jewelery report meena

8/14/2019 Jewelery Report Meena

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Jewelry

Jewelry is a type of accessory that includes necklaces, rings, bracelets,watches, and earrings.Jewelry is designed for men, women, and children and can be made from a variety of differentmaterials including Silver, Gold, Metal, and Wood.

Fast Facts

1. Dates back 100,000 years

2. The name originates from the Latin word jocale meaning plaything

3. Began with materials made from bone, teeth, and shell

4. Considered a symbol of wealth and artistic display

5. Can incorporate beads, stones, gems, and diamonds

History of JewelryWhile the formation ofbeads are an example of a type of jewelry about 100,000 years ago, the first known jewelry

pieces were worn by the Cro-Magnons about 40,000 years ago. The pieces were made ofbone and teeth and wereworn as necklaces and earrings to show tribal membership and serve as protection. From there the Egyptians also

created jewelry, evolving it with the use ofgold and metals to symbolize power and wealth. The Greeks continued inthat evolution with the use of beading and soon mastered the art of working with pearls and gemstones such asamethyst.
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Types of Gemstones

Diamonds

Emerald

Opal

Pearls

Sapphire

Ruby

Topaz

The industry of jewellery has flourished in the past few years due to the increased demand offashionable jewellery. The export and import of jewellery has also amplified. People nowadays

have a passion for jewellery which accounts for the growth of this industry all over the world.

Jeweler is used for fashion as well as decoration. In the past jewellery was used to adorn bible

monuments and other decorations were made using different pieces of valuablejewels. A wide

variety of jewellery is available; costume jewellery, fashion jewellery, body jewellery, antique

jewellery, traditional jewellery, modern jewellery and many more.

Industry Overview

The retail jewelry industry is comprised of five main segments: bridal jewelry (30%), fashionjewelry (22%), watches (18%), precious stones (15%) and precious metals (15%). Bridal jewelry,the only necessary component of jewelry retail, is less influenced by economic conditions thanfashion jewelry, which is considered a luxury good. The category of watches generally includesclocks as well as most jewelry repairs. Precious metals include gold, silver, platinum andpalladium. Precious stones come in over 130 varieties, around 50 of which are commonly sold byretail jewelers.

The retail jewelry industry is highly fragmented, with the top ten jewelry chains comprising lessthan 25 percent of the market. No retailer claims more than 6 percent market share. Chains areprevalent in the industry, though independent retailers are firmly rooted throughout. Annualjewelry store sales run about $27 billion; wholesalers and manufacturers account for an additional

$27 billion in sales.There are nearly 50,000 stores engaged in jewelry retail, and the industry employs approximately200,000 individuals. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the country. Next is Zale, the biggestspecialty jeweler with over 2,000 stores and kiosks. U.S. retailers account for 15 percent ofworldwide sales in the industry.

Jewelry sales are both seasonal and cyclical in nature. A full 40 percent of revenue is generated inthe fourth quarter, and 25 percent of annual jewelry sales occur in December alone. Overall salescan be affected by mineral availability, fashion trends, environmental regulations and international
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tariffs. Gold, silver, platinum and palladium are all exchangeable commodities, and fluctuations inmarket price directly affect sales volume.

.

Ten Largest Jewelry RetailersWal-MartThe nations largest jewelry retaileris now upgrading its jewelry presentation since startingjewelry operations in its Sams Club division.

Zale CorporationHas recently realigned executive and divisional management teams, revamped merchandisingprograms and is currently integrating Piercing Pagoda into its retail business.

Sterling JewelersHas recently consolidated with Kay Jewelers and is further expanding its Jared the Galleria ofJewelry superstore format.

Sears, Roebuck and CompanySears continues to have stable jewelry sales.

Finlay's Fine JewelryReached one billion dollars in sales in the year 2000 and 1,000 retail stores.

J.C. Penney

Although J.C. Penney continues to struggle, they have brought in a new CEO and are planning toexpand their private label business.

QVCAlthough known for television sales, QVC has recently entered into an agreement with Target tosell QVCs signature Diamonique Jewelry, and has opened QVC @ The Mall, in the Mall ofAmerica as a prototype for future stores.

Tiffany and CompanyJewelry sales continue to be strong for the luxury retailer.

Service MerchandiseAlthough the company continues to struggle and has slashed a number of stores, ServiceMerchandise has recently expanded its jewelry business.

KmartKmart profits have also been down, however its jewelry business has strengthened.
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The Top 10 Most Prestigious Jewelry BRAND

Earlier this month, New York-based Luxury Institute performed a survey provided to 500 consumers whose net worths averaged

$15.1 million asking them to rank 20 pre-selected luxury jewelry brands. The consumers were to rank the luxury jewelry designers

based on 4 criteria: (1) superior quality (2) uniqueness and exclusivity (3) social status and (4) excellent customer service. The final

scores from all 4 criteria were then converted into the institute's Luxury Brand Status index.

1. HARRY WINSTON 8.14

Known around the world, respondents claimed that Harry Winston is the "ultimate for diamond design." The brand finished last

year with 18 stores and has plans to more than double its store count. In fact, Harry Winston Diamond Corp President and CEO of

Harry Winston Inc stated that the ideal would be between 40 and 45 retail stores worldwide which would allow sales to surpass $1

billion. The opening price for a piece of Harry Winston jewelry is $3,700 for a small pair of diamond earrings with prices

skyrocketing into the multimillions. The average sale is between $40,000 and $50,000.

2. BUCCELLATI 8.04

Buccellati is an exclusive luxury jewelry brand; you can't find their jewelry at just any jewelry retail store. In addition, Buccellati

jewelry is customized and consumers recognize this. The firm is known for their engraved brushed-gold and platinum jewelry

embedded with fine gemstones including rubies, emeralds, diamonds and sapphires. Company president Andrea Buccellati said the

Buccellati client is looking for "luxury and exclusivity."

3. VAN CLEEF and ARPELS 8.04

This luxury house is known to have a strong celebrity following with the likes of Marlene Deitrich, Eva Perion, Reese Witherspoon

and Maggie Gyllenhaal wearing Van Cleef and Arpels for special events. Last November, the company introduced their high

jewelry collection, Ballet Precieux, at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden. The 80 pieces take inspiration from the

"Jewels" ballet and features three dance-inspired ranges centered in emeralds, rubies and diamonds.

4. GRAFF 8.01This London based jewelry house has an average sale of a whopping $400,000. With their Henri Barguirdjian, president and CEO

of Graff America, said, "There's more money than every floating around." The company is working to expand its ventures with

store openings in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Geneva as well as the long awaited Manhattan flagship boutique designed by Peter

Marino.

5. TIFFANY & CO 7.97

As one respondent noted, "It's all about the little blue box." Tiffany is definitely expanding its retail base, particularly in Japan.

March 1 will see the opening of Tokyo and Fukuoka boutiques. Last quarter, Tiffany opened six locations including Nagoya Japan,

Macau, Malaysia, Hong Kong, London and Mexico City.

6. PIAGET 7.91

As more and more Americans and Europeans buy diamond watches, Piaget is seeing more and more growth. Traditionally known

for their diamond watches, Piaget creates diamond jewelry with their diamond studded Hearts & Charms collection and their

Limelight collection which features gemstones like purple and pink sapphires. One respondent stated, "Piaget is the Rolls Royce of

jewelry."

7. CARTIER 7.9

The Richemont owned jewelry house worked feverishly to open a Cartier boutique in South Africa at the Sandton City Mall. Cartier

is hoping to make "the new 2,700-square-foot space a destination store for South Africa and the rest of the sub-Saharan Africa"


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reported Womens Wear Daily. A recent favorable change in a Luxemborg tax law may lead to a restructuring, specifically the

company may separate its luxury goods operations from its tobacco holdings.

8.CHOPARD 7.89

Chopard has traditionally banked its growth and sales on one-of-a-kind jewelry that sells for millions. They opened their 100th store

at 709 Madison Avenue in Manhattan measuring 3,000-square-feet. "This global creation of wealth is affecting us," said MarcHruschka, Chopard's U.S. president and CEO, "It's a mixture of our traditional shoppers and a new growing-wealth class in the U.S.

and globally. Our challenge is to communicate that we're not only a watch brand...People are looking at diamonds as art." Leading

ladies of Hollywood like Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Hilary Swank and Charlize Theron have showcased Chopard jewelry.

9. BULGARI 7.87

Bulgari has been experiencing tremendous growth and expansion and recently launced e-commerce on their website. Consumers

have access to more than 800 styles including watches, jewelry, leather goods, accessories and gift items. Items range from under

$200 to about $38,000. Their recent retail store openings include Tokyo; Boca Raton, Florida; St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands

and Costa Mesa, California. They showed staggering fourth quarter sales for jewelry, which comprises the bulk of Bulgari's core

business. Sales rose 14.3 percent to 148.3 million euros ($214.7 million US dollars) which the company says is "outstanding".

10.MIKIMOTO 7.69

While many luxury jewelry houses are specializing in diamonds, Mikimoto has always focused on pearl jewelry. One respondent

said, "If you like pearls, this is the best quality." Another respondent said, "The brand pays meticulous attention to detail - I am

extremely fond of the Mikimoto pieces I have purchased." Last year, Mikimoto teamed up with Japanese fashion designer Yohji

Yamamoto to create an exclusive jewelry collection. This joint venture jewelry collection consists of 3 groups with about 20 pieces

each.

INDIA SITUATIONIndian jewellery industry is a highly regarded industry and earns huge profits through the jewellery exports all over the world.

Skillful craftsmen of India make intricate designs of jewellery using gold, silverand other metals. Indian diamond jewellery is also

wonderful. Antique jewellery, costume jewellery, body jewellery, temple jewellery, meenakari and Kundan jewellery are some ofthe famous Indian jewellery categories. Indian bridal collection includes a tremendous range of jewellery articles for the brides and

the grooms to make their grand day more interesting and charming.Customers are nowadays very demanding about their jewellery and want to have customized designs of jewellery. They like to havethe one they dream of and they take the designs of their own choice to the jewellery shops and ask them to prepare similar designsfor them. Colored diamonds are the latest trend this year and the polki style i.e.; uncut diamonds are peoples choice for their

jewellery. However, the increase in the prices of gold in recent years has increased more than three times in last two years. Thisincrease has not proved to be much beneficial for thejewellery industry as the customers are switching towards artificial jewelleryand imitations. People who used to buy and wear gold jewellery now cannot afford to have gold articles due to their high prices.Imitation jewellery is easily available from the street-side vendors and standalone shops in malls

The Indian jewellery sector is largely unorganised at present. There are over 15000players across the country in the gold processing industry, of which only about 80 playershave a turnover of over US$ 4.15 million (Rs. 200 million). There are about 450,000goldsmiths spread throughout the country.India was one of the first countries to start making fine jewellery from minerals and metals andeven today, most of the jewellery made in India is hand made. The industry is dominated by familyjewellers, who constitute nearly 96 percent of the market.Organised players such as Tata with its Tanishq brand and Gitanjali a pioneer in the brandedjewellery segment have, however, been growing steadily carving a 4 per cent market share. As
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Indias jewellery market matures, it is expected to get more organized and the share of familyjewellers is expected to decline.

COMPANY PROFILE:

Cartier Jewelry HistoryCartier was founded in 1847 in Paris by Louis-Francois Cartier. Cartier began as a retailer ofjewelry and objects made by outside manufacturers. When Cartier's son Alfred took over thecompany in 1874, the firm gradually began repairing and improving existing pieces of jewelry thatinspired them to begin designing and manufacturing their own original pieces in the a few decadeslater. In 1899, the company's move to 13 Rue de la Paix situated the business in the heart of theimportant jewelry and couturier quarter of Paris.

Encouraged by King Edward VII, Cartier opened a branch in London in 1902 managed by Alfred'sson Jacques. A royal commission was granted in 1904, followed quickly by commissions fromSpain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, and Greece. These royal commissions helped to solidify Cartier'sreputation among the wealthy and famous the world over.

A New York branch was opened in 1909 by Alfred's other son, Pierre to better accommodateAmerican millionaires who were a large part of the Cartier market. Until World War I, Cartiermaintained close relations with clients in Russia, and the rich and famous of India sought Cartierto design and mount their jewels. Jewelry and accessories were also made as stock inventory itemsfor the stores.

Until the 1960s, the Paris, London, and New York branches were part of a single company butwere run independently, collaborating whenever necessary. In 1962, the New York branch wassold, followed by the Paris branch in 1965, thus ending the unity. The firm was reunited andreorganized in 1979 as Cartier Monde, and today shops and boutiques featuring Cartier jewelrycan be found in cities around the world. Many owners of this luxury jewelry today have fallenupon tougher times, a buyer of this fine jewelry can find discounts using online jewelryauction services that feature both old and new designs.

COMPANY FINANCESCartier is a family business that has no intention of ever going public. In 1989, President of CartierInternational Alain Perrin explained: "I consider a luxury company going public a big risk, unless

you need the money to fund an acquisition," adding that "if you are well managed, you can fundyour expansion yourself." In 1998 Cartier did in fact expand with its own resources and remained aprivate company.

According to Perrin, the company's annual sales have increased an average of 20 to 25 percentover the past 10 to 12 years, and most sales are in jewelry and watches. It is estimated that thecompany's annual sales are $120 million. Cartier's high-end jewelry represents about 22 percent ofthe group's revenues.
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STRATEGYCartier introduces many objects that reflect contemporary ideas and trends, as well as the demandsof its exclusive clientele. In 1902 Cartier workshops operated at fever pitch to accommodate ordersfrom royal courts all over the world for the coronation of Edward VII. In 1930, an Indianmaharajah bought 250 Cartier clocks and watches and hired someone whose sole responsibilitywas to keep them all wound. Inspired by a watch that had been damaged in an apparent car wreck,in 1967 Cartier created the Crash Watch, which exhibited a distorted dial and subsequently becamea collector's item. The introduction of Cartier's Tank Franaise Watch in 1996 promptedwatchmaker Jean-Charles de Castelbajac to say, "If all tanks were made by Cartier, we would havethe time to live in peace!"

Cartier introduces new collections every two years at a showing or premiere. For its "Jewels of theNile" exhibition in New York, the store was completely decorated in an Egyptian theme, completewith a pyramid and two live peacocks. This jewelry collection was a more modern version ofLouis Joseph Cartier's designs from the early 1900s.

INFLUENCESCartier credits its success to "talented colleagues"in particular, Jeanne Toussaint, whom Louisreferred to as a "trend watcher, a style setter, a woman who understood luxury and how to make itsynonymous with Cartier." As a closely held company, Cartier guards its proprietary secretsclosely and deals decisively with counterfeiters, once crushing fake Cartier watches on a LosAngeles street with a steamroller. Roberta Naas reported that "Cartier is so often emulated byothers that it has imposed strict locked-door policies in its design houses and has started stringentanticounterfeit efforts in the watch world." Cartier has two jewelry design houses, one for the moremodern line and the other, whose location is top secret, for the "important" jewelry.

Cartier's most timeless pieces are made of platinum, whose use in fine jewelry it pioneered in1898. In February 1997, The Consumer Benchmark Survey revealed that "platinum has becomethe metal of choice for most innovative and sought-after luxury jewelry designers and the high-endjewelry purchaser . . . Of manufacturers polled, 96 percent had increased the use of platinum intheir top lines, and 94 percent added new platinum designs to their lines within the past ninemonths."

In 1997 Cartier celebrated its 150th Anniversary with the introduction of several new productlines. As evidence of Cartier's standing as the most famous French jeweler, the company became amember of the "Ven-dome Luxury Group" in 1993. The group was presided over by JosephKanoui, who joined Cartier after Robert Hocq's death in 1979, and included Cartier, Alfred Dun-hill, Montblac, Piaget, Baume and Mercier, Karl Lager-feld, Chloe, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger, andJames Purdy and Sons.

CURRENT TRENDSIn the late 1990s signature lines were keeping Cartier's traditions alive. Often found in necklaces,bracelets, and watches, its Panther motif (known as la Panthere in French) brings together the mostluxurious metals, precious stones, and artistic creations in some of the rarest pieces of jewelry inthe world. The famous Panter design was a tribute to Jeanne Toussaint and her influence in thecompany.


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CHRONOLOGY:Key Dates for Cartier, Inc.1847: The House of Cartier is established by Louis-Francois Cartier

1859: Cartier moves to a more prestigious Paris location after gaining several members of the royalty as

customers

1874: Louis-Francois Alfred, Cartier's son, takes over the company

1899: Alfred passes the company, recognized as the world's premiere jewelry retailer, to his three sons:

Louis-Joseph, Jacques-Thedule, and Pierre-Camille

1910: Sells the "Hope" diamond to Evalyn McLean of New York, establishing contacts with the wealthy

American elite

1911: The Santos watch is introduced and popularizes the Cartier watch line

1942: Louis and Jacques both die; Robert Hocq takes over the company

1967: Cartier designs a watch inspired by a watch damaged in a car crash called the Crash Watch; it

becomes an instant collector's item

1981: Les Must, the company's first perfume, is introduced

1993: Cartier becomes a member of the Vendome Luxury Group

1997: Cartier celebrates its 150th anniversary by releasing Cartier Priv

PRODUCTSThroughout the years, Cartier has introduced several limited-edition specialty items. In honor of its

150th anniversary, the company released three successful series of unique, rare objects inspired byits private archives. Editions began in late 1996 and continued through 1997, with pieces releasedin quantities of 3, 150, and 1,847 to represent the 3 bands of its popular "Rolling Ring," the 150thanniversary, and the year that Cartier was founded, 1847. This collection, called Cartier Priv,includes jewelry, watches, pens, spectacles, and a broad range of chain purses with jeweled clasps.

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIPIn 1993, Cartier objects were displayed as part of an auction of singer Elton John's personalcollection organized by Sotheby's; proceeds were donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.Perrin administers the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, which supports, collects, andexhibits contemporary art from around the world annually. Proceeds from a showing of Cartier's

jewels from the 1920s and 1930s at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City weredonated to the Society for the Advancement of Education. In 1997 Cartier donated $25,000 to theCrystal Charity, a children's philanthropy. In addition, Cartier donated a $26,600 watch to beraffled off at the annual Charity Ball. Cartier often makes substantial contributions to many othercharitable organizations.


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GLOBAL PRESENCECartier has 165 boutiques on five continents. The company markets its products through a globalnetwork of 179 Cartier stores and 8,000 authorized dealers in 123 countries. In addition to 6 storesin Paris, there are 21 stores in the United States, 3 in Canada, and 6 throughout the Caribbean. Thenewest stores are in Barcelona; Buenos Aires; Moscow; Taiwan; and Boca Raton, Florida.

Zale CorporationOur HistoryIn the 1920s, Morris (M.B.) and William Zale had a vision: to provide customers with qualitymerchandise at the lowest possible price. This vision became a reality when the first Zales Jewelersstore opened in Wichita Falls, Texas, on March 29, 1924.With a credit plan of "a penny down and adollar a week," the Zale brothers launched a marketing strategy considered to be revolutionary atthe time, and thus made jewelry and other merchandise affordable to the average working

American. Friendly customer service, liberal credit policies, and dedicated employees led to greatsuccess and expansion, with 12 stores in Oklahoma and Texas by 1941.

During World War II, Zales Jewelers responded to the limited production of consumer goods bymaintaining its current prices on jewelry, limiting expenses, and looking for growth opportunities.These efforts were rewarded in 1944 with the acquisition of Corrigan's of Houston, Zales' first"carriage trade" (fine jewelry) store, whose purchase eventually launched the Bailey Banks &Biddle brand.

In 1946, Zales Jewelers moved its headquarters from Wichita Falls to Dallas. The corporate officeswere housed in the Mercantile Bank Building, the first of several locations. The company continuedto prosper and in 1952, a profit sharing plan was introduced to employees.

Zales Jewelers took major steps in 1957 to broaden its reach in the marketplace. The first shoppingcenter location was opened, marking a major shift from its strategy of operating only downtownstores. The same year, Zales announced the initial public offering of its stock (ZLC) and then begantrading its public shares on the American Stock Exchange the following year.

The 1960s were a decade of diversity. The 119-store chain began branching out into other markets -shoes, sporting goods, drug stores, furniture and catalogue stores. In fact, the shareholders decidedto change the company name to Zale Corporation to reflect the diversity of the business.

The decade of the '70s brought continued expansion. Zale Corporation grew to more than 1,700stores and posted a single-day sales record of $10 million.

In 1984, Zale Corporation unveiled its newest acquisition - the 890-carat "Incomparable Diamond,"the largest internally flawless diamond in the world. The next year, Zale moved its worldheadquarters into a 430,000-square-foot complex in Irving, Texas, its current location.

The company's history was significantly altered with the 1986 leveraged buyout of ZaleCorporation by Peoples Jewelers of Canada and Swarovski International of Austria. Expansioncontinued, however, with the purchase in 1989 of the Gordon's Jewelers chain of 469 stores.

The 1990s marked another critical turning point for the corporation when it filed for Chapter 11bankruptcy protection in 1992. The following year, the company emerged from bankruptcy afterrestructuring its debt. Five years later, 1998 became the "breakaway year" for Zale with annual
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sales that topped $1.3 billion - up from $920 million in 1994 - and a 25 percent net earnings growth(excluding unusual items). During its tremendous turnaround year, the company showed profit inall four quarters for the first time since the reorganization. That same year, Zales Outlet waslaunched, giving the corporation 13 locations in premier outlet centers in the United States.

Expansion again became the primary growth strategy with two major acquisitions: Peoples

Jewelers of Canada in 1999 and Piercing Pagoda, Inc. in 2000.

In 2007, Zale divested the Bailey Banks & Biddle brand to focus on the core business and increasereturns on capital.

As a leading specialty retailer of fine jewelry, Zale now operates over 2,200 retail locationsthroughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico under the following brand names: ZalesJewelers, Zales Outlet, Gordon's Jewelers, Peoples Jewelers, Mappins Jewelers, Piercing Pagoda,Plumb Gold, and Silver & Gold Connection. Zale also operates onlineat www.zales.com and www.gordonsjewelers.com.

Our Brands

Zale Corporation offers customers an extensive selection of quality jewelry in a wide variety ofprice categories. Whether you are shopping for an addition to your personal jewelry wardrobe oryou need a special gift, come to one of our stores for the best choices -- from fashion andcontemporary styles to classic and traditional designs.

Zales JewelersNationally recognized authority on diamonds. Founded in 1924, "the Diamond Store" is the mostrecognizable name in fine jewelers.

Zales OutletValue-priced fine jewelry. A wide variety of jewelry is chosen for shoppers who prefer qualitymerchandise at less-than-retail prices.

Gordon's JewelersClassic to contemporary. Regional jeweler caters to local styles and tastes by offering uniquedesigns in select markets.

The Diamond Store. The largest national jewelry retailer in Canada offers fine jewelry and brand-name watches at affordable prices.

Mappins JewelersFine Jewelers since 1935. Customers across Canada can shop for classic fine jewelry and watchesof exceptional value in stylish mall locations.

Piercing PagodaFashion-forward. For customers who appreciate quality jewelry at everyday low prices, the goldkiosk leader offers an extensive selection of gold chains, charms, bracelets, rings, earrings, bodyjewelry, as well as silver and stainless jewelry.

ZLC Direct
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Quick and easy. Consumers who prefer to shop on the Internet have direct access to the onlineselection of quality merchandise from Zales Jewelers.

Zale Corporation, a leading specialty retailer of fine jewelry in North America uses its leverage toinitiate and build upon its relationships with customers. Zale is propelled by a diversified portfolioof brands that includes Zales Jewelers, Zales Outlet, Gordon's Jewelers, Peoples Jewelers andMappins Jewelers of Canada, and Piercing Pagoda.

Zale is driven by three core product categories that cater to each consumer segment with varyingintensity. The bridal category, a differentiating factor for a fine jeweler, enjoys consistent, stabledemand and establishes lifelong customer relationships. The fashion segment inspires gift givingand self purchases while allowing the Company to maximize the peak holiday periods. The watchbusiness provides additional brand appeal, enhancing the Company's ability to further drive traffic.

With over 2,150 locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, Zale dominates

the mall environment on a national scale. As the highly fragmented industry continues toconsolidate, Zale is in excellent position to further increase its market share. The Companycontinues to increase its exposure in the industry, having successfully integrated its two mostrecent acquisitions and having developed an off-mall strategy to capture a customer base outsidethe traditional mall.

Zale is poised for future growth with a solid and straightforward balance sheet and expected strongannual free operating cash flow. Zale continues to improve its business with a focus providing anunforgettable customer experience and on quality merchandise assortments. The Company'sstrong financials, its focus on improving the core mall business, the streamlining of itsorganization, and its ability to identify growth opportunities positions Zale to meet its objective of

enhancing shareholder value.

CORPORATE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The mission of Zale Corporation is to be the best fine jewelry retailer in North America. Our goalis to develop and market compelling jewelry assortments and to deliver a superior customerexperience. Through our brand portfolio, we are committed to building lasting relationships andsatisfied customers as we strive to create value for our shareholders. We are committed to makingsure we attract, train, and retain our talented associates and to reward them for their success.

Corporate social responsibility is all about a companys ability to manage its economic, social and

environmental impacts as well as manage its relationships with different stakeholders

shareholders, employees, customers, business partners, governments, civil society, vendors and the

communities in which their employees live and work.


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Jewelry Facts

Selecting jewelry is a personal decision that is greatly influenced by an individual's style preferences.However, the cost of jewelry is primarily affected by the gems and metals it contains - the more rare the

components, the greater the cost of the finished product.

We invite you to learn more about general jewelry terminology as well as factors that determine what makesa fair price. From descriptions of precious and semiprecious gems to knowing how to care for your finejewelry, basic information can help guide you during your next jewelry purchase at one of our stores.

DiamondsTake a brief tour of diamond history; then learn about the four Cs and how they measure a diamond's beautyand value.

Colored GemstonesEvery colored stone has its own story. Learn how to evaluate gems that we carry in our stores and how tocare for them after you purchase your jewelry. You'll also read about mystical powers and legendsassociated with gems that inspired the popularity of birthstone jewelry.

PearlsLong considered classic fine jewelry, pearls are very different from other gems. Find out the origins andtypes of pearls, and the special care they require.

MetalsEvery piece of jewelry is founded upon metal. Read about the different types and grades of precious metalused in our jewelry.

WatchesA fine timepiece is as much about form as function. Check our glossary to learn more about different typesof watches and materials used to construct them.

ServicesWe offer a range of services in our stores - including cleaning, repair and sizing - to help extendthe life and beauty of your jewelry and watches.

CONCLUSTION:Jewelry has become a vital element in everyones life. Men, women and even kids love to wear

jewelry articles all the time. Wearing jewelry is the demand of modernfashion. A few years backjewelry was used only on special occasions like weddings, engagements and other formal partiesand it was associated with the brides and married girls only. But nowadays it is worn casually aswell as formally and everyone likes to wear beautiful and elegant jewelry items. Trendy and stylishjewelry is in fashion these days. The gems and jewelry industry has been growing rapidly and has

become one of the most profitable industries of the world
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