August 2011 -  Issue 11
RETAIL JEWELERSSUPPLIERSCONSUMERSABOUT USJOIN JANEWS & EVENTSBLOG
IN THIS ISSUE
Search Jewelers.org to Win $150!
New eLearning Center @ Website
Scholarship Deadline Approaching
Rising Gold Prices
Web Resource: "Cracking the Code"
Main Street Fairness Introduced
Lead in Children's Jewelry
Enter Jewelry in The CASE Awards
Jewelry Trends: Gemstone Slices
Fall Contest Preview
Payment Processing: Special Offer
JA Board Elections
JIC's Fine Jewelry Preview
New Search Engine @ Website

 

RETAILERS 

 

Carter's Jewelry  

 

Faden's Jewelers 

 

Forever Jewelers 

 

M. & M. Jewelers 

 

'tiques n t'ings  

 

Valentine's Diamond Center, Inc.   

 

Wasserman Jewel Galleries 

 

SUPPLIERS  

 

Alexandra Mor LLC

 

Find the "Hidden Gem" Next Week to Win $150!
Have some fun this summer on a "gem" hunt at JA's website, www.jewelers.org! Starting August 22 at 10:00am EDT through August 26 -- we're hiding a "Hidden Gem" icon on a different page each day at www.jewelers.org. Find it and you can enter to win a $150!

We'll be posting clues to the hiding spots on JA's Facebook & Twitter feeds, so make sure to follow JA if you aren't already! Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Full details on how to "hunt" next week.


EDUCATION & TRAINING

New eLearning Center @ www.jewelers.org
We've made it easier for you and your staff to advance your jewelry sales and management skills for free at our new eLearning Center in the Education section at www.jewelers.org. Access convenient jewelry sales and business articles and check out the new online guide, "Cracking the Code," which shows you how JA's Code of Professional Practices can help boost your business by building consumer confidence, creating marketing opportunities and differentiating your brand from competitors.

Visit the eLearning Center often; we'll be updating it regularly with new courses, videos and articles.


Scholarship Application Deadline September 30
Professional development has never been more affordable! As a JA Member, you and your staff can apply for scholarships on renowned industry diploma, professional development and certification programs from GIA and DCA to list but a few. (Members Only)

Rising Gold Prices: What They Mean to You
Gold prices have been on the rise for months, recently surpassing $1,800 per ounce. Rising gold prices can have a significant impact on jewelry businesses. Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company offers tips to protect your business and help your customers . . .

LEGISLATION & REGULATION

JA recently launched a comprehensive online guide to its Code of Professional Practices, titled "Cracking the Code." It shows you how to use JA's Code of Professional Practices to build your business and increase profitability, customer satisfaction and customer retention. It's designed to raise the bar for responsible business practices, providing JA Members with strategies and tips to fully integrate JA's Code of Professional Practices into their businesses.

To highlight the insightful strategies included in "Cracking the Code," The JA Report will give you peeks at excerpts from the guide each month. This month, we spotlight strategies to analyze your business ethics. . .

LEGISLATION & REGULATION

One Step Closer to Sales Tax Fairness
On July 29, Congress introduced the Main Street Fairness Act, which would close an Internet sales tax loophole that has hurt traditional jewelry businesses. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced a bill in the Senate (S. 1452), while Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) introduced identical legislation (H.R. 2701) in the House. Learn how you can support this important legislation.

Lead in Children's Jewelry Law Revised

Congress passed a bill that alters the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. A key change removes the requirement that existing inventories of base-metal children's jewelry meet the 100 parts per million (ppm) lead content standard. Under the new law, only children's products made after August 14 will need to meet this standard. Learn more from MJSA.   

 



MARKETING

Enter Your Jewelry in JA's 2012 National Retail Design Competition
The 2012 CASE Awards competition will feature new platinum and palladium jewelry awards categories, thanks to partnerships with Platinum Guild International and the Palladium Alliance. It's a wonderful opportunity for JA Members to highlight store talent: Jewelers' entries are displayed before thousands of JA New York Winter Show attendees and winners receive great publicity.  


Jewelry Trend: Diamond & Gemstone Slices

Slice jewelry features "slices" of diamonds, like these earrings by Susan Foster, or gemstones that are flat with either no -- or very few facets -- which create subtle sparkle. Loved for their rugged appearance, they are one of this year's most sought-after jewelry trends. See more styles...  

 

 

Fall Nationwide Contest Preview: Sparkling Snapshots

Jewelry Information Center, JA's consumer education arm, has another exciting consumer contest in the works and we need you! Launching September 12, the Sparkling Snapshots Contest will ask people to post photos of the jewelry pieces that signify their most special memories. The winner will receive a spa getaway weekend, jewelry and more!

 

Align yourself with this industry-wide promotion to increase consumers' positive perception of jewelry. As a member of JA, you will have full access to Contest marketing materials, which are turn-key and ready for you to use! Look for another update from us in the coming weeks with full details.

 

 



BUSINESS

Discounts on Payment Processing from TRU
Check your mail in next week for a special members-only offer from our payment processing partner, TRUŽ: Send them a processing statement for a free review and you'll be entered to win an iPad -- 1 out of 10 wins. No matter what you are paying for payment processing, TRU can beat it!

EDUCATION & TRAINING

JA Elects Georgie Gleim as New Board Chair, Announces New Directors
At JA's July Board of Directors meeting, Georgie Gleim, president of Gleim The Jeweler in Palo Alto, CA, was elected as the new Board Chair. The meeting also welcomed many new Directors. Read about the additions to the Board.

Jewelry Selections Announced for JIC's Annual Fine Jewelry Preview
Jewelry Information Center will host its Annual Fine Jewelry Preview and Luncheon on August 24, 2011, in New York City. At the Preview, influential jewelry and fashion editors see new jewelry by a selection of JA Supplier Members . . .

JA's Website Features Industry-Specific Search Engine
You can now search Verichannel -- the jewelry industry search engine -- on JA's homepage, www.jewelers.org. Verichannel is the first-ever, jewelry-industry-specific search platform powered by Google  . . .