Articles and News
Brand News: New SVP At Uneek; A. Link Awards Billboard; St. Louis Jeweler Gets Hawked; More July 02, 2014 (0 comments)
Michael Bungert Joins Uneek by Benjamin Javaheri As SVP
Los Angeles, CA—Uneek by Benjamin Javaheri announces the appointment of Michael Bungert (left) as senior vice president. He will spearhead the development of all sales, marketing and merchandising initiatives at the company, will assume the management of the external sales force, and also will be responsible for key retail accounts.
Bungert has more than 40 years’ experience in the jewelry industry, including 29 years as vice president of Kattan Diamonds & Jewelry Inc., where his responsibilities were significant in building the business' sales and merchandising strategy and planning.
"I am pleased to welcome Michael to the Uneek family. I am confident that his business acumen, rich and long standing relationships, and unbridled passion will be an incredible addition to the company. We are looking forward to a fruitful fourth quarter and 2015", says Benjamin Javaheri, Uneek’s owner and designer.
Bungert can be reached at (888) 238-6335 or michael@uneekjewelry.com
Frasca Jewelers Wins A. Link’s Las Vegas 2014 Billboard Giveaway
Palm Desert, CA—Frasca Jewelers has won the co-op billboard with A. Link, offered through a special promotion at the JCK Las Vegas show. A. Link thanks all its loyal customers who participated in the promotion, and congratulates the team at Frasca Jewelers.
Frasca Jewelers has won the A. Link free billboard promotion.
Hawk Holds Up Retailer’s Billboard Schedule
St. Louis, MO—Don’t mess with a pregnant mama. Especially when Mama is one angry bird. Recently, Simons Jewelers dispatched a crew to change out its Rolex billboard to feature another product, as per its advertising schedule. But when the crew arrived, they found a hawk had built a nest atop the billboard, and she had no plans to move till after the eyas (baby hawks) were hatched and on their own.
“We’re just going to let nature take its course and enjoy the fact that we’ve played a small part in helping a protected species,” said Simon Katz, owner of Simons Jewelers. “Once all the chicks and the parents have left the nest, we’ll change that billboard. But for right now, it stays right where it is.”
The billboard was slated to change at the end of May; at presstime the babies had hatched but the family remains ensconced. Or maybe Mama is just a luxury-loving lady who likes Rolexes?
Michael John Jewelry Featured in Robb Report
Newport Beach, CA—Michael John Jewelry recently was featured in Robb Report magazine as the first American-based fine jewelry company to create an exclusive, one-of-a-kind, amber-centered collection to retail in China. The Michael John Jewelry amber pieces are designed and manufactured in the United States and exported to China, where they are available for purchase in the country’s top-tier department stores and independent, fine retailers in areas such as Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou and others. The premiere collection includes 30 signature designs, each individually handcrafted and customized. Select designs feature blue amber, the rarest and most expensive of the amber family. Michael Hezar, CEO and designer of Michael John Jewelry, said, “With China’s abundant consumer growth, this is an opportunity to branch out globally, especially by creating a market-specific collection of amber designs, and as amber is a coveted symbol of good luck and prosperity in the Asian culture, we were further intrigued by working with this fascinating gemstone.”
The collection features rings, pendants and brooches in 18k yellow, rose and white gold with accent diamonds and colored gemstones. Read the full report here.
Sterling/Zale Merger Shakes Up Executive Office Again
Akron, OH—In the wake of Sterling’s acquisition of Zale Corp., most of Zale’s senior executive team will exit the company. A report in JCK says Zale president and CEO Theo Killion resigned, along with most of his team and one Signet exec, CFO Ronald Ristau, who reportedly wants to move closer to his family.
The shakeup—the second shuffling in a month since the acquisition was announced—means promotions for three top Sterling executives: Mark Light, Ed Hrabak, and George Murray.
Light, recently appointed president and COO of Signet, takes on responsibility for the Zale division as well. Zale will remain an independent division, along with Sterling and the U.K. division of Signet. Ed Hrabak becomes president of the Sterling division, which includes the Kay and Jared brands as well as some regional brands. And George Murray will relocate to Dallas to head the Zale division.