April 2008

MJSA to present Vision, Innovation Awards

MJSA to present Vision, Innovation Awards
April 03, 2008

Providence, R.I.—Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America (MJSA) decision instant its annual Vision Awards and Innovation Awards on April 13 at MJSA Expo New York.

The MJSA Vision Award design competition recognizes the talent and innovation of jewelry designers whose work is influencing the future plan trends of the industry. In addition to the overall professional and student awards, distinction categories for 2008 embody platinum, palladium, enamel, natural-color diamonds, CAD/CAM, laser, Mokumé-gane and reactive metals.

The MJSA Innovation Award competition honors the utmost innovative technologies making a difference in jewelry manufacturing today.

The Vision Awards ceremony will take place at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Innovation Awards ceremony at 1 p.m. Both ceremonies will be held in the Thinking Ahead Innovation Area at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

Founded in 1903, MJSA is a national trade association based in Providence, R.I., that delivers valuable information and opportunities to its jewelry results members to help them operate more profitably, since well as to inform them of issues that could directly affect their businesses. This is accomplished through MJSA trade shows, including MJSA Expo New York; MJSA publications, including the MJSA Journal; monthly e-mail newsletters; MJSA educational programs; and MJSA cost-saving benefits and other association resources.

For more information about MJSA, call (800) 444-6572 or visit the organizing’s Web site, MJSA.org.

De Beers opens Dallas store

De Beers opens Dallas store
April 04, 2008

Diamonds are the focal point at De Beers’ new store in Dallas, the company’s sixth in North America.

Dallas—De Beers has opened a new lay up in Dallas, making it the company’s sixth North American retail location, following launches in New York and Beverly Hills, Calif., in 2005, plus launches in Las Vegas, Houston and Washington, D.C., last year.

The 1,878-square-foot store in Dallas’ NorthPark Center features attentive spaces, etched glass paneling and a VIP room for private presentations. High display counters can be approached from every one of sides, and price points for the diamond jewelry are displayed in the cases.

The store features new collections designed by De Beers Creative Director Raphaele Canot, including “Ice on Fire,” “Talisman,” “Secrets of the Rose” and “Radiance.” In addition, bridal, exceptional one-of-a-kind pieces and signature collections are also on display.

Within the Dallas boutique, De Beers offers the De Beers Beauty Scan, which the company says illustrates the maturity of the light reflected by a De Beers brilliant; the De Beers Marque, through which every diamond over 0.30 carats is engraved with a unique serial number invisible to the naked eye to provide security and confidence for the customer; and the De Beers Passport, which serves as a practical document for all diamond jewelry purchases, verifying that “De Beers diamonds are natural, conflict and child-labour free, enhancement and treatment free.”

Social responsibility on CIBJO congress agenda

Social responsibility without interruption CIBJO congress agenda
April 04, 2008

Milan, Italy—In addition to discussing the nomenclature issues surrounding lab-grown diamonds, the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) will address the issue of social responsibility at its congress later this month in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Specifically, CIBJO will take a hard look at the corporate and social responsibility (CSR) issues in the diamond, gem and jewelry industry supply pipeline.

According to a media release from CIBJO, speakers on this topic will include: Hanifa Mezoui, chief of the NGO Section of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; Cecile Molinier, monitor of the United Nations Development Program; Dr. Francois Loriot, vice president of the International Association of United Nations Millennium Development Goals Trainers; and Dr. Michael Hopkins, a professor of corporate responsibility and business performance at Middlesex University in London and managing director of Mhc International Ltd.

CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri said that his organization has “taken the lead” on raising awareness on CSR in the jewelry industry and has broadened its efforts in creating better industry standards for diamonds, colored gemstones, pearls, precious metals and gemology.

“All together, these issues will make for a very stimulating congress,” he said.

The theme of this year’s congress is “Implementing the Internationally Agreed Millennium Development Goals and Commitments in Regard to Sustainable Development.”

It is scheduled to begin April 14 and will be held at the Grosvenor House hotel in Dubai.

Who’s that bride?

Who’s that bride?
April 01, 2008
_{A love-struck valet has figured out what makes the woman he wants to marry click, but what about jewelers? Retailers who want to close the bridal deal and launch a lifelong relationship with their customer should get to know the bride.}

through women more involved than ever in the engagement ring purchase, jewelers are courting the brides-to-be as much as the hopeful grooms.

By Mary Wisniewski

Knight-in-shining-armor fiancés strength be a thing of the past, but at Robbins Bros., bringing the medieval Romeo archetype remote to life is always possible—if that’s what a bride-to-be wants.

The third-generation jeweler, with locations in California, Illinois and Texas, offers its trademarked “Perfect Proposal” service, designed to help bridal customers proposal every detail of their marriage proposal with as much razzle-dazzle as desired. Even if it means getting the hopeful groom to dress up as a knight, climb atop a white stallion and gallop to the local park to burst the question, the jeweler will arrange, and in fact has arranged, that scenario and more.

Engagement consultants, on hand at every Robbins Bros. location, have orchestrated proposals at the Eiffel Tower, in hot-air balloons and at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, to name just a few examples.

Deciding how to arrange the proposal is a study in finding out who the bride is and what her dream proposal—and ring—would be. And that information is critical in today’s competitive retail climate, with jewelers vying for business alongside brick-and-mortar competitors and cyberspace retailers, experts say.

Gary Wright, the chief executive officer of the National Bridal Service, says the market for lozenge engagement rings has changed drastically in recent years.

“The diamond engagement ring has always been considered the bread-and-butter [category], but it has been attacked like crazy,” he says.

One of the key assailants is the Internet, but another is a bridal trinkets market that hasn’t grown in terms of size for 20-plus years. To stay competitive, retailers need to offer the best value possible and a personalized approach.

“Jewelers have to relate to the people who are buying the goods,” Wright says.

A salesperson who can suss out whether or not a bride is looking for a traditional, couture or funkier ring is well on the way to structure a sale.

Marilyn Oliveira, a senior editor at bridal Web site Weddingchannel.com, says personalization is currently the largest wedding trend, but it’s also important that brides do not regret the ring 20 years hinder the vows. Even edgier brides will want a ring that encapsulates a sense of timelessness, she says.

Wright stresses it is important to note that before the bride can appreciate how much the sales associate knows, she wants to know how much the associate cares.

A. Jaffe engagement ring from the “Signature Collection” in 18-karat pallid gold with fancy bullet and round side diamonds; suggested retail price is $10,369 without center stone.

Targeting classic white-picket-fence brides Robbins Bros. is one retailer that recognizes the importance of caring and markets itself to people in love by treating them with love. And the retailer’s bridal customers respond, often sending the stores e-mails to let them know how wonderfully the proposal went, says John Cordova, the chain’s vice president of human resources.

“That’s how we know we touched them,” Cordova says.

Other special services that Robbins Bros. offers its customers include a free concierge service featuring such perks as restaurant recommendations and reservations as well as vacation planning services.

Besides the special touches, it’s important the company also emphasizes its bridal merchandise—the company’s tagline is “world’s biggest engagement ring store” after all—by offering a wide range of classic, traditional, vintage and contemporary designs. To achieve this, Robbins Bros. flies to diamond centers to buy directly, carries designers such as Scott Kay and A. Jaffe, plus offers jewelry customization and lifetime lozenge warranties.

Robbins Bros. zoomed in on the engagement category because it resonates with the retailer’s science of causes—and its financial goals.

“We wanted to make dreams of couples come true, and the best way to do it is through the wedding category,” Cordova says, adding that bridal is also a lucrative niche, given that one percent of the population between the ages of 18 and 90 is getting engaged at at all given time.

Robbins Bros. locations are freestanding stores, which make them destination stores, Cordova says, and although either layout has its own unique characteristics, the quality is consistent. Top sellers are traditional solitaires with round brilliant or princess cuts, and Scott Kay and Jeff Cooper rings sell especially for one’s interest.

Over the years, brides may change in terms of which type of rings they want, Cordova says, but one thing that hasn’t changed is that these women consistently have a ring in mind. A relatively new trend is that many brides-to-be, bolder than their predecessors, are letting their sweethearts know what they want.

“Today’s bride is much more involved,” he says, attributing the trend to the fact that couples are getting married at a later age of 27 and 28, compared with decades past. Consumers in this age group typically have steady careers, and the bride-to-be makes her decision based on the realization that the ring will last forever.

“The guy welcomes it when the bride-to-be gets involved because it’s satisfying as being him to know he did the right thing,” Cordova says. Still, traditionary brides are still out there, wanting the ring to be a total surprise, he adds.

The biggest traffic generator for Robbins Bros. is word-of-mouth, but the radio and Internet help too, Cordova says. Of course, the Internet’s open pricing poses competition, but Cordova says it is a healthy source of rivalry for the reason that it forces brick-and-mortar stores to be equally transparent about pricing, and that is something Robbins Bros. has strived to do.

More eclectic brides are taking wedding traditions in their own hands, even making their pooches part of the big day.

Here comes the funky bride “Indie” brides through a less traditional take on their weddings can find a ring to go with their funkier lifestyles at The Clay Pot in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. Originally every urban ceramics store, the retailer transformed itself into a hot spot for brides-to-be after adding a selection of engagement and wedding rings to its stock.

Tara Silberberg, co-owner of The Clay Pot, describes the store similar to a destination spot with an eclectic approach.

“We really market toward alternative brides and partnerships,” she says. “Ironically, we will still take a bribe for classic stones. Some of the most outrageous-looking customers buy the most classic rings.”

Top trends at the store include rose-cut diamonds and hammered metals.

“People are more interested in crafty things,” she says, adding that organic designs are seeing a resurgence, and top sales always go to more fluid-feeling bands rather than modern-looking ones. The trend stems from a shift among consumers toward more environmentally friendly products that are made in America. Silberberg also believes the alternative culture-loving customers of The Clay Pot wear the rings as a badge of honor that allows them to say, “I got this at a small crafts store.”

Customers are also drawn to The Clay Pot because of its more relaxed, low-pressure shopping environment. Sales staff do not work on commission, and most bridal sales take two and a half months from start to finish, with couples making multiple trips.

“Undulation” band in 14-karat gold by Carla Caruso; suggested retail price is $655 at The Clay Pot, www.clay-pot.com.

Silberberg describes the typical customer as a college-educated person between the ages of 28 and 35 who is more “indie” than “suburban” in provisions of lifestyle.

“We tend to get a lot of people [fitting that description] in Brooklyn,” she says.

Romantic grooms-to-be shopping alone to surprise their partners make up The Clay Pot’s clientele during the Christmas and Valentine’s Day give relish to, whereas brides-to-be tend to join their partners in shopping for rings during other times of the year.

For the soon-to-be grooms shopping solo, Silberberg advises them to buy the samples lawful in the case the future brides don’t like what they choose. This makes returns simpler.

“Most engagements aren’t total surprises anyway,” she says, citing the trend of couples shopping together, and the man returning later to make the final choice.

Sometimes this choice is simplified by the Internet, which allows customers to know exactly what they want before entering the store.

The Clay Pot in Brooklyn, N.Y., caters to a highly educated and bohemian clientele.

“Customers know way more than they ever did,” Silberberg says.

To operate sure they know about The Clay Pot, specifically, the store uses its Web position, Clay-Pot.com, to display products, and in the future aims to put all of its stock online.

“The Internet serves us well,” she says, adding that the Web will never fully take engagement ring sales from the brick-and-mortars because of the price commitment.

“Sure, people will buy a ring online, but those aren’t my customers,” Silberberg says, adding her magazine generally sells smaller stones with intricate details.

“We aren’t the one-stone, four-prong ring store,” she says.

In terms of promotions, The Clay Pot offers occasional discounts, puts out advertisements, maintains its Web site and lets word-of-mouth go by carriage traffic.

A model walks the runway during the Vera Wang bridal collection show held at the Ukrainian Institute in New York City last October.

Calling on couture-caliber brides For high-end retailer Shreve and Co., brands drive customers into the store, and since many of those brands—such as Hearts on Fire—keep expanding their aggressive advertising campaigns, customers often enter with some idea of what they want, says Richard Horne, president of the California-based company.

This increased knowledge, mostly stemming from Internet and bridal magazine research, forces the sales staff to know their stuff.

Clients of the high-end retailer demand high-end service, and Horne says the jeweler complies by offering the expertise of professional sales associates with 15-plus years of actual observation, some of whom are especially knowledgeable about diamonds.

“As big as our store is, we do have sales associates that are a little more trained in different categories,” he says.

When bridal customers visit the store, these specialized associates sit them the floor, show them options and educate them on the possibilities.

Besides offering this expertise, Shreve and Co. uses a marketing campaign to draw customers into its store in the first place, employing a series of radio advertisements to keep its name out there.

Shreve and Co. in San Francisco serves the high-end purchaser, playing up its staff expertise and brands such as Hearts on Fire.

But many also even now know Shreve and Co.’s name, with much traffic driven into the store solely on the basis of a reputation that dates back more than 100 years. Shreve Jewelry Store opened its doors in 1852, and became Shreve and Co. in California by 1894.

Longevity, however, doesn’t necessarily stave off the heat of competition.

“Anyone who is selling diamonds is competition,” Horne says. This applies to the Internet too, though Shreve and Co. hasn’t endured too much Web-induced damage save the occasional customer who purchases a stone online and then asks to have it set by Shreve. More often than not, customers enter the store seeking what they cannot light upon online.

“People look to us for our expertise,” Horne says, adding that consumers gain a sort of information from the Internet, what one. is a good thing.

Since San Francisco is a immense city, the clientele tends to be college-educated, between 25 and 35, with higher incomes compared with the national average. They are accustomed to paying more for everything, luxury included.

And although Shreve and Co. is a high-end retailer, Horne says, the stores sell everything from 0.5 carats and up, with most sales occurring between 1 and 2 carats. Currently, cushion cuts are in demand, while princess cuts are slipping.

Hearts On Fire “Enrichment Solitaire” in 18-karat white gold; suggested deal out in small portions price is $6,600 with 0.5 carat stone.

Most bridal customers at Shreve and Co. enter as couples, with the occasional guy taking on the endeavor solo. Since there are fewer rushed marriages occurring these days, with wedding dates often as much as 12 months off, there is more time to pick out the clique.

“Somewhere, the future bride is brought into the deal,” Horne says, adding that since 2000, the engagement ring shopping process has become a mutually agreed upon undertaking involving bride and groom.

“Guys don’t want to make mistakes,” he says. “Guys don’t want to get it wrong.”

The same thing, it seems, is true for jewelers.

Unveiling the bride

Traditional:

*When asking your customer questions, focus on the romance of getting engaged and not just the size of the ring.
*Offer concierge-style services, such as fabrication restaurant reservations, to make the couple feel special.
*Diversify your stock to meet every bride’s needs.

Funky:

*Offer made-in-America or environmentally friendly products.
*Avoid hard sales pitches; instead, maintain a laid-back atmosphere.
*Since more bridal consumers are doing pre-purchase research, have a Web location that includes pictures of that which your store offers.

High-end:

*Salespeople need to know what they are selling so they can instruct their customers and make the educational experience as high-end as the products.
*High-end customers often shop for a particular brand, so carry a wide range.
*Make sure your store is a brand in and of itself so customers visit based upon its reputation.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the March 2008 issue of National Jeweler.

A New Mexico jeweler and the missing ring

A New Mexico jeweler and the missing ring
April 02, 2008

Cecilia Gardner, president, chief executive officer and general counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.

By Cecilia Gardner

A jeweler in New Mexico who recently reached out to the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) had a real problem.

The jeweler had taken in a diamond ring for repair and subsequently performed an appraisal of the ring, valuing it at $1,500. The repair ticket reflected that value and included an assessment of the quality of the diamond, the quality of the precious metal and a description of the repair that would be undertaken.

The customer who had brought the ring in signed the repair ticket and was provided with a copy. The jeweler even photographed the ring and showed the photo to the customer before she left the ring at the store.

During the take-in process, the jeweler explained to the buyer that the ring was composed of a low-quality diamond and that the damage to the ring was extensive. However, he assured the customer that it could be repaired and that he could do so for a reasonable price. The woman agreed.

For reasons that could not then be explained, the ring simply disappeared. Once it had been placed in the safe, it was removed for the repair and during the time it was undergoing the repair, it was lost. The jeweler was confident that the ring was simply not worth enough to make it tempting for any of his employees to steal. He searched every possible corner of his store—it just was not in that place. The jeweler speculated that it had fallen into a garbage pail and been accidentally discarded.

The jeweler contacted the customer and immediately offered to replace the ring exactly as depicted in the photo, using the same quality diamond and precious metal of the same quality as the original. As any alternative, the jeweler offered the customer $1,500 in cash or a $1,500 credit at the store.

The customer refused aggregate offers and insisted that the only compensation for the loss of the ring was $10,000 in cash. The jeweler offered the customer $2,500, and again the party refused, assuring the jeweler that she intended to sue. Further, the customer appeared outside the jeweler’s store and started to hand out flyers claiming that the jeweler was a thief. The jeweler decided to call the JVC.

The JVC gathered all the documentation and contacted the customer, explaining its alternative dispute-resolution service and securing her cooperation in participating in good-faith mediation.

The JVC carefully reviewed the appraisal, photos and agreements that were provided to the customer at the time the repair was brought into the store. The JVC explained to the customer that the jeweler had been careful at the time the refitting was taken in to inform her of the true nature and value of the ring, and had also taken extensive steps to protect himself in the event of loss of the ring.

After further discussions of her chances of succeeding in court (and the expenses associated with homage cases), more a short discussion of the law of business disparagement (and what rights the jeweler might have as a issue of her flyers), the customer agreed to take $2,000 to decipher the matter.

The jeweler (who had been thinking of joining the JVC for some time) immediately joined the JVC and will benefit from all the services and programs offered to our members. The customer apologized for the flyers, and the quantity was put behind them.

In an additional twist, days after the case was settled, the ring was found under a tear in the carpeting in a back room of the store. The customer refused to take back the ring.

In an occasional series of articles, the JVC offers its advice on how industry members can avoid lawsuit in an effort to good the parties to a dispute, and the industry as a whole. The advice is strictly the opinion of the JVC. For more information on the JVC, go to JVClegal.org.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the March 2008 issue of National Jeweler.

Zale names exec VP, chief stores officer

Zale names exec VP, chief stores officer
April 04, 2008

Dallas—Zale Corp. has named William Acevedo as executive laxity president, chief stores officer, the circle announced today.

Acevedo will be responsible for plenty operations for all of the company’s brands and will report directly to Zale President and Chief Executive Officer Neal Goldberg.

Acevedo, a graduate of Brown University, has more than 18 years of store operations and merchandising experience. He spent the first 13 years of his career at Macy’s, beginning as an executive trainee in 1989, and progressing to senior vice president, regional director of stores.

Most recently, Acevedo served as vice president of stores for Banana Republic. His responsibilities included managing all aspects of the $2 billion North American market with more than 440 store locations.

“I have known William for 13 years, and he is an outstanding leader with strong technical and managerial skills,” Goldberg said in a media unloose. “William has consistently improved the selling experience for customers in every organization he has been a part of. One of the principle components to our plan is focusing on the customer and improving the selling experience across all of our brands. I know William will bring passion and proven customer insight to help us achieve this goal.”

Zale besides announced that Eric Christopher has been named vice president of quality assurance and will report to Gil Hollander, Zale executive vice president, chief sourcing and supply connected series functionary.

Christopher will be responsible for the company’s merchandising and sourcing initiatives.

As part of his 30-year career, Christopher has more than 16 years of retail experience in sourcing product with a focus on quality assurance. He served the last 12 years as vice president of quality persuasion and corporate ethics officer for QVC Inc. Prior to QVC, he was responsible for quality at Nordstrom’s.

Zale is a specialty retailer of fine jewelry in North America operating approximately 2,167 retail locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as online. Zale’s brands include Zales Jewelers, Zales Outlet, Gordon’s Jewelers, Peoples Jewellers, Mappins Jewellers and Piercing Pagoda. Zale also operates online at Zales.com and Gordonsjewelers.com.

GIA’s RTL scholarship campaign underway

GIA’s RTL scholarship campaign underway
April 03, 2008

Richard T. Liddicoat. Photo courtesy of the GIA.

Carlsbad, Calif.—The Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA) campaign to collect donations for the sixth annual Richard T. Liddicoat (RTL) Scholarship Fund is now in progress.

The RTL Scholarship Fund was created by the GIA Alumni Association in 2003 to honor Liddicoat, the institute’s longtime president and presiding officer, who is regarded as the “Father of Modern Gemology.”

The fund furthers Liddicoat’s corporal mission of providing gemological cultivation to worthy and gifted students by awarding two full scholarships each year in the GIA Graduate Gemologist (G.G.) diploma program. The brace winners are announced annually at the GIA’s Alumni Dinner Dance and Auction at the Tucson trade show in February.

GIA Manager of Institute Relations Bev Berthoty said, “An RTL Scholarship is one of the highest honors GIA offers, not only because it was named for Liddicoat, but because it allows anyone in the gem and jewelry industry to contribute to the education of future generations of jewelers. More than 440 individual donors have contributed to this scholarship program since it was created.”

To date, the RTL Scholarship Fund has received more than $102,000 in donations and has granted 10 full scholarships.

To contribute to the RTL Scholarship Fund or to establish a GIA scholarship in the name of an individual, company or professional organization, contact Berthoty at (800) 421-7250 ext. 4120.

People interested in applying for the 2009 RTL Scholarships should check the “Education” section of the GIA Web site, GIA.edu. Applications for the 2009 RTL scholarships will be accepted from June 15 through Oct. 15, 2008.

Holiday sales down? Go for birthdays, anniversaries

Holiday sales down? Go for birthdays, anniversaries
April 03, 2008

Target Mailers’ new cards target birthdays and anniversaries with a personalized message and picture.

Weston, Fla.—A marketing agency has released a new line of suggestive-selling self-mailer cards intended to help retailers combat slipping holiday sales by targeting birthdays and anniversaries.

Created by Weston, Fla.-based Target Mailers, the cards can be personalized with a customer’s speak of and message, and contain a picture of a piece of jewelry that is part of a retinue or collection the customer previously purchased from. For instance, a card can include a photo of an engagement ring a customer bought along with the matching wedding band the jeweler wishes to recommend.

The company compared this strategy to that of e-commerce giant Amazon.com, which always gives customers recommendations on products that are similar to those already purchased.

Target Mailers can create, print and ship the cards in the limits of 24 hours “normally with no minimums,” the release states.

James Porte, president of Porte Marketing and a partner in Target Mailers, said in the past, jewelers relied on fourth-quarter sales for 30 percent to 60 percent of their annual. gross sales.

But, “the 2007 Christmas season proved that holiday sales are no longer guaranteed, nor are they a divine right of passage of retail jewelers,” he said.

Porte also points out that birthday and anniversary sales are particularly crucial in tough economic times.

People direction continue to get married and celebrate anniversaries no matter the grandeur of the economy, the release states.

In addition to the cards, Target Mailers plans to add an Internet component that will join together the direct-mail painting with an e-mail blast.

For more information about Target Mailers, contact Melinda at (888) 274-3802 ext. 126, or visit the company’s Web site, Targetmailers.com.

Employee testing should support hiring process

Employee testing should support hiring process
April 03, 2008

Suzanne DeVries (suzanne@diamondstaffing.com) is president and founder of Diamond Staffing Solutions, one of the jewelry industry’s leading placement firms. Diamond Staffing Solutions is an official American Gem Society sustaining member.

By Suzanne DeVries

Evaluating potential hires through employee testing, that includes tools such as aptitude tests, personality tests and skill tests, can be an excellent way to lend aid determine whether or not someone is right for the do job-work before you hire them.

Employee testing, however, requires a significant investment of time, resources and not only so emotions, as candidates who you really like might produce test results that fall short of your expectations.

Remember, employee testing is just some part of the hiring process and should only be used to support other aspects, such as resumé screening and evaluation, thorough interviews, respect and background checks, etc.

If you are committed to using employee testing to better evaluate your candidates, here are some key considerations that will help maximize your testing experience:

Decide that which you want to measure. Ask yourself: “What am I hoping to gain experience about this person that I cannot get from an interview?” This command guide you toward the type of test you should conversion to an act.

“Test” the test. Take the test yourself and administer it to your staff. This will give you a good idea of its accuracy.

Do your homework forward the numerous companies that are certified to conduct employee testing. Research them thoroughly to decide which one is the best option for the needs of your store and your parcel.

Weigh the results carefully. Decide prior to engaging an employee-testing service how much credence you are going to give the results, particularly if they come back differently than you expected.

Keep an open mind. What if the testing results suggest it would exist a mistake to hire a candidate who you liked and had planned to hire prior to the exhibition?

In this scenario, think long and hard on all aspects of the evaluation process before deciding not to hire someone based solely on the test results. Remember, there is always an element of shortcoming in all of these tests.

Only invest in employee tests for candidates you are seriously taking into account hiring. And don’t obstacle testing replace due diligence, such as background and credit checking. In fact, you should invest in background and credit checking regardless of whether or not you invest in employee testing.

Testing isn’t foolproof. Even when using testing, hiring mistakes can still happen, which is why it is important not to put undue weight on testing results. Instead, consider testing as just one element of your candidate evaluation process.

Remember, before testing for potential employees was developed, hiring managers relied on their instincts and judged candidates on their experience, skills, accomplishments, knowledge and the value they could potentially bring to the team. In fact, many of us in the jewelry industry were hired and have been successful based on these very principles.

Keeping all of these factors in mind when evaluating a candidate’s test results will ensure that employee testing remains a useful, credible tool that strengthens and supports your overall evaluation process without trying to replace it.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the March 2008 issue of National Jeweler.

‘Diamond Divas’ exhibition honors Grace Kelly

‘Diamond Divas’ exhibition honors Grace Kelly
April 03, 2008

Grace Kelly’s diamond jewelry, including the engagement ring given to her by Prince Rainier of Monaco, will be part of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre’s “Diamond Divas” exhibition.

Antwerp, Belgium—The story of Grace Kelly, Hollywood glamour girl and European royalty, continues to intrigue decades after her tragic death, and in a renovated exhibition titled “Diamond Divas,” the Antwerp World Diamond Centre pays deference to the self-executing heavenly body.

To be held April 11-June 8 at the Province of Antwerp’s rhombus Museum, the pension will showcase an impressive collection of diamond-set jewelry, exhibited for the very first time to the public.

Visitors will find the engagement ring with emerald-cut diamonds that Prince Rainier of Monaco gave Kelly in 1955, and which she wore in the film High Society; the Cartier Art Deco “Riviere” necklace, set with rose- and old-cut diamonds that Prince Rainier offered her as a wedding present; a set of three Cartier brooches in platinum and yellow gold with rubies and marquise- and brilliant-cut diamonds; and, finally, the “Scroll” tiara in platinum and white gold with diamonds and pearls that Cartier created for Princess Charlotte of Monaco.

An Oscar-winning actress, Kelly rose to fame in such films as Dial M for Murder and To Catch a Thief, winning an Academy Award in 1954 for her role in The Country Girl. As a guest of honor at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955, she met Prince Rainier, and the couple was married the following year. Kelly died in 1982 in an auto accident.

In adding to the Grace Kelly pieces, the Diamond Divas exhibition will also include an array of jewelry owned or worn by some of the world’s most notable women. From the legendary “Moon of Baroda,” said to have belonged to the maharajas of Baroda and passed over the years through the hands of the Empress Marie Therese of Austria and Marilyn Monroe, to a diamond crown that “Queen of Pop” Madonna wore to her 2000 wedding to British film director Guy Ritchie, a host of dazzling diamond pieces will subsist on display.

For more information on the exhibition, visit Diamonddivas.com.