in the A p r i l 2 0 1 3 • I S S U E X L I X

in the loupe

loupeinside • Graduate

• Protecting Yourself In and Out of the Office

• Marketing Matters: Who, What and Why

The Ultimate Jeweler Resource

Kentucky, home of the world’s finest racehorses andthe country’s first cheeseburger, serves as our hoststate for RJO’s Fall Buying Show. We’ll be returningto the city of Covington in northern Kentucky, justacross the river from Cincinnati. The Covington areaoffers beautiful July weather, easy access by air,century-old distilleries and a convenient Midwesternlocation. Jewelry-wise, the river running alongsideCovington also serves as a home for the state’sdesignated gemstone—the freshwater pearl.

This show will kick off with the popular RJO golftournament, then moves into a full slate of educationalsessions and seminars, keynotes and roundtables,entertainment and fun, as well as bargains from RJO’svendors, who will provide the hottest items headinginto the holiday season.

In addition to the great deals you’ll find on the BuyingShow floor, your RJO membership entitles you toadditional offerings, including:

• RJO pays for up to three consecutive nights’ lodgingfor all qualifying stores;• special airfare discount; • attendance at our Sunday Evening Gala;• buying discounts—via RJO Purchase Vouchers—allowing you to save up to an additional two percenton what you buy from vendors; and• a Riverboat Dinner Cruise

Your Buying Show Registration Packet will be mailedin the middle of May, so keep an eye out for it, and besure to watch for the various deadlines, to ensure thatthis Buying Show will be your best one ever.

RJO’s Fall Buying Show Returns to its Old Kentucky Home

RJO’s Fall Buying Show Returns to its Old Kentucky Home

I n T h e L o u p e

executive deskTHE EXECUTIVEdesk f rom Mar y Pete rson, CEO, RJO

May is the month for graduation. Whether it is college,high school or even preschool, many are celebratingtheir accomplishments. What if we decided every

May we would graduate again? We would move on from thepast year, seek more learning and embark on new journeys?

After high school many young people decide upon the type oflearning institution to attend. It will soon become clear tothem, no matter the formal education they choose, thatlearning also comes from the people and experiences inwhich they surround themselves. Some of the best learningcomes when people share their ideas and thoughts and comeup with better ways to do things. Think about the difference itwould make if you could create a continued learningexperience for everyone in your store? Believe it or not thereare some easy ways to get this accomplished.

In your store planning, do you look for ways to provideeducation—both formal and informal—for you and yourstaff? You would be amazed at the increase in your store’sdevelopment and staff morale. Here is short list of ways youcan graduate to better thinking and creating change:

• Have regular staff meetings. Encourage each of youremployees to share their accomplishments and challengesduring the week.• Attend free speakers offered in your community no matterwhat the topic, as it can stimulate your mind.

• Make the time to read industry publications andmagazines, and don’t forget In the Loupe. Have staff readarticles and report back to one another what they learned.• Invite some of your customers to come critique your store,and take them to lunch and listen to their thoughts. • Pick up the phone and talk to an RJO jeweler or vendor topick their brain and get some advice.• Read books on business and management. A great one isThink and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. You could even buythe book for your staff.• Take advantage of some of the training programs ourvendors offer.• Attend RJO free webinars or listen to the podcasts allavailable on the website.• Become an active member of our RJO chat channel.• Attend RJO shows as we offer free seminars on a varietyof topics. In Northern Kentucky this July we are providingsome new approaches and types of seminars, which willtruly benefit you and your staff.

I encourage you to graduate to another level of learning andsharing by making the time to create your own education. Itcould be the best thing you have ever done. Then YOU canthrow your cap in the air.

Mary Peterson, RJO CEO

Graduate

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From theBoard ofDirectors:

Applications for Four Seats on the RJO Board of Directors Sought By May 24thFour members of the RJO Board of Directors hold positions whose term expires onDecember 31, 2013. Subsequently, RJO is seeking applications for its Board. A copyof the application can be downloaded by clicking here.

Applications need to be returned by May 24th.

For more information on the positions or the application process, members cancontact Sarah Streb at: 800-247-1774; or e-mail: sarah@rjomembers.com

I n T h e L o u p e

Post: Is anyone having successes e-mailing customers regarding promotions orevents?

Response One: Our clients are telling us they are tired of getting e-mail promotionfrom any store. They have stopped giving their address to anyone so as to stop thejunk mail.Like many things that start out nice, use by the masses make it explode to a pointthat it is ruined.E-mail marketing has hit the wall and is making people mad!We won’t be a part of the problem.

Response Two: It’s one more way to reach out to customers. I ask them, “Wouldyou like to receive e-mail specials from the store?” If they say yes, I put them in thesystem; if not, no worries. I usually do about one e-mailing per month and two-three during Christmas.

Response Three: I just read an article or heard on NPR that spoke about e-mailgoing the way of the Yellow Pages. More and more folks are staying connected witheach other based on their relationships. Services such as LinkedIn, Twitter andtexting are taking over for e-mail.

From the RJO Chat Room The Chat Room on the RJOwebsite (www.rjomembers.com) hosts a variety of interesting discussions eachmonth. Here’s an edited post—and responses to it—from early April that can befound in the Business—Open to RJO Jewelers Only area, under the title “E-mailMarketing.“

PAGE 3

Part of RJO’s Education on the Go series, the webinars provide aneasy educational tool for you to use, right in the comfort of yourown store. Live webinars are held on the fourth Tuesday of themonth at 9 a.m. CST.

Each webinar, approximately sixtyminutes in length, brings you apresentation by Brad Simon ofInternet 4 Jewelers. Recordings ofeight webinars from last year andthose from this year, are available onthe RJO website.

Here is the Education on the Go schedule for the rest of this year:

June 25Put Your Business On The Map

Aug 27Christmas Promotions

Sept 24Local – Social – Mobile: Your Internet Marketing Blueprint

Oct 22Reputation Management (Customer Reviews)

“Education On the Go” Series Picks Up Again in June

S E R V I C E S

Centralized Billing

Patronage Dividend

RJO Website (rjomembers.com)

Buying Shows (Fall/Spring)

RJO Chat Channel

In the Loupe – RJO’s newsletter

Free Print and Radio Ad Library(on the RJO website)

Educational Seminars (at the Buying Shows)

Member-to-Member IncentiveProgram (Recruitment Program)

Organized Buying Trips to Antwerp and Idar-Oberstein

RJO Directory

Peer Performance Program

Travel Vouchers at Shows (offered at varying times)

Free Hotel Room Incentive (at the Buying Shows)

RJO Informational E-mail Blasts

Purchase Vouchers(at the Buying Shows)

RJO Membership Certificate

Education on the Go Podcastsand Webinars

Private Label Credit Card Service

With several months to go before “takeoff,”interest in RJO’s sponsored trips

abroad continues to climb.For 30 years, RJO andparticipating retailershave experienced on-goingsuccess buying diamondsdirectly from the source,

beginning in Antwerp and thenexpanding to include Idar-Oberstein and—this year—Israel.

Join the RJO Israel Experience, and steponto the Holy Land of Jerusalem, one of theoldest cities in the world. Witness an era ofthe most modern technologies coalescingwith a cosmopolitan lifestyle in Tel Aviv.RJO takes you along some of the mostexotic backdrops of Israel, while touringeight RJO vendors in one of the largest andmost important diamond centers worldwide

—an excursion that will give you a headymix of business and pleasure.

Joining the buying trips to any of theseinternational destinations allows you tofocus on your diamondbusiness while RJO takescare of the rest.

JewelConnect, the RJO-exclusive marketing system, is bringing anew loose diamond selling system “ready-to-use” and populatedwith thousands of daily updated RJO-vendor diamonds toCovington in July.

“We’ve been asked for this for a while” says Andrew Boundy,system manager of JewelConnect “so we know the retailers wantthis feature, and they will be excited to see what we’ve done.”

The system allows for stones to be displayed—and even bought bythe public—in the JewelConnect system, or as a plug-in forretailers’ own websites. Boundy detailed the system further: “withretailer-selected mark-up, stone inclusion/exclusion by numerouscriteria, a fully mobile and tablet function and thousands of stones,there’s not much this system won’t be able to do; we’re excited toshow this off.”

“Whether the retailer wants to use loose diamonds to ‘bait thehook’ for in-store inventory,” says Boundy, “or compete online inthe diamond retailing market, JewelConnect DRP promises anRJO-exclusive solution which takes minutes to set-up and canattract jewelry buyers from far and wide.”

Boundy and Thomas Roethling will once again be presenting theadvanced features of JewelConnect, along with the new DRPsystem information, during the upcoming Buying Show inKentucky. Additionally, Boundy says that JewelConnect will havediamond experts on-hand to answer the more stone-focusedquestions.

I n T h e L o u p e

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This October: Antwerp/Idar-Oberstein and Israel

2013 Fall DatesAntwerp: Oct 5-10; Oct 12-17

Idar-Oberstein: Oct 10-14; Oct 17-21first trip is hosted by Liz Schlauch and Jeff Horlacher;

the second by Connie and Steve Matsen

Israel: Oct 18-26hosted by Jeff Wickersham and Jennifer Zacharias

The RJO Board of Directors and theMerchandise Review Committeerecently met in Des Moines, IA, forthe annual joint meeting. This year’smeeting centered aroundUnderstanding Our Family, focusingon the make-up of our membersand vendors and thinking of wayswe can better serve the needs of thegroup. The management of RJOwould like to thank both of thesegroups for their time, dedication andpassion for RJO. We truly would notbe the organization we are todaywithout the positive efforts providedby the men and women who makeup these groups.

Understanding Our Family

JewelConnect Releasing “Diamond Retailer Platform” (DRP) in Covington

I n T h e L o u p e

PAGE 5

As a jeweler, you’re aware of the risks you face when working andtraveling with jewelry. However, if you’re not also following soundsecurity procedures at your home, you may be exposing yourselfand your family to potential risk.

In their 2012 Annual Crime Report, Jewelers’ Security Alliance(JSA) reported an unprecedented nine home invasions in 2012,making up 26 percent of all off-premises incidents reported lastyear. Over the last three years, reported home invasions haveaveraged about three a year.

Home invasions can turn violent and even deadly, so understandinghow to keep your family and home safe and secure is critical.Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company has the followingrecommendations to help you minimize your risks at home:

• When choosing your home,evaluate the context of thelocation, including the street(dead-end vs. heavily traveledstreet), closeness of neighbors,and the parking arrangement.

• Choose a reliable burglar alarmsystem for your home, andinstruct family members onhow to effectively employ it.

• Install proper lighting aroundthe entire perimeter of thehome with motion sensingfloodlights mounted highenough to prevent tampering,whenever possible.

• Lock your doors and windows and set your perimeter alarmwhen you’re at home.

• Never unlock or open the door unless you know who it is.

• Look through the door’s peephole to identify the person at thedoor. If the individual is making a service call, ask them toprovide appropriate identification and contact the servicecompany to confirm/verify they indeed did dispatch a servicerepresentative, as well as confirm the representative’s name andidentification before allowing them to enter your home. Do notopen your door if you do not feel comfortable.

• Keep your personal valuables in an appropriate burglary-resistantrated safe that is well hidden.

• When using valet parking or having your car serviced, provideonly the necessary car keys, not your entire key chain.

• Have an unlisted and unpublished telephone number. Carry acharged cell phone with you at all times, keeping it next to youwhen you sleep.

• Do not keep jewelry merchandise at your home.

Most home invasions are preceded by some form of “casing,”where the criminals study family patterns, as well as storeprocedures. These aren’t random events; criminals do theirhomework before attacking. When criminals observe a store’sopening and closing procedures, they are able to identify theirtargets based on who has keys to the business, who can operate thealarm, and who can access the jewelry safe(s).

As with most theft, you can try to prevent these crimes before theyhappen by being alert for suspicious activity or people. JewelersMutual has the following recommendations:

• If you see any suspicious persons, activities, or vehicles in yourhome or work area, do not hesitate to contact local lawenforcement. If something or someone looks suspicious, trustyour instincts and act on them by calling 911.

• Be alert when traveling to and from work to make sure no one isfollowing or watching you.

• Look around before opening your garage or house door foranything that appears suspicious. If you’re not comfortable, leavethe area and call 911.

• You may want to keep a logbook at your business that employeescan use to write down all suspicious activity. Have them recorddetails such as license plate numbers, physical descriptions ofsuspect vehicles and individuals, dates/times, and otherinformation regarding suspicious incidents that may later behelpful to police.

• Join your Neighborhood Watch Program, or start one in yourcommunity. Trusted neighbors can also help identify suspiciouspeople in your area.

• Educate your family members and temporary house guests aboutwhat to look for and what to do if they encounter a suspicioussituation. Make sure they also observe the same sound securityprecautions you follow, such as keeping the doors locked and notopening them to unknown visitors.

For more information about securing your home and business, visitJewelersMutual.com. For an updated security manual from JSA, contact themat jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org. To learn more about Jewelers Mutual’s coveragesor to find an experienced insurance agent in your area, contact JewelersMutual at 800-558-6411.

Out of the Office: Keeping Your Home and Family Safe

Home invasionscan turn violentand even deadly,so understandinghow to keep yourfamily and homesafe and secure is

critical.

I n T h e L o u p e

PAGE 6

Last October, The RJO Board of Directors, the MerchandiseReview Committee, ten select RJO stores, and members ofRJO’s leadership team attended the Stuller Bridge Event in

Lafayette, LA, from October 15-17. Stuller’s conference forindependent retail jewelry owners focuses on becomingtomorrow’s jeweler. Attendees met with forerunners incustomization, sales merchandising and media, and collectivelyarrived at fresh approaches to excellence in service.

“The event was truly eye opening,” says RJO CEO Mary Peterson.“With a focus on understanding consumers and incorporatingtechnology in your business, Stuller shared ideas designed to movethe entire industry forward. The company is developing innovationsand programs that will be a major part of the jewelry industry inthe future, and they are inviting us to be on the ground floor.”

Bridge provides an opportunity for RJO jewelers to visit Stuller’smanufacturing facility in Lafayette. Attendees take time to meetStuller’s dedicated, and friendly associates, who are eager to sharetheir knowledge and experience with you. And regardless of anyissues you currently face in your business, you will leave withideas and inspirations that you can’t wait to try.

Says event host Matt Stuller, “Since its inception, the RetailJeweler Organization has been a major component of the jewelryindustry and embraces technology and advancement. Through ourBridge program, we hope to strengthen our partnership with bothRJO and its members.”

“I strongly urge every member to take advantage of this and to bea part of Stuller’s special RJO Bridge this October 7-9,” saysPeterson. “If you can’t participate in that event,please sign up for one of their other six eventsthroughout the year. We have a unique opportunity,from a vendor dedicated to building deeperrelationships with RJO members, to share and learnin a growing partnership. Let’s show them how eagerwe are to be a part of that partnership and ourindustry’s future.”

Here are some comments from RJO members whohave attended Stuller’s Bridge Event:

“As a professional jeweler I often attend tradeshows, seminars and other various industry events. Icome away with enthusiasm that lasts a few months.The Stuller Bridge Program was different. I returnedFULL of enthusiasm, FULL of passion, and FULLof the desire I possessed in my twenties! The best

testament to Bridge is, after five months, I still have it! Just today Iwas explaining what I had experienced at the Bridge Program to acustomer I’d referred to Stuller.com. They were amazed, too!Thanks to everyone there, from Matt Stuller to my personal host.”

Mike EckermanEckerman Jewelry

“Stuller is truly a company looking to make the independentjeweler better. The all around experience is something EVERYjeweler needs to do. The potential avenues Stuller has givenjewelers are endless—from their in-house “mock store” to thefollow-ups after the event. That is what makes this program sogreat! If you don’t take anything away from this program, it’seither time to look for another career or retire.”

Jeff WickershamWickersham Jewelry

“After attending Stuller’s Bridge Program in 2012, I am going tosend all my staff to future programs! The culture at Stuller is likeno other I have experienced. Fun, friendly, and most importantlyeducational; a true eye-opener to Stuller’s unmatched businessdynamic. Stuller’s progressive stance is exciting, and I truly lookforward to what the company can do for the independent retailjeweler—now and in the years to come!”

AG BeckerBecker Jewelers

For members interested in attending the 2013 Stuller Bridge Eventwith the RJO group, please contact Sarah Streb at:sarah@rjomembers.com.

Be Tomorrow’s Jeweler: Attend Stuller’s Bridge Conference this October

I n T h e L o u p e

PAGE 7

On May 7, RJO’s Carlotta Richtsmeier will mark 23 years ofemployment, quite a milestone in today’s job-changingworld. “I was first hired to post invoices,” says Richtsmeier.

“Back then they were posted by hand, so my job was notconsidered data entry. Not long after that, I took over accountsreceivable, and for the last several years I’ve been theorganization’s Accounts Receivable Manager.

“I scan all checks received to the bank, scan all checks received tothe jewelers’ accounts, and balance them out,” says Richtsmeier. “I

also bill jewelers’ dues,reconcile jewelers’ statements,take calls from jewelers withproblems or questions on theirstatements, and still do dataentry when time allows. I alsooversee the month-end processto prepare statements to bemailed to the jewelers.

Richtsmeier is an Iowanthrough-and-through. She grewup in Colfax, a small town just

a few miles west of Newton. Four years after graduation from thelocal high school, she moved to Newton and has lived there eversince.

“My husband Jim and I have been married for 40 years,” saysRichtsmeier. “We have two beautiful daughters we are very proudof and three grandsons we adore. We enjoy watching our oldestgrandson play football for middle school in Urbandale (outside ofDes Moines) and the two younger ones play soccer here inNewton. They are our pride and joy.”

Richtsmeier has enjoyed her years at RJO, and she says she hasmany fond memories.

“One I will never forget,” she says, “was a couple of years ago, onmy 60th birthday, I came to work to find out the staff hid 60 one-dollar bills around the office for me to find. Needless to say ittook me a while to find all of them, and I would find them in thestrangest places. The staff really got a laugh out of that. RJO hadalso notified the jewelers by e-mail when my birthday was, so Igot all these cards, phone calls, and e-mails wishing me a happybirthday. I was so surprised and couldn’t believe the response. Justgoes to show you, RJO is not only a great place to work, a greatorganization, it is truly ‘Family.’”

Meet the RJO Staff: Carlotta Richtsmeier

Friday, July 19

• Thoroughbred Horse Farm & DistilleryDay Tour ($76/person)• RJO Golf Tournament – Kenton CountyFox Run Course (25 minutes away)• Half-Day Training Session: CustomJewelry Design Bench Workshop • *NEW* Stuller Bridge ProgramReception• Early VENDOR Registration• Early MEMBER Registration • Abbott Users’ Meeting • The Knot Users’ Meeting: Marketing tothe Bridal Customer

Saturday, July 20

• Seminar Continental Breakfast• New Vendor Breakfast• Seminars• General Membership Meeting, Luncheonand Keynote—Lowell Wightman• Buying Floor Grand Opening• Buying Floor Welcome Reception• *NEW* Chat with RJO Leadership• Antwerp Advantage Reception

Sunday, July 21

• Joint Member/Vendor Breakfast &Roundtables• Buying Floor Opens• Press Release photos taken• Happy Hour• RJO/CPC 2.0 Gathering • Israel Buying Trip Reception• Sunday Evening Gala

Monday, July 21

• Northern Kentucky Experience Panels &Continental Breakfast• Jewel-Craft Factory Tour• Buying Floor Opens• Farewell Event• Buying Floor Closes• B & B Riverboat Dinner Cruise($55/person)

*NEW* Photo ID Required for all attendeesTo ensure the safety of all of our members andvendors, we will be requiring a photo ID and businesscard at registration check-in. These items will need tobe presented to receive your badge for access on theBuying Show floor.

Sneak Peek of the (General) Outline of the 2013 Fall Buying Show

At this point in the year you shouldhave a really good feel for how theyear is going to shape up.

Valentine’s Day is in the rear-view mirror,and Mother’s Day is right around thecorner.

So how is business? Strong or soft? Why?Not “Why” as in “What do you think?” I mean “Why” as in “Why is businessstrong or soft?” What have you done toimpact that. Has 2013 been business asusual or have you made consciousdecisions to impact your business? Didyou lay a foundation last holiday seasonto make sure that 2013 was a great year?What have you changed this year? Whatdecisions did you make to changebusiness? Were they good decisions?Bad? Or maybe too early to tell?

There are a lot of question marks in thatlast paragraph, but as business owners wehave to make decisions each and everyday that impact—positively ornegatively—our businesses. You need tobe constantly trying to make yourbusiness better. You cannot rely on thestatus quo in this day and age. Theinternet and competition are waiting totake your customers at every turn. Don’tgive them a reason.

Keep on top of your game.

I had a very honest face-to-face meetingwith a potential customer this month. Hespends more on advertising than manypeople in central Iowa, and he can’t figureout why his business is starting to fade.My best guess is that his creative messageran out of gas. People got tired of hearinghis ads and anyone interested in hisservice had already called.

We also had a very interestingconversation about his message and whathe was telling people. I tried to make it asbasic as possible. I told him, “Tell people

who you are, what you do and why youare better.” It is just that simple. We tryevery day to make marketing andadvertising more difficult than it needs tobe. It is really that simple.

Tell people who you are, what you do andwhy you are better.

I know that a lot of the RJO membershave very well-established, long-standing,well-respected businesses. It is a greatgroup of members. I just wonder if theselong-standing, well-respected and well-established businesses are communicatingas well with new and potential customersas they could? I hope so.

It would be very easy to think that if youhave been in business for 20-plus yearsthat everyone knows who you are. I thinkto a point that is true. Let’s assume thatmost people have heard of you. Do theyknow what you do? Do they know thatyou specialize in high-end watches or thatyou are the engagement ringheadquarters?

Sometimes we get lazy in ourconversations with current and potentialcustomers. We assume too much. Weassume that people know who we are,what we do and why we are better whenreally, they might just know that you are ajewelry store.

I challenge you in 2013 to really examineyour message and fine-tune it ifnecessary. Stop ten people at the mall,and ask them to tell you what you do,what your specialty is and why you arebetter. You can hire a high-priced firm todo research for you, but I’m guessing thatthe grandmother research approach willgive you a good idea.

Then re-visit your message. Keep it clean,keep it simple and repeat it as often asyou can to as many people as you can.

Here’s an example:

Capital Jewelry has been in businesssince 1976. We sell more engagementrings than anyone in the state. It is ourspecialty, and no one does it better.Before you go to one of those nationalchains and pay more for a smallerdiamond, stop in to Capital’s, and let usshow you why we are the best choice foryour engagement rings!

Simple and to the point. Give people areason to do business with you and theywill.

Marketing Matters:Refining Your Message

Michael C. Woody is President and Chief IdeaOfficer of Capital Ideas. He has nearly 30 years

of experience in television advertising andloyalty marketing. Phone: 515-556-5373.

E-mail: MichaelC@ideas2burn.comWebsite: www.ideas2burn.com

I n T h e L o u p eI n T h e L o u p e

PAGE 8

We try every day tomake marketing andadvertising more

difficult than it needsto be.

I n T h e L o u p e

PAGE 9

The life in a small town is less hectic than a larger one, and JayFlaming Jewelers reflects that casualness. When he recently wasasked about his store’s history, owner Jay Flaming responded, “Wejust celebrated our 40th Anniversary this year on March 15. Theprevious owner ran the store for 23 years, but that’s as far back asI can find. There were early owners, but no history.”

Jay Flaming Jewelers serves Yuma, Colorado, a town of about3,500 residents. Such size doesn’t require a large staff orexpansive outlook. In fact, Flaming refers to his jewelry shop as“a country store.”

“My wife and I are the current owners of Jay Flaming Jewelers,Inc.,” says Flaming. “We are a small country store, and I work

with one part-timeemployee. We carry acomplete line of tabletop, as well as the manyjewelry lines. I lovecolored diamonds andstock several colors, mostof which are colorenhanced.”

“My businessphilosophy,” hecontinues, “is that I wantto be proud of themerchandise I sell, I wantthe customer to be proudof the gift he gives, and I

want the person who receives the gift to be proud as well. Simply,I try to give the customer the best value for their money spent andgive the best service I can provide.”

To help him with this plan, Flaming approaches his store bothsimply and methodically.

“I would love to add high fashion to the product mix,” he explains,“but in a county that is 2,000 square miles with only a populationof 9,800 in the whole county, I have to be very discerning in theproduct I put in. Out here price does matter. Remember, we can’teven see the Rocky Mountains from Yuma.”

Flaming does venture from Yuma, regularly attending the RJOBuying Shows.

“I try to participate in as many RJO events as possible,” he says,“but living in northeast Colorado poses problems at times. Ijoined RJO in 1998 and have missed only one show.”

When quizzed about his marketing, Flaming offers, “the bestpromotion that I run is a 50-percent-off sale, held the secondSunday in January. The sale runs for a few hours in the afternoon,and we have grossed nearly $20,000 for the three hours. It gives usa great January, and the men don’t have to think about ValentinesDay or any of the other gift-giving occasions.”

Jay Flaming Jewelers is located at 220 South Main, Yuma, CO. Phone: (970) 848-5925.

JEWELERspotlight Jay Flaming Jewelers:

Every gift you give should have two names, yours and Jay Flaming Jewelers

Jay Flaming

classifiedsFree: Used Sylvania 100-watt metal halide (Metal Arc MP 100PAR 38) light bulbs. You just pay all shipping costs. ContactElaine at: 317-888-7662; e-mail:jljohnsonfinejewelers@comcast.net

Wanted: New or used charm display, preferably Rembrandt woodstyle to match our existing one. Interested in floor or table topstyle. Call Ken or Alexa at: 417-667-4653; e-mail:ehs1973@hotmail.com

For Sale: New Hermes GTX Engraving Machine. It does trays,bowls, baby cups, charms, etc. Includes two sets of type, all for$750. Call Ken or Alexa at: 417-667-4653; e-mail:ehs1973@hotmail.com

For Sale: New Hermes Inside Ring Engraver with cover. $275.Call Ken or Alexa at: 417-667-4653; e-mail:ehs1973@hotmail.com

To place your FREE classified advertisement in the next issue of In the Loupe, send your items by June 1, 2013, to Christopher Green via e-mail: sheridanavenuedesign@earthlink.net; or via mail: RJO, P.O. Box 1045, Newton, IA 50208.

PAGE 10

CALENDAR OFevents May 12Mother’s Day

May 10- All payments must be received in RJOOffice.- Registration for RJO Fall show begins.- Fall Buying Show packets mailed.

May 23All invoices due in RJO Office.

May 28Memorial Day—RJO Office closed.

June 10All payments must be received in RJOOffice.

June 16Father’s Day

June 21All invoices due in RJO Office.

David Mann JewelersDavid Cyrkin & Betsy O'Mara

Geneseo, NY

E.G. Landis JewelersMark Matlack & Cristine Matlack

Gilbertsville, PAreferred by: Greg Greffin

24 Karat RoseWayzata, MN

Glennpeter JewelersJeff WeissAlbany, NY

Green’s Jewelers Inc.Ashley Green MillerRoxboro, NC

referred by: Greg PhelpsShains of Lumberton

Lumberton, NC

Joseph's JewelersVirginia TocciLeominster, MA

Kevin Schimke JewelersKevin & Bella Schimke

Stockton, CA

KT Diamond JewelersKyle Batisch & Tracy Batisch

Columbia, MOreferred by: Greg Greffin

24 Karat RoseWayzata, MN

Koser JewelersRandy & Betsy Bolgemuth

Mount Joy, PAreferred by: Tim MarrOstbye & AndersonMinneapolis, MN

MJ Harrington & Co.David Lantz, Meanine Bascom, William

HowellNewport, NH

referred by: Andrew RussakoffRussakoff JewelersSkowhegan, ME

Taylors JewelryDebra Hess & Tanya JacksonSouth Williamson, KY

Thank you to the jewelers referring new members to our group. These jewelers willreceive a $1,000 finder’s fee for their referral, payable after a new member has been ingood standing for at least six months.

NEW members

Make Sure RJO HasYour Most

Up-to-Date E-mailAddresses

To make our contacts with you moreefficient and timely, RJO is increasingthe use of e-mail as a contact medium.

From regular electronic newsletters tobuying show announcements, our e-mail notifications are getting morecommon and more important.

If you’ve changed your e-mail addresslately or would prefer to receive RJOcommunications at a different address,

please let us know.

Address updates and changes can bedirected to Mary Harger in the RJOoffice at: mary@rjomembers.com

or call the RJO office at: 800-247-1774.