Look Book

14 www.thejewelrybook.com W I N T E R 2 0 18 P U B L I S H E R ' S L E T T E R Publisher's Letter New Year, Fresh Opportunities Welcome to 2018! We are excited to kick it off by casting a spotlight on those in the industry who are experiencing success and by taking a closer look at how they're doing so. Sharing ideas helps to inspire both action and excitement, and the staff at The Jewelry Book wants to help you thrive! To that end, we hope you'll glean a number of takeaways from the design-heavy and action-oriented content in this issue. For starters, watch editor Barbara Palumbo outlines the newest models that coordinate with the 2018 Pantone Color of the Year, Ultra Violet, through similarly colored gem, metal, and leather strap accents. Several question-and-answer profi les with Jane Taylor and Yael Designs offer a peek into the businesses of these distinct design houses, along with a profi le on the cool designs of King Baby. Then there's another wise message from executive Peter Smith, who encourages readers to tackle their toughest jobs fi rst to max- imize profi ts and potential for growth. Finally, a short piece on successful retailer promo- tional ideas from editor Jennifer Heebner helps readers move forward with purposeful and specifi c steps to conquer goals. Meanwhile, the cover story this month features an up-close look at award-winning pearl jewelry maker Baggins. While Baggins has produced fashion-forward styles for upscale merchants for 15 years, the fi rm remains low profi le to let jewelry store owners look like heroes with its well-priced and pretty pearl designs. Pearls are an essential in retailers' cases, but companies like Baggins offer modern interpretations of styles that will be as compelling in 50 years as they are today. Read more about Baggins in Jennifer Heebner's profi le "Luster Effect." In the last issue, I touched on how our industry makes a difference in customers' lives, and now I want to leave you with a note about a current event where one gemstone made a huge statement. At the recently held 2018 Golden Globe Awards, many of the stars wore black clothing as a sign of standing in solidarity against sexual harassment. At the same time, emeralds took center stage as the gem of choice because they signify hope, renewal, and growth. Watching so many women adorned with such amazing emeralds (and lots of other sparkles) goes to show that jewelry speaks for itself. Remember that jewels are not only beautiful but also evoke emotions, and this is what we all need to remember as we assist customers. Emotions are our strongest sales tool! From all of us at TJB, we wish you a safe, happy, healthy, and prosperous year. Eli Jewels NICOLE BROMSTAD

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