Events & AwardsJun 06, 2025
Here Are the 2025 Retailer Hall of Fame InducteesThis year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
IndependentsNov 05, 2013
For Black Friday, retailer finds his own Rhythm
One Pennsylvania jeweler will kick off his string of holiday marketing campaigns Thursday, and it will include delivery of diamond jewelry in what can best be described as a dancing telegram-type manner.
A screen shot from Watchmakers Diamonds&Jewelry's branded television advertisement for the "Rhythm of Love" diamond jewelry line
Johnstown, Pa.--Generally, Black Friday isn’t a big day for jewelers sales-wise. It is more a day, they say, for everybody to line up at big-box stores for deals on flat-screen TVs or to load up their shopping carts with iPads.
But one Pennsylvania retailer is determined not to get left out of the day-after-Thanksgiving shopping festivities, or any shopping that might take place in the month of November for that matter.
J. Dennis Petimezas, president of Watchmakers Diamonds & Jewelry in Johnstown, will start his holiday season push Thursday with a promotion he’s run in the past: buy a diamond, get a hunting rifle.
He said he’s certain to specifically note that it is a rifle for hunting to avoid any negative feedback, though he adds it’s a promotion his customers are sure to understand, given the hunting-heavy nature of the state. “People in our area understand that hunting is part of the culture,” Petimezas said.
The diamonds-and-rifles promotion will run until Nov. 16. Shortly thereafter, he’ll begin heavily marketing the “Rhythm of Love,” a new line of diamond jewelry that incorporates a patented system that allows the diamonds to vibrate inside their halo mountings.
The movement of the diamonds draws attention to their brilliance. There also is a strong emotional selling point to the Rhythm of Love line, as the diamonds move because of the wearer’s heartbeat.
As part of the marketing push for the Rhythm line, the jeweler said he has hired a student studying dance at the local college to personally deliver a dozen or so of the purchased Rhythm pieces in a sort of dancing telegram manner.
The student will don a tux and do an “aggressive freestyle”-type dance--Petimezas compared it to the performance of the main character at the end of Napoleon Dynamite--to a song fittingly called Rhythm of Love before presenting the recipient with her new piece of jewelry. “That’s the best way to create buzz about this,” he said.
Petimezas said he sees sales of the Rhythm line being on par with some of De Beers’ more successful beacon programs, such as the past-present-future rings or Journey diamond jewelry. “What else do we have to put our arms around and promote to the public?” he said. “This is so hot.”
Marketing of the Rhythm line will run until Nov. 23, about a week before the Black Friday rush begins,
and Petimezas will move on to his next holiday marketing campaign, an escalating gift-with-purchase promotion.
In lieu of discounting his merchandise, the jeweler will offer the video game Call of Duty to customers who spend at least $199, while those who spend at least $799 get a Pebble smartwatch. Spending $1,999 or more nets customers a PS4 while the final tier, $2,495 and up, gets customers a four-day luxury cruise.
For those customers who aren’t interested in the hunting rifle or any of the gifts, Petimezas is offering them an incentive to shop on Cyber Monday, the Monday following the holiday weekend where people tend to do a lot of buying online. He is giving them a gift card to spend either online or in store that day.
“(For independent jewelers), it’s not just business as usual,” Petimezas said. “You can’t be sitting back and watching. You’ve got to get out there. If you make a couple of mistakes, that’s OK. But you’ve got to be in the game.”
Petimezas isn’t the only retailer looking to get a jump on holiday marketing in an increasingly competitive retail environment, where there are fewer dollars being spent by consumers and more places to spend them, including online, which is open 24/7.
J.C. Penney was running Christmas-themed layaway ads as early as September and Jewelry Television held a holiday shopping event last month.
In addition, more retailers are planning to open on Thanksgiving Day this year.
J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Target and Kohl’s have announced intentions to do turkey day business, as have Sears and Kmart, both of which are owned by Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears Holdings. The company said Monday that its Kmart stores would open at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, before most people even have had a chance to put the turkey in the oven.
While pushing forward store opening times might be profitable for executives, it’s creating a backlash in the general public, particularly among those who are going to have to work on Thanksgiving.
While Petimezas likes to start marketing for the holidays early, he said a Thanksgiving opening is overly aggressive abuse of workers, and something he would never inflict on his staff, many of whom have been with him for 20 years or more.
“Never say never, but I just can’t imagine a scenario where we would do that. Being open on Thanksgiving Day, it seems like it would cheapen us and make us look greedy,” he said. “That’s just how I feel about it. I don’t know that it would [fit with] the image that we’ve worked so hard to establish.”
More on Independents
The Latest
CollectionsJun 06, 2025
Piece of the Week: Harwell Godfrey’s ‘Granny Squares Eleanor’ Necklace As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
The 12 Fresh Faces in Couture’s Design AtelierDiscover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
SourcingJun 05, 2025
A Rare Suite of Rubies Has Arrived in Las VegasThe “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsIt will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Events & AwardsJun 04, 2025
As JCK Talks Returns, Don’t Miss These 12 SessionsFrom design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.
CrimeJun 04, 2025
10 Safety Tips for the Las Vegas Shows The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.
MajorsJun 04, 2025
Amy Curran Promoted at Hill & Co.Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into GoldThe designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
FinancialsJun 03, 2025
Signet Jewelers Sees Turnaround in Q1 With Sales Ticking Up 2%On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.
SurveysJun 03, 2025
Consumer Confidence Improves in May The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
Dakota Johnson Is Roberto Coin’s New Brand AmbassadorThe actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.
GradingJun 03, 2025
Mason-Kay Jade Adds ‘Fei Cui’ to Jade ReportsThe company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."
SourcingJun 02, 2025
Gemfields’ June Auction to Include 36-Carat RubyThe large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.
GradingJun 02, 2025
GSI Opens New Lab in Thailand Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.
TrendsJun 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Three Gems for June Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
David Allouche Joins Grandview Klein DiamondsThe diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
