Jewelry Business Guru by Cindy Edelstein

Seal at Couture - a Private Concert for the Best in the Jewelry Industry

The opening night party of the Couture show featured a private concert by SEAL. He was at the show with Mouawad who produces his wife Heidi Klum's jewelry line -- and a new line by Seal, too.

I swear, he was singing just to me most of the time! What a great concert... it kicked off the show with energy and sex appeal. The exhibitors at Couture continued that vibe for the next six days.

Most of the designers in the show rocked, too. I'll share some trends in future posts.

Tantalizing Party by Tanzanite Foundation & Erica Courtney & Stephen Webster

So many parties and events happen during Las Vegas Market Week. We'll try and show you as many as we can.

One eveing Erica Courtney and Stephen Webster teamed up with the Tanzanite Foundation for a tantalizing party at Couture 2008 to showcase both phenomenal designers' tanzanite collection. Many wonderful designers, editors, and stylist sipped on their “Tanzatini” while admiring the one of a kind collections! It was a great schmoozefest.

Just another party that helped make this year's Couture the star event of the jewelry industry.

Town&Country Couture Design Awards Celebrate A Wide Variety of Talent

The 13th annual Town&Country Couture Design Awards is a major highlight of the Couture event.

This year the voting system included an online first round of judging that let nearly 5000 people view and vote on the 168 applicants. WOW! Talk about viral marketing.

After the first round online 80 designs were chosen to be displayed onsite at Couture. Show attendees made the final votes during the first 3 days of the show. Winners and finalists were announced at a fab party at Blush on Friday evening hosted by Jim Taylor, publisher of Town&Country.

As Couture's consultant for the designer sector I was particularly pleased (read: out-of-my-mind happy) to see that many awardees were smaller, independant designers. This underscores that  great design is born at Couture and belies any conspiracy theories.

Here is the list of the winners:

Bridal Category Winner: Katherine James
Finalists: Sonya Ooten & Judith Conway

Colored Gemstones Category Winner: Sevan
Finalists: Marco Bicego & Rodney Rayner Ltd.

Diamonds Category Winner: Arunashi
Finalists: Kwiat & La Reina Collection

Gold Category Winner: Pamela Froman
Finalists: H. Stern & Calgaro

Haute Couture Category Winner: Valente Gioiellieri S.P.A.
Finalists: Yossi Harari & Kuwayama

Natural Color Diamonds Category Winner: Todd Reed
Finalists: Shamballa & Roberto Demeglio

Newcomer Category Winner: Blu by Betty Lou Moscot
Finalists: Christofle & Cresber

Pearls Category Winner: The Autore Group
Finalists:  Mikimoto & Roberto Coin

Platinum Category Winner: Erica Courtney
Finalists: Tom Munsteiner & Podicko Diamonds

Silver Category  Winner: Emily Armenta
Finalists: Robert Lee Morris & John Hardy

seen at the party, from left, Erica Courtney, Sonya Ooten and Pamela Froman

Some of the winning jewels: tri-color "crushed" gold cross by Pamela Froman, black diamond ring by Erica Courtney, gold and moonstone ring by Betty Lou Moscot, blackened silver bracelet by Emily Armenta, colored diamond bracelet by Todd Reed and colored stone masterpiece by Sevan.

Cake is the New Jewelry ~ Kate Sullivan named Top Trendsetter

In writing this blog I try to keep it all business -- this is not one of those blogs you'll read where I wax poetic about my child (even though she's FANTASTIC) nor my spouse (even though he is equally FANTASTIC) nor my thoughts on Hilary vs. Obama. This is a business blog aimed at helping jewelry designers grow and prosper.

But just this one time I digress..... to brag about the coolest cake artist on the East Coast (Ace of Cake's Duff not withstanding).... Kate Sullivan of LovinSullivanCakes and www.cakepower.com.

Tomorrow night she's being named one of the Top 25 Trendsetters by Modern Bride magazine. She deserves the evening all to herself -- although I'm sure the other 24 folks are quite lovely, too.

So when next you think you'd want a custom cake -- something that truly expresses your love, your wedding or best of all, your jewelry (see I can't keep business out of any post!) then contact Kate at kate@cakepower.com and get the best of the best.

Vote for Town & Country Couture Design Awards - The Most Prestigious Jewelry Design Competition

This year, the Town&Country Couture Design Awards is tapping the power of the Internet to get the entire universe of jewelry lovers involved.

ANYone may vote at the www.Couturedesignawards.com website.

Couture is the preiminent fine jewelry trade show that showcases only the best brands and designers in an exclusive environment. With online voting thousands more people can now experience the beauty of Couture.

The internet voting determines the finalists in each of the twelve categories. Designers seen at Couture include David Yurman, Judith Ripka, Scott Kay, John Hardy, Gurhan, Erica Courtney, Coomi, Elizabeth Rand, Robert Lee Morris and 200 more stars of the fine jewelry world. 

The top finalists in each category will have their jewels displayed at Couture 2008. Couture attendees will vote from among the finalists on site to determine final winners for each category.

Look for the winners in the October issue of Town&Country.

Revere Jewelry Academy Offers Scholarship

For the second year, the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts  in downtown San Francisco will offer a complete scholarship for a 3-day class to the winner of its new scholarship contest. The winner can chose from about eighty short classes offered each year in a range of subjects, including fabrication, design and setting.

The scholarship contest is open to anyone who has not attended the Revere Academy before. The winner receives full tuition plus airfare from anywhere in the U.S. as well as lodging, and kit fees.
Applications call for a statement of why the applicant wants to attend the Revere Academy and examples of previous artwork or handwork in any medium.

The Academy will accept on-line applications from May 1 to October 1, 2008 and the winner will be announced November 1, 2008. For more details, visit revereacademy.com.

Judging the World Gold Council's Blue Ribbon Collection - Contest and Publicity Event in One

[seen in photo is just ONE of three tables worth of jewelry to judge]

A few weeks ago I was invited to be on the World Gold Council's Blue Ribbon Panel to choose their juried collection for the year. The collection is published in a beautiful catalogue distributed to American
retail buyers during Vegas market week, as well as via direct mail throughout the year. 

The call goes out to all designers to apply -- and they had a lot of takers. See the photos -- it seemed like there was a mile of entry trays to get through! That's a lot of jewelry to review and evaluate in a short amount of time. The panel consists of editors and trade folks like me. It was a daunting task to rate more than 150 collections.

But I learned a lot. I knew most of the applicants (about 7 out of 10) and it was interesting to see what they chose to send. Several terrific designers sent mediocre collections -- either too few items or not their most dazzling -- and I feared their votes would reflect that. And in fact, they did. I heard from a few folks who didn't get chosen and I wasn't surprised.

[TIP: Try not to mess up an opportunity. Sometimes it's better to pass than to send less than your best. And sometimes it's better to be in it any way you can. How to tell? Ask your friends, call me or another trusted expert... ask the sponsor. If you send less than your best you're apt to get your just rewards.]

The product photography is also used to produce a durable trend look book which is distributed to consumer and trade editors and journalists, as well as to celebrity stylist throughout the year.  The selected designs are also displayed at the World Gold Council booth in Vegas each year, which often serves as a first stopping point
for retail buyers looking to increase their gold inventory with innovative new styles.

On Facebook yet? We Just Started a Group so Join Us

So... are you on Facebook? Linkedin? Any social networking sites?

According to recent reports there's more than just kids on these networking sites. A BusinessWeek article entitled "Fogeys Flock to Facebook" says:

Facebook, the online hangout for college kids and recent graduates, is growing up. The site has amassed an audience of 33 million Web users, initially by catering to well-scrubbed kids who use the social network to nudge their friends, share photos, and swap music tips—all while consuming ads from Gen Y brands like Apple, Jeep, and Red Bull.

Lately, an influx of older users—professionals in their 30s and 40s, many in high-tech—is changing the face of Facebook. Among Silicon Valley executives, journalists, and publicists, Facebook has become the place to see and be seen. And it's not just tech. Consulting company Ernst & Young's Facebook network boasts 16,000 members, Citigroup's (C) claims nearly 8,500.

Well, we never want to be at the tail end of a trend so we set up a Facebook network, too!

You can join our Facebook Group, Designer Jewelry Business Savvy,
by going to: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13070097340

Of course you'll have to join Facebook first but ... why not? Make it all about your business and your designs (not what party you went to or whom you're dating!) and see what you can do with it. Don't expect a lot overnight but hey, you gotta be in it to win it. And this is certainly a forward thinking place to be!

Let's see how big a network we can make of professional jewelry designers seeking to promote their own businesses. Friend me on Facebook, join our group and most importantly......tell your friends. The more people in our Group the more important jewelry designers will look on searches.

See You In NYC at MJSA Expo next Monday, April 14th

Join me for some great brainstorming and networking at the MJSA Expo in NYC next Monday, April 14th... we're sure to come up with something that can make a difference for you in your business right now.

I'll be on two panels during their education sessions:

MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2008 

9:30 – 11 A.M.

M1:  75 Business Tips in 75 Minutes Panel
Cindy Edelstein, Jeweler’s Resource Bureau; Chris Ploof, Chris Ploof Designs; Mark Shipman, Rio Grande; and Andrea Hill, Hill Management. Moderator: Rich Youmans, MJSA.
Business knowledge can be less than riveting, but when it’s delivered in 60-second sound bites, you’ll find yourself truly engrossed! Business experts will give you power-packed, solid business advice you can apply and benefit from right away. This panel is sponsored by Clasp.

2 – 3:30 P.M.       

M5: Design Track: Profiting By Design Panel

Marlene Richey, author, designer, and business expert; Cindy Edelstein, Jeweler’s Resource Bureau; Chris Ploof, Chris Ploof Designs; and a representative from Jeweler's Mutual Insurance Co.
Learn how design can promote your bottom line from industry experts who will discuss web building, promotion, legal issues, and more.

There's time in the middle of those two sessions for a coffee or two -- email me if you want to have a free 5-minute personal brainstorm session. Members of our  jewelersresource.com  JRB Network get the first shot at these  opps but everyone's welcome! I'll be happy to book as many brainstorms as possible!

See you next week at the Javits Convention Center in NYC. Learn more about Expo at the mjsa.org website.

[TIP: Getting out and meeting peers and industry leaders at trade shows and seminars are invaluable opportunities to meet helpful folks, learn something new and gain valuable insights. You've got to get out as often as you can because your business needs you to make connections. MJSA Expo is a trade show of suppliers for you to shop as well as a chance to network and learn during the seminars. GO!]

Deadline for WJA DIVA Design Contest Online Entries is April 18th

For the second year in a row the Platinum Guild International is the sponsor of the Women's Jewelry Association's DIVA competition will celebrate the cool beauty of platinum. One category adds the excitement of natural color diamonds, too.

See the website for the 5 categories you can enter (online) with either a rendering or a finished jewel.

New this year is our online entry system -- which only has 1 requirement. You must enter a specifically sized digital image of your design. It's easy. Don't let techo-phobia keep you from entering!

For information please contact DIVA Competition Chair, Cindy Edelstein at 914-738-8485 or cindyedelstein@aol.com.

[TIP: Design competitions help you garner free publicity for your name, business and designs. Take every opportunity you can to get your name out there -- it can only help!]