Results for August 17

Weird, wacky and wonderful jewellery

August 25, 2018






Fashion


Posted August 16, 2018 |


Who said ‘jewellery’ can’t offer some seriously provocative items? Here, we take a look at various designs that are unique, quirky, or seriously bizarre…

I (avoca)do!

Earlier this year, it looked as though the ‘little blue box’ would have to make way for avocados as the engagement ring box of choice.

An Instagram post by a Dutch food stylist went viral after she snapped a picture of an avocado opened to reveal an engagement ring.

The post was ‘liked’ over 11,000 times and at least one American took inspiration, proposing to his partner avo and all.

Living, breathing… jewellery?

Scientists from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab unveiled moveable jewellery protoypes that can ‘move’ and ‘interact’.

The Kino Project is a collection of garments constructed with small robots on tracks that can perform tasks such as transitioning from a brooch to a necklace.

The developers noted they hope one day these robots will be small enough to seamlessly integrate into existing jewellery pieces. Neat!

Eyeball bling

Consumers can literally have their eye on jewellery all the time now, after US-based company SafeSight Jewellery produced platinum shapes that ophthalmologists can insert into a patient’s eye for some added bling.

A surgeon in the US recently started offering the procedure at a cost of US$10,000 (AU$13,200); it takes five minutes with a recovery time of three days.

That’s some seriously expensive eye candy!

Pretty placentas

Gone are the days when keepsake jewellery was hair in a locket. Some businesses, like Beyond the Willow Tree, now offer pendants made from breast milk, placenta and umbilical cords for sentimental mothers looking to cherish their infant’s early days.

While many may be turned off by the thought of bodily fluid in a pendant, jewellers are increasingly using new methods to construct such pieces to have a crystal-like appearance.

Risqué necklace

London-based designer Lukas Grenwenig’s pendant received worldwide coverage when it was unveiled this year, but perhaps for the wrong reasons.

The pendant, designed for UK brand Theo Fennell, first received worldwide attention when somebody noticed its resemblance to.. ahem.. female genitalia.

It appears as though the designer had other things on his mind at the time of the product’s creation: “This design is inspired by the way a goldsmith assesses a stone by placing it between their index and middle finger,” Grenwenig stated.

Diamond bike

This year, Harley Davidson partnered with Swiss watchmaker Bucherer to create a diamond motorbike valued at US$1.8 million (AU$2.3 m).

The Blue Edition bike features 360 diamonds, includes a rotating 5.4-carat diamond ring and Bucherer watch under plated glass, as well as a personal safe for storing… diamond spanners? The shiny ride was displayed at UK department store Selfridges.

Creepy creations

Quirky and obscure jewellery designs don’t just belong to costume parties or events like Halloween, according to British designer Percy Lau.

Lau’s somewhat creepy designs include miniature ear earrings, tiny noses on rings and open mouths moulded into a range of pieces in otherworldly ways.

The collection is just one of many belonging to small online designers who push the limits of fashion jewellery to bizarre and out of this world.

Feeling blue

American jewellery company ban.do has been criticised of “romanticising mental illness” with its collection of necklaces showcasing the words ‘depression’ and ‘anxiety’.

The company’s chief creative officer, Jen Gotch said she drew from her experiences with bipolar disorder and hoped the range would act as a “conversation starter” in destigmatising mental illness. Many labelled the range as ‘offensive’ on Twitter following its launch.

Million dollar ‘oh’

A $1.8 million vibrator is the most expensive sex toy ever put on the market and it was made here… Down Under. Australian business Burns Jewellery produced “the Pearl Royale” which contains over 2,000 white, blue and pink diamonds flush set in platinum.

The toy took almost 15 years to make and joins Burns Jewellery’s other sensual products including an 18-carat gold “Casanova” dildo and a gold-handled whip made from human hair.

Bedazzled beetles

A group of women in Mexico made headlines this year when they transformed live beetles into brooches by attaching semi-precious stones to their shells.

Painted in gold and chained to lapels, the “bejeweled” beetles made the rounds on Facebook and Twitter, with many calling out the trend for being “cruel” and “in-humane”.

Nutritious designs

African jewellery designer, Pamela has been making delicious jewellery under her brand Lola Ade.

The artist found unique ways to expand and engage her social media audience by swapping out gemstones for fruit and vegetables.

Pamela utilised blueberries, capsicum lemons in her photo series titled ‘Raw’.

While the line of jewellery is just for show rather than sale, it does look scrumptious!

Scented smart rings

Wearable technology engineers at Computex in Taiwan have figured out a way to combine ‘scratch and sniff’ with fashionable jewellery.

The XRing operates like a smartwatch, alerting the wearer of phone notifications, but instead of vibrating to notify.. It sprays!

Still in prototype form, the ring squirts perfume on the wearer to alert them of phone calls and texts. The more popular you are, the more intense you’ll smell!

 


Sunday, 26 August, 2018 04:35pm































Search for Industry Associations
Weird, wacky and wonderful jewellery Weird, wacky and wonderful jewellery Reviewed by Unknown on August 25, 2018 Rating: 5

Five signs it’s time to change culture

August 21, 2018


A poor workplace culture can affect performance and lead to high staff turnover. CHRIS HALLBERG discusses ways that retailers can turn this around.

Everyone likes to think that their business is highly effective; however, a poor culture can be a large inhibitor of performance. For example, will staff give feedback and suggestions for innovation in a workplace where they feel undervalued or feel as if their comments will be dismissed?

How confident are you about your company culture? Here are several common signs of a problematic organisational culture.

1. Employees avoid trouble

Do staff tiptoe around to avoid being reprimanded or even fired? Does everyone keep their heads down so they don’t attract attention? If staff are afraid, they won’t take risks, which means they’ll only give the minimum effort and never go above and beyond.

Employees need to feel like they can try new things without getting in trouble. Businesses should create a culture of appreciation to get more out of their employees. Workers who feel secure in their roles feel confident to stretch their abilities – they will let you know if they see a problem, rather than hiding it so that they aren’t blamed; they will give you a performance that can increase your revenue and make your organisation more competitive.

2. Everyone hates Mondays

Do staff seem to drag themselves into work on Monday? People who are working in poor environments pine for the weekends and dread returning to work.

At a healthy business, people are happy as they feel challenged and appreciated. People who are happy working for a great company are far more likely to exceed expectations. They will welcome new challenges and relish the opportunities to excel.

If everyone seems irritated and discouraged when the weekend is over, it’s time to change what you are doing. Examine which factors are making work an undesirable place to be. Target factors that specifically affect the motivation of staff to not only be at work, but also give their best effort and then change those factors.

3. Nobody shares feedback

Do you find that staff rarely share insights about how a process should work better or give ideas about opportunities that the business is missing?

Employees in a poor workplace are unlikely to share ideas. They may be too burnt out to think creatively, too discouraged or afraid that their ideas will be met with derision or indifference.

It is vital to your company’s future that you have the full resources of the people you have hired. Make sure they feel that they can make suggestions without you or other people in management feeling threatened. Make it so staff have the spare energy to think of creative solutions to problems and that they are engaged enough to share their ideas for new opportunities.

If people are reluctant to contribute, consider creating an anonymous way where they can share concerns. Whether this takes the form of an online feedback form or a physical message drop, take everything you there into consideration and ensure there are no negative repercussions for those who speak their minds.

You should also ensure that staff who share their great ideas are rewarded. If people feel that it is worth something and that you value their input, they are far more likely to start thinking creatively. Rewards don’t have to be monetary; perks like extended lunch breaks and public praise go a long way.

4. Decisions are poorly communicated

Are employees kept up-to-date on new decisions or do they only find out that a rule has changed when they run afoul of it?

Effective change management begins by involving employees in discussion from the start – they need to know how their positions and duties might be affected; they need an opportunity to give input.

By making sure there is transparency at every step, you can ensure that employees feel secure and that changes are effective, beneficial for the company and for those who work there.

5. Information is misleading

It is imperative that you are honest with your employees. Don’t sweep any negative information under the rug. Publicly address any issues that you feel could cost you important members.

A poor business culture does not fix itself; it will not change overnight. Cleansing toxicity from the environment takes a commitment to change and a great deal of time rebuilding trust and channels of communication, but it can be done.


Five signs it’s time to change culture Five signs it’s time to change culture Reviewed by Unknown on August 21, 2018 Rating: 5

Creating outstanding blog content – Jeweller Magazine: Jewellery News and Trends

August 20, 2018


It can be tough and time-consuming to generate fresh, original content for websites and blogs. BETH WALKER shares strategies that can help the process.

One of the hardest things about running a blog for your company or website is trying to come up with good topics for your articles, especially when you don’t have much time. The instinct may be to skip publishing but that’s not best because frequency matters when it comes to blogs.

By utilising these five essential actions, you can create outstanding blog content consistently and still stick to your publishing schedule.

Crappy first draft

American novelist Anne Lamott is famous for promoting bad first drafts. Her point is that you just need to get something on paper.

“Writers write” is a quote I hear or read at least once a day because it is a crucial device that writers use to remind themselves that their job is to write.

My first drafts often take on an outline form – I’ll consider the title and keywords I need to target and, as I research, I’ll pull out the ideas I want to highlight. Once I determine the sections and flow, I can start in the middle of an article even when the introduction isn’t coming together.

The point of the crappy first draft is to get some words written. You may delete them all later but at least you’ll have started.

Walk away

After you get something down, walk away. This might seem counterproductive, but I promise that it works. When writer’s block strikes, I’ll sometimes take an actual walk. Getting outside and doing something active seems to be a perfect method for inspiring new perspective and thoughts.

Use tools

While no tool is perfect, automated grammar software Grammarly is my go-to tool so that everything I write is checked by a second set of eyes before I hit publish. This is a helpful tool to catch spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes, but the paid version goes further.

For example, Grammarly often highlights that my drafts are “wordy”. This isn’t surprising to me, but it is a gentle reminder for me to edit my work.

I don’t turn Grammarly on when writing my first or second drafts. I’ll turn it on once I’m on my final review so that I can consider any suggestions and edit accordingly. After this, I do one final read-through before sending my content to a proofreader.

Use a proofreader

As writers, we can find ourselves feeling defensive about the editing process, but the reality is that developing outstanding content requires editing. Even when you have a great handle on your audience, it’s still important to make sure your ideas are communicated clearly.

Remember that you’ve been focusing on your article for several hours or even days at this point and have probably read it through at least four times; it’s possible you are not as clear as you think.

Proofreaders are also great because they can tell you when you complicate an explanation – perhaps you are using five sentences when only three are needed.

A great proofreader will provide suggestions that clarify your content without substituting their voice or perspective for yours. Consider all suggestions and always keep the end goal in mind: you’re creating outstanding content for your reader.

Content calendar

The best way to stay on track when writing content consistently is with a content calendar.

There are many benefits of having a calendar, but my favourite is that you only need to brainstorm subjects once as opposed to every time you sit down to write.

With my personal blog, I plotted out a yearlong content calendar with titles and subjects in January. This might sound like an overwhelming task, but I publish eight times a month so I only needed to come up with 60 titles and plot out the publishing dates.

When you work ahead, life circumstances may inspire new content. I have found that titles can be easily postponed for the future, perhaps even the next time I develop my content calendar.

Thinking about all of your blog articles in one go mightn’t work for everyone, but I suggest you think further ahead than a few weeks – quarterly calendars are the ones I encounter most often.

By taking the time to brainstorm keywords, titles and subjects, you can jump into that ‘crappy first draft’ easily and with a little bit of inspiration.


Creating outstanding blog content – Jeweller Magazine: Jewellery News and Trends Creating outstanding blog content – Jeweller Magazine: Jewellery News and Trends Reviewed by Unknown on August 20, 2018 Rating: 5

Four characteristics of modern consumers

August 20, 2018


Retailers require a mix of human services and new technologies to meet the needs of today’s demanding consumer. STEVEN VAN BELLEGHAM reports.

Consumer behaviour has changed substantially over the past decade, largely because of technologies that are providing new possibilities for fulfilling customer needs.

Mobile is undoubtedly the most important driver here, but technologies such as 3D printing and automation are also emerging as significant.

What would consumer expectations be in such a new world? Let’s consider four characteristics:

1. Personalised products and services

We are evolving towards a situation where everyone has their own services and products. One example of this is NRML in New York, a store that makes personalised earphones based on photos of the customer’s ears.

The personalised headphones are made on site by a 3D printer and are customised to fit exactly that person – the idea is brilliant!

We are entering into a phase of extreme personalisation in which people not only receive on-demand services – this has existed for some time now – but also on-demand products that are made when purchased.

2. Convenience as the new norm

Today everything has to be fast, easy and fun for the consumer. Uber, Airbnb, HelloFresh, Booking.com and other innovative start-ups all have one thing in common: they’re fast and easy, as well as fun to use.

Today, convenience is the basis of loyalty. If things don’t take place easily enough, they shut down quickly. We’re evolving towards a world of extreme simplicity.

Once upon a time, you almost needed an engineering degree to get a robot to start. Today, anyone can take a vacuum-cleaning robot out of the box and get it working with a single press of the button.

Companies that weren’t born in the digital world often have difficulty with this. Extreme simplicity is crucial for the modern consumer.

3. A demand for personal treatment

People love human sincerity and friendliness. It’s the most interesting paradox of the digital world: the more digital everything becomes, the more important the human interaction becomes once again.

Alas, businesses can’t program this into their products, nor can they buy software that delivers it; sincere human contact is something they have to train into their staff and deliver every day.

This is where genuine human skills come to the surface. Empathy, passion and creativity are too difficult for computers so this is the area where people can make the greatest difference.

This is also something that consumers find really important – seven in 10 consumers would like to have sincere human contact, even when digital channels are functioning perfectly.

4. The desire for awesome companies

Consumers love to buy from cool companies. This has always been the case but seems more important as technology becomes a larger part of our lives.

Tesla, Apple, Google and Coolblue are all examples of businesses that consumers love because they have cool values, a cool image and cool products. These companies go further than delivering a product; they generally have a vision that promises to change the world… and often it does.

Tesla isn’t a car company; it’s an energy company. Elon Musk is convinced that the Earth will be destroyed due to poor energy use, which is why he set up Tesla.

When he recently shared all of Tesla’s patents online with the rest of the world, it was because he found that things aren’t going quickly enough. He wants to save the world from wasteful energy consumption and he realised he can’t do that on his own.

Digital and human skills to combine

Of the four characteristics mentioned above, the first two are areas where businesses will still need to rely on digital technologies.

Personalised products and services, and the delivery of convenience as a norm, are both areas that have emerged because of technological advancements, rather than in spite of them.

This means companies need to be good with data and user interfaces, and also with working out new ways to respond quickly to the needs of the modern customer.

The last two characteristics – delivering a personal touch and being sufficiently cool enough to attract consumers – call for skills of a more human nature because they’re service oriented.

To stand out in these areas, retailers need to display a modern approach to PR HR and the right ambitious attitudes.


Four characteristics of modern consumers Four characteristics of modern consumers Reviewed by Unknown on August 20, 2018 Rating: 5

The stars of my bench

August 19, 2018







My Bench


Posted August 16, 2018 |


Each month, Jeweller sits down to gain insight and wisdom from the industry’s bench jewellers. Here are a few of our favourites.

Best part of the job:
FRANK ATHANASOPOULOS

Timeless Gold Jewellery
AUGUST 2016

Having the opportunity to meet and work on projects with so many interesting customers from differing backgrounds and cultures. I have learnt many of life’s lessons from my customers.
SIMON GREW

Grew & Co
FEBRUARY 2015

Knowing the work I create day in, day out has the potential to last generations.
HAMPAR ARZUMAN

Baguette Diamond Setting
MARCH 2017

It’s my family’s profession- my brothers, cousins are all jewellers. It’s important for me to continue that legacy.
KOSTA THEOCHARI

MDTdesign
MARCH 2018

Remaking customers’ old pieces into something new and modern, and giving their old stones a new look!
DEAN HARRISON

Ringleaders
MAY 2017

The idea of being able to travel the world.

 

Worst part of the job:
LAURA PIVOVAROFF

Wishart Jewellers
MAY 2018

Cleaning customer’s jewellery that’s never been taken off.
DAN SHADWICK

Shadwick’s Fine Jewellery
DECEMBER 2017

When people lick their finger to take off a ring and then expect you to hold out your hand to receive it with a smile on your face. Also, nose studs!
JENNA O’BRIEN

Pilkington Jewellers/Jenna O’Brien Jewellery
AUGUST 2015

Never being able to have nice nails (ha!).
DIKRAN MANJIAN

Manjian Design Works
MAY 2015

No ‘undo’ button.
IAN MURRAY

Ellissi
OCTOBER 2016

Polishing the big stuff like candlesticks. Luckily, I don’t have to do that anymore!

 

Best tip from a jeweller:
PAUL HOGAN

Hofstays House of Diamonds/Hogans Family Jewellers
AUGUST 2017

When the pressure builds and stress levels are running high, remember it’s just jewellery not brain surgery.
JAMES TYLER

James Tyler Jewellery
JULY 2016

The best advice about jewellery did not come from a jeweller but rather my father who said: “Make it as good on the parts you don’t see as the ones you do.”
JADE PFEIFFER

Peter W Beck
APRIL 2015

Treat the engraver for bright cutting and hand engraving “like an aeroplane landing” – smooth and gliding across the surface of the metal, not straight down digging it out.
BRETT STEWART

Brett Stewart Jewellery
MARCH 2016

Every jeweller will have something to teach you.
VICK NACKASHIAN

Vick Nackashian Fine Jewellery
NOVEMBER 2016

Practise and patience make perfection.
FERDINAND WOOLLEY

FW Jewellers
JUNE 2017

Doing a job is like buttoning up your shirt: if you don’t do it right at the start, it won’t come out right in the end.
GRAHAM TIGHE

Tighe Jewellery Studio
NOVEMBER 2017

Never rush when you’re setting.

 

Best tip to a jeweller:
STELIOS PALIOUDAKIS

Stelios Jewellers
OCTOBER 2017

Uncle Jimmy says there is nothing Blu Tack can’t fix.
LAUREN CUMMING

Jewellery by Lauren
SEPTEMBER 2017

Keep good communication with the customer.
LINDA SMITH

Braun/Linela Fine Jewellery
JUNE 2015

Always pass on skills and knowledge to keep our trade alive. Without this many specialist skills will become permanently lost.
HRATCH GHARIBIAN

AJ Jewellery and Diamond Setter
MAY 2016

Finish the inside of a setting with a high-polish before setting the stone. That way the setting will give the diamond full reflection and extra life.
GEOFF BROWN

Geogem
JULY 2015

Putting in the long hours at the beginning of your career will pay off.
MARION SCHWEITZER

Marion Schweitzer Jewellers
APRIL 2017

Be passionate about your job and aim to be the best at what you do.
PAUL BLIGH

Peter W Beck
DECEMBER 2015

When working with platinum, keep the metal cool as this will make for an easier working product.

 

 


Sunday, 19 August, 2018 09:43pm































Search for Gemstones – Kunzite
The stars of my bench The stars of my bench Reviewed by Unknown on August 19, 2018 Rating: 5

At the Show: New equipment, tools and services

August 19, 2018






Fairs and Events


Posted August 16, 2018 |


Many exhibitors at the trade show offer products other than jewellery. Here are some of the services and installations on offer at the IJF this year.

Picture perfect

PicUp Media is a Sydney-based company offering retailers products to photograph and market collections in the bricks-and-mortar.

Exhibiting at Booth A20, the company will premiere its GemLightbox, which can be used to transform the most humble workshop into a professional photography studio.

GemLightbox is a revolutionary lighting environment used to create beautiful reflections, shiny metals and amazing faceted stones. The plug and play jewellery photography lightbox system is designed for simplicity, convenience and consistency.

Flexible Precision

Rapid Casting has been in the CAD/CAM and casting game for a while now, and offers jewellers fast turnaround service using modern technologies that will be showcased in demonstrations.

One of the latest products from Asiga, the Max X, is the company’s highest resolution jewellery production system. The machine offers reconfigurable resolution of 27, 35 or 43 microns and has capabilities across jewellery, dental and audiology.

Rapid Casting utilises the Max X’s capabilities to construct customised casts that can stem from sketches, magazine images and company logos into 3D digital models, before a cast is rendered using the Asiga. The Sydney-based company is an authorised reseller of the Asiga range, for those jewellers interested in joining the 3D casting revolution.

Jewellery Institute set to shine

Taking up a prime position at the Sydney Fair, the Jewellery Institute of Australia (JIA) is sure to draw crowds with its demonstration shows across the program.

JIA founder Gabriel Owens said with the help of IJF’s Gary Fitz-Roy, the Institute’s vision to share knowledge and demonstrate skills would come to fruition. The education provider will host an hour-long demonstration of the GRS Pneumatic machine from 11:00am and again at 2:00pm.

Demonstrations will include how to hand engrave and diamond set while the exhibitor’s 55-inch flat screen television will project the fine details to visitors.

“Last year was a great show for us, and our booth received high attention from visitors. Everyone was stopping by and watching our screen, and they were amazed how the engraving and setting is done with our new techniques using a microscope and the GRS machines,” Owens said.

“We are one of five schools in the world that teach these techniques. GRS Russia, Alexandre School in Belgium, Jura School for diamond setting in The Netherlands, and the GRS training centre in USA are the only other providers of this training. We are putting Australia back on the map again for high skills, for diamond setting and hand engraving and have students coming from the USA, UK and South Korea.”

Pearl Masterclass Voyage

Cygnet Bay Pearls will be at the Fair just before its inaugural Australian Pearl Masterclass Voyage on Monday 27 August.

The weeklong trip officially launches at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney with a cocktail event to honour the winners of the 2018 Australian Pearl Jewellery Design Masters.

Guests are then taken to the Central Coast to Broken Bay Pearl Farm where they can witness firsthand the harvesting of Akoya pearls. The voyage then takes guests across the country to Broome and the Kimberley where Australia’s historic pearl festival, Shinju Matsuri is in full swing. The Masterclass Voyage also coincides with the annual Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm Harvest Festival.

Managing director of Cygnet Bay Pearls James Brown created the experience to offer a unique opportunity for jewellers and jewellery enthusiasts to gain an in-depth understanding of the Australian Pearl.

“After 70 years in the industry, these master classes will reflect the culmination of my family’s learning and love of the story of the Australian Pearl,” he said.

“We are committed to sharing this little known, yet great story and hope that a little bit of our passion rubs off on all who join us on this voyage.”

Enmore to entice

TAFE NSW Design Centre is bringing its ‘polished’ theme to the IJF.

Students from the Enmore campus will display their jewellery at the Fair with a range of staff on site to discuss the courses and opportunities the college has to offer.

The students will have a chance to showcase their skilled craftsmanship, refined and balanced pieces- both traditionally and contemporarily resolved, aesthetically innovative approaches and their high standard of professionalism.

Gases to go

Power10 Gases is a supplier of industrial gases used in jewellery manufacturing and will be on site at booth C53.

Power10 supplies acetylene, mig, tig, and oxygen gases, the last of which is most commonly used by jewellers. The company provides businesses with their own cylinders so they can cut down on the ongoing costs of rentals.

In recycling cylinders once they are empty, businesses only need purchase the gas, saving on the cost of cylinders while preventing landfill. Power10 Gases delivers direct in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

 


Sunday, 19 August, 2018 09:28pm































Search for Lost Wax Casting Machines
At the Show: New equipment, tools and services At the Show: New equipment, tools and services Reviewed by Unknown on August 19, 2018 Rating: 5
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