Jeffrey Skaret knows how to sell jewelry, having been a line rep for 26 years for brands like Chad Allison, Gellner, and Superfit, among others. So his recent decision to launch his own line in August, with a silent industry partner, shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Skaret’s Navratana Collection features individually numbered, artisan-crafted, rose- and table-cut diamond and silver jewels made in India by a fourth-generation jewelry manufacturer.
Both Skaret and his partner longed to launch their own fashion-forward line to appeal to female self-purchasers, and saw an opportunity to do so in silver because of the high cost of gold and platinum. “We’re really capitalizing on an opportunity from a price-point standpoint as well as a design one because Navratana is big, bold look without the cost of traditional cut diamonds,” Skaret told JCK in a phone interview.
For sure, Navratana is a big fashion look: all 72 of the styles in the launch feature a highly recognizable and traditional Indian-inspired look—specific designs are a collaboration between Skaret and his partner, and the manufacturer. The line’s name, too, is inspired by Indian culture: in India, Navratna jewelry refers to talismans featuring nine gemstones with astrological significance.
Some 19 jewelry stores have already placed orders, and first shipments mail this week. “We are hitting a price point and a look that is not being served in the market, and jewelers can make a three-time markup,” adds Skaret.
Jeffrey Skaret, co-owner, Navratana, Chicago; 877-422-0470; jskaret@msn.com
Signature Style and Inspiration
Rose-cut diamonds and natural gemstones set in blackened silver. Designs are Indian-inspired, raw and organic looking, and serve as a big, bold, affordable diamond fashion look.
Materials Used
Black rhodium-plated .925 silver with rose- and table-cut diamonds
Retail Price Range
Triple key retail prices range from $500 to $12,000
Country of Production
India
Number of Accounts to Date
Nineteen, including Hyde Park Jewelers, Tivol, and JB Hudson
Tradeshow Exhibits
Applying to Luxury by JCK
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