IndependentsJun 15, 2026
DeBoulle Diamond & Jewelry to Renovate Dallas FlagshipThe revamped, elevated space will feature a two-story Patek Philippe atelier and a rooftop patio for parties.
OtherFeb 18, 2016
Column: Is Your Store’s Mantra Authentic?
Whether a store’s message is that it offers the “best service” or the “biggest selection,” jewelers better be able to back it up, Peter Smith writes.
I checked into a hotel in Denver last week and I was asked if I wanted to go “green” and earn additional points. When I asked what that actually meant I was told that if I elected to have no maid service for my hotel stay I would be awarded a block of points on my account.
When the lady at the hotel check-in asked me if I wanted to go green for my stay, I was, at first, anticipating a request to use the same sheets for the duration of my four nights; a commitment to recycle any paper, plastic or glass products; and a request to hang up my towels after each use instead of throwing them on the floor.
What I was not prepared for was having no housekeeping service whatsoever for the entirety of my stay.
When the extent of the request sunk in, I found myself, perhaps cynically, wondering if there was an ulterior motive. Were they asking me and their guests to be complicit in a sinister plan to reduce their housekeeping staff? How many “green guests” would it take to reduce the two maids per floor to just one? There were 10 floors in the hotel and I would imagine that cutting the housekeeping team in half would have represented a tidy little saving for the hotel.
As is often the case when I find myself giving vent to my cynical side, I quickly dismissed my early inclination when I entered my room and saw that there was a blue recycling bin in the room (a bare-bones essential that every single hotel and every single business ought to provide.)
After I showered the following morning, I hung my towel up and went about my day. When I returned that night, the towel had been removed and replaced with a fresh towel from the pile.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
I was disappointed, as hanging a towel in a hotel typically signifies a desire on the part of the guest to re-use it. I then noticed that the soap I had opened and used the previous evening was also gone. The towel and the soap were replaced each of the four days that I stayed there.
As simple as it may have seemed, replacing a once-used bar of soap and a hanging towel seemed like a decidedly un-green practice to me. It underscored my initial instinct about the hotel’s real motivation for requesting guests go green.
While there was much to like about the hotel, I became convinced that there was a big disconnect between their stated aspirations to going green and their ability to live it throughout the hotel and the guest experiences. Why were there no signs in the bathrooms inviting guests to consider re-using towels? Why was there such a disparity between what the front desk was asking of guests and what the housekeeping staff was actually doing?
Every business and retail store has one or more mantras that they champion. For this particular hotel it was “go green;” for many stores it is a stated commitment to providing great service, or the best quality, or the best prices, or the biggest selection etc., etc.
Every business must decide what its own particular billboard will be, but whatever it is should be absolutely, positively authentic. It should be used because you really believe it and because you and your team live it with every customer contact and touchpoint. There should be a commitment to your mantra that is palpable throughout your organization.
What it is, to a great extent, is less important than that you actually live that commitment.
If you tell people that you have the best prices then you cannot use fiction-tickets that suggest one price so that you sell the goods for another.
If it is great service, then every customer visiting your store ought to notice and experience great service, and every employee should know from the minute you interview them that great service is ingrained in your DNA.
Dyer, Dalzell and Olegario wrote in Rising Tide, Lessons from 165 Years of Brand Build at Proctor & Gamble, “For a company to do the right thing every day, it must not only espouse the principle but also enact it.”
It’s the doing that matters. Make it real.
Peter Smith, author of Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent, has spent more than 30 years building sales teams at retail and at wholesale. He is president of Vibhor Gems and he has previously worked with companies such as Tiffany & Co., Montblanc and Hearts On Fire. Email him at peter@vibhorgems.com, dublinsmith@yahoo.com or reach him on LinkedIn.
More on Other
The Latest
WatchesJun 15, 2026
G-Shock, Coca-Cola Partner on Bottle-Inspired WatchThe special-edition piece marks the 140th anniversary of the iconic beverage brand.
TrendsJun 15, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Tiny Charms Are TrendingHere are 13 small charms to inspire your layered looks this summer.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
AuctionsJun 12, 2026
16th-Century ‘Hogback’ Diamond Ring Going Up for Auction in LondonFound by a metal detectorist, the ring likely belonged to a wealthy, possibly royal, owner, said Noonans.
Weekly QuizJun 11, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJun 12, 2026
Chouette Designs To Launch Collection Celebrating All Types of LoveOur Pride Month Piece of the Week, the “Margaux” ring, is part of the wife-and-wife team’s new “Lovestoned” collection.
Events & AwardsJun 12, 2026
CBG Announces Plans for Phoenix ShowThe group has named the keynote speaker and announced a new pavilion for its next event, which is slated for September.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
EditorsJun 11, 2026
This Was the Best Animal Jewelry in Las Vegas From lions and hippos to snails and fish, Senior Editor Lenore Fedow wrangles her picks for cutest jewelry critters in Las Vegas.
SourcingJun 11, 2026
Grandview Klein, London Jewelers Partner To Cut 63-Carat RoughThe big stone will be fashioned into a 20.26-carat diamond in celebration of the retailer’s 100th anniversary this year.
MajorsJun 11, 2026
Former Cartier Creative Director To Head Chanel’s Jewelry Creation StudioMarie-Laure Cérède will join Chanel as the new director of its jewelry creation studio, starting in October.
Lab-GrownJun 11, 2026
Smiling Rocks’ ‘Wish Jar’ Generates 100+ Wishes in Las Vegas At the JCK show, the lab-grown diamond brand teamed up with Jewelers for Children to support Make-A-Wish India.
SourcingJun 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Exec Joins Diamonds Do Good BoardIlana McCabe is Signet’s vice president of public relations and brand communications.
AuctionsJun 10, 2026
31.62-Carat ‘Azure Blue’ Diamond Sells For $8M+ at Christie’sIt was a banner day for blue gemstones, with another blue diamond topping $8 million and a 41-carat sapphire going for $2.3 million.
MajorsJun 10, 2026
Saks Global Receives Bankruptcy Court Approval for ReorganizationThe approval means the retailer is on track to exit bankruptcy proceedings this summer.
CrimeJun 10, 2026
2 Suspects Arrested in Texas Jewelry Store RobberyThe men are believed to be part of the group of several masked suspects that robbed Marc Robinson Jewelers in April.
CollectionsJun 10, 2026
Sylvie Debuts ‘Elevated’ Bridal Collection Inspired By Designer’s RingThe bridal-focused brand is also launching its Custom Atelier this summer, a digital custom design tool for its authorized retailers.
EditorsJun 09, 2026
Q&A: Al Cook on the Lab-Grown ‘Bubble,’ Dwindling Diamond Supply The De Beers Group CEO also discussed tariffs, Desert Diamonds, and the pending sale of De Beers in an interview with Michelle Graff.
MajorsJun 09, 2026
Wilkerson's Russ Whitehouse RetiresThe industry veteran is bringing his 56-year run in the fine jewelry sector to an end.
Events & AwardsJun 09, 2026
Pride Month Panel to Highlight LGBTQ+ Jewelry VoicesThe panel discussion will feature LGBTQ+ leaders across the jewelry, luxury, and creative industries.
CollectionsJun 09, 2026
Marie Lichtenberg’s New Capsule Collection Is a Smash, LiterallyInspired by a locket that got run over, the “Smash” capsule collection reimagines the shape of Lichtenberg’s signature style.
MajorsJun 09, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names Director of Sales for SoutheastThe company has promoted Katherine Whitacre to the role.
MajorsJun 08, 2026
Stuller Expands Selection of Lab-Grown Diamonds, Demi-Fine JewelryThe jewelry manufacturer has added Taylor Swift-esque diamond shapes, and more silver, gold vermeil, and gold-plated jewelry.
SourcingJun 08, 2026
Sally Morrison to Depart De Beers This Summer Morrison has been marketing diamonds on and off since the early 2000s and said she is leaving to “pursue new projects.”
TrendsJun 08, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: June’s Birthstone TrioThose born in June can celebrate with pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone jewelry.
TechnologyJun 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings Launches Ring Builder PlatformThe platform allows retailers to guide clients through a customizable engagement ring buying experience in a branded interface.
IndependentsJun 05, 2026
Pennsylvania Jewelry Store To Close After 79 YearsJim Springer, owner of Dunkelberger’s Fine Jewelry, is heading into retirement.
