I’d like to offer few words of career advice to young people that are just entering the jewellery business. This industry has so many different career paths with plenty of nooks and crannies along the way that it can be…
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Social Media: Optimize Your Online Reviews
Word of mouth is the best form of advertising for the jewellery business. Happy customers that recommend you are not just promoting your business, they are building your reputation. We all know the old saying…”A happy customer tells their friends,…
Catch the fire with Welo Opals
For centuries people have been fascinated by the beauty of Opal. The constantly shifting, ever-changing colours captivate the imagination. Opal is a natural kaleidoscope that can be fashioned into jewellery. Opals can be found in many parts of the world however…
Are (un)reality TV shows good for the gemstone industry?
The search for gemstones is the subject of the latest series of reality television shows. The Travel Channel released “Gem Hunt”, a show following three gem dealers as the search the world for fine coloured gemstones, often at the request of…
An exercise in futility – Truth matters!
Last weekend I set up a small booth at a travelling gem and mineral show held in a local exhibition hall. This particular show operator is well experienced with 40 years of working a circuit that covers medium sized cities in…
How to sell jewellery repair
It’s difficult enough for an independent retail jeweller to survive today. Online sales are placing pressure on price-points and margins with their lower operating costs while large chains add to that pressure with their greater buying power. The Zales-Signet deal…
Teach them well, we need them
Jewellery is a demanding business because of all of the skills needed just to run a jewellery store. Fortunately much of the administrative, inventory management and accounting tasks that come with all retail businesses can be handled, in part, by…
Is Business more important than Art?
I recently had dinner with an old friend that I had not seen for more than twenty years. He was my goldsmith when I had a retail store and I can honestly say he is the best jeweller I have ever…
Tucson Treasures
One of my favourite things about attending the Tucson shows is searching out the new, the weird and the amazing gemstones. I love seeing things I have never seen before. This year was no exception; I was able to find several…
Trending in Tucson
Once again, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Shows are an exciting blend of fine gems, beautiful mineral specimens and amazing fossils. The shows cater to jewellers, collectors, gift shops and museums. It would be impossible to cover all of the important trends…