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Offering a professional jewelry appraisal service helps meet consumers’ needs and enhance a store’s prestige. But incomplete, ambiguous, or unprofessional appraisals can leave the appraiser and the store open to charges of negligence and possible litigation. It is critical that a jeweler issue appraisals only after receiving the proper training. As important, every jewelry sales professional must have a basic knowledge of appraisals and their appropriate use so they can better answer customers’ questions.

WHAT IS AN APPRAISAL?
An appraisal is a document that describes an item, assesses its relative quality and assigns a value to it. Descriptions usually cover the visible, measurable and analyzable facts about the item (weight, materials, markings). Most appraisals also describe subjective features such as gemstone quality, relative rarity and overall quality of manufacture.

WHO CAN APPRAISE JEWELRY?
There are currently no U.S. laws or regulations that set educational standards or require certifications to become a jewelry appraiser. But by executing an appraisal, you are accepting some serious legal liabilities, which could possibly lead to substantial financial and professional loss. You should only perform those appraisals for which you have received adequate and specialized appraisal training. Years of

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Offering a professional jewelry appraisal service helps meet consumers’ needs and enhance a store’s prestige. Make sure that you work with professional and ethical jewelry appraisers — their performance will reflect on you.

CHARACTERISTICS TO LOOK FOR WHEN RECOMMENDING AN APPRAISER
There are certain characteristics to look for in an appraiser. Here are some important points to cover should your customer request your help in finding a qualified appraiser:

  • Appraisal Credentials: A professional jewelry appraiser should be certified or titled by a respected national appraisal organization. Different types of appraisals require varying levels of training.
  • Gemological Credentials: With no federal or state requirements for appraisers, it is crucial to ask for credentials. A Graduate Gemologist diploma from the GIA or its equivalent should be considered minimum gemological training.
  • Knowledge of Jewelry Manufacture: A qualified jewelry appraiser must understand manufacturing techniques and recognize their contributions to the value of an item.
  • Continuing Education: Continuing education certificates and credentials help ensure that the appraiser is knowledgeable about the latest gemological and appraisal issues.
  • Jewelry and Appraisal Experience: A broad range of jewelry experience over many years often leads to a more knowledgeable appraiser. Likewise, solid experience in
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Stone setting is one of the more common bench procedures today. This section will help you evaluate the craftsmanship related a popular stone setting style: flush setting.

You’ll be better prepared to identify needed stone setting repairs and have the knowledge and confidence to discuss repair options in a way that builds a customer’s trust and loyalty.

FLUSH SETTING
Flush setting (sometimes referred to as “burnish setting”) is a relatively new style of stone setting, which has grown in popularity in the last few decades. Flush set stones are actually sunk into the mounting until they are level or flush with the surface. The technique of flush setting allows the jeweler to scatter gemstones across a piece of jewelry without the need for prongs, channels or groupings of stones to hold the gemstones securely in place. Jewelry with flush-set stones is often modern and stylish with a scattering of brilliance from randomly positioned gems.

Flush setting begins with the cutting of an opening or seat into metal. The seat must exactly match the diameter of the gemstone. A well-cut seat is so tightly cut to match the diameter of the gem that a brass pushing tool

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Understand Brand Equity

Brand equity is partially built on the brand’s promise, the somewhat unspoken statement of “Best in Class.” Combining years of delivering their wares with a consistent high level and staying true to their mission statement, whether written or implied, brands build equity. In turn this equity helps command generally higher prices, which feed the aspirational desires of the consumer.

If you’re thinking of making a purchase in the jewelry arena, the brands that rank high with consumers are Tiffany, Cartier, Harry Winston, and the like. As you read the names of these famous retailers, their brand equity pops up without prompting. In the back of your mind you probably have a vision of a robin’s egg blue box or the red box of Cartier…Brand Equity!

Beyond the quality of the product, what these luxury retailers provide is the marketing message to support their image. Here is where packaging is their silent salesman. If you’ve been allured by the history, the quality and design of the product, the luxurious environment, and the pride of ownership, then you’ve been branded. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. The point I’m making is that you paid a premium for

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What makes a diamond beautiful and what makes it sparkle? GARRY HOLLOWAY offers advanced information for those with an existing understanding of diamond properties on how to choose a beautiful diamond. For a more basic run-down on selecting a diamond, click here: Buying A Diamond.

A diamond’s appearance is mostly a result of the way it has been cut and, unfortunately, “cut” is the Cinderella of the 4Cs; most diamonds are ‘Cut for Carats’ not for beauty. Anyone looking for a truly beautiful diamond will need to have a more in-depth knowledge so they learn to avoid some pitfalls.

CARAT WEIGHT

Carat is the simplest and most objective of the 4Cs. Pop a diamond on the scales, if it weighs 0.2gm then it is a 1.00 carat diamond. A quarter carat is often called 25 points.

Everyone knows more carat weight means more cost. But what often surprises people is that BIG diamonds are very rare – double the weight costs around 4 times more. And the magic 1.00-carat weight, D colour flawless costs 1.7times more than a 99 point or 0.99-carat D flawless.

So for diamond cutters, reducing the carat weight to produce a smaller yielding Ideal Cut diamond is BAD for

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Stone setting is one of the more common bench procedures today. This article will help you evaluate the craftsmanship related a popular stone setting style: bright and bead setting.

You’ll be better prepared to identify needed stone setting repairs and have the knowledge and confidence to discuss repair options in a way that builds a customer’s trust and loyalty.

BEAD & BRIGHT SETTING
Bead and bright setting creates such amazing glitter and sparkle that it is often difficult to see where a gemstone ends and brilliant metal begins. The process sets stones even with the surface of the metal by raising metal beads to secure the stones in place.

Frequently used for smaller sized diamonds and gemstones, bead and bright setting can be done in strips or over large areas of metal.

To create bead and bright setting (sometimes referred to as bead and bright-cut), gemstones are positioned table down on metal, so that they are spaced about a half a stone’s diameter apart. The jeweler marks their position for the drilling of a seat.

The seat must be cut to the exact diameter of the stone. Depth is also important, because stones set too deeply will disappear into the metal losing their opportunity to

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Many of the world’s most famous diamonds have been lost to history; they were either re-cut as is the case with the most famous diamond of all, the Koh-I-Noor, or their whereabouts is unknown.
However, even though many of the famous stones no longer exist there was enough detailed technical and scientific data produced at the time to be able to make an accurate assessment of them.
The history of the famous diamonds captured the attention of Scott Sucher who has been fascinated with diamonds since he was 14. Now a retired US Air Force pilot, Sucher continues his research on the world’s most famous diamonds to the extent that he has created a replica collection.
Sucher points out that his replicas are not mere representations or imitations. This distinction is very important; while a representation is a “stand-in” for its authentic counterpart, it is not necessarily accurate. A replica re-creates the size, shape and colour of the original precisely – something that is especially relevant to diamonds such as these because so few people are familiar with the originals.
 
Most famous diamond of all
And while the replicas have been re-created in cubic zirconia, the “diamond’s” full beauty, magnificence, and uniqueness can
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Square proprietary cuts are popular with cutters because they have a very high yield from an octahedron rough. GARRY HOLLOWAY reports.

An octahedron crystal is sawn in half, so the crown of the larger stone is already in place, with a smaller stone polished from the remainder (see image 4, above). If the octahedron has all its corners intact, then two princess cuts can be polished, with the yield as high as 80 per cent. So a one-carat rough can yield as much as two 0.40-carat princess cuts with a total weight of 0.80-carats.

This explains why one-carat, square, fancy-shape diamonds cost around 30 per cent less than rounds, which typically have total yields of only 45 to 50 per cent.

If the octahedron has a few damaged points or inclusions in that area, then it is common to polish one or more diamonds with “cut corners”, like a radiant cut.

The octahedron is a common crystal habit for diamond. This shape is called a “sawable” because the stone is usually sawn into two stones, as opposed to a “makeable”, (a rough diamond that will be polished into a single stone). It can be sawn right on the edge into two equal halves,

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Round proprietary cuts give retailers an extra selling point, but how do they differ from branded generics? GARRY HOLLOWAY explains.

Approximately a third of all branded and proprietary-cut diamonds are round-shaped yet, while there are a few hundred round-shaped branded diamonds available, only a handful of those are marketed with promotional support here.

Round is such a popular shape for proprietary cuts: it can have the same pavilion and crown facets all around the stone, allowing for better cut-quality control; it is easy and inexpensive to brand simply by using a trademark name and it is easier to tool and cut than fancy shaped diamonds.

What are some examples of round proprietary cuts? Firstly, remember there is a difference between proprietary cuts and generic cuts with trademarked names. In last month’s column, proprietary cuts were defined as new variants – often patented – as opposed to pre-existing, generic cuts with trademarked names.

Tiffany & Co’s Lucida is a patented proprietary cut, while Hearts on Fire is an example of a generic branded cut. One of the first heavily promoted generic trademarked round diamonds in Australia was the BHP Aurias diamond.

Generic, branded cuts can be created with the same tools found in modern

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HOW DESIGNER BRANDS OPERATE

 

Authorized Resellers

The business model of most top designers is to distribute their product through a network of authorized resellers. The top designers have strict requirements for the retailers who are representing them. To qualify to carry a top brand a retailer must meet certain criteria for financial strength, credit worthiness, and normally must place a substantial opening order and maintain a healthy sales volume over time. The retailer must have a strong reputation for customer service and a suitable physical location where customers can see the line. Retailers are also often required to participate in certain advertising campaigns to help drive new business. (Retailers are also usually given allowances in the form of credits for other advertising they might do related specifically to the brand).

 

Territories

Most designers have exclusive territorial agreements with their retail partners. Depending on many demographic factors the geographical territories can be fairly large in more rural areas, or they might be quite small in the case of high density urban areas. Typically there will not be more than one authorized reseller in a given geographical area but with the rise of e-commerce these lines are not quite as distinct today. Until relatively recently, the

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Spring brings to mind all things clean and new. While clearing out the clutter and polishing up the wood work this season, don’t forget to revitalize the sparkle to your jewelry collection too. Your smallest treasures are often the ones most overlooked. Now’s the perfect time to dust off the jewelry box and give the precious items inside the attention they deserve.

Proper cleaning know-how could prolong the life of your jewelry. Besides having your jewelry professionally cleaned by your trusted jeweler at least once a year, here are some simple ways to care for your gemstones right at home.

1. When not wearing your jewelry, place each item in a separate, soft compartment or container. If cluttered together, jewelry can become scratched, even diamonds.

2. Clean your jewelry frequently to avoid the build-up of dirt, which can be damaging.

3. When in doubt, use warm water and a soft toothbrush.

4. Diamonds can be cleaned with ammonia-based cleaners and rubbing alcohol, using a soft toothbrush. Then dry with a soft, clean cloth. (Note: lengthy exposure to ammonia may be harmful to white gold, so keep your stone’s mounting in mind.)

5. Strands of pearls should be cleaned using a slightly damp cloth to wipe

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Audemars Piguet watches are a top choice for thousands of people around the world who are looking for a watch that provides timeless elegance, sophistication and style. There are a number of things that you may not know about these timepieces, which may spark interest and help you identify if this is really the timepiece you want that will meet your everyday needs.

The first thing you may not have realised about these particular timepieces is that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was designed in a single day. When you think of the difficult construction that goes into a single timepiece, the mechanics alone can make your head spin; it is pretty impressive to think that the watch took only one day to design and yet remains one of the top sellers on a global scale.

The prototype for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch was made from white gold, which made a statement, was elegant and stylish and was an item that most would want to wear on the arm with pride. The white gold blended into any design whether it was being worn at the office or at home.

Further, all the parts of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch

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Through ancient times, the world of jewelry has witnessed innumerable changes in style and design. However,certain styles have always stood the test of time, earning the status of being classic and timeless. One such style that deserves a mention is hip hop chains. Hip hop men’s chains portray a classic look that always seems to be the in-thing in the world of fashion. However, if you are looking to purchase one, it is important that you obtain as much information regarding the versatility of designs available in hip hop chains as possible to avail the one that best befits your taste and preference. Some of the basic aspects that need to be kept an eye for while making a purchase are as follows:

  • Price: Depending on the design and style, hip hop chains are available in a wide variety of prices. Do a research of the market to know the various prices available to make a good purchase without burning a hole in your pocket.
  • Style: When it comes to choosing the right style and design, individual liking vary. It is important therefore that you do a thorough research to obtain information regarding the various styles available in
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Why do people wear rings on their fingers? For personal adornment, of course, but as often as not because of the social meanings they bear and communicate. Perhaps the world’s oldest form of jewelry, rings symbolize love, betrothal and marriage. They represent the wearer’s status, group affiliation and ancestry. They express religious, superstitious and moral beliefs. They may be trophies, memorials and, as in the case of the signet ring, a device for sealing and authenticating letters and documents.

In its most basic form as a small hoop made of anything that can be turned into a circle, the ring is the simplest, least encumbering kind of jewelry. Yet, as shown by “Treasures and Talismans: Rings From the Griffin Collection,”an absorbing exhibition at the Cloisters, a ring can be a miniature sculpture of marvelous complexity, skill and imagination.

Rings, including this Roman key ring, are the primary focus of the exhibition.Richard Goodbody/The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Organized by C. Griffith Mann, the curator of the Cloisters, the exhibition features more than 60 rings made in Europe from late Ancient Roman

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For the selection of jewelry you must be award of the pros and cons of that particular jewelry. As your relatives or friends to whom you are going to gift some jewelry are precious gifts of God for you. You must select a reasonable jewelry for them.Tungsten jewelry is the jewelry that is more durable than gold. It is as hard as we see diamond.

For the selection of jewelry you must be award of the pros and cons of that particular jewelry. As your relatives or friends to whom you are going to gift some jewelry are precious gifts of God for you. You must select a reasonable jewelry for them.Tungsten jewelry is the jewelry that is more durable than gold. It is as hard as we see diamond. It is also hard than platinum and platinum. It is most popular as there are no chances of scratch, no fading or harm to the body of the person who is wearing that jewelry. It is the type of jewelry that is most popular among fashionable men and women as they are too much conscious about the fashion and their beauty. It’s unique, simple, light and elegant color is worn

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As today’s consumers become more and more interested in cut as it relates to value, jewelry sales professionals need to be able to address their questions and concerns. The information included here will help you speak confidently to your customers so they better understand the importance of cut as a durability factor and, most importantly, as a beauty factor.

CUT – MAN’ S CONTRIBUTION TO A DIAMOND’S BEAUTY
The cut of a diamond is perhaps man’s only contribution to a diamond’s beauty, but it is a substantial contribution indeed. The cutting process unleashes the hidden fire and brilliance from an otherwise unattractive rough diamond crystal.

A diamond cutter has a difficult job balancing all the issues involved in creating a finished diamond. Cutters must consider beauty, durability, and above all else, carat weight retention from the rough crystal. Every finished diamond is the result of a compromise between the cutter’s desire to create a beautiful gemstone and the ever-present financial concerns of retaining as much carat weight as possible from the rough crystal.

Opinions concerning the best way to cut a diamond have varied widely over the past century, and experts have never reached a consensus. What was considered “ideal” 100 years

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Some of the most beautiful and permanent examples of nature’s breathtaking colors are found in gemstones. One of the most important roles of the jewelry sales associate is as jewelry educator and advisor. When selling colored gemstones to your customers, you should make an effort to explain the value factors that make each gemstone unique.

DIFFERENT THAN DIAMONDS
The first mistake many people make when shopping for a colored stone is trying to apply what they understand about diamond quality and value to other gemstones. It is your job as their jewelry sales associate to explain that, even though industry terminology somewhat similar for gemstones and diamonds, the inherent uniqueness of each and every gemstone demands that each gem variety be evaluated individually and not according to the same standards applied to diamonds.

You can help customers understand these differences as you walk them through the general value factors of colored gemstone jewelry. Use the four Cs (color, clarity, cut, and carat weight) but highlight the unique value and beauty of colored gemstones when explaining each factor.

EXPLAINING COLOR
In almost every gemstone variety, color is the value factor that has the strongest impact on price. Here are some general guidelines

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The recently re-released Jewelers of America Jewelry 101 sales training program features a new section on Jewelry Selling by Diamond Council of America, which is among the top educational organizations for jewelry sales professionals. Jewelers of America’s Jewelry 101 “Selling” module is based on lessons in DCA’s Diamond, Colored Gemstone, and Beginning Jewelry Sales courses. It covers all the steps necessary to close a jewelry sale: Greeting, Rapport Building, Profiling, Presenting Choices, Overcoming Objections, Closing the Sale, Adding On and Following Up. Here is an excerpt from Jewelry 101: Selling on Customer Profiling:

GATHERING INFORMATION
Effective customer profiling enables you to gather information by asking focused questions and interpreting the customer’s responses. A logical place to start is finding out whether the customer is making a self-purchase or buying a gift. Then come additional details:

  • Is the purchase for a special occasion?
  • What messages should the jewelry send – to the person who wears it and the rest of the world?
  • Are there preferences in gems, colors, styles, designs, etc.?
  • What are the person’s tastes and lifestyle like?
  • What kind of jewelry does she or he already own?
  • How often and where will the item be worn?

The more you learn, the better prepared you’ll

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Opals can vary in appearance more than any other gemstone.  There are more than 100 trade names used today to describe opals. In order to provide jewelry customers with the best service, jewelry sales associates should understand the basic factors that influence opal value.

OPAL COLOR
Opals with a lighter body color (white, pale blue, light gray) are often called “white opals,” and those with a (rarer) dark body color are classified as “black opals.”

The body color of black opals is often a very dark blue, dark gray or black. Opals falling between the common tonal ranges of white and black opals are sometimes referred to as “gray opals.”

OPAL VALUE
Whether white, black or gray, the value of an opal has more to do with the vividness of the spectral flashes (often called “play of color”) visible from within the gem and the patterns these colors create, than the background body color. A high-quality opal, no matter its body color, should be more translucent than opaque, and have strong, vivid colors visible throughout the stone. Opals showing more blue and green colors tend to be less valuable than opal showing more reds, oranges and

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Being able to recognize the characteristics of both properly and improperly executed chain repairs is an important part of being a jewelry sales professional. You’ll be better prepared to identify needed repairs on your customers’ jewelry and you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to discuss repair options with your customers in a way that builds their trust and loyalty.

When delivering a finished piece to a customer, you’ll be able to demonstrate and ensure that all expectations were met. The result? Greater levels of customer satisfaction and higher sales and profits for you and your store!

With the many different types of chains in your store, it’s important to understand how the features of each can impact the repair process and their appearance and characteristics after being repaired. Knowing the repair expectations of each type of chain will help you better communicate a realistic potential result to customers. This, in turn, will avoid any confusion or frustration on the customer’s part, and will lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction.

FLAT LINK CHAINS
Flat link chains like serpentine and cobra links are usually very durable, and when they do break they are generally easy to repair. While most

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