Centurion Jewelry by Invitation Only and the American Watch Guild have released the speaker and session line-up for their International Watch Conference at Centurion South Beach. The show will be held Oct. 15-18 at the Lowes Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla.

“The conference program was created from the enthusiastic input of top retailers who are focused on building their watch business through in-store branding and marketing strategy,” said Centurion president Howard Hauben. “We will take a closer look at both highly controversial money-making topics and general education topics for increasing watch sales and profits.”
The invitation-only event will offer nine hours of educational seminars and will be moderated by industry marketing expert Rick Bannerot. 

The schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, Oct. 15:
What’s Selling and Where? An Overview of the American Watch Market
Speaker: Fred Levin, Chief Executive Officer, The LGI Network

How to Select a New Watch Brand
Speakers: Edward Dikes, President, Weston Jewelers, Weston, FL; Gary George Girdvainis, Editor-In-Chief, International Watch Magazine; Pamela Hinton-Parker, former Senior VP of Merchandising  for Little Switzerland; Anthony Siragusa, Vice President, Carl F. Bucherer North America
 
What’s Hot, New and Exciting from Top Watch Manufacturers and Conference Sponsors
Speakers: Ron Stoll, President, Carl F. Bucherer North America; Alfred Terzibachian, General Manager, deLaCour; Jim DeMattei, President, ViewPoint Showrooms, Distributor of Philip Stein Teslar and Toy Watch

Thursday, Oct. 16:
The Timepiece Battleground
Speakers: Jim DeMattei, President, ViewPoint Showrooms, Distributor of Philip Stein Teslar and Toy Watch; Mark Levinson, Owner, Levinson Jewelers, Plantation, FL; Kumar Samtani, Owner, Tropicana Jewelers, Jamaica; Gary George Girdvainis, Editor-In-Chief, International Watch Magazine

How to Market Women’s Watches
Speakers: Sandy Hequin, Owner, Morays Jewelers, Miami, FL; Robin Levinson, Owner, Levinson Jewelers, Plantation, FL; Fred Levin, Chief Executive Officer, The LGI Network

Friday, Oct. 17:
How to Take Advantage of the Trade-In or Vintage Watch Business
Speakers: Jeffrey P. Hess, Owner of Hess Fine Art and President, Ball Watch USA, St. Petersburg, FL

Educating Your Sales Staff on How to Really Sell Watches
Speakers: Terry Sisco, President and Founder, ExSellerate!; Craig Rottenberg, President of family-owned Long’s Jewelers of Massachusetts; Anthony Siragusa, Vice President, Carl F. Bucherer North America

Saturday, Oct. 18:
Quality and Quantity of Distribution of Luxury Watch Brands
Speakers: Rick Bannerot, International Watch Conference Moderator and former 12-year Rolex marketing executive; Alfred Terzibachian, President, deLaCour

How to Professionally Operate a Watch Repair Department, Leading to Greater Profits
Speaker: Ron Stoll, Owner, Stoll & Co., head of Carl F. Bucherer North America 

Does Your Consumer Marketplace Perceive You as an Important Watch Retailer?
Speakers: Doug Bradstreet, Wynn Resorts; Deborah Scarpa, Owner, DJS Advertising

In addition, Robert Naas of Chronos Magazine will be an expert speaker in multiple sessions Wednesday through Friday.

A portion of the proceeds from the Watch Conference will go to the American Watch Guild effort to assist war veterans in becoming professional watch technicians. Along with the International Watch Conference, the Centurion South Beach show offers a collection floor with some 60 top jewelry and watch designers and manufacturers (open October 16 and 17). Invited retailers will also receive up to four nights at host Loews Miami Beach Hotel, on the ocean in the heart of South Beach, as well as complimentary meals, social functions and leisure activities.

For more information about the Watch Conference, call Centurion at 888-427-4697, 516-377-5909, or email hh@centurionjewelry.com.

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