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 random sampling of retailers from around the country to comment on the important issues that are facing the industry today. Here is what they had to say when asked: Do you stock goods from India and why? Is quality or price the determining factor?
BRAD KOEN, CO-OWNER, JOE KOEN & SON JEWELERS, AUSTIN, TEXAS:
“Some of our companies that are not based out of India, but do have manufacturers in India, will sell us jewelry and it’s usually because the price range to make it, they tell us, is less expensive and the prices of the diamonds and the manufactured pieces are typically less expensive. It’s usually great quality or the same as most people’s.”
GARY SAETTELE, co-owner, SAETTELE JEWELERS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI:
“I had some experience with Indian diamond goods several years ago and my exposure to them did not impress me. However, I do not have that much experience with Indian goods in today’s market. I would certainly be open to give them another look. But, I don’t currently buy Indian goods.”
RONALD TALLEY, PRESIDENT, TALLEY JEWELERS, WALDORF, MARYLAND:“We have a few pieces, not a lot, that are made in India. What we have is made fairly well. However, I’ve seen stuff that’s come in here for repairs that’s made in India that wasn’t made as well. But it’s just like anything else. You’re going to have some where the quality is going to be there and some where it isn’t — it doesn’t matter where it comes from. You just have to look at the quality from each manufacturer that you deal with. Price was a factor with the pieces we stock — we have it to sell a price point.”
BILL WEXLER, CO-OWNER, DESUMMA AND WEXLER, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA:
“As far as the loose goods [from India], I don’t stock them. It’s a matter probably of quality. And in terms of finished pieces [manufactured in India], we don’t sell them either. In my store, I sell a little better quality and I find that these are lesser qualities.”
RANDY RANDALL, CO-OWNER, HIGHT AND RANDALL, ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA:
“We do not stock goods made in India. And primarily, it’s probably the quality issue that’s the greatest one. We do stock stones occasionally that come from India. And there are some Indian dealers we work with for melee and that type of thing. But anything larger than melee, we don’t generally deal with them. For the melees, it’s primarily the price point and there’s typically a greater breadth of selection as opposed to our other domestic sources.”
LUCY ZIMMERMAN, OWNER, ROMAN JEWELERS
FLEMINGTON, NEW JERSEY:
“We do not stock anything in jewelry made in India; however, we do stock melee diamonds that are cut in India. You can find very well-cut, high-quality melee at better prices that is India cut. The reason that we don’t stock jewelry is because of quality and also styling. We haven’t seen any lines that really represent American style very well.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - October 2007. To subscribe click here.