JCK Industry Insiders: The Plumb Club

Founded in 1983, The Plumb Club is a unique coalition of leading and important suppliers spanning all facets of the jewelry, diamond and watch industries. The association aims to help educate, innovate and connect those in the jewelry industry.

We are very excited to have The Plumb Club join us once again at JCK Las Vegas, offering a number of creative, invaluable and fun events. Lawrence Hess, Executive Director of The Plumb Club, tells us what we can expect at JCK Las Vegas 2019, explains the organization’s mission and vision and much more.

The Plumb Club’s membership accounts for a significant percentage of the domestic fine jewelry market. What is the value in being a member of The Plumb Club and what do you think has contributed to the large success of the organization and the appeal to jewelers? The Plumb Club joins leading, influential and important suppliers from all aspects of the jewelry industry to create and increase business opportunities for its members and provide a collective voice to help positively impact our industry. Through these activities and The Plumb Club Members, the retail jeweler has access to a tremendous number of resources ranging from best in class products to industry information and education.

What is your mission and vision as an organization?
Approximately two years ago, in response to the significant changes in our industry as well as a shifting market place, The Plumb Club developed a new strategic plan to help guide our future based on our core strengths. As part of this strategic planning, we developed new purpose and vision statements:

Purpose Statement: The Plumb Club is an organization of suppliers whose purpose is to connect its members and their customers and help shape the future of the jewelry industry.

Vision Statement: The Plumb Club is a responsible supply side organization recognized for leadership, adding value, and positively impacting the jewelry industry.

The Plumb Club has three exciting events scheduled at JCK Las Vegas 2019: The Plumb Club Planetarium, The Retail Innovation & the Education Center and The Glossy Exhibition by Ombré Gallery, all of which will be open throughout the entire show. Can you tell us about each one and what they offer to retailers who attend?
The Plumb Club Planetarium: Radiant Universe: Using trend data acquired through market and consumer research that The Plumb Club recently commissioned, and will be releasing by the end of this month, we identified the Polar Star and the sun specifically, and the constellations in general, as significant trending iconic motifs that resonate with the consumer.

As a result of this research, The Plumb Club has created a program through which each member has individually created and expressed this theme in their own collections and is collectively called “The Radiant Universe.”

As part of this program, The Plumb Club will be installing an actual planetarium within our pavilion. The Radiant Universe Planetarium will feature a 5-minute show that is “out of this world”. This immersive presentation (think IMAX) will take the retailer on a thrill ride through the universe that will give insight into this iconic trend that is hot right now. Shows will run every 15 minutes throughout each day of JCK Las Vegas. Reservations are required and retailers can RSVP on The Plumb Club website here.

The Retail Innovation and Education Center: As part of The Plumb Club’s commitment to providing the Jewelry Retailer with the information, education and resources they need to help grow their business, we have created this space in our pavilion that will feature the latest in retail sales technology.

Featured exhibitions will include:

JCK Industry Insiders: The Plumb Club

• AUGMENTes: Augmented Reality (AR), Mobile Applications and Omni Channel Shopping Platforms including digital / virtual “try on“ features that are scalable for any size jewelry retailer.

• Converge: The Converge platform emulates the way a consumer would typically research products online, bringing that experience to the retail store through a new showcase concept that ties together the virtual and physical.

• GemFind: Custom jewelry design platform that can be integrated with the retailers existing website, be used in-store and/or online, and is customizable and scalable. In addition, the retailer can learn about “Geo-Fencing”, which is location driven, targeted advertising, through commonly used apps that consumers use every day.

• JGA: Known for their award winning and cutting-edge store design, both in and out of the jewelry industry, JGA is much more than that. Whether a small concept or an entire store, what story can they help you tell?

• PM Screen: As one of the leading global providers of complete special media installation solutions, PM Screen will feature their latest in Holographic Displays and technology. From affordable single unit displays to large installations, take cutting edge to the next level.

• Pepper the IBM Watson Robot: Visit The Plumb Club Retail Innovation and Education Center to meet Pepper, IBM’s famous robot. Tell her about what type of jewelry you are looking for, and she will make recommendations! Take a picture with her and post it to social media for a chance to win a $100 gift card.

• The Glossy Exhibition by Ombré Gallery: The Plumb Club has partnered with Ombré Gallery for an exhibition called “Glossy”. The exhibition is created and curated by Jenna Shaifer, Director of the gallery. Ombré is the only art jewelry gallery of its kind in the mid-west, specializing in contemporary art jewelry. It exhibits and sells wearable, one-of-a-kind pieces crafted from both traditional and unexpected materials, techniques and subjects.

The exhibition features 25 contemporary artist jewelers inspired by the images and messages presented in magazines, also known as ‘glossies,” for the paper on which they are printed. Glossies serve as a vital communication tool for messaging in the fashion industry. They are a conduit between the maker, the retailer, and the consumer, not only conveying a designers’ vision in an upcoming season, but also pitch the forecast in trends for beauty, color, texture, pattern, and form. From enamel to textiles and diamonds to zippers, the jewelry artists in this exhibition investigate the mediums that capture the spirit, ambience and trends of our time.

We’re so excited to see the Glossy Gallery. We know it’s going to be showcasing ultra-contemporary jewelry in a museum-like setting, but can you give us a little sneak peek at what we can expect in terms of types of materials, techniques or themes?

Here is a sneak preview of some of the things you can see at the Glossy Gallery:

(L-R: Everett Hoffman, Jennifer Merchant, Brooke Marks-Swanson, Margaux Lange)

Are there any technologies or features of the Retail Innovation & Education Center you’re particularly excited about and are able to share with us?

All of them really! Each of the exhibitions selected for this exhibit are areas that are either hot right now, brand new concepts, or out of the box ideas that will set a retailer apart from their competition.

This year, you’ve updated your logo and will be revealing a brand new look for your pavilion – tell us a bit more about your updated look and how it aligns with The Plumb Club’s most up-to-date vision as an organization.
Our brand new, state of the art pavilion, website and logo are the next steps in our organization’s strategic plan, designed to expand The Plumb Club’s reach year-round, broaden our retail community, and positively impact the future of the fine jewelry industry. It is driven by and supports our new tagline “Educate. Innovate. Connect”.

One of the buzz words everyone is talking about these days is “customer experience”. We have invested significant resources in our Las Vegas Pavilion to provide the retailer not only a place to find best in class product, but a sophisticated, elegant and comfortable place to do it in. Visitors will experience nothing like anyone has ever seen before at the JCK Las Vegas show. Of course, we will continue to offer complementary snacks and beverages in our newly designed and enhanced Plumb Club Pavilion Café.

What types of topics can we expect at the annual Plumb Club Breakfast Symposium on Saturday morning at JCK Las Vegas 2019?

Our sponsor, The Diamond Producers Association, will start off the program with a review of their full year of activity, including their new self-purchase woman campaign: For me, From me.

We will then move on to our Keynote Presentation: Today’s Customer Experience- Satisfaction Guaranteed Is No Guaranteeby Shep Hyken – Customer Service and Experience Expert, Best Selling Author and National Speakers Association Hall of Fame Inductee.

This presentation, customized for the jewelry retailer, will provide strategies and tactics that can be used immediately upon returning from the show to deliver amazing customer service, improve customer engagement, manage the customer experience and create fierce customer loyalty.

Immediately following the presentation, each attendee that visits The Plumb Club Pavilion will receive a complimentary signed copy of Mr. Hyken’s book “The Convenience Revolution” and access to his online course: Five Ways to Create an Amazing Customer Experience. A photo opportunity with the author will also be available. Reservations are required and can be made here.

What are you most looking forward to at JCK Las Vegas 2019?
Without a doubt our brand-new pavilion and all of the new exciting initiatives I have mentioned. This is really going to be something special for our members and the retailers that visit us.

To learn more about The Plumb Club’s activities at JCK Las Vegas, to register for our Breakfast Symposium
or to reserve your spot at The Radiant Universe Planetarium, visit The Plumb Club Pavilion Page.