Trade Talk
G.F.WILLIAMS
Passionate about Gems
Jason Williams and Dr Amira Girgis are delighted to announce the birth of their beautiful daughter Gemma Williams
Born on the 1st of February 2006. 8 lbs 7 oz
Many thanks for all the gift and messages from friends and clients.
How have the sources of Gemstones changed during your career. Often it is said dealers and retailer show their ‘era' from the stone origin they refer to. In my time – 19 years last week - Rubies which were mainly from Thailand now come from Burma. Aqua which was assumed to be from Brazil is now often African. Sapphires predominantly from Australia now come mainly from Kanchanaburi and Madagascar. Fancy coloured Sapphires, not available in small sizes, are now plentiful.
Some of this change may be due to origin ‘fluidity' or new enhancement techniques. Others, such as Turquoise and Peridot, now often originate from Pakistan as Afghanistan is frowned upon. As with most things natural new sources appear and old ones extinguish. Where will the stones Gemma will want to wear come from? Perhaps the new Tourmaline from Namibia or an amazing as yet undiscovered new material from Russia?
Certainly, if recent press is anything to go by, Praisiolite and Pink Beryl as cheaper value alternatives to the ‘precious brands' are every girls must have. I suspect the follow my leader whims of this celebrity endorsed vogue will fade and true quality supported by value for money will prevail.
However does it really matter where it comes from as long as it is beautiful, will last the course of many years of frequent use, and remain of value and significance to her.
Jason Williams
Hamilton & Inches create first ever Triple Crown Trophy
“For such a long-running and much contested prize in rugby, it may seem quite surprising that no physical trophy for the Triple Crown has ever been adopted by the Home Unions. To now have something that is tangible and so impressive will add greatly to the already ultra-competitive environment of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.”
John Feehan, Six Nations Chief Executive
Scotland's leading jeweller & silversmiths, Hamilton & Inches has created the first ever Triple Crown Trophy. Commissioned by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), in conjunction with the 6 Nations committee, who recently announced that they had agreed a four-year contract extension of their support for Europe's leading Rugby union tournament, the trophy was made in Hamilton & Inches' award winning silver workshops, situated above the magnificent Edwardian grandeur of the store on George Street, Edinburgh.
Hamilton & Inches produced drawings for a Triple Crown trophy. RBS supported the plan, secured approval from the Six Nations Committee, and with universal agreement commissioned the piece.
The trophy was designed by Nicola Williams and compliments the other existing tournament trophies. In total, creating the trophy took over 250 hours. Weighing in at 3kg of sterling silver, the trophy measures 42cm diameter and is 5cm deep. The lettering has been pierced and applied with the silversmithing being completed by Jon Hunt, the chasing of the logos by Panos Kirkos and the polishing by Colin Golder, all who work in the Hamilton & Inches workshops and are some of the UK's finest silver craftsman.
For Hamilton & Inches the real excitement has been, according to Denzil Skinner, “creating a trophy with real longevity, something that will still be competed over in many seasons to come and will go on vividly showing off so well the range of silversmithing we have in our workshop. It is exactly this kind of commission that gets me out of bed in the morning!”
This commission follows a number of other high profile commissions Hamilton & Inches has completed recently- including candelabra for The Silver Trust, which are on permanent loan to 10 Downing Street and a crown for the Lord Lyon, King of Arms of Scotland. The new silver dish will be competed for during this season's tournament which kicks off when Ireland host Italy and England entertain Wales.
For further information on the trophy or Hamilton & Inches please call Rebecca Smith on 0131 225 4898 or email
rebecca.smith@hamiltonandinches.com
Hundreds of Rolex watches hit auction block
More than 300 Rolex watches will hit the auction block this spring when Antiquorum hosts two sales featuring “The Mondani Collection of Rolex Wristwatches.”
The events, which the auction house hails as encompassing the largest collection ever to appear at auction, will take place April 1 and May 13 at Geneva's Mandarin Oriental Hotel du Rhône.
Among the highlights of the assortment is a 1953 Oyster perpetual tonneau-shaped, self-winding, waterproof men's watch in 18-karat yellow gold with a diamond black dial, triple date and moon phases. The piece is estimated to $190,000 to $265,000. The auction will also feature a 1942 oversized watch in stainless steel with split-second chronograph, register, tachometer and telemeter, valued at $235,000-$300,000.
Many of the featured watches come with their original boxes and certificates. Compiled by Guido Mondani, the collection served as the subject of the 2001 book Collecting Rolex Wristwatches by Osvaldo Patrizzi.
Domino Student Design Competition
Domino recently ran its yearly competition with The School of Jewellery, UCE.
The competition is an ongoing initiative begun by Domino's vice-chairman Patrick Fuller to encourage innovation and promote the talent of students who are the future of our industry.
The competition was set this year by the company's designer Jo Bromley. The brief was to design a solitaire, three stone or modern cluster ring, which could be worn easily alongside a wedding band. The students were encouraged to research the jewellery market, and to have commercial awareness when putting together their designs. They then picked one design to carve in wax which Weston Beamor cast for them. The designs were finished set and by the students who presented the finished rings with detailed costings showing the price of their rings in gold set with diamonds.
The judges of the competition: Patrick Fuller, Jo Bromley and Paul McElwee (Domino's Business Development Director), were all very impressed with the standard and variation of the designs. There was much deliberation, but in the end the judges were unanimous in choosing the winner of the competition: - Jocelyn Wyre.
Her flowing design for a large three stone ring was beautifully carved in wax, and reflected a growing trend to multi-stone rings with larger stones that was highly individual and very feminine.
The top three prize winners will all be awarded prize money and a week's work experience at Domino to help them gain a valuable insight of how a jewellery manufacturing company operates.
Left to right is:
Gaynor Andrews (Course Director HND Jewellery & Silversmithing), School of Jewellery);
Sian Hindle (Previous Domino competition winner and Equal Project
Designer); Jo Bromley (Domino Designer) Savvas Mallas (3rd prize winner)
Jocelyn Wire (1st prize winner), Patrick Fuller (Domino Vice-Chairman)
Natalie Salisbury (2nd prize winner)
Revenue to appeal against landmark tax ruling
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced that it will be seeking leave to appeal against the recent court ruling in favour of Geoff and Diana Jones of IT business Arctic Systems.
In the original case HMRC had used the controversial Settlements legislation, which covers the transfer of income from one person to another, to question the couple's use of salaries and dividend payments to reduce their tax bill.
Similar arrangements have benefited thousands of family businesses, but HMRC argued that income from company dividends, received by a non-earning or low-earning spouse who is co-owner of the business, should be taxed at the same rate as the main earner's income.
However, the Court of Appeal overturned previous rulings in favour of HMRC.
If HMRC should lodge a further appeal thousands of husband and wife companies could face retrospective tax bills to the tune of thousands of pounds.
The London Diamond Bourse & Club present Gareth Penny with an honorary lifetime membership.
On Monday 16th January, Freddy Hager, President of the London Diamond Bourse & Club, presented Gareth Penny, the recently appointed managing director of the De Beers Group, with a certificate of honorary life time membership of LDBC. The presentation was followed by a reception and took place in the LDBC's new premises in 100 Hatton Garden.
In his welcome speech, Freddy complimented Mr Penny on a remarkable list of achievements for one so young. He referred to the changes taking place within the De Beers group and to the whole industry on a global scale and the need for members to respond positively to the opportunities that will, in the long term, benefit both trade and consumer.
Gareth Penny responded by thanking Freddy for the certificate of lifetime membership to LDBC. He outlined the reasons for the changes to the management structure of DTC and the transformation from market custodian and buyer of last resort into a marketing led supplier of diamonds. The sale of the stockpiled diamonds had been essential and De Beers could now justify the investment in the first new mines in over 20 years. Three of these mines are in Canada - Victor, Lake Snap and one with the unusual name of Gauchokué, meaning the place with the big hares!
Gareth Penny paid tribute to the small and medium sized diamond businesses and emphasised the important role they played in the rapidly changing global market place.
THE MAGIC OF PLATINUM
An Evening industry technology evening at Goldsmiths' Hall
Monday April 10, 2006
Admission tickets £10 per person
In association with Platinum Guild International (PGI) And Johnson Matthey
PLATINUM MASTERCLASS
At London Metropolitan University Tuesday April 11 and Wednesday April 12, 2006
AN INDUSTRY technology evening has been organised by the Technology and Training Department of the Goldsmiths' Company as part of its ongoing support for the craft and industry.
Entitled “The Magic of Platinum” the event will be led by industry experts and give attending delegates the opportunity to talk to suppliers and training providers and generally ask questions and network. It will take place at Goldsmiths' Hall on Monday evening, April 10.
Peter Taylor, Director Technology and Training, the Goldsmiths' Company, said: “Given the increasing demand for platinum jewellery in recent years we felt that organising this kind of event for the industry was a must and we are delighted to be holding it in association with Platinum Guild International (PGI) and Johnson Matthey.”
The first topic to be covered is The Global Market. This will be presented by Neill Swann, Sales and Marketing Manager for Precious Metals Marketing, Johnson Matthey PLC, who will give an overview on the supply and demand of platinum and provide a benchmark analysis of where the UK platinum jewellery market is in global terms. Following on from Neill, Ruth Donaldson, UK Marketing Manager Platinum Guild International UK Ltd, will present an illustrated talk – Making your Sales go Platinum – which will explain what the Platinum Guild is doing in the UK to build on the success of the market to date.
The guest star of the evening is Jurgen J Maerz, Director of Technical Education for Platinum Guild International USA. A regular columnist for AJM Magazine, Jurgen is also the author of The Platinum Bench: An illustrated guide to easy platinum repairs and fabrication. His next book Adventures at the Bench: Tips, Tricks and Tales will be published later this year.
In his presentation, Tips Tricks and Short Cuts for the Bench, Jurgen will be showing delegates how they can improve their platinum capabilities and capitalise on the opportunities this medium presents. A member of the US Magic Circle, he may even have a few other unexpected tricks up his sleeve!
A Platinum Masterclass has also been organised for Tuesday April 11 and Wednesday April 12 which will take place at London Metropolitan University. The masterclass which will be conducted by Jurgen Maerz will cover features and benefits of platinum alloys, an introduction to casting, working with platinum including finishing and polishing issues and soldering. The masterclass will conclude with a technical surgery and a hands on practise session at the bench. Places on the masterclass are limited to 20 and will be issued on a first come first served basis. The cost for attending the masterclass has yet to be confirmed.
The cost of attending the Magic of Platinum industry evening is £10 per person. The cost for the Platinum masterclass has yet to be confirmed.
Individuals interested applying for a ticket for either the industry evening or the masterclass should contact the Technology & Training Department on Tel: 020 7606 7010 or email:heather.Ferguson@thegoldsmiths.co.uk
The Duchess of York promotes Moissanite in America
The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson has agreed to design a jewellery collection featuring moissanite created by Charles & Colvard. Having successfully thrown her weight behind the diet industry and children's books The Duchess of York is now attacking the American jewellery trade.
K & G Creations, the manufacturer of Charles & Colvard and the world's largest manufacturer of moissanite, announced the deal last week. Debuting in the second quarter of 2006, the vintage-inspired “Sarah Ferguson for K&G Creations” collection will include rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets.
In addition to working with K&G creations in designing the line, The Duchess of York will serve as a spokeswoman for the collection and make in-store appearances to help promote it.
The collection will sell exclusively at Finlay Fine Jewelry departments at stores such as Macy's, Lord & Taylor and Bielk's. Net proceeds from the enterprise will go to the Sarah Ferguson Foundation for Children.
Square Circles
Square Circles (uk) Ltd long awaited web site is finally up and running. After a very successful launch at IJL (International Jewellery London) in September 2005, Nelia de Sousa designs can be seen on www.squarecirclesuk.com, a taste of what is to come from this talented designer
With prices from £50 (retail) the Collections has something for everybody.
Contact : info@squarecirclesuk.com
Dyfed Price and Nelia de Sousa
The Blood Diamond
In the face of an upcoming film about conflict diamonds, The Blood Diamond, to star Leonardo DiCaprio, the World Diamond Council reaffirmed its commitment to keep gems that fuel internal wars in Africa out of the legitimate trade.
Some 100 representatives of the international diamond community met this week at the annual meeting of the World Diamond Congress, hosted in Catania, Sicily, by Gaetano Cavalieri, president of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, and by the government of the province of Catania.
In his report to the annual meeting, World Diamond Council President Eli Izhakoff outlined the involvement of the World Diamond Council in the Kimberley Process—designed to stem the flow of conflict diamonds by tracking where diamonds come from—and urged industry leaders to redouble their efforts to ensure that the voluntary system of warranties for polished diamonds and jewellery containing diamonds continues.
Izhakoff also told members that it is important to inform the general public about the industry's efforts via Kimberley, to address the problem.
“The industry will soon be challenged by the fallout from a major Hollywood production The Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and tackling the issue of what most probably will be referred to in the media as ‘blood diamonds,'” Izhakoff said at the conference according to a release. “Instead of running for cover, I would suggest that we take a positive, proactive approach.
Izhakoff and Kago Moshashane, the chairman of the Kimberley Process and the deputy permanent secretary of Botswana's Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, also told attendees that a joint letter is being sent to Edward Zwick, producer of The Blood Diamond, requesting that the film provide accurate and up-to-date information about the conflict diamond trade in Sierra Leone, the country in which the movie is set.
The Diamond Trading Co. has also contacted the filmmakers, informing them of initiatives such as the Kimberley Process and the Diamond Development Initiative.
In his keynote address at the meeting, Moshashane said the joint efforts of government, civil society and the diamond and jewellery industries in tackling the conflict diamond issue has helped reduce the incidence of civil war in the affected areas.
“As it happens, during the three years since the Kimberley Process diamond certification system began to operate, there has been a very substantial down-scaling in those conflicts which were thought to be fueled partly by the sale of stolen diamonds,” he said.
During the meeting, a special committee was created with the aim of introducing programs to increase awareness in the diamond and jewellery industries about the chain of warrantees, which establish that diamonds are conflict-free. One of these programs will involve the establishment of World Diamond Council booths at jewellery trade fairs worldwide.
A three-year review of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is about to begin, the program of which was outlined by Abdul Omar, a senior policy advisor at Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Izhakoff stressed the industry's commitment to compliance, and noted that this will be part of the wide-ranging review.
Salt for Worshipful Company of Clockmakers
Designer Silversmith Barry Thomas, recently completed a commission of a salt for the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, one of the Livery companies in the City of London.
Barry Thomas, who is based in Derbyshire, was commissioned by the first lady Master of the Clockmakers' company to make the salt. The piece was presented to the company at a ceremony in London in January 2006.
The design of the salt draws on themes related to time; the general shape is in the style of a sundial or armillary sphere. The globe is engraved with lines of latitude and longitude. The plinth is engraved with the coats of arms of the Clockmakers' company and the donor, together with an inscription. The silver-gilt spoon takes the form of Old Father Time's scythe.
The salt is 8” (20cm) high and was engraved by David Bedford of J J Bergin in London.
Tel: 01335 370655
Email: bt@barrythomas.co.uk
Website:
www.barrythomas.co.uk
Valuation Days Success for F Hinds
An F Hinds branch manager was presented with a beautiful Porsche Boxster for the weekend by the Guild of Valuers & Jewellers, thanks to the success of recent jewellery Valuation Days.
The Porsche was presented to Mr Wright of F Hinds Barnstaple by Chris Simpson, Sales and Servcies Manager at the Guild of Valuers & Jewellers as part of a competition run across the
F Hinds Group in recognition of the revenue he and his staff generated from their Valuation Days.
The Valuation Days service is available to all NAG members across the UK, regardless of whether you outsource or “do it yourself” and is proving extremely popular with retailers and customers alike. Chris Simpson says, “We want to work with retailers to create a profitable valuations service for their business going forward. We will fully support NAG members in organising these events and provide all the tools they need, including the valuer. Once a Valuation Day has been carried out, there is a natural uplift in general valuation business and of course the retailer benefits.”
“Valuation Days are an excellent way to get customers coming back through the door and are proving to be a significant revenue stream for retail businesses. We now have hundreds of these events booked for 2006 throughout the country and can also offer a trial day to those retailers wishing to participate.”
Small business ‘optimistic' about the year ahead
Small businesses are optimistic about their prospects for the coming year, new research suggests.
The latest survey from Bank of Scotland Business Banking revealed that 88% of entrepreneurs expect 2006 to be the same or better than 2005.
38% of business owners also plan to invest more money in their businesses this year, with just fewer than 25% revealing that they intend to increase spending by more than 10%.
However, a third of respondents believe that economic conditions will be tougher this year than in 2005, and a significant number also said that running a business had become harder in recent years.
Meanwhile, recent data paints a broadly positive picture for the economy. The British Retail Consortium has revealed a surge in retail sales during December, with like-for-like sales up by 2.6% on the previous year, largely as a result of increased sales of food and drink, and discount schemes.
The latest BDO Business Trends Report has also predicted stronger economic growth for 2006, with a boost in consumer spending and a stabilisation of the housing market, although the report warned that growth could remain slow during the first part of the year.
Many analysts expect interest rates to remain on hold for the coming months, followed by a possible cut in rates later in the year.
The Internet and its effect on the independent retail jeweller.
Seen through the eyes of a relative newcomer to the Jewellery trade, Alan Hadley, director of GETi, a leading manufacturer of Titanium rings
‘I see a time when every showroom, gallery and shop will have, as a central feature of their business, a terminal for the public to access. It may start off to be seen as a gimmick at first, but then will grow into a serious sales tool. By encouraging our customers to place a terminal on their counter and making it easier for them to order from us, it will discourage the public from walking away and buying online elsewhere.'
Alan explains, ‘How many of you have come across this scenario recently? A couple come into your shop and enquire about wedding rings. They try some on, they discuss prices, they have their fingers measured, they say they want to have a look around before making a decision and walk out never to be seen again. Not unusual, happens all the time. Except before the internet came along, they would be going to, or coming from, a competitor. Enter the Internet - a growing proportion of these couples are visiting different jewellery shops, gathering information, taking it home and shopping from the comfort of their own computer screen.'
Alan paints a picture of a different outcome, ‘A couple walk into your shop and enquire about wedding rings. They try some on, they discuss prices, they have their fingers measured, they say they want to have a look around before making a decision and start to walk out never to be seen again. You say “Before you go, have you considered looking online for your jewellery. We have a connection to the Internet here, we don't mind you having a look at our suppliers websites to see the alternatives to the ranges that we carry in stock. They may have something else that you would prefer.” The Internet savvy couple are hooked.'
Alan considers that the internet is not going to go away and could quite possibly be the most powerful sales tool that a retailer can possess.
For Alan ultimately the goal is to promote Titanium jewellery and the company, GETi, but also he is trying to show retailers how important the internet is as a sales tool for them.
When talking to a broad selection of our customers he noticed that the majority of them are still unaware of what the internet can offer and how much they can benefit from it. They rely on the fact that people won't buy jewellery from the internet because they want to touch and feel it and see the quality, but they don't realise that the percentage of people touching and feeling in their shop and then going to buy on the web is increasing and so they are losing out. In fact, GETi's top three customers out of 150 are work-from-home internet sites carrying no stock at all.
Alan is currently installing a new, more powerful website at the moment to include a catalogue area without prices for the public to view in his customers shops and a trade login area for the retailers to access and order online. (http://www.geti.cc ) He has plans for it to be up and running by late February. He wants to encourage as many computer screens in shops as I can. ‘I'm going to be offering an internet ready computer with the purchase of £1,800 worth of Titanium stock to try and get retailers to take the plunge.'
Alan commented, ‘America is leading the way.I've just had another look at the Stuller Findings site and that is exactly what I am aiming for with our new site with the added public customer interactivity. I don't want to discourage our internet clients - it never ceases to amaze me just how many orders they place each week compared to a bricks and mortar showroom, but at the same time I want to show the retailers the benefits of being online and the advantages they have over the websites without premises for the public to visit.
I see orders come through from the websites that I know will retail for over £1000 and I know that the people who ordered it haven't seen or touched a sample, but still have the confidence to buy ‘blind'. The retailers may not realise this or just don't believe that the quantity of people doing this will matter, but the percentage of these people is increasing.'
Another fear Alan has noted from retailers is the amount of returns they may get, ‘Distance selling regulations are a lot different as I'm sure you are aware, but here again the internet sites surprise me by having significantly lower returns compared to the retailers.'
‘I've spoken to a few customers who have stock systems and internet access on the counter already and shown them the GETi development site, one of them helped us to prove the point with a link to our old site, and it worked very well. Obviously they are not restricted to our website and could be directed to a competitors site, but then that is another battle to make our site and products more appealing than our competitors.'
I like the idea of the internet because it gives the opportunity for a small company like us to compete strongly with the big players without spending sheds full of money. You never know, we could be witnessing the birth of another Hot Diamonds here.'
GETi' is the brand name of Greenfield Engineering Titanium Ltd. based in the heart of the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter in the UK and is a leading producer of high quality Titanium rings.
Since being established in 1965 as a subcontract precision engineering company, they have progressed from traditional practices to a modern computer numerically controlled (CNC) Titanium jewellery production facility. The most well known product invented by the original company was the keyring type attachment for allen key wrenches.
With the application of modern technology, GETi consider that they are at the forefront of jewellery developement using exotic new materials such as Titanium and Zirconium (a sister metal). They also manufacture in more traditional materials such as gold, platinum and diamonds.
Having now established a brand name over the last 8 years they are keen to build on their success further using powerful sales tools, such as the internet and are currently adding a new improved, interactive trade website with online ordering, trade customer login and incentives for buying online. (www.geti.cc)
Alan Hadley GETi
0121 507 0994
DRT Jewellery Ltd.
DRT Jewellery Ltd was purchased Dave Tongue on the 1st February 2006. Dave commented, ‘We are delighted to have purchased the company from Abbeycrest PLC. DRT is in a strong position with a well-defined handmade wristwear and bracelets range. We are looking to extend our range of jewellery products in the very near future.
For more information call Dave Tongue or the sales representatives Harry Morton and David Cohen.
Tel: 01642 464111
Presman Mastermelt
Double Celebration
The customers, staff and directors of Presman Mastermelt had a great party and celebration of the double anniversaries of the founding of Presman in 1945 and Mastermelt in 1985 at the Marriott Hotel in Swiss Cottage, London.
A superb double act by the Mastermelt founders outlined the foundation of the business – trust, integrity and friendship. Robert Davies and Craig White first worked together in America as private detectives for a company of lawyers. The lawyers refused to pay the dynamic duo when they followed the wrong person for a whole week!
Back in England the two friends started Mastermelt in a small workshop in Baldwin Gardens off Hatton Garden. The company started off by processing sweeps and lemels with a philosophy which has kept them in good stead ever since of, integrity, transparency, security and dependability.
The company has grown significantly since 1985 with the acquisition of the famous Presman company in Hatton Garden, one of the leading buyers of precious metals. This was followed by the opening of the Mastermelt reprocessing plant in Buxton.
With Robert Davies as a qualified Chartered Environmentalist the company can now take on any form of industrial reprocessing.
The evening went with a swing raising over £8000 for the Philip Green Memorial Trust. The auction threw up some interesting bids; a Mastermelt green Polo shirt (unwashed) previously worn by director Ian Munns fetched £550. An England cricket team bat fetched £700 and a signed Frank Lampard shirt, of Chelsea Football Club, raised £750.
The ‘Dynamic Duo'
Robert Davies
and Craig White
Having thanked the customers for their support over the years, Robert Davis looked forward to the next 25 years with continued growth for the Group.
H.W.Tankel (Scotland) Ltd
Tankel were very pleased with this years Spring Fair. Many new accounts were opened mainly due to the growing response to our “Asscher Collection”.
Pictured below is one of our newest patterns that sold extremely well. The weight of the 2 Asschers is .72pts with .07pts in the shoulders. The ring can also be produced with coloured stones cut as Asscher cut Diamonds.
Feedback received from existing stockists of this range have indicated that the exclusivity of the product is a very important factor in helping them to sell these pieces. Tankel have also produced further point of sale material and a display stand for shop windows for the collection as well.
The bottom line is that this collection really does work and our list of appointed stockists is increasing.
For further information contact Tony on 0141-226-2200
