What happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas: Shop talk and trends from Sin City

by charlene_voisin | August 1, 2014 9:00 am

By Jacquie De Almeida

Reena Ahluwalia has worked exclusively with natural diamonds her entire career. So it may come as a bit of a surprise that she would create a designer line featuring lab-grown diamonds.

Not so, when you think about it, says the Toronto-based designer from her booth at JCK Las Vegas.

“Whether a responsibly sourced diamond or a grown diamond or a CZ or a pebble, as long as your love is true, you’re honoured to receive it,” she says. “This collection is about choice, not about substitutes or alternatives.”

Ahluwalia says disclosure is paramount to her new business venture—each lab-grown diamond centre is fully disclosed and comes with a certificate. The sides are natural, she notes, and highlight the nature and nurture aspect to the collection.

And while some may argue lab-grown diamonds lack romance given their origin, Ahluwalia’s response is to infuse emotion into the line, and she’s doing it through technology. A personalized QR code on the back of each piece of the ‘Moments’ collection takes users to a website where they can create a message of love for the recipient, highlighting a special moment that can be accessed at any time and shared through social media.

“We are the writers of our story and creators of our own destiny,” she adds. “The jewellery becomes a digital talisman, a time capsule. Real meaning is something you carry and is accessible. I believe design is collaborative.

I don’t want to tell someone how to interpret a design. I want people who wear my jewellery to create their own moment.”

Ahluwalia’s line comes as the diamond industry works toward a solution to growing fears of undisclosed synthetics in the market.

Sam Barbuzzi, co-owner of G S Laboratories, says there is confusion at the consumer level about what a synthetic diamond is. Most of the time, they think it’s a cubic zirconia, he explains. And while technology now exists to flag suspected synthetics of a certain size for further testing, there is still fear.

“I think there are undisclosed synthetics in the stream, but I also know more and more people are buying equipment to detect them,” Barbuzzi says. “Unfortunately, technology like De Beers’ machine cannot differentiate the melee, which is where there is most concern about undisclosed lab-growns.”

Synthetic diamonds are usually Type IIa, which the machine flags. And since Type IIa diamonds account for less than two per cent of diamonds worldwide, their detection is a notable one.

“I don’t think the scare of undisclosed synthetics is over,” Barbuzzi adds. “I think the cycle is just beginning. As equipment is developed to detect synthetic stones, unscrupulous producers will tweak their formula to fool the machinery.”

Stanley Zale, Stuller’s vice-president, diamonds and gemstones, says all the stones above 20 points the company buys through its recycled diamond program are scanned with HRD’s proprietary device. (Stuller is also working to acquire De Beers’ tester). In addition, Stuller’s suppliers of diamonds smaller than 20 points are required to have these devices to ensure no synthetics get into its supply.

“The challenge is with the smaller sizes,” Zale says. “Melee is the weak spot and in shapes other than rounds. There isn’t a reliable, cost-effective way to test them. We go through tremendous quantities. At the same time, testing for synthetics is of vital importance to us and we do everything we can.”

James Pounds, president of Dominion Diamond Marketing Corp., envisions lab-grown diamonds becoming a business in itself.

“We have no problem with synthetics,” he says. “What worries us and all producers, as well as everyone in the jewellery business, is the misrepresentation of synthetic as natural. That is very damaging to everyone involved. We’re happy to see whatever happens in the legitimate synthetic diamond business because we see it as complementary to our natural diamond business. It’s the malfeasance that we’re worried about.”

Chain of custody is high on the list of priorities at the consumer level, Pounds says. It is one of the reasons Dominion is revitalizing the CanadaMark hallmark.

Independently audited to be of Canadian origin, CanadaMark diamonds are cut from rough that was responsibly mined in the Northwest Territories and tracked at every stage from country of origin to polished stone. Every diamond is laser-inscribed with the CanadaMark logo and a unique serial number.

“Consumers responded to the brand itself, the concept of purity, good stewardship, and confidence in Canadian mining codes,” says Pounds of the research Dominion conducted.

Sustainable and responsible materials are gaining more interest among consumers, particularly with companies like Tiffany & Co., signing on with campaigns like No Dirty Gold. The initiative operates on its ‘Golden Rules,’ which set out criteria for more responsible mining, including respecting human rights as outlined in international conventions and law, as well as workers’ rights and labour standards.

Los Angeles-based designer Alberto Parada says he knows of only a handful of designers who use reclaimed gold, despite growing consumer preference.

“A lot of designers manufacture overseas, so they feel being sustainable is difficult and the higher cost doesn’t make sense for them,” Parada tells Jewellery Business from his booth at Couture.

From the aisles of both shows, notable trends included floating diamond pendants, negative space rings, ear climbers and cuffs, rose gold with black diamonds, and sapphire slices.

Designers also leaned toward classic jewellery that can be worn with dressier attire or more casual garb. Symbols like crowns, wishbones, hearts, and stars with diamonds dangling daintily from a chain also peeked out from numerous showcases.

Personalization—particularly when it comes to engravable signet rings and signs of the zodiac—continues to be a hot trend, fuelled by a ‘what’s old is new again’ philosophy, says Ashley Brown, Stuller’s executive director, marketing and public relations.

This ‘back-to-basics’ approach is the driving force behind Stuller’s selling systems, which are designed to take the guesswork out of retailing.

“Case space is valuable these days,” she explains. “It’s all about organizing jewellery for retailers and making it easy for them to sell.”

Andrea Maine, co-owner of Chrysalis, says retailers are looking for price points that complement more expensive pieces. The company’s expandable bangles in plated base metals feature initials talismans and spiritual symbols, which resonate with consumers. “Gift price points create traffic for retailers,” she adds.

Jesper Nielsen, founder of Endless Jewelry and former CEO of Pandora Central Western Europe, says the challenge in developing a super brand is not only spending millions in marketing dollars to create awareness, but coming up with a design concept that is both tied to fashion trends and can be personalized.

“We know that after 10 years in mature markets, the journey is over,” Nielsen says.

Rather than focusing solely on tried and true charm designs like hearts, stars, and flowers, Nielsen turned his attention to the leather bracelets from which they dangle, specifically their colour.

“The fashion industry tells us there’s a new colour this season, but next year, it’s something else,” Nielsen says. “We know that not only will a client come back and buy charms over the years, but they will buy bracelets.”

Brand support is the other part of the equation. Nielsen says part of Pandora’s success when he was at the helm was the fact the company embraced a ‘yes’ philosophy toward its retail partners.

“Every retailer has needs we have to respect,” he explains. “We should make everything possible for a jewellery store. If you create a philosophy within a company where you say yes, you create a lot of energy. ‘Yes’ is always a positive word. ‘No’ destroys energy.”

Sandro Reginelli, head of product development for Maurice Lacroix, says each facet of a watch’s design should convey brand attitude. This is particularly important when it comes to presenting a company as a younger face in a crowd of Swiss watches.

Continuity in design philosophy is critical, he stresses. A team of 10 engineers, watchmakers, and product managers work with a design agency to ensure brand integrity. “This helps us to have a design language that is pretty clear,” he adds. “Substance is an important element, particularly for brand attitude.”

Despite a better economic landscape, price point remains a concern, which is why Canadian designer Hera Arkarakas is expanding her line to include more demure designs that will appeal not only to conservative consumers, but also those purchasing gifts for the holidays, Mother’s Day, or even bridal parties. Maintaining brand identity, she stresses, is a must.

“I wanted to make something a little bit more classic that you can wear every day,” Arkarakas says. “I like designing bold, edgy pieces, but you also have to create for a wider customer base.” Her plan to develop a couture line is geared toward supporting trunk shows, helping to boost store traffic and attract regular and new clients.

“I want to be able to present something special that I brought along with me, so people have a reason to come in,” Arkarakas says. “And they can only buy the couture pieces at the trunk shows. It’s an opportunity for me to explain the pieces and present them myself [so they resonate on a deeper level].”

Yellow gold in bridal appears to be on the cusp of making a comeback, while east-west marquise and emerald cuts, vintage looks created with filigree, and rose gold accents against white metal beckon.

“Rose gold is a great colour on almost every skin tone and it really makes diamonds pop,” says Jill Suddendorf, Kim International’s head designer. Cushion cuts surrounded by a halo—or the illusion of one created with a round cut set slightly above a cushion frame—is another style bridal designers are leaning toward this year, partly for esthetic, but also for practical reasons.

“Rounds are always easier to source,” Suddendorf says. “We’d love to put cushions in everything, but you can’t always find that perfect shape all the time.”

Darren Dubrovsky, president of Empress Jewellery, the Canadian subsidiary of Carizza, says yellow gold bridal rings have been popular in Europe for the past three years; however, white metal remains the colour of choice in most other markets for now.

“We believe yellow should be coming back,” he adds. “We’re still going through the rose gold or white with rose gold phase.”

To stand out in the ever-competitive bridal market, brands are turning to unique design touches. In Carizza’s case, the inside of each ring is set with an enhanced blue diamond. “It’s a little romantic and adds another story to the piece,” Dubrovsky explains.

In men’s bridal, Frank La Roux, Dora International’s U.S. president, says alternative metals have taken a significant chunk out of the market, but things might be changing, thanks to lower gold prices.

“We’ve seen a rise in sales of our gold rings,” La Roux says. “Precious metals are making a comeback, although it might take another 10 years before the equity in them comes back.”

On a more global level, strengthening ties with the United States, Canada, and South American markets topped the agenda of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), which announced a multi-level campaign designed to reinvigorate, strengthen, and expand its business development efforts. Part of that will happen through the Indo-USA Business Development Conference to be held Sept. 5 to 8 in Chicago.

“Post the phenomenal success of the first two editions that were held in India, we hope that through this conference, we will be able to bring together leading manufacturers and retailers of the two countries to explore, collaborate, and forge relationships that would enable the two nations to emerge as leading global players of the gem and jewellery industry,” said GJEPC chair Vipul Shah at a press conference.

The council is also working to promote diamond consumption on a global level, teaming up with World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and its World Diamond Mark to promote consumer desirability and confidence in diamonds.

“This program will mark the launch of the biggest-ever educational, accreditation, and generic marketing activities,” Shah adds. “It will be in the reach of all categories of retailers, big or small, to promote their diamond jewellery amongst consumers.”

With robust traffic in the aisles of both JCK Las Vegas and Couture, expectations are high for a busy Christmas shopping season. And with the economic landscape improving south of the border in what is one of the biggest jewellery and watch markets in the world, retailers may get their holiday wish for healthy sales.

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