IndependentsNov 09, 2026
More Information. More Confidence. One GIA Jewelry Report.The GIA Jewelry Report helps retailers answer customer questions with independent, science-based information from GIA—all in one report.
EditorsSep 20, 2011
Somebody’s following me...
It took me a while but I finally got there. I just surpassed the 1,000-follower mark on Twitter. For those of you who don’t know, Twitter is a micro-blogging site that allows users to share status updates, links to stories...
It took me a while but I finally got there. I just surpassed the 1,000-follower mark on Twitter.
For those of you who don’t know, Twitter is a micro-blogging site that allows users to share status updates, links to stories and even pictures, just as long as they find a way to do in it 140 characters or less.
I don’t remember exactly when I opened my account (@michellemgraff) on Twitter but I know it’s taken me a couple of years to build up this many followers, many of whom are involved in the jewelry industry in some way.
The other week, though, something happened that made me reconsider the value of each follower. I tweeted that I was heading to the much-rain-delayed U.S. Open to, hopefully, seen some tennis. Less than 30 seconds after I tweeted “tennis,” I had a new follower, a New York-based tennis instructor.
It seems this person used some kind of auto-follow function to latch on to anyone on who mentions "tennis," which is not a great social media tactic, says Dan Gordon, the most social media-savvy jeweler I know. “I guess sometimes it can work out, but it’s a creepy feeling to get followed because I said something. It’s, in a sense, kind of a form of spam,” he said.
Creepy, yes, and completely ineffective; I am not interested in ever learning to play tennis and, while I am happy to go see a match live, I have nominal interest in the sport.
My strange tennis follow had me wondering how many other followers I have who have no interest in the jewelry industry. To answer this burning question of the social media age, Gordon directed me to two services, SocialBro and Sprout Social.
I had a little technical difficulty getting started on SocialBro but I found it well worth the wait once I was able to download this tool.
SocialBro really breaks down you Twitter account. It tells you who isn’t following you back, how many of your followers are considered influential (have more people who follow them than they follow) and warns you of potential “spammers” you might be following or who might be following you.
Just one note about the spammers, though: SocialBro classifies spammers are those who follow more people than they have following them. Thumbing through my list of so-called spammers, however, I spotted quite
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
a few people I know have legitimate accounts but just don’t have that many followers. So I wouldn’t necessarily eliminate everyone classified as spam.
You can also request a report on the best time to Tweet, according to when your top followers are online, and search for people to follow by name, biography or location, and much more.
SocialBro is still in beta (meaning it is in the second stage of software testing) so it is free, for now. I would take advantage of that.
The also-helpful Sprout Social tells you how effectively you’re using Twitter. At the time of this writing, my “engagement,” or how well I am communicating with my audience, was rated fair with a score of 42 out of 100 while my “influence,” my growth and interest level, was good at 74.
It tracks how many followers you’ve gained and lost each week and allows you to create searches for people who are discussing certain things, are located in a certain area or have specific information in their profile.
Sprout Social doesn’t auto-follow these people. It just finds them. To quote Sprout Social: “Only you know what makes your perfect customer, but Sprout Social can help you find more of them.”
The service offers a free 30-day trial. After that it’s $9 a month or $49 a month, depending on which plan you choose.
There’s other, less time-consuming ways to make sure your maximizing Twitter. Every couple of days, I check my “Followers” list and follow back anybody I find interesting. I also block people who are questionable, such as those on Twitter whose profile indicates that they are looking for a good time. No thanks.
I also take advantage of Twitter’s “Who to follow” list, which contains some random sponsored users but also suggests legitimate people that may be of interest to you.
Hello, one-thousand.
More on Editors
The Latest
TrendsNov 06, 2026
Pat Pruitt’s DragonFly Earrings Take Flight on Election NightGroundbreaking New Mexico Governor-elect Deb Haaland wore the earrings, our Piece of the Week, when she declared victory on Tuesday.
MajorsNov 06, 2026
SNL’s Colin Jost Finds the Perfect Gift in Kay Jewelers’ Holiday AdJost goes on an epic journey, traversing rough seas and encountering a cyclops, to discover the perfect holiday gift.
Brought to you by
How Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Makes Custom Engagement Ring Design Easier to SellWith customization becoming more expected in engagement ring shopping, the Bridal Builder makes the process tangible.
Supplier BulletinNov 05, 2026
Winning With GCAL 8X®: What’s Working at the CounterSponsored by GCAL by Sarine
Weekly QuizNov 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SurveysNov 05, 2026
What Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This YearFrom shrinking budgets to AI elves, here are five takeaways from holiday reports by Bain, Adobe, Mastercard, NRF, and insights from YouGov.
CollectionsNov 05, 2026
Judi Powers, Russell Jones Unleash Joy With New CollaborationThe designers combined their talents for Little Pet Portraits, hand-painted miniatures of our best friends set in a piece of jewelry.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
FinancialsNov 05, 2026
Brilliant Earth Continued to Resonate With High-Income Shoppers in Q3Its non-bridal fine jewelry remains the star of the show, recently launching new collections inspired by Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Goodall.
MajorsNov 05, 2026
Ariana Grande Stars In Swarovski’s Holiday Campaign“Joy: The Swarovski Musical” features Ariana Grande as the leading lady in scenes inspired by classic musical montages.
GradingNov 05, 2026
GIA to Offer Next-Day Holiday ServicesThe lab will bring back its complimentary next-day service for some reports starting next week.
CrimeNov 04, 2026
$250K+ in Undeclared Cartier Jewelry Seized at Philadelphia AirportA Pennsylvania woman failed to declare a ring and a bracelet, discarding the boxes and receipts to conceal the purchases, officials said.
FinancialsNov 04, 2026
Pandora’s Q3 Sales Up 7% Amid Focus on DesignNew collections and relevant marketing pushed the company forward, while Pandora’s lab-grown diamond sales continue to lag.
Events & AwardsNov 04, 2026
NYC Jewelry Week 2026 Is the Largest Edition YetThe citywide celebration, slated for Nov. 16-22, is set to host more than 175 events, including live jewelry-making demos.
MajorsNov 04, 2026
Bergdorf Goodman Names New PresidentLanessa Elrod, former president and CEO of Louis Vuitton Americas, has stepped into the role as the retailer celebrates 125 years.
AuctionsNov 03, 2026
Infinity Gauntlet Set With 170+ Carats of Colored Gemstones Up for AuctionA replica of one of the most powerful objects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the glove is heading to auction next month in Abu Dhabi.
IndependentsNov 03, 2026
Longtime Jewelry Marketer Arthur Klein Dies at 89Klein, who had his own marketing agency and worked for Gabriel & Co. and Trans American Diamond, is remembered as a kind man.
IndependentsNov 03, 2026
Zadok Jewelers Toasts To 50 Years With Diamond Bracelet GiveawayTo enter the giveaway, locals can purchase a featured beverage from one of eight participating restaurants in Houston and Austin, Texas.
Events & AwardsNov 03, 2026
David Yurman Gem Awards Grant Opens 2027 ApplicationsThe grant recipient will be awarded $50,000 as well as mentoring meetings with executives at David Yurman and other industry executives.
Events & AwardsNov 03, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Name 2026 Scholarship WinnersThe winners include a non-NAJA member seeking training, a member beginning NAJA courses, and a member becoming a Certified Master Appraiser.
AuctionsNov 02, 2026
197-Carat ‘Romanov Sapphire’ Heads to Sotheby’s GenevaThe rare jewel, which has links to Russia’s Romanov dynasty, is estimated to fetch up to $2 million.
CrimeNov 02, 2026
Customs Seizes More Than 400 Fake Audemars Piguet WatchesIt is one of several seizures of counterfeit jewelry and watches by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Louisville this year.
MajorsNov 02, 2026
Lawrence Bock, Caryl Capeci, Amanda Coleman-Phelps Join JA Board Jewelers of America announced the additions to its board of directors following its annual general meeting, held last week.
CollectionsNov 02, 2026
Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi, Heller Jewelers Expand ‘Always Dream’ CollectionThe jewelry collection supports Yamaguchi’s Always Dream foundation, which provides reading and educational resources to families in need.
Events & AwardsOct 30, 2026
Illuminating Carved Paraiba Pendant, Suite of Moonstones Wow at Spectrum AwardsSpectrum’s “Best of Show” honors went to a 101-carat Paraiba carved to look like Medusa that has a magnet-activated LED light.
TrendsOct 30, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Pendants Say ‘Eye’m Watching You’Our Halloween Pieces of the Week are four “Eye” pendants, each set with colorful gemstones.
MajorsOct 30, 2026
The RealReal Hires Former eBay Exec as New Chief Merchandising OfficerAlexis Hoopes expanded eBay’s “Authenticity Guarantee” program during her tenure.
