Jewelery Report Meena

Jewelry

Jewelry is a type of accessory that includes necklaces, rings, bracelets,watches, and earrings. Jewelry is designed for men, women, and children and can be made from a variety of different materials including Silver, Gold, Metal, and Wood.

Fast Facts 1. Dates back 100,000 years 2. The name originates from the Latin word jocale meaning plaything

3. Began with materials made from bone, teeth, and shell 4. Considered a symbol of wealth and artistic display 5. Can incorporate beads, stones, gems, and diamonds

History of Jewelry While the formation of beads are an example of a type of jewelry about 100,000 years ago, the first known jewelry pieces were worn by the Cro-Magnons about 40,000 years ago. The pieces were made of bone and teeth and were worn as necklaces and earrings to show tribal membership and serve as protection. From there the Egyptians also created jewelry, evolving it with the use of gold and metals to symbolize power and wealth. The Greeks continued in that evolution with the use of beading and soon mastered the art of working with pearls and gemstones such as amethyst.

Types of Gemstones ○

Diamonds

○ Emerald ○ Opal ○

Pearls

○ Sapphire ○

Ruby

○ Topaz

The industry of jewellery has flourished in the past few years due to the increased demand of fashionable jewellery. The export and import of jewellery has also amplified. People nowadays have a passion for jewellery which accounts for the growth of this industry all over the world. Jeweler is used for fashion as well as decoration. In the past jewellery was used to adorn bible monuments and other decorations were made using different pieces of valuable jewels. A wide variety of jewellery is available; costume jewellery, fashion jewellery, body jewellery, antique jewellery, traditional jewellery, modern jewellery and many more.

Industry Overview The retail jewelry industry is comprised of five main segments: bridal jewelry (30%), fashion jewelry (22%), watches (18%), precious stones (15%) and precious metals (15%). Bridal jewelry, the only “necessary” component of jewelry retail, is less influenced by economic conditions than fashion jewelry, which is considered a luxury good. The category of watches generally includes clocks as well as most jewelry repairs. Precious metals include gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Precious stones come in over 130 varieties, around 50 of which are commonly sold by retail jewelers. The retail jewelry industry is highly fragmented, with the top ten jewelry chains comprising less than 25 percent of the market. No retailer claims more than 6 percent market share. Chains are prevalent in the industry, though independent retailers are firmly rooted throughout. Annual jewelry store sales run about $27 billion; wholesalers and manufacturers account for an additional $27 billion in sales. There are nearly 50,000 stores engaged in jewelry retail, and the industry employs approximately 200,000 individuals. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the country. Next is Zale, the biggest specialty jeweler with over 2,000 stores and kiosks. U.S. retailers account for 15 percent of worldwide sales in the industry. Jewelry sales are both seasonal and cyclical in nature. A full 40 percent of revenue is generated in the fourth quarter, and 25 percent of annual jewelry sales occur in December alone. Overall sales can be affected by mineral availability, fashion trends, environmental regulations and international

tariffs. Gold, silver, platinum and palladium are all exchangeable commodities, and fluctuations in market price directly affect sales volume. .

Ten Largest Jewelry Retailers Wal-Mart The nation’s largest jewelry retailer—is now upgrading its jewelry presentation since starting jewelry operations in its Sam’s Club division.

Zale Corporation

Has recently realigned executive and divisional management teams, revamped merchandising programs and is currently integrating Piercing Pagoda into its retail business.

Sterling Jewelers

Has recently consolidated with Kay Jewelers and is further expanding its Jared the Galleria of Jewelry superstore format.

Sears, Roebuck and Company

Sears continues to have stable jewelry sales.

Finlay's Fine Jewelry

Reached one billion dollars in sales in the year 2000 and 1,000 retail stores.

J.C. Penney

Although J.C. Penney continues to struggle, they have brought in a new CEO and are planning to expand their private label business.

QVC

Although known for television sales, QVC has recently entered into an agreement with Target to sell QVC’s signature Diamonique Jewelry, and has opened QVC @ The Mall, in the Mall of America as a prototype for future stores.

Tiffany and Company

Jewelry sales continue to be strong for the luxury retailer.

Service Merchandise

Although the company continues to struggle and has slashed a number of stores, Service Merchandise has recently expanded its jewelry business.

Kmart

Kmart profits have also been down, however its jewelry business has strengthened.

The Top 10 Most Prestigious Jewelry BRAND Earlier this month, New York-based Luxury Institute performed a survey provided to 500 consumers whose net worth’s averaged $15.1 million asking them to rank 20 pre-selected luxury jewelry brands. The consumers were to rank the luxury jewelry designers based on 4 criteria: (1) superior quality (2) uniqueness and exclusivity (3) social status and (4) excellent customer service. The final scores from all 4 criteria were then converted into the institute's Luxury Brand Status index. 1. HARRY WINSTON 8.14 Known around the world, respondents claimed that Harry Winston is the "ultimate for diamond design." The brand finished last year with 18 stores and has plans to more than double its store count. In fact, Harry Winston Diamond Corp President and CEO of Harry Winston Inc stated that the ideal would be between 40 and 45 retail stores worldwide which would allow sales to surpass $1 billion. The opening price for a piece of Harry Winston jewelry is $3,700 for a small pair of diamond earrings with prices skyrocketing into the multimillions. The average sale is between $40,000 and $50,000. 2. BUCCELLATI 8.04 Buccellati is an exclusive luxury jewelry brand; you can't find their jewelry at just any jewelry retail store. In addition, Buccellati jewelry is customized and consumers recognize this. The firm is known for their engraved brushed-gold and platinum jewelry embedded with fine gemstones including rubies, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires. Company president Andrea Buccellati said the Buccellati client is looking for "luxury and exclusivity." 3. VAN CLEEF and ARPELS 8.04 This luxury house is known to have a strong celebrity following with the likes of Marlene Deitrich, Eva Perion, Reese Witherspoon and Maggie Gyllenhaal wearing Van Cleef and Arpels for special events. Last November, the company introduced their high jewelry collection, Ballet Precieux, at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden. The 80 pieces take inspiration from the "Jewels" ballet and features three dance-inspired ranges centered in emeralds, rubies and diamonds. 4. GRAFF 8.01 This London based jewelry house has an average sale of a whopping $400,000. With their Henri Barguirdjian, president and CEO of Graff America, said, "There's more money than every floating around." The company is working to expand its ventures with store openings in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Geneva as well as the long awaited Manhattan flagship boutique designed by Peter Marino. 5. TIFFANY & CO 7.97 As one respondent noted, "It's all about the little blue box." Tiffany is definitely expanding its retail base, particularly in Japan. March 1 will see the opening of Tokyo and Fukuoka boutiques. Last quarter, Tiffany opened six locations including Nagoya Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Hong Kong, London and Mexico City. 6. PIAGET 7.91 As more and more Americans and Europeans buy diamond watches, Piaget is seeing more and more growth. Traditionally known for their diamond watches, Piaget creates diamond jewelry with their diamond studded Hearts & Charms collection and their Limelight collection which features gemstones like purple and pink sapphires. One respondent stated, "Piaget is the Rolls Royce of jewelry." 7. CARTIER 7.9 The Richemont owned jewelry house worked feverishly to open a Cartier boutique in South Africa at the Sandton City Mall. Cartier is hoping to make "the new 2,700-square-foot space a destination store for South Africa and the rest of the sub-Saharan Africa"

reported Womens Wear Daily. A recent favorable change in a Luxemborg tax law may lead to a restructuring, specifically the company may separate its luxury goods operations from its tobacco holdings. 8. CHOPARD 7.89 Chopard has traditionally banked its growth and sales on one-of-a-kind jewelry that sells for millions. They opened their 100th store at 709 Madison Avenue in Manhattan measuring 3,000-square-feet. "This global creation of wealth is affecting us," said Marc Hruschka, Chopard's U.S. president and CEO, "It's a mixture of our traditional shoppers and a new growing-wealth class in the U.S. and globally. Our challenge is to communicate that we're not only a watch brand...People are looking at diamonds as art." Leading ladies of Hollywood like Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Hilary Swank and Charlize Theron have showcased Chopard jewelry. 9. BULGARI 7.87 Bulgari has been experiencing tremendous growth and expansion and recently launced e-commerce on their website. Consumers have access to more than 800 styles including watches, jewelry, leather goods, accessories and gift items. Items range from under $200 to about $38,000. Their recent retail store openings include Tokyo; Boca Raton, Florida; St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Costa Mesa, California. They showed staggering fourth quarter sales for jewelry, which comprises the bulk of Bulgari's core business. Sales rose 14.3 percent to 148.3 million euros ($214.7 million US dollars) which the company says is "outstanding". 10. MIKIMOTO 7.69 While many luxury jewelry houses are specializing in diamonds, Mikimoto has always focused on pearl jewelry. One respondent said, "If you like pearls, this is the best quality." Another respondent said, "The brand pays meticulous attention to detail - I am extremely fond of the Mikimoto pieces I have purchased." Last year, Mikimoto teamed up with Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto to create an exclusive jewelry collection. This joint venture jewelry collection consists of 3 groups with about 20 pieces each.

INDIA SITUATION Indian jewellery industry is a highly regarded industry and earns huge profits through the jewellery exports all over the world. Skillful craftsmen of India make intricate designs of jewellery using gold, silver and other metals. Indian diamond jewellery is also wonderful. Antique jewellery, costume jewellery, body jewellery, temple jewellery, meenakari and Kundan jewellery are some of the famous Indian jewellery categories. Indian bridal collection includes a tremendous range of jewellery articles for the brides and the grooms to make their grand day more interesting and charming. Customers are nowadays very demanding about their jewellery and want to have customized designs of jewellery. They like to have the one they dream of and they take the designs of their own choice to the jewellery shops and ask them to prepare similar designs for them. Colored diamonds are the latest trend this year and the polki style i.e.; uncut diamonds are people’s choice for their jewellery. However, the increase in the prices of gold in recent years has increased more than three times in last two years. This increase has not proved to be much beneficial for the jewellery industry as the customers are switching towards artificial jewellery and imitations. People who used to buy and wear gold jewellery now cannot afford to have gold articles due to their high prices. Imitation jewellery is easily available from the street-side vendors and standalone shops in malls

The Indian jewellery sector is largely unorganised at present. There are over 15000 players across the country in the gold processing industry, of which only about 80 players have a turnover of over US$ 4.15 million (Rs. 200 million). There are about 450,000 goldsmiths spread throughout the country. India was one of the first countries to start making fine jewellery from minerals and metals and even today, most of the jewellery made in India is hand made. The industry is dominated by family jewellers, who constitute nearly 96 percent of the market. Organised players such as Tata with its Tanishq brand and Gitanjali a pioneer in the branded jewellery segment have, however, been growing steadily carving a 4 per cent market share. As

India’s jewellery market matures, it is expected to get more organized and the share of family jewellers is expected to decline.

COMPANY PROFILE:

Cartier Jewelry History Cartier was founded in 1847 in Paris by Louis-Francois Cartier. Cartier began as a retailer of jewelry and objects made by outside manufacturers. When Cartier's son Alfred took over the company in 1874, the firm gradually began repairing and improving existing pieces of jewelry that inspired them to begin designing and manufacturing their own original pieces in the a few decades later. In 1899, the company's move to 13 Rue de la Paix situated the business in the heart of the important jewelry and couturier quarter of Paris. Encouraged by King Edward VII, Cartier opened a branch in London in 1902 managed by Alfred's son Jacques. A royal commission was granted in 1904, followed quickly by commissions from Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, and Greece. These royal commissions helped to solidify Cartier's reputation among the wealthy and famous the world over. A New York branch was opened in 1909 by Alfred's other son, Pierre to better accommodate American millionaires who were a large part of the Cartier market. Until World War I, Cartier maintained close relations with clients in Russia, and the rich and famous of India sought Cartier to design and mount their jewels. Jewelry and accessories were also made as stock inventory items for the stores. Until the 1960s, the Paris, London, and New York branches were part of a single company but were run independently, collaborating whenever necessary. In 1962, the New York branch was sold, followed by the Paris branch in 1965, thus ending the unity. The firm was reunited and reorganized in 1979 as Cartier Monde, and today shops and boutiques featuring Cartier jewelry can be found in cities around the world. Many owners of this luxury jewelry today have fallen upon tougher times, a buyer of this fine jewelry can find discounts using online jewelry auction services that feature both old and new designs.

COMPANY FINANCES Cartier is a family business that has no intention of ever going public. In 1989, President of Cartier International Alain Perrin explained: "I consider a luxury company going public a big risk, unless you need the money to fund an acquisition," adding that "if you are well managed, you can fund your expansion yourself." In 1998 Cartier did in fact expand with its own resources and remained a private company. According to Perrin, the company's annual sales have increased an average of 20 to 25 percent over the past 10 to 12 years, and most sales are in jewelry and watches. It is estimated that the company's annual sales are $120 million. Cartier's high-end jewelry represents about 22 percent of the group's revenues.

STRATEGY Cartier introduces many objects that reflect contemporary ideas and trends, as well as the demands of its exclusive clientele. In 1902 Cartier workshops operated at fever pitch to accommodate orders from royal courts all over the world for the coronation of Edward VII. In 1930, an Indian maharajah bought 250 Cartier clocks and watches and hired someone whose sole responsibility was to keep them all wound. Inspired by a watch that had been damaged in an apparent car wreck, in 1967 Cartier created the Crash Watch, which exhibited a distorted dial and subsequently became a collector's item. The introduction of Cartier's Tank Française Watch in 1996 prompted watchmaker Jean-Charles de Castelbajac to say, "If all tanks were made by Cartier, we would have the time to live in peace!" Cartier introduces new collections every two years at a showing or premiere. For its "Jewels of the Nile" exhibition in New York, the store was completely decorated in an Egyptian theme, complete with a pyramid and two live peacocks. This jewelry collection was a more modern version of Louis Joseph Cartier's designs from the early 1900s.

INFLUENCES Cartier credits its success to "talented colleagues"—in particular, Jeanne Toussaint, whom Louis referred to as a "trend watcher, a style setter, a woman who understood luxury and how to make it synonymous with Cartier." As a closely held company, Cartier guards its proprietary secrets closely and deals decisively with counterfeiters, once crushing fake Cartier watches on a Los Angeles street with a steamroller. Roberta Naas reported that "Cartier is so often emulated by others that it has imposed strict locked-door policies in its design houses and has started stringent anticounterfeit efforts in the watch world." Cartier has two jewelry design houses, one for the more modern line and the other, whose location is top secret, for the "important" jewelry. Cartier's most timeless pieces are made of platinum, whose use in fine jewelry it pioneered in 1898. In February 1997, The Consumer Benchmark Survey revealed that "platinum has become the metal of choice for most innovative and sought-after luxury jewelry designers and the high-end jewelry purchaser . . . Of manufacturers polled, 96 percent had increased the use of platinum in their top lines, and 94 percent added new platinum designs to their lines within the past nine months." In 1997 Cartier celebrated its 150th Anniversary with the introduction of several new product lines. As evidence of Cartier's standing as the most famous French jeweler, the company became a member of the "Ven-dome Luxury Group" in 1993. The group was presided over by Joseph Kanoui, who joined Cartier after Robert Hocq's death in 1979, and included Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblac, Piaget, Baume and Mercier, Karl Lager-feld, Chloe, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger, and James Purdy and Sons.

CURRENT TRENDS In the late 1990s signature lines were keeping Cartier's traditions alive. Often found in necklaces, bracelets, and watches, its Panther motif (known as la Panthere in French) brings together the most luxurious metals, precious stones, and artistic creations in some of the rarest pieces of jewelry in the world. The famous Panter design was a tribute to Jeanne Toussaint and her influence in the company.

CHRONOLOGY: Key Dates for Cartier, Inc. 1847: The House of Cartier is established by Louis-Francois Cartier 1859: Cartier moves to a more prestigious Paris location after gaining several members of the royalty as customers 1874: Louis-Francois Alfred, Cartier's son, takes over the company 1899: Alfred passes the company, recognized as the world's premiere jewelry retailer, to his three sons: Louis-Joseph, Jacques-Thedule, and Pierre-Camille 1910: Sells the "Hope" diamond to Evalyn McLean of New York, establishing contacts with the wealthy American elite 1911: The Santos watch is introduced and popularizes the Cartier watch line 1942: Louis and Jacques both die; Robert Hocq takes over the company 1967: Cartier designs a watch inspired by a watch damaged in a car crash called the Crash Watch; it becomes an instant collector's item 1981: Les Must, the company's first perfume, is introduced 1993: Cartier becomes a member of the Vendome Luxury Group 1997: Cartier celebrates its 150th anniversary by releasing Cartier Privé

PRODUCTS Throughout the years, Cartier has introduced several limited-edition specialty items. In honor of its 150th anniversary, the company released three successful series of unique, rare objects inspired by its private archives. Editions began in late 1996 and continued through 1997, with pieces released in quantities of 3, 150, and 1,847 to represent the 3 bands of its popular "Rolling Ring," the 150th anniversary, and the year that Cartier was founded, 1847. This collection, called Cartier Privé, includes jewelry, watches, pens, spectacles, and a broad range of chain purses with jeweled clasps.

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP In 1993, Cartier objects were displayed as part of an auction of singer Elton John's personal collection organized by Sotheby's; proceeds were donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Perrin administers the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, which supports, collects, and exhibits contemporary art from around the world annually. Proceeds from a showing of Cartier's jewels from the 1920s and 1930s at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City were donated to the Society for the Advancement of Education. In 1997 Cartier donated $25,000 to the Crystal Charity, a children's philanthropy. In addition, Cartier donated a $26,600 watch to be raffled off at the annual Charity Ball. Cartier often makes substantial contributions to many other charitable organizations.

GLOBAL PRESENCE Cartier has 165 boutiques on five continents. The company markets its products through a global network of 179 Cartier stores and 8,000 authorized dealers in 123 countries. In addition to 6 stores in Paris, there are 21 stores in the United States, 3 in Canada, and 6 throughout the Caribbean. The newest stores are in Barcelona; Buenos Aires; Moscow; Taiwan; and Boca Raton, Florida.

Zale Corporation Our History In the 1920s, Morris (M.B.) and William Zale had a vision: to provide customers with quality merchandise at the lowest possible price. This vision became a reality when the first Zales Jewelers store opened in Wichita Falls, Texas, on March 29, 1924.With a credit plan of "a penny down and a dollar a week," the Zale brothers launched a marketing strategy considered to be revolutionary at the time, and thus made jewelry and other merchandise affordable to the average working American. Friendly customer service, liberal credit policies, and dedicated employees led to great success and expansion, with 12 stores in Oklahoma and Texas by 1941. During World War II, Zales Jewelers responded to the limited production of consumer goods by maintaining its current prices on jewelry, limiting expenses, and looking for growth opportunities. These efforts were rewarded in 1944 with the acquisition of Corrigan's of Houston, Zales' first "carriage trade" (fine jewelry) store, whose purchase eventually launched the Bailey Banks & Biddle brand. In 1946, Zales Jewelers moved its headquarters from Wichita Falls to Dallas. The corporate offices were housed in the Mercantile Bank Building, the first of several locations. The company continued to prosper and in 1952, a profit sharing plan was introduced to employees. Zales Jewelers took major steps in 1957 to broaden its reach in the marketplace. The first shopping center location was opened, marking a major shift from its strategy of operating only downtown stores. The same year, Zales announced the initial public offering of its stock (ZLC) and then began trading its public shares on the American Stock Exchange the following year. The 1960s were a decade of diversity. The 119-store chain began branching out into other markets shoes, sporting goods, drug stores, furniture and catalogue stores. In fact, the shareholders decided to change the company name to Zale Corporation to reflect the diversity of the business. The decade of the '70s brought continued expansion. Zale Corporation grew to more than 1,700 stores and posted a single-day sales record of $10 million. In 1984, Zale Corporation unveiled its newest acquisition - the 890-carat "Incomparable Diamond," the largest internally flawless diamond in the world. The next year, Zale moved its world headquarters into a 430,000-square-foot complex in Irving, Texas, its current location. The company's history was significantly altered with the 1986 leveraged buyout of Zale Corporation by Peoples Jewelers of Canada and Swarovski International of Austria. Expansion continued, however, with the purchase in 1989 of the Gordon's Jewelers chain of 469 stores. The 1990s marked another critical turning point for the corporation when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1992. The following year, the company emerged from bankruptcy after restructuring its debt. Five years later, 1998 became the "breakaway year" for Zale with annual

sales that topped $1.3 billion - up from $920 million in 1994 - and a 25 percent net earnings growth (excluding unusual items). During its tremendous turnaround year, the company showed profit in all four quarters for the first time since the reorganization. That same year, Zales Outlet was launched, giving the corporation 13 locations in premier outlet centers in the United States. Expansion again became the primary growth strategy with two major acquisitions: Peoples Jewelers of Canada in 1999 and Piercing Pagoda, Inc. in 2000. In 2007, Zale divested the Bailey Banks & Biddle brand to focus on the core business and increase returns on capital. As a leading specialty retailer of fine jewelry, Zale now operates over 2,200 retail locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico under the following brand names: Zales Jewelers, Zales Outlet, Gordon's Jewelers, Peoples Jewelers, Mappins Jewelers, Piercing Pagoda, Plumb Gold, and Silver & Gold Connection. Zale also operates online at www.zales.com and www.gordonsjewelers.com.

Our Brands Zale Corporation offers customers an extensive selection of quality jewelry in a wide variety of price categories. Whether you are shopping for an addition to your personal jewelry wardrobe or you need a special gift, come to one of our stores for the best choices -- from fashion and contemporary styles to classic and traditional designs. Zales Jewelers Nationally recognized authority on diamonds. Founded in 1924, "the Diamond Store" is the most recognizable name in fine jewelers. Zales Outlet Value-priced fine jewelry. A wide variety of jewelry is chosen for shoppers who prefer quality merchandise at less-than-retail prices. Gordon's Jewelers Classic to contemporary. Regional jeweler caters to local styles and tastes by offering unique designs in select markets. The Diamond Store. The largest national jewelry retailer in Canada offers fine jewelry and brandname watches at affordable prices. Mappins Jewelers Fine Jewelers since 1935. Customers across Canada can shop for classic fine jewelry and watches of exceptional value in stylish mall locations. Piercing Pagoda Fashion-forward. For customers who appreciate quality jewelry at everyday low prices, the gold kiosk leader offers an extensive selection of gold chains, charms, bracelets, rings, earrings, body jewelry, as well as silver and stainless jewelry. ZLC Direct

Quick and easy. Consumers who prefer to shop on the Internet have direct access to the online selection of quality merchandise from Zales Jewelers.

Zale Corporation, a leading specialty retailer of fine jewelry in North America uses its leverage to initiate and build upon its relationships with customers. Zale is propelled by a diversified portfolio of brands that includes Zales Jewelers, Zales Outlet, Gordon's Jewelers, Peoples Jewelers and Mappins Jewelers of Canada, and Piercing Pagoda. Zale is driven by three core product categories that cater to each consumer segment with varying intensity. The bridal category, a differentiating factor for a fine jeweler, enjoys consistent, stable demand and establishes lifelong customer relationships. The fashion segment inspires gift giving and self purchases while allowing the Company to maximize the peak holiday periods. The watch business provides additional brand appeal, enhancing the Company's ability to further drive traffic. With over 2,150 locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, Zale dominates the mall environment on a national scale. As the highly fragmented industry continues to consolidate, Zale is in excellent position to further increase its market share. The Company continues to increase its exposure in the industry, having successfully integrated its two most recent acquisitions and having developed an off-mall strategy to capture a customer base outside the traditional mall. Zale is poised for future growth with a solid and straightforward balance sheet and expected strong annual free operating cash flow. Zale continues to improve its business with a focus providing an “unforgettable” customer experience and on quality merchandise assortments. The Company's strong financials, its focus on improving the core mall business, the streamlining of its organization, and its ability to identify growth opportunities positions Zale to meet its objective of enhancing shareholder value.

CORPORATE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY The mission of Zale Corporation is to be the best fine jewelry retailer in North America. Our goal is to develop and market compelling jewelry assortments and to deliver a superior customer experience. Through our brand portfolio, we are committed to building lasting relationships and satisfied customers as we strive to create value for our shareholders. We are committed to making sure we attract, train, and retain our talented associates and to reward them for their success. Corporate social responsibility is all about a company’s ability to manage its economic, social and environmental impacts as well as manage its relationships with different stakeholders – shareholders, employees, customers, business partners, governments, civil society, vendors and the communities in which their employees live and work.

Jewelry Facts Selecting jewelry is a personal decision that is greatly influenced by an individual's style preferences. However, the cost of jewelry is primarily affected by the gems and metals it contains - the more rare the components, the greater the cost of the finished product. We invite you to learn more about general jewelry terminology as well as factors that determine what makes a fair price. From descriptions of precious and semiprecious gems to knowing how to care for your fine jewelry, basic information can help guide you during your next jewelry purchase at one of our stores. Diamonds Take a brief tour of diamond history; then learn about the four Cs and how they measure a diamond's beauty and value. Colored Gemstones Every colored stone has its own story. Learn how to evaluate gems that we carry in our stores and how to care for them after you purchase your jewelry. You'll also read about mystical powers and legends associated with gems that inspired the popularity of birthstone jewelry. Pearls Long considered classic fine jewelry, pearls are very different from other gems. Find out the origins and types of pearls, and the special care they require. Metals Every piece of jewelry is founded upon metal. Read about the different types and grades of precious metal used in our jewelry. Watches A fine timepiece is as much about form as function. Check our glossary to learn more about different types of watches and materials used to construct them.

Services We offer a range of services in our stores - including cleaning, repair and sizing - to help extend the life and beauty of your jewelry and watches. CONCLUSTION: Jewelry has become a vital element in everyone’s life. Men, women and even kids love to wear jewelry articles all the time. Wearing jewelry is the demand of modern fashion. A few years back jewelry was used only on special occasions like weddings, engagements and other formal parties and it was associated with the brides and married girls only. But nowadays it is worn casually as well as formally and everyone likes to wear beautiful and elegant jewelry items. Trendy and stylish jewelry is in fashion these days. The gems and jewelry industry has been growing rapidly and has become one of the most profitable industries of the world