(via Journal of Gemmology, Vol.XVII, No.3, July 1980) Jacques Sabbagh writes:
Birthstones of the month
Finally, one of the important topics of the display techniques is the birthstones. The belief in the occult power of birthstones seems to have originated from no less dignified source than the Biblical story of the jeweled breastplate. This was worn by Moses’ elder brother Aaron, the High Priest. Clad in vestments wrought with gold and blue, purple and scarlet, Aaron stands before the altar of God, bearing over his heart the jeweled breastplate whose twelve precious stones are each one dedicated to a tribe of Israel. They are mediums whereby God signifies his judgment of the tribes. If he is angry the stones turn dull and colorless, but, if the Israelites have obeyed his commandments the God makes them shine forth in glorious splendor of light and color. Later, according to Flavius Josephus in the late first century AD and St Jerome in the early fifth century, the twelve gems of the breastplate became linked in association with the twelve signs of the zodiac and the twelve months of the year. Each stone became related to a particular month and endowed with a particular virtue for those born in that particular month. The jeweler intent on developing his business in colored gemstones must not fail to draw great promotional dividends from such deep seated popular beliefs. He should permanently devote a determined section of his most exposed window, preferably a street window when there is one, to the special display of the stone of the month. After three or four months, he will condition the habitual passer-by to expect a change in this section at the beginning of each successive month. The expectancy in itself will act as a sight-arresting mechanism.
There are two ways of displaying the birthstone. One is the simple method of showing the rough crystals in the background and some loose gems interspersed among the mounted pieces—all consisting of the stone of the month. The other procedure is a rather elaborate one, whereby you propose each month to deliver to the public a sort of graphic lecture on gemology. It has the advantage of investing your establishment with a kind of academic aura; of heralding it as the gem headquarters of the vicinity, thus drawing a number of appraisal business and occasionally the good bargain of estate or second hand jewelry.
Slide 1
The calendar label is that of February. The birthstone of the month is Amethyst. This gem belongs to the quartz group so, in the central part of the rear of the window, you should show an agglomeration of quartz crystals, clearly labeled: ‘The Quartz Group.’ On the left side of the front part, occupying a respectable section of the window, you have a largish amethyst geode, quite a few loose amethysts and a good number of set pieces. A label placed nearby is boldly marked ‘The stone of the month—Amethyst’. To the right of the window and slightly backward, a citrine geode much smaller than that of the amethyst and three or four loose citrines with a label indicating ‘Citrine’, the other important member of the group.
Slide 2
The calendar label announced November. The stone of the month is Citrine. The layout is basically the same as in February with the centrally placed label and exhibit of the ‘Quartz Group’, except that in this month, Citrine is highlighted by the large citrine geode and quite a number of loose and mounted citrines, and its label indicates boldly that is the stone of the month. Amethyst, the other member of the group, is pushed back to a secondary plane and is represented by only a smaller geode and three or four loose amethysts.
Slide 3
The month is March. Aquamarine, the birthstone, dominates the picture. The suggested layout is a kind of genealogical tree. The trunk bears the label ‘The Beryl Group’, from which branch out the following members, each clearly labeled and represented in a background position by a small crystal and two or three loose gems—morganite (pink beryl), heliodor (golden beryl) and emerald; whereas aquamarine is stressed by the presence of a larger crystal and a good number of loose and mounted stones.
Slide 4
It is May and emerald is the birthstone of the month. A few roses in the window symbolize the season and contrast beautifully with the verdant green of the emerald. The scheme is basically the same as that of March, except that emerald has sprung to the forefront with a larger crystal on matrix and more loose and mounted emeralds; whereas aquamarine has receded back to join the rest of the supporting cast that stem from the ‘Beryl Group’ trunk.
The sales techniques
As we all know, one of the prominent features of our modern business world is the vast amount of literature and advice proffered by Chartered Accountants concerning tax shelters and methods of tax avoidance. By this, of course, I do not mean illegal practices of tax evasion. In the same vein, though in a different sphere, I now propose to sketch out a few practical points regarding sales induction without, however, infringing on the ethical considerations of consumer protection.
We are going to assume we have reached the stage of being equipped with an adequate inventory of colored gemstones and we have managed to create the desired interest in them. The points I am about to elucidate are of help to the salesman, whether in the store or on the road. These are:
The price ladder
Suppose a lady walks into the shop and ask for say, an aquamarine ring. Unless she asks specifically for a particular ring on display in your window, that is, if her enquiry is vague, it is always a good policy to start by showing her the least expensive of the aquamarine range in your stock. If she says ‘No’, I want something better’, climb up the price ladder very gradually until you sense you have reached her maximum purchasing capability and stop there! Do not go above this level, because you will be showing her a finer piece, but one which cannot afford and you may find you have lost a sale.
The forbidden expressions
As well all know, quite a number of the natural gemstones have inclusions. Emerald is a notorious example. Other examples are rubellite, ruby, sapphire with its silk, etc. and this common occurrence is tolerated the same way a cloud partially obstructing the sunshine is taken matter of factly. This phenomenon is to such degree accepted and sometimes even expected by the relatively knowledgeable consumer, that inclusions are, I am afraid, deliberately implanted in man-reconstituted stones—e.g the Gilson and Chatham emeralds. However, should a customer ask ‘What is this thing I see inside the stone?’, never describe it as a defect or an impurity or a flaw or an imperfection. These words should never be used; they are taboo. Use instead the expression ‘natural inclusion’ and expose the argument that these inclusions are a kind of authenticity certificate delivered by nature to this particular stone—the visible proof that it is a natural gemstone and not a man-made imitation.
Another danger may arise from a situation like this. Suppose you show a customer a topaz, or a diamond ring, and when you tell her the price, she exclaims: ‘Oh no! I cannot afford to pay that much.’ Do not snap: ‘Let me show something cheaper’. The terms ‘cheap’ and ‘cheaper’ should be crossed out of the salesman’s vocabulary, because of their unpleasant connotations and their negative effect on selling persuasiveness. Tell her instead: ‘Let me show you something less expensive, but of very good value.’ In the sanctum of your store and by the same token, in the course of door-to-door selling, the anodyne and sometimes enticing expressions ‘inexpensive’ and ‘low priced’ are to substitute the offensive adjectives ‘cheap’ and ‘cheaper’. Needless to add that the use of the downgrading expression ‘semi-precious’ should be at all cost avoided. Who wants to buy a half-anything? The more logical terms ‘precious stone’ or ‘gemstone’ are the ones more appropriate and more wisely to be employed.
Knowledgeability is vital
Know as much as you can about the commodity you want to sell, because you cannot sell what you do know much about. Once you have established your authority and impressed your customer, across the counter, with your knowledge about the item in transaction, half the battle will be won: you will find him or her less resistant to your arguments, more receptive to your advice.
The necessity of adequate knowledge applies also to the members of your sales force. A good practice is to set the routine of regular weekly meetings of the selling department. These should be kept as informal as possible and limited to 20-30 minutes. The purpose of these meetings is to expose that staff to the items carried in stock, or newly added to it and to exchange selling experiences of the elapsed week and also to comment on impromptu arguments that helped overcome some obstacles met within the course of a sale.
There are two ways I know to increase your knowledge about colored gemstones:
(a) The first is to be well read on the subject and to take up a gemology course, that is, if this has not yet been done. It is important to have at least one qualified gemologist on the staff.
(b) The second is to take what we may describe as a post-graduate crash course. I mean by this that at least, preferably several staff members should go to the sources and tap them for first hand information. Intelligence gathering and/or buying trips to various mining, gem cutting and jewel manufacturing centers should be organized and/or participated in, as frequently as possible. I know, for example, that in the hierarchically stratified Japanese market quite a few jewelry concerns in different levels of the distribution scale have been organizing for their various customers, and their customer’s customers, regular buying tours to production centers, sometimes as often as once a month. In this instance, these visits to the centers represent a good short, medium and long-term investment for the organizing enterprise, as well as for the participants who belong to the trade.
(i) As an immediate dividend the sales are more considerable since they are usually achieved out of a large stock. There is no clash of interest between supplier on the one hand and organizer or participants from the trade on the other. By prior mutual arrangement, the profits on sales made to the latters’ customers are silently computed into the quoted prices.
(ii) A medium-term benefit is the image boosting effect of word spreading around, concerning the direct contacts that the organizer, and, by the same token, the trade people among the participants, maintain with the producing centers.
(iii) An added bonus is material gathered by them in the course of these visits regarding information, slides and pictures which may be used for press releases, inserts and articles, and to illustrate public relations talks on various aspects of the jewelry industry.
(iv) Concerning the most important dividend of these gem safaris and study tours to the production centers, I can hardly urge you strongly enough to take part in them. Go to the source. Visit Brazil, Africa. Palpate with your own hands the bare facts concerning colored gemstones. Get familiar with the amount of work and expertise needed for the mining and cutting of these gems. Back home, you will find that the jewel you offer to the customer across the counter has suddenly acquired a deeper significance, has triggered off an avalanche of memories about rubbing shoulders with the extraction and faceting and polishing processes in the course of such trips. This will find immediate expression in irrepressible enthusiasm coloring your arguments and flowing spontaneously through your selling attitudes; and as everybody knows, sincere enthusiasm is frequently a contagious phenomenon similar to yawning, but conversely, with a positive energizing effect. You will thus find that, more often than not, your enthusiasm has been communicated to your customer with no conscious effort on your part.
To summarize the main points of this talk:
1. We have seen how colored gemstones constitute a dimension extending far beyond the dimension of diamonds.
2. We have found out the current continuous increases in the price of colored gemstones are a virtual one, over-reaching currency depreciation to realize a profit in real terms.
3. We have received various techniques in the display and selling of colored gemstones that effectively prevent this profit from stagnating on paper and help in converting it into a healthy cash flow.
Finally, I should like to add this. Take a general textbook of gemology, any textbook, and you will find that only one chapter or section deals with diamonds, whereas the rest of the book is devoted entirely to colored gemstones. This gives you a gauge as to the scope of the field and an idea of the extent of the potential. According to the old, ‘There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow’; by the pot of gold is meant wealth. In the light of what we have reviewed today, one may most emphatically asset that at the end of the rainbow, there is a pot of colorful, of enjoyable, of profitable gemstones.
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