Web roundup: Gurhan now selling online

New York--A new e-commerce website, mobile applications and revamped websites are among the recent online developments in the jewelry industry.

Gurhan announced Wednesday that it is launching its first e-commerce platform, coinciding with the redesign of its website.

The introduction of e-commerce is the first phase of the relaunch of Gurhan.com, with Gurhan’s products available for purchase on the site now.

 The second phase, slated for early 2014, will include a social engagement component: a community page will encourage shoppers to share photos and stories of their “Gurhan lifestyle.” Gurhan also will directly engage with its consumers by answering questions and sharing commentary.

The site also will feature designer and brand co-founder Gurhan Orhan’s personal blog, as well as a rotating gallery of his personal photography and behind-the-scenes interviews and videos.

Verichannel’s Gemfling.com has redesigned its website, retooling it in a way that is meant to “de-commoditize” the way consumers look at diamonds.

“Commoditization is killing profit margins,” said Verichannel CEO Jacques Voorhees. “We need to communicate to the consumer that there is life beyond the four Cs, and that there is more to purchasing diamonds than looking at a grading report.”

The site now allows consumers to search for stones based on concepts they might be less familiar with, including the differences between vendors and how the diamond-buying experience changes between vendors.

Gemfling can help consumers understand and select diamonds based on, for example, which vendors support a social activism group, which retailers are members of industry organizations like the American Gem Society and Jewelers of America, and what the different diamond brands actually stand for, among other things.

While Gemfling does not sell any jewelry on its site, it serves as a specialty search engine to help consumers find diamonds, retailers and soon, jewelry, based on educational filters such as social activism, education and credentials, on-site services, diamond brands and more.

The Chrono Registry has released its app, TCR Lite, available for free in the iTunes app store. The platform provides services to those worried about fake watches or recovering a lost or stolen watch.

This first version of the app features three basic functions: “Registry,” “Search for Serial Numbers,” and "Declare Stolen or Found.” Users also can transfer the title of the watch to someone who has purchased it, with TCR Lite establishing a chain of ownership for watches, from the factory through to their current owner.