August 2000 Editorial Color Their Worlds After seeing the array of color at the JCK Show in Las Vegas, it’s tempting for all of us who observe the jewelry scene – but don’t actually sell jewelry – to marvel at the return to a multihued world. There was much evidence that even the most dyed-in-the-wool all-white jewelry manufacturers and designers were experimenting with color. Our reporters also spoke with many retailers who said they were going to expand their color offerings. I’m referring here not just to colored gemstones, though they are the primary means to a more colorful store. Retailers also showed increased interest in colored pearls, enamels, colorful watchbands, yellow and rose gold and other contrasts to the all-white look. The proof will only come when consumers snap them up at jewelry stores around the country. Certainly, fashionable women – who have seen the return to color in apparel – will be more open to color promotions. But that’s only one portion of your customer base, I suspect. More difficult to sway may be your male customers or women who change more slowly and are only now getting used to the all-white look. Also difficult may be your customers who have been greatly influenced by De Beers’ masterful ads and can’t see beyond diamonds. Though it’s still true you can lead a horse to water but can’t make her drink, I do think if your efforts are persistent and enticing, there’s a whole world of new products to complement your already strong white jewelry sales. If you’ve capitalized on the excellent promotional efforts of the Platinum Guild International, Silver Trust International, the Cultured Pearl Information Center and De Beers, you know the fastest way to a jewelry lover’s heart is to advertise lots of merchandise, beautifully photographed, and keep hitting her over the head with it. Ask your suppliers who focus on color for help. Join the American Gem Trade Association and tie in to its efforts. Educating your sales associates is another key element in selling color. Remember, they’ve spent years touting the fresh look of white metals and decades pushing the allure of diamonds and white pearls. They may know how to sell a fine ruby or sapphire, but do they know the trendy clothing colors, what gemstones or watches complement those colors, or the benefits of buying a fine tsavorite or tourmaline? Can they sell a bead necklace with as much panache as a diamond line bracelet? We’ve been working hard for the past year to showcase color in all of our New Product departments. Jewelry Editor Lorraine M. Suermann saw the color wave coming last year and planned a series of stories examining a different gem color each month from March through August. Check this month and past issues to see her work. Colored Gemstone Senior Writer Robert Weldon focused his efforts on colored gems that are in good supply, especially ones popular in fashion, such as turquoise (Professional Jeweler, June 2000, p. 51). Even Timepieces Senior Writer Mike Thompson got in on the act, reporting from the Swiss watch shows about the renewed interest in yellow and rose gold and colorful watchbands and watch faces. Last July, as the color wave began to swell, I wrote an editorial full of predictions about the color buyers who would be flooding your store. I’m glad to say color has stayed in fashion and now looks to be an enduring trend rather than a passing fad. So hop on the bandwagon before the parade passes by. – by Peggy Jo Donahue