The Original Miami Beach Antique Show & Raymond Lee Jewelers

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:21:13 +0100

Alright readers, it’s finally time for Raymond Lee Jewelers’ whirlwind tour of some of the world’s biggest and best jewelry, art & antique shows! We are so excited this month be exhibiting at the Miami Beach Antique Show, The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show, the Naples Jewelry, Art & Antique Show, and the Hong Kong February Gem & Jewellery Fair.

Today kicks off the very first of this month’s exciting shows in Miami Beach.

engagement ri...
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<h1>Inspiration Board: Silver and Gray Wedding</h1>
<p>Raymond Lee Jewelers — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:32:57 +0100</p>
<p style= This Wedding Wednesday has us feeling inspired, and we’re sending you beyond the gray to see the silver linings with this week’s inspiration board. We love the pale elegance of a silvery, shimmering wedding, and pulled a few of our favorite real wedding pictures from Style Me Pretty to pair with our favorite white gold and diamond jewelry – perfect for any bride on her wedding day.

$Wedding Wednesday: Si... </article> <article> <h1>How to Make Great Ideas Happen</h1> <p>David Squires — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:53:27 +0100</p> <p>When it comes down to it, great ideas aren't all that special. Ever known someone with tons of good ideas ... who, despite their brilliance, really isn't that successful? I'm gonna guess you do.</p><br/><br/><p>That's because having a great idea is only one part of creating something great. In fact, it's just a tiny fraction of the job.</p><br/><p>I'm thinking about execution this week because I started reading a new book called$

Expansion on a Budget (Includes Before Photo)

Eileen McClelland — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:32:24 +0100

Amber Gustafson, owner of Amber’s Designs in Katy, TX, embarked on a plan to double the space in her jewelry store, on the first floor of an office building, last July. I’m working on a series about her expansion – done on a tight budget – and mistakenly labeled one of her “after” photos as a “before” photo in the February issue of Instore. So, here is her “before” photo and we’ll include more “after” photos as the series unfolds.

Some of the original cases pictured here were part o...

A Town Supports the Little Guy

Ralf Kircher — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:31:19 +0100

Ever feel a bit of despair -- at the big box stores, at the lack of interest in the little guy, at the passing of a Main-Street way of life? Then you’ll want to read this Associated Press story as an antidote.

A resident of Chagrin Falls, OH, concerned about the fate of a local family-owned hardware store, sent an e-mail to some friends, encouraging them to spend at least $20 in the store. Those friends in turn forwarded the e-mail on to more friends, until on the appointed day to s...

Live Displays Garner Attention

Trace Shelton — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:27:20 +0100

I've seen a lot of great showcase displays over the last few years of doing "Case Study" for INDESIGN, but there is one that takes the cake.

It was a live window display, put on by La Porte Jewelers (Lancaster, PA) during the holiday season from 5-8 pm each day. The store partnered with a local non-profit theater company, which developed a skit for the window.

"They had one storyline that they would do every 20 minutes where there were two elves – we called it 'La Porte's Wo...

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men – Masculine Monday

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:18:52 +0100

Today’s Masculine Monday might serve as a gentle nudge for our favorite gents – February the 14th is rapidly approaching (official countdown: T-minus 15 days), and if you haven’t already entered to win our perfect Valentine’s Day sweepstakes, get on the ball! Otherwise, book those reservations, order that Kiki de Montparnasse, or swing by the showroom for a gift that never disappoints.

And ladies, w...

Masculine Monday: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time 18kt Yellow Gold Watch 26120BA

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:50:26 +0100

Masculine Monday: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time 18kt Yellow Gold Watch 26120BA

Today’s Masculine Monday watch is a stunning and stately Audemars Royal Oak Dual Time. This watch has serious presence without being garish, thanks to its refined features. Extra luxurious touches like its burnished leather strap and slightly textured dial elevate this watch to a work of horological art. We especially like the chronograph details and 18kt yellow gol...

Buy 1 Customer, Get 1 Free.

Chris Burslem — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:18:16 +0100

One of the big things the Internet brought to the business world was transparency. Never has it been so easy to check prices, compare services, or see what customers are saying about a product or a particular store. On the other side of the counter, the online retail model offered business owners unprecedented hard data on, among other things, how their marketing efforts were performing: how many people were showing interest in an advertising campaign, what specific part of a promotion was ge...

A Trend Is A Trend

Beth Bernstein — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:51:29 +0100

It's going to be really easy to write this blog. I basically don't need to change too much from when I reported on the jewelry from the Golden Globes two weeks ago. SAG (Screen Actor's Guild Awards) was all about strapless, bare, bracelets and earrings yet again. I saw on one industry leader's tweet insisting "Necklaces, Necklaces, Necklaces" but not too many to be found. It's still all about long earrings, bracelets stacked and a couple of stand out rings

Trust the trend on the celeb...

How To Sell Your Watch – Get the Most Money for your Luxury Timepiece

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:13:22 +0100

It’s Friday, it’s nearly the weekend, and we’re back with another installment of our Weekly Web Series! last week, we gave tips on how to get the most money for your gold, and today, we’re back with ways you can be sure you’re getting the highest offer when selling your watch. Customers visit our Boca Raton showroom daily seeking expertise on selling their watches or taking out a collateral loan on their luxury watches. Sometimes they’ve already sold t...

Thirsty Thursday: A Different Kind of Cocktail

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:31:16 +0100

It’s time for another round of Thirsty Thursday, and today’s specials are the Gentleman’s Jack Frost and a stunning Deco Diva cocktail ring set with diamonds in white gold surrounding a breathtaking citrine stone. Check out the stats and recipe below!

2009-10-15

Promotions, alterior motives, and charity!

Morgan Bartel — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:26:20 +0100

In our store lately we have been discussing having another event. When the question arises of why are we doing another one, we get tons of answers, but all of them seem to become cohesive all while contradicting the others. Our first answer is always, "It's PROMOTIONAL!" Then followed by, "It drives the customers into our store to buy." The last answer always is, "Well if we give the proceeds to charity the public will see that and someone will receive good from it."

All o...

Christies Auctions Cartier, Tiffany Pieces in its “Jewellery” Sale

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:24:31 +0100

If you’re a regular reader then you know how we love to keep tabs on the latest gorgeous jewelry sold at the fine auction houses. Sometimes we feel like we’re in Hong Kong, London or Geneva just ogling the lots from our Boca Raton jewelry showroom! Today’s auction story comes to us from National Jeweler who reported on Christies London’s “Jewellery” auction last week. Below are the top lots, courtesy of Christie’s, with the...

What are the 100 Things Every Jeweler Should Know?

Eileen McClelland — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:18:19 +0100

In May, we will reveal the 100 things every jeweler should know. To make sure we have a complete and accurate picture, we need as much input as we can get -- from you, our valuable experts who wear so many hats every day.

To make this article a valuable resource, we need your advice to be as specific as possible, but it can focus on any aspect of your business. What have you learned to be important in your own business about display, marketing, sales, planning, hiring, lighting, clean...

A Town Comes out to Support the Little Guy

Ralf Kircher — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:45:45 +0100

The Average Wedding in 2011 Cost Over $25,000 – Wedding Wednesday

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:14:52 +0100

On Wedding Wednesday we typically like to focus on all of the aesthetically pleasing elements of weddings; all things floral, ethereal, heartfelt, and thoughtfully crafted - not to mention oodles of gorgeous engagement rings – are our favorite aspects of weddings to cover. However, there’s one, all important aspect of a planning a wedding that greatly affects all of the fun stuff we mentioned above, and that’s the wedding budget.

Today, The Wedding Report published...

Real Wedding: A Black & White Affair via Style Me Pretty

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:20:22 +0100

Real Wedding: A Black & White Affair via Style Me Pretty

Style Me Pretty is consistently one of our favorite Wedding Wednesday resources. Always abounding with inspiration and ideas, SMP features breathtaking real couples’ weddings regularly. One that caught our eye this week stood out from the crowd – not only because the bride wore black!

We love this Kansas City wedding with its homespun touches, sophisticate...

Don't Quit, But Don't Beat Yourself Up Either

David Squires — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:42:24 +0100

Almost a year ago today, I wrote a post on the seasonal phenomenon of "New Year's Resolution De-resolution" -- the process in which, over the first few weeks of the year, your grand plans for the year collapse and your confidence and energy gradually fall to level of, say, a sea cucumber.

By the end of the third week, you are for all intents and purposes, a sea cucumber -- powerless, purposeless, drifting under sweeping seas while microscopic worms nibble your skin.

Anyway, ...

Tuesday Shoesday: The Life Aquatic

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:25:02 +0100

Happy Tuesday Shoesday dear readers. Today we’re day dreaming of the sunny, sparkling seashore beckoning to us from our Boca Raton showroom. And while we can’t feel the sand beneath our toes until after close, we can certainly imagine the lovely shades of blue on every wave, wistfully thinking of the life Aquatic!

National Jeweler, gold price, gold prices, gold price rose 9%, gold price 2011, sell gold boca raton, buy gold boca raton, gold buy...
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<h1>Trends At The JANY Winter Show 2012</h1>
<p>Beth Bernstein — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:23:50 +0100</p>
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Trends varied at the JANY winter show in New York. Designers stuck to what they do best bringing in newness in fresh cuts of stones, bolder silhouettes and the continuation of color. There is still a feeling for the ethereal in moonstone and labradorite and for the versatility of white topaz and rock crystal. Opals in all variations and rough and mineral cuts take on new forms. A definitive trend toward antique inspired or vintage jewelry in shapes or choice of gems...

Claire Goes to JA New York (So You Don't Have To)

Claire Baiz — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:22:10 +0100

Ready? Set? It’s show season!

As soon as our stores, our staffs and our psyches have recovered from the Holiday season, it’s time to gear up.

The jeweler's feast of color begins long before spring crocus. Kick off with Hong Kong, then Vincenza. Smaller shows follow in Miami, Paris, Texas, Mexico and elsewhere, trying to lure vendors and buyers.

Here in New York City this week, there’s the J...

Masculine Monday: The Panerai Pam0210 Radiomir

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:16:44 +0100

It’s a new week, and a new watch here in Boca Raton at the Raymond Lee Jewelers watch boutique. Today we’re showing off this sleek Panerai Pam 0210 Radiomir in stainless steel and black leather. We like the rounded square case for its novelty, and the round dial for its classic simplicity. This watch is perfect in basic black, but upon closer inspection shows its true colors – timeless elegance.

We love Martha Stewart weddings. The site and magazine are always full of lovely inspiration, thoughtful details, great ideas and – above all else – eye candy. Exhibit A: The winter edition’s cover:

Martha ...
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<h1>Thirsty Thursday: A Different Kind of Cocktail</h1>
<p>Raymond Lee Jewelers — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:59:23 +0100</p>
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Cheers readers, we’re back with another Thirsty Thursday feature. Today we’re showing off one of our favorite cocktail rings, this citrine, diamond and tanzanite checkerboard sparkler. We think it pairs perfectly with this Pompanski Martini courtesy of Mix Shake and Pour. With grapefruit juice, vodka, and a hint of vermouth, it’s a citrus-y way to beat the winter blues; although who could be blue while wearing this sunny cocktail ring?

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Want Them to Spend More? Throw out an Anchor

Ralf Kircher — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:53:35 +0100

A University of Chicago Booth School of Business study about how we humans estimate numbers could be a key to more sales in your store.

The theory is called price anchoring, and basically, it goes like this: Anytime you see a number, it influences your judgment.

American Public Media’s Marketplace interviewed the study’s author, behavioral scientist Nick Epley on Monday. (Click here to read or listen to the inter...

Guys Like Sports

Trace Shelton — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:38:07 +0100

Each year, we see jewelry retailers get better and better at making the jewelry shopping experience something that’s enjoyable for customers. There are so many aspects that go into this, from the environment, to the amenities, to the inventory and merchandising, to the sales presentation (probably most important of all).

I recently spoke with a very savvy retailer, Scott Wickam ...

Fear: Sometimes, It's the Best Inspiration

David Squires — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:10:25 +0100

Confidence is a great thing to have in your work. A full, brimming sense that you know your stuff, that you know when to run and when to stop, that you can experiment without embarrassing yourself, and that the repercussions of risk are rarely as dramatic as you imagined. This confidence is a wonderful thing and I hope you have it.

At the same time, don't discount fear as a self-motivating force. Whenever you're feeling too fat and content, make yourself afraid.

One way to g...

BARE-ING IT (At The Golden Globes)

Beth Bernstein — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:40:08 +0100

Strapless dresses with statement earrings or armfuls of bracelets were the big trend seen on the red Carpet at the 2012 Golden Globes.

I could have lived without the fishtail hemlines but the reds, royal blues and some of the more blush tone pastels were stunning as were the chandelier earrings--dazzling with just the right amount of swing and sparkle. Bangles and flexible cuffs climbed up the wrists of bare arms and either bedazzled with all out b...

Bernie Robbins Sends a Fresh Message

Eileen McClelland — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:40:55 +0100

Bernie Robbins Jewelers, which has five stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, had -- for years -- done what many jewelers had done naturally -- thought of their business as one in which men shopped for women and advertised accordingly. So, the brand message, when there was one, focused primarily on couples, unintentionally excluding whole categories of potential shoppers, particularly female self-purchasers.

The message had become a bit generic -- "Celebrating Life's Moments."

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The Power of Memory

Chris Burslem — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:23:25 +0100

One of the gifts waiting for me under the Christmas tree last month was Joshua Foer’s Moonwalking With Einstein. The book follows the story of a young journalist who on a whim decides to cover the U.S. Memory Championships, and then a year later is competing himself, with a newfound ability to memorize the order of a shuffled deck of cards.

As with Foer before his odyssey into mnemonics, most people, I suspect, don’t to give a lot of serious thought to our ability to remember thin...

World’s Most Expensive Business Card’s Diamond Studded Debut

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:16:55 +0100

If you were proud of the new business cards your latest promotion garnered for you, please accept our congratulations. Unfortunately, Black Astrum is here to rain on your parade with business cards that likely blow yours out of the water (as long as you’re not a Middle Eastern sheik; in that case, you’ll probably receiving a package from them shortly.)

The company has cornered the market in luxury business cards, offering the world’s most expensive business card ...

The Spend $50, Save $25 Promo

Ralf Kircher — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:59:27 +0100

I was recently drawn in by a promotion Orvis was having that made me spend far more than I planned or should have.

The store sent two coupons to “privileged” customers that each worked like this: Spend $50 and get a $25 discount. But they didn’t advertise that you could actually use these coupons as many times as you wanted (before a certain date, of course). The unintended consequence was indiv...

Creative Ads that Captivate

Morgan Bartel — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:24:56 +0100

Store after store customers see the same old ads. They see the same colors, same fonts, and same typical PRINT ad. Recently we decided to try a study and see what customers responded more towards. Print ads or customized non-professional ads. Hate to say this but the later was the preference among our customers. They responded in a more positive light towards the ads we produce in store.

There's no need to banish print ads entirely, but mix it up. Take a photo of your jewelry o...

Big Promises: How To Boost Your IQ 20 Points

David Squires — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:43 +0100

The cover article of this week's Newsweek features a highly intriguing premise: That human IQ, long thought to be unchangeable after early childhood, can actually be raised. A lot.

The article suggests that you can increase your IQ by more than 20 points over four years by changing some key behaviors. Think about what a 20-point boost in your IQ would mean. If your IQ is 120, you're of above-average intelligence. If it's 140, you're a genius.

Sounds good to us. Where to start?...

Past/Present

Beth Bernstein — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

As the resident jewel-aholic , a name given to me by my good friend and fabulous jewelry designer Moritz Glik, I haven't been able to get the necklace Emily Blunt wore to the 34th Kennedy Center Honors off my mind or off my 'to find' list. I am also an avid antique jewelry fan and this necklace from Neil Lane had it all: character, grace, elegance...

What You Can Learn from the New Faberge Campaign

Trace Shelton — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:48:11 +0100

I recently saw an image from a designer jewelry advertising campaign that totally gripped me from out of left field: Faberge. Yes, the same Faberge that once crafted jeweled Easter eggs for Russian royalty (minus about 100 years during which time the name was nationalized by the Soviet Union, then sold to a cosmetics company). Several years ago, the name was sold to an investment group that decided it was time to return the Faberge brand to a place of prominence in the jew...

Business Succession: Why Start Planning Now?

Eileen McClelland — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:40:40 +0100

This week I've been talking to retailers and experts about succession planning, as well as reading about it.

The authors of "Family Business Succession: The Final Test of Greatness," say that ideally, succession planning should begin 15 years before you intend to retire from your business. So, if you are 45 or 50 and planning to retire at 60 or 65, there's no good reason to put it off. Starting now will allow you enough time to choose and develop your successor from among multipl...

Feature Friday: The Patek Philippe 4910 Black Dial With Diamond Markers Watch

Raymond Lee Jewelers — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:21:46 +0100

This gorgeous ladies’ watch caught our eye yesterday simply begging to be Friday’s Feature. The black enamel dial’s diamond markers shine brightly against their dark background, and the sleek case of stainless steel is a refreshing standout in a rectangular shape. We also love Patek‘s classic bracelet, also in stainless steel, that is so seamlessly paired with this watch.

Patek Philippe 4910 Flicking through a months’ old copy of the New Yorker recently I came across a profile of Ray Dalio, founder of the Bridgewater hedge fund and one of the world’s richest men (#44 on the Forbes 400).

In seeking to explain the strategic approach that has helped make Dalio so successful the article cited a paper he wrote several years ago titled “What Is a Jeweler?” In it, Dalio describes a jeweler as basically an investor with a long posit...

Blog entries

Feature Friday: Black & White Diamond Bracelet

What To Do With Those Nasty Leftover Diamonds?

What To Do With Those Nasty Leftover Diamonds?

The Original Miami Beach Antique Show & Raymond Lee Jewelers

Expansion on a Budget (Includes Before Photo)

A Town Supports the Little Guy

Live Displays Garner Attention

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men – Masculine Monday

Masculine Monday: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time 18kt Yellow Gold Watch 26120BA

Buy 1 Customer, Get 1 Free.

A Trend Is A Trend

How To Sell Your Watch – Get the Most Money for your Luxury Timepiece

Thirsty Thursday: A Different Kind of Cocktail

Promotions, alterior motives, and charity!

Christies Auctions Cartier, Tiffany Pieces in its “Jewellery” Sale

What are the 100 Things Every Jeweler Should Know?

A Town Comes out to Support the Little Guy

The Average Wedding in 2011 Cost Over $25,000 – Wedding Wednesday

Real Wedding: A Black & White Affair via Style Me Pretty

Don't Quit, But Don't Beat Yourself Up Either

Tuesday Shoesday: The Life Aquatic

Claire Goes to JA New York (So You Don't Have To)

Masculine Monday: The Panerai Pam0210 Radiomir

Want Them to Spend More? Throw out an Anchor

Guys Like Sports

Fear: Sometimes, It's the Best Inspiration

BARE-ING IT (At The Golden Globes)

Bernie Robbins Sends a Fresh Message

The Power of Memory

World’s Most Expensive Business Card’s Diamond Studded Debut

The Spend $50, Save $25 Promo

Creative Ads that Captivate

Big Promises: How To Boost Your IQ 20 Points

Past/Present

What You Can Learn from the New Faberge Campaign

Business Succession: Why Start Planning Now?

Feature Friday: The Patek Philippe 4910 Black Dial With Diamond Markers Watch