The Plumb Club’s Podcast

A Jewelers Guide to Vermeil

Ever since 18th century, France, vermeil has been popular for providing consumers and retailers with a variety of benefits. Of course, the high perceived value in the look of solid gold in only one of the many features, which include attainable price points, heightened durability, hypoallergenic properties and resistance to both wear and tarnish. Victor Weinman of Original Designs (ODI Jewelry) provides retailers with a complete understanding of this product category, its best manufacturing practices and low maintenance care. ODI is a member firm of the Tache Alliance, a group of leading diamonds and fine jewelry companies operating in 20 countries on five continents.

Pearls are Poised for Retailer Success

Pearls are not only on-trend, they are an excellent and saleable product category that allows retailers to reach desired price points, attract new emerging market customers and grow traditional market share with a continuous supply of bridal customers. Kathy Grenier and Lauren Basler of Imperial Pearl help listeners identify new pearl trends, new potential customers and new ways to reach out to the traditional market segment. Imperial Pearl is the pre-eminent global source, not only for the finest pearls crafted by nature’s hand, but also for the most beautiful classic and contemporary pearl jewelry crafted by the hand of man.  

Gifting Opportunities Beyond Bridal

Although many retailers focus on the bridal category, the year holds a variety of opportunities for jewelry gifting that can be taken advantage of grow profits and long-term clients. Amish Shah of ALTR takes the listener through the many gifting opportunities and how these interactions can improve the lifetime of a customer. He demonstrates how to create value and how to express it. Additionally, he provides insights into the importance of personalization and consumer experiences, both online and in store. ALTR is a vertically aligned company with a global presence spanning 250 retail stores across 35 countries.

Navigating Today's Gold Market

Gold!! One of the industry’s core products, the object of legend and myth has been rising in price for some time. How can a retailer successfully navigate this core product during changing times? Phillip Maroof, vice president of Royal Chain discusses the gold market, gold’s incredible history, as well as the gold situation today. He speaks about consumer perception and trends in gold product and provides retailers with ideas on “buying smarter”. Royal Chain is a third-generation, family-owned company located in the heart of NYC. The company is committed to the success of the jewelry industry and it’s family of retailers.

Runway to Retail: How Fashion/Consumer Trends Shape What's Next

What happens on the runways creates an impact on what consumers buy. Jessica Richards from SDC discusses how to translate the big ideas into winning marketing strategies at retail. She gives the listener an overview on the runway trends that influence fine jewelry and provides insight into what consumers will be looking for during the holiday season and beyond. Listeners will gain thoughtful approaches to “storytelling” and discover merchandising opportunities around what’s new, what’s next, and what’s evergreen. SDC Designs is a leading designer, manufacturer and wholesaler of fine jewelry specializing in private label and designer brands.

Charm School: Building Repeat Business with Collectible Jewelry

Today's consumers, especially younger ones, want to purchase jewelry that reflects who they are as individuals. On behalf of Plumb Club Member Rembrandt Charms, we discuss how collectible fine jewelry can attract new customers, encourage repeat sales and deepen customer relationships. Rembrandt Charms is a family-owned company that has been designing and manufacturing charms and charm bracelets in the United States and Canada for over 50 years in a wide range of precious metals. Rembrandt Charms products are covered by a Lifetime Warranty.

How to Optimize Your Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is now the most important way to drive consumer traffic and jewelry sales. On behalf of Plumb Club Member EMA Jewelry, Cheryl Kremkow speaks with Eric Samson of Group 8A, a New York-based agency that specializes in data-driven online marketing. He shares effective strategies and actionable tips for maximizing reach and getting the most return for the marketing budget. EMA Jewelry is a leading manufacturer of quality gemstone and diamond jewelry at a variety of price-points that offers great value and high turns. EMA has a lot of experience helping its retail customers sell more jewelry online, including handling their ecommerce merchandising and fulfillment.

The Next Generation: Innovations, Politics and Emerging Markets

There are many elements that are shaping the jewelry industry today! Technological innovations, political and economic climates, as well as a number of emerging markets. In this podcast, key personnel from Plumb Club Member KGS Jewels explore the elements that are creating an impact on the industry. They provide an understanding of how these factors are creating shifts and they suggest several strategies to help retailers stay ahead of the trends, meeting evolving consumer expectations and position themselves as leaders in their particular market. KGS Jewels, established in 1998, is a family-owned and operated diamond and jewelry manufacturing company with a global presence in the jewelry industry.

Maximize Your Vendor Partnerships

Ensuring that you have a supportive business partner in your vendor is the glue that holds that relationship together and one of the cornerstones of a retailer’s success. There are many ways in which the perfect vendor can support a retailer’s success, with product and services that extend across every tactic from analysis and insights, to proper merchandise assortment for your specific region or target customer, to marketing support in advertising or social media elements. Wendy Fox and Laura Bronkesh of Richline group discuss the importance of finding a trusted vendor and provide examples and suggestions on the many tools that a supplier can provide to help ensure a retailer is successful. Richline Group, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. and the USA’s foremost fine jewelry manufacturer and marketer.

Unlocking AI For Marketing

Confused about getting started with Artificial Intelligence? AI is transforming jewelry marketing, going beyond buzzwords to showcase practical applications. AI-powered personalization tailors product recommendations and marketing messages, boosting customer engagement and conversions. AI-powered chatbots handle customer inquiries, freeing your team for higher-value tasks. Rick Mulholland from Continental takes the listener through how AI can identify trends, optimize pricing strategies and inform critical business decisions. Further he discusses how AI can help with a variety of tasks such as product descriptions, social media posts and design concepts. Continental is one of the largest jewelry manufacturers in the world with an extensive and varied range of jewelry to suit every customer.