Events & AwardsNov 18, 2025
NYC Jewelry Week 2025: 12 Must-See EventsWith more than 140 activations taking place in New York City now through Nov. 23, these 12 events are can’t-miss moments.
IndependentsJul 23, 2018
The PR Adviser: How Do I Mark a Major Milestone?
A jewelry store or brand celebrating a major anniversary must go beyond crafting banners and throwing a big bash, Lilian Raji writes.
Lilian Raji is a strategic marketing and public relations adviser who helps luxury lifestyle companies sell more products and build loyalty with luxury buyers. Send questions for The PR Adviser to nationaljeweler@lmrpr.com or contact her at lilian@lmrpr.com.
Hello my beloved readers!
The latest question for the PR Adviser is as follows.
Q: The year 2020 marks our 100th year in business. What should we do to celebrate it?
Elisabetta Molina
Garavelli
A: First, my apologies for missing Las Vegas jewelry week. I missed spending time with all of you, but the PR Adviser was needed in Montreal to assist a fabulous Quebecois husband-and-wife jewelry duo in charting a new course for their business.
In our two intensive days together, I made them laugh, I made them cry, I made them dig deep into their souls to get to the very truth of their business. They emerged battered and bruised, but reborn with a new strategy and a clear direction. I can’t declare victory until our work together takes hold and they’re raking in the dollars. I’m by their side until this happens.
Now to you, Elisabetta, and the many options you have for celebrating this momentous occasion.
I have no doubt your great-grandfather, Mario Garavelli, is looking down with tremendous pride at the work you and your brother have done to take his vision to new heights. While you absolutely must celebrate what your family has accomplished, Garavelli’s story doesn’t belong to you alone. It also belongs to your customers.
Without your customers—both the retailers that enthusiastically stock your collection and the women who proudly adorn themselves in Garavelli—this centenarian anniversary would never have been possible.
You MUST include them in your celebration.
Yes, have a party and do everything every brand does to celebrate their 100th year. Run ads in magazines, redo your website with anniversary branding and blah, blah, blah, snooze.
When you’ve gotten all of that out of your system, it’s time to truly and personally acknowledge the role of your customers in this achievement.
Between now and eight months before your official anniversary date, I want you to pull out your Rolodex. Yes, the Rolodex! We’re talking 100 years here! We need to build a comprehensive list and I seriously doubt your great-grandfather Mario, grandfather Aldo or father Averne kept their customers’ lists in Outlook.
You’re going to contact every still-living person who has ever added one dollar, one euro or one lira to the Garavelli coffers, Elisabetta, and tell them why they’re an important part of your celebration.
You’re going to ask them, per favore, to write a statement, send a picture, make a
video—anything they’d like to do—talking about their relationship with Garavelli.
Ask for confessions on what Garavelli has meant to them. How did they discover the brand? What made them buy the pieces they own? How do those pieces make them feel when they wear them? What do those pieces mean to them? Why have they kept their relationship with Garavelli all these years?
These people shaped Garavelli into the illustrious, international company of today, and they, too, deserve to feel some personal pride in your company’s 100th anniversary celebration.
These confessions, along with whatever photos and videos you’re able to obtain, should then be used to create a tribute website to your customers. We want the Garavelli story told in their words, not your own.
What makes a better impression—me telling you how great I am, or 1,000 people telling you how great I am?
Exactly.
Launch the website three to four months before your official anniversary date and use social media to tease out the confessions showcased on the site.
And before you throw the greatest centenarian anniversary party Valenza has ever seen, take those confessions, along with photographs of your jewelry throughout the years, and create a limited-edition book. This book is your gift to everyone who offered a confession and those who attend the party.
What do you think of “Garavelli Confessions: 100 Years” as a title? Non importa. We can figure that out later.
It’s one thing to simply thank your customers, and quite another to make them an integral part of your celebration.
What makes a better impression? Me thanking you for being a great customer? Or me thanking you for being a great customer while I’m flying you on a private jet to a secluded island where you will be pampered to your heart’s content?
Exactly.
Without 100 years of fabulous customers, Garavelli would not be what it is now.
If you’re going to say grazie, say grazie mille.
This is where I kindly remind you I have a passport, some yet-unstamped pages, and a yearning to continue my tour of Italy. I’ll be mailing you one euro to contribute to the Garavelli coffers so I, too, can receive an invitation!
Addio, mio caro amico, Elisabetta. I’m excited to see what you do.
And to my dearest readers, until next time! Never forget, I’m available to answer your most pressing PR and marketing questions, either here in my column or in person at your office.
Arrivederci!
Lilian Raji is a strategic marketing and public relations adviser who helps luxury lifestyle companies sell more products and build loyalty with luxury buyers. Visit LilianRaji.com to learn more. Send questions for The PR Adviser to nationaljeweler@lmrpr.com or contact her at lilian@lmrpr.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Ask for confessions on what Garavelli has meant to them. How did they discover the brand? What made them buy the pieces they own? How do those pieces make them feel when they wear them? What do those pieces mean to them? Why have they kept their relationship with Garavelli all these years?
These people shaped Garavelli into the illustrious, international company of today, and they, too, deserve to feel some personal pride in your company’s 100th anniversary celebration.
These confessions, along with whatever photos and videos you’re able to obtain, should then be used to create a tribute website to your customers. We want the Garavelli story told in their words, not your own.
What makes a better impression—me telling you how great I am, or 1,000 people telling you how great I am?
Exactly.
Launch the website three to four months before your official anniversary date and use social media to tease out the confessions showcased on the site.
And before you throw the greatest centenarian anniversary party Valenza has ever seen, take those confessions, along with photographs of your jewelry throughout the years, and create a limited-edition book. This book is your gift to everyone who offered a confession and those who attend the party.
What do you think of “Garavelli Confessions: 100 Years” as a title? Non importa. We can figure that out later.
It’s one thing to simply thank your customers, and quite another to make them an integral part of your celebration.
What makes a better impression? Me thanking you for being a great customer? Or me thanking you for being a great customer while I’m flying you on a private jet to a secluded island where you will be pampered to your heart’s content?
Exactly.
Without 100 years of fabulous customers, Garavelli would not be what it is now.
If you’re going to say grazie, say grazie mille.
This is where I kindly remind you I have a passport, some yet-unstamped pages, and a yearning to continue my tour of Italy. I’ll be mailing you one euro to contribute to the Garavelli coffers so I, too, can receive an invitation!
Addio, mio caro amico, Elisabetta. I’m excited to see what you do.
And to my dearest readers, until next time! Never forget, I’m available to answer your most pressing PR and marketing questions, either here in my column or in person at your office.
Arrivederci!
Lilian Raji is a strategic marketing and public relations adviser who helps luxury lifestyle companies sell more products and build loyalty with luxury buyers. Visit LilianRaji.com to learn more. Send questions for The PR Adviser to nationaljeweler@lmrpr.com or contact her at lilian@lmrpr.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
More on Independents
The Latest
MajorsNov 18, 2025
Lugano Diamonds Files for Bankruptcy, Looking for BuyerThe Chapter 11 filing follows the resignation of CEO Moti Ferder, who stepped down after an investigation into the company’s finances.
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2025
A Giant, Bejeweled Moldy Berry Is on Display in LAThe artwork is part of an exhibition featuring works by Kathleen Ryan, an artist known for her gemstone-studded rotting fruit sculptures.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
SourcingNov 18, 2025
Another Diamond Company CEO Steps DownMark Wall, president and CEO of Canadian mining company Mountain Province Diamonds, will vacate his position next month.
Weekly QuizNov 13, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeNov 17, 2025
Police Searching for 2 Suspects in Murder of Father, Son Jewelers Faustino Alamo Dominguez and his son, 25-year-old Luis Angel Alamo, were gunned down following an armed robbery at their jewelry store.
GradingNov 17, 2025
IGI Announces New President of North AmericaTiffany & Co. veteran Jeffrey Bennett has stepped into the role.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
MajorsNov 17, 2025
Look Inside Robbins Brothers Fine Jewelers’ New Pasadena FlagshipThe showroom is located in a historic 1920s building in the Playhouse District.
Policies & IssuesNov 14, 2025
U.S., Switzerland Reach Deal That Drops Tariff to 15%The Swiss government announced the deal, which cuts the tax on Swiss imports by more than half, on social media Friday morning.
AuctionsNov 14, 2025
Napoleon’s Diamond Brooch Blows Away Auction Estimates A buyer paid $4.4 million for the piece, which Napoleon wore on his hat for special occasions and left behind when he fled Waterloo.
FinancialsNov 14, 2025
Richemont’s Q2 Jewelry Sales Up 12%Plus, how tariffs and the rising price of gold are affecting its watch and jewelry brands.
CollectionsNov 14, 2025
Piece of the Week: Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Butterflies in Flight’ Jewelry BoxFurmanovich designed the box to hold Mellerio’s “Color Queen,” a high jewelry collection consisting of 10 rings.
Events & AwardsNov 14, 2025
JCK Names New Event DirectorJennifer Hopf, who has been with JCK since 2022, will lead the execution of the long-running jewelry trade show.
MajorsNov 13, 2025
Vahan Jewelry Founder Leon ‘Sacha’ Der Calousdian Dies at 85The third-generation jeweler is remembered as a passionate creative with a love of art, traveling and sailboat racing.
CrimeNov 12, 2025
Father, Son Jewelers in Chicago Victims in Double Homicide JSA and Cook County Crime Stoppers are both offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
‘Mellon Blue’ Diamond Sells for $7M Less Than It Did a Decade AgoA buyer paid $25.6 million for the diamond at Christie’s on Tuesday. In 2014, Sotheby’s sold the same stone for $32.6 million.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
Historic Rolex Oyster Fetches $1.7M at Sotheby’sMercedes Gleitze famously wore the watch in her 1927 swim across the English Channel, a pivotal credibility moment for the watchmaker.
GradingNov 12, 2025
It’s Time: GIA’s Express Holiday Service Is Back GIA is offering next-day services for natural, colorless diamonds submitted to its labs in New York and Carlsbad.
MajorsNov 10, 2025
Jewelers Focus on Love, Joy In 2025 Holiday Campaigns Tiffany & Co., David Yurman, and Pandora have launched holiday campaigns depicting their jewelry as symbols of affection and happiness.
SurveysNov 10, 2025
5 Things Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This YearThe National Retail Federation is bullish on the holidays, forecasting retail sales to exceed $1 trillion this year.
AuctionsNov 10, 2025
300+ Colored Diamonds Up for Auction at Christie’sLate collector Eddy Elzas assembled “The Rainbow Collection,” which is offered as a single lot and estimated to fetch up to $3 million.
EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
