| > | | | | thing,'" Gabriel and Co.'s Dominick Gabriel says of his |
| Looking for ways to inject new life into your | | | | company's Bridal Sample Program, launched in January |
| all-important bridal business? Here are seven concepts, | | | | 2008. Yet those same jewelers reconsidered after |
| from fresh technological offerings to sweetly | | | | they saw how well the systems were working for |
| cost-efficient programs that let you expand your bridal | | | | other retailers, he says. |
| inventory without spending a fortune. 1. Build-it-yourself | | | | Gabriel and Co. offers eight different assortments of |
| If the recession taught jewelers one thing, it was that | | | | its best-selling mountings, and also gives jewelers the |
| they need to wean themselves off of the habit of | | | | option to handpick their own mixes. |
| over-stocking inventory that does not move. Enter the | | | | Bridal consumers do not complain about the look of |
| next generation of bridal ring-building programs, which | | | | the replicas--nor do they seem to mind the wait that |
| let jewelers and customers get exactly what they | | | | comes with ordering either, as the majority of bridal is |
| want, minus the risk. | | | | custom ordered anyway, Gabriel says. |
| "Some people might not believe in it...but I think it's a | | | | One word of advice Gabriel offers to retailers who |
| good add-on for your existing business," says Pat | | | | carry the samples: carry about 10 to 20 real sets of |
| Javaheri, president of Los Angeles-based | | | | popular engagement ring styles. |
| manufacturer Amden Jewelry. | | | | "You know your market best and you need some live |
| Five years ago, the 35-year-old company got into the | | | | because you're always going to have the guy that |
| business of crafting the orders that come from | | | | wants to get engaged that day," he says. |
| custom ring-building programs. Since then, the number | | | | Overnight Mountings Vice President Matthew Roth |
| of existing programs has increased by roughly 20 | | | | also sees jewelers' acceptance of |
| percent, Javaheri says. | | | | brass-and-glass-type programs growing. |
| As is the case for all technology, the functionality and | | | | "It has been an easier hurdle to overcome because |
| appearance of existing programs for the jewelry | | | | jewelers talk," Roth says. "Jewelers speak with |
| industry have improved at dizzying speeds. | | | | jewelers. Jewelers hear from one another that the |
| M. Geller, which launched version one of its Bridal Ring | | | | program is working." |
| Builder in 2004, is now on the third version, says Louis | | | | |
| Price, chief operating officer. Upgrades to the program | | | | 3. Seize the celebrity endorsement |
| include changes to the layout and color schemes, and | | | | Colored diamonds have been red-carpet regulars over |
| simplified search functions, all with the aim of making | | | | the past few years, but more recently, diamonds with |
| the program as user-friendly as possible. | | | | hue have been heading into happily-ever-after territory |
| "We all look at the competitive ball field," Price says in | | | | thanks to big-screen veterans and chart-topping |
| explaining why it was time for Bridal Ring Builder, part III. | | | | songbirds alike. |
| "We all look at the technology evolving in the | | | | Jennifer Lopez famously kicked off the trend back in |
| competitive marketplace." | | | | 2002, when actor Ben Affleck presentedher with a |
| 2. Fake it 'til you make it | | | | pink diamond solitaire, says Robert May, executive |
| It's a stand-off: Retailers are hesitant to plunk down | | | | director of the Natural Color Diamond Association |
| cash to fill their display cases with diamond | | | | (NCDIA). The engagement may have gone belly-up, |
| engagement rings that are not sure sellers, and | | | | but the allure of colored diamonds was set in |
| vendors have trouble securing the credit that enables | | | | stone-and in photos. |
| them to supply entire showrooms on memo. | | | | This year, it lives on again, with a handful of celebrity |
| One solution comes via the growing number of | | | | brides-to-be-flashing colored diamond rings. |
| suppliers offering "brass-and-glass" inventoryprograms | | | | Leading the list over the last few months is country |
| that allow retailers to purchase engagement ring | | | | crooner Carrie Underwood, who has been flashing a |
| replicas made of metal alloy and cubic zirconia at a | | | | Johnathon Arndt-designed yellow diamond ring. Then |
| fraction of the cost of rings made of diamonds and | | | | there is Heroes star Kristen Bell, who's been showing |
| precious metal. If your initial reaction is "not in my store," | | | | off her 3-carat, natural fancy-colored brown diamond |
| you are not alone. | | | | ring designed by Neil Lane. Finally, there's supermodel |
| | | | | Naomi Campbell, reportedly sporting a Van Cleef and |
| "We have a lot of customers that when we | | | | Arpels black diamond ring. |
| introduced it, said 'This is not for me, I only sell the real | | | | |
