Silver beads found on a sailboat in a Mexicantown; lampwork glass beads worth $100 apop hunted down at US bead fairs;

sterling silver melted down from old Chineselock-boxes unearthed in Hong Kong antiqueshops – these are just some of the treasuresQueensland jewellery designer Renée Blackwellhas discovered on her travels to securematerials for her funky, upmarket accessories.

The trinkets hold as many travel stories asthe jeweller herself – and while Blackwell saysher products sell on merit alone, she concedesthat the exotic tales are “alluring” for customers.

Indeed, painting a picture or telling a storybehind a jewellery piece or range can have far-reaching results for establishing the imageand familiarity of a brand or product. WouldTiffany & Co be such a household name without

its association with Audrey Hepburn andBreakfast at Tiffany’s? Would women stillbelieve Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend if notfor Marilyn Monroe? Spinning a tale about apiece’s craftsmanship and its travels before itlanded in the shop window is an effective wayto convey value to a customer and goes a longway to helping a consumer develop a connectionwith a particular item. It can also set a jewelleryretailer or supplier apart from the pack.

The exotic or local origins of a jewellerypiece can be a boon for a business, particularlyone trying to separate itself from the clothingand accessories industry’s penchant for “fast-fashion” Asian-made products.

Josephine Archer, jewellery manager, KailisAustralian Pearls, says the story of the familybehind the premium brand is an important one

to tell, given that it involves over three decadesof pearl farming history in a beautiful, wild andremote part of the world.

“Many brands are hollow, made up of a logothat fronts a manufactured product,” Archersays. “However, the story of the Kailis brand isbased on beauty, authenticity, naturalness andunique (origins). The fact that each pearl isgrown for over two years on Kailis farms inWestern Australia’s Kimberley region and theNorthern Territory builds appreciation for a veryspecial product of nature.”

Head designer Simon Henderson has theprivilege of being offered a first viewing of specialstones from many suppliers to accompany thepearls from Kailis’ annual harvest, “So only thebest gems and metals are chosen,” Archer adds.“Kailis offers a product that is authentic, unique,

SSPPIINN CCIITTYYTELLING THE STORY BEHIND A JEWELLERY PIECE IS A SURE-FIRE WAY TO INSTILL EMOTION INTO

ANY SALES DIALOGUE, HEIGHTENING CUSTOMER ATTACHMENT. CARLA CARUSO REPORTS.

Jeweller / April 2008 41

{ Stories behind the jewels }

desired and not highly accessible.” Of these,the latter is of highest importance.

As managing director of James ThredgoldJeweller and Chez Jewels in Adelaide, JamesThredgold goes to great lengths to detail thehistory of the Kailis brand in his store advertisingcampaigns. “Not everyone can have access tonames such as Kailis Australian Pearls orArgyle Diamonds,” he says.

In putting the spotlight on hisstore’s exclusivity – and thecraftsmanship and quality of hisproducts – Thredgold counteractsthe sizeable discounting of someof the bigger chains. “People arerealising that price isn’t everything;having something of quality that isspecially crafted for them in an emotionalsituation is valuable,” Thredgold says.

Simeon Caric uses a similar philosophy foriOpal, the boutique jewellery house where heis a gem broker and senior partner: “Some ofthe opals have an age of thousands of years.It’s important to convey this to the customerso that they understand how unique andprecious the jewellery is that they arepurchasing. Telling the story and conveyinghow unique a piece is: this drives our marketingand PR campaigns. Our pieces are not commodities to be found anywhere else.”

Lisa Cimmino, fashion commentator andretail lecturer at TAFE SA, says storytellingshould be a vital ingredient in any sales pitch.“A good salesperson should have a soundknowledge of a product’s origins, preciousness,materials, manufacturing, care needs and howit will impact the end user.”

A good story could also counteract the bad,like in the instance of the Blood Diamond film,which deals in the business of conflict diamondsand jewellery stores priding themselves onconflict-free diamonds. “Selling the benefits ofyour brand – and why a customer should buyyour jewellery over someone else’s – is win-win.The customer will feel at ease buying somethingthat they know has not got anyone hurt in theprocess and the jeweller will get sales,”Cimmino says.

Glenda Brunt, director of Adelaide-basedBell and Brunt Manufacturing JewellerySpecialists, agrees entirely, adding that aninformed customer is also a happy customer.The store uses only Russian and Belgium-cutdiamonds, which she describes as the best inthe world.

“Some customers come armed with lots ofinformation – some correct and some incorrect– and it is important to set them straight,”

Brunt says. “When a client comes into ourworkshop, we ask if they have been in beforeand do they know anything regarding stones. Ifthey have little knowledge, we give them aquick lesson in what to look for. There are a lotof diamond owners who would have preferreda better-quality diamond, but wereunequipped with the correct information atthe time of purchase and are now upgrading.”

Letting a consumer know of a jewellery

piece’s origins and value is a huge part of thestorytelling, whether materials are sourced fromexotic, far-flung locations or closer to home.

Caric, who grew up in the South Australianopal mining town of Coober Pedy, saysAustralia is a veritable “treasure island” and

this fact should be promoted. His brand,iOpal, sources 95 per cent of its materials

from home. “Australia has the rarestand most sought-after precious gemsand commodities in the world: South

Sea pearls from Broome, Argylediamonds, precious opals and

Kalgoorlie gold. There is absolutelyno reason to look abroad,” he says.

The down-under origin of Caric’sproducts has helped him to lure buyers fromthe US, UK, Germany, Japan and the UnitedArab Emirates. “Our overseas clients arefascinated with Australian gems, particularlythe opal. They are very interested in the regionit was mined, the terrain and remoteness ofCentral Australia.”

Archer believes the consumer often doesn’tfully comprehend the pearl category, particularlyoutside of Australia, so painting a picturehelps. “Many don’t understand the differencebetween Akoya, South Sea and freshwaterpearls or the regions that produce them,” shesays. “Our Australian South Sea pearls sit atthe top end of the market, due to their size,shape, lustre and colour.

“Educating the consumer on pearl varietiesbuilds an appreciation for the Australian SouthSea pearl, which is an important part of theconsumer appreciating value over price,” Archercontinues. Education enables the customer to buywith confidence and make informed decisions.”

Blackwell adds that some of her favouritesemi-precious stones are also from Australia –bright green chrysoprase, lemon-greenprehnite, striped ribbon stone, and a serpentinewith stichtite running through it found in a smalltown in Tasmania. She describes it as “an avocadogreen stone, with blotches of purple”.

{ Stories behind the jewels }

42 Jeweller / April 2008

“PEOPLE ARE REALISINGPRICE ISN’T EVERYTHING;HAVING SOMETHINGOF QUALITY, SPECIALLYCRAFTED IN AN EMOTIONAL SITUATIONIS VALUABLE.”JAMES THREDGOLD, MANAGINGDIRECTOR, JAMES THREDGOLDJEWELLER & CHEZ JEWELS

Educating a customer about a piece canalso help to create a sense of ownership,according to Venessa Kovarskis, designer,Kovarskis Collection Sacred Jewellery.

“Sentimental value often far outweighs anymonetary value placed on an object,” shesays. “It may be that the stone was sourcedfrom a place in the world where a customerhas a strong connection, or that the propertiesof the stone represent feelings that the customer is trying to convey to a loved one.For example, an Australian pink diamond holdsproperties that symbolise love, emotion andmatters of the heart – why propose withanything else?

Attaching interesting stories to a piece or rangecan also be an easy way for a new business togenerate some attention, as ChristiannaHeideman, director of Melbourne fashion jewellery label Damselfly, is finding out.

“With so much mass-produced, disposablejewellery flooding the market, customers reallyseem to appreciate it if there is an interestingstory behind a product,” Heidman says. “Weoften find being an Australian company is anadvantage as well, when approaching overseasclients. We always incorporate information inour catalogues and press releases in regardsto the origins of our products and that theyare all handcrafted in Australia.”

Heideman acknowledges another morepractical reason behind the storytelling –information on a product’s origins andcraftsmanship can help a consumer to carefor it. “Care instructions are always important,particularly when dealing with handcraftedjewellery. We generally present thisinformation on the swing tags or on care cards sold with the piece.”

According to Sydney public relations andmarketing firm Sweaty Betty, whose jewelleryclients include Nomination and Chelsea de Luca,a good story behind a label makes marketingsense. “I think people want to know about thematerials used, how it is crafted and how thecollection came about,” says Sweaty Bettypublicist Michelle Smith. “This is newsworthyand people respond well to unique designsand unique creations.

“Education, however, should be subtle,”Smith warns. “No one wants to be lectured.”

Kovarskis says ways to provide in-storevisual imagery for customers include signage,reference material or plaques outlining thesignificance of relevant pieces. Stefano Trigatti,designer of Trigatti and Co Couture Jewelleryin Adelaide, goes one step further, providing acertificate with each of his handcrafted pieces

that states the origin of the materials, as wellas their cutting location and end design – thelatter is always Australia.

Blackwell has story cards for some of herpieces that explain the origins of each component.“It’s extra work, but it’s nice to provide,” she says.

It seems storytelling is an intrinsic feature ofgood retailing and marketing. Letting peopleknow how your brand stands apart from the rest– whether it be through the use of high-qualitymaterials from exotic locations or that the jewellery is handcrafted and not mass-produced – can do well to highlight yourpoints of difference.

While aesthetics obviously play a major partin a consumer’s decision to buy, telling a storycan also help to lure a customer and secure

that connection between the object and buyer.And that’s a story worth hearing! �

{ feature }

Jeweller / April 2008 43

IOPAL

Boulder opal necklaceThis striking piece features an Australianboulder opal encased in sterling silver andstrung with fluorite beads from Africa. Itwas designed by Adelaide’s Nicholas Pikeand Meisha Wright. Fresh lines and brilliantcolour were chosen to complement theunique patterns and colours of the opal.

BELL AND BRUNT MANUFACTURINGJEWELLERY SPECIALISTS

Loose diamondsBell and Brunt’s diamondsare all Belgian or Russian-cut and are mostly encasedin white or yellow gold at theAdelaide store. The stones aresourced from a London supplier.

KOVARSKIS COLLECTION SACREDJEWELLERY

Lapis lazuli, iron pyrite and quartz necklaceThis neckpiece incorporates a preciousblue, lapis lazuli stone, sourced fromAfghanistan. Crafted in Adelaide by designerand crystal healing practitioner VenessaKovarskis, who says lapis lazuli bringsheightened intuition for its wearer, ironpyrite provides a protective shield and clearquartz works to amplify both properties.Kovarskis provides a detailed crystallographyreport with each of her pieces.

STORIES BEHIND THESTONES: SUPPLIERSSELLING MORE THANGEMSTONES