Articles and News
INDUSTRY NEWS: JA CALLS FOR DESIGN CONTEST ENTRIES, JEWELERS MUTUAL HOLIDAY SECURITY TIPS, MORE October 19, 2011 (0 comments)
JA Calls For Entries for 2012 CASE Design Awards
New York, NY—Jewelers of America is calling for entries to its annual CASE retail design awards. The competition, celebrating Creativity, Artistry, Style & Excellence, is held each year at the JA New York Winter Show. Entries are displayed before thousands of attendees and winners receive publicity in national trade publications and their local media.
Entry categories include:
- New! Entry Platinum Jewelry: Bridal semi-mounts retailing for under $2,500 or any other type of platinum jewelry retailing for under $3,500. Platinum must be the principle design element and the most visual component. Sponsored by Platinum Guild International
- New! Palladium Jewelry: 95% palladium alloy must be the principle precious metal design element and the most visual component. Sponsored by Palladium Alliance International
- Women’s Jewelry under $2,000 retail value: Total cost of materials, excluding labor, must be under $1,000.
- Women’s Jewelry $2,000 to $5,000 retail value:Total cost of materials, excluding labor, must be between $1,000 and $3,000
- Women’s Jewelry over $5,000 retail value:Total cost of materials, excluding labor, must be over $3,000
- Men’s Jewelry: All price ranges
- Silver Jewelry: Silver must be the principle design element and the most visual component. All price ranges.
- Alternative-Materials Jewelry: Non-traditional and/or alternative materials are the principle design elements and the most visual components. All price ranges.
Deadline for entry is January 6, 2012. Download the entry form here and return by that date. Jewelry must arrive at JA’s offices between Tuesday, January 17 and Thursday, January 19. No jewelry will be accepted before or after. Visit www.jewelers.org/caseawards for more details and eligibility requirements. The JA New York Winter Show will be held January 22-24, 2012 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York.
Jewelers Mutual Offers Security Reminders for Holiday Season
Neenah, WI—As the holiday selling season approaches—with more customers, more inventory, longer hours, and temporary staff—Jewelers Mutual offers a reminder list of top tips to keep you, your staff, and your inventory safe during the busy season.
Assure that sales associates know the code word or phrase that warns of a suspicious situation. Practice your “suspicious situation” procedure, which should include a salesperson visibly leaving the store with a cell phone and watching from outside the store.
Review opening and closing procedures. At least two employees should open and close a jewelry business — one to unlock/lock the front door and the other to observe from a safe distance. The observer should have a cell phone and be prepared to call the police. Never allow anyone into your store before opening or after closing time.
Remind employees about what to do in the unlikely event there is a robbery. Here are the main points: Do not panic. Follow the robber’s orders. Do not resist. Instruct sales staff to fill empty slots in a display tray with merchandise or markers.
Be particularly attentive when customers enter your store carrying coats or bags. These can be hiding places for stolen items. In some stores, the sales associates immediately offer to take the coats and bags and put them in a safe place while the customer shops.
Encourage all sales associates to take the online training course, Selling with Security. Free to Jewelers Mutual policyholders, the course teaches three key concepts that help retail jewelers sell with security and reduce theft. Access the course online at JMUniversity.com.
Check with your insurance agent to make sure you have sufficient insurance limits for your increased inventory during the busy selling season. To update your policy or get a free, no-obligation quote, call Jewelers Mutual at 800-558-6411.
Rapaport Addresses U.S. State Department
New York, NY—Martin Rapaport, chairman of the Rapaport Group issued a statement at the recent U.S. State Department meeting on "The Feasibility of Direct Marketing of Artisanal Diamonds." His remarks focused on two key solutions for the empowerment and legitimization of artisanal miners, regional auction markets and ethical certification systems.
Of regional auctions, he said, "We must provide artisanal diggers with access to fair markets that provide cash liquidity at transparent, competitive, fair market value prices. I believe that this can and should be accomplished through the establishment of regional tender-auction markets in artisanal mining areas.”
Of ethical certification systems, he said, “We must track diamond and gem production from the source—artisanal digger cooperatives or small business units—to finished jewelry products..