Southern Jewelry News
  • Featured
    • All
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Sponsored Content
    • Supplier Spotlight
    Jeweler brings Midwest to the Southwest
    Tara Fine Jewelry: Atlanta’s not-so-secret, best-kept secret
    Finding the Big Ones; Zambian Trophies for the Ages
    The Golden Girls of Gemstones
  • Latest News
    • All
    • COVID-19
    • Furry Friends
    • Industry Awards
    • Industry Events
    • NRF
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Tradeshow News
    • Video
    • What's New
    Education, networking, hospitality featured at Spring Atlanta Jewelry Show
    Designer Brenda Smith announces new Black ’n Gold ’n Diamonds Collection
    JBT-logo-cover
    Richard Katz, Richline Group appointed Chairman of The Jewelers Board of Trade®
    Alan Revere
    AJDC elects Alan Revere as President
  • Podcast
  • Columnists
    Is the customer always right?
    Successful Custom: Stressing the bench jeweler
    The Story Behind the Stone: Diamonds on Pins and Needles
    Jewelry Marketing Survival Guide
    The Story Behind the Stone: Out of the Blue
    What’s Hot Now!: Latest Designer Trends 2023
    A Winning Strategy: How SEO and buying intent can skyrocket your sales
    business people shaking hands
    Networking for small business owners
    Is the customer always right?
    Successful Custom: A Clean Disaster
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Southern Jewelry News
  • Featured
    • All
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Sponsored Content
    • Supplier Spotlight
    Jeweler brings Midwest to the Southwest
    Tara Fine Jewelry: Atlanta’s not-so-secret, best-kept secret
    Finding the Big Ones; Zambian Trophies for the Ages
    The Golden Girls of Gemstones
  • Latest News
    • All
    • COVID-19
    • Furry Friends
    • Industry Awards
    • Industry Events
    • NRF
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Tradeshow News
    • Video
    • What's New
    Education, networking, hospitality featured at Spring Atlanta Jewelry Show
    Designer Brenda Smith announces new Black ’n Gold ’n Diamonds Collection
    JBT-logo-cover
    Richard Katz, Richline Group appointed Chairman of The Jewelers Board of Trade®
    Alan Revere
    AJDC elects Alan Revere as President
  • Podcast
  • Columnists
    Is the customer always right?
    Successful Custom: Stressing the bench jeweler
    The Story Behind the Stone: Diamonds on Pins and Needles
    Jewelry Marketing Survival Guide
    The Story Behind the Stone: Out of the Blue
    What’s Hot Now!: Latest Designer Trends 2023
    A Winning Strategy: How SEO and buying intent can skyrocket your sales
    business people shaking hands
    Networking for small business owners
    Is the customer always right?
    Successful Custom: A Clean Disaster
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Southern Jewelry News
No Result
View All Result
Home Columnists

24 Karat Corner: My love/hate relationship with Apple

Howard Kelrick by Howard Kelrick
November 26, 2014
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Reading Time: 5 minutes

First of all, I hope you don’t have time to read this column right now. With Christmas just weeks away, I hope your in-box is over flowing, and if you are reading these pages like me, its with one hand holding a sandwich while the other hand is sorting through job envelopes and order tickets, all under the glow of the flashing message light of your phone. But, as always, the holidays will be behind us way too soon, and life will get back to normal. And, these pages will look a lot better when we are all relaxed.

In the interest of full disclosure, I love my Apple iPhone. I don’t know how we ever got along without it. And, according to my kids, I only use about 1% of its capabilities. Sure, I have pages of apps, but honestly, I only check a few of them regularly, and mostly to check out of town sports scores, or the latest photos of my new granddaughter.

But, I hate what the Apple iPhone is doing to our industry! When the new iPhone 6 was released, Apple sold more than 10 million in the first weekend! The analysts at Wells Fargo predict consumers will spend about $14 billion on iPhones from launch through year-end. That’s $14 billion that won’t be spent on jewelry this quarter. And, the inherent excitement has pretty much sucked all the oxygen out of jewelers’ showrooms. Its hard to think of any jewelry product that ever generated this much buzz when launched.

Soon the Apple watch will be available. This beauty will have speech recognition, messaging, and sensors galore to monitor your activity level and vital signs. Naturally, I’m looking forward to getting one, but I do feel badly about doing so.

It will be the first watch I ever bought for myself or family that didn’t come from my buddy’s jewelry store downtown. The Apple watch is expected to do billions in sales. That means lots of watches coming from Cupertino, not the neighborhood jeweler.

Watch battery replacement is one of the greatest promotional tools in our business today. Sharp retailers replace watch batteries for free. “While Junior changes the battery, let me show you these beautiful earrings that just came in!”  Or, “As long as we have the watch, how about a fresh new strap? This one is looking a bit worn.” I understand the Apple watch comes with a charger which means fewer trips to the jewelry store, and therefore fewer opportunities for jewelers to make presentations.

Technology is great, but it comes with a steep price. Some of the world’s great literature would never have been written if cell phones were available years ago. If Romeo could have texted Juliet, “You OK?” Shakespeare wouldn’t have had much of a play to write. If Jerry could have stayed in constant contact with George and Kramer, we all would have been more productive on Thursday nights in the ‘90s. I’m looking forward to my Apple watch, but not what it does to watch sales in jewelry stores, and all that goes with it.

How do smart retailers prevent technology from taking a share of their market? Through innovation and forward thinking of their own. And to help guide them, the 55 members of The 24 Karat Club are standing by to offer their expert opinions and advice in their individual fields of expertise. Members of The 24 Karat Club are selected for their experience in the industry and their commitment to the retail jewelry business. When the holidays are over, make a note to check the directory on our website (www.The24KaratClub.org) and feel free to contact any of the members for helpful advice on how to compete against today’s new challenges.

We know how busy you are right now, so one final thought: The members of The 24 Karat Club are thinking of you, appreciate all that you do, and wish you a wonderful Holiday Season, filled with family, love, good health and peace.


Howard Kelrick is President of Finger Mate and a  board member of The 24 Karat Club, SEUS.  Finger Mate manufactures and installs expandable ring shanks and sells to retail jewelers throughout North America. Contact Howard at 954-458-2700 or e-mail Howard@FingerMate.com.

 

Howard Kelrick

Howard Kelrick

Howard Kelrick is President of Finger Mate and a  board member of The 24 Karat Club, SEUS.  Finger Mate manufactures and installs expandable ring shanks and sells to retail jewelers throughout North America. Contact Howard at 954-458-2700 or e-mail Howard@FingerMate.com.

Related Posts

Is the customer always right?

Successful Custom: Stressing the bench jeweler

March 27, 2023

The Story Behind the Stone: Diamonds on Pins and Needles

March 20, 2023

Jewelry Marketing Survival Guide

March 15, 2023

The Story Behind the Stone: Out of the Blue

March 15, 2023

Latest News

Industry Events

Education, networking, hospitality featured at Spring Atlanta Jewelry Show

March 27, 2023
Columnists

Successful Custom: Stressing the bench jeweler

March 27, 2023
What's New

Designer Brenda Smith announces new Black ’n Gold ’n Diamonds Collection

March 27, 2023

Other News

Richard Katz, Richline Group appointed Chairman of The Jewelers Board of Trade®

AJDC elects Alan Revere as President

Kingswood Company President and CEO Kristie Nicolosi inducted into Private Label Industry Hall of Fame

Hardrock Summit to return to Denver in September 2023

Iconic Jewelry Firms is theme of ASJRA’s 18th annual Conference

DMIA members meet-and-greet and hear updates from GIA, NDC

Southern Jewelry News

© 2022 Southern Jewelry News.

Additional Information

  • About
  • 2023 Jewelry Trade Shows & Events
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
  • Newsletter Signup

Get Social with Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured Articles
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Sponsored Content
  • Latest News
    • What’s New
    • Industry Events
    • Tradeshow News
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Furry Friends
  • Podcast
  • Columnists
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription

© 2022 Southern Jewelry News.