Well I haven't had time to blog for a bit - we're in the midst of preparing for the Holiday Season right now and it gets pretty crazy.
But prepping for holiday brings an issue to mind: the price of Gold. Gold is running about $1400 an ounce right now, which makes a real challenge for jewelers: At that price, it's near-impossible to make decent, affordable jewelry using a lot of gold. Essentially, jewelry makers face three choices:
1) Use Silver, sometimes accented with Gold, which allows a nice well-crafted piece of jewelry at an affordable price.
2) Use 10K gold and design creatively to minimize the use of metal - hollow out the back-side of rings, use thinner settings for earrings, thinner chains for pendants, etc.
3) Design heavier, more substantial 14K Gold jewelry and the price is...the price...
What's your take? I'd love to hear from folks about how they would solve this dilemma, what they think about it, whether they'd rather pay extra for solid gold jewelry, etc.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Co-blogging
Sometimes blogging can feel a bit lonely. The stats tell me folks are reading, but it's not like having a face-to-face conversation.
One thing that helps is compatriots. Like my colleague "JewelClub Girl" - our official resident blogger for Jewelclub.com.
She definitely has a very different take. My blogs are more matter-of-fact, and business oriented. Only she could start off talking about hand-crocheted toilet-seat covers and bring it round to jewelry.
Well worth a read: http://jewelclubgirl.blogspot.com
One thing that helps is compatriots. Like my colleague "JewelClub Girl" - our official resident blogger for Jewelclub.com.
She definitely has a very different take. My blogs are more matter-of-fact, and business oriented. Only she could start off talking about hand-crocheted toilet-seat covers and bring it round to jewelry.
Well worth a read: http://jewelclubgirl.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tired of Jewelry
One thing you find about being in the jewelry industry is that to some extent you get 'immune' to jewelry. I can remember walking into a trade show where precious gems were piled up in buckets. Where outrageous jewelry styles where shown, row-after-row. Where literally tens-of-thousands of gorgeous black tahitian pearls cascaded down the walls of pearl company booths... What Willy Wonka would have done if he made jewelry instead of chocolate.
And... typically I just walked to the booth and got on with my 'work day' without really noticing it much.
So it's really not that you get "tired" of jewelry. Really amazing pieces, fantastic designs, stunnning diamonds... not only do you notice them, but you really appreciate them. But - to some extent - you just get "used to" lots of jewelry laying around.
BUT, after having been away from the industry a few years and now returning... I was visiting a large jewelry manufacturer today and walked into a "showroom" for the first time in a very long time - a room where they have out on display one piece of every jewelry item they sell. And "bam" it hit me: WOW! look at all this jewelry! Imagine about 10 mall jewelry stores worth all piled in one place. No fancy displays, no placards, just row after row after row of great jewelry lined up.
I hadn't been in a showroom for probably five years. I had forgotten. I had lost my immunity. And now I'm thinking about how to ensure I don't get immune again!
And that's my hope for jewelry.com. I want to see us find a way to convey that WOW! That sense of sheer wonder at 30,000+ pieces of jewelry laid out in front of you. Because that's exactly what Jewelry.com actually does offer you... so dive right in and enjoy the "yee-haw!" feeling. I did.
And... typically I just walked to the booth and got on with my 'work day' without really noticing it much.
So it's really not that you get "tired" of jewelry. Really amazing pieces, fantastic designs, stunnning diamonds... not only do you notice them, but you really appreciate them. But - to some extent - you just get "used to" lots of jewelry laying around.
BUT, after having been away from the industry a few years and now returning... I was visiting a large jewelry manufacturer today and walked into a "showroom" for the first time in a very long time - a room where they have out on display one piece of every jewelry item they sell. And "bam" it hit me: WOW! look at all this jewelry! Imagine about 10 mall jewelry stores worth all piled in one place. No fancy displays, no placards, just row after row after row of great jewelry lined up.
I hadn't been in a showroom for probably five years. I had forgotten. I had lost my immunity. And now I'm thinking about how to ensure I don't get immune again!
And that's my hope for jewelry.com. I want to see us find a way to convey that WOW! That sense of sheer wonder at 30,000+ pieces of jewelry laid out in front of you. Because that's exactly what Jewelry.com actually does offer you... so dive right in and enjoy the "yee-haw!" feeling. I did.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Emotional Content of Jewelry (And Today's Sample Sale Deal)
I know a fellow who has spent many years in the jewelry business - after having been a successful movie director as a young man.
I once asked him how you go from movies to jewelry, and he said: "Well, they're both all about emotion - how they make you feel, what they make you think about, what they say about you... It's just that the movie is over in 2 hours, but you keep the jewelry forever."
Pretty intriguing. And I agree. Jewelry as a gift is making a statement of love to the recipient. Jewelry as a self-purchase is about an affirmation and the way wearing that jewelry makes you feel.
And that's why jewelry exists in so many myriad varieties. From simply diamond studs, to stylized classics in art deco motifs, up to highly elaborate gold pieces with gems or semiprecious stones.
It's an elaborate way to say that just as we all have different emotions, self-images and ways of expressing ourselves, so we all have jewelry that 'speaks to us.'
Today's deal of the day happens to be one that speaks to me. I have always like Peridot in particular as well as Blue Topaz. Put them together and WOW! I think this is just a really lovely, amazing ring. The fact that you can get this big, bold, colorful-yet-classy ring at Jewelclub for about $75 is just icing on the cake!
So come visit Jewelclub.com starting at midnight tonight and on through tomorrow to get this lovely bauble with an extra 10% off our already amazing sample-sale pricing.
I once asked him how you go from movies to jewelry, and he said: "Well, they're both all about emotion - how they make you feel, what they make you think about, what they say about you... It's just that the movie is over in 2 hours, but you keep the jewelry forever."
Pretty intriguing. And I agree. Jewelry as a gift is making a statement of love to the recipient. Jewelry as a self-purchase is about an affirmation and the way wearing that jewelry makes you feel.
And that's why jewelry exists in so many myriad varieties. From simply diamond studs, to stylized classics in art deco motifs, up to highly elaborate gold pieces with gems or semiprecious stones.
It's an elaborate way to say that just as we all have different emotions, self-images and ways of expressing ourselves, so we all have jewelry that 'speaks to us.'
Today's deal of the day happens to be one that speaks to me. I have always like Peridot in particular as well as Blue Topaz. Put them together and WOW! I think this is just a really lovely, amazing ring. The fact that you can get this big, bold, colorful-yet-classy ring at Jewelclub for about $75 is just icing on the cake!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Jewelry Deal of the Day - 1/3 carat TDW diamond ring
Nice 1/3 carat diamond ring in white gold. "Puzzletop" setting gives that big diamond look for under $250...
https://www.jewelclub.com/jcnet/detail.do?id=z1414v3w
https://www.jewelclub.com/jcnet/detail.do?id=z1414v3w
Now you REALLY know 'someone in the industry'...
One of the perks of being in the jewelry industry has always been the ability to get great jewelry at really great prices - below wholesale. And for years our outlet site, jewelclub.com, existed as just that - a private site for employees, friends and family only.
Jewelclub was created as an internal, totally private site. It was an easy way we could put all our samples, overstocks, prototypes and other items available at below-wholesale manufacturer's pricing in one place. It was an easy way for employees to pick out jewelry for special occasions, for gifts, for loved ones, etc. at the 'industry insider' price. And the only thing you needed was the super-secret password to get in.
There was no "request an invitation" there was no "put me on the waiting list." You either were an employee, knew an employee, or you faced a blank page that said "passcode please" and nothing more.
So on returning to Jewelry.com, one of the first things I did was say "let's try opening up jewelclub to everyone... Let's "free jewelry!"
And the experiment began. For a short time, we have opened up jewelclub.com. We gave it a little touch-up from it's original "plain jane" look, we took down the 'password wall' and we'll see what happens. We think you'll find the deals are amazing... and if enough people like it, maybe we'll just leave the front door open. Have a look: www.jewelclub.com.
Tell 'em Kris sent you... and through September 30th, you can plug in the promo-code "JCLUBFAN" for a little extra something off the bill at check-out.
Jewelclub was created as an internal, totally private site. It was an easy way we could put all our samples, overstocks, prototypes and other items available at below-wholesale manufacturer's pricing in one place. It was an easy way for employees to pick out jewelry for special occasions, for gifts, for loved ones, etc. at the 'industry insider' price. And the only thing you needed was the super-secret password to get in.
There was no "request an invitation" there was no "put me on the waiting list." You either were an employee, knew an employee, or you faced a blank page that said "passcode please" and nothing more.
So on returning to Jewelry.com, one of the first things I did was say "let's try opening up jewelclub to everyone... Let's "free jewelry!"
And the experiment began. For a short time, we have opened up jewelclub.com. We gave it a little touch-up from it's original "plain jane" look, we took down the 'password wall' and we'll see what happens. We think you'll find the deals are amazing... and if enough people like it, maybe we'll just leave the front door open. Have a look: www.jewelclub.com.
Tell 'em Kris sent you... and through September 30th, you can plug in the promo-code "JCLUBFAN" for a little extra something off the bill at check-out.
Say What?
So, any of you who've read this blog on a regular basis probably know me as the CEO of Jackson GI Medical - a maker of dietary supplements.
And now... President of Jewelry.com.
Huh? Say what? What the...?
Yeah, I know it's not obvious. How you go from leading a nutriceuticals company to leading the pre-eminent jewelry site in the U.S. seems like a stretch.
The part you probably don't know is that I spent many years as VP-Marketing for Jewelry.com earlier in my career, have continued to be involved as the site has evolved, and never lost my passion for the jewelry industry.
Now, with great change afoot at jewelry.com, I couldn't resist the opportunity to return and lead the Jewelry.com team - many of them my former co-workers from years ago - to new heights and successes.
And now... President of Jewelry.com.
Huh? Say what? What the...?
Yeah, I know it's not obvious. How you go from leading a nutriceuticals company to leading the pre-eminent jewelry site in the U.S. seems like a stretch.
The part you probably don't know is that I spent many years as VP-Marketing for Jewelry.com earlier in my career, have continued to be involved as the site has evolved, and never lost my passion for the jewelry industry.
Now, with great change afoot at jewelry.com, I couldn't resist the opportunity to return and lead the Jewelry.com team - many of them my former co-workers from years ago - to new heights and successes.
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