All Jewelry, All the Time

Hedda Schupak -- JCK Online, 10/1/2003 2:00:00 AM

To paraphrase Sally Field's famous Oscar acceptance speech, "They like it! They really like it!" please allow us a moment to indulge in a bit of shameless self-promotion.

Most JCK subscribers know about our plans to enter the consumer publishing market next month with a new magazine called FACETS. FACETS' content will be all about jewelry and watches, and it's targeted to a very qualified audience: 125,000 women, ages 25-65, with household income over $100,000, who have made a significant jewelry and/or watch purchase within the previous year.

Women who love jewelry want to read and learn more about it, just as people who love wine want to read and learn more about wine and people who love golf want to read more about their sport. After all, if there's a magazine for people who love lizards (really—it's called Reptiles), there's room for a magazine for people who love jewelry!

You don't have to take our word for it. Just as JCK insists on objectivity and proof in everything we write in our 134-year-old trade magazine, we wanted to be sure we were on the right track before proceeding with FACETS. So we took 1,000 copies of the FACETS prototype issue that was launched in Las Vegas and sent them to consumers who fit the demographic profile of our subscriber list. Each issue was accompanied by a questionnaire asking readers what they liked and didn't like, and whether they'd want to read a jewelry magazine on a regular basis.

The preliminary results are in: They liked it! They really liked it! We also got quite a few calls from consumers who heard about FACETS in the media, asking where they could buy it.

FACETS also will be sold at selected newsstands and bookstores around the country, and we're developing ways for retail jewelers to introduce their customers to FACETS and further whet their appetites for fine jewelry. After all, it's to your stores that we want FACETS to drive consumers.

We think the time is right for a magazine about jewelry and, in particular, one written by a staff that knows jewelry and watches inside and out—not one produced by accessories editors who occasionally dabble in jewelry.

Why now? First, consumers increasingly want to buy things that have meaning and lasting value. Also, much of our target audience has style and taste and money to spend, but has a hard time finding apparel that's both distinctive and appropriate. Finally, we've planned FACETS' launch for early November so readers have time to get ideas about both what jewelry to wear for holiday festivities and what gifts they'd like to receive.

FACETS isn't just for the holidays. It will be a quarterly, featuring all jewelry, all the time—plus watches, gemology, antique and estate jewelry, celebrities, jeweler profiles, shopping guides, and fashion advice so readers know what's in style and what jewelry goes with it.

FACETS isn't our only big news. On page 108 is an excerpt from the new history of GIA, Legacy of Leadership: A History of the Gemological Institute of America. The author is JCK's own William George Shuster, our senior watch editor and resident history buff. Since GIA's history is closely entwined with JCK, it's fitting that one of JCK's most respected editors be the author of its book. Bill devoted many hours of his own time to the project—interviewing, researching, and writing, giving up evenings, weekends, and vacations to do the thorough job he always does. And fittingly, he will be inducted into GIA's League of Honor later this month. We're very proud of him!

Between Bill's endeavor and FACETS, we've got a lot to be proud of. And we hope you'll like them—we really hope you do!

hschupak@reedbusiness.com