EDITOR’S LETTER
CONTRIBUTORS
An important step
CONTRIBUTORS
ISABELLA LIU
Isabella was born
in China and came
to the UK to study
at Birmingham City
University’s School of
Jewellery. Since 2014
she has had her own
design studio called
Isabella Liu Jewellery.
IAN ELLIOT
Ian Elliot was the
co-founder of
Animal who went
on to found Elliot
Brown in 1988,
and built the
brand up from a
single, innovative,
functional product
- an ‘unbreakable’
watch-strap
DAVID RHODE
David has over 15
years of experience
in the trade as one
of the co-founders
of Ingle & Rhode
LEONARD ZELL
Leonard has
been training fine
jewellers for 25
years. His monthly
column gives
some top tips on
sales training and
improving your
bottom line.
ON THE
COVER
I hope you enjoy this month’s issue.
MICHAEL NORTHCOTT
Editor, Jewellery Focus
[email protected]
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February 2019
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£9.99 | ISSN 2046-7265
CRACKING CHINA
We speak to designer Isabella Liu on how
brands can successfully enter the rapidly
developing Chinese market
Isabella Liu:
Cracking the Chinese market
Page 19
It is always significant when a major brand
takes a step in the right direction. Not solely
because of the good that comes from that
firm’s activities, but because it represents a
loud signal to the rest of the industry about
where attitudes are headed. I am talking about
Tiffany & Co, which announced this month it
will begin sharing the provenance of its newly
sourced, individually registered diamonds with consumers.
Dubbed the ‘Diamond Source Initiative’, Tiffany scheme traces
each diamond (0.18 carats and larger) by way of a laser-etched
‘T&Co’ serial number - invisible to the naked eye - and provides
consumers geographic sourcing information specific to their
diamond. Tiffany said when announcing the programme that
knowing provenance is “critical to ensuring its diamonds are
among the most responsibly sourced in the world”. Further plans
include “sharing the diamond’s craftsmanship journey”, which they
claim is an industry first.
Smaller producers, importers, and wholesalers will need to
take note. When a behemoth of consumer luxury begins to make
provably accurate claims provenance, and to weave it into the
fabric of their marketing, it turns the screw just a little more on
those who are not ready to make parallel claims about their own
offering (honestly so, anyway). We are looking down the barrel of
a major shift in consumer expectation – it has already begun of
course, but announcements like Tiffany’s mean total transparency
is now an inevitability, and those who cannot exercise it properly
in the coming decades will lose the race.
MILITARY ISSUE
RETAIL ADVICE
A look at Elliot Brown’s Holton Professional
timepiece, the first military issue watch
created by a British company in 10 years
36
Why shoppers prefer brands that
publish their ethical standards
41
50
TOP TIPS TAKING STOCK YOUR VIEWS
How jewellers can replicate the
in-store experience, online A look at the latest product releases
and business services We talk to Dan Rhode of Ingle &
Rhode in Marylebone, London
February 2019 | jewelleryfocus.co.uk
Let us update you with
industry news while you
drink your morning coffee
www.jewelleryfocus.co.uk/newswire
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