Custom design system launched for retailers

Posted November 16, 2010 | By Sonia Nair

A virtual custom design system for jewellery is now available to retailers in Australia and New Zealand.

Global providers of technology for the jewellery industry, Gemvision Corporation and Stuller Inc updated the original CounterSketch Studio 2.0 launched in March this year.

Evolution Jewellers based in Petrie, Queensland will be the sole provider of the service in Australia and New Zealand.

The application allows retailers to incorporate virtual inventory and custom design into the way they sell jewellery.

In what has been described as a ‘leading edge development for the industry’, retailers and sales staff can utilise the application and join their manufacturing jeweller counterparts in designing customised jewellery.

Evolution Jewellers director Anthony Nowlan said, “It is groundbreaking because it is a great way for retailers and sales staff to utilise the power of CAD without having to go into the depths of CAD systems themselves.”

The intuitive application will not allow users to create jewellery that cannot be manufactured, increasing its accessibility to sales staff that may not have in-depth knowledge of jewellery manufacturing.

“The application is very intuitive. It won’t allow you to create something that is too thin or too thick for manufacturing,” Nowlan said.

The custom design is an easy four-step process. Retailers first browse through styles in the Starting Point Inventory through close consultation with customers. The retailer then customises the styles as their customers see fit and quote a price for them.

They then send it to Stuller for manufacturing, setting and finishing. Stuller than ships the customised design to the retailers in 14 days or less, less time than it would take a local manufacturer to do the same according to Nowlan.

Nowlan said the time-effectiveness along with the high-quality end product was prompting many older jewellers to embrace the application.

Nowlan estimated that the average age of his customers was 40 years and above.

“It is interesting from our point of view. It’s because they have the experience. They know how valuable time is when it comes to custom-made jewellery.”

The application’s user-friendliness was also a factor that prompted older jewellers to embrace it.

An updated Starting Point inventory allows retailers to browse through more than 2000 ring styles in an inventory that now includes pendants and men’s rings as well.

Based on common visual elements such as split shanks, side stones or setting types, retailers can search through the Starting Point Inventory with ease.

Retailers of customised bridal rings will benefit from using the application. It allows retailers to add matching bands that automatically adjust to a customised engagement ring.

Retailers can add a bead set or channel set stones to the band with a single mouse click.

A new pricing display system makes it easy for retailers to work within a customer’s budget as they can choose only certain metal types of grades of diamonds, for instance. Australian and New Zealand currency tabs ease the process.

Gemvision and Stuller said this would allow retailers to maintain and sell only quality of jewellery that is specific to their store.

Nowlan said the application was designed in response to a growing aversion for stock standard products and an escalating affinity for customer-made jewellery.

“Customer-made jewellery is not a fad and it is not going anywhere. It is a trend that is here to stay.”

The application is only available in four other countries – America, United Kingdom, Canada and Italy.

For more information visit: Evolution Jewellers

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