Jewelry Business Guru by Cindy Edelstein

NY Gift Show Held Optimism for Jewelers - Jewelry Trends Focus on Black, Airy and Natural

It wasn't all doom at the NY International Gift Show this week at the Javits Center. While recent reports from a lot trade shows were depressing more people I spoke to yesterday were pleasantly surprised. Perhaps expectations were set SO low that any news was good news but still and all, I spoke with designers who see this as a time for the good guys to "hold on" and treat their customers well and make smart, conservative choices in their business management. Odd statement for "artists" to make, huh? But these were sound, rational unpanicked conversations.

What a welcome relief!

Now don't get me wrong, no one was whooping it up but they weren't crying in their beers, either.

The retailers that attended (while small in number) seemed cautious but resigned to waiting it out. They expected to still be here in a year.

The trends I saw were:

•  dark silver with light silver (as Gurhan has coined the look)
• bigger, open, airy silhouettes using minimal metal to create scale
• little touches of pearl or diamond or a gemstone to brighten up an all metal design
• hoops done in very creative ways and shapes
• small stack rings or big cocktail rings (even in silver, even with lowerpriced stones)
• even more sentimental, emotional, talismanic jewels with names, initials, spiritual sayings (while not "new" almost everyone said that was a bestseller right now)
• blackened details everywhere
• focus on natural elements, organic components, "green" jewelry and socially responsible products

Favorites were:

• dark and light silver hoop earrings in adorable cut out shapes at Bree Richey
• antique lockets restrung, rehung and designed around by JustJules
• spinning rings and stack bracelets by Cynthia Gale
• giant checkerboard faceted rings in tiger's eye and all kinds of stones at Lori Bonn
• clear Conscious Jewels at Lori Bonn
• rose-cut colored diamonds at Jennifer Dawes
• polished silver amorphous shapes on a black cord by Somers Design
• rutilated quartz lozenges (and other stones) in gold frames on all kinds of necklaces by Ann Sportun
• the neverending array of personalized pendants at Heather B. Moore (the line just keeps going and going and gets better and better)
• Springtime colors of natural beryl at Saundra Messinger

Maria Poole and Lori Bonn -- Lori Bonn jewelry

  

Bree Richey

Kathy Frey's gorgeous display and light and airy jewels

Call for Entries - Jewelry Business Development Grant by Halstead Bead

Deadline: June 17, 2009
Award: $6,000 in start-up cash and materials
No entry fee required
Application details at www.halsteadbead.com/grant

Halstead Bead, Inc. is calling for entries to its fourth annual Business Development Grant competition for new American jewelry designers entering the bridge jewelry trade. The grant will be awarded to a winning candidate in August. All finalists will be eligible for a mentorship program that matches new designers with established and successful jewelry entrepreneurs.

The Halstead Bead Business Development Grant differs from other jewelry industry competitions and awards because of its emphasis on business skills. Entrants must demonstrate not only extraordinary design, but also a strong business strategy.

Designers utilizing a wide variety of fabrication techniques including casting, lampworking, precious metal clay, beading, or metalsmithing are eligible to enter the competition. Candidates must be US citizens who began their businesses after January 1, 2006.

Previous grant winners include Bridgland Studios, Belle Brooke Designs, and Ananda Khalsa Jewelry.

See you in Tucson during GemFair for Designer Business Workshops and Consulting

Ah, Tucson in February -- great weather, great things to see at the dozens of gem and bead shows and now, great education, too!

We're bringing our unique designer business workshops to Tucson this year -- Feb. 4-6 -- to help designers gain valuable insights and skills to go along with their new materials and components. First time in Tucson, we usually do this in NYC, and first time we're hosting so many in a row.

Join us for one, two or all seven classes -- your choice -- at the historic Manning House downtown near the Convention Center. The Manning House show is bead-centric but our classes are not. It's just a beautiful, convenient location that was offered to us.

Each class is $95 or $80 each for two or best of all, $70 each for three or more. Register on the Manning House website.

Our classes are:

Wed, February 4, 2009
9:00am - 11:20am
#1. How to Make a Living at Your Art w/ Marlene Richey

12:00pm - 2:20pm
#2. Defining Your Brand Identity w/ Cindy Edelstein

Thursday, February 5, 2009
9:00am - 11:20am
#3. Building Your Marketing Toolkit w/ Cindy Edelstein

12:00pm - 2:20pm
#4. Craft Fairs, Trade Shows and Personal Appearances: How to "Show Up" for Success w/ Marlene Richey

Friday, February 6, 2009
9:00am - 11:20am
#5. How to do Your Own PR w/ Cindy Edelstein

12:00pm - 2:20pm
#6. The Art of Selling w/ Marlene Richey

3:00pm - 4:30pm
#7. Profiting from an Online Presence w/ Cindy Edelstein and Larry Chasin, Ideal Diamond Solutions

We're also offering one-on-one speed coaching in the afternoons to help you put your plans into action. Bring your designs, plans, marketing materials -- whatever you need input on -- and we'll consult right there on the spot for the special rate of $2 per minute -- talk as long as you like.

Workshop registration is on the Manning House website and consultations can be booked via email to [email protected].

There's also fun to be had in Tucson so we hope to see lots of designers at:
Contemporary Deign Group's Annual Awards Dinner - Wed. 2/4
GemJammin' - our industry's own ad-hoc garage band playing at The Hut - Thurs. 2/5

And we'll be visiting the Centurion Show as well as the AGTA GemFair -- to see great designers and gem dealers, too.

Fashion Group Nominates Fine Jewelry Designers for Rising Star Award

Every year the Fashion Group International (FGI) salutes eight outstanding individuals recognized for innovation, creativity and accomplishment in Accessories, Beauty/Fragrance Corporate, Beauty/Fragrance Entrepreneur, Home/Interior Design, Fine Jewelry, Men's Apparel, Retail, Women's Apparel.

This year nominees include Stephanie Albertson (one of our globalDESIGN designers you can see in February in Phili), Ariane Zurcher for Ariane Zurcher Jewelry,  Danielle & Jodie Snyder for Dannijo Jewelry,  Darcy Miro for Darcy Miro Metals Shop and Ivanka Trump for Ivanka Trump Collection.

The winner is announced in January at their event.

This Stephanie Albertson cuff is part of her newest rosecut Mosaic Collection that showcases a palette of colored gems in each jewel.