JCK eMonday - November 20, 2006
Dear Reader,
Among the new features at JCKonline are Web logs, better known as blogs. On these pages, JCK editors and industry leaders provide personal commentary and insight about the industry and readers can join in on the conservation. Recent topics include the upcoming "Blood Diamond" movie, jewelry on QVC, and ways to attract a new generation of jewelers. The blogs are updated at least once each day. Our newest blogger is retail jeweler Shanu S. Guliani, CEO of Guliani Fine Jewelry. She's young, smart, passionate, and enthusiastic. She has many fresh ideas that she is willing to share. And she can be found only at JCKonline.com.1. World Jewelry Center Early Supporters Come Together
2. Zale Reports Flat Sales and a Net Loss for the First Quarter
3. Bulgari Reports Strong Third-Quarter Sales
4. Report: High Platinum Prices May Discourage Demand for Jewelry
5. Alan Bell Elected MJSA Chairman
6. WJA in Search of a Shining Star
7. ICA International Poster Competition Call for Entries
8. Moscow Diamond Bourse to Celebrate WFDB Membership with Two-Day Event
9. Whitehall Jewellers Selects GCAL
10. Internet Tool Links Retailers with Wholesalers
For more news and updates, please go to www.JCKonline.com. 1. WORLD JEWELRY CENTER EARLY SUPPORTERS COME TOGETHER
Several jewelry industry leaders who have committed to becoming the first occupants in the proposed mixed use World Jewelry Center came together Tuesday for the second time in less than a month at the site. To read more click here.
2. ZALE REPORTS FLAT SALES AND A NET LOSS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER
Zale Corp. reported a net loss, of $26.4 million for first quarter ended Oct. 31. The Dallas-based company reported sales of $432.5 million compared to $427.6 million for the same period of the previous year, an increase of 1.1 percent. Comparable store sales for the first quarter increased 0.4 percent. To read more click here.
3. BULGARI REPORTS STRONG THIRD-QUARTER SALES
The Bulgari Group third-quarter sales totaled $306.8 million, an increased of 11.2 percent over the previous year at comparable exchange rates (9.6 percent at current exchange rates) when compared with the same period last year. In the first nine months of the year, sales totaled $881.7 million, a 14.1 percent increase at comparable exchange rates (13.1 percent at current exchange rates). To read more click here.
4. REPORT: HIGH PLATINUM PRICES MAY DISCOURAGE DEMAND FOR JEWELRY
Supply and demand for platinum are forecast to reach record levels in both 2006 and 2007, leaving the global market close to balance, precious metals refiner Johnson Matthey Plc said Tuesday. To read more click here.
5. ALAN BELL ELECTED MJSA CHAIRMAN
The Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America welcomed a new chairman and several members to the board of directors, during the organization's 103rd annual meeting. To read more click here.
6. WJA IN SEARCH OF A SHINING STAR
The Women's Jewelry Association Shining Star Award will be presented to a member of each WJA chapter. To read more click here.
7. ICA INTERNATIONAL POSTER COMPETITION CALL FOR ENTRIES
The fourth ICA International Poster Competition, dedicated to colored gemstones, will take place at the ICA Congress, being held in Dubai, May 5-9, 2007. The venue for the Congress is the Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites, part of the Al Murooj complex in Dubai's business district. To read more click here.
8. MOSCOW DIAMOND BOURSE TO CELEBRATE WFDB MEMBERSHIP WITH TWO-DAY EVENT
The Moscow Diamond Bourse will formally celebrate its acceptance as a full member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses during a celebration on Dec. 13 and 14. To read more click here.
9. WHITEHALL JEWELLERS SELECTS GCAL
Gem Certification & Assurance Lab has been selected by Whitehall Jewellers, Inc. to provide diamond certification services for the White Star diamond programs in all Whitehall and Lundstrom Jewelers locations for the 2006 holiday season. To read more click here.
10. INTERNET TOOL LINKS RETAILERS WITH WHOLESALERS
Polygon, a leading online business-to-business Internet marketplace for the jewelry industry, has launched InventoryPower, described by the company as a "technology enabling retailers and wholesalers to integrate to their Web site a professionally designed shopping interface to showcase diamonds online." To read more click here.
That's all for today! Yours,
The Editors of JCK eMonday
