The necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
Charles Stanley’s notes on Forevermark
After speaking with Forevermark CEO Stephen Lussier in London a few weeks ago, Charles Stanley, who heads De Beers’ branded diamond program here in the United States, took some time last week to provide more specifics on how Forevermark will...
This upcoming week marks a big one for the launch of Forevermark here, as De Beers will unveil the marketing plans for its branded diamond to retailers at the Las Vegas jewelry shows.
Forevermark already is available via pilot sale programs at two retailers, Borsheims in Omaha, Neb. and five San Diego-area Ben Bridge Jewelers.
Forevermark will launch in the fourth quarter. Though Lussier said that he’s more concerned with doing it right then rushing to market before the program’s ready, a Forevermark executive told me they are “definitely” launching in the United States at the end of the year and will be sharing their plans with Forevermark retailers in Las Vegas.
Retailers will be able to sell Forevermark jewelry online (and in fact they already are). But they won’t be allowed to sell Forevermark loose diamonds on the Internet, Stanley said. And the price of the online product has to be the same as what they are charging in the store. Stanley said he doesn’t seem inter-market competition as being a big issue because so much of what drives people to shop online over going to stores these days is price--which won’t be an issue here--and because retailers have the freedom to create their own designs. A customer that sees a piece they like at Jeweler A won’t necessarily be able to find that same design and buy it online from Jeweler B.
He added that the nature of the program, which includes a viewer customers can use to see the Forevermark inscription, lends itself to more in-store sales and that’s where he expects jewelers to do the majority of Forevermark business.
“We’re not frankly expecting a lot of diamond sales to be made online. We fundamentally believe that to get the full experience of buying a diamond it needs to be done in store,” he said.
Discounting is a no-no. Stanley said there are clauses in the retailers’ contracts that pertain to discounting. And though he wouldn’t say if markdowns are strictly forbidden, he did say this: “We don’t see this as a product that should be heavily discounted or marked down.”
The cost of the program is...$10,000 per year for a store.
De Beers doesn’t see Forevermark as conflicting with the De Beers Diamond Jewellers stores it operates through a joint venture with LVMH. Forevermark enables retailers to use the equity of the De Beers Group name and extend it to their customers through a separate brand, Stanley said. He said one element of the program that further sets Forevermark apart is the fact that each of these diamonds go through the Forevermark Diamond Institute (FDI) in Antwerp.
I actually had the chance to visit FDI while in Europe a couple of weeks ago, and it was an interesting operation to be sure. The Institute housed about 5,000 loose stones on two floors and about 500 a day go through the process of becoming Forevermark diamonds, complete with the brand’s signature inscription.
Each diamond goes through a total of 27 steps to make sure it meets Forevemark standards, is not treated and gets inscribed. Forevermark standards dictate that a stone must be at least very good cut, L color (all colors are accepted for stones that are two carats or larger in size) or fancy colored, and SI2 clarity. De Beers will supply a Forevermark-branded grading report to customers that want them though it is not mandatory.
Stanley said there is a “clear light” between De Beers-branded stores and its branded diamond. He also noted that Forevermark diamonds won’t be offered in De Beers’ stores.
Here’s one last item regarding the jewelers that are already carrying Forevermark. Lussier told me that’s it’s “just a coincidence” that both retailers currently carrying Forevermark--Ben Bridge and Borsheims--are both Berkshire Hathaway-owned jewelers. Just in case anybody was wondering...
The Latest
The two organizations will host a joint event, “Converge,” in September 2025.
Big changes appear to be on the horizon for the diamond miner and its parent company, Anglo American.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
Padis succeeds Lisa Bridge, marking the first time the organization has had two women board presidents in a row.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar "John Mayer" was celebrated at a star-studded party in LA last week.
The announcement came as the company reported a 23 percent drop in production in Q1.
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to partner with the retailer, donating to a Detroit nonprofit and giving watches to fans.
A double-digit drop in the number of in-store crimes was offset by a jump in off-premises attacks, JSA’s 2023 crime report shows.
Inspired by the Roman goddess of love, the designer looked to the sea for her new collection.
The luxury titan posted declining sales, weighed down by Gucci’s poor performance.
The selected nine organizations have outlined their plans for the funds.
The mining company’s Diavik Diamond Mine lost four employees in a plane crash in January.
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
Emmanuel Raheb recommends digging into demographic data, customizing your store’s communications, and retargeting ahead of May 12.
Located in the town of Queensbury, it features a dedicated bridal section and a Gabriel & Co. store-in-store.
A 203-carat diamond from the alluvial mine in Angola achieved the highest price.
Ruser was known for his figural jewelry with freshwater pearls and for his celebrity clientele.
The “Rebel Heart” campaign embodies rebellion, romance, and sensuality, the brand said.
The overhaul includes a new logo and enhanced digital marketplace.
The money will go toward supporting ongoing research and aftercare programs for childhood cancer survivors.
A new addition to the “Heirloom” collection, this one-of-a-kind piece features 32 custom-cut gemstones.
Last month in Dallas, David Walton pushed another jeweler, David Ettinger, who later died.
The move will allow the manufacturing company to offer a more “diverse and comprehensive” range of products.
From now through mid-May, GIA will be offering the reports at a 50 percent discount.
De Beers’ rough diamond sales were down 18 percent year-over-year in its latest round of sales.