This week … Three separate surveys agree: Jewelers are having a good Christmas … Diamond ads: Cheesy? Or cheesy but effective? … Saturday Night Live mocks Swarovski … all below …
Happy Holiday?
InStore says jewelers having better holiday than expected.
– National Jeweler agrees.
– So does Centurion.
– NJ finds silver sales up.
– Some cool quotes about holiday shopping.
– 80 percent of shoppers not even done yet.
JCK grades the holiday jewelry commercials.
– The Atlantic calls jewelry ads “sexist.”
J.C. Penney’s 2012 report card.
– Retailer bringing back discounts, coupons.
– CEO is WWD’s “Newsmaker of the Year.”
– Penney, Sears, Kohl’s singled out as retail losers.
Zale loses discrimination suit.
What big retailers got from De Beers class action settlement.
De Beers develops device to detect synthetic melee.
– Other interesting facts from De Beers’ “Diamonds” presentation.
– Company to let best auction buyers apply to become sightholders.
– Avi Krawitz: New policy could lead to “inflated demand.”
– CEO Mellier, Varda Shine to address DMIA.
Half Empty/Half Full
– U.S. consumers still love diamonds—mostly.
– Asian diamond buyers like diamonds for investment aspect.
– Head of Namibian DTC: Next year will be “challenging.”
– IDMA president says diamond business is “under threat.”
Graff buys back 50 ct. diamond for the third time.
PPR acquires Chinese jewelry firm.
– Financial Times blog reads the tea leaves.
Indians worried Israelis might eat away at rough dominance.
– Diamond Dealers Club scores with “Israel Week.” (Release.)
Motley Fool breaks down Blue Nile’s books.
Record $83 million in counterfeit watches seized.
Zimbabwe govt. again decrying low diamond prices.
– The Africa Report on Marange diamonds.
South Africa “unlikely” to strengthen Kimberley Process.
– Panama joins the KP.
The Independent: New conflict diamonds in Central African Republic?
Can Botswana sparkle without diamonds?
DTC Botswana marketing head moves on.
Edahn Golan says “Remember life.”
SUV crashes into jewelry store, owner saved by dog. Amazing story.
Worried Republicans stocking up on gold coins.
– Metal investors cash in in advance of Mayan apocalypse.
Gold coin dropped in Salvation Army kettle.
The $4.2 million gold-covered Christmas tree.
Media Watch:
– Saturday Night Live spoofs Swarovski ad.
– Inter Press Service on Israel and the diamond industry.
– Bloomberg on the jewelry industry’s lack of brands.
– Minneapolis TV station on how to buy diamonds.
From the Blog:
2012 Report Card: J.C. Penney.
Five Noteworthy Facts from De Beers’ Diamonds Presentation.
Holiday Jewelry Commercial Roundup
What the Big Jewelry Chains Got From the De Beers Antitrust Settlement.
The Diamond Five
5 Diamond-Inspired Modern Pop Songs.
Have a great weekend ….
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