JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers

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JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
JEWELLERY & WATCH
BIRMINGHAM
The promise of magic...

THINGS ARE
GETTING
PERSONAL

                          £7.50
‘Bespoke’ defined

                          J A N U A RY / F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 8
IT’S SHOW
TIME!
Where to go and
what to see

SHE SAID ‘YES’
... and we’re loving
the royal ring
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
BEING PART
  OF SOMEBODY’S
  JOURNEY
  is a great privilege. Crafting a lasting symbol of
  their life and relationship, by designing and making
  beautiful jewellery is very important to me.

  Creating magical moments through her work is a central
  element of Harriet’s practice. Join us at Jewellery & Watch in
  February to find your own magical moments for your business
  and your customers.

HARRIET KELSALL
Bespoke Jewellery Designer

#MAGICALMOMENTS

Register for your free ticket at:
WWW.JEWELLERYANDWATCHBIRMINGHAM.COM
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
Inside this ISSUE
                         JANUARY/FEBRUARY ISSUE

                                                                                      22                                                           59                                                        The National Association
                                                                                      JET BUSINESS NETWORK                                         EDUCATION                                                 of Jewellers
                                                                                      Reasons to get involved…                                     The latest Bransom Award stars                            45 Britton Street
                                                                                                                                                                                                             London
                                                                                      24                                                           60
                                                                                                                                                                                                             EC1M 5NA
                                                                                      INDUSTRY NEWS                                                SPOTLIGHT ON A
                                                                                                                                                                                                             020 7613 4445
                                                                                      New ways for retail in 2018                                  GEMSTONE
                                                                                                                                                                                                             naj.co.uk
                                                                                      26                                                           Julia Griffiths on Purple Garnet
                                                                                      INSURANCE                                                    61
                                                                                                                                                                                                             Editor: Belinda Morris
                                                                                      Highlighting the                                             BUSINESS ADVICE
                                                                                                                                                                                                             bmorris@colony.co.uk
                                                                                      THM/NAJ Club                                                 GDPR – planning Privacy
                                                                                      28                                                           by Design
                                                                                                                                                                                                             Advertising sales: Ian Francis
                                                                                      JEWELLERY & WATCH                                            62
                                                                                                                                                                                                             ian.francis@naj.co.uk
                                                                                      PREVIEW                                                      JCK TUCSON
                                                                                                                                                                                                             020 7749 1705
                                                                                      A Look Book of new brands                                    NAJ members seek out
                                                                                      and collections                                              desert gems
                                                                                      40                                                                                                                     Designed & produced by:
                         05                                                                                                                        63
                                                                                      MEET THE EXPERTS                                                                                                       House Creative
                         EDITOR’S LETTER                                                                                                           BOOK REVIEWS
                                                                                      Take advantage of great                                                                                                thejeweller@housecreative.co.uk
                         07                                                                                                                        64                                                        01625 614 005
                                                                                      industry know-how
                         MEET THE CEO                                                                                                              INDUSTRY NEWS
                         A first interview with                                       48                                                           The UK Jewellery Awards
                         Simon Forrester                                              INTERNATIONAL SHOW                                                                                                     Contributory writers:
                                                                                      NAJ members at NOW                                           66                                                        David Brough, Daren Daniels,
                         08                                                                                                                        INDUSTRY NEWS                                             Julia Griffiths, John Henn,
                         INDUSTRY NEWS                                                New York
                                                                                                                                                   Pure London previewed                                     Lee Henderson, Harriet Kelsall
                         10                                                           50
                                                                                      NAJ AWARDS                                                   67
                         INDUSTRY NEWS                                                                                                             INDUSTRY NEWS                                             Front cover image:
                         The new WJN ambassadors                                      Party people at our 2017
                                                                                      Awards Ball                                                  Names to watch at                                         Domino Jewellery
                         12                                                                                                                        Getting Started                                           Tel: +44 (0) 121 236 4772
                         INDUSTRY NEWS                                                52                                                                                                                     dominojewellery.com
                                                                                      INDUSTRY NEWS                                                68
                         When Harry met Meghan…
                                                                                      Desire… for the best of                                      BUSINESS ADVICE
                         the ring
                                                                                      British talent                                               Defining ‘bespoke’
                         14
                         INDUSTRY NEWS                                                54                                                           70
                         All in a good cause                                          SPOTLIGHT ON A MEMBER                                        INDUSTRY NEWS
                                                                                      Introducing Roseberry London                                 Inhorgenta 2018                                                   JEWELLER
                         16
                         EDUCATION                                                    56                                                           72
                         The skillls show winners                                     INDUSTRY NEWS                                                SECURITY
                                                                                      Ethical Jewellery Symposium                                  SaferGems 2017 Review
                         18
                         INDUSTRY NEWS                                                57                                                           73
                         New store openings                                           PRECIOUS METAL REPORT                                        FORECAST 2018
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 T H E M A R K O F I N D U S T RY I N S P I R AT I O N A N D I N F O R M AT I O N

                                                                                                                                                   What’s trending now
                         20                                                           58
                         SPOTLIGHT ON A MEMBER                                        CIBJO 2017                                                   74
                         Interview with award-winning                                 Part 2 of John Henn’s report on                              THE LAST WORD
                         WE Clark                                                     the Bangkok Congress                                         Vanessa Burkitt tells all…
Featured in this issue

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The

                         The NAJ is responsible for producing The Jeweller and although every effort is made to ensure that the information supplied is accurate, the NAJ does not accept liability, loss,
                         damage or claim whatsoever that may result from opinions expressed by contributors. Information and ideas are for guidance only and members should always consult their
                         own professional advisors. The NAJ accepts no responsibility for the content of Gems&Jewellery or any advertiser, advertisement or insert in The Jeweller. Anyone having
                         dealings with any advertiser must rely on their own enquiries. The magazine is printed on paper and board that has met acceptable environmental accreditation standards.
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
“An exclusive range of benefits and improved insurance cover
                                     for NAJ Members”

   INCREASED                         IMPROVED                           DISCOUNTS
Revenue Opportunities                Insurance Cover               On Products & Services

                        Plus Many Additional Benefits
                  Contact TH March or the NAJ to find out more!

                  www.thmarch.co.uk                        www.naj.co.uk

                Find out more by visiting us at the NAJ’s stand (stand 17 U22-W23)
                               at Jewellery & Watch in February.

Famous for Insuring Jewellery
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
ISSU E
                                                                    H IGH LIGH T S

                Happy New Year! And welcome to a
             jam-packed Jeweller magazine.
                Yes, I know I say this every time, but this issue
             really is positively stuffed with news, views and
             inspiration… something for everyone.
                 It’s that time of year of course – it’s show
             time folks! We’ve turned the spotlight on Pure
             London, Inhorgenta, NOW NY, Desire, Tucson
             and, naturally, Jewellery & Watch Birmingham.
             Now a matter of days away, we’ve dedicated a
             generous slice of our editorial gateau to a preview
             of the J&W show. Turn to p28 for a taster of the
             latest collections waiting to be unveiled, as well
             as an encouragingly large number of brands new
                                                                    “… the service that we
             to the show and, indeed, our shores in some cases.
                                                                    offer, and the backup,
                 And talking of new, visitors to J&W will have      blows any online retailer
             one of the first opportunities to meet our box-        out of the water…”
             fresh CEO Simon Forrester. Along with the rest          p.20
             of team NAJ, he will be welcoming guests on
             our stand – but if you can’t wait that long, check
             out my mini Q&A with our award-winning new
             leader, just over the page. The NAJ stand at J&W
             is also offering the chance to ‘Meet the Experts’.
             We’ve gathered together a posse of professionals
             who, in one-on-one sessions, can advise across
FROM         a range of vital business topics. See p40 for the
             full details.

the Editor        So, it’s a living,
                 breathing version
                  of The Jeweller
                     if you will.
             Alongside the news, reviews, reports and profiles,     Exhibitors at Jewellery
             each issue brings you essential business advice.       and Watch will be bringing
             We make no apology, for instance, for repeatedly       new and exclusive designs
             driving home the message of the General Data           to help retailers provide
             Protection Regulation, that comes into force this      Magical Moments in
             May. Think it doesn’t apply to you? Think again        2018 and beyond.
             says Daren Daniels on p61. Then, because it’s           p.28
             an increasingly hot subject (and set to get hotter
             we predict) Harriet Kelsall defines – clearly and
             comprehensively – what is meant by ‘bespoke’
             on p68. It’s a great reference piece for jewellery
             retailers, designers and valuers alike.
                 And it brings me on neatly (I love a segue) to
             the subject of Meghan and Harry. Well of course
             they went bespoke for her engagement ring, and
             there’s enough on-trend style, sentiment and story-
             telling – God bless them – to keep us all happy, as
             our royal ring feature on p12 illustrates. Suppliers
             and store-owners, I trust that you’re all reviewing
             your stocks of trilogy styles as I write this…
                Here’s to a joyful and prosperous 2018.
             See you at the show!

                                                                    Purple garnets… created
                                                                    a buzz in the trade when
                                                                    they first appeared at
                                                                    various gem trade fairs in
                                                                    the beginning of 2015.
                                                                     p.60

                            BELINDA MORRIS, EDITOR
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
gold
                  collections

UK 0800 1956771   | ROI 1800 625163           | inf o @ c u rt e i s . com
                  w w w. c urt ei s . c o m
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
Association NEWS
                                             Introducing our
                                             NEW CHIEF
                                             EXECUTIVE
He’s had his feet under the desks (one in London, one in Birmingham) for a mere week, but
as 2018 starts and with Jewellery & Watch just days away, it’s never too soon to get to know
the NAJ’s new award-winning CEO, Simon Forrester. Belinda Morris delivers the low down.

You come to the NAJ with one or two          I led a staff team which achieved            the industry, to soak everything up.
CEO roles under your belt – what             some fantastic successes, with board         I liken embarking on a position like
were your early career ambitions?            and membership support. Apart                this to having a jigsaw to put together.
    I studied environmental science          from personal recognition [CEO of            I have a table, and all the pieces, but at
at university – I was always very            the Year] BPCA has also received             this stage I don’t even have the corners
passionate about improving things,           Website of the Year, Exhibition of the       in place! One of the first things I want
protecting society… But at the time          Year, Magazine of the Year and an            to do is take a JET course, and, as I
‘green’ jobs dried up, so I ended up in      award for its online learning. We’re         said, meet the membership.
the health service in London using my        currently also nominated for four more.
                                             It’s great to award people – it’s nice to       We’re part of a great Federation
scientific skills to carry out workforce                                                  with great strengths, and the merger
planning; helping to decide what types       know that what you’re doing is of a high
                                             standard. Attending the NAJ Awards           of the NAG and the BJA was a real
of hospital staff we’d need in three, five
                                             last month was a great introduction to       success, but there are still things to do
even 10 years’ time. I worked with civil
                                             the industry and the amazing work of         to develop the Association in a way
servants, the police… it was really
                                             the membership.                              that will yield the best results for the
interesting.
                                                                                          membership. We certainly need to
    I then heard about a job within a        The jewellery industry seems like            address the consumers’ discretionary
professional body; I knew nothing about      quite a new direction for you; what          spend, which is not necessarily going
associations, but they’re fascinating.       drew you to the position?                    into jewellery.
I began with the British Dietetic                It is, but my last-but-one role was
Association handling marketing, PR           CEO of the Association of Interior           What have you gleaned about the
and business development, then moved         Specialists – the construction trade         Association so far?
to other sectors. Learning about a new       body for the interior fit-out sector             I’ve met lots of very passionate
industry is absolutely fascinating;          covering design, manufacture,                people already, in particular members
I’m in a very privileged position –          installation and retail, so there are        of the National Committee who’re
association leaders have access to           cross over elements. There’s a trade         willing to work together – voluntarily
pretty much every part of a sector,          association for everything and I’ve          – for the common good of the industry.
and can talk to experts and influence        been able to apply what I’ve learned         And I’ve also met some of those that
key stakeholders to the benefit of           in one to the benefit of another.            we as an association work closely with,
the membership.                              It’s about taking best practice from         such as The Goldsmiths’ Centre and the
                                             other industries.                            Assay Offices.
    Whatever the business, associations
exist to represent the views of the              Through the NAJ it will be fantastic         It’s really important that we show the
membership and talk to regulatory and        to see the fruits of the industry’s labour   value of being an NAJ member… it’s
allied bodies. That’s been a constant        sold to the consumer. I was immediately      not a discretionary spend! There are so
                                                                                                                                           THE MARK OF QUALITY

challenge and one I relish. I can’t say      drawn to the NAJ CEO position, as            many really valuable benefits we offer.
I know anything significant about the        well as the jewellery industry itself –      If you don’t make use of the benefits
issues the jewellery industry faces, but     its diversity. And on a personal level,      and services of your association, it’s
that will, I hope, come with time. That’s    I like the fact that there are two hearts    a bit like being an RAC member then
why I intend to meet as many members         to this trade – I’m in London regularly      pushing the car home yourself!
as I can, and listen to their concerns.      and I live in Staffordshire, not that far
                                             from our Vyse Street base.                       So, my first message to members
Lucky us – you also come with                                                             is, if you don’t feel you’re receiving
several awards to your name and              How are you planning to spend the            the benefits that are owing to you, then
your previous associations…                  first three months of your job?              let me know and we’ll will see what I
   CEO of the British Pest Control              Well, I’m mindful of the US               can do to address that. And of course,
Association was a very interesting           presidential 100-days benchmark…             I look forward to meeting you in the
job and during my seven years there          but of course I want to get a feel for       coming weeks!
                                                                                                                                                7
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
Industry NEWS                                                                 The RJC EXPANDS into the SILVER SUPPLY CHAIN
                                                         The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has expanded its            able to confidently demonstrate their commitment to responsible
                                                      material scope to include silver. As the standards setting and         business practices through certification against the RJC standards.
                                                      certification organisation for the fine jewellery and watch supply     We are really pleased to be able to welcome the silver supply chain
                                                      chain, this expansion adds another key sector to the RJC’s remit,      to our growing community of confidence.”
                                                      helping the Council to widen its authority and reputation across
                                                      the industry.                                                              Information relevant to the silver supply chain will be included
                                                                                                                             in the RJC’s Code of Practices (COP) standard. The COP defines
                                                          The move comes after years working with leading companies          responsible ethical, human rights, social, and environmental
                                                      in the precious metal supply chains, addressing issues found           practices for businesses operating in the diamond, gold and/or
                                                      in the diamond, gold and platinum group metals supply chain.           platinum group metals, coloured gemstones and now silver. The
                                                      Andrew Bone, executive director of the RJC, said: “It is a natural     full integration of silver into the COP is expected to be completed
                                                      progression for the RJC to include the silver sector, furthering       by the end of 2018.
                                                      our goal to become a fully integrated jewellery supply chain
                                                      initiative. The expansion allows us to use the expertise we have          Achieving RJC certification offers companies a competitive
                                                      gathered through our longstanding work across other precious           edge, highlighting their commitment to the highest standards in
                                                      metal supply chains and will help us better support a sustainable      ethical and sustainable practices.
                                                      and ethical silver industry”.
                                                                                                                                For more information on updates relevant to the silver supply
                                                         Chairman of the RJC’s Board of Directors, Wilfried Hoerner,         chain, please visit the RJC website to join the silver supply chain
                                                      added: “More businesses in the jewellery supply chain will now be      mail list: responsiblejewellery.com

                                                                                 ALABASTER & WILSON closes after 130 YEARS
                                                         The Birmingham-based diamond mounters                                                   A&W’s designer, Rachel Byrne, who had
                                                      and goldsmiths Alabaster & Wilson has closed                                            recently returned from maternity leave, is to
                                                      following the retirement of brother and sister                                          start her own business and has been offered
                                                      co-directors Stephen and Wendy Alabaster. Their                                         the company’s dies and master models, plus
                                                      elder brother Paul retired three years ago after
                                                                                                                                              the customer list, allowing her to continue to
                                                      almost 50 years in the trade.
                                                                                                                                              supply many of the pieces for which A&W have
                                                          Wendy joined Alabaster & Wilson in 1968                                             been known.
                                                      after training in retail with George Pragnall in
                                                      Stratford-upon-Avon, while Stephen went to work                                            Look out for a retrospective profile of this
                                                      in the factory that their great grandfather Arthur                                      hugely respected company in an up-and-coming
                                                      Alabaster built in 1891, a few years later.                                             issue of The Jeweller.

                                                                                 ASSCHER INVITATION to jewellery RETAILERS
                                                          The Royal Asscher Diamond Company, which is looking to                Royal Asscher is expert in the art of proprietary diamond cutting
                                                      extend its retailer network in the UK, is hosting a special retailer   and beautiful crafted jewellery. Next to the improved and unique
                                                      event on 13th March 2018, in central London. The occasion will         Royal Asscher Square Cut, the family has introduced the Royal
                                                      offer a chance to meet the famous Asscher family, the creators         Asscher Round, all set in timeless jewellery.
                                                      of the original Asscher Cut and the family that cut the Cullinan
                                                      Diamond. They will present their collections, the company’s               The Asscher family is excited to meet retailers in England:
   THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

                                                      history and its future.                                                Lita Asscher says: “We have a strong connection with England
                                                         Royal Asscher Diamond Company was founded in 1854 in                from the past, there is an amazing opportunity to use our story
                                                      Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It remains family-owned and                for offering clients a unique experience that they cannot find in
                                                      operated by the fifth and sixth generation: Edward, Lita and           any other diamond jewellery brand. We are looking to find the
                                                      Mike Asscher. It was Joseph Asscher, second generation, that           right partners in retail.”
                                                      cut and polished the Cullinan diamond – the largest diamond in
                                                      the world – in 1907. The nine largest stones that came out of the         Those interested in attending the event, which starts with
                                                      Cullinan diamond are now in the Crown Jewels in the Tower of           coffee at 10.30, followed by a presentation, lunch and one-on-one
                                                      London. Replicas of the Crown Jewels have been made by the             meetings with the Royal Asscher team, contact Jim Rustveld:
                                                      Asscher family and will also be showcased at the event.                jim@royalasscher.com

               8
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
JEWELLERY & WATCH BIRMINGHAM - The promise of magic... THINGS ARE GETTING PERSONAL - The National Association of Jewellers
Womens
Industry NEWS

                                                                                                            NAMES FIRST
                                                                                                         Ambassadors
                                                                      ia M ene zes                                               c h ae
                                                                                                                                          l Ta y l o r
                                                                Son                                                         Ra
                                                                                                                  d
                                                                                                                   or

                                                                                                                                                                                     tt
                                                                                                                                                                                    Pi
                                                                                                               if f
                                                                                                             Cl

                                                                                                                                                                                 ha
                                                                                                                                                                                as
                                                                                                           te
                                                                                                         Ka

                                                                                                                                                                              Ny
                                                          The Women’s Jewellery Network (WJN),        from and admire many brilliant women in            professional life, and also since joining
                                                      the UK-wide organisation designed to            my career. Through my ambassadorship of            the jewellery trade. The guidance and
                                                      connect, grow and inspire women working         the WJN, I’m looking forward to meeting            generosity of these women has been
                                                      in the jewellery trade, has announced its       and bringing together even more. Such a            important, so it’s incredibly exciting for me
                                                      first regional Ambassadors.                     support network is long overdue, and one           to be part of a network completely dedicated
                                                                                                      that all women working in jewellery can            to connecting, growing, motivating and
                                                          Focusing on strategically located areas     grow within and use to help support and            inspiring women within the trade. It’s a
                                                      with high densities of jewellery retailers,     champion each other.”                              wonderful opportunity for me to continue to
                                                      designers and jewellery manufacturing, the
                                                                                                         Sonia Menezes is head of brand                  grow, whilst supporting my female peers.”
                                                      first Ambassadors will cover Birmingham,
   THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

                                                      Brighton, Glasgow, Wales and Sheffield, to      development at Welsh jewellery brand                  Kate Clifford is the founder of Vanilla
                                                      support its existing London-based founders.     Clogau. She has spent more than a decade           Ink Jewellery School and Studios, an
                                                                                                      working in the trade to enhance and                educational environment focusing on
                                                         They will act as regional contacts           build brands.                                      inspiring and empowering those at the
                                                      for WJN members seeking assistance or
                                                                                                         Sonia says: “I’ve worked within this            beginning of their career or seeking to
                                                      support at a local level. Having a UK-
                                                                                                      wonderful industry for over a decade and           advance business and making skills.
                                                      wide presence was a key outcome of an
                                                      industry survey conducted by the WJN at         have met the most incredible, talented and             Kate says: “It is such an honour to be
                                                      IJL 2017, and in 2018, the Ambassadors          dynamic women. I’ve seen a lot of progress         welcomed as one of the first ambassadors for
                                                      will help to facilitate regional meet-ups       but there’s some way to go before we can           the Network – I look forward to being part
                                                      and the recruitment of further members and      say that women are fairly represented              of this positive force across our industry,
                                                      Ambassadors across the Network.                 and supported in every area of the UK              in Scotland and beyond. Building an open,
                                                                                                      jewellery industry. The role of a WJN              honest and transparent network will allow
                                                         The first four WJN Ambassadors               Ambassador is an opportunity to make a             the industry to pool its knowledge and grow
                                                      are: Rachael Taylor (Brighton); Sonia           positive contribution towards making this          in strength and confidence, as existing and
                                                      Menezes (Wales and Sheffield); Nyasha Pitt      happen. Gender parity in the workplace is          new faces in the trade support and look
                                                      (Birmingham) and Kate Clifford (Glasgow).       everyone’s responsibility and I’m delighted        after one another.”
                                                         Rachael Taylor is a jewellery and watch      to be involved.”
                                                                                                                                                            Speaking of their appointment, WJN
                                                      journalist writing for leading UK and              Nyasha Pitt is the founder and CEO of           founder Victoria McKay said: “Following
                                                      international titles, including the Financial   Living Content, a marketing consultancy
                                                                                                                                                         our debut we have been preparing a
                                                      Times and The Jewellery Editor. She is IJL’s    for the jewellery industry, producing
                                                                                                                                                         series of exciting events and initiatives
                                                      Trend Editor.                                   creative and commercial content. She was
                                                                                                                                                         for our members. The first of these
                                                                                                      previously commercial director at Assay
                                                         Rachael says: “The jewellery industry                                                           is the appointment of four respected,
                                                                                                      Office Birmingham.
                                                      has been built around women - designing                                                            knowledgeable and inspiring women
                                                      for them, marketing to them, selling to            Nyasha says: “I’ve been really fortunate        working in the trade as our inaugural
                                                      them. It is also one built by women. I’ve       to have had some extraordinary women               Ambassadors. We are thrilled to welcome
                                                      had the privilege to work alongside, learn      support and mentor me throughout my                Rachael, Sonia, Nyasha and Kate on board.”
    10
Opinion

                                                                                                                       Domino

                                                                                                            A VERY

                                                                               ROYAL
                                                                Nicholas                                                                                                 Hockley Mint
                                                                Wylde

                                                                                                    proposal
                                                              It’s not just young girls whose hearts are all a-flutter at the news of Prince Harry’s
                                                                 engagement news – the jewellery industry is also pretty excited. What’s not to
                                                                    love about a royal wedding, particularly if it proves a boost for business?

                                                       And while the world wants details, like      carat cushion cut diamond, the stones are       seen strong sales of yellow engagement
 THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

                                                    where he proposed and how (something to         set in white gold with the main band of         rings recently and of more delicate bands.
                                                    do with roast chicken apparently…) and          the ring in yellow gold. A ring of this size    With the added royal endorsement, I have
                                                    whether his dad is happy, all we in the trade   and quality would generally start at around     no doubt that demand for both will increase
                                                    want to do is get a much closer look at the     £50,000. The last royal engagement that         in the New Year. I’m pleased to say, that
                                                    third finger of her left hand. The fact that    came with a trilogy engagement ring was         we have a number of trilogy designs in
                                                    Prince Harry designed the ring, chose the       Sophie Wessex in 1999 to Prince Edward          our Diamond Ring Mounts range, which
                                                    centre stone (a diamond from Botswana)          which features a round centre stone and         echo the clean classic lines of Meghan’s
                                                    and had it set with two further diamonds        heart shape side stones.”                       ring and we will be interested to see if the
                                                    from his late mother’s jewellery collection,                                                    new season’s brides-to-be follow her lead.”
                                                                                                       “W h ile Meg ha n’s t h ree -stone
                                                    seems appropriately ‘now’. A considered,        engagement ring is very traditional in              “Harry’s and Meghan’s engagement
                                                    sensitive decision…                             design it does tie in with a couple of major    is hugely exciting news,” says Ivonna
                                                                                                    trends popular with today’s brides,” adds       Poplanska of Allum & Sidaway. “I’m a big
                                                       We spoke to a few people taking a keen
                                                                                                    Naomi Sherlock, creative director at            fan of Harry’s choice to incorporate his
                                                    interest in this affair of the heart:
                                                                                                    Domino. “Firstly, Harry designing the ring      mother’s diamonds into Meghan’s ring. It’s
                                                       “In my view, Meghan’s ring will shape        himself taps into the millennial generation’s   no surprise that the centre diamond comes
                                                    bridal sales in the months and probably even    love of customisation. The ring also has        from Botswana. Apart from it being a home
                                                    years to come – she is, and will increasingly   very personal sentimental relevance to the      to the world’s largest and richest diamond
                                                    become, a style icon for our generation,”       couple using, as it does, a diamond from        mine, it’s a special place for both Harry
                                                    says Tobias Kormind, managing director,         Botswana, where they spent time together        and Meghan.
                                                    77 Diamonds. “Prince Harry has chosen           and two further stones, which belonged
                                                                                                    to Princess Diana. This desire to have             “I love working with grooms-to-be and
                                                    a trilogy ring and having designed the                                                          guide them into ultimately making the
                                                    ring and incorporated some of Princess          something unique with a strong back
                                                                                                    story is definitely something we recognise      perfect choice,” she adds. “The designing
                                                    Diana’s diamonds in it, makes it a jewel of                                                     process and being involved in it is a lot
                                                                                                    at Domino.
                                                    inestimable value,” says the brand’s Sophie                                                     of fun for my customers and they always
                                                    Lomax, head of design. “With two round             “I am also not surprised that Meghan         appreciate the expertise. They often come
                                                    diamonds supporting what looks like a 2.5       chose a delicate yellow gold band. We have      prepared and choosing to go the bespoke
  12
design route is never done on a whim. I                The Botswana connection has not         the good of the people with excellent
am often presented with a family heirloom          been lost on Alastair Garner, MD of         schooling, healthcare, employment
and the guys have done plenty of snooping          Radiant Diamond Consulting, who has         and housing. De Beers moved its head
around on their girlfriend’s Instagram and         spent 25 plus years in the industry, many   office to Gabarone and the Government
Pinterest accounts. Meghan’s three-stone           of which were with De Beers, which          now sells 10 percent of its production
ring is a very classic design and is always        took him to the country. “I think it’s so   independently.
                                                   important that as a trade we discuss and
in fashion. It’s usually favoured by those                                                        “With the support of De Beers and
                                                   celebrate all the wonderful things the
who have done more research beforehand.                                                        its clients (De Beers Sightholders)
                                                   diamond industry does for countries and
   “I’d say that 90 percent of my customers        people in the developing world,” he says.   Botswana now has a thriving diamond
                                                   “Prince Harry had obviously recognised      manufacturing industry, which has
are choosing to use diamonds, coloured
                                                   this; the great work the industry does      created thousands of jobs for the local
gemstones and gold that once belonged to
                                                   in Botswana, where he has spent lots        community and has brought much
a member of their family. There is always a                                                    prosperity and investment to Botswana
                                                   of time.
story and a very personal reason why they                                                      and Gabarone. I’ve been working in
have decided to give a new lease of life to           “My career with De Beers first sent      Gabarone for over 10 years and the
something meaningful to them.”                     me to South Africa in the late 1990s        changes and the investment in the city
                                                   where I lived for two years; it started     have just been staggering, with a new
    Jewellery designer Andrew Geoghegan            my love affair with this beautiful
recently promoted a campaign called ‘Fifteen                                                   diamond centre, many new diamond
                                                   continent. It fills me with pride and joy   polishing facilities, hotels, offices,
Diamond Rings’, promoting and celebrating          to see the benefits that diamonds can       restaurants and infrastructure to support
his most highly sought after diamond rings.        bring to a country with a stable and fair
                                                                                               this. Many of the sightholders who have
“This was created on social media and the          government that shares its wealth with
                                                                                               opened facilities in Gaborone not only
piece that received the most interest and          the people.
                                                                                               employ hundreds of local people, but
likes was our beautifully classic ‘Cannele            “The shining light of this is Botswana   also invest in community schemes such
Trois’ – which, like Meghan’s ring is a three      with diamond revenues making up 35          as schools and orphanages to help local
stones,” he explains. “This was before the         percent of GDP. This has been used for      communities and give something back.”
royal news hit the press, so it seems that there
is an existing strong desire for this type of
ring. Now that there is a royal three stone
ring, there will undoubtedly be a significant
increase in sales for this style. Just as the
sapphire cluster is still enjoying strong sales                                         Vashi MM
since Prince William and Kate Middleton
got engaged, the future success of the three
stone ring is set!”
    London-based diamond brand Vashi,
which enables customers to design and
make their own diamond jewellery, has
been “inundated with design commissions
for Markle sparkle” and they’re delighted with
the royal boost to what is traditionally peak
marriage proposal season! “I am delighted
by the happy news of this young couple,”
says CEO and founder Vashi Dominguez. “It
resonates with me that Harry chose to design
and make his own ring. It’s a truly personal
ring – a hand written love note – from him to
Meghan. The ring is a beautiful and a highly
personal take on a classic setting. The side
stones nod to the vintage settings, which are
becoming more and more popular.”
   Bath-based jeweller Nicholas Wylde
agrees that the royal ring is likely to set
trends. “Trilogy rings are always popular but
Meghan will definitely help their popularity
even further and create a demand – just like
Diana did with her sapphire & diamond
cluster ring,” he says. “And over the last 15
years it’s been white, white, white [metal]
but this is changing recently and it’s nice                  Andrew Geoghegan                                             77 Diamonds
to see Meghan’s ring is on-trend with its
use of mixed colour gold. In fact this year I
have designed new collections using yellow
or mixed gold. All jewellery has a story or
journey attached to it. This ring in particular
has so much history attached to it, using as it
does two of Diana’s gems. The ring is designed
well, with good proportions – although it’s a
shame that Meghan didn’t break with tradition
of using a crown jeweller.”
                                                                                                                                      13
Industry NEWS

                                                                                                               All in a
                                                                                                               GOOD CAUSE
                                                                                                                                                                   JACOBS THE
                                                      Tresor Paris                                                                                                 JEWELLERS
                                                      WIN necklaces
                                                                                                                                                                      In November Reading-based
                                                                                                                                                                   Jacobs the Jewellers revealed
                                                                                                                                                                   its 2018 70th anniversary
                                                                                                                                                                   celebrations – ‘Seventy for
                                                                                                                                                                   Seventy’. The programme
                                                                                                                                TRESOR PARIS                       centres around the goal of
                                                                                                                                                                   raising £70,000 for the Royal
                                                                                                                                   Meanwhile, Hatton Garden-       Berkshire Hospital Charity,
                                                                                                                                based crystal jewellery brand      specifically the Berkshire
                                                                                            WONGS                               Tresor Paris has teamed up with    Cancer Centre, in the 70th
                                                                                            JEWELLERS                           the not-for-profit-organisation    anniversary of the founding of
                                                                                                                                Women in Need (WI N)               the NHS.
                                                                                                Just days before the            London this winter season, to
                                                                                            Federat ion’s Benevolent            create a limited edition locket       A number of events are
                                                                                            Society Ball raised around          for its e-shop in order to raise   planned: a ‘Jacobs Jumpers’
                                                                                            £30,000, Wongs Jewellers in         vital funds for charity Hestia,    charity sky dive in Spring; a
                                                                                            Liverpool hosted its second                                            Summer golf day; space for
                                                      The season of                         annual Winter Ball, after which
                                                                                                                                helping women and families of
                                                                                                                                                                   runners in the Reading Half
                                                                                                                                domestic violence.
                                                      goodwill certainly                    it donated £44,288 to Alder Hey                                        Marathon and a finale gala
                                                      made its presence felt                Children’s Charity. The sold-          The locket contains white       dinner and party in Autumn.
                                                                                            out event, with fine dining,        crystal WIN ‘floating’ initials    Initiatives running in parallel
                                                      within the jewellery                  entertainment, live auction         and supporters can choose          include: every 2018 purchase
                                                      industry, with a                      and a raffle, was held inside the   from gold and white gold, and      completed being entered into
                                                                                            iconic Royal Liver Building in      two shapes – a round or heart      a prize draw to win a 0.70ct
                                                      great many stores                     Liverpool.                          shaped locket. A quarter of        diamond 18ct white gold
                                                      and brands taking                                                         profits from the sales will go     pendant, worth over £4,000.
                                                      the opportunity                                                           to the charity partner, Hestia,    Special 70th anniversary luxury
                                                                                                                                which helps families suffering     raffle tickets will be available
                                                      to raise funds and                                                        from domestic abuse, living in     to buy in store to win prizes,
                                                      make donations to                                                         Hestia-funded refuges and safe     drawn each quarter – proceeds
                                                                                                                                houses across London.              going towards the purchase of
                                                      charitable causes.                                                                                           cutting edge equipment for
                                                      Here are just a                                                              WIN London is a new
                                                                                                                                organisation co-founded by         Surface Guided Radiotherapy
                                                      few examples:                                                             Christina Harvey and Georgina      treatment.
                                                                                                                                Chambury Burke. It began as a         Finally, Jacobs in-house
   THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

                                                                                                                                Facebook group to help locate      designers and goldsmiths will
                                                                                             Simon Johnson
                                                                                                                                pre-loved items for women          create seven unique jewellery
                                                      BEAVERBROOKS                           and Peter Wong
                                                                                                                                and children living in a local     pieces, in the style of a specific
                                                         The 98-year old business                                               Hestia refuge in East London.      era such as Art Deco or the
                                                      which donates 20 percent of              At the inaugural ball last       However, despite the endless       Sixties. The pieces, ranging
                                                      post-tax and post distribution        year, the family-run retailer       generosity of nearby residents,    from £500 to £10,000, will be
                                                      profits to its charitable trust has   raised £40,000, and this year       it was clear that funds were       sold during the course of 2018
                                                      this year donated £1.076m to          was delighted to give the           urgently needed to pay for         with a percentage donated
                                                      charity. As part of its mission to    local charity even more. “The       more personal items such           towards the charity. One of
                                                      ‘enrich lives’, all 940 employees     charity is very close to our        as underwear, toiletries and       the designs will be created
                                                      are encouraged to support time-       hearts,” says Wongs Jewellers       sanitary products, which cannot    via a competition with local
                                                      giving initiatives and 1,533          managing director, Peter Wong.      be sourced second-hand.            schoolchildren, 14 years and
                                                      hours were paid to facilitate         “Alder Hey Children’s Hospital         WIN London launched the         older, facilitated by Jelly,
                                                      volunteering in 2016/17.              provides vital services for the     online ‘shop’ last year which      Reading’s award winning arts
                                                                                            people of Liverpool, the North      already includes sweats, tees      charity. The winner’s idea will
                                                          In addition, 29 percent of        West and indeed the whole                                              be made into a pendant for sale
                                                      its employees were involved                                               and bags which have been worn
                                                                                            country so we are hugely            by celebrities including Sadie     towards the fundraising.
                                                      in Workplace Giving at the            proud to have been able to give
                                                      year-end (now 34 percent).                                                Frost and featured on the Gaby        Adam Jacobs, co owner
                                                                                            something back.                     Roslin Show on BBC Radio
                                                      Beaverbrooks is the UK’s                                                                                     commented: “It’s an amazing
                                                      second biggest supporter                 “The staff at the hospital       London.                            milestone to have reached and
                                                      of the scheme on the high             do incredible work caring               The Tresor Paris large heart   as an independent business
                                                      street. During the period,            for the children and their          locket is £125, the round locket   we’re really proud of the
                                                      its employees gave £29,069            families during very difficult      is £115.                           achievement. The team and I
                                                      through payroll giving. The net       circumstances and we are                                               are really excited to reach our
                                                      donation was then matched by          incredibly thankful for all the        Available online from           fundraising goal, helping the
                                                      the company resulting in total        hard work and commitment of         women i n needlondon.com           RBH continue their simply
                                                      donations of £51,000.                 the staff.”                         and tresorparis.com                amazing work.”
    14
BY THC

WWW.TREASUREHOUSECO.COM 2 0207 400 0000
           BJA MEMBERSHIP 23935
EDUCATION                                           For the first time this November,
                                                    the National Association of Jewellers                       Sam McMahon, Goldsmiths’
                                                    took part in the Skills Show at the                         Company Apprentice with Mappin
                                                                                                                & Webb. Gold Medal Winner
                                                    NEC, which is the nation’s largest
                                                    skills and careers event helping to
                                                    shape the future of a new generation.

                                                       Attracting over 80,000 visitors, the Skills Show
                                                    provides ‘have a go’ experiences that inspire young
                                                    people to explore careers, and motivates them to find
                                                    out more about the world of work. Over the course
                                                    of the four days, more than 200 national and local
                                                    employers and training organisations engaged with
                                                    young people, their parents and educators.
                                                       Independent careers advisors and other experts
                                                    were available to give up-to-date, impartial, one-
                                                    on-one advice and guidance on all routes into
                                                    jobs, from live job vacancies, apprenticeships and
                                                    training opportunities.                                     Luke Blackie, RK Goldsmiths’
                                                       Also during the event, spotlight talks from industry     Company Apprentice with Mandos
                                                    leads gave young people insights into specific              Jewellery. Silver Medal Winner
                                                    industries and professions.
                                                       The centrepiece of the show is the WorldSkills
                                                    UK Competitions Finals, which saw almost 600
                                                    trainees and apprentices compete to win a coveted
                                                    place representing the UK on the international stage.
                                                    The young apprentices, exponents of 55 disciplines –
                                                    as diverse as Aircraft Maintenance, 3D Game Design,
                                                    Cabinet Making, Plumbing, Beauty Therapy and
                                                    Cyber Security – took part in the National Finals.
                                                       The Goldsmiths’ Company has been a long-
                                                    standing sponsor of WorldSkills and oversees the
                                                    Fine Jewellery making competition at The Skills
                                                    Show. The competitors are chosen through selection
                                                    events, which took place earlier this year in London
                                                    and Birmingham. This year, eight young people were
                                                    competing over three days/15 hours.
                                                       The finalists are tested in a temporary workshop
                                                    environment and scored on their jewellery making                                             Robert Dean, Goldsmiths’
                                                    ability to saw a piece out, solder, make to specific                                         Company Apprentice
                                                    dimensions, surface finish and complete on time.                                             with Garrard & Co Ltd’s.
                                                                                                                                                 Bronze Medal Winner
                                                        The NAJ’s stand found itself a prime position next
                                                    to the Fine Jewellery competition. This year, volunteer
  THE MARK OF HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING

                                                    committee members and respected members of the
                                                    industry gave up their time to share their insights
                                                    and enthusiasm with show attendees. Although
                                                    our stand was small this time around, we intend to
                                                    make the experience much more immersive for the
                                                    young people visiting at next year’s event. We are
                                                    looking to show some of the technology used in our
                                                    industry alongside the wonderful skills in the Fine
                                                    Jewellery competition.
                                                       If you would like to be involved in next year’s Skills
                                                    Show, or have a good idea about how we can engage
                                                    young people, please contact Kate Madelin, the NAJ
                                                    Director of Education. Email: kate.madelin@naj.co.uk

                                                    TRICKS of
   16
                                                    the TRADE
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      Your Technology Partner              01442 256445               www.bransom.co.uk                      
Industry NEWS

                                                                                                                                                                         Harriet Kelsall

                                                      New STORES
                                                      The last month or so has seen a flurry of new jewellery store openings.
                                                      Three very different examples have caught our eye:

                                                      DINNY HALL                                      VASHI                                          HARRIET KELSALL
                                                          On 4th December Dinny Hall opened               Diamond retailer Vashi has expanded            With a studio and shop in Cambridge
                                                      its fifth London boutique in the heart          to a third retail outlet in London’s busiest   and its Jewellery Centre in Hertfordshire,
                                                      of Marylebone. The latest addition to           shopping centre, Westfield London,             Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery is
                                                      the brand’s portfolio, the new store will       bringing its signature interactive             opening its third location… this time
                                                      service the “chic and international clientele   experience to the heart of the Luxury          in London. Due to open late January/
                                                      who live and work in one of the capital’s       Village area.                                  early February, the new studio and shop
                                                      favourite London villages,” says creative                                                      is in Regent’s Park Road, Primrose Hill
                                                                                                         The store, which is actually an open
                                                      director Dinny Hall.                                                                           – just a walk away from Regent’s Park
                                                                                                      space in the broad aisle of the Luxury
                                                          Set in recently refreshed Marylebone        Village, reflects the brand’s ethos of         itself. “An empty, dilapidated space is
                                                      Lane, on the ground f loor of a new             transparency and welcomes customers            now being renovated to be transformed
                                                      luxury apartment complex, the store has         at every corner. Set across 1500sq ft,         into a beautiful retail environment,”
                                                      a light and airy feel, with raw brick walls     stainless-steal edged kimberlite surfaces      explains Kelsall.
                                                      offset against Dinny Hall’s distinctive         reflect the brilliance of the diamonds            “The design has been conceptualised
                                                      glossy finish.                                  on show.                                       by Catriona Mills at Lumsden Design and
                                                          “We’ve designed the store as our official       Vashi jewellery centres around the         the studio and shop will offer a unique
                                                      flagship, as it’s our most central London       customer. It is they who create it, be that    retail experience whereby qualified
                                                      location and has a grand and spacious feel.     from the design through to assembly or         jewellery designers mingle with public,
                                                      It will also be the most progressive retail     through the initial diamond(s) selection.      offering them a ‘clean sheet’ bespoke
                                                      experience, as the brand aims to include        The process is collaborative between           design service in a relaxed high street
                                                      digital enhancements in a bid to engage         customer and Vashi craftsmen. Two              setting”, she adds.
                                                                                                      private consultation rooms circle the
   THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

                                                      with a millennial audience,” she adds.                                                            The look of the new premises will be
                                                                                                      central diamond bar where diamonds are
                                                          The new store will offer signature          openly on display. The heart of the store      in keeping with the interior design style
                                                      collections in 22ct gold vermeil and            is the lab, where the resident jewellery       of both the Hertfordshire and Cambridge
                                                      sterling silver, as well as the fine range of   ‘alchemists’ work throughout the day           studios, with signature branding and
                                                      14ct and 18ct, including a healthy offering     crafting the jewellery. As in all Vashi        colours throughout but with “some
                                                      for the local bridal market. The digital        stores, customers are welcomed to roll         exciting new additions!” The new
                                                      enhancements include screens showing            up their sleeves to create their personal      London location has an urban design
                                                      production and design inspiration, staff/       item of jewellery or just watch the master     studio feel to it, for instance there is a
                                                      customer use of iPads in-store to make the      jewellers at work. Traditional tools sit       polished concrete feature wall, and this
                                                      website/blog and social platforms a part        alongside cutting-edge state-of-the-art        modern decor style will follow through
                                                      of the retail experience.                       lasers and engraving tools.                    in design features elsewhere.

                                                                                                                                 Dinny Hall           Vashi

    18
treasure house
                                             company
                                                                         n
                                               since             DIAMOND
                                         m
                                         198 5
                                                                      jewellery

new      collection
 l a u n c h i n g at t h e n e c                                     see us

                                                                      NEC
                                                                       4-8 FEB
                                                                        2018

                                                                 HALL 17 U18-W19
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Member SPOTLIGHT

                                  WE CLARK
                                  The NAJ Awards 2017 saw Sussex independent business
                                  WE Clark scoop the prize for Retailer of the Year.                                                       David and John Clark
                                  Belinda Morris spoke to David Clark.

                                  Was it always a given that you would join       Lewes suffered from catastrophic flooding        jewellers, since then we have changed
                                  the business?                                   – and effectively took us to floor boards        the name to make it a full part of
                                      I’ve always been very interested in the     and bare walls. My father and I took this        WE Clark & Son.
                                  trade. I remember from the age of seven         as an opportunity to re-build the business,
                                                                                  and head upmarket… we have never                     In 2013 another opportunity presented
                                  coming down to the shop and just being in                                                        itself, in order to satisfy a requirement we
                                  the environment. My job in those days was       looked back.
                                                                                                                                   had for quality watch repairs. We now have
                                  to collect the used batteries, which seemed         In terms of my position in the company,      the services of our own master watchmaker,
                                  to be stored on the carpet. From then on I      I started on the shop-floor and then worked      and our specialist area is vintage and antique
                                  started to work in the shop on Saturdays,       my way up. Of course it comes with its fair      watches, especially pocket watches. I set up
                                  selling my first engagement ring when           share of rewards being the owner’s son,          weclarkwatchrepairs.co.uk and now we are
                                  I was 13. I decided to take the Business
    THE MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM

                                                                                  but also a lot of challenges – you have to       servicing around 200 watches a month. It
                                  Studies course at college, which taught me      almost work harder than your employees           is a very labour intensive and challenging
                                  the basics about financial management of        to prove you are not just getting an easy        area, but certainly rewarding to see a 200-
                                  a business.                                     ride. I really enjoy seeing customers, and       year old timepiece come back to life, and
                                      After college my father, with his           still do today; I think it is really important   be passed down to another generation. This
                                  connections within the trade, found a place     to keep in touch with what is happening at       year another opportunity presented itself,
                                  for me to work away from home, but still        ‘the coal face’.                                 and we have opened a beautiful showroom
                                  in the trade. Nigel Salloway, of Salloways                                                       in Uckfield in East Sussex. The reception
                                                                                  How has WE Clark developed, or                   we have received is fantastic; people are
                                  in Lichfield, Staffordshire, very kindly        changed, over the years?
                                  gave me an in depth induction into the                                                           genuinely happy to see our company in
                                  world of retail jewellery, and for that I am       I can certainly confirm that if, as a         their town.
                                  very grateful to him. At the time I was not     business owner you do not try to think
                                                                                  how your products and services might be          What would you say sets you apart from
                                  delighted at having to move from Sussex to                                                       other jewellery stores in the area?
                                  Staffordshire for this, but certainly now I     required in the near future, you just will not
                                  think it was an essential thing to do.          be here. I have always tried to think how I          Each of our three showrooms have one
                                                                                  can take the business forward and sensibly       thing in common, and that is the great team
                                     I had to cut my time at Salloways slightly   diversify. In 2005 I decided to seize upon       that work in them. I am a firm believer that
                                  short, as in 2000 my family business in         and purchase Eastbourne’s oldest family          if you invest in your team and believe in
    20
Lewes showroom

                                                                                                                                         Member SPOTLIGHT
                                                                                                  A BRIEF HISTORY
                                                                                                  1819 – Mr Har ris founded
                                                                                                  Harris Jewellers, 1 Cliffe High
them, they will, in return, reward you with    that they want the support of a professional       Street, Lewes. Later joined by
their performance. We also make sure that      jeweller.                                          Mr Kenwood, Harris & Kenwood
the service we offer goes above and beyond                                                        Jewel le r s & Si lve r s m it h s
what you would expect. I do not profess        How long have you had an online
                                               presence? Is it key for sales?                     was formed.
to be the ‘cheapest’ nor would I want to
be – however the service that we offer, and        We have one of the oldest domains
the backup, blows any online retailer out      out there, I have always been interested           1919 – Wilfred Ernest Clark moved
of the water.                                  in technology and have embraced this               to Lewes and bought Harris &
                                               throughout the business. Our first website         Kenwood. Then put his name to
    A lot of our customers travel a long
                                               was launched in 2000, and since then I’ve          the business.
distance to come and find us, I certainly
believe we are a destination shop. I, along    tried many different approaches. I can’t
with my director Daniel, try to develop        say I’ve been able to sell a lot of jewellery
                                                                                                  His son John (Jack) joined
the business to make it so that we have a      online, but what has worked for us is using        WE Clark after serving in WWII.
different offering or something that is only   it as a tool to drive traffic and enquiries into
available from us. Our                                                our shops. Of course the
own Clark Collection                                                  watch repair website        1947 – Jack took over the running
is a growing range of                                                 has worked very well,       of the company.
jewellery that we have                                                but it does take a lot of
created by selecting                                                  resources and expertise
loose diamonds and                                                                                1971 – His son John (third
                                                                      to make this so.
precious gemstones                                                                                generation) took over the running
that we’ve travelled the                                            Are awards important          of WE Clark at the age of 21. He
world to source. This                                               to the business?              and his wife Madeleine had three
means we can offer a                            Clark & Sons           This year has been         children: Simon, Caroline and
bespoke and specialist                                              an exciting one for           David.
jewellery design service. 2017 also saw        awards. We have been overwhelmed by
the opening of our on-site jewellery repair    winning both trade and local awards, and it        1979 – Expansion saw the purchase
and restoration workshop. This has been        shows me that we are doing things well and         of 224 High Street, while retaining
so successful that this January we are         that we are recognised by our customers and        Cliffe Street. WE Clark was now
going to be adding a second goldsmith to       trade peers. It is very special to have this,      on both banks of the River Ouse.
our workshop.                                  and the team here have been very excited
How does having a gemologist in-store          to be a part of it.
                                                                                                  2000 – The worst flood in 200
impact on what you do and sell?                Does WE Clark get involved in the                  years wreaked havoc in both stores,
                                                                                                                                             THE MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM

   Gemmology is an important skill for         local community?                                   bringing the business to its knees.
the business to have in its repertoire. My        We try to get involved if we can. This is       David (fourth generation) joined the
father and I have studied for qualifications                                                      next day, working with his father to
                                               not just for a bit of free publicity – I believe
at GEM-A, and all of the staff have taken                                                         regenerate and reposition WE Clark
                                               that if you exist successfully in a community
courses, or are currently undertaking                                                             in the market place.
courses, with the NAJ. This is very            you should try to give something back, and
important for our business; if you have an     support those who are less fortunate than
understanding of the trade then you can        yourself. My father has been a member              2005 – Eastbour ne’s oldest
have confidence in what you are talking        of the local Rotary club for many years,           jewellers Charlwood’s is bought and
about with the customers. This again           and we support this where possible. Each           becomes WE Clark’s watch repair
comes back to being able to say you are        time we have a special customer event we           and restoration business.
trained to offer advice, and therefore stand   choose a good cause and make sure we
out from the competition who very often        raise some funds. Most recently we ran a
are just trying to sell something for the      Balloon Pop competition – customers paid           2012 – 224 High Street is
lowest possible cost. We are finding that      £5 for a balloon and all the money went to         redeveloped and extended and the
this approach is quite short-sighted and       good causes – we were pleased to be able           Eastbourne shop refurbished.
customers are really waking up to the fact     to donate £500 from this, which is great.
                                                                                                                                             21
JET BUSINESS NETWORK                                   “The key benefit to me (of being an          “When I first joined the JBN I thought
                                                   NAJ member), even though it costs extra,     that to commit to almost £1,000 for the
                                                   is the JBN. Networking, sharing best         joining fee was a large amount. What is
                                                   practice, getting advice and information     the return on that going to be, I wondered.
                                                   are exceptionally useful. Some of the        I recouped that figure soon after my first      For an annual subscription
                                                   tips received have helped save us enough     meeting, from the tips that I received by       of £850, you a nd you r
                                                   money to more than justify the fee. I’d      discussing with other members what had          business will benefit from the
                                                   encourage and recommend it highly.”          worked for them to increase their sales.        shared knowledge, experience and
                                                                                                Joining the JBN has been worth every            expertise of the JBN - Retail via:
                                                   Adam Jacobs – Jacobs the Jewellers           penny and I would recommend to anyone
                                                                                                who is unsure of joining.”                    • Monthly Performance Reports
                                                      “It’s great to meet other similar                                                         – enabling you to benchmark
                                                   retailers who are happy to share their       Jaysal Pattni – Minar Jewellers                 your business against other retail
                                                   knowledge and experiences.”                                                                  jewellers.
                                                                                                   “The most beneficial aspect of being       • Online Q&A Forum - whether
                                                   Aaron Temprell – Temprells                   a member of the NAJ is participation in         you have a business issue or
                                                                                                the JBN. The advantage of meeting fellow        just seek guidance. You ask the
                                                      “During the 10 years that we have         business owners away from the shop every        question and the members answer.
                                                   been a member, the business turnover has     few months, cannot be underestimated.”
                                                   more than tripled. Whilst not all of this                                                  • Educational Store Visits - allow
                                                   increase can be directly attributed to JBN   Mark Welch – MG Welch                           you to see and hear what other
                                                   membership, it would be fair to say that                                                     Jewellers are doing.
                                                   much of the advice and opinions we have         “I joined the JBN after attending the
                                                                                                                                              • Regional Group Meetings
                                                   received from the group members during       Congress in June, and within four months
                                                                                                                                                – to discuss the issues and
                                                   that period has given us the reassurance     I had saved over £10,000 thanks to a
                                                                                                                                                opportunities they face, as well
                                                   and confidence to formulate plans            members’ survey.”
                                                                                                                                                as develop new business skills.
                                                   and take decisions which have led to this
                                                   result.”                                     Manish Jogia – Sonnys Jewellery
                                                                                                                                              • New Flash Service – receive
                                                                                                                                                relevant business and Industry
                                                   Mark Smith – Cavendish Jewellers                “We have a manufacturing workshop.           articles straight to your inbox.
                                                                                                After joining the JBN we have taken
                                                      “I could categorically state that over    on extra manufacturing for two JBN            • Member Business Surveys – on
                                                   the past 12 months, membership of the        members, which has increased our                topics identified by the members.
                                                   JBN has saved me well in excess of £2,000    overall turnover; without it our turnover     • Plus the opportunity to influence
                                                   and I’ve made income well over £10,000.”     would have shown a slight decrease.”            and shape the content of the
                                                   Simon Johnson – Marmalade Jewellery          Timothy Roe – Timothy Roe Fine                  Annual Oxford Congress.
                                                                                                Jewellery                                     • For f u r t he r i n for m at ion
                                                      “I joined the JBN a couple of years                                                       Visit the NAJ website or
                                                   ago and I love it – I get such a lot out                                                     Call Michael Donaldson on
                                                   of it. The members of my group visited                                                       07817 305 122 or email him at
                                                   our Rustington store, they helped me                                                         michael@thevalueinnovator.co.uk
                                                   with invaluable, impartial advice. I’d
                                                   recommend JBN to anyone.”
                                                                                                     JOIN UP
                                                   Sophie Guess – L Guess Jewellers

                                                      if you
     THE MARK OF SHARED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

                                                     snooze
                                                         you
                                                       lose!
                                                      There are many profitable
                                                         reasons to join the JET
                                                        Business Network in the
                                                      coming year, but don’t just
                                                           take our word for it…
                                                   above are some thoughts from
                                                      just a few of the members.
      22
Nicholson White & Co Ltd, St Mary’s House, 68 Harborne Park Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 0DH

Telephone: 0121 478 5100 Fax: 0121 478 5115 Email: insure@nicholsonwhite.com Web: www.nicholsonwhite.com

                Member of The National Association of Jewellers   • Registered in England No. 2747708
                      Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No. 306522)
Industry NEWS                                                            KESSLERS INTERNATIONAL acquires CARTERS DESIGN
                                                         Recently re-invigorated retail display                                                  launching a new 5,000 square foot innovation
                                                      company, Kesslers International, is                                                        lab and showroom this February to
                                                      positioning itself to implement ambitious                                                  showcase its latest work and demonstrate
                                                      new growth strategies, which include                                                       latest technology in retail, including
                                                      acquisitions to increase its specialist services.                                          Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Near
                                                         Kesslers, which designs and manufactures                                                Field Communication, Radio Frequency
                                                      point of purchase displays from its London                                                 Identification and IoT enabled displays.
                                                      HQ, was acquired by the private equity firm
                                                      Elaghmore in September 2017. Elaghmore,                                                        After enjoying an eight percent increase
                                                      has now purchased the Intellectual Property                                                in sales in 2017, Kesslers is looking at double
                                                      Rights for the Carters Design business which                                               digit growth through 2018, working with new
                                                      will be integrated into Kesslers.                                                          and existing customers as well as pursuing
                                                                                                                           further acquisitions. A rebrand and new website will be launched
                                                         The team at Carters Design will remain based in Leicestershire    in early 2018, and the business will continue to invest in state of
                                                      but will become the Kesslers office in the Midlands. With a strong
                                                                                                                           the art manufacturing technology.
                                                      focus on the jewellery and watch sector, Carters Design produces
                                                      POP displays for watch brands including Breitling, Sekonda and          Speaking on the acquisition of Carters, Kesslers CEO Guy
                                                      Accurist. Kesslers has also recently recruited Daniel Shields,       Stanton said: “Carters is widely respected for its focus on creating
                                                      a highly experienced account director who brings a wealth of         stunning designs. The acquisition of Carters will further strengthen
                                                      watch industry knowledge and contacts. Shields took up the post      our position as a display specialist for the jewellery and watch
                                                      at Kesslers on 8th January and is based in London.                   industry. We are looking to provide innovative display solutions
                                                         Under revitalised management strategies, led by CEO Guy           for watches and jewellery and will be exhibiting at the IJL show
                                                      Stanton, Kesslers is bringing innovation to the retail sector,       in September.”

                                                                       BONHAMS appoints new JEWELLERY GLOBAL DIRECTOR
                                                         The international auction house Bonhams has                                        During her career to date, Jean Ghika has been
                                                      announced Jean Ghika as its newly appointed Global                                 responsible for:
                                                      Head of Jewellery. As part of her new role, Jean
                                                      Ghika will oversee sales in Bonhams global offices                                 • The sale of a fancy vivid blue diamond ring by
                                                      in London, New York, Hong Kong and Los Angeles.                                    Bulgari that sold for £1.8 million in 2011

                                                          Jean has had 25 years of experience working at                                 • The only sale dedicated solely to the work of
                                                      Bonhams and is recognised as one of the world’s                                    pioneering British jewellery designer Andrew Grima
                                                      leading jewellery experts. She was appointed director                              in 2006
                                                      of jewellery for UK & Europe in 2007. Under her
                                                                                                                                         • Directing the sale of the 5.30ct fancy deep blue
                                                      leadership, Bonhams has been UK market leader
                                                                                                                                         diamond which sold for £6.2 million in 2013
                                                      for seven of the past nine years.
                                                          Matthew Girling, Global CEO and former Global                                  • The sale of ‘The Hope Spinel’, an exceptional
                                                      Director of Jewellery at Bonhams, said: “I have worked with Jean                   50ct gemstone, which sold in September 2015 for
                                                      for more than 21 years and I am delighted to hand over this global      £962,500, the current world record price for a spinel
                                                      role to her. She has demonstrated excellent business acumen in       • The sale of a fancy intense blue diamond from a British private
                                                      her current role and has been instrumental in giving strategic         collection which sold for £2.32m in September 2016
                                                      direction to the UK and European Fine Jewellery teams.” Girling
                                                      will remain closely involved with the jewellery department and       • The sale of a fancy intense blue diamond from a British private
   THE MARK OF INDUSTRY INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION

                                                      will now assume a ‘chairman emeritus’ role for Fine Jewellery.         collection which sold for £2.68m in September 2017.

                                                                                   CARTIER and JOANNA HARDY ‘In Conversation’
                                                          On 13th February 2018, acclaimed jewellery                                      those setting the highest benchmark standards for
                                                      specialist, Joanna Hardy, will lead an ‘In                                          outstanding and exceptional craftsmanship.
                                                      Conversation’ with Cartier, the globally-esteemed
                                                                                                                                             Led by Joanna Hardy, the conversation will
                                                      and respected maison in the luxury goods industry,
                                                                                                                                          take a vibrant behind-the-scenes journey from
                                                      for an exceptional event hosted by the Goldsmiths’                                  Cartier’s prestigious design studio and workshops,
                                                      Craft & Design Council (GC&DC) and the                                              the exemplar for quality and excellence in
                                                      Goldsmiths’ Centre.                                                                 craftsmanship, to its luxurious flagship stores.
                                                         Founded in 1874 in Paris, Cartier is renowned                                    Guests can also see the GC&DC’s 2017 retrospective
                                                      worldwide for its high jewellery creations and                                      exhibition of award-winning work, plus a feature
                                                      watches – symbols of craftsmanship and elegance,                                    showcase of Cartier jewellery, a first, and again to
                                                      quality and excellence. Hosted by the GC&DC                                         signify and celebrate its 60-year collaboration with
                                                      in partnership with The Goldsmiths’ Centre, and                                     the GC&DC. This will run until 6th March, 2018.
                                                      Joanna Hardy, this exclusive ‘In Conversation’ event                                   There will also be a number of Cartier Award
                                                      celebrates 60 years of unique partnership between                                  winners attending the event, adding further context
                                                      GC&DC and the maison, Cartier – GC&DC’s                                            to this opportunity of an insight about Cartier, its
                                                                                                             Revolving Dial Clock
                                                      enduring and illustrious Principle Patron.                                         unique relationship with the GC&DC and why the
                                                                                                                 by Paul Jones
                                                                                                                                         Jacques Cartier Memorial Award is so important
                                                         The evening event will be a unique opportunity to
                                                                                                                          to both the Council and the industry.
                                                      hear from two highly skilled and experienced individuals working
                                                      with Cartier in London about their world, and the GC&DC’s              Tickets are limited and available for purchase for £20 (including
                                                      prized Jacques Cartier Memorial Award – available since 1958, to a glass of wine): goldsmiths-centre.org
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