RAPAPORT... The 4Cs are not the only things that make a piece of diamond jewelry a sales winner. In an ongoing series, RDR explores the “3Ws” — what’s selling, what’s not and why — by going straight to the people who really know — jewelry retailers. Each month, we ask a sampling of retailers to comment on the important issues that are facing the industry today. Here is what they had to say this month when asked: How do you think the release of the movie “Blood Diamond” will affect your customers and what are you doing to counteract it?
SHARRAN SELIG, OWNER, BILL SELIG JEWELERS, WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT: “I don’t believe it’s going to have a tremendous impact. I hope people take it as the movie that it is. But we have taken steps; we’ve taken the Jewelers of America (JA) information and we’re training our staff to answer any questions about the Kimberley Process (KP), the ‘Blood Diamond.’
“We’re trying to take the high road as far as explaining all of the good things that diamonds have done because I think that’s a better way. We all know that there have been certain bad things associated with diamonds; that is just a fact. And I think by explaining all of the good things that we do….You can’t stick your head in the mud and pretend it’s not out there, but I think you can try to take a positive attitude.
“On our website, we have put a link to the JA site for the explanation of conflict diamonds. So, we’re trying to be proactive about it. There’s been a lot of information out already. I’ve seen the previews already on the news. And we have not had even one person ask about it yet. So I think it’s a story and I’m hoping that is how the majority of people see it.”
KAREN ROBINSON, OWNER, LARSEN’S JEWELRY STORE, KIMBALL, NEBRASKA: “We’re in a small farming community and I’m not entirely sure that movie will hit our theater during the Christmas holidays or not. It could, and will, of course, be in surrounding areas. I don’t think that with the other issues that have come before that we have had any comment on it at all. Our customers might ask questions, but I don’t think it will keep them from buying diamonds. We’re following the Jewelers of America suggestions in our answers should they ask.”
DONINE DROUARE, DIAMOND BRIDAL BUYER, TAPPER’S DIAMONDS AND FINE JEWELRY, WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN: “As to whether it will have a negative effect, that’s a tough question. In the past, there’s been talk about it and we still haven’t had customers coming in here by the droves, asking, ‘Is this a conflict-free diamond?’ Just an occasional one, here and there. I think it will bring more awareness and we have already taken steps. Our marketing department designed a brochure we can hand out to the customers that says ‘Peace of Mind’ on the front and explains about conflict diamonds and the Kimberley Process and what we have done to ensure that we are in compliance and that the diamonds they are purchasing are conflict free. We have the brochure on display on our diamond counter.
“The question is, will the audience grab onto the fact that this is something that did happen in the past, or are they going to think it’s just a Hollywood movie?”
ELLEN WINGO, OWNER, MAXWELL JEWELERS, WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA: “We don’t really feel that it’s going to have an impact at all. We haven’t had anyone mention it or mention that they’ve even heard about it. In case they do, we’ve read up on all the jeweler magazines — every article that we’ve seen about it — read what they’ve had to say and what kind of response you can give to your customers if they have any concerns. That’s about all that we’re going to do. We don’t really see that there’s going to be a very big impact.”
JERRY GAUSE, PRESIDENT, GAUSE & SON JEWELERS, OCALA, FLORIDA: “I haven’t seen the movie, but I have seen the trailers for the movie. I don’t think it’s going to impact our business in the slightest. I think we’re making a big issue over nothing. It’s been going on for hundreds of years. We are proactive; we’ve already done things. The companies we deal with give us letters and we don’t buy diamonds from anybody who does business in that area. We’ve written letters about that and trained our people on what to say to people and they’re quite well aware of what’s going on. I doubt we’ll have any requests at all, except for somebody who’s seen the movie and asks ‘What do you think of the movie?’
“In reality, there’s really no way in the world that anybody can be assured that those aren’t blood diamonds, when you get right down to it. They were saying the same thing about Tanzanite at some point. But, yes, we have been proactive to make sure our people were aware of it. In case anybody asks if we buy blood diamonds, the answer is ‘No, we don’t.’ We buy from reputable firms that believe and have written knowledge that these aren’t conflict diamonds.”
GARY J. LONG, PRESIDENT, GARY J. LONG JEWELERS, STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA: “That’s probably a really good question. None of us has seen the movie as yet and this event happened two years ago. I’m probably more positive about what customers will think than negative. Some might say, ‘Oh, this is going to kill business,’ and it certainly won’t help, that’s for sure, but we’ve already instituted the Kimberley Process requirement on all of our diamond vendors. And we have all of the documentation to show customers. And even when that conflict was going on over there, I had maybe one person asking me ‘Are these conflict diamonds?’ With the movie coming out and the high profile it’s going to have, we’ll probably get some more questions. But it goes back to that there’s a 2 or 3 percent chance of having conflict diamonds and I always look at it as that’s a 98 percent chance the diamond isn’t and that’s if we didn’t take any measures. “I don’t think we’re going to have a part where our business goes to absolutely nothing. I think there might be some challenges, and some opportunities to straighten people out. We’re members of AGS (American Gem Society) and they sent out a little blurb on how to answer customer questions and I think that JA did it, too, and of course, we’ll go through that, but I really don’t think we’re going to have that big of a problem. We’re prepared for anyone who might come in, but at the same time, I don’t think it’s going to affect our sales.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - December 2006. To subscribe click here.