VicenzaOro will once again host the contemporary watch lounge VO’Clock Privé in September, announced the Italian Exhibition Group, organizers of the jewelry show held twice a year at the Vicenza Expo Centre in Italy.

Dedicated entirely to watchmaking culture, VO’Clock Privé will be located in the first-floor foyer of the Expo Centre and open to the general public—watch enthusiasts, experts, and collectors of timepieces—from Sept. 8 to 10 (the VicenzaOro show runs Sept. 8–12).

At VO’Clock Privé, visitors are invited to handle the products, interact with watch manufacturers, and peruse displays of top brands and independent watchmakers. This is the second edition of VO’Clock Privé, returning after its successful debut last year with new sharing and learning opportunities, including appearances by watch professionals such as Ander Ugarte, head of design at Tudor, and watchmaking personalities Beppe Ambrosini and Bruno Bergamaschi.

Educational events at VO’Clock Privé will include courses hosted by the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) in Geneva and a seminar on “Italian Watchmaking and its Future,” conducted by Ugo Pancani, trainer at FHH, with special guests Sandro Fratini, Auro Montanari, and Marco Mantovani.

There will also be a Zenith Watch Clinic, and the prestigious Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) will present eight master watchmakers: Andersen Genève, Kudoke, Ludovic Ballouard, Meccaniche Orologi Milano, Matthias Naeschke, Sinclair Harding, Vincent Calabrese, and Marc&Darnò.

For more information, visit vicenzaoro.com/en/vo-clock.

(Photo courtesy of VicenzaOro)

Sylvie Jewelry has changed its domain name, with the new web address being sylviejewelry.com. The update is a part of a brand evolution introduced last year, in celebration of the brand’s 15th anniversary (the details of which were covered by JCK).

Formerly named Sylvie Collection, Sylvie Jewelry is expanding from its original focus on engagement and wedding rings to a wide range of jewelry, giving customers even more options to work with.

The new website offers a content-rich and educational user experience, the brand says. “This website is built for a new generation of customers that does not like to be sold—they crave knowledge, transparency, and an intimate understanding of their purchases,” said Gary Levine, director of operations at Sylvie, in a statement. “The launch of sylviejewelry.com is aimed at providing an enhanced shopping experience driven by information and education in partnership with our authorized retailers.”

“We are delighted to introduce our new website and domain name as we move into a new, exciting chapter,” cofounder and designer Sylvie Levine said in a statement. “Today, our mission transcends being a luxury jewelry brand. Our core purpose in all that we do—as a team, family of authorized Sylvie retailers, and individuals who wear my designs every day—is to celebrate life. Our fine jewelry is on-trend and full of life. And symbolically it is designed to be emblematic of life’s most joyful moments and the stories that they create.”

Visit the new website at sylviejewelry.com.

(Photo courtesy of Sylvie Jewelry)

All exhibition space for September’s edition of VicenzaOro has been fully booked, it was announced recently by the European event’s organizer, the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG).

VicenzaOro September is set to play host to a range of brands and include a showcase for “Made in Italy” production, the return of an area for the B2B watchmaking community (which debuted at the January 2023 show), and the elegant VO’Clock Privé, a lounge dedicated to watchmaking culture.

VicenzaOro, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2024, will also present a preview in September of the latest Jewellery Trendbook, a guide produced by Trendvision Jewellery + Forecasting, IEG’s independent research arm. A schedule of talks, seminars, and workshops will also be among the to-do’s of September’s show.

For more information, visit vicenzaoro.com.

Hoover & Strong Welcomes New Sales Team Members

Richmond, VA–based jewelry industry supplier Hoover & Strong has added two people to its national sales team, Hind Walker and Toni Ann Scialo.

Walker brings over a decade of industry experience from previous positions such as senior buyer at Zachary’s Jewelers, director of sales for Aaron Basha in New York, and, most recently, luxury sales profesional at Radcliffe Jewelers in Baltimore. Scialo comes to Hoover & Strong from Mida Chain in Northvale, N.J., where she served as a senior account executive for the past five years.

“We are thrilled to welcome Hind and Toni to the Hoover & Strong family,” said company president Torry Hoover in a statement. “Their extensive experience and expertise will undoubtedly enhance our capabilities in serving our valued clients and further solidify our position as a leader in the industry. We are confident that they will make valuable contributions to our team and help us achieve new heights.”

Costar Imports to Offer Holiday Social Media Marketing

Diamond jewelry manufacturer and distributor Costar Imports is introducing a social media marketing program designed to benefit jewelers during the busy holiday season.

“We are excited to partner with jewelers and offer them marketing assistance during what is not only the busiest time of the year, but the most profitable,” said Costar president Ram Kedia in a statement. “With this program, jewelers will be able to reach thousands of jewelry shoppers in their market while staying hands-off. They don’t have to do anything, so they can concentrate on what’s happening in their store.”

The program will begin a few days before Thanksgiving and run through Christmas, with eight elaborate custom videos featuring Costar products. The videos will be posted directly on jewelers’ Facebook and Instagram accounts, and will be boosted to target jewelry shoppers who live within a retailer’s market. Costar is working with third-party marketing agency Harmon on the initiative.

To sign up or find out more, email ram@costarimports.com.

BriteCo Integrates GIA Grading Results Into Appraisal System

Jewelry and watch insurance provider BriteCo has announced it is integrating GIA grading results into its Appraisal Management System, to provide faster and more accurate appraisals for customers and better determine adequate jewelry insurance coverage.

“There are over 200,000 appraisals in our Appraisal Management System from thousands of independent retail jewelers across the United States,” said Dustin Lemick, founder and CEO of BriteCo, in a statement. “The integration of GIA grading results to our system continues our commitment to provide the very best, tech-powered innovation to our partners.”

For more information, visit briteco.com/for-jewelers.

(Image courtesy VicenzaOro)

The International Gemological Institute (IGI) has announced that its participation at the JCK show in Las Vegas will include grading and screening, educational sessions, demonstrations, happy hours, and giveaways.

IGI will have a prominent presence on the show floor, occupying two key locations on level 2: at booth #8055 in the bridal pavilion and at booth #12037 in the Design Collective.

“JCK is the platform for industry professionals to come together and explore the latest trends, innovations, and business opportunities,” said Avi Levi, president of IGI North America. “We look forward to offering a range of engaging activities and valuable resources for attendees. Whether it’s our on-site grading services, informative sessions, or networking opportunities, IGI aims to provide an exceptional experience that will help advance the knowledge and success of jewelry professionals.”

At its main booth in the bridal neighborhood, IGI will provide same-day laboratory services including natural diamond screening, color and clarity consultation, and cut grade analysis. Visitors will be treated to daily happy hours at the Design Collective booth, and IGI will also hold demos and giveaways, including tool kits, loupes, reports, appraisals, e-learning access, and gift cards.

In addition, IGI will take part in Thursday’s JCK Talks presentation on lab-grown diamonds, moderated by JCK‘s Rob Bates.

For further information, go to igi.org.

Rembrandt Introduces Line of Custom Engraved Charms

Rembrandt Charms’ latest collection features fingerprint and custom engraved charms, made with state-of-the-art laser engraving technology.

“We are thrilled to offer this new collection to our retail jewelers and their charm collectors,” said Eric Lux, president of Buffalo, N.Y.–based Rembrandt. “Charms represent the most sentimental moments in one’s life, and we wanted to offer our loyal charm collectors the opportunity to truly create a one-of-a-kind charm. During our soft launch, feedback was extremely positive from our retail jewelers and their charm collectors, sports teams, schools, and organizations which received these charms. Retail jewelers stated these charms were most commonly attached to our charm bracelets and necklaces.”

The Buffalo, N.Y.–based company also reports an increase in Shop-in-Shop, a designated area within a jewelry store—designed to complement that store—where shoppers can view Rembrandt’s extensive collection.

“While we have implemented many Shop-in-Shops throughout our company’s history, we are thrilled that today more of our retail jewelers are requesting this magnificent presentation,” said Lux.

For more information, visit rembrandtcharms.com.

Kirk Kara Showcasing Artin for Women at JCK

At the Luxury by JCK show opening later this week in Las Vegas, award-winning wedding jewelry brand Kirk Kara will offer a first look at its Artin expansion and showcase other new designs.

Named for founder Kirk Karaguezian’s father, the Artin collection of handmade wedding bands is being expanded to rings for women, in addition to its traditional offerings for men.

Kirk Kara will also feature Couples, a new line “inspired by the elegance of the 1920s, when my grandfather was at his creative peak,” said Angela Karaguezian, CEO of Kirk Kara. “This collection includes a variety of satin-finished pieces featuring brilliant diamonds, baguettes, and sapphires with an elegant touch of hand engraving for today’s nontraditional couples.”

Visit Kirk Kara at booth LUX800 at JCK, and online at kirkkara.com.

Bulova Debuting New Collection at Couture

Bulova is partnering with SHR Jewelry Group to unveil its 2023 collection of men’s fine jewelry at the Couture show June 1–4 in Las Vegas. The new line expands on Bulova’s men’s offerings, which were first introduced in 2019.

“We are excited to launch this updated men’s jewelry assortment inspired by symbols and icons of Bulova’s storied past,” said Jeffrey Cohen, president of Citizen Watch America, which owns Bulova. “Partnering with SHR Jewelry Group helps take us into the next level of fine jewelry. SHR is a leader in the men’s category and shares our same commitment to innovation and excellence.”

The new collection, which will debut in the Epernay ballrom of Wynn Las Vegas during Couture, is available for preview at bulova.com.

Top: IGI will be offering happy hour daily at its Design Collective booth at the JCK show in Las Vegas.

Jewelry industry insurance provider Jewelers Mutual Group has announced that LUX Digital Vault—an app with a 15-day insurance trial that jewelers can offer customers—is now available to its waiting list and select retailers.

During beta testing of the app, Jewelers Mutual has reported that 80% of customers who purchased jewelry at a participating retailer downloaded LUX Digital Vault, leaving the store with their new jewelry insured for a 15-day period while they evaluate their specific insurance needs.

“The cutting-edge technology is increasing consumer confidence to protect their jewelry,” said Mike Alexander, chief operating officer at Jewelers Mutual Group, in a statement. He said the app is a way for jewelers to serve their customers in a more meaningful and innovative way, using the tool as an added “digital gift” to enhance the retail store experience. LUX Digital Vault, which can be customized and branded for retail stores, is free for jewelers to offer or for their customers to use.

For more information, visit jewelersmutual.com/luxsurance.

The International Gemological Institute (IGI) will host the first-ever Dubai edition of its IGI D Show at the Hilton Al Habtoor City from May 5 to 7, 2023.

The show, which has held 14 successful editions in India, will bring together 33 manufacturers from India, Turkey, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to exhibit their exclusive diamond creations.

“The core of all editions of the IGI D Show has been thought-provoking ideas, quality designs, and long-lasting relationships,” said Tehmasp Printer, president and managing director of IGI India, in a statement. “Over the years, we have created and curated a community of visionaries and enthusiasts who will bring a paradigm shift in the industry. The international edition is a step towards integrating with international players who share similar ideas and visions for the global fraternity.”

“The IGI D Show has become an organized marketplace for industry members to network, share ideas, and discuss growth plans,” Roland Lorie, CEO of IGI, said in the statement. “Being a global certifying authority, IGI is dedicated to catering to the developing dynamics that make the gem and jewelry industry what it is.”

For more information, visit dshow.world.

Stuller Releases 2023–2024 Bridal Catalog…

Jewelry industry supplier Stuller has announced the release of its 2023–2024 bridal catalog, featuring 800 pages of on-trend and core styles, best-sellers, new pieces, and customizable options, including more than 600 new styles. The catalog also now contains “scan to shop” QR codes.

“Our research shows that consumer-driven desire for custom bridal styles is on the rise,” said senior bridal director Alex Stuller in a statement. “Because of this, we’ve expanded our selection of flexible 3C designs, which allow jewelers to easily create unique engagement rings and bands their customers will cherish for a lifetime.”

For more information on the catalog, visit stuller.com/bridalcatalog.

Photo courtesy of IGI

New York–based jewelry house Mark Henry is collaborating with jewelry industry consultant and author Peter Smith to sponsor Smith’s sales master class, a 90-minute training session for select retail sales teams with retailer’s asset program commitment, for a limited time.

The class focuses on topics like essential traits for successful salespeople and main characteristics of communication. The value of the complimentary class for qualified retailers is $5,000; retailers are responsible for Smith’s travel expenses.

Opt-in is required by April 30, and the class can be scheduled through spring.

For more information, contact Mark Henry’s vice president of sales, Kristen Scheibel, at kristen@markhenryj.com or 315-941-1362.

Imagine Bridal Introducing Retailer Referral Program

Imagine Bridal has announced a new referral program for its retailers.

If a referral makes an appointment or views a collection, the referring retailer will receive a $200 gift card or account credit. If the referral makes a purchase, both the referring retailer and referral earn a $500 gift card or account credit.

For more information on the program, visit imaginebridal.com.

Royal Chain has announced the debut of its spring collection, focused on the brand’s best-selling items in an expanded assortment of styles.

“Amid recent economic uncertainty, the company continues to see the jewelry industry invigorated by more people going and being social, as well as the continued presence of fashion influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram that are bringing back looks from decades ago,” read a press release from the company. “Responding to these trends, the new collection from Royal Chain has classics that are refreshed, remixed, and ready to resonate with a broad range of customers.”

Classic chains in paper clip and curb styles—available with or without colored gemstones—along with layerable earrings and animal-inspired jewels are just some of the collection’s highlights. Royal Chain is also enlarging its line of permanent jewelry, featuring 14k gold spool chains, a popular option that continues to see growing interest.

“We are pleased with the steady demand from our retailers and continue to bring to market the most relevant product they need to continue this momentum,” said vice president of marketing Phillip Gabriel Maroof in a statement. “We’ve developed our new products with great insight into what’s selling and what will be on trend for this year.”

The spring 2023 collection is now available at Royal Chain retailers nationwide, and the digital catalog can be viewed at royalchain.com.

Jewelers Mutual Announces Safety and Security Academy

Industry insurer Jewelers Mutual Group, in collaboration with the Jewelers’ Security Alliance and UL Solutions, has introduced the Safety and Security Academy, a free online training program for owners and employees of jewelry stores in the United States and Canada.

“Security is always a concern in the jewelry industry, and knowledge is power when it comes to jewelers’ safety,” said Mike Alexander, chief operating officer at Jewelers Mutual, in a statement. “With crime on the rise, it is more critical than ever to make security education a top priority. Our goal in introducing the Safety and Security Academy is to help our jewelers and pawnbrokers advance their knowledge and skills to keep themselves, their staff, and their businesses safe and secure.”

The Safety and Security Academy consists of 16 courses with a total of 200 minutes of e-learning, coursework that can be tailored to business and staff needs. Lessons include reducing the likelihood of criminal targeting, decreasing crime-related losses, traveling safely with valuable inventory and staying safe during and following a criminal incident.

“Complacency can be dangerous to jewelers and pawnbrokers, their staff, and their businesses,” said Alexander. “The Safety and Security Academy is intended for repeat use. We recommend that the coursework is used for new-employee onboarding, monthly group training sessions, and ongoing staff refreshers to keep best practices top of mind.”

For more information, visit jewelersmutual.com/security-academy.

Pitched as “a content-sharing platform with a youthful community” on its App Store page, Lemon8 looks a lot like Instagram with a Pinterest-y concept, where users share text, photos, and videos based on hobby or category.

Lemon8 has been around since 2020, but a recent meteoric rise in downloads has experts saying it’s a paid user acquisition effort on the part of ByteDance.

“This is a dramatic move for the little-known app and one that points to paid user acquisition efforts powering this surge,” says an article on the subject written by TechCrunch. “Prior to [March 27], the Lemon8 app had never before ranked in the top 200 overall charts in the U.S.”

As of this writing, Lemon8 ranks No. 1 on the App Store’s lifestyle chart, so even if its increase in users began with a paid push, it’s getting in front of eyeballs now. Which is a bit of tricky timing for the app, considering its ownership is under scrutiny by the U.S. government (and in other countries as well). If TikTok is banned, Lemon8 would be at risk of the same fate—it’s ByteDance’s Chinese ownership of TikTok that has it scrutinized by lawmakers, so why would this app be any different?

ByteDance’s motives in pushing Lemon8 now are unclear, but possibly it hopes to have another successful app on its hands so that it can sell it to Silicon Valley.

Removed from all the legal entanglements, here’s the question that matters most to users: Is Lemon8 any good?

I poked around in the app for a short time to get a feel for it (you can log in through Facebook or Twitter to make it easy, if you want), and it’s fine, even good. But necessary? Not really. It basically combines Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok—you create photo or video content in your main feed (à la Instagram), which becomes searchable through the use of hashtags. Content is available via category for browsing (similar to Pinterest), allowing users to connect with one another and save under their own personal collections (which are set to private as a default, also like Instagram).

Lemon8 has plenty to keep creators and hobbyists busy; the best thing it’s got going for it at the moment, according to many of the app’s reviews, is its lack of any ads (if it were to become highly successful, that would likely change). For our industry’s purposes, there’s not much to go on: The #jewelry hashtag is filled with mostly fast-fashion-like content and even a post to suggest Amazon dupes for designer jewelry—which ought to make your blood boil.

But you will undoubtedly be hearing at least something about Lemon8 in the near future, so do you ignore it and move on? It’s tempting to say yes—ByteDance feels on shaky ground as it is, and Lemon8 is highly repetitive of apps that have yet to be successfully topped—but you can never say never. Invest time on Lemon8 right now? Probably not, but logging on as an early adopter to secure a presence might help appeal to that young generation of shoppers so many brands have been trying hard to reach.

Top: Lemon8 logo via Google app store

Hardrock Summit will return to Denver’s Colorado Convention Center, with registration now open for the show that runs Sept. 15–18, 2023.

An estimated 250 exhibitors will show at the fair, offering fine gems, jewelry, and minerals from around the world to silversmiths, bench jewelers, high-end jewelry designers, manufacturers, and collectors.

For the third time Hardrock Summit will host the American Gem Trade Association, with the Denver GemFair marking AGTA’s third presence this year, in addition to Tucson and Las Vegas. Hardrock Summit will also once again host the Denver Gem and Mineral Show.

“We would like to thank our exhibitors and all attendees for their support over the last two years and are excited to enter a new phase with Hardrock Summit’s third edition,” Christoph Keilmann, co-founder of Hardrock Summit, said in a statement.

For more information and to register, visit hardrocksummit.com.

Kingswood’s Kristie Nicolosi Inducted Into Private Label Hall of Fame

Kristie Nicolosi, president and CEO of the Kingswood Company, has been inducted into the Private Label Hall of Fame by the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) and Store Brands magazine, the jewelry care product manufacturer announced.

The induction, which took place during PLMA’s 2023 Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference in Orlando, recognizes Nicolosi’s contributions to the growth and development of the global private label industry.

“It is such an honor to be chosen to join the Private Label Hall of Fame,” said Nicolosi in a statement. “I am very proud of all the Kingswood Company has done to elevate the private-brand jewelry care space over the past 17 years, and am grateful to my outstanding team for the work we have done together that led to this honor.”

For more information on the offerings of the Kingswood Company, visit thekingswoodcompany.com.

GCAL Introduces 8X Proprietary Cut Grades With Singapore Diamond Retailer

GCAL announced it has partnered with Singapore-based retailer JannPaul Diamonds to offer its new 8X proprietary certificates for patented and specialty cuts, which can be customized to include a client’s brand and logo. This news comes as the company expands on the success of its 8X cut grades, certifications introduced by GCAL in 2021 with both traditional cut analysis and direct assessment of light performance of a diamond, resulting in eight aspects of evaluation.

“JannPaul is world-renowned for their exacting standards and exceptional patented diamond cuts. It’s an honor that they’ve selected GCAL as their grading laboratory,” said Angelo Palmieri, COO and co-owner of GCAL, in a statement. “They have an amazing ability to design and execute innovative diamond cuts that deserve to be recognized through a multitude of metrics that help consumers appreciate their outstanding precision.”

“At JannPaul, we are always looking for ways to improve our customers’ experience and provide them with the best possible products and services,” said Paul Hung, founder and CEO of JannPaul. “After 20 years of searching for a laboratory that can grade diamond cuts accurately, I have found that GCAL, especially with their 8X cut grade, meets all the criteria that I have been looking for. It allows consumers to look at a certificate, understand it, and walk away knowing that they have purchased the most beautiful diamond.”

For more information, visit gcalusa.com and jannpaul.com.