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Retail News: Single Mom Wins Diamond Ring At Borsheims; WatchBox Acquires Chronify January 02, 2019 (0 comments)
Single Mom Wins Diamond Ring at Borsheims Big Ring
Omaha, NE—A Nebraska single mom who volunteered to ring bells for the Salvation Army this holiday season in an effort to “keep the kids humble,” walked away with a big surprise: a $5,000 diamond ring from Borsheims! Shelly Lesley of Bellevue, NE won the ring as part of the Borsheims Big Ring, a promotion where each person who rings bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign was entered into a drawing to win a diamond ring. (Left, from left: Borsheims CEO Karen Goracke with Lesley and her children.)
With her nine-year-old daughter and six-year-old son, Lesley rang the bells at a Bellevue grocery store a few weeks before Christmas. She said she didn’t even know she was entered to win a ring until she got the call on December 26, telling her she had won. She was awarded the ring, a round diamond halo ring in 14k gold at a ceremony at Borsheims Thursday, in front of her children and a cheering crowd. The ring retails for $5,475.
Borsheims president and CEO Karen Goracke said the Big Ring promotion is just one way the store supports The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign through the holidays. “Even though this is our busiest time of year, our associates sign up for shifts to ring bells here at Borsheims and around the city,” Goracke said. “We are so happy to support the Salvation Army and love to see the impact the Borsheims Big Ring contest has on filling bell-ringing shifts.”
WatchBox Acquires Chronofy Valuation Service For Pre-Owned Watches; Launches Dealer Network
Philadelphia, PA—WatchBox, the ecommerce platform for buying, selling, and trading pre-owned luxury timepieces, has acquired Chronofy, the valuation subscription service for the secondary watch market.
Launched in 2013 to deliver instant price transparency and confidence to jewelers, independent watch dealers, and pawnbrokers, Chronofy offers a mobile app, user-friendly desktop platform, and the printed Chronofy Watch Guide for subscribers to identify, value, authenticate, and sell pre-owned timepieces.
Within the Chronofy acquisition, WatchBox addresses fundamental barriers to entry in the secondary watch market: pricing knowledge, authenticity, inventory risk, and available capital. Through Chronofy, WatchBox now offers a ‘pre-owned solution’ for independent watch retailers, allowing them to accept trade-ins and offer purchasing services to their clients. For a nominal annual fee, retailers can subscribe to Chronofy and immediately gain access to a comprehensive pricing database and support team for on-the-spot pricing guidance. Chronofy offers a purchase guarantee for all models featured within its active database.
“The growth of the secondary watch market has led to a rising demand from consumers for services to more easily sell or trade watches,” says WatchBox CEO and watch retailer Danny Govberg. “Few authorized watch retailers have the ability to price, authenticate, and sell watches that are traded in. Chronofy’s ‘toolbox’ will be a welcomed resource for these retailers.”
Two pages of the Chronify app.
Interested retailers and watch dealers can enjoy a free trial of Chronofy membership. Visit www.chronofy.com/ or contact Mike Manjos, mmanjos@chronofy.com, for information.
Separately, WatchBox last month announced the launch of its authorized dealer network in the United States, with Hing Wa Lee Jewelers in San Gabriel and Walnut, CA, as its inaugural partner. As an authorized WatchBox dealer, Hing Wa Lee will offer clients comprehensive services and consultation for watch trading and buying, as well as access to WatchBox’s global inventory of certified pre-owned watches. WatchBox dealers have already launched in Hong Kong, South Africa, and Switzerland.