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 JA Announces New Multi-Store Members
Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Ultra Diamonds have joined the association as Retail Members. Starting next month, Jewelers of America will be welcoming new members in each monthly e-newsletter! Read more about the companies here . . . 
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 Reminder! Time to Renew Your JA Membership
Jewelers of America greatly values your membership. Our annual membership renewal process has begun and you should have received an invoice by post and email. Renew online today! 
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 JIC Promotes Jewelry Gifts on National Holiday Media Tour
This month, Jewelry Information Center Spokeswomen Amanda Gizzi and Helena Krodel are promoting fine jewelry as perfect holiday gifts to television audiences nationwide. Click for the featured jewelry.
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 Pre-Register for 2011 JA New York Winter Show
JA New York will turn the Javits Center into a colossal collection of gems and jewelry from around the globe from February 27 to March 1, 2011. Receive your badge before the show when you register by February 2, 2011!
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 Gems Among Us Contest Winners Announced
Carlene Sperry, a breast cancer survivor and advocate, was chosen as the grand-prize "Gem Among Us" by America's vote! Republic Jewelry and Collectibles Owner Dan Cunliffe II, the Participating Retailer who referred the winning essay by Carlene's husband, also won a grand prize. The Contest was a success with nearly 10,000 votes cast for the finalists!
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 Enter JA's National Retailer Design Competition: The CASE Awards
The CASE Awards will be held at the JA New York Winter Show in New York City, February 27-March 1, 2011. It is open to all JA Retail Members and their staff, so showcase the talent in your store by entering jewelry pieces. Winners receive awards and national and local media exposure.
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 Special 20% Discount Through December 31 on Consumer Education Brochures!
JA recently released completely redesigned Gemstone Leaflets and "What You Should Know About" Brochures. Use them to enhance your sales presentations and to encourage return visits by giving them to browsing customers, including them as valuable "bag stuffers" or with store mailers! The Leaflets include fascinating information about gemstone origins and care and treatment tips. The Brochures  cover the popular product categories of Diamonds, Fine Watches, Fine Jewelry Metals, Colored Gemstones and Cleaning & Protecting Fine Jewelry.
Pass on the following excerpt from the Gemstone Leaflet for Tanzanite, one of December's birthstones, to your sales staff to help them excite customers about this special gemstone. Order your sets today: through December 31, JA Members receive a 20% discount off all orders!
"Tanzanite gemstones are found in the shadows of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the only  commercial source for the gemstone. In 1967, an Indian tailor prospecting for gems as a hobby discovered the gem. It was eventually named tanzanite in honor of its country of origin. The gem is often described as "velvety," mostly because of its deep and saturated color, which ranges from purplish blue to a pure blue." -- from the Tanzanite Gemstone Leaflet.
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 JA Member Perks Marketplace: Limited-Time Promotions & New Discounts!
Don't miss these limited-time offers in the Member Perks Marketplace: 15% off holiday cards from QuarkPromote.com through 12/31/10, and 25% off ADP plus up to a $400 credit through 1/31/11. Log in and discover discounts from new companies like Aaramark, AmeriQuest and more!
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 Why Does White Gold Yellow?
An excerpt from the "Metals" section in JA's Educational Resource Library, log in to www.jewelers.org for more great sales and management articles.An important part of any jewelry sale is to control customer expectations of their jewelry purchase. The sale of white gold jewelry is an excellent example of this. Jewelry sales professionals must explain the possibilities of white gold to "fade" or "yellow" over time, so as to avoid future dissatisfied customers. During your sales presentation, be sure to explain the requirements to maintain the long-lasting bright-white appearance of white gold jewelry. WHITE GOLD ALLOY Most white gold rings are flash plated with a very, very thin coating of rhodium (a pure white metal) to give them a more brilliant, pure white appearance. This rhodium plating will wear off over time and reveal the "real" white gold ring underneath. Because pure gold is very yellow, no matter how much you alloy it with other metals like zinc and nickel, it will almost always retain some of its yellowish body color. . . . |
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 Legislative Boost for Businesses Expected
Following an agreement between President Obama and Congress, the Senate passed a tax bill that included a number of provisions -- including extension of the Bush-era tax cuts and a compromise on the Estate Tax -- that benefit JA members and other jewelry businesses. The House is currently considering similar legislation . . .
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 Sales Tax Fairness in the States
JA took part in a meeting this past Monday in Harrisburg, PA, to discuss sales tax fairness strategies for the upcoming legislative season. Similar meetings took place in Illinois and Arizona over the last two weeks. JA continues to support a federal sales tax fairness bill, but we are working with other organizations to expand our push for sales tax fairness in states, where there is currently more momentum.
Visit JA's State Legislation Tracking Center to stay up-to-date on this issue!
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