Hey everyone, Daniel Gordon here. Hope everyone had a great weekend. I’m very excited about this post today. I’ve always felt very strong about Education being essential for the evolution of any industry. Diane Flora is a very important part of that in the jewelry industry. I have had the great privilege of getting to speak with Diane recently and I thought it would be informative and valuable to see how much work and what what goes into what she does with AGS to ensure that happens every single day. Here is some information about Diane, and then a Q & A about AGS and the important role it plays. Hope you enjoy.

Diane Flora is the Director of Education at the American Gem Society.  She plans, directs, and coordinates the educational programs of the AGS both for completion of titleholder requirements and continuing educational opportunities for the members.

Hey everyone, Daniel Gordon here . As we continue to improve and enhance our blog content to be of more value and substance to our readers, we will be interviewing people to hopefully share with you more of an inside look at the jewelry industry. Showcasing interesting, talented and forward thinking guests to appear on the blog that help shape and add immense value to the jewelry industry in various ways from many different aspects.

My first guest is Paul Tacorian of the prestigious and very well known bridal and fashion jewelry brand, Tacori. To introduce Paul to you, here is a little information and some background.

About Paul:

Paul Tacorian, SVP of Marketing for TACORI, heads the Marketing and Sales Departments for TACORI, one of America’s leading names in jewelry.

As the face of TACORI, Paul has been a celebrity style expert consultant for almost a decade, and has appeared on a variety of television shows and networks including – The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, The Today Show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Good Morning America, The Dr. Phil Show, Extra!, The Style Network, E!, and more.

Paul has also been a favorite of celebrity clientele, including Tina Fey, Paris Hilton, Brooke Shields, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Ellen Pompeo, Her Royal Highness Catherine Oxenberg and more. As an expert jewelry contributor, interviews with Paul have been featured in numerous publications, including – People magazine, Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, InStyle Weddings, Los Angeles Times, Life & Style, Martha Stewart Weddings and Us Weekly, just to name a few. Hailing from a multi-generation legacy of jewelers, Paul joined the family business in 1997 after completing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Marketing at California State University at Chico.

As you can see, Paul has accomplished many things on many levels for our industry and his family’s company. Someone I am proud to call a friend, as well as a business brand partner. Here’s a little Q & A we did recently, smart guy I have a huge amount of respect for. So here goes, hope you enjoy…

Q1 How did you decide to come into the family business and what was the experience like for you in the very beginning?

Paul:  “When I graduated college, I considered working for someone else, or working for my family to build upon what they had created.  It was a natural choice to join what my family started.  With my background in marketing, I was able to create more opportunities for the business and explore creative ideas that the business – and the industry – hadn’t yet embraced.  It was incredibly satisfying to be able to join my family and present new ideas and new opportunities to take our business to the next level.”

Q2 What are your day to day duties now and what do you love doing most in the business?

Paul:  “As the SVP of Sales & Marketing, I lead these two arms of the business.  I see myself in large parts being both the brand manager and brand ambassador for Tacori.  What I love most about what I do is evaluating the marketplace and coming up with exciting new ways to create more awareness and interest in Tacori.”

Q3 Was there a point in time where you really realized the brand was taking off and what aspects do you attribute the success?

Paul:  “Two words: The Bachelor.   Being part of the original “Trista & Ryan Wedding” catapaulted Tacori into the national eye, and that’s when Tacori really became a household name. We took great care to harness that incredible momentum to create even more exposure for Tacori through unconventional PR and marketing avenues.”

Q4 What goes into making a Tacori ring from beginning to finished product?

There’s so much love and care that goes into every handcrafted Tacori design. What’s important to say is that we, as a Family, are dedicated to creating each Tacori design here in California, where we are intimately involved in the design process every day.  Here’s a great video to showcase each aspect that our Family oversees: You can watch it here, Tacori Video

Q5 How do you decide what look to create and how does a style become an actual part of the line?

Paul: “This is really a question for my father, Haig Tacorian, who has the incredible design vision for Tacori.  Every day, he has a design idea to explore.   As a company, Tacori is inspired to create the most beautiful handcrafted designs.  We are ever-evolving with new styles every year, creating contemporary heirloom treasures that our clients love.”

Q6 What do you see in store for Tacori next? Any future plans or ideas that you can share with us?

Paul: “We see Tacori becoming the best bridal and jewelry brand in the industry and the most sought after brand in the industry.   Not necessarily the biggest, but the best at what we do.  We are always coming up with new ideas, new designs, and new innovations.  For what’s next…you’ll just have to wait and see!”

Well, there you have it. Directly from the man himself. I have loved the brand and look of Tacori since I very just started in the business, and the passion for the line obviously shows. Here’s some more info and background on the company.

About Tacori:

Spanning four decades, Tacori designs have fused classic elegance with modern inspiration, creating some of the world’s most highly regarded and exquisite jewelry. The stunning beauty and intricacy of each piece of Tacori jewelry is the result of an uncompromising passion for artisanship. Handcrafted in California, these remarkably detailed rings and fine jewelry pieces become the timeless symbols of connection that join individuals and generations.

Tacori Heritage:

The Tacorian family’s proud tradition of passion is expressed in everything they create. The Tacori legacy begins with Haig Tacorian, patriarch of the family, who in 1969 left Europe to start a new life in the United States.  In California, Haig and his wife Gilda devoted themselves to creating fine jewelry with a unique and distinctive European flair. Haig is still the father of the company, with his son Paul and daughter Nadine, as well as several other Tacorian family members, all carrying on the family tradition of passion, quality, attention to detail and personal customer care.

Today, the care Tacori brings to every piece of jewelry is inspired by Haig’s original vision.  Tacori not only creates intricately crafted artisan jewelry, but also upholds a family legacy.

If you would like to learn more about Tacori you can connect and interact with Tacori on Twitter, Facebook, Website and their YouTube channel here. Hope you enjoyed the visit with Paul and info on what Tacori is all about. Comment are most welcome. Questions and ideas even for future blog post topics and people you would like to hear from.

As always Greatly Appreciate you taking the time to read and stop by.

Respectfully,

Daniel Gordon, 

Samuel Gordon Jewelers

Over the past five years  I have been working at Samuel Gordon Jewelers, there is one main question that almost always pops up when someone is considering options while shopping for a fine timepiece.

The question is: Which is best suited for me, a battery powered Quartz watch or an Automatic movement containing moving parts inside the casing to keep it running?  To answer this accurately, I would have to say there are specific reasons that both have their pros and cons to consider when weighing which piece of machinery is best suited for your needs.  What might be a perfect fit for one person may not exactly be the best choice for another.  Both types of movements have their pros and cons.  By knowing a few specific things about each type of movement, you should be able to determine which watch is the better choice for you personally.

Quartz Advantages

Depending on your preferences, quartz watches do have some definite benefits over automatics.  One benefit is accuracy.  Quartz watches are extremely accurate. Their margin of error is less than one second per day. If you are in a line of work or and industry where you need precision, I would highly recommend this type of movement.

Another benefit for some people is the weight factor.  A Quartz  movement timepiece in many cases are much lighter than the automatic version of the same style watch, which  look the same but in reality contain two entirely different mechanisms inside.

The final point I will make of a possible benefit to many would have to be the maintenance factor. As a rule of thumb, Quartz movements are powered by a battery, so therefore they do not rely on motion and moving parts alone like an automatic, which results in servicing being much less expensive. Power Cells (or watch batteries) usually run continuously for about two years.  This means you won’t have to wind the watch or reset the time if you don’t wear it for a couple of days like you would on an automatic movement that is powered by movement and motion.

Recap: Accuracy, Price, Maintenance

Quartz Disadvantages

Another disadvantage for a quartz watch is water-resistance upkeep and maintenance.  Due to the fact a battery replacement is needed approximately every two years,  the watch case is opened more frequently and therefore needs the seals and gaskets replaced at that time to ensure it is restored back to the condition of water resistance stated on the case-back, if any.  If you choose to have just the battery replaced and not the seals and gaskets, then you are at risk of getting moisture into the watch, which will most definitely cause severe damage to the movement itself if it occurs. It does cost a bit more, but depending on the price you paid for the watch and the importance of the timepiece to you, it’s a personal decision on what you decide is best for you.

Recap: Replacement, Water-Resistance, Repair

Automatic Advantages

Automatic movement watches have several advantages over Quartz.  Longevity is probably the number one benefit.  Most automatic watches are considered to be heirloom pieces.  This means they have the potential to last for several lifetimes, not just a couple of decades or more. Quartz watches have circuitry which will not last forever, Automatics are built with many moving parts and require no electronics to run. Therefore the quality of the parts in the piece can lead to a very long, if not, indefinite timepiece to hand down to generation after generation.

The next benefit I would have to address is the fact automatics do not have to be serviced nearly as often as quartz watches.  This is a very good thing because the watch case isn’t opened as much, which means the water resistance will be at much lower risk for having any issues during the lifetime of the watch.

One more advantage that automatics have over quartz is not having to worry about a sudden stop due to an unexpected dead battery. With an automatic watch, if the watch has wound down and stopped for that reason, all you need to do is wind the watch by turning the crown, then reset the time and you are on your way again.  Also, being a collectors item and in many cases higher resale value can also be considered benefits when it comes to mechanical or automatic watches.  There are many automatic watches that are very valuable collector pieces due the workmanship, time, energy and craftsmanship that goes into making them a finished functional product.

Recap: Collectibility, Value, Longevity

Automatic Disadvantages

There are a couple of disadvantages to consider when it comes to automatic watches, as well.  Price is probably the number one reason most people would choose quartz over automatic.  Automatic watches are more comlex and require more skill and precision to assemble, therefore they will almost always be priced higher than a quartz piece.  The price of repairs and service on an automatic watch will typically be more than repairs on a quartz, but are needed less frequently.

Another main disadvantage for an automatic watch is ease of use if not worn or wound enough.  With an automatic, if you don’t wear the watch everyday or if you just aren’t very active, then the watch will have to be wound and the time and/or date set before you wear it in a running state again.  This process can be cumbersome depending on how frequently you wear the watch, how active you are, the ability of the length of each particular automatic movement to last time frame wise until wound down, and also if you have a if you have a winding box.

Winding boxes takes care of the problem of your watch winding down if you aren’t wearing it enough. They continually turn the watch intermittently in an enclosed case and come in many different form factors, styles and designs, and will ensure your watch is running all the time to initiate motion of the rotor spinning.

And last but not least, Accuracy. As stated esarlier as a benefit to a Quartz movement, it could be a disadvantage to someone who needs as complete precision when it comes to gaining and losing time. Automatics have been evolved over time to be extremely accurate, although they do lose a little more time than most Quartz watches due to the fact they are powered by movement and motion, unlike a Quartz which contains circuitry and is powered by a power cell.

Recap: Expense, Maintenance, Accuracy

Well that’s about it for now, love to know if you are have any questions about watches, topics you’d like see covered in future, or any experiences you have personally had have regarding this topic.

Thanks again, and looking forward to your feedback, comments and or questions down below.

Respectfully,
Cory Wokaty

I’ve had the privilege of serving a lot of customers for more than 13 years at my family’s jewelry store in Oklahoma City, Samuel Gordon Jewelers. Over time, I’ve seen many different methods that ring shoppers use in order to search for that “perfect engagement ring”. It can be a taxing process to say the least. With so many choices, jewelry designers and styles, it is no wonder to me that many, if not most, people get frustrated and basically end up going with the last place they land just because they are ready for the experience to “be over”. That saddens me, especially when it should be a joyous occasion and a celebration of the love for the people who are about to share their lives’ together. My goal is to give some tips that will hopefully make it easier and more importantly, fun! This is possibly one of the most sentimental, significant and symbolic pieces of jewelry a person might wear in their lifetime, and I think the experience should be something you look back on fondly.

Pick Your Favorite Diamond Shape

When hunting for a ring, a lot of what depends on which mounting you choose is impacted by what looks good with the diamond center stone shape you pick. Many times I find a person who has fallen in love with one (and has a backup shape), has really done themselves a favor by somewhat narrowing the mounting choices to a style and design that would fit best. While I agree it is empowering to have a huge reservoir of choices, it also helps to be able to figure out what truly catches your eye.  In my experience, every woman tends to fall in love with a particular shape at some point in the process.  Figuring this out first and fast is the best tip I can give to make the entire experience easier on you.

Quality Versus Quantity

There is a universal frustrating moment when you find exactly what you want, but cannot have it because of budget. It can really take away from the whole experience. You have to go into this process with a clear set of priorities. Ask yourself: Do you want a larger stone, better quality, more money in the diamond, or a very intricate and labor intensively designed mounting? In almost every sale I’ve ever made, something had to be sacrificed to hit a comfortable price point. For my money, I would pick quality over quantity any day of the week. That said, little changes in quality can make a big difference in the size you can afford.  If you have had your heart set on a large stone, go with it, but be careful not to compromise too much on the quality.  You want to make sure that this is a stone that you can love for a lifetime.

Browse Bridal Magazines and Jewelry Websites

Taking the time to browse through magazine and websites for that perfect style is a great way to get started on the right path. I find that the person who has an idea through visuals can come in more prepared, have a basic idea of price and as a result the rings don’t all run together. If you know what you want, you will know it when you see it at the store.  This is especially true after looking in multiple stores, eventually all of the rings start to look alike. You are going to want to cast a wider net as the jewelry is always much larger in photos than they are in person, so pick a few favorites at this point.  Once you get to the store, you will find that some of the looks you love on the page or on the screen, really don’t scale down all that well.

Decide Which Metal is Best For You

First, choose which color of metal you decide you like the best, white, yellow or even rose.  Once that is decided, there are many different options to choose from. Everything from gold content, white metal types, factors of durability, longevity, price and even allergy issues. My best advice is to research online on various sites first and then ask a trusted jeweler to explain the difference to you. You should also ask your friends and relatives for their own experiences. White metal is the most common choice these days and lately I find Platinum is regaining popularity due to the increased price of gold. Platinum is a very long lasting metal which has little to no wear over time compared to gold (white or yellow) which  is much softer. So do your due diligence and see what your research tells you, but more than anything be sure to take a look at each of the metals first hand.

Take a Break

If, after doing all this, you still find yourself in that “lost in a ring shopping maze”, step away from the jewelry. Yes, you heard me right, the jewelry salesmen is telling you to stop shopping for jewelry. Once you put a little bit of distance between you and the experience, the cream will rise to the top. Even though you may have LOVED it at the time, if you cannot remember the ring or even where you saw it a week later, it probably wasn’t the one.  Give yourself a little perspective and I bet you that something will stand out from all of the options you see. The ring that you remember, the stone that you cannot get out of your mind, that is almost always the one.  If nothing stands out, then you might just want to start from step one and try again to find the ring that’s right for you.

So, those are the best tips that I have found to be helpful when searching for that perfect engagement ring. I am sure there are others, so if you have been through the ring shopping experience, we would would love to hear your feedback, frustrations and advice on what helped you find that yours.

Thanks for stopping by, as always….Greatly Appreciated.

Respectfully,
Daniel Gordon

I want to try something different and offer a more personal perspective on one of my favorite pieces. I’m going to review the very first ring I fell in love with at the buy at our largest trade show JCK LasVegas, back when Scott Kay introduced and launched his fashion Sterling Silver line several years ago.

Scott Kay’s signature look for his Sterling Silver is the basket weave.

As you can plainly see from this front/side view the weave goes from where the center station meets the shoulder and then carries itself all the way down and around to the bottom of the shank from there. The center station is made up of pave’ diamonds weighing in just under a quarter carat at .24 carats total weight.

I really love the balance in this design,  the way the diamonds protrude out slightly and then curve seamlessly over the edge, lifting just a touch above the continuity of the ring, gives it a classic, yet fashion forward look.  The design manages to be impressive without being gaudy or ostentatious at all. I see this as a ring any woman could wear, something I often feel about a piece that is well designed and balanced. No matter what age, body type, eye color or height, this ring really has that versatility factor which I gravitate towards when it comes to designer jewelry.

One thing that really impresses me is that the quality and craftsmanship of Scott’s Sterling Silver line is exactly that of what goes into making a platinum ring.

When he very first launched this fashion line, Scott wanted to make absolute sure the Sterling Silver was manufactured to the highest possible standards, mirroring that of his well know already highly visible branded bridal line. Hold this ring in your hand for one second and you’ll immediately feel that he wasn’t kidding at all. The sensation of weight is something many like, anyone who puts this on their finger knows they are wearing a nicely made quality piece.

Here are a couple more pics including a closeup of the under gallery detail, you can really see the care he put into this design.

When I first bought the line in 2005 , this ring really caught my eye. I told Scott how much I just loved it and said to him I think this is going to be one of your best sellers. A year later I asked how this style was doing nation wide. I knew we were selling it very frequently, but wanted to see if it’s because I personally loved it, or it was doing well on it’s own merit. The rep replied, “it’s the number one seller in the line”. So as you can see it has a lot of sentimental meaning to me, in fact we still carry it and even at a cost of $735 the ring really does sell itself.

So that’s it! Let me know what you think of this kind of personal review, it is something I hope to do more of here on this blog.

I hope you enjoyed it and feedback, as always, is greatly appreciated!

Also…If you are interested, I wrote a personal post about Scott Kay, who I greatly respect, know as an industry leader, and consider to be one of my many jewelry industry mentors. You can find it here.

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