Red Carpet Styles JCK Jeweler’s Choice
for Your Store Awards 2008
With Awards Season in full swing,
make sure that you know the
hottest diamond trends from the
red carpet to showcase in your
store. According to the Diamond
Information Center, you should be
stocking:
1. Diamond Power earrings:
drops in bold designs
2. Boldly adorned stacked
diamond bracelets and cuffs
3. Diamond brooches that can be
worn in multiple ways—either
in the hair, at the waist, or even
adorning a man’s lapel
GCAL was proud to join JCK as a
sponsor for the Jeweler’s Choice
Awards. As the official diamond
certification lab for the contest,
GCAL provided certificates for all
winning and finalist pieces
containing diamonds. With over
420 entries and 11,200 votes to
choose the winners, this year’s
580 Fifth Avenue, Lower Lobby
diamondprofile
© Gem Certification & Assurance Lab, Inc. 2008. All Rights Reserved.
competition was full of creativity
and ingenuity. As an added sales
opportunity, retailers can display
the award-winning pieces along-
side GCAL’s certification of quality
at the counter.
Congratulations to all of the
winners and finalists!
How to Sail Through the Economic Waters
Economic Forecast from Collectors Universe CEO Michael Haynes
New York, NY 10036
diamondprofile ®
Issue Two March / April 2008
Low to Moderate –Tack left and Indexed Share Performance of Publicly Traded Retailers In Three Consumer Groups
right into the wind. This will be the 120
hardest hit group but you can still
be successful. Focus a special 110
value for an item each week, 100
Low to Mod Luxury
picking a price point or maybe
several price points from $50 to 90 Mod to High
$150. Use inexpensive emails to
80
your customers (if you don’t have
them, get them and offer a monthly 70
newsletter or some other benefit)
and in-store flyers and counter top 60
Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
signs. Think like WalMart- 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 08 08
Here are several tactics you can specials to pull them in. comfortable luxury haven with Survey your customers for prefer-
deploy to help you navigate the couches and even buy an espresso ences, birthdays and special
economic waters of the next twelve Moderate to High – Make stops at machine from Starbucks, serving occasions and keep a database on
months. Also, check out the chart the islands. These “affordable lattes and cappuccino—think like these dates. Assure your customers
of publicly traded companies in the luxury” markets will want a little bit Barnes and Noble. that you want to help them provide
retail business grouped into three of luxury in what will be otherwise a beautiful, life-long and memorable
classifications: Low to Moderate challenging sea of small storms. Luxury – Ride on top of the waves. gifts suitable for the event. Most
income brackets, Moderate to High Create a monthly “Luxury Corner” These customers will expect even importantly, keep customer contact
income and Luxury. Remember, and put several mid range products more service and customization and service levels high and
stock prices are about a six-month at price points of $100 to $500. since they know they are on top of customize - think like the
leading indicator. Make the selling area feel like a an otherwise confused market. Ritz-Carlton.
Making the Grade
High clarity diamonds are difficult to grade. Use these Clarity
Grading Tips from the experts at GCAL to enhance your skills.
Make sure the diamond is
completely clean and absent of lint.
Dirt particles can interfere with
viewing and finding tiny inclusions.
Always be careful to check the culet
area for inclusions. Hold diamond
girdle to girdle and inspect culet
area from the pavilion side.
All possible grade setting inclusions
have to be loupe-able with a 10
power loupe. Do not make the final
decision with a microscope look.
A pinpoint visible with the micro-
scope at 10 power but unable to
loupe with a 10 power loupe is
considered to be Internally Flawless.
It does not matter how many
pinpoints are callable at 10 power
through the pavilion, for the grade to
still be VVS1. One pinpoint or 1000
pinpoints visible only through the
pavilion are both VVS1 clarity grades.
Diamond Market Analysis
By Donald A.Palmieri
As the U.S. dollar continues to
weaken, the entire world shudders.
Precious metals have skyrocketed
to all-time highs, while high quality
larger diamonds are wildly inflated
and selling offshore in Hong Kong
and other bastions of mega wealthy
markets. The U.S. economy is
chaotic, heading for recession.
Luxury goods are being shunned,
except by the very wealthy.
Bankruptcies, buyouts, mergers,
consolidations and liquidations are
all occurring in our market at this
moment. Some large chains on the
high end and the low end filed for
bankruptcy protection within the 1st
quarter of 2008. Other chains have
reported miserable decreases in
sales during and since Christmas.
While all this is taking place, major
U.S. cities are being overrun by
Euro-wielding visitors buying
Naturals and extra facets anywhere
on the diamond will receive a grade
of Internally Flawless. When a
natural is indented, then it will be
considered to be less then an
Internally Flawless Grade.
White lines, scratches or pits are
often incorrectly called grade
setting inclusions that lower a grade
below Internally Flawless. The key
to making the correct decision is to
view the depth or lack of depth from
the opposite side of the blemish at
10 power.
luxury brand jewels, watches and
other goods as though they were
half-price. Some New York shops
even limited the number of branded
items per customer, in order to
protect their brand from overseas
discounting. Expect this year to be
one of highs and lows, and one of
the most challenging for American
jewelry wholesalers and retailers.
We can expect more consolidation,
and some real opportunities beneath
the rubble.
IDEX Incentive
Need another reason to sign up
for CDE? With registration you’ll
also receive this complimentary
gift: You will be eligible to
become a full member of the IDEX
Online Diamond Trading Network
for 90 days. This $210 value
subscription includes access to
Bring Your
Business Into 2008
Jewelry websites are becoming valuable property
Did you know that Amazon.com’s
diamond sales increased more than
100% in the fourth quarter 2007
from fourth quarter 2006? More than
ever, customers are flocking to the
web to make purchases that were
once only made at bricks and mortar
stores. Now might be the time to
make online sales part of 2008 in
order to not only attract new
business, but to stay in closer
contact with your customers.
Even if you aren’t ready to commit to
a purchasing feature, creating a
simple website with your store’s
information and featured product will
get you noticed. Registering with
search engines like Google and
Yahoo will also put more eyes on
your site.
the largest diamond inventory
available at www.idexonline.com
as well as a complimentary
subscription to IDEX Magazine, a
leading industry publication.
*To become a full member of IDEX
Online call 212-382-3528 or email
usa@idexonline.com
www.CDEdiamonds.com.
If you want to build your own site,
here are four steps you need to take
to get online:
1. Purchase a good web design
program (about $50) that is
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What
You Get). This will eliminate your
need to learn confusing computer
code.
2. Find a reliable web host. Impor-
tant things are customer service and
upload time.
3. Splurge on a digital camera. This
will make it a lot easier to take and
load your own images onto the site.
4. Come up with a catchy URL.
The simpler, the better.
Published by: GCAL
Publisher: Donald A. Palmieri
Editor: Pamela Palmieri
Creative Director: Matan Sella
Contributors: Michael Haynes,
Sharrie Woodring, Angelo Palmieri,
Dan Gillen, Halina Kaban
Production: Linda Osofsky
580 Fifth Ave LL New York, NY 10036
212-869-8985 | dap@gemfacts.com
www.gemfacts.com
If you do not wish to receive these
newsletters, simply fax the mailing
label to 212.869.2315 marked “Cancel”
Or email us at info@gemfacts.com
asking us to cancel.
If you have questions or suggestions,
please send directly to me –
dap@gemfacts.com.
GCAL
Circles the Globe
Howard Pomerantz, Gaetano Cavalieri, President of
CIBJO; Michael Haynes, and Donald A. Palmieri at
the October 2007 CIBJO Meeting in Geneva,
Switzerland. GCAL will be a sponsor of the
upcoming 2008 CIBJO Congress in Dubai.
Mooketsi W. Jongman - Minister of Minerals,
Republic of Botswana with Howard Pomerantz
at the Rough Diamond Conference in Israel.
From Israel to Dubai to Geneva to
Arizona, GCAL's worldwide mission is to
improve consumer confidence in
diamond grading.
Shimon Peres and Donald A. Palmieri at the World
Diamond Council 5th Annual Meeting,
Jerusalem, Israel.
Donald A. Palmieri at the 19th International IJT
2008 Jewellery Tokyo Show in Japan.
CDE Sees
Exceptional Growth
January was an exceptionally
busy and successful month for
Certified Diamond Exchange.
The site continues to add both
buyers and sellers at a stunning
rate. January saw the addition of
four premiere diamond
companies as sellers:
Julius Klein Diamonds
Leo Schachter Diamonds
Waldman Diamond Company
Z. Kor Diamond Corp
Be on the lookout for the
addition of many features that
will be invaluable to our buyers,
both enhancing the experience
and providing a more efficient
manner in which to find the
perfect diamond. A site
redesign is currently in the
works that will take all of the
guesswork out of your next
transaction.
www.CDEdiamonds.com
Are You Smarter than a
Diamond Grader?
GCAL’s eLearning program is a fun way to learn about how
diamonds are graded in the laboratory.
Whether you’re new to the world of
diamonds, or an old pro who could
stand to brush up on the basics,
our easy-to-use eLearning program
will get you up to speed. You can
answer questions at your leisure
and save your progress (no time
limits here!) so even a few minutes
are well spent building your
knowledge.
Want a sneak peek?
Try this question:
Find out the answer to this question and more at
www.gemfacts.com/elearning. This series of free online courses provides
an in-depth understanding of the many exclusive features of a GCAL guaran-
teed certificate. Log on today to watch videos of diamonds being cut,
polished and graded. Each section wraps-up with a quiz question so you can
prove how smart you are.
You Have to Play To Win
You could be the next big winner—just register for CDE
and you could be reading your name here next month.
December saw Joe Kassab from
The winners are the following:
Joe Kassab Jewelers in Portland
Oregon become CDE’s second Bill Jones
$1,000 monthly winner.
Sissy’s Log Cabin
2319 Camden Road
Robert Ramsey from Ramsey’s
Pine Bluff, AR 71603
Jewelers in Metairie, LA became
CDE’s third $1,000 monthly winner
Victor Willis (Left Image)
for January 2008.
Willis Fine Jewelry
2845 Ridge Road, Suite 201
At the Centurion show in Tucson, AZ,
Rockwall, TX 75032
GCAL drew three $1,000 CDE
Reward Card winners, giving these Damon Gross (Right Image)
lucky winners a head start on their
Hyde Park
first purchase of a GCAL Guaranteed
3000 E. First Avenue, Suite 243
Certified Diamond.
Denver, CO 80206
The Optical Brilliance image on
IT’S SHOW
GCAL certificates shows:
a. An approximate representation of
TIME!
the diamond’s brilliance
b. A direct assessment of each
diamond’s light return vs. light loss
c. A static photo used on all GCAL
Don’t forget to stop by and see
certificates
us at both JA-New York Winter
and JCK-Las Vegas. GCAL is
d. How much light reflects off the
proud to be the Official
table facet Diamond Grading Laboratory of
both prestigious shows, and
Certified Diamond Exchange
(CDE) is making its debut as
the Official Diamond Exchange
for each show. Internationally,
in April come see us at
Baselworld or following at the
CIBJO Congress in Dubai.
Making the Grade
High clarity diamonds are difficult to grade. Use these Clarity
Grading Tips from the experts at GCAL to enhance your skills.
Make sure the diamond is
completely clean and absent of lint.
Dirt particles can interfere with
viewing and finding tiny inclusions.
Always be careful to check the culet
area for inclusions. Hold diamond
girdle to girdle and inspect culet
area from the pavilion side.
All possible grade setting inclusions
have to be loupe-able with a 10
power loupe. Do not make the final
decision with a microscope look.
A pinpoint visible with the micro-
scope at 10 power but unable to
loupe with a 10 power loupe is
considered to be Internally Flawless.
It does not matter how many
pinpoints are callable at 10 power
through the pavilion, for the grade to
still be VVS1. One pinpoint or 1000
pinpoints visible only through the
pavilion are both VVS1 clarity grades.
Diamond Market Analysis
By Donald A.Palmieri
As the U.S. dollar continues to
weaken, the entire world shudders.
Precious metals have skyrocketed
to all-time highs, while high quality
larger diamonds are wildly inflated
and selling offshore in Hong Kong
and other bastions of mega wealthy
markets. The U.S. economy is
chaotic, heading for recession.
Luxury goods are being shunned,
except by the very wealthy.
Bankruptcies, buyouts, mergers,
consolidations and liquidations are
all occurring in our market at this
moment. Some large chains on the
high end and the low end filed for
bankruptcy protection within the 1st
quarter of 2008. Other chains have
reported miserable decreases in
sales during and since Christmas.
While all this is taking place, major
U.S. cities are being overrun by
Euro-wielding visitors buying
Naturals and extra facets anywhere
on the diamond will receive a grade
of Internally Flawless. When a
natural is indented, then it will be
considered to be less then an
Internally Flawless Grade.
White lines, scratches or pits are
often incorrectly called grade
setting inclusions that lower a grade
below Internally Flawless. The key
to making the correct decision is to
view the depth or lack of depth from
the opposite side of the blemish at
10 power.
luxury brand jewels, watches and
other goods as though they were
half-price. Some New York shops
even limited the number of branded
items per customer, in order to
protect their brand from overseas
discounting. Expect this year to be
one of highs and lows, and one of
the most challenging for American
jewelry wholesalers and retailers.
We can expect more consolidation,
and some real opportunities beneath
the rubble.
IDEX Incentive
Need another reason to sign up
for CDE? With registration you’ll
also receive this complimentary
gift: You will be eligible to
become a full member of the IDEX
Online Diamond Trading Network
for 90 days. This $210 value
subscription includes access to
Bring Your
Business Into 2008
Jewelry websites are becoming valuable property
Did you know that Amazon.com’s
diamond sales increased more than
100% in the fourth quarter 2007
from fourth quarter 2006? More than
ever, customers are flocking to the
web to make purchases that were
once only made at bricks and mortar
stores. Now might be the time to
make online sales part of 2008 in
order to not only attract new
business, but to stay in closer
contact with your customers.
Even if you aren’t ready to commit to
a purchasing feature, creating a
simple website with your store’s
information and featured product will
get you noticed. Registering with
search engines like Google and
Yahoo will also put more eyes on
your site.
the largest diamond inventory
available at www.idexonline.com
as well as a complimentary
subscription to IDEX Magazine, a
leading industry publication.
*To become a full member of IDEX
Online call 212-382-3528 or email
usa@idexonline.com
www.CDEdiamonds.com.
If you want to build your own site,
here are four steps you need to take
to get online:
1. Purchase a good web design
program (about $50) that is
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What
You Get). This will eliminate your
need to learn confusing computer
code.
2. Find a reliable web host. Impor-
tant things are customer service and
upload time.
3. Splurge on a digital camera. This
will make it a lot easier to take and
load your own images onto the site.
4. Come up with a catchy URL.
The simpler, the better.
Published by: GCAL
Publisher: Donald A. Palmieri
Editor: Pamela Palmieri
Creative Director: Matan Sella
Contributors: Michael Haynes,
Sharrie Woodring, Angelo Palmieri,
Dan Gillen, Halina Kaban
Production: Linda Osofsky
580 Fifth Ave LL New York, NY 10036
212-869-8985 | dap@gemfacts.com
www.gemfacts.com
If you do not wish to receive these
newsletters, simply fax the mailing
label to 212.869.2315 marked “Cancel”
Or email us at info@gemfacts.com
asking us to cancel.
If you have questions or suggestions,
please send directly to me –
dap@gemfacts.com.
GCAL
Circles the Globe
Howard Pomerantz, Gaetano Cavalieri, President of
CIBJO; Michael Haynes, and Donald A. Palmieri at
the October 2007 CIBJO Meeting in Geneva,
Switzerland. GCAL will be a sponsor of the
upcoming 2008 CIBJO Congress in Dubai.
Mooketsi W. Jongman - Minister of Minerals,
Republic of Botswana with Howard Pomerantz
at the Rough Diamond Conference in Israel.
From Israel to Dubai to Geneva to
Arizona, GCAL's worldwide mission is to
improve consumer confidence in
diamond grading.
Shimon Peres and Donald A. Palmieri at the World
Diamond Council 5th Annual Meeting,
Jerusalem, Israel.
Donald A. Palmieri at the 19th International IJT
2008 Jewellery Tokyo Show in Japan.
CDE Sees
Exceptional Growth
January was an exceptionally
busy and successful month for
Certified Diamond Exchange.
The site continues to add both
buyers and sellers at a stunning
rate. January saw the addition of
four premiere diamond
companies as sellers:
Julius Klein Diamonds
Leo Schachter Diamonds
Waldman Diamond Company
Z. Kor Diamond Corp
Be on the lookout for the
addition of many features that
will be invaluable to our buyers,
both enhancing the experience
and providing a more efficient
manner in which to find the
perfect diamond. A site
redesign is currently in the
works that will take all of the
guesswork out of your next
transaction.
www.CDEdiamonds.com
Are You Smarter than a
Diamond Grader?
GCAL’s eLearning program is a fun way to learn about how
diamonds are graded in the laboratory.
Whether you’re new to the world of
diamonds, or an old pro who could
stand to brush up on the basics,
our easy-to-use eLearning program
will get you up to speed. You can
answer questions at your leisure
and save your progress (no time
limits here!) so even a few minutes
are well spent building your
knowledge.
Want a sneak peek?
Try this question:
Find out the answer to this question and more at
www.gemfacts.com/elearning. This series of free online courses provides
an in-depth understanding of the many exclusive features of a GCAL guaran-
teed certificate. Log on today to watch videos of diamonds being cut,
polished and graded. Each section wraps-up with a quiz question so you can
prove how smart you are.
You Have to Play To Win
You could be the next big winner—just register for CDE
and you could be reading your name here next month.
December saw Joe Kassab from
The winners are the following:
Joe Kassab Jewelers in Portland
Oregon become CDE’s second Bill Jones
$1,000 monthly winner.
Sissy’s Log Cabin
2319 Camden Road
Robert Ramsey from Ramsey’s
Pine Bluff, AR 71603
Jewelers in Metairie, LA became
CDE’s third $1,000 monthly winner
Victor Willis (Left Image)
for January 2008.
Willis Fine Jewelry
2845 Ridge Road, Suite 201
At the Centurion show in Tucson, AZ,
Rockwall, TX 75032
GCAL drew three $1,000 CDE
Reward Card winners, giving these Damon Gross (Right Image)
lucky winners a head start on their
Hyde Park
first purchase of a GCAL Guaranteed
3000 E. First Avenue, Suite 243
Certified Diamond.
Denver, CO 80206
The Optical Brilliance image on
IT’S SHOW
GCAL certificates shows:
a. An approximate representation of
TIME!
the diamond’s brilliance
b. A direct assessment of each
diamond’s light return vs. light loss
c. A static photo used on all GCAL
Don’t forget to stop by and see
certificates
us at both JA-New York Winter
and JCK-Las Vegas. GCAL is
d. How much light reflects off the
proud to be the Official
table facet Diamond Grading Laboratory of
both prestigious shows, and
Certified Diamond Exchange
(CDE) is making its debut as
the Official Diamond Exchange
for each show. Internationally,
in April come see us at
Baselworld or following at the
CIBJO Congress in Dubai.
Red Carpet Styles JCK Jeweler’s Choice
for Your Store Awards 2008
With Awards Season in full swing,
make sure that you know the
hottest diamond trends from the
red carpet to showcase in your
store. According to the Diamond
Information Center, you should be
stocking:
1. Diamond Power earrings:
drops in bold designs
2. Boldly adorned stacked
diamond bracelets and cuffs
3. Diamond brooches that can be
worn in multiple ways—either
in the hair, at the waist, or even
adorning a man’s lapel
GCAL was proud to join JCK as a
sponsor for the Jeweler’s Choice
Awards. As the official diamond
certification lab for the contest,
GCAL provided certificates for all
winning and finalist pieces
containing diamonds. With over
420 entries and 11,200 votes to
choose the winners, this year’s
580 Fifth Avenue, Lower Lobby
diamondprofile
© Gem Certification & Assurance Lab, Inc. 2008. All Rights Reserved.
competition was full of creativity
and ingenuity. As an added sales
opportunity, retailers can display
the award-winning pieces along-
side GCAL’s certification of quality
at the counter.
Congratulations to all of the
winners and finalists!
How to Sail Through the Economic Waters
Economic Forecast from Collectors Universe CEO Michael Haynes
New York, NY 10036
diamondprofile ®
Issue Two March / April 2008
Low to Moderate –Tack left and Indexed Share Performance of Publicly Traded Retailers In Three Consumer Groups
right into the wind. This will be the 120
hardest hit group but you can still
be successful. Focus a special 110
value for an item each week, 100
Low to Mod Luxury
picking a price point or maybe
several price points from $50 to 90 Mod to High
$150. Use inexpensive emails to
80
your customers (if you don’t have
them, get them and offer a monthly 70
newsletter or some other benefit)
and in-store flyers and counter top 60
Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
signs. Think like WalMart- 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 07 08 08
Here are several tactics you can specials to pull them in. comfortable luxury haven with Survey your customers for prefer-
deploy to help you navigate the couches and even buy an espresso ences, birthdays and special
economic waters of the next twelve Moderate to High – Make stops at machine from Starbucks, serving occasions and keep a database on
months. Also, check out the chart the islands. These “affordable lattes and cappuccino—think like these dates. Assure your customers
of publicly traded companies in the luxury” markets will want a little bit Barnes and Noble. that you want to help them provide
retail business grouped into three of luxury in what will be otherwise a beautiful, life-long and memorable
classifications: Low to Moderate challenging sea of small storms. Luxury – Ride on top of the waves. gifts suitable for the event. Most
income brackets, Moderate to High Create a monthly “Luxury Corner” These customers will expect even importantly, keep customer contact
income and Luxury. Remember, and put several mid range products more service and customization and service levels high and
stock prices are about a six-month at price points of $100 to $500. since they know they are on top of customize - think like the
leading indicator. Make the selling area feel like a an otherwise confused market. Ritz-Carlton.