds,
pink sapphires and a 9-11mm white
South Sea pearl strand.
Winner of Best in Pearls at
Inhorgenta, Munich.
Aztec Gold & Silver
aztec_gs@yahoo.com.au
Aztec Gold & Silver produces
unique handmade sterling silver
bangles, and necklaces with
matching bracelets, pendants, and
chains, as well as a collection of
earrings to enhance the range.
Aztec have discovered a remarkable
collection of summer colours –
the technique of adding indelible
shades of bright colours on
pendants and earrings is a wellkept
secret by our silversmith.
52 | October 2023

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2023 'Tis the Season | ADVERTISING PROMOTION
1.85’’ HD
Large Display
BECKS
becksgroup.au
Explore a fusion of passion
for Australian metals and fine
craft. Australian sapphires and
diamonds are proudly crafted in
the BEKS South Australian studio
to embody the unique beauty of
the country's natural treasures.
$169
Classique Watches
SAMS GROUP AUSTRALIA
classiquewatches.com
Classique Watches is Australia’s
longest-operating watch company,
founded in 1967. Classique boasts
an extensive array of designs
ranging from bracelets and
leather wristwatches to unique
and classic pocket watches. The
Pierce Watch is available in a
myriad of metal colours, with
many dial options, as well as the
choice to add diamonds to the
case. This piece epitomises luxury
and elegance, perfect for any
occasion and taste.
TIME FOR LOVE .
$89
Unit 4, 17-23 Walter St,
Moorabbin, VIC 3189
Ph. no: 03 9553 3777
info@westendcollection.com.au
www.westendcollection.com.au
Coeur de Lion
TIMESUPPLY
coeurdelionjewellery.com.au
Coeur de Lion has just released new and
fashion-forward colourways for their
Iconic GeoCubes, many featuring natural
gemstones. Additional new styles to add
diversity, all in vibrant colours, to highlight
the coming Spring and Summer seasons.

Black Black Opal Opal Direct
Direct
blackopaldirect.com
Discover Discover timeless timeless elegance elegance with with with the the Tatiana the Tatiana
Collection Collection by by Black by Black Opal Opal Direct. Direct. Each
Each
pendant pendant and and ring and ring is ring is expertly is expertly handcrafted
with with with 100 100 per 100 per cent per cent cent natural natural Australian Australian Opals.
Opals.
Set Set in Set in your in your choice choice of of 18-carat of 18-carat yellow, yellow, rose,
rose,
or or white or white gold, gold, as as well as well well as as sterling as sterling silver, silver, with with with
the the option the option to to add add to exquisite add exquisite diamonds.
diamonds.
Clear Clear Neutral
clearneutral.org
At At Clear At Clear Neutral, Neutral, diamonds diamonds reflect
reflect
responsibility. The The company The company meticulously
estimates estimates and and thoughtfully and offsets offsets the the the
carbon carbon footprint footprint of of lab-created of diamonds
diamonds
for for your for your customers. customers. Proudly Proudly offering offering a a a
specialised, user-friendly, and and traceable and traceable
neutralisation of of lab-created of diamond
diamond
carbon carbon footprints. footprints. Elevate Elevate your your your brand’s
brand’s
reputation reputation and and make and make your your your diamonds
diamonds
100 100 per 100 per cent per cent cent carbon-neutral today.
today.
Desert Desert Rose Rose Jewellery
ELLENDALE DIAMONDS AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALIA
desertrosejewellery.com.au
Dive Dive Dive into into elegance into elegance with with these with these 18-carat
18-carat
white white and and rose and rose rose gold gold pendant gold pendant and and and
earrings earrings set, set, adorned set, adorned with with the with the allure the allure
of of 6-7PP of 6-7PP pink pink diamonds pink diamonds sourced sourced from from from
the the renowned the renowned Argyle Argyle mine.
mine.

2023 'Tis the Season | ADVERTISING PROMOTION
Icon Collection
ELLENDALE DIAMONDS AUSTRALIA
ellendalediamonds.com.au
Crafted in 18-carat gold and featuring
white and pink diamonds from the Argyle
mine, this trilogy ring eludes brilliance
and grace with every glance. Experience
the timeless elegance redefined.
Fortune Opal
fortuneopal.com
Fortune Opal mine and source
black opal directly from Lightning
Ridge in Australia. Backed by more
than 90 years of collective industry
experience the staff supplies
these stunning gemstones to the
wholesale market worldwide.
Furla
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
This elevated timepiece features
an unusual face in deep olive
green, textured with a tiny repeat
pattern of the Furla Arch logo and
set with three bezel-set, white
crystal indices. The faceted, sixsided
bezel adds an architectural
edge to the round case, with
vintage-style arrow hands.
Gemetrix
delta@gemetrix.com.au
Delta Diamond Laboratory brings
decades of diamond scientific
research experience to offer services
in analysing and determining the origin
of diamonds. The lab specialises in
certifying Argyle origin for pink and
violet diamonds. It can also identify
synthetic/lab-created diamonds
Georgini
WEST END COLLECTION
westendcollection.com.au
Discover Diamonds by Georgini
— a fusion of craftsmanship and
elegance redefining luxury. This
collection embodies sophistication
and timelessness with 925 sterling
silver, available in rhodium or
18-carat gold-plating, radiating a
luminous aura.
GUESS
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
Make headlines with this GUESS
Watch. A rich green dial is
complimented by the 42mm
gold-tone case and sleek black
silicone strap.
56 | October 2023

GUESS Jewellery
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
A true GUESS icon, this gold-tone
bangle features crystals, studs and
the GUESS 4G logo. Pairs well with
a GUESS watch or the matching
hoops to elevate any look.
Hugo & Harry
IMPERIAL JEWELS
hugoandharryboutique.com
Hugo & Harry is an jewellery
boutique showcasing
a collection of certified
gemstones, gold and silver
jewellery gathered from across
the globe ensuring only the
best products provided.
Ikecho
ikecho.com.au
Upgrade your jewellery collection with
Ikecho's beautiful black spinel and Keshi
freshwater pearl necklace, a combination
of sophistication and natural allure. Ikecho
has carefully chosen each element to
harmonise the sleek charm of black spinel
with the elegance of Keshi pearls. Also
on offer is the matching spinel and Keshi
bracelet to create a stunning set.
EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BY
AU +61 2 8543 4600 NZ +64 9 480 2211 | designaaccessories.com.au

2023 'Tis the Season | ADVERTISING PROMOTION
Ikecho
ikecho.com.au
Ikecho introduces a combination of modern
sophistication and natural allure – the sterling
silver paperclip chain necklace adorned with a
captivating Biwa-shaped freshwater pearl. This
necklace embodies a blend of contemporary
design and the timeless elegance of nature's
treasures, creating a statement piece that
effortlessly enhances any neckline. Matching
earrings and bracelets are also available.
Imperial Jewels
imperialjewellery.com.au
Imperial Jewels is proudly
Australian owned by second
generation jewellers and designers.
The products are sourced
worldwide, with care and attention
to detail given to every fine jewellery
piece in these collections.
LJ West
scottwestdiamonds.com
K&K
kandk.net.au
K&K is passionate about
Australian sapphires, selecting
beautiful gemstones to meet
customers' and retailers' exact
standards at competitive prices.
Pinkberry: Scott West's Argyle pink
opal berry is a contemporary series
with the sparkle of pink diamonds
accented by halos of pink opals in a
Pinkberry-inspired design. The pink
opal is associated with the healing
of our emotions, and is known as
the 'stone of resolution.'
Mark McAskil
markmcaskill.com.au
From Mark McAskill's new
AURA Collection: Splendid
5x4mm oval pink sapphire centre
stone glimmers surrounded
by brilliant diamonds and free
flow set shoulders in a stunning
contemporary and elegant design.
Aurole: A Scott West signature
collection, The Aureole Collection
features Argyle pink diamonds from
Western Australia. Inspired by the
beautiful Aureole or Sun Halo, a
ring of light surrounding the sun, a
phenomenon that is visible during a
rare solar eclipse.
58 | October 2023

MGDL – BOSS
MGDL DISTRIBUTION
mgdldistribution.com.au
BOSS continues to make its
presence felt in the sporting
world with the introduction of the
BOSS Top, an innovative watch
highlighting the brand’s heritage.
This chronograph with date function
has a unique case with integrated
lugs for a seamless outline and is
fitted with a link bracelet in 316L
stainless steel. An angled reflector
ring and circular-brushed dial with
satin sub-eyes add dimension to this
sport-luxe timepiece.
Mr CVD
mrcvd.com
Mr CVD is a global leader in
la-created diamond jewellery.
Stocking items that cover all
tennis types of jewellery as
well as eternity bands. Open to
custom orders. In-house CAD
designer and a large supply of
loose diamonds up to 10 carats
in all sizes.
My Little Angel
PATERSON FINE JEWELLERY
pfj.com.au
Elevate kids' fashion with these
on-trend necklaces. Crafted in yellowplated
sterling silver and adorned with
vibrant multi-coloured cubic zirconia
stones, these initial pendants add a
playful and personalised touch to any
outfit. The adjustable chain ensures a
comfortable fit, with a maximum length
of 40cm. Available in letters A-Z.
Featuring delicate pink tones of
Argyle pink diamonds
PinkKimberley.com.au
Become a stockist today 02 9290 2199

2023 'Tis the Season | ADVERTISING PROMOTION
Nomination
TIMESUPPLY
nomination-jewellery.com.au
A highly collectable range, the Nomination
Composable Collection is fantastic for
repeat business. New links are released
regularly, and with thousands to choose from,
customers have all the reason they need
to come back for more. The Composable
bracelets and links make excellent gifts and
are perfect for Christmas.
Pink Kimberley
SAMS GROUP AUSTRALIA
pinkkimberley.com.au
The newest Pink Kimberley rings combine
the luxury and class of Argyle pink
diamonds with modern, stylish designs.
The Kimberley Bimbimbie, Nandali and
Tatiara rings showcase exquisite pink
diamonds crafted with the finest quality
craftsmanship and materials. Argyle pink
diamonds are among the world’s most
valuable and rare precious gemstones,
captured by these exquisite ring designs.
Not only does Nomination
Italy offer the highly
collectable Composable
Link collection, but also
a fabulous range of
fashion jewellery. Sterling
silver and 24-carat gold
plating feature in the new
release of this season’s
most popular range –
Colourwave.
Planet Almas
planetalmas.com.au
With more than 70 years of
combined experience in the
jewellery industry, Planet
Almas presents pieces that
are well-priced, beautiful and
possess a high-end finish.
R&R
sales@rraustralia.com.au
Collector's Edition: A carefully
curated selection of pink and violet
diamonds from Australia’s Argyle
Mine. Independently tested, graded,
and sealed for your security by
the Antwerp-based International
Gemmological Institute (IGI).
Versatility: Tennis bracelets
(yellow and white diamonds)
with a row of 39 fancy yellow
radiant cut diamonds totalling
20 carats in an 18-carat yellow
gold tennis bracelet setting.
Also available is a tennis
bracelet containing 26 GIAcertified
oval D colour VVS1-VS2
diamonds totalling 13.16-carats
with blue and pink diamonds in
the clasp.
60 | October 2023

Opals by Emmanuel Christianos
christianos.com
Opals by Emmanuel Christianos carries on a
business which began in the 1950s in Coober
Pedy. The company have since moved to Lightning
Ridge where they drill, mine consolidate
(wholesale) and export fine Australian Opals
including incredible black and crystal opals. The
company is run by George Emmanuel Christianos
and his wife Liya as a third-generation business.
Orange River
orangeriver.com.au
Captivating: Elegant four-carat look flower cluster studs
in 18-carat white gold with 14 natural diamonds weighing
a total of 2.02-carats.
Natural beauty: Remarkable three-carat look flower
cluster studs with natural diamonds totalling 1.48 carats.
Qudo
qudojewellery.com.au
New additions to the
highly collectable Qudo
Interchangeable range feature
charms to add to hoop earrings
and chains. The colours and
styles match existing ring tops
for a coordinated look. There
are also new interchangeable
bracelets, ring top styles and
a vast array of new colours,
offering great opportunities for
collectors of this unique brand.
RJ Scanlan
scanlanandco.com.au
Ready for Christmas? Take a look
at the specials on offer at RJ Scalan
- popular commercial products for
every market. Gold and diamonds,
freshwater pearls, semi-precious
jewellery and silver. These
collections are European-made.
61 | October 2023

2023 'Tis the Season | ADVERTISING PROMOTION
Rosefield
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
Rosefield
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
This hand-made design is
crafted with a mix of enamel
and gold. The vibrant emerald
green enamel creates a
harmonious contrast that
captures the eye. An everyday
essential that is easily mixed
and. matched.
An iconic watch shape with a
colourful twist. The emerald
green coloured mother of
pearl dial creates an everchanging
spectacle of light
and colour, giving a luxurious
look to this watch.
Sapphire Dreams
SAMS GROUP AUSTRALIA
sapphiredreams.com.au
Australian Loose Sapphires are
the perfect starting point when
designing custom jewellery.
Sapphire Dreams Australia has
access to the largest range of loose
sapphire stones, receiving rough
from Queensland and New South
Wales mines and working with
experienced gemstone cutters to
ensure perfection.
Stone & Silver
stonesandsilver.com.au
Classic and timeless, this
beautiful .925 sterling
silver locket necklace
from Stones & Silver is
highlighted by the sparkle
of the Cubic Zirconia.
Functional locket on a 40cm
+ 5cm extension chain. Also
available in .925 sterling
silver with gold plating.
Sapphire Dreams
SAMS GROUP AUSTRALIA
sapphiredreams.com.au
Sapphire Dreams Australia
showcases exquisite
Australian sapphires
in stylish and luxurious
jewellery designs. The
18-carat collection features
bold, vibrant sapphires
complimented by sparkling
white diamonds. These
Australian sapphires, prized
for their broad spectrum of
colours, including the exquisite
Teal and Parti stones, are
highly coveted gemstones.
62 | October 2023

Thomas Sabo
DURAFLEX GROUP AUSTRALIA
thomassabo.com.au
Thomas Darbey returns Sabo introduces this season an
intricately embodying designed the iconic series T detail of of
crocodile Ted Baker, motifs adding complete a refined with touch
3D to your skin style. and teeth. The rich Crystal green details sunray
highlight dial matches the with hand the finished elegant oxidised goldtone
sterling stainless silver steel pieces. case, connected Black
925
and with emerald the feminine green gold zirconia tone mesh stones
accentuate bracelet through the range a T design which element includes
rings, embodied pendants with crystals. and bangles.
Sif Jakobs Jewellery
TIMESUPPLY
sifjakobs.com.au
Sif Jakobs offers eye-catching and
elegant jewellery creations with a cool
Nordic touch. The style is glamorous
with a high-quality finish and dazzling
gemstones. The brand has expanded
rapidly and regularly finds mention in
popular fashion and lifestyle media.
Stow Lockets
stowlockets.com
Discover Stow Lockets,
where women can express
their memories, dreams, and
accomplishments. The Virtues
collection promises to infuse
lockets with a vibrant splash of
colour, adding a touch of sparkle
to everyday life as a unique and
personalised jewellery gift.
Ted Baker
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
Darbey returns this season
embodying the iconic T detail of
Ted Baker, adding a refined touch
to your style. The rich green sunray
dial matches with the elegant goldtone
stainless steel case, connected
with the feminine gold tone mesh
bracelet through a T design element
embodied with crystals.
63 | October 2023

2023 'Tis the Season | ADVERTISING PROMOTION
The Battery Man
thebatteryman.com.au
Looking for new ways to increase your
business? Try a Seiko Watch Battery
Replacement Service. Ask The Battery
Man about their Seiko Starter Kits,
Seiko tools and spare parts.
UNOde50
TIMESUPPLY
unode50.com.au
If you are looking for something
bold and exclusive, UNOde50 offers
designs that stand out from the
crowd. Handmade in Spain, the
designs are organic and unique,
like the new Charismatic collection
released for Spring/Summer,
with bold chains and vibrant blue
gemstones, or more subtle soft pink
stones, statement pieces that are
sure to become another iconic design.
TIMEX
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
The Marlin Chronograph
Tachymeter boasts the distinction
of being the first chronograph
in the Marlin line, as well as the
first Marlin powered by a quartz
movement. This beautifully detailed
rendition features a tachymeter
index along its outer minute track
to measure speed and distance,
a unique date window placement,
and a perforated natural brown
leather strap.
TIMEX UFC
DESIGNA ACCESSORIES
designaaccessories.com.au
The UFC Colossus comes
equipped with the indestructible
design and core timing features
that fighters and fans need to
compete at the highest level.
Its custom analogue-digital
functionality includes a world
time feature, alarm, calendar,
and chronograph that level
up its traditional mode of
timekeeping.
64 | October 2023

Wolski
wolski.ww@gmail.com
Colour Gemstones: Wolski is a
supplier of natural gemstones
including sapphire, ruby, emerald,
aquamarine, peridot, tanzanite,
tourmaline, topaz, amethyst,
citrine, rubellite, garnet and more.
Pink and blue Argyle diamonds are
also available.
Pink Diamonds: Wolski
are suppliers of natural
colour pink and blue
Argyle diamonds.
Single diamonds and
pairs or matched
sets are available.
Argyle certificates are
provided for larger
diamonds. Natural
gemstones are also
available.
Worth & Douglas
wdrings.com
Introducing the latest additions to the Worth & Douglas LUV
YOU collection - personalised children's bangles. Each bangle is
crafted in gold or silver, with any choice of special messages or
names and adorned with synthetic or semi-precious gemstones.
EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BY
AU +61 2 8543 4600 NZ +64 9 480 2211 | designaaccessories.com.au

EVENT FEATURE
On the Horizon
AN EXTRAORDINARY
HONG KONG CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY IN STYLE
T
he first Jewellery and Gem World Hong
Kong trade show since the pandemic has
come and gone, sure to be remembered
for its electric atmosphere as the international
jewellery industry undergoes great change.
As the first edition of the show to take place since
the COVID pandemic began in 2020, the trade show
floor was dominated by speculation about the future
of the industry and a pensive self-reflection on the
accomplishments of the past.
The theme of this year’s show, which concluded at
the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on
22 September, was ‘40 Extraordinary Years.’
In 1983, Headway Trade Fairs launched the Hong
Kong Jewellery and Watch Fair in a hotel in Tsim
Shai Tsui. The inaugural edition of the show had 110
exhibitions and summoned 700 visitors.
How times have changed! This year’s show was a
gathering of more than 3,400 exhibitors across two
venues –jewellery exhibitors appearing at the HKCEC
and loose gemstone suppliers showcasing their
wares at the Asia World Expo.
More than 50,000 visitors participated in the sevenday
event, travelling from more than 140 countries
worldwide.
To celebrate organiser Informa Markets presented
40 individuals with awards judged to have made a
lasting impact on the industry.
The award winners come from diverse backgrounds
– from design and manufacturing, diamond trading,
gemstone research, and technology companies.
The one thing they each shared in common was
a history of elevating the jewellery industry itself -
beyond their business interests.
Informa Markets vice president David Bondi said
that after a flurry of last-minute applications from
exhibitors, the importance of Hong Kong to global
trade was more evident than ever before.
“This is an important opportunity to acknowledge the
people who have stood by our side during times of
triumph and supported us during days of adversity,”
he said.
“What is clear to me, seeing everyone here today,
is that Hong Kong is well and truly back on track.
Standards in this industry are always improving, and
we maintain that Hong Kong is the best place in the
world to do business.”
Among the ‘Extraordinary 40’ award winners was
Lawrence Ma, the founding president of the Diamond
Federation of Hong Kong.
“I’m speaking from my heart when I say how happy it
makes me to see you all in this room,” Ma said.
“I don’t think you understand just how desperate we
were to see everyone back in Hong Kong again after
everything that’s unfolded since 2019. This is a time
to celebrate.”
Informa Markets hosts two major jewellery fairs
each year in Hong Kong. Jewellery and Gem Asia
Hong Kong took place for the first time in four years
in June.
In September of 2022, Jewellery and Gem World
Singapore occurred as a one-off event in lieu of the
traditional September show.
All the colours of the rainbow
The trade show began on 16 September at the Asia
World Expo, a stone’s throw from the Hong Kong
International Airport.
The halls were packed with loose gemstone and
diamond suppliers, and the consistent feedback from
exhibitors and retailers was that colour gemstones
are continuing to enjoy a moment in the sun.
It was pleasing to see Australian faces with a role to
play on the international stage, and among the crowd
was Justin Thomas, owner of Black Opal Direct, a
company based in Lightning Ridge in NSW.
“This is our first time exhibiting here in Hong Kong,
and it’s been a good experience,” Thomas told
Jeweller.
“[I would agree] that the location may feel a little
limited or isolated, and from what I’ve heard, the foot
traffic is possibly slightly down. With that said, I think
there’s a real tendency to overthink these things, and
we have been happy with our reception with buyers.”
A short walk away from Black Opal Direct was
another Australian company – Opals by Emmanuel
Christianos. Australian opals remain in high demand
abroad, particularly in Asian countries; however,
supply has become a significant issue as the ageing
mining industry finds itself with a reduced workforce.
George Christianos explained that his company has
recently returned to mining to address this problem.
“Supply is still very much an important issue facing
our industry. We’ve recently returned to mining to try
and address that,” he explained.
Because of this confluence between supply and
demand, Australian opal prices have consistently
risen in recent years. Christianos said there was an
interesting distinction between Western and Eastern
buyers in response to this environment.
“Buyers are hesitant for many different reasons
at this stage – it’s mostly about the state of the
economy, of course. Western buyers are seeing
current prices and are very apprehensive,” he said.
66 | October 2023

A WALK THROUGH
THE HALLS
“The same can’t be said for the Chinese buyers we’ve
spoken with. They don’t have these concerns at all;
the demand is just so high for opal, there’s nothing to
worry about.”
The importance of the Australian opal industry was
highlighted in the Extraordinary 40 presentations,
with Damien Cody of Cody Opal Australia
acknowledged for his service to the broader industry.
“Damien [Cody] is arguably one of the world’s leading
experts on all things opal,” the event organisers said.
“Director of Cody Opal Australia, he has been
instrumental in professionalising the opal industry
and bringing the gemstone to global prominence.”
Aquatic treasures
The demand for pearls and pearl jewellery in Asia
remains as strong as ever for similar reasons –
supply is uncertain, and prices are increasing in
response. On the opening two days of trade at the
Asia World Expo, the pearls section was packed with
buyers eager to acquire goods as quickly as possible
in fear of missing out.
Among the crowded floor was a familiar face -
Adam Crase of South Sea Pearls and Jewellery.
Specialising in pearl mounts, fittings, and finished
pearl jewellery, Crase said the demand for pearls in
Asia shows no signs of slowing down.
“We’ve had a good fair – lots of sales and many
questions from buyers who aren’t familiar with our
business but are hoping to learn more, which is
always a good sign,” Crase said.
“It was an exciting feeling stepping out onto the floor
again the past four years, and the first few days, in
particular, were very busy. We couldn’t speak with
everyone that we wanted to, which is a good problem
to have.”
Show stoppers
At the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre,
the crown atop the head of the trade show was the
fine jewellery pavilion, located on the third floor.
Some of the world’s most remarkable fine jewellery
was on display, and despite being somewhat ‘out of
the way’ compared with the remainder of the show,
the hall was consistently full of admiring visitors.
House of Dehres executive director Simon Zion said
he was pleased with how the fair unfolded.
“I would say that it’s been a little bit quiet, which is
what we expected as the recovery from the pandemic
continues. For us, it’s about the quality of the visitors
rather than the quantity. We are hoping to meet
‘serious’ buyers, and in that regard, we are more than
happy,” he said.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the market for many
different reasons. That said, fancy colour diamonds
and colour gemstones are selling very well. They are
still very much in demand.”
Another exhibitor in the fine jewellery generating
significant attention was LJ West Diamonds.
Australian managing director William Gant was
generous with his time.
“I think the first thing that strikes you when you event
an event like this trade show is the sheer size – it’s
gargantuan,” Gant joked.
“It can be exhausting to navigate, and you could never
hope to see it all, but I think both locations are good,
and it’s clear the organisation is down pat. I think the
organisers have fine-tuned their approach to how an
event like this should run.”
What does the future hold?
While introspection and reflection was the key
theme of this year’s trade show, it also presented an
opportunity to look forward and plan for the future.
While pearls, colour gemstones and fine jewellery
all appeared to sell well, the diamond pavilions were
dominated by uncertainty. Everything from the impact
of Russian diamond sanctions to the influence of labcreated
diamonds on the market weighed heavily on
the minds of visitors and exhibitors.
During the Extraordinary 40 Awards presentation,
Ahmed Sultan Bin Sulayem – executive chairman of
the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre – had a simple
message.
“The past four years have been a reminder that we
should embrace the hard times, for without them, we
would grow weak,” he said.
During a Q&A session featuring four award winners,
Jeweller put forward a simple question – “With
2030 now less than seven years away, what are your
predictions for the remainder of the decade for the
international jewellery industry?”
Each panellist offered a unique answer, addressing
everything from evolving technology to changing
consumer patterns; however, Lawrence Ma stole the
show with a unique response.
“I think if I’ve learned anything from the past few
years, it’s that no one truly knows what the future
holds. Who could have predicted everything that has
unfolded since 2019?” he asked.
“It’s important to educate yourself, of course, and to
plan for the road ahead, but as to what the world will
look like in 2030, I don’t think anyone really knows.”
Jewellery and Gem World Hong Kong returns in 2024,
beginning at the Asia World-Expo on 16 September
and concluding at the Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre on 22 September.
October 2023 | 67

PEDAL TO THE METAL
Sterling Silver
Metal
Consumers are increasingly price sensitive.
SAMUEL ORD reveals the many
advantages silver jewellery offers retailers
Lucy Quartermaine

Lucy Quartermaine
Eva Remenyi
W
hile recent times have seen difficult
economic conditions with stores
needing to deal with a decline in
discretionary spending, there is a silver lining!
Cost of living pressures, interest rates, and
a troubled housing market have all led to
declining consumer confidence, and in these
circumstances, spending on jewellery and
watches – a luxury and not a necessity – is
often first on the chopping block when it comes
time to budget.
This leaves retailers facing an important
ultimatum – stay the course and hope for
smoother sailing or experiment with new stock.
If you’re reading this and believe you belong to the
second camp – how much consideration have you
put into your sterling silver offerings targeting a
more price-conscious customer?
Faithful and reliable
According to recent research from The Silver
Institute, 52 per cent of jewellers who completed
a US-based survey said their silver jewellery
sales increased in 2022.
Survey respondents said the best-selling
opportunity for silver jewellery was with the
demographic of ‘self-purchasing’ women (34
per cent). In comparison, 26 per cent said silver
jewellery was purchased predominantly as a gift.
The most important figure was as follows: 78 per
cent of retailers said silver jewellery was either
essential or very important to their business.
A further 88 per cent of retailers reported that
they were optimistic that silver sales would
increase in the coming year
This demand is far from a new phenomenon
– in fact, about as far back as you can go,
you’ll discover cultures that have revered
silver adornments.
"In its purest form, silver is soft and
malleable and subsequently is perfect for
moulding into any form of jewellery. ."
Approximately 6,000 years ago in Mesopotamia,
silver was used as a currency. This was before
coins were adopted as the standard, so silver was
traded by weight or in the form of rings.
Silver was also popular in Ancient Egypt. The
Egyptians adored rare and exotic gemstones, and
travellers would acquire silver along the trade
route for the prized lapis lazuli of Central Asia.
In Ancient Roman and Greek civilisations,
silver was vital to the currency in the form of
minted coins. Pliny the Elder, a Roman author
and philosopher, extensively documented the
importance of silver to the culture of the day.
“It is a remarkable fact that the art of chasing
gold should have conferred no celebrity upon
any person, while that of embossing silver has
rendered many illustrious,” he wrote.
Why silver?
In its purest form, silver is soft and malleable
and subsequently is perfect for moulding into any
form of jewellery.
Archaeologists studying Mesopotamia have
unearthed figurines and jewellery indicating that
silver with high purity was used, yielding quite
soft objects.
To improve the sales of silver jewellery at your
store, you must educate your customers on the
following advantages.
Sterling silver has the classic silver ‘sparkle’ and
improves the quality of the metal – so there’s no
reason for customers to feel that they are getting
a ‘watered down’ product.
Sterling silver is ideal for an elegant or ‘classy’
look, long-lasting and perhaps most importantly,
more affordable than other metals.
It’s not just the price point and innate beauty of
silver jewellery that makes it a wise choice for
retailers – it’s also in style.
According to research by Depop, an e-commerce
company based in London, searches for silver
jewellery increased by 300 per cent month-on-
October 2023 | 69

KASUN LONDON
month earlier this year.
“After years as stalwart gold jewellery devotees, it's
time to try the metal's subtler, sleeker sister: silver,”
writes Daisy Murray of Elle.
"Not since skinny jeans' much-publicised demise have
we felt so torn by a sartorial shift, but after seasons
of hints on and off the runway, we're willing to try and
swap out at least some of our gold for silver.
Less glam and more grit certainly does feel very 2023
to us; in fact, we think it's the lack of flash that has
everyone drawn to silver in the first place.”
What do jewellers think?
Zoe Richardson owns Zoe Alexandria – a Sydney-based
business that takes pride in restoring overlooked
jewellery into timeless pieces.
She says silver jewellery is always popular with her
customers for many reasons.
“Silver is the most popular white metal with my
customers, followed by white gold,” she says.
“I think it’s mostly popular due to its affordable price
point and the fact that most people recognise silver as
a metal, but a lot of them don’t really know much about
white gold.”
Nearly 900 kilometres away in Melbourne, Rebecca
Shearer, owner of Scarlett Jewellery Label, says that
silver jewellery is an ideal offering to price-sensitive
customers.
“Silver presents an opportunity for lower-priced, more
affordable pieces, which can be worn more casually,”
she says.
In South Australia, Simone Walsh, a jewellery designer
and founder of Simone Walsh Designs, says that the
natural qualities of silver jewellery shine bright when
compared with other metals.
“Sterling silver jewellery is an excellent, high-quality
choice in most circumstances,” she says.
LISTEN UP!
Silver in the Spotlight
PLINY THE ELDER
PHILOSOPHER
"It is a remarkable fact that
the art of chasing gold should
have conferred no celebrity
upon any person, while that of
embossing silver has rendered
many illustrious."
DAISY MURRAY
ELLE
"After years as stalwart gold
jewellery devotees, it's time to
try the metal's subtler, sleeker
sister: silver."
ZOE RICHARDSON
ZOE ALEXANDRIA
"I think it’s mostly popular due to
its affordable price point and the
fact that most people recognise
silver as a metal, but a lot of
them don’t really know much
about white gold."
“The metal will not rust or perish; plus, if you look after
your jewellery, it will look great well into the future. You
should even be able to pass your silver jewellery on to
future generations.
“On top of those benefits, having silver jewellery in
your collection will add to its style, value, longevity and
versatility. Silver jewellery is a truly excellent choice.”
Youth movement
That same by The Silver Institute study found that
of those purchasing silver jewellery, 52 per cent of
customers were between the age of 20-40.
The second most prominent demographic was
those younger than 20, who comprised 17 per cent
of consumers. Research has suggested that today’s
youngest consumers value this personalisation more
than previous generations.
"The Survey respondents said the best-selling
opportunity for silver jewellery was with
the demographic of ‘self-purchasing’
women (34 per cent)."
One study found that 62 per cent of ‘Gen Z’ consumers
surveyed said they would spend more on products
emphasising personalisation. Another study found
that 75 per cent of Gen Z consumers are more likely to
purchase a product if it can be customised.
Because of its soft and malleable nature, silver is an
ideal opportunity for retailers to offer personalised
pieces targeting younger consumers.
For retailers and consumers, the attractive price is a
significant additional advantage of this strategy.
For an example of a brand that has capitalised on the
advantages presented by personalised silver jewellery,
look no further than Pandora.
Pandora is the world’s largest mass-market jewellery
70 | October 2023

UNO DE 50 THOMAS SABO PANDORA
brand and offers an extensive range of silver products.
David Allen, Pandora’s outgoing Pacific and Greater
Asia managing director tells Jeweller that Generation Z
holds a refreshing view of personalisation in jewellery.
“When we think of personalised jewellery, we think
engraving, initials, birthstones, etc. This type of
jewellery has a place in the assortment for shoppers of
all ages,” Allen explains.
“Gen Z, however, are looking for expression of their
individual identity. This relates to the physical product
as well as in alignment of values with the brand.”
Sceptical?
Earlier this year, Jeweller investigated whether celebrity
endorsements significantly impact sales for retailers,
and the findings were surprising.
While many jewellers were sceptical of the influence,
others insisted that sales soon follow when a
‘trendsetter’ wears a specific jewellery style.
Natasha Chipman owns Natasha Schweitzer, with
stores in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne, boasting a
wide range of silver jewellery.
“Celebrities frequently wear Natasha Schweitzer
jewellery - most recently Taylor Swift, Katie Holmes,
and Miranda Kerr. For our brand, we look at celebrities
as more of a branding exercise rather than a direct
sales driver,” she says.
Sydney-based Enesea was launched in 2019 and carries
a range of silver jewellery.
Founder Nikki Ehrlich says that celebrity endorsement
has been an essential factor in the expansion of the
business.
“Whenever an influencer posts an Enesea piece, we see
a spike in sales for that particular item,” she reveals.
“Celebrities and influencers wearing a certain brand
or style of jewellery give the business or brand more
‘credibility’ in the eyes of consumers.”
LISTEN UP!
Silver in the Spotlight
REBECCA SHEARER
SCARLETT JEWELLERY LABEL
"Silver presents an
opportunity for lowerpriced,
more affordable
pieces, which can be worn
more casually."
SIMONE WALSH
SIMONE WALSH DESIGNS
"The metal will not rust or
perish; plus, if you look after
your jewellery, it will look
great well into the future. You
should even be able to pass
your silver jewellery on to
future generations."
NIKKI EHRLICH
ENESEA
"Celebrities and influencers
wearing a certain brand or style
of jewellery give the business or
brand more ‘credibility’ in the
eyes of consumers."
Don’t miss the boat
These consumers, who might be feeling the crunch now
more than ever, present an opportunity for you to review
your product offering and meet new needs.
Silver jewellery is increasingly popular with younger
consumers, enjoying the benefits of frequent celebrity
endorsement – a critical factor in the purchasing
process for that demographic.
Silver is also well suited for personalised and
custom designs, which is also increasingly popular
with young consumers.
Beyond the innate beauty of the metal, its popularity
with young consumers, and its appealing price point –
it’s also having a moment in terms of style.
“After years spent praising the wonders of gold
jewellery, silver jewellery has emerged — or reemerged—
as the prominent metal of late,” writes
Julia Marzovilla for Marie Claire.
“This season, I'm not only drawn to more classic
articles of clothing but jewellery too. The silver pieces
in my jewellery box — the pieces I’ve had since my
teenage years or even before — are the ones I reached
for this season, and I wasn’t alone.
“Silver jewellery has been hailed as one of 2023’s
biggest jewellery trends, both on the runway and off.”
Many retailers and consumers have shied away from
silver jewellery, fearing it’s the ‘cheap’ alternative to
gold or platinum.
There are two sides to every story; however, what
may have been considered ‘cheap’ might now be
considered ‘affordable’ in light of certain adverse
economic conditions.
Retailers need to be flexible and willing to change with
the times. While consumers still have that timeless
desire to adorn themselves with dazzling jewellery,
budgets are constrained – leaving silver jewellery as
the ideal candidate to meet these challenges.
October 2023 | 71

BUSINESS
Strategy
December is nearly here –
are you ready?
Are you ready to make the most of the busiest time of the year? DAVID BROWN encourages
you to be well-prepared for the holiday trading period.
The busiest period of the year is upon us,
and as overwhelming as it can be, it is also
the most profitable time of the year – and
you must be prepared.
You may have hit a wall as you juggle cash
flow while the new product starts arriving.
Quality inventory control isn’t just about
clearing space in the display cabinets; it’s
about finding room in the bank account to
make the required payments.
With that in mind, the start for your
December preparation is to actively clear
the old items that are not meeting your
customer's needs.
These old favourites are getting in the way
and must be moved on!
Begin by setting a clear goal. How much
money do you need to get back into your
bank account to achieve the cash flow you
need ahead of time?
What would make you comfortably
afford the product you need to sell over
December?
Identify your targets. To realise this cash,
which items need to be moved on to top the
bank account up again?
Depending on how aggressive you plan to be
on pricing, the amount of inventory that has
to go will vary.
If you’re still returning a profit on these
items at a reduced price, you may not need
as many sales to achieve the desired result.
If you cut them more ruthlessly, these
products will sell quicker while realising
less of their original retail price, so more of
them will need to be sold.
Of course, some targeted products won’t
sell well.
Assume you will need to move at least 50
per cent more inventory items than you
need to allow for this.
These items have sat on your shelves for a
while, and their current retail price may not
reflect the market value or even the cost of
their materials.
Repricing these products to current retail
prices will allow you to reassess them
better.
Decreasing prices may help move these
products.
Increasing prices may give you a more
accurate start from which to discount them.
Either way, you’re starting from a more
accurate assessment point.
Make these products look presentable. Are
the tickets tattered? Have they been given a
proper clean recently?
If not, this may be half of the reason they
haven’t been sold yet. A quick polish and
re-label may make a surprising amount of
difference.
Offer your staff some incentives! Why not
offer bonuses to staff for moving the older
jewellery?
A discount of $100 on a $1,000 item may
not enthuse the customer; however, the
promise of $100 to any staff member who
Make these
products look
presentable.
Are the tickets
tattered? Have
they been given
a proper clean
recently? If not,
this may be half
of the reason
they haven’t
been sold yet.
sells it at a total price may get a motivated
response!
Discounting is still an option. If you’re still
left with a product you are tired of looking
at, give the customer a good reason to
take it off your hands.
Sometimes, you need to cut your losses on
these items.
If a customer is looking for a deal on a new
piece you have, then why not offer the item
at a total price with a sweetener on one of
your older items thrown in?
A new stock ring offered at a total price
with a free pair of old earrings might get
the deal across the line.
Follow up on the items you have chosen
to clear.
This is not a set-and-forget plan! You will
need to review your progress regularly.
Give these items their own ID tag in your
reporting so you can quickly view what has
moved and what you have remaining.
Talk to staff regularly about these targeted
products. Remind everyone, using the
information from the reports, which pieces
you still need to sell as a priority.
Managing older inventory is always a
work in progress, but it can be essential
at this time of year when you need to start
improving that pre-December cash flow.
An active strategy will work far more
effectively in this regard – do not leave it
to chance.
72 | October 2023

Managing your staff for victory
I've often drawn comparisons between
running a business and coaching a
sports team.
While business measures in profit and
sports teams measure in score lines, the
important thing is that a measurement
of performance is taking place, and an
outcome is noted.
Customers and fans must be kept happy,
especially for those who may be willing
to shop elsewhere – not all fans are
committed for life!
Both must rely on their staff or personnel
to achieve their desired results.
Relating a business situation to a sporting
scenario resonates with owners.
They often can’t see the point of something
that relates to their business until it is
portrayed in a language that they can
understand as sports fans.
As such, I’ve identified several comparisons
from the sporting world that illustrate the
best areas to work on with your staff during
the year's busiest period.
• Set clear expectations: Wingers score
tries; strikers kick goals, and batters find
boundaries.
Sales staff need their targets too! Everyone
benefits when the objectives are concise
and easy to understand.
these targets are not a 'wish' - they are
your expectation.
• Provide regular feedback: Every athlete
gets pointers from the coach, and you need
to give regular feedback to your employees
on their performance constructively.
Praise employees who are doing well and
guide those who could do better.
Identify areas where they can improve
and provide specific actions to improve
themselves.
• Encourage teamwork: Find a sports
team where one person does everything,
and you'll see a team that won't win.
Retail is a fast-paced industry, and
workloads can be overwhelming.
Encouraging teamwork can make
a big difference.
Foster a culture of collaboration, where
employees are willing to help each other
during high-volume periods.
As the old saying goes: 'many hands make
light work.'
• Invest in training: A successful sports
team puts more time into training than
playing.
This isn't possible in retail; however,
providing continuous employee training is
critical in any industry, especially in a retail
environment.
SPORTS
AND
BUSINESS
Set clear
expectations
To achieve your
goals, each
staff member
must clearly
understand
what’s expected
of them.
Encourage
teamwork
Many hands
make light work.
Foster a work
culture where
everyone is
willing to assist
an employee in
need.
Lead by
example
There is no better
way to create a
strong work sales
culture than by
showing that
you’re willing to
do the hard yards
yourself.
Celebrate employee successes, reward
your team for reaching sales targets, and
acknowledge their hard work.
This creates a positive work environment and
motivates your employees to achieve more.
• Build relationships: On-field results are
best when the players know and trust each
other well.
Getting to know your employees and having
them know each other personally can also
help create a positive work environment.
Engage in casual conversation, take an
interest in their hobbies, and ask them about
their families. Building positive relationships
with employees can help create a sense
of community and a better dynamic in the
workplace.
• Lead by example: After a poor start to the
season culminating in a 0-4 loss, the new
Manchester United manager, Eric Ten Hag,
dragged the entire team out for a punishing
early morning run the next day.
Ten Hag didn’t just punish the team and put
himself through the run, earning massive
respect from a squad of stars who had been
bickering like prima donnas.
Needless to say, they turned their season
around. Being a good manager is about
setting the right example.
Lead by example, be present, and
provide guidance when needed.
Define the expectations for each
employee's role, including sales targets,
customer service standards, and job duties.
Invest in ongoing training for your staff to
keep up with the latest trends, technology,
and customer service techniques.
Show your team what is required to be
a successful retail employee by being
prepared to do it yourself.
Let them know what you expect from them
and provide the necessary resources and
training to help them meet these targets.
This should be a routine discussion with
your staff so that they understand that
• Celebrate successes: Your team need
their victories and trophy moments too!
Employees who feel appreciated are more
likely to stay with a business long-term.
After all, time flies when you’re having fun.
DAVID BROWN is co-founder
and business mentor with Retail
Edge Consultants. Learn more:
retailedgeconsultants.com
October 2023 | 73

BUSINESS
Selling
Understand the impatience of future consumers
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact on retail.
ANASTASIA LLOYD-WALLS details the future habits of consumers.
From a retail perspective, the
past 12 months have been more
of a continuation of the consumer
behaviours we witnessed develop
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
than is necessary.
Conditioning consumers
As consumers have been conditioned
to expected immediate results,
One of the progressive things the
pandemic did was accelerate the
evolution of retail practices that was
expected over the next 5-10 years,
pandemic or no pandemic.
This acceleration was driven by both the
‘lockdown’ restrictions implemented
during the pandemic and the adoption of
new technologies such as 5G.
An important example of this is the volume
of data used by the average consumer.
Niche activities have become part of our
everyday lives! People are connecting to
Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams every
day to conduct business and to connect
with loved ones.
Every part of a consumer’s life is now
managed through the internet. Online
shopping has increased as a result, and
the rapid spread of ‘streaming services’ is
further evidence of this.
The reality of the forced acceleration
brought on by COVID is that people chose
to be less social in person, but more
present in a digital environment.
I’m sure you’d agree that the arrival of
‘constant availability’ via technology was
not anticipated by retail businesses;
however, it’s now a reality – for you, and
your business.
Consumer expectations
From a consumer perspective, people
expect ease of access and a quick
purchasing experience.
Put another way, consumers want to have
the service they want, when they want it,
and how they want it!
Jewellery retailers are expected to
meet these demands, which in certain
circumstances, is a major hurdle.
It’s important to review your business
with these expectations in mind. Are
there any ways that you can reduce
the time that consumers spend when
shopping with you?
Time as a form of currency
This desire for ‘immediacy’ hasn’t been
answered by all companies and industries.
It’s funny to think that you can purchase
a necklace or chain from overseas in a
matter of seconds, but when it comes to
closing an account with an energy provider,
you may be on the phone for an hour!
With that said, many businesses have
pivoted. Many retailers offer a live chat
service and shopping is largely automated
with many businesses via self-service.
The businesses that have not adapted to
these needs must understand that’s it’s no
longer acceptable to leave a customer on
hold for a significant amount of time
– they will take their business elsewhere.
In order for your business to meet
these needs, this may require an early
investment of a into a technological
overhaul of your operations. With that said,
the investment is likely to be repaid by your
loyal customers over the coming years,
satisfied with the knowledge that you
value their time.
Minimise any processes in your
business that cause frustration for your
customers by consuming more time
I’m sure you’d
agree that
the arrival
of ‘constant
availability’ via
technology was
not anticipated
by retail
businesses;
however, it’s
now a reality
– for you, and
your business.
live chats and immediate responses
are one of the requirements modern
consumers have.
Fast and efficient service is a function
of successful businesses now. The
added benefit for your business is that
early communication is an opportunity
to further personalise your services.
It’s a well-known fact that many
younger consumers are happier to be
tech connected and don’t enjoy making
phone calls – a personalised digital
message from your business is the
solution to this dilemma.
With that said, I would also
encourage you to avoid profiling your
customers based on age. The age of
personalisation is upon us, and while
many consumers share overlapping
characteristic based on age, what they
want is to be treated as an individual.
Understanding their individual
emotional drivers is the key to
creating a frictionless journey for
each consumer and in the process,
developing a base of loyal customers.
A further piece of advice: If you still
maintain the traditional retail belief that
you can find customers when you want
them, then you are in trouble!
In today’s economy, you don’t find the
customer, the customer finds you.
They have more options than ever
before – what matters most is that they
choose your store.
Remind your staff of this fact
frequently, as it should be in the back of
their minds during every interaction.
ANASTASIA LLOYD-WALLIS is the
head of consumer insights at
Retail Doctor Group.
Learn more: retaildoctor.com.au
74 | October 2023

BUSINESS
Management
In business, what does it really mean to ‘fail'?
When something goes wrong, our first move is usually to assign blame.
DAVID BROCK urges you to reconsider how you view failure as it relates to your jewellery store.
There is a significant benefit to
empowering your employees to break the
rules for their customers.
My social media feeds are constantly filled
with data and stories about sales ‘failures’.
“Our staff aren’t productive enough! They
aren’t winning enough sales! They aren’t
using the tools! They aren’t making quota!”
to correct performance is a leadership issue –
more specifically, a leadership failure.
Change your thinking
While I’m on the topic of failure, we must reassess
our mindsets about failure. While we
shouldn’t purposefully set out to fail (if we do,
we are likely to succeed in that endeavour);
however, we shouldn’t avoid failure.
These are some of the more common
complaints we hear. It’s easy to blame our
staff for poor sales performance; however,
are we assigning the responsibility
correctly? Is the failure because of them,
or are they failing for another reason?
Our staff are directly accountable for
producing results; when they don’t, it’s
easy to point the finger at them.
It’s human nature to try to assign blame;
however, assigning blame doesn’t solve
the problem. With that said, rarely the
responsibility can ever be attributed to a
single individual. Just like it takes a team to
win, it takes a team to fail.
There are many types of failure, so
allow me to focus on the two that tend to
dominate sales performance.
Performance expectations
The first, and I suspect the smallest
category, is the failure of individuals to
meet performance expectations.
There are many reasons an individual
might fail. Someone other than them
may be the right person for the job,
which is a failure in the hiring process.
They may need to gain the skills to
perform as expected.
When we encounter this, both managers
and the front line sales staff need to
coach and help that individual improve
their performance.
If they can’t improve and meet
performance objectives, we need to move
them into roles where they can meet
performance expectations, sometimes in
roles outside the company.
The more common failures are systemic
failures. These are failures not of a few
individuals. Instead, it’s a collapse within
the majority of the organisation, which
leads to missed objectives.
These are crippling to any business, and
too often, how we deal with systemic
failure aggravates or prolongs the issue.
Systemic failures are not failures of
individuals. They are doing what we have
told, trained, equipped, and hopefully
coached them to do. For so many
employees to be failing means something
other than their performance is the
deciding factor.
We need the right strategies, the suitable
approaches to the market, and we need
to avoid non-competitive offerings.
Employees need the proper training,
tools, support, or coaching to perform
as expected. We may have unrealistic
expectations of performance.
Replacing the staff, in this case, does not
solve the performance problem – yet, too
often, that’s just what we do. We bring in
new employees, outsource tasks, or ask
others to ‘pick up the slack’.
With that said, if whoever replaces
these employees is performing the
ame practices as before, the failure
will continue.
We need to drill down and try to
understand why so many people
consistently cannot achieve their goals.
If we can’t determine and correct the
root causes, nothing we do will change
the outcomes.
Failure to understand why our employees
and businesses fail and what we must do
Employees
will make
mistakes - they
need coaching
and support
to understand
and correct
those mistakes.
Without that,
they will
continue to fail.
We learn and develop more through our
failures than through our successes. When
we succeed, we tend to do more of the same,
never recognising we might do better by doing
things differently.
Failure causes us to recognise that we need
to change and do something differently.
Furthermore, we often underperform
relative to our potential because we are
‘succeeding.’ I often speak to business
managers who tell me that: “We’re hitting
our numbers; why change?”
When you look at how they achieve their
numbers, we discover low win rates, low
average deal values, and customers buying
despite what retailers do.
Then there’s the wasted and unproductive
efforts, excessive spending, and, I’m sure, a
wide range of other matters. As long as the
sole metric of success is hitting the number
and businesses are hitting them, most of the
time, we fail to recognise that we could do
much better.
Finally, failure is very seldom the result of
the action or inaction of a single person
rather than the collected error of many.
Employees will make mistakes - they need
coaching and support to understand and
correct them. Without that, they will
continue to fail.
We all want to succeed and outperform;
sometimes, the best way is through
our failures.
DAVID BROCK is CEO of Partners
In Excellence, a global consultancy
focused on helping organisations
engage customers more effectively.
Learn more: partnersinexcellenceblog.com
October 2023 | 75

BUSINESS
Marketing & PR
The keys to word-of-mouth marketing: Part II
It’s important to stand out in a competitive industry! DENYSE DRUMMOND DUNN concludes her
series on generating word-of-mouth marketing for your jewellery business.
In the September issue of Jeweller,
I covered the importance of wordof-mouth
marketing for jewellery
retailers and detailed the value of
building trust with customers.
In part two, our attention turns to the
importance of distinctive products in a
competitive environment, such as the
jewellery industry.
When it comes to distinctive products,
for many, one brand immediately comes
to mind: Apple. Steve Jobs succeeded
in building a strong brand that people
associated with innovative products.
Many argue that Apple has lost some of
its sparkle since his passing because his
visionary approach has been replaced
by more ‘upgrades’ than innovations.
With that said, Apple remains successful
and highly profitable – at least for the
shareholders.
When you think about distinctive service,
I’m sure Zappos resonates with you too.
Not only does Zappos offer shoes online,
but they also value their customer’s trust
more than anything! This is why their core
value is to ‘wow’ their customers.
This involves differentiation by doing more
for your customers than they expect.
Zappos is not your average company, and
their customer service is anything but
average or ordinary. They achieve this by
expecting every employee to deliver ‘wow’
in everything they do.
If you offer new distinctive products or
services, people just want to talk about
them. It’s up to you to nurture this appeal
by offering them quality content related to
your business, so customers can share it
with friends and family.
Consider creating informative blog posts,
videos, and other promotional material.
Nurture involvement
Your business should offer solutions that
connect to the needs of your customers.
Think about how to trigger a big desire or
confront significant pains or frustrations
they may have with current offerings.
Get into the ‘middle section’ of your
customer’s brain – the limbic system - to
create somatic markers. These markers
connect personal experience with your
business and will elevate your offerings in
the mind your consumers when it comes
to purchasing decisions.
For example, Coca-Cola will generate
feelings of happiness and friendship in a
lot of people, as a result of its consistent
core message. This is why it outsells Pepsi
in most countries, despite regularly losing
to Pepsi in blind taste tests.
Continue to nurture these feelings and
your customers will want to share their
experiences with their acquaintances.
Connect with ‘market mavens’
Influencers or market mavens are
individuals who have up-to-date
information about many kinds of
products, places to shop, and other
facets of the market.
They are also people who are most likely
to respond to information requests from
friends, family, or social media followers.
Influencers love to educate others, and
in doing so, they also increase their own
status. Connect with these market mavens
and make them your brand advocates.
Customers want to know when reviews are
being paid for by the business in question,
so always be upfront and honest. If the
person who makes the review is a trusted
If you offer
new distinctive
products or
services, people
just want to
talk about
them. It’s up to
you to nurture
this appeal by
offering them
quality content
related to your
business, so
customers can
share it with
friends and
family,
influencer, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Trying to hide overly-positive
recommendations for your brands behind
false identities and websites will eventually
be found out – so don’t even try.
Join the conversation at your peril
When businesses see the great things
their customers are saying about them
online, they can be tempted to join in the
conversation - don’t do this!
Adding comments to the messages left by
your customers will make them look as if
they have been developed by your business.
I know you want to thank them; however,
this is better done in-person.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t mention
your customers in your marketing efforts.
Just do it as quotes in regards to customer
service, rather than by adding a reply to an
already posted comment.
Customers prefer to talk among
themselves, even though they know you
will most certainly be watching. If you join
in, then they subconsciously feel as if they
have lost control and it won’t do anything in
terms of building trust.
So, watch, listen, and learn rather than join
in – let the word-of-mouth spread without
your interference.
Conclusion
Need one more recommendation on
word-of-mouth marketing? Purchase the
book called ‘Word-of-Mouth Marketing:
How Smart Companies Get People Talking’
written by Andy Sernovitz.
Although business on the internet is
unpredictable, word-of-mouth marketing
matters more than ever.
It’s important you understand each of the
elements discussed in this series and
implement them in your business to spread
the ‘good word’ about your business.
DENYSE DRUMMOND-DUNN works
with organisations that want to attract,
delight, and retain more customers.
Learn more: c3centricity.com
76 | October 2023

BUSINESS
Logged On
Promotional mistakes your business should avoid
Placing your business in a position to succeed online can be a headache.
BRIDGET BROWN reveals the digital marketing pitfalls small businesses should avoid.
“A small business is not a ‘little’ big
business.”
This adage comes from executive leadership
coach John Welsh, and I couldn’t agree
more. Every small business owner knows on
some level that ‘small business’ marketing
is different from ‘big business’ marketing;
however, it can be challenging to define
precisely why.
This is partly because most marketing advice
implies we should mirror what the most
successful big businesses are doing.
For example, the best practices for building
a website, running a promotion, and using
social media are all based on the model that
works for the ‘most successful’ businesses.
This is something to remember if you’re a
small business owner wondering whether
you should jump on the latest marketing
bandwagon. Marketers don’t tell you, or
perhaps don’t realise themselves, that
‘success’ does not mean immediate massive
sales increases.
First, many small businesses have struggled
when increases happened faster than they
could handle. Only some small stores want to
become Amazon! Even if that is your dream,
you must be aware of three small business
marketing mistakes that could get in your
way.
What got you here won’t get you there
It’s not a good plan to use Apple’s
best practices for marketing your
small business.
That’s because you need to succeed at
being a small business first. It’s like that
old expression, “what got you here won’t
get you there.”
I had a brief experience at a large marketing
agency when I first left television. I was
working with a customer with a new product
set to appear at an LA gifting suite at an
upcoming event.
She wanted press releases sent to Vogue,
Refinery29, and even Paris Hilton. Not
Hilton’s company, mind you – she wanted it to
be sent to Paris personally!
I suggested holding off on the LA press
push until she had sales. I believed her time
and money would be better spent by getting
credible media attention in her city, before
trying to out-compete every Hollywood
starlet with a beauty line.
I had no doubt she could be very successful,
but I wasn’t surprised when she didn’t
get a single media appearance from her
press release. She hadn’t done the hard
work of building a fan base before trying to
embrace the most competitive attention.
Blindly following trends
Many people need help trying to gain
traction on platforms like YouTube, TikTok
or Instagram for small business marketing.
Do you ever ask yourself why you’re trying
so hard to beat the algorithms?
While focusing on the sheer volume of
enquiries can work for small business
marketing, it is optional for small
business marketing and can be a
significant waste of time.
Fast expansion is almost always terrible
for small businesses. Let’s be honest: if
everyone who went to Tiffany & Co. today
called your business, it would be impossible
for you to handle the sudden traffic, and
you’d likely end up angering your existing
customers.
Focusing on the ‘trying to beat the
algorithm’ point, in small business
marketing, you have a choice whether you
chase social media success.
That’s because no matter what you do, you
Many people
struggle to
gain traction
on platforms
like YouTube,
TikTok or
Instagram for
small business
marketing. Do
you ever ask
yourself why
you’re trying so
hard to beat the
algorithms?
won’t beat the Tiffany & Co. of your industry.
At least, not yet.
You could view that as a negative, but you
could also see it as a relief. Often, we focus
so hard on using a particular trendy tactic
that we don’t stop to consider if there is an
easier and more effective way that suits
small business marketing.
The Amazon Prime Day fallacy
Attempting to replicate the Amazing Prime
Day strategy will do more harm than good to
your business.
The first year Amazon offered Prime Day,
I didn’t find a single thing that was excellent
value. It seemed like a plot to drive traffic. My
trust level for Amazon was lower than ever.
We know that in the grand scheme of things,
Amazon loses very little by losing my trust.
However, as small business owners, we both
need our audience to stick around. Chances
are you need a much higher percentage of
your leads to convert to sales than Amazon
does.
If one potential customer in your target
audience is bothered by a marketing tactic
you choose, that is a more significant
problem for your business than it would
be to Amazon.
Instead of offering your jewellery at a shady
‘discount’ price, it makes more sense to
put the effort and expense into your search
engine results performance and your mobile
web speed.
If your website is sluggish, you might lose
the opportunity to connect with one specific
customer who could really make a difference
for your business.
Each individual visitor is important, yet many
small businesses don’t make that their
priority.
BRIDGET BROWN is founder of Create
That Copy & Marketing, a Canadian
marketing firm focused on generating
leads and increasing sales and
revenue for small businesses.
Learn more: createthatcopy.com
October 2023 | 77

My Bench
Carlo Romeo
Carlo Romeo Jewellers
Age 59 • Years in Trade 44 • Training Jeweller at C&K Jewellers • First job C&K Jewellers • ther aifiations Matrix Gold and Rhino Gold CAD designer and setter
SIGNATURE PIECE
EMBRACEMENT COCKTAIL RING
This 18-carat yellow gold dress ring with 141 pave-set
diamonds totalling 2.82 carats and weighing in at 16.7 grams
was inspired by the arms of a mother embracing her child.
This is one of the most complicated CAD designs I have done in
terms of curves and the size of the diamonds.
4FAVOURITE GEMSTONE Fancy colour pink diamonds,
it still amazes me every day how rare and valuable
they really are.
4FAVOURITE METAL 18-carat yellow gold.
4FAVOURITE TOOL Asiga 3D Printer.
4BEST NEW TOOL DISCOVERY Matrix Gold software.
4BEST PART OF THE JOB Being able to complete the
whole job from start to finish inside my workshop. I CAD
the design, print the wax, set up a tree, cast the piece,
clean assemble and set the gemstones and there it is!
4WORST PART OF THE JOB The value (or lack thereof)
placed on the work a jeweller does.
4BEST TIP FROM A JEWELLER You get what you pay
for. Made in Australia – it’s really worth it!
4BEST TIP TO A JEWELLER
Choose your customers wisely.
4BIGGEST HEALTH CONCERN ON THE BENCH
We never really understood in the early years the
dangers associated with the chemicals we use and our
environment. The difficulty in adapting modern-day
heath and safety measures to our profession and being
able to recover the costs associated with this.
4LOVE JEWELLERY BECAUSE I love seeing the new
pieces I design come to life, particularly when they’ve
been created from something as simple as a lump of
gold.
78 | October 2023

OPINION
Soapbox
In business, any goal without a
plan is merely a wish!
To know where your business is headed, you must be aware of your goals. MALCOLM
SCRYMGEOUR encourages jewellers to establish a business strategy – and stick with it.
If you don’t know where you’re going
and where you are now, then it’s hard to
know precisely what to adjust.
Did you know that the rear-view mirror
was a relatively early addition to the
motorcar? The first rear-view mirror is
credited to racing driver, Ray Harroun.
He attached a rear-facing mirror to the
cowl of his Marmon Wasp before the first
running of the Indy 500 in 1911. He won!
Engineer Elmer Berger applied for a
patent on the hilariously named ‘Cop-
Spotter’ door mirror in 1921.
Horse-drawn wagons didn’t bother
with a mirror because their speed
was relatively sedate.
With a car; however, higher speeds and
an enhanced volume of traffic required
a significant increase in situational
awareness.
Increasingly, the jewellery business is
analogous to a modern car in high traffic
– we need to be agile, nimble, and adapt
to the changing environment.
The best way to see what is happening
is to look at daily and monthly sales
reports. Once you have the information,
you can determine the right actions to
get the result you want.
Reports are not the end of the story,
however. For any of you who have ever
attended Weight Watchers, you’ll know
that they ask you to set your own goals.
You decide on the target weight, and you
decide on the timeline. They do not tell
you what your target should be or how
fast you should get there; however, they
do measure your progress.
What many jewellers have done is
nominate a target which is often ‘variable’,
that is, if it’s getting a bit challenging to
achieve the original goal, they just move
the goalposts.
That is the opposite of best practice. To
make it even more challenging, for the
first time in three years, the jewellery
retail industry is showing signs of a
slowdown.
State of play
At Retail Edge, we have already observed
that for many businesses the ‘average
sale’ has started to plateau.
Last year, we experienced a slower
November and December when compared
to the prior three years, and we see a
similar trend over the past couple of
months in mid-2023.
It might not be happening to you - which
is great news - but it is happening to the
majority of jewellers.
We know that the pressure is on many
consumers - you might be aware that 43
per cent of all fixed mortgages are being
renewed between June and December 2023.
For the average Australian mortgage
holder, that means paying an additional
$1,000 more per month. That money must
come from somewhere!
Typically, it’s cafés and restaurants that
suffer as people drink more coffee at
home or at the office and eat out less.
The media is full of reports about the
cost-of-living crisis.
As times get more challenging,
consumers seek out more promotions,
and reduced prices and they love
(perceived) discounts. With that said,
consumers will not stop having birthdays,
anniversaries, graduations, celebrations,
weddings and events.
They will still celebrate these events
with the right jewellery! There is no need
to panic, but we do need to have clarity
about what we are doing, what we are
offering and how we meet consumer
needs and wants.
What can you do?
Be clear about what your business
goals are. Understand that despite
increased economic pressure, the goal
doesn’t change.
Once you know your goals, it’s time to
design a roadmap. While a goal is static,
the roadmap to achieve that goal can
be dynamic. It must adapt to changed
Now is not the
time to cut
your marketing
spend! Reducing
marketing spend
is like having a
birthday party at
home, buying all
the beverages and
food, and then not
inviting anyone.
circumstances.
From there, check that you have the right
resources to achieve your goals. Do you
have the right stock? Is your marketing
campaign designed to suit your goals?
Does your staff have the skills required in
the current environment?
Finally, implement the strategies you
identified in your roadmap. Make use
of your sales reports and have an
understanding of what’s working and
what’s not.
What shouldn’t you do?
Now is not the time to cut your marketing
spend! Reducing marketing spend is like
having a birthday party at home, buying
all the beverages and food, and then not
inviting anyone.
It’s been said in business that you “can’t
shrink your way to greatness.” Cutting
marketing spend in a business leads to
reduced traffic and sales, aged stock,
stress, and uncertainty.
We see many jewellers decide to reduce
a store’s stock by not re-ordering the top
sellers. This is clearly flawed, as these
are the items that people want!
Finally, don’t reduce your service. I’m
sure that many customers come to you
for advice that is often crucial when
selecting a beloved piece or an item for
someone special.
Not having skilled staff ready to help
them with that process merely demeans
your offer.
Always remember that whether you’re
facing a challenging economic environment
or trading in a robust market, you should
never stray from your goals.
Name: Malcolm Scrymgeour
Business: Retail Edge
Position: Business Advisor
Location: Gold Coast, QLD
Years in the industry: 1
80 | October 2023

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