Commentary: The Business

Pearl Proponents Find Inspiration in the Journey of These Organic Gems

Cultured Pearl Association of America offers free education.

Published

3 years ago

June 30, 2020

Jennifer Heebner and Kathy Grenier Instore July 2020 Issue

WHILE THE WORLD is experiencing unprecedented times, many find comfort in what’s familiar. This includes family and friends and occasions that are still being celebrated, albeit at a distance. The international family that is the Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) is aware of the challenges that jewelers are grappling with and knows that our community will not only survive this pandemic but overcome it, innovating and emerging stronger than ever before.

CPAA knows this firsthand because of our own product’s journey to market; it’s constantly under threat, yet we persevere. From hungry crabs and octopuses to tiny parasites swimming in search of a host, oysters must overcome predators aplenty in the oceans. Only then can they grow and thrive and take in the mother-of-pearl bead that will become a gorgeous pearl through a miraculous nacre-secreting process. When pearlers push through difficulties, they are rewarded with beautiful pearls at the end of their farming trials.

Our retailer friends, too, can summon this inner strength. For millennia, jewelry has served as the go-to gift to commemorate special days and rites of passage, and this ages-old tradition is not changing anytime soon. In fact, with all the emotions stirred up by the pandemic, shopping sensitivities may be further heightened to funnel more discretionary income to our category as a means of cementing the importance of life.

Consumers will continue to demonstrate their penchant for our product, be it faceted and glittering or lustrous and understated. Pearls are happy to share case space with all of their industry pals (we’re thinking of you diamonds, rubies, gold and platinum!), and know that CPAA’s growers, dealers, designers and retailers are sending you silent but powerful messages of resilience to power through these challenging times.

Additionally, the CPAA continues to offer its comprehensive, web-based Pearls As One education free of charge. Use the coupon code INSTOREPEARLS to take our internationally peer-reviewed course at pearlsasone.org. Upon finishing, you will become a certified pearl specialist and be able to download a certificate of completion.

A strong tomorrow is coming, and our pearl family knows you have the stamina to persevere.

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.”