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Blog, Education, Industry, News, People, Trends

Discover What’s On in the Skills Lab at IJL 2017

by IJL •

This year, we are excited to introduce the Skills Lab to IJL.

Building on the success of our long-standing Advice Clinic concept, Skills Lab includes two private one-on-one booths and a workshop space, designed to offer tailored, targeted advice from industry experts.

Our packed three-day programme includes experts from security, intellectual property law, social media, personal branding, retail sales training, customer journey mapping, financial planning, pearl jewellery sales, photography and PR.

DON’T MISS: Discover the full Skills Lab schedule here

One-on-one sessions can be booked in advance at our dedicated Skills Lab welcome desk, with some drop-in session available on a first come, first serve basis. The Skills Lab workshop space – with seating areas for around 10 guests – offers informal presentations and the opportunity to ask questions in a relaxed environment.

What are you waiting for? Start planning your visit to IJL now and don’t miss out on invaluable free advice for your jewellery business. Register NOW for free entry into IJL and start planning your visit. All those who register and later attend IJL will be entered into a prize draw to win a fantastic holiday.

Brush up on your legal knowledge

Got a question that you need answered by a qualified and experienced legal professional? Stephen Welfare of Royds Solicitors will be on-hand on Sunday and Monday to discuss intellectual property and other commercial legal issues. If you can’t make Stephen’s sessions, don’t miss a dedicated intellectual property law seminar by Gavin Llewellyn in The Academy on Tuesday 5th September.

Master photography, social media, PR and marketing

Do your social media channels need a boost? This year, the Skills Lab will host an array of speakers specialising in social media, PR and marketing. Becky Guth and Phoebe Fleetham from Facets PR will guide you through PR strategies and creating campaigns that improve your bottom line every day of the show. Their colleague Rose Swingler will offer daily personalised social media workshops, giving you the chance to ask questions in a private environment.

Elsewhere, photographer Andrew Neilson (pictured below at IJL 2016) will share his top tips to help bring your jewellery to life; whether you’re creating shots for lookbooks, social media or point of sale materials. Don’t miss his fantastic talk on Sunday 3rd from 3pm-5pm.

Skills Lab IJL 2017

Does your jewellery brand bear your name? Do your personal social media channels mix with your business presence? Sarah Greenway, director and founder of PersonaMe, will help you take control of your profile and media presence, both online and offline, on Monday 4th from 12pm-1pm.

Master the customer journey and boost your retail experience

Make customers fall in love with your retail store with expert, tailored advice for your business. Lloyd Blakey, creative director of Innovare Design will help you create a memorable jewellery retail journey using his wealth of experience. Don’t miss his insightful Skills Lab session on Sunday 3rd at 2pm. Do your customers get the wow-factor from your store when they walk past? Make sure to meet retail consultant Graham Soult of CannyInsights.com on Monday, who will use his industry knowledge to guide your online or retail store and make it stand out in the mind’s of consumers.

Are you struggling to motivate your staff? Are you worried that your in-store training schemes aren’t effective? Speak to sales training and people performance expert, Anna-Mart Rossouw of Paramount Consulting and get your problems fixed. Anna-Mart will host Skills Lab workshops on every day of the show, so there are plenty of opportunities to say hello.

Jo Henderson has worked as a buyer, retailer, brand manager and a retail sales consultant. Speak to her for personalised advice on your brand or retail business on Monday 4th September. Jo will also host a seminar in The Academy, so don’t miss this business-boosting session.

Boost your security

Jewellers are often targets of frightening crimes, including a recent rise in moped smash-and-grab gangs. Retail security expert, Hilaire O’Shea, of Medusa Protection, will offer one-on-one advice to retailers in his Skills Lab sessions every day from 12pm-1pm. Elsewhere, IJL 2017 exhibitor Fox Surveillance and Security Solutions will give you a run-down of its accredited personal security courses via an insightful Skills Lab session on Monday 4th. During this hour, owner Joel Adlington will explain how your staff can learn to spot the surveillance tactics used by gangs and prevent crimes against your business.

Skills Lab IJL 2017

Get expert financial and business management advice

Richard Pope of the Workplace Pension Bureau will help guide you through tricky pension processes, specifically focused on workplace pension schemes for your staff. Meet him on Tuesday in The Academy and the Skills Lab. Chartered financial planner Steve Clemence, of T. H. March, will also be on-hand to answer questions about protecting your business in the event of big life events, deaths and illnesses, as well as issues of income protection, occupational pensions and more!

Essential training and industry insights

Do you need some inspiration for your pearl jewellery collections? Are you looking for more creative ways to sell classic pearl items? Louise Tippey of the British Pearl Association will host an insightful Skills Lab session on Sunday 3rd starting at 5pm. Representatives of World Diamond Mark will also take over the Skills Lab Workshop space on Tuesday 5th to share insights about ‘Part of You’ promotion and how this can benefit your business. Stop by to learn all about this new retail initiative and ask your questions.

The National Association of Jeweller will also host sessions in the Skills Lab, allowing you to find out more about its recently revamped JET courses. Director of Education, Kate Madelin, will host one-on-one sessions with interested retailers who want to equip their staff with the training and knowledge they need to succeed in the jewellery industry. Find out more about Kate’s Monday drop-in hour, here.

Anyone with questions about becoming a Fairtrade sales ambassador should head over to the Skills Lab on Monday at 10.30am to hear from Jen Shepherd, gold supply chain manager at the Fairtrade Foundation. Jen will also host a session in The Academy focused on responsible sourcing, tackling tricky questions and up-selling the story behind your brand.


Don’t miss an inspiring networking event

The UK chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association will host a great networking session, giving you the chance to meet its founding members and discover how you can get involved. Make sure to head over to the Skills Lab from 3.30pm to say hello and meet new and inspiring people.

The revamped IJL 2017 Seminar schedule. Discover more here.

Are you looking forward to a particular talk? Use the hashtag #SkillsLab to share your thoughts on social media.

IJL is #withyou bringing together guest speakers, industry champions and new faces to offer authentic, practical and inspirational words of wisdom. Discover more about our seminar programme here.

Blog, Products, Trends

Countdown to IJL 2017: What to Expect from Les Georgettes

by IJL •

Les Georgettes has enjoyed a meteoric rise to success thanks to its innovative customisable bangle and leather concept.

Here, IJL talks to Frédéric Brunel Acquaviva, vice president (France and International) of the brand’s parent company, Renaissance Luxury Group, to find out more…

Q: What was the first spark of inspiration for Les Georgettes and what can you tell us about the history of the company?

Les Georgettes is a creation by Maison Altesse, France’s leading jewellery manufacturer established in 1905, and Texier, a renowned leather goods manufacturer in the Brittany region. By combining premier in-house design, cutting edge technology and traditional jewellery craftsmanship, Altesse became and remains today, the largest jewellery manufacturer in France.

Today Altesse employs 250 craftsmen and continues to produce high-quality jewellery, with stockists in more than 60 countries worldwide, under prestigious premier manufacturing labels of Living Heritage and Joaillerie de France. Texier, which was also awarded the Living Heritage manufacturing label in 2013, was established in 1951. By using their traditional leather craftsmanship and high-quality materials, the company became one of the market leaders in the leather goods market in France.

Les Georgettes IJL 2017
A colourful POS display by Les Georgettes. Find them at Stand D81.

Les Georgettes, which brings together the skills of these two houses, was launched in the French market in November 2015 and it has been hailed as one of the greatest success stories in fashion jewellery due to its unprecedented growth and popularity.

The first spark of inspiration of Les Georgettes was an idea to bring together leather and jewellery craftsmanship. The first prototype was a bracelet cut with an animal design (a crocodile design) which is usually a style of leather. Next, came the idea of interchangeable and reversible leather bands, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Q: How has Les Georgettes grown both in the UK and internationally?

Within 6 months of launching in France in November 2015, the brand grew to become the market leader in customisable jewellery, just behind Pandora. Following the enormous success of Les Georgettes in France, we took the decision to expand internationally. We established an international distribution network, working with eight subsidiaries for our key markets in the UK, USA, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, China, Japan and Australia, as well as premier distributors for our secondary markets.

Les Georgettes IJL 2017

In just one and a half years since launching the brand, we now have more than 2,200 points of sale worldwide, with nearly 200 of those in the UK thanks to our talented sales team, after launching in September 2016.

Les Georgettes to date has produced and sold over 500,000 bracelets, 1 million leather bands and 100,000 rings.

Q: Are there any best-selling designs or combinations and why do you think these are so successful?

The very nature of the Les Georgettes concept means that with so much variety and customisation, there is no real winner in terms of best-selling combinations; every piece is unique to match each woman’s personal style.

However, when we look at each aspect of our pieces individually, our Giraffe and Perroquet designs, which were first produced as part of our debut collection in November 2015, remain the brand’s best-sellers. These pieces belong to our Les Essentielles collection, which is ready-to-wear, to be worn day-in, day-out. Each season there seems to be a stand out new design that tops the list too – in our SS17 collection for example the Ruban design was one of our most popular.

A similar pattern is seen within our top-selling leather bands; the Black/White and Pale Grey/Pale Pink bands which have been around since our first collection remain at the top of our list. In the Summer 2017 period, our new arrivals Nude/Aquatic and Orange Lilium/Blue Nimbus came in closely behind these classic colours in terms of sales.

In terms of bracelet size, our 40mm and 25mm size remain the most ‘in-demand’ and silver seems to be the preferred finish.

Q: What do you want retailers to know about your brand?

As well as the originality of our products, retailers should also know that is also an easy way of building loyalty with their customers. As our range of coloured bands grow, with new colours and new accessories every two months, you can drive your clients back into the store to purchase – as mentioned before the possibilities of customisation for each client is truly limitless.

We have a full merchandising offer to match the jewellery – everything in the Les Georgettes universe, from the packaging to the stands, is co-ordinated to show the variety of possibilities and colours that we can offer.

Aside from this, our coloured and customisable jewellery makes for a very eye catching window display that attracts a lot of interest.

Q: What is next for Les Georgettes, will you be launching any new products at IJL?

Absolutely – there are so many upcoming projects we are excited about! Firstly, we will be extending our existing bracelet and ring collections, with new designs and sizes. We are also proud to present at IJL our upcoming necklace collection for the first time in the UK market, featuring pieces inspired by our best-selling bracelets collection.

Les Georgettes Handbag IJL 2017

We will also be unveiling our first venture into our leather goods collection, with the arrival of the customisable Bijou Bag (above), which was a logical step for our brand given our long history of producing leather goods.

Discover more at IJL 2017 from September 3-5 at Olympia. Say hello to Les Georgettes at Stand D81. 

IJL is #withyou bringing the most inspirational brands and designers together under one roof. Take a look at our full exhibitor listing here. 

Exhibiting, Industry, News

WIN a 4.14ct Green Tourmaline with the IJL 2017 Gem Empathy Competition

by IJL • • 1 Comment

International Jewellery London and Gem-A have teamed up to offer one lucky Design Gallery exhibitor the chance to win a 4.14 carat green tourmaline in this year’s Gem Empathy competition. 

This year’s gemstone is a beautiful 4.14 carat green tourmaline with a zig-zag cut, courtesy of Gem-A and world-renowned gem-cutter, John Dyer.

To be in with a chance of winning this stone for an incredible bespoke design, Design Gallery exhibitors are tasked with creating a hand-drawn of CAD render of a new piece that showcases the tourmaline in the most innovative and imaginative piece. A panel of judges, including Gem-A CEO Alan Hart and IJL marketing manager, Leigh Martinez, will choose the most impressive piece and present the designer behind it with the gemstone during IJL 2017.

Susan Blackler, jewellery designer at Norwich-based retailer, Sonkai Jewellers, was the winner of the 2016 Gem Empathy Award with her creative cuff (picture below). Here, she shares some insight and advice for those thinking of entering this year…

Gem Empathy Heliodor cuff Sonkai
The 2016 Gem Empathy winning design by Norwich-based retailer and brand, Sonkai Jewellers, featuring a 10.46 carat fancy-cut heliodor.

Q. What was it like to win Gem Empathy and what was the most exciting part of the process?

Winning was fantastic. As a self taught jewellery designer it is wonderful to receive validation from industry professionals. I think the best moment was actually the surprise of the Gem-A team arriving at our IJL stand – I really didn’t expect to win. After this the real work of making the piece kicked in!

Q. When creating your winning Gem Empathy design, did you start with CAD or on paper? When designing did you start with the gemstone or an idea?

My design process varies – although it does usually begin on CAD. I enjoy sketching and it’s often helpful to organise initial thoughts with some quick doodles, but I find that I can’t really get a feel for how a design is going to work until I start to play around in three dimensions.

As a bespoke designer I am sometimes presented with stones and other materials that must be used and at other times I have more free reign. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages! Ideally I prefer not to be constrained and to be able to source materials to suit my ideas, or to base my designs around a gem which is in itself inspirational – as in this case.

IJL 2017 Gem Empathy
Susan Blackler, jewellery designer at Norwich-based retailer and brand, Sonkai, with her gemstone prize.

Q. Are you proud of your finished cuff?

I am very proud of the finished piece and it has been especially wonderful to work on such a large, flamboyant item, as I most often work on rings. It is fantastic to know that we can produce a real show-stopper when given the opportunity!

Q. What would be your advice to others entering Gem Empathy this year?

Go for it! Use it as an opportunity to do something different – especially if, like us, you work in a small team and you wouldn’t normally have the chance to work with large, unusual and valuable gemstones.

How to Enter Gem Empathy 2017

The prize:

• The winner will receive the stone.
• A press release from Gem-A announcing the winning designer.
• An article in Gems&Jewellery magazine.
• A pride of place display for the finished piece at a Gem-A event between 2017-2018.

How to enter:

Send your design (hand drawn or CAD image) along with an accompanying paragraph describing the materials used and the inspiration behind the piece to events@gem-a.com before August 14, 2017.

The dimensions of the stone are L:20.7 x W:5.0 x D:3.0mm, and its hardness is 7-7.5.

Our panel of judges, including Gem-A CEO Alan Hart and IJL Event Director, Sam Willoughby, will then choose the final winner and present their award at IJL from 3-5 September.

IJL is #withyou offering opportunities to collaborate with industry associations and enhance your design repertoire. Speak to us to find out more about Gem Empathy. 

Blog, People

Katerina Perez on Working with Influencers and Social Media Best Practice

by IJL • • 1 Comment

Social media influencer and International Jewellery London guest speaker, Katerina Perez, is one of the most popular and inspiring names in the jewellery industry today.

Here, she shares her top advice to help you excel on social media, grow your brand and make a great impression on your customers…

Q. Influencers such as yourself use social media to its absolute advantage – what would be your advice to others who want to emulate your success?

For me social media is the diary of my jewellery discoveries, so I tend to share pieces that impress me rather than posting jewellery that gets the most likes. There are two things I find vital for success, and not just on social media; it is high quality of work and consistency in what you do.

To provide the first I photograph jewellery on my professional camera thinking carefully about the composition of a frame to make a photo appealing. I also regularly team up with talented jewellery photographers like Simon Martner or Turi Lovik Kirknes. To provide the second aspect, I post on a regular basis a few times a day, and keep high standards of work always looking for ways to improve.

Q. Lots of brands worry about ‘reach’ and ‘engagement’ on social media, what would your top tips be to see better stats on social?

I believe that the quality of featured content is the key factor in growing social media followers. It is important to have high quality images with considered composition that help to create a visual story. And it is the story that passes the message and keeps your followers interested in your profile.

Working with influencers who have the right audience is another way of increasing the reach as well as paid social media advertising. With the new algorithm Instagram measure one’s popularity on the rate of engagement, so a brand or a designer needs to ensure that they interact with their audience.

Q. Instagram is full of beautiful images, how can brands, businesses and individuals stand out?

It’s all about creating your own style. For example, some brands post images in specially designed frames, others use the same filter on all their images to have a unified look, a third group choose to stick to certain type of photos e.g. minimalistic. These are just a few examples.

When searching for a style it is important to check what your competitors are doing: what photography they tend to share, how often they post, what kind of images they have, what captions they use. Do they resort to similar style photos or experiment with their visual content? Having answers to these questions will help you to understand how to stand out.

Q. What do you think brands and businesses underestimate about social media?

Many brands underestimate the power of social media, they want results too quickly and confuse it for a selling tool. Having success on Instagram or Facebook requires a lot of effort and regular analysis that can help to improve performance in the future. One of the great tools I use is Iconosquare which is an Instagram app that offers a variety of analytics, allows you to schedule posts and see how your competitors are doing.

Q. Do you think social media can lead to sales or do you think it is more about brand awareness and reputation, or both?

I believe the brand awareness and desirability that social media creates will inevitably lead to sales. However, actual sales also happen on Instagram – I have heard on numerous occasions even from high jewellery brands that they would get a direct message or an email with requests that turn into sales.

Q. How do you see social media progressing for jewellery brands?

In the age of technology social media will continue to strive and I am sure we will be actively using new emerging channels in the future. For now, Instagram is the most important tool, but it is changing a lot and becoming a lot like Facebook. With such tendency brands might start looking at new methods of reaching out to potential clients.

We’re #withyou connecting your brand with social media influencers, bloggers and high profile names from the national and international jewellery industry. 

Meet Katerina in person at IJL 2017! Discover our Seminar Programme here. 

Blog, Education, Industry, News, People, Trends

Discover What’s On in the Skills Lab at IJL 2017

by IJL •

This year, we are excited to introduce the Skills Lab to IJL.

Building on the success of our long-standing Advice Clinic concept, Skills Lab includes two private one-on-one booths and a workshop space, designed to offer tailored, targeted advice from industry experts.

Our packed three-day programme includes experts from security, intellectual property law, social media, personal branding, retail sales training, customer journey mapping, financial planning, pearl jewellery sales, photography and PR.

DON’T MISS: Discover the full Skills Lab schedule here

One-on-one sessions can be booked in advance at our dedicated Skills Lab welcome desk, with some drop-in session available on a first come, first serve basis. The Skills Lab workshop space – with seating areas for around 10 guests – offers informal presentations and the opportunity to ask questions in a relaxed environment.

What are you waiting for? Start planning your visit to IJL now and don’t miss out on invaluable free advice for your jewellery business. Register NOW for free entry into IJL and start planning your visit. All those who register and later attend IJL will be entered into a prize draw to win a fantastic holiday.

Brush up on your legal knowledge

Got a question that you need answered by a qualified and experienced legal professional? Stephen Welfare of Royds Solicitors will be on-hand on Sunday and Monday to discuss intellectual property and other commercial legal issues. If you can’t make Stephen’s sessions, don’t miss a dedicated intellectual property law seminar by Gavin Llewellyn in The Academy on Tuesday 5th September.

Master photography, social media, PR and marketing

Do your social media channels need a boost? This year, the Skills Lab will host an array of speakers specialising in social media, PR and marketing. Becky Guth and Phoebe Fleetham from Facets PR will guide you through PR strategies and creating campaigns that improve your bottom line every day of the show. Their colleague Rose Swingler will offer daily personalised social media workshops, giving you the chance to ask questions in a private environment.

Elsewhere, photographer Andrew Neilson (pictured below at IJL 2016) will share his top tips to help bring your jewellery to life; whether you’re creating shots for lookbooks, social media or point of sale materials. Don’t miss his fantastic talk on Sunday 3rd from 3pm-5pm.

Skills Lab IJL 2017

Does your jewellery brand bear your name? Do your personal social media channels mix with your business presence? Sarah Greenway, director and founder of PersonaMe, will help you take control of your profile and media presence, both online and offline, on Monday 4th from 12pm-1pm.

Master the customer journey and boost your retail experience

Make customers fall in love with your retail store with expert, tailored advice for your business. Lloyd Blakey, creative director of Innovare Design will help you create a memorable jewellery retail journey using his wealth of experience. Don’t miss his insightful Skills Lab session on Sunday 3rd at 2pm. Do your customers get the wow-factor from your store when they walk past? Make sure to meet retail consultant Graham Soult of CannyInsights.com on Monday, who will use his industry knowledge to guide your online or retail store and make it stand out in the mind’s of consumers.

Are you struggling to motivate your staff? Are you worried that your in-store training schemes aren’t effective? Speak to sales training and people performance expert, Anna-Mart Rossouw of Paramount Consulting and get your problems fixed. Anna-Mart will host Skills Lab workshops on every day of the show, so there are plenty of opportunities to say hello.

Jo Henderson has worked as a buyer, retailer, brand manager and a retail sales consultant. Speak to her for personalised advice on your brand or retail business on Monday 4th September. Jo will also host a seminar in The Academy, so don’t miss this business-boosting session.

Boost your security

Jewellers are often targets of frightening crimes, including a recent rise in moped smash-and-grab gangs. Retail security expert, Hilaire O’Shea, of Medusa Protection, will offer one-on-one advice to retailers in his Skills Lab sessions every day from 12pm-1pm. Elsewhere, IJL 2017 exhibitor Fox Surveillance and Security Solutions will give you a run-down of its accredited personal security courses via an insightful Skills Lab session on Monday 4th. During this hour, owner Joel Adlington will explain how your staff can learn to spot the surveillance tactics used by gangs and prevent crimes against your business.

Skills Lab IJL 2017

Get expert financial and business management advice

Richard Pope of the Workplace Pension Bureau will help guide you through tricky pension processes, specifically focused on workplace pension schemes for your staff. Meet him on Tuesday in The Academy and the Skills Lab. Chartered financial planner Steve Clemence, of T. H. March, will also be on-hand to answer questions about protecting your business in the event of big life events, deaths and illnesses, as well as issues of income protection, occupational pensions and more!

Essential training and industry insights

Do you need some inspiration for your pearl jewellery collections? Are you looking for more creative ways to sell classic pearl items? Louise Tippey of the British Pearl Association will host an insightful Skills Lab session on Sunday 3rd starting at 5pm. Representatives of World Diamond Mark will also take over the Skills Lab Workshop space on Tuesday 5th to share insights about ‘Part of You’ promotion and how this can benefit your business. Stop by to learn all about this new retail initiative and ask your questions.

The National Association of Jeweller will also host sessions in the Skills Lab, allowing you to find out more about its recently revamped JET courses. Director of Education, Kate Madelin, will host one-on-one sessions with interested retailers who want to equip their staff with the training and knowledge they need to succeed in the jewellery industry. Find out more about Kate’s Monday drop-in hour, here.

Anyone with questions about becoming a Fairtrade sales ambassador should head over to the Skills Lab on Monday at 10.30am to hear from Jen Shepherd, gold supply chain manager at the Fairtrade Foundation. Jen will also host a session in The Academy focused on responsible sourcing, tackling tricky questions and up-selling the story behind your brand.


Don’t miss an inspiring networking event

The UK chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association will host a great networking session, giving you the chance to meet its founding members and discover how you can get involved. Make sure to head over to the Skills Lab from 3.30pm to say hello and meet new and inspiring people.

The revamped IJL 2017 Seminar schedule. Discover more here.

Are you looking forward to a particular talk? Use the hashtag #SkillsLab to share your thoughts on social media.

IJL is #withyou bringing together guest speakers, industry champions and new faces to offer authentic, practical and inspirational words of wisdom. Discover more about our seminar programme here.

Blog, Products, Trends

Countdown to IJL 2017: What to Expect from Les Georgettes

by IJL •

Les Georgettes has enjoyed a meteoric rise to success thanks to its innovative customisable bangle and leather concept.

Here, IJL talks to Frédéric Brunel Acquaviva, vice president (France and International) of the brand’s parent company, Renaissance Luxury Group, to find out more…

Q: What was the first spark of inspiration for Les Georgettes and what can you tell us about the history of the company?

Les Georgettes is a creation by Maison Altesse, France’s leading jewellery manufacturer established in 1905, and Texier, a renowned leather goods manufacturer in the Brittany region. By combining premier in-house design, cutting edge technology and traditional jewellery craftsmanship, Altesse became and remains today, the largest jewellery manufacturer in France.

Today Altesse employs 250 craftsmen and continues to produce high-quality jewellery, with stockists in more than 60 countries worldwide, under prestigious premier manufacturing labels of Living Heritage and Joaillerie de France. Texier, which was also awarded the Living Heritage manufacturing label in 2013, was established in 1951. By using their traditional leather craftsmanship and high-quality materials, the company became one of the market leaders in the leather goods market in France.

Les Georgettes IJL 2017
A colourful POS display by Les Georgettes. Find them at Stand D81.

Les Georgettes, which brings together the skills of these two houses, was launched in the French market in November 2015 and it has been hailed as one of the greatest success stories in fashion jewellery due to its unprecedented growth and popularity.

The first spark of inspiration of Les Georgettes was an idea to bring together leather and jewellery craftsmanship. The first prototype was a bracelet cut with an animal design (a crocodile design) which is usually a style of leather. Next, came the idea of interchangeable and reversible leather bands, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Q: How has Les Georgettes grown both in the UK and internationally?

Within 6 months of launching in France in November 2015, the brand grew to become the market leader in customisable jewellery, just behind Pandora. Following the enormous success of Les Georgettes in France, we took the decision to expand internationally. We established an international distribution network, working with eight subsidiaries for our key markets in the UK, USA, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, China, Japan and Australia, as well as premier distributors for our secondary markets.

Les Georgettes IJL 2017

In just one and a half years since launching the brand, we now have more than 2,200 points of sale worldwide, with nearly 200 of those in the UK thanks to our talented sales team, after launching in September 2016.

Les Georgettes to date has produced and sold over 500,000 bracelets, 1 million leather bands and 100,000 rings.

Q: Are there any best-selling designs or combinations and why do you think these are so successful?

The very nature of the Les Georgettes concept means that with so much variety and customisation, there is no real winner in terms of best-selling combinations; every piece is unique to match each woman’s personal style.

However, when we look at each aspect of our pieces individually, our Giraffe and Perroquet designs, which were first produced as part of our debut collection in November 2015, remain the brand’s best-sellers. These pieces belong to our Les Essentielles collection, which is ready-to-wear, to be worn day-in, day-out. Each season there seems to be a stand out new design that tops the list too – in our SS17 collection for example the Ruban design was one of our most popular.

A similar pattern is seen within our top-selling leather bands; the Black/White and Pale Grey/Pale Pink bands which have been around since our first collection remain at the top of our list. In the Summer 2017 period, our new arrivals Nude/Aquatic and Orange Lilium/Blue Nimbus came in closely behind these classic colours in terms of sales.

In terms of bracelet size, our 40mm and 25mm size remain the most ‘in-demand’ and silver seems to be the preferred finish.

Q: What do you want retailers to know about your brand?

As well as the originality of our products, retailers should also know that is also an easy way of building loyalty with their customers. As our range of coloured bands grow, with new colours and new accessories every two months, you can drive your clients back into the store to purchase – as mentioned before the possibilities of customisation for each client is truly limitless.

We have a full merchandising offer to match the jewellery – everything in the Les Georgettes universe, from the packaging to the stands, is co-ordinated to show the variety of possibilities and colours that we can offer.

Aside from this, our coloured and customisable jewellery makes for a very eye catching window display that attracts a lot of interest.

Q: What is next for Les Georgettes, will you be launching any new products at IJL?

Absolutely – there are so many upcoming projects we are excited about! Firstly, we will be extending our existing bracelet and ring collections, with new designs and sizes. We are also proud to present at IJL our upcoming necklace collection for the first time in the UK market, featuring pieces inspired by our best-selling bracelets collection.

Les Georgettes Handbag IJL 2017

We will also be unveiling our first venture into our leather goods collection, with the arrival of the customisable Bijou Bag (above), which was a logical step for our brand given our long history of producing leather goods.

Discover more at IJL 2017 from September 3-5 at Olympia. Say hello to Les Georgettes at Stand D81. 

IJL is #withyou bringing the most inspirational brands and designers together under one roof. Take a look at our full exhibitor listing here. 

Exhibiting, Industry, News

WIN a 4.14ct Green Tourmaline with the IJL 2017 Gem Empathy Competition

by IJL • • 1 Comment

International Jewellery London and Gem-A have teamed up to offer one lucky Design Gallery exhibitor the chance to win a 4.14 carat green tourmaline in this year’s Gem Empathy competition. 

This year’s gemstone is a beautiful 4.14 carat green tourmaline with a zig-zag cut, courtesy of Gem-A and world-renowned gem-cutter, John Dyer.

To be in with a chance of winning this stone for an incredible bespoke design, Design Gallery exhibitors are tasked with creating a hand-drawn of CAD render of a new piece that showcases the tourmaline in the most innovative and imaginative piece. A panel of judges, including Gem-A CEO Alan Hart and IJL marketing manager, Leigh Martinez, will choose the most impressive piece and present the designer behind it with the gemstone during IJL 2017.

Susan Blackler, jewellery designer at Norwich-based retailer, Sonkai Jewellers, was the winner of the 2016 Gem Empathy Award with her creative cuff (picture below). Here, she shares some insight and advice for those thinking of entering this year…

Gem Empathy Heliodor cuff Sonkai
The 2016 Gem Empathy winning design by Norwich-based retailer and brand, Sonkai Jewellers, featuring a 10.46 carat fancy-cut heliodor.

Q. What was it like to win Gem Empathy and what was the most exciting part of the process?

Winning was fantastic. As a self taught jewellery designer it is wonderful to receive validation from industry professionals. I think the best moment was actually the surprise of the Gem-A team arriving at our IJL stand – I really didn’t expect to win. After this the real work of making the piece kicked in!

Q. When creating your winning Gem Empathy design, did you start with CAD or on paper? When designing did you start with the gemstone or an idea?

My design process varies – although it does usually begin on CAD. I enjoy sketching and it’s often helpful to organise initial thoughts with some quick doodles, but I find that I can’t really get a feel for how a design is going to work until I start to play around in three dimensions.

As a bespoke designer I am sometimes presented with stones and other materials that must be used and at other times I have more free reign. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages! Ideally I prefer not to be constrained and to be able to source materials to suit my ideas, or to base my designs around a gem which is in itself inspirational – as in this case.

IJL 2017 Gem Empathy
Susan Blackler, jewellery designer at Norwich-based retailer and brand, Sonkai, with her gemstone prize.

Q. Are you proud of your finished cuff?

I am very proud of the finished piece and it has been especially wonderful to work on such a large, flamboyant item, as I most often work on rings. It is fantastic to know that we can produce a real show-stopper when given the opportunity!

Q. What would be your advice to others entering Gem Empathy this year?

Go for it! Use it as an opportunity to do something different – especially if, like us, you work in a small team and you wouldn’t normally have the chance to work with large, unusual and valuable gemstones.

How to Enter Gem Empathy 2017

The prize:

• The winner will receive the stone.
• A press release from Gem-A announcing the winning designer.
• An article in Gems&Jewellery magazine.
• A pride of place display for the finished piece at a Gem-A event between 2017-2018.

How to enter:

Send your design (hand drawn or CAD image) along with an accompanying paragraph describing the materials used and the inspiration behind the piece to events@gem-a.com before August 14, 2017.

The dimensions of the stone are L:20.7 x W:5.0 x D:3.0mm, and its hardness is 7-7.5.

Our panel of judges, including Gem-A CEO Alan Hart and IJL Event Director, Sam Willoughby, will then choose the final winner and present their award at IJL from 3-5 September.

IJL is #withyou offering opportunities to collaborate with industry associations and enhance your design repertoire. Speak to us to find out more about Gem Empathy. 

Blog, People

Katerina Perez on Working with Influencers and Social Media Best Practice

by IJL • • 1 Comment

Social media influencer and International Jewellery London guest speaker, Katerina Perez, is one of the most popular and inspiring names in the jewellery industry today.

Here, she shares her top advice to help you excel on social media, grow your brand and make a great impression on your customers…

Q. Influencers such as yourself use social media to its absolute advantage – what would be your advice to others who want to emulate your success?

For me social media is the diary of my jewellery discoveries, so I tend to share pieces that impress me rather than posting jewellery that gets the most likes. There are two things I find vital for success, and not just on social media; it is high quality of work and consistency in what you do.

To provide the first I photograph jewellery on my professional camera thinking carefully about the composition of a frame to make a photo appealing. I also regularly team up with talented jewellery photographers like Simon Martner or Turi Lovik Kirknes. To provide the second aspect, I post on a regular basis a few times a day, and keep high standards of work always looking for ways to improve.

Q. Lots of brands worry about ‘reach’ and ‘engagement’ on social media, what would your top tips be to see better stats on social?

I believe that the quality of featured content is the key factor in growing social media followers. It is important to have high quality images with considered composition that help to create a visual story. And it is the story that passes the message and keeps your followers interested in your profile.

Working with influencers who have the right audience is another way of increasing the reach as well as paid social media advertising. With the new algorithm Instagram measure one’s popularity on the rate of engagement, so a brand or a designer needs to ensure that they interact with their audience.

Q. Instagram is full of beautiful images, how can brands, businesses and individuals stand out?

It’s all about creating your own style. For example, some brands post images in specially designed frames, others use the same filter on all their images to have a unified look, a third group choose to stick to certain type of photos e.g. minimalistic. These are just a few examples.

When searching for a style it is important to check what your competitors are doing: what photography they tend to share, how often they post, what kind of images they have, what captions they use. Do they resort to similar style photos or experiment with their visual content? Having answers to these questions will help you to understand how to stand out.

Q. What do you think brands and businesses underestimate about social media?

Many brands underestimate the power of social media, they want results too quickly and confuse it for a selling tool. Having success on Instagram or Facebook requires a lot of effort and regular analysis that can help to improve performance in the future. One of the great tools I use is Iconosquare which is an Instagram app that offers a variety of analytics, allows you to schedule posts and see how your competitors are doing.

Q. Do you think social media can lead to sales or do you think it is more about brand awareness and reputation, or both?

I believe the brand awareness and desirability that social media creates will inevitably lead to sales. However, actual sales also happen on Instagram – I have heard on numerous occasions even from high jewellery brands that they would get a direct message or an email with requests that turn into sales.

Q. How do you see social media progressing for jewellery brands?

In the age of technology social media will continue to strive and I am sure we will be actively using new emerging channels in the future. For now, Instagram is the most important tool, but it is changing a lot and becoming a lot like Facebook. With such tendency brands might start looking at new methods of reaching out to potential clients.

We’re #withyou connecting your brand with social media influencers, bloggers and high profile names from the national and international jewellery industry. 

Meet Katerina in person at IJL 2017! Discover our Seminar Programme here.