January 2014

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Welcome to the LUXURY Link!

Dear friends,

Happy New Year! I hope this issue of the LUXURY Link finds you toasting the arrival of the New Year and a successful holiday season. 2014 is already in full swing, with Red Carpet season beginning in a few short days, and the jewelry-focused Valentine’s Day, following closely behind.  Here at JCK, our team is excitedly anticipating opening the doors of the inaugural JCK Tucson show, beginning February 3. There is never a dull moment in the jewelry industry!

To help move your focus forward from last month’s holidays, we have a comprehensive Valentine’s Day gift guide with gifts in every price range to inspire strong sales over the next few weeks. We are also spotlighting some amazing new collections deserving of recognition from Doves, Effy, and Vianna Brasil just to name a few!

We’ll also hear from a St. Louis-based jewelry institution on what new initiatives they’ll be enacting this year, as well as The Daily Jewel’s Robyn Hawk on New Year’s resolutions, Valentine’s Day gifts and red carpet predictions. And with JCK Tucson just around the corner, get a sneak peek into what ‘The Jewelry Activist,’ Diane Warga-Arias will be sharing during her Keynote Address.

Lastly, we are excited to share that our first LUXURY Retailer of the Year award will take place at LUXURY in Las Vegas this June. The award will identify LUXURY’s most influential retailer and celebrate the LUXURY community. We’ll be in touch soon with details, but in the meantime, click here for more information.

I hope to see everyone at New York’s 24 Karat Gala this weekend and certainly out in Arizona in a few short weeks! 

Enjoy,

John Tierney
Industry Vice President

Valentine's Day

While bouquets of roses and chocolate truffles make for lovely gifts, why not woo your sweetheart with something that will last a lot longer? Here are gift ideas from LUXURY designers in a range of price points sure to make any Valentine swoon.

Under $1k | $2,500-$5,000 | Over $10,000

Under $1,000

1. Alisa
   Braided sterling silver bangle from The Traversa Collection® featuring a diamond station
2. Artistry  
   “Reflection” locket in sterling silver with 18” chain
3. Ed Levin
   Secret Heart earrings
4. Henry Daussi
   White gold eternity band featuring a single line of round brilliant natural fancy brown pavé set diamonds with black rhodium prongs
5. H. Weiss
   Diamond and sapphire butterfly in 14K gold from the Colors of Love Collection
6. Ivanka Trump
   Metropolis earrings in 18K yellow gold
7. KC DESIGNS
   Diamond Bow and Arrow necklace in 14K gold
8. Lazare Kaplan
   Bi-Pass Charm in 18K white gold
9. Mark Schneider
   The Inspiration Earrings in amethyst
10. Meira T.
    14K diamond and pink gold 'love' necklace
11. PeJay
    14K white gold and diamond quilted heart necklace
12. Roberto Demeglio
    Pink topaz and rose gold pendant
13. Sethi Couture
    14K rose gold champagne and rose cut diamond plume sideways necklace on 18K white gold chain
14. Sofer Jewelry
    Rose Gold and Diamonds Disc “Love” Pendant  
15. SOHO
    Silver bangles with pave diamond detail
16. Sonette
    Pink Tourmaline, pearl and diamonds set in 18K pink gold bracelet
17. TAKAT
    Tanzanite stud earrings in 18K white gold
18. William Levine
    White Topaz necklaces in 18K white gold 

$2,500-$5,000

1. AMDEN Jewelry
   14K white and yellow gold flower diamond pendant with fancy yellow diamond
2. Cordova
   Firenze collection 18K yellow gold and diamond earrings
3. Danhov
   Abbraccio fine jewelry pendant in platinum featuring a diamond swirl and pink sapphire
4. Demarco
   18K white gold engagement ring
5. Forever Jewels 
   Rose gold diamond & pink sapphire earrings
6. Hidalgo
   Enamel and 18K yellow gold stacking bands
7. Ivanka Trump
   Patras Earrings with African ruby and diamonds in 18k yellow gold
8. Jye’s International
   Diamond Heart Necklace with round diamonds set in 18K white gold
9. Lazare Kaplan
   Lazare Twist Diamond Pendant in 18K rose gold
10. Makur
    Morganite and diamond ring set in 18K rose and white gold
11. Memoire
    Heart/key pendants from the Lover's Locks Collection 
12. NEI Group
    Fluted bezel rose quartz necklace in 14K rose gold
13. PeJay
    Diamond and pink sapphire pendant featuring a pink amethyst
14. Ray Griffiths
    Paved pink sapphire ring
15. Rina Limor
    18K pink gold and faceted amethyst ring surrounded by black diamonds and sapphires
16. S&R Designs
    The Messages Collection features a bottle in blackened sterling silver, with intricate 18K yellow gold detailing
17. Simon G.
    18K white and rose gold earrings comprised of round white diamonds and rose cut brown diamonds
18. Spectrum Diamonds
    Fancy yellow pear diamond pendant
19. Zeghani
    14K white gold earrings comprised round white diamonds and lapis

Over $10,000

1. BA Diamonds
   Rose cut and round diamond necklace and earrings in 18K white gold
2. Baggins
   Orange diamond and golden south sea round pearl necklace set in 18K rose gold
3. Coast Diamonds
   Heart shaped spinel and diamond ring set in platinum
4. Dove’s
   18K Yellow gold diamond earrings with a triplet of turquoise, white mother of pearl and white topaz
5. Effy
   Round diamond and 3-tone 18K gold bracelet  
6. House of Baguettes
   Natural fancy yellow heart shaped diamond set in 18K yellow gold with natural fancy yellow melee
7. Ivanka Trump
   Metropolis bracelet with diamonds in 18K yellow gold
8. Joseph Giovanni
   Orange Blossom Necklace in 18K gold with diamond accents
9. Mimi So
   18K rose gold and white diamond bow ring
10. Rina Limor
    Burmese rubies and diamond ring set in 18K white and pink gold
11. Sasha Primak
    Pavé Diamond Puffed Heart Pendant in 18K white gold
12. Sethi Couture
    18K Moderne White Gold Antique Statement Necklace
13. Supreme Jewelry
    White topaz and diamond earrings in 18K rose gold
14. Tara Pearls
    Conch Pearl with pink sapphires, rubies and diamonds
15. Uneek
    Pink oval diamond ring with rounds diamonds set in platinum
16. VIANNA BRASIL
    Earrings in 18K rose gold set with morganites and diamonds

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New Year, New Collections

We may only be a few weeks into the New Year, but LUXURY designers have wasted no time developing their new collections.  From new bridal lines to dramatic metallic sculptures to bold color choices, here they share a sneak peek of the collections slated to debut in 2014.

1. Alisa
   From the new Cortona Collection™, silver and 18K yellow gold bangle in combination satin silver and diamonds
2. Amden Jewelry
   Wide scallop and black lace diamond bands in 14K white and rose gold
3. Baggins
   Grey diamond beads and Tahitian pearl necklace in 18K white gold
4. Claude Thibaudeau Design
   Contemporary Bridal wavy design with a radiant cut center, featuring two European micro-pave setting bands
5. Cordova
   From the Enchanted Garden collection, multicolor sapphires earrings in two-tone 18K gold
6. Demarco
   Diamond engagement ring available in 18K white gold or platinum (Style: DW7610)
7. Denny Wong
   Tanzanite, green tourmaline, and diamond earrings set in platinum and 18K yellow gold
8. Dove’s
   18K white gold diamond pendant featuring sapphires, with triplet of turquoise, mother of pearl, and white topaz
9. Ed Levin
   Hand-hammered Crop Circle pendant in sterling silver
10. Effy
    Engagement ring featuring diamonds and sapphires set in white gold
11. Giovanni Designs
    Daisy sun pendant in 18K yellow gold with diamond accents
12. House of Baguettes
    Floral & Fauna ring with white diamonds set in 18K rose gold
13. H. Weiss
    Desert Gold earrings featuring diamonds, gold, and ebony
14. Imagine Bridal
    “Do the Twist” engagement ring collection
15. Jack Kelege
    Tanzanite and platinum ring
16. Meira T.
    14K yellow gold medallion with off centered leaf and diamond disc charms
17. Mimi So
    18K yellow and white gold Double Phoenix pavé necklace
18. Ray Griffiths
    Crownwork earrings in 18K and oxidized silver
19. Sethi Couture
    18K white and burnt orange diamond Enchanted Garden Drop Chandelier Earrings in white gold black rhodium  
20. Sonette
    Amethyst beads, pink sapphires, diamonds, rainbow moonstones, with pink and smoky quartz set in 18K pink gold
21. Supreme Jewelry
    Diamond and sapphire necklace set in 18K white gold
22. TAKAT
    Diamond and emerald necklace
23. Uneek
    The Silhouette Diamond engagement ring
24. VIANNA BRASIL
    Earrings in 18K yellow gold, set with blue topaz, London blue topaz, amazonite and diamonds
25. Yael
    Emerald set in 18K two tone gold band with emeralds

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Retailer Profile: Clarkson Jewelers

This issue’s profiles Clarkson Jewelers, one of St. Louis’ premier jewelry retailers. The store was founded in 1982 in the basement of Scott Bolozky’s parents’ home, where it provided trade services to retail stores.  It has gone through several expansions and growth periods over the past 30-plus years; today it is a stand-alone structure boasting roughly 5,000 feet of showroom and merchandising space. 

Scott Bolozky, owner of Clarkson Jewelers, took the time to speak with us about current consumer trends, Marketing strategies, and 2014 predictions.

1. Can you give us a brief customer profile?

Our customers from a profiling standpoint, is both male and female that are predominantly 30+ or in higher income brackets. They've reached a point where they understand and appreciate the value of the brands and service we provide. Most of our customers are not typically focused on price points alone, but see value in service, longevity and expertise as well. Our store also does a high percentage of business in timepiece sales in relation to the overall revenue. I see this trend continuing and it's part of our business model.

2. What products/brands do well in your store?

As a branded store, we do well with designer lines and brand names. We've solidified our watch brands by adding in some broader lines to reinforce our position as the leader in the timepiece sector for our market. At the same time, we've continued to look for and add in additional bridal/engagement lines as well as fashion brands to being shoppers in more frequently through the year for gifts, anniversaries and other life stages.

3. What marketing strategies and/or platforms does your store use?

We utilize a pretty good mix of media. We participate in radio heavily as well as print (magazine). We also are major players in local sports team sponsorships (professional) and receive TV and radio weight for those partnerships. We utilize social media for consumer engagement and communications. We run seasonal outdoor campaigns as well as holiday direct mail campaigns including a store magalog. We also just re-launched a website that helps us focus more on SEO and online marketing.

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Community Chatter

Red carpets have glistened with celebrities wearing LUXURY designers’ stunning creations of late! From A-list actresses to American Idols, here’s a recap of the latest star sightings:

1. Bellarri
   Kelly Clarkson appeared on the talk show Ellen to promote her new album, "Wrapped in Red" adorned in Bellarri’s red rhodolite and diamond earrings.
2. Demarco
   Singer Ciara and actress Jaimie Alexander wore Demarco pieces to the 2013 American Music Awards, while actress Genesis Rodriguez wore Demarco earrings to the 14th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards.
3. Dove’s
   Doves dressed Emmy Rossum (ring and earrings) and Maria Menounos (smoky quartz ring) at various red carpet events.
4. Effy
   Mena Suvari wore Effy black diamond bangles and black diamond ring to A Parker Party.
5. Meira T.
   Heidi Klum  (Love necklace), Nikki Reed (Labradorite and diamond ring), and Kelly Clarkson (Off centered charm sunflower necklace) were all spotted in jewels by Meira T.
6. Sethi Couture
   Sethi Couture bejeweled actresses Diane Lane (Opaque diamond earrings), Holland Roden (yellow gold pave ball stud earrings) and Nazanin Boniadi (black diamond pave tired band and a pink diamond prong set band), along with singer Joy Williams (True Romance Eiffel Earrings) at several events.
7. Supreme Jewelry
   Grey's Anatomy star, Sara Ramírez wore Supreme Jewelry's yellow gold plated hoops on The View.

In other brand news...

1. Kirk Kara
   Debuted their new Forever Captivating® branding initiative with a new advertising campaign, website, and merchandising displays
2. Mimi So
   The brand's 18K yellow and white gold Double Phoenix pavé necklace was featured in the latest issue of W Magazine.
3. Sasha Primak
   A ring from the brand’s new engagement collection, “Royal Prong”, was recently voted as a Martha Stewart Weddings platinum fan favorite!
4. Yael
   Yael Designs opened its Fine Jewelry Gallery in San Francisco’s Union Square. Unexpectedly, on the morning of the opening party, CEO Yehouda Saketkhou celebrated the birth of his first daughter – Darina! At the party, he said “Having my daughter and the grand opening makes this easily the best day of my life. I think by arriving to this world today, my daughter was trying to tell me that she will always come first!”

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Media Spotlight

This issue, LUXURY Link caught up with The Daily Jewel’s, Robyn Hawk, blogger extraordinaire who shares her thoughts on resolutions, red carpets and planning for the jewelry-focused holiday of the year—Valentine’s Day!

LL: Do you have a New Year’s Resolution? What about a jewelry related resolution? A new product or line that you’d like to add to your look, perhaps?
RH: The really nice thing about being older is that I no longer feel the need for "resolutions"—well at least not at New Years...I resolve to do things all year long.  

Definitely no jewelry resolutions—I want to see it all!!!   I live for temptation!  I have been slowly adding gem ceramic pieces by Etienne to my collection—I love the silky feel of it and the clink of a stack of bangles.

LL: What jewelry items do you think make for the best V-Day gift?
RH: Hearts are always a favorite and I can't imagine a more perfect Valentine than a heart in one of the rarest gems...Takat has a stunning Alexandrite heart ring.

...or the amazing color of Coast Diamond's Spinel ring

LL: This month kicks off red carpet season—any predictions for jewelry looks? 
RH: Things are changing slowly but I still see bold choices in earrings,—brilliant color in gems,—stacks of bracelets...what I would like to see is more of the great new body jewelry we've seen this year.

LL: As a blogger, you are one of the early adopters of online content and social media. Do you have any advice for luxury jewelry brands on what they should be doing digitally/socially? Must every fine jewelry brand have a social media presence? What are the best platforms in your opinion?
RH: I don't see it as a MUST but you have to realize that your competitors have a social presence—it certainly won't hurt!  One thing that the new social platforms have done is to make brands feel there is no need for blogging...remember that the new Google algorithm is all about content and NEW content—a blog is constantly posting NEW—and with photo-centric options like Tumblr everyone has time to blog.

About Robyn:

Better known as @aflyonthewall, you see her recognizable green fly across most Social Platforms—Robyn Hawk is a Social Content Curator to Gem & Jewelry Brands, Businesses and Artists.  A self-proclaimed "Serial Blogger", Robyn writes a dozen blogs with the goal of educating the public, promoting emerging designers to Jewelry Stores, and sharing her love of colored gems & minerals.  Always reporting from her unique viewpoint as a Metalsmith, Gem Cutter, and student of Gemology & Mineralogy, her blogs include Tucson Gem Show Live!; AFlyOnTheWall Views & Reviews (reviewing events & books); The Daily Jewel—bringing you Industry News and tomorrow's trends—today!; Celebrity Jewels; and Historic Gems & Jewelry; look for her on the latest Social platforms...she has to check them all out—don't you?
http://about.me/aflyonthewall

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The Jewelry Activist  Takes Tucson!

We are only a few weeks away from JCK Tucson opening its doors at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort to kick off its inaugural show. One of the highlights is sure to be the Keynote Address by Diane Warga-Arias, a.k.a ‘The Jewelry Activist,’ an industry change agent and a trusted consumer resource. Anchored with advanced degrees and the gift of persuasive communications, Diane has gained international prominence as a public speaker and business consultant throughout the luxury market. With an extensive client portfolio in the diamond and fine jewelry industry, Diane’s global experiences spans five continents.

During her Re-Definining Fine Jewelry presentation, Diane will examine how the marketplace is bridging the gap between Fine Jewelry and Fashion Jewelry and explore how multi-channel retailers, international brands and some luxury retail independent jewelers are pushing the boundaries. Attendees with learn how technology and gemological advances are both fueling the change.

JCK Tucson’s Opening Keynote Presentation will take place on Monday, February 3 at 8:15 am.