Designer’s Diary: First Impressions

Given all these glorious doors that have been opening for me lately, I do want to take a moment to acknowledge those who have surpassed my greatest expectations in kindness, professionalism and thoughtfulness.  

My first shout-out goes to the marvelous Sarah Graham. I started jewelry classes more than 10 years ago and she’s been one of my idols all this time. Her work is phenomenal and so is her spirit. She will be honoring me and the JCK tribe with her presence and words of wisdom at our Tucson show in February for a fireside chat (details to follow.) What struck me the most about this icon is her friendly demeanor, her genuine passion for the craft and the industry at large, and her inherent desire to give back and inspire others. I once was a fan; now you can consider me a groupie.

Other jewelers who have won my heart are the fabulous Melissa Joy Manning and Pamela Love. Melissa, who is swamped as she just opened a new shop in my neighborhood, not only replied to my email directly, but invited me to come visit her for a hug and a hello. Pamela, a CDFA award-winner who probably gets more emails in an hour than I do a day, took time out to thank me for my kind words and wished me well on my efforts. 

If you tell yourself, “I don’t have time to get back to everyone,” well I have news for you: You’re doing it wrong. Customer service should be the number one priority of everyone in this business, and people talk. All this money we pour into marketing and advertising? There still is nothing more powerful than word-of-mouth. 

These two jewelry greats inspired me to grab a call with my business coach Dixie Dynamite this week to talk about scaling. How do I copy their model and ensure all my inquiries are met in a timely and friendly manner? Their decorum is one I wish to emulate.

New designers to the scene who also have been friendly--and whom I have no doubt will go far--are WWake, Shimmel and Madden, Workhorse, Doryn Wallach and Melissa Spencer. All these hot new brands to land on the jewelry scene have remained humble and teachable. It’s how I hope to stay as well, as I’m a big believer in Einstein’s theory: “A true genius admits he knows nothing.”  

These new designers took the time out of their hectic days to talk to me more about their show strategies, design philosophies and their concerns for industry at large. I was able to relay many of their helpful suggestions back to the JCK clan, which were taken extremely seriously. (As a side note, their call for much-needed publicity was received and heard. A new JCK Events Blog rolls out in early November, but I can’t let any of the exciting details out of the bag quite yet.)

Hopefully this article doesn’t fall on deaf ears. It may offend or rub some the wrong way, but I’ve often found that that the things that anger me the most give me the most opportunity to grow.  

I encourage us all to get out of our own way, myself included, and try to remain focused on the bigger picture.  

By offering a hand, lending an ear or going the extra mile to help someone get to that next step, you aren’t just helping your brand grow, but you’re helping our jewelry tribe as a whole. Remember that next time you shoot off a note or return a call; you’ve only got one shot to make that first impact on a new audience. 

I know moving forward I’ll be much more conscientious because as we all know, I have a few things to learn myself. 

Jacqueline Stone has a background in finance, marketing, advertising, product development, fine jewelry manufacturing, design and sourcing. She currently is the chief creative officer of her company, Salt + Stone, working primarily with private clients to build custom engagement rings and wedding bands. Stone can be reached at shine@saltandstone.com.