Press Releases

3 Buying Groups Collaborate to Form Global Jewellers Network

Collectively, they cover 9 countries and represent over 1,500 independent jewelry stores.

Published

2 years ago

May 12, 2022

Press Releases

(PRESS RELEASE) Three of the world’s largest and most prestigious independent jewelry buying groups have established the Global Jewellers Network.

Independent Jewelers Organization (USA and Canada), The Company of Master Jewellers (United Kingdom and Ireland), and Nationwide Jewellers (Australia, New Zealand and Fiji) recognized the advantage and benefits for their groups and members of a formal collaboration structure.

Independent Jewelers Organization and Nationwide Jewellers have been sharing ideas on marketing, member benefits and other group activities for over twenty years. In 2020 The Company of Master Jewellers and Nationwide Jewellers made contact and have been collaborating on many aspects of common interest.

Collectively, the three groups cover nine countries and represent over 1,500 independent jewelry stores across the globe.

The Network plans to have face to face meetings at International Jewelry Fairs and at events conducted by the three groups, with the first face to face meeting scheduled for September 2022 in Antwerp, Belgium.

IJO President Jeff Roberts believes that the formation of the Global Jewellers Network will further enhance the advantages that the groups already provide through their strength in numbers. “For the past 50 years IJO has helped build successful, profitable retail jewelry stores for literally thousands of IJO business owners, their employees and their families by leveraging the combined buying power and brain power of our group. Our collaboration with other jewelry groups representing over 1,500 jewelry stores around the world will only strengthen that advantage.”

Nationwide’s Managing Director Colin Pocklington has said “Success in specialty retailing requires a wealth of industry specific knowledge, particularly with the challenging circumstances that have confronted us all over the last few years. The collaboration between our three groups will assist each of us in ensuring that our members are aware of and have the best opportunity to implement industry best practices.”

The Company of Master Jewellers Managing Director Emmet Cummins has reiterated “The CMJ hugely admire what Nationwide Jewellers and the Independent Jewelers Organization have achieved in their respective markets. As a combined leadership group, we have agreed to regular zoom calls so that we can discuss specific topics and share the learnings from initiatives so that we all evaluate their suitability for our members. There are a number of areas where both organisations are considerably more established and advanced, and this is of great interest to the CMJ.”

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”