Starting the “Jewelry Made in America” Initiative

The future of jewelry that is made in America is at a critical juncture!  It is through our initiative, “Jewelry Made in America” that we can insure the continuation of the fine history of American design, craftsmanship, and service that should make us leaders in our industry worldwide for generation after generation.

During these challenging economic times, many companies have turned to relying on importing products fabricated from overseas vendors simply to lower their cost. In the process they have often sacrificed quality and service.  Our customers -- the better chain stores and independent jewelers -- are ultimately paying the steepest price with inferior finished product, disappointing customer service and long and often costly delays.

There is a dire need for us to unite in one advertising voice promoting the pride and master craftsmanship of the American jewelry manufacturer. Although jewelry is generally thought of as being strictly a luxury item, approximately 2.2 million American couples* need wedding bands and other bridal-related jewelry each year. Buying jewelry that is made in America can help bridge the gap to the stronger economic times that are down the road. However, keep in mind that the phrase “Made in America” alone is not enough of a deciding factor. As creators of fine jewelry, new levels of standards should be met and the definition of “Made in America” really should be that buying an American made product means buying the absolute best.

Why is “Made in America” Important?
During the month of June 2009, Google Adwords keyword tool shows that over 200,000 Internet searchers looked for information pertaining to the keywords “American made.”  An additional 30 million consumers searched for the term “jewelry.” However, there currently is a little relevant or real information pertaining to jewelry that is made in America. This actually presents a great opportunity for companies to literally create a new category to help gain advantage against other competitors that can not say that their goods are American made. With a glut of information clogging the Internet, publications and airwaves, a “Jewelry Made in America” initiative can easily make your company stand out from others in your same category. It is, in fact, an additional and often overlooked selling point.

Criteria for Participation
To be involved with the “Jewelry Made in America” initiative, designers and manufacturers should be able to say that their promoted product line or merchandise is designed and assembled domestically by American-based craftsmen, and not imported from overseas or fashioned using labor from sources outside of the country. Products that are just finished in the United States do not qualify. While we understand that the raw materials may only be available from overseas resources, the emphasis of this project is about American workmanship and overall quality.

Promotion of the “Jewelry Made in America” Initiative
• Inclusion in the initial “Jewelry Made in America” product gallery (with companies providing their own product shots), which will appear in an upcoming issue of the jewelry trade magazine The Jewelry Book.
• Should you care to advertise in The Jewelry Book, the rates are as follows:
         $1500 for a 1/2 page
         $2500-$3500 for a full page
         $4000-$5000 for a 2 page spread
• Product features and company profile included on a "Jewelry Made in America" themed website. Promotion for this website will include regular Google News headlines linking to this site, and outreach to various social media resources.
• Product features on a "Jewelry Made in America" themed blog.
• Product features on a "Jewelry Made in America" Facebook page.
• Possible co-promotion with several “Made in America” websites.

Interested parties may contact rick@novelldesignstudio.com directly for further information.

*According to TheWeddingReport.com.