MajorsAug 01, 2025
Jewelers Mutual Names Mike Alexander as President The insurance company’s previous president and CEO, Scott Murphy, has split his role and will continue as CEO.
OtherOct 28, 2013
Is your brand fostering long-term relationships?
Columnist Diane Warga-Arias describes how a luxury brand can create long-lasting relationships with its customers, as opposed to just short-lived flings.
Diane Warga-Arias, the Jewelry Activist, is a veteran industry communications authority whose postings can be read on www.JewelryActivist.com.
I want a love affair and a relationship from a luxury brand! Oh, the excitement of being seduced by great design or the sparkle of a flawless diamond! For that excitement to evolve into a relationship, a customer-focused brand does their best to get-to-know-me and shows that they care. Lots of brands know how to capitalize on an initial excitement and eventually deserve my following (for a time). But long lasting relationships requires on-going attention and excitement.
Great jewelry brands know how to move consumers from moments of delight to a longer-standing relationship … with regular communications, great service and conversations that are ongoing and engaging. So, delight continues, brand loyalty may emerge, but too often surprises seem to disappear and the purchase cycle gets longer/slower.
“Surprise” is not the same as “delight”
We can be captivated by the anticipation of the unknown, as much as from the sparkle at hand and a dependable connection. So, if a jewelry brands ceases to surprise … well, even a long-standing relationship can eventually fade away. Too many jewelry brands (both retail and designer brands) seem to think that once they captivate a woman’s attention and form a relationship, as evidenced by sales and a continuing conversation, they seem to stop trying to surprise. Oh yes, they continue to send emails and pictures of jewelry that is aligned with what was purchased previously. They know about upcoming birthdays and anniversaries. They even send interesting and engaging stories or illustrations just because they are confident that we will like them. But, why do the surprises stop? Is Amazon the culprit? Does their brilliant Customer Relationship Management model not work for jewelry retailers? True, it is wonderful that no matter how long it has been since I visited Amazon, they instantly recognize me and even make suggestions. They anticipate my needs and wants and that ability should be an aspiration for every e-commerce site and every brick-and-mortar store! But when it comes to jewelry I think women (including me) want even more. I want to be personally surprised!
There was a time when a woman only owned one or maybe two watches. Unless of course they were married to a man in the elite/affluent demographic, who continued to enjoy buying, collecting and giving watches. (They cannot imagine their wife not enjoying what they love, LOL!) Our industry has made inroads with
Men’s Nights Out, making it easier for these men to buy jewelry that their wives/girlfriends desire. There was also a time when women wore either platinum or gold but they never mixed it up. Maybe it was easier to delight a woman with jewelry suggestions then? But, women continue to be entertained by fashion runways and red-carpets to see what’s new. We may not (yet) purchase that wild animal print, but we think about it. We may not yet want to own a color diamond ring but hmmm…
Call to action
Oh, the fun of someone that knows us well who also wants to tease and surprise us with an item of jewelry that is outside our comfort zone! So, calling all jewelry designers and retail brands: I would love to be surprised by you! Send me something that will spark my interest and I will share it with my followers. Better yet: surprise your customers!
More on Other
The Latest
SourcingAug 01, 2025
Gemfields’ Auction Revenue Drops 50% in H1The nearly six-month pause of operations at its Kagem emerald mine earlier this year impacted the miner’s first-half results.
MajorsAug 01, 2025
Helzberg President Julie Yoakum Moves Over to Signet JewelersThe addition of Yoakum, who will lead Kay and Peoples, was one of three executive appointments Signet announced Thursday.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
CollectionsAug 01, 2025
Piece of the Week: Hernsdorf’s ‘Tears of Aphrodite’ NecklaceThe necklace uses spinel drops to immortalize the moment Aphrodite’s tears mixed with her lover Adonis’ blood after he was fatally wounded.
Weekly QuizJul 31, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingJul 31, 2025
De Beers Records $189M First-Half Loss The diamond miner and marketer warned last week that it expected to be in the red after significantly cutting prices in Q2.
Events & AwardsJul 31, 2025
These Are the 2025 CASE Award WinnersJewelers of America’s 35th annual design contest recognized creativity, artistry, style, and excellence.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
IndependentsJul 31, 2025
Matthew Tratner Takes Over as CBG President Tratner succeeds Andie Weinman, who will begin stepping back from the buying group’s day-to-day operations.
Policies & IssuesJul 30, 2025
Tariff on India Will Be 25%, Trump Says The president made the announcement via Truth Social Wednesday, adding that India also will face a penalty for its dealings with Russia.
FinancialsJul 30, 2025
Kering's Jewelry Brands Resilient As H1 Sales Slide 16%The luxury titan’s star brand Gucci continued to struggle amid a "tough" environment.
WatchesJul 30, 2025
Peek Inside Zadok Jewelers’ New Rolex Showroom in AustinIts opening marks the completion of the retailer’s new 11,000-square-foot store in the Texas capital.
SurveysJul 30, 2025
Consumer Confidence Ticks Up in JulyRespondents shared concerns about tariffs and commentary on the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
SourcingJul 30, 2025
Rob Bates to Release Latest Book in His ‘Diamond District Mystery’ Series“Making a Killing in Diamonds” tells the story of Mimi Rosen, the disappearance of a scientist, and the murder of lab-grown diamond CEO.
EditorsJul 29, 2025
Out & About: Visiting Tacori’s Design Studio in LASenior Editor Lenore Fedow learned a lot when she took a behind-the-scenes factory tour with the jewelry brand earlier this year.
Events & AwardsJul 29, 2025
Melee The Show Welcomes 15 New DesignersThe first-time exhibitors, set to debut at the New York City show, share a devotion to craftsmanship, storytelling, and material integrity.
SourcingJul 29, 2025
Auctim to Offer 7.3M+ Carats of Rough EmeraldsThe online auction house’s September sale will feature rough Brazilian emeralds of various qualities.
MajorsJul 29, 2025
Alexis Padis Re-Elected AGS Board President She’ll lead an executive committee consisting of President-Elect Bryan Moeller, Mitchell Clark, Bill Farmer, and Larry Rickert.
Policies & IssuesJul 28, 2025
U.S.-EU Come to Agreement on Tariffs Announced Sunday, the deal will set the tax on goods imported into the United States from the European Union at 15 percent.
CollectionsJul 28, 2025
Nanis Brings a New Palette to ‘Ipanema’A new edition of the Italian brand’s “Ipanema” collection has debuted with gemstones that evoke Brazil’s breathtaking views.
MajorsJul 28, 2025
The 1916 Company Partners with ‘Shark Tank’ Star’s Watch Insurance PlatformThe retailer will refer its customers to WonderCare, founded by venture capitalist and watch collector Kevin O’Leary.
IndependentsJul 28, 2025
Sissy’s Log Cabin to Open Flagship in Arkansas The jeweler’s largest store yet is set to open in Little Rock next fall.
CollectionsJul 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jemma Wynne’s ‘Forme’ NecklaceAnne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Events & AwardsJul 25, 2025
Pre-Registration Open for September Hong Kong ShowJewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.
FinancialsJul 25, 2025
LVMH Sales Slip in H1 Amid ‘Prevailing Uncertainties’Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.
Events & AwardsJul 24, 2025
2 Retailers to Receive 2026 Gem Award for Lifetime AchievementMark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.
SourcingJul 24, 2025
De Beers Sees Diamond Production Sink 36% in Q2 While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.
