Category Archives: Ace Jewelers

First column for 00/24 Horloges Magazine - Hebben juweliers nog bestaansrecht?

9 December 2019 admin Leave a comment

The Dutch watch magazine 00/24 Horloges also known as WatchWorld has asked me to write a column for the consumer magazine. I kicked off with a bold title: "Hebben juweliers nog bestaanrecht?" which translates into: "Do jewellers still have right of existance?". After I have written over 34 columns for a B2B target group, this is my first column that is meant for consumers (B2C). Obviously you can guess what the conclusion is of my column 😉

To download the PDF, please click here.
This issue got launched 3 Decemer 2019 in physical format and this is the text in Dutch:

“Hebben juweliers nog bestaansrecht?”

Horloges koopt men bij een juwelier. Klinkt logisch toch? Wat vroeger een vanzelfsprekendheid was, is tegenwoordig een van de vele opties. Meer en meer horlogemerken openen bijvoorbeeld hun eigen boutiques of –nog beter- flagship stores. Het is bijna ongelooflijk, maar bij velen is het inmiddels zelfs mogelijk om direct via de website te kopen. Daarnaast zijn er bloggers die horloges verkopen, en nieuwe partijen als Farfetch en Mr. Porter die zich officieel dealer mogen noemen. Chrono24 is een enorm belangrijke partij. Er zijn grijze handelaren. Marktplaats. Ebay. Aan de andere kant sluit de ene na de andere juwelier zijn deuren. Hebben zij eigenlijk nog wel bestaansrecht?

Ik ben zelf juwelier. Ik preek dus voor eigen parochie en lijd onder een gezonde dosis tunnelvisie. Maar ik denk dat juweliers zeer zeker nog bestaansrecht hebben. Er is een hele belangrijke redenen dat ik daar heilig van overtuigd ben. Het beste advies krijgt u namelijk bij de onafhankelijke juwelier. Punt. Dat zit zo:

De juwelier is niet beperkt tot één merk, maar heeft meerdere merken in zijn assortiment. Hierdoor is het mogelijk is om verschillende horloges naast elkaar te leggen en te vergelijken. Wat zijn de overeenkomsten, en wat zijn juist de verschillen? De juwelier legt u dit graag uit. Geen Wij van WC-eend taferelen, maar objectief advies.

Juweliers zijn bovendien vaak familiebedrijven die van generatie op generatie worden overgedragen. Merken worden al decennialang verkocht. De juwelier heeft ze zien groeien en evolueren. De kennis over de producten en het ambacht reikt dan ook verder dan de waan van de dag. De juwelier, bijgestaan door zijn team, geeft gedegen advies wat voortvloeit uit jarenlange ervaring.

Het allerbelangrijkste is misschien wel dat juweliers een oprecht advies kan geven. Dit geldt in elke fase van het proces, van de eerste oriënteringsronde tot de onderhoudsbeurt vele jaren later. Er hangt geen conglomeraat of investeringsmaatschappij achter wat stuurt op winsten op korte termijn. Juweliers denken vaak in decennia, in generaties - niet kwartaalcijfers, beurskoersen en dividend. De klant staat daarom onbetwist op nummer één, en blijft daar staan door een langetermijnvisie en daaruit voortvloeiend oprecht advies.

Alon Ben Joseph is gek op horloges en een echte Watch Idiot Savant (#WIS). Hij is een ras-ondernemer die mede-eigenaar is van het Amsterdamse familiebedrijf Ace Juweliers en mede-oprichter van tech start-ups WatchBase en Shine Social Club. Met zijn adviesbureau Oak Consultancy adviseert hij andere bedrijven op strategisch gebied, waaronder verschillende horlogemerken.

Ace Jewelers, Jewelry, Luxury, Marketing, Public Appearance, Retail, Technology, Watches

Speaking at NetComm Suisse event

29 January 2016 admin 1 Comment

A week after I spoke at the Webwinkel Vakdagen 2016 event in Utrecht, the Netherlands, I have been invited by NetComm Suisse, the Swiss counterpart of the Thuiswinkel Organisatie to speak during their event: e-Commerce and Digital meet Luxury Watches on Thursday February 2th, 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland.

NetComm Suisse enables their members to build a strong community of e-Commerce operators. Through networking events, training, institutional relations and research into the digital market, the organization enables greater consumer confidence in e-Commerce and greater success for operators in the industry. They also engage proactively with the media and international institutions, providing information, concrete data and a voice for the wider industry, seeking above all to help build a more engaged and successful future for the Swiss eCommerce sector.

On February 25th, 2016 NetComm Suisse in collaboration with Fongit will host the “e-Commerce and Digital meet Luxury Watches” event. The event will look at the latest trends in digital and e-Commerce for luxury jewellery and watches industry. In this domain our speakers will share knowledge on:

Digital innovation, smartwatches, wearable jewellery devices
e-Commerce for the luxury industry
Online counterfeiting and digital reputation
Digital influence in purchase decisions
Start-ups to help solving industry problems

An increasing number of consumers is turning to the internet to get their purchase decision. In addition to that, upwards of 70% of people in Europe have shopped online, amounting to some 247 million consumers, with commerce between countries continuing to grow. As regards the luxury sector, e-Commerce represents an excellent opportunity for the industry, including the smartwatch sector, to open itself up to a global market filled with internet- savvy consumers, add this to Switzerland’s long history of watchmaking, perfectly blending a spirit of artisanship plus innovation, and the opportunities in this particular brand of digital innovation are clear to see.

As you might know I love to speak about my passions: fine watches, diamond jewelry and eCommerce. I am humbled that Netcomme Suisse has heard about me and booked me to speak during this event in Geneva next month. Together with managers from the Swiss luxury industry, companies like: Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Richemont, I will speak about my experiences in this industry we have built up with Ace Jewelers. I am also very curious to hear what experts from Facebook, eBooster and Deloitte, attending as speakers during this event have to share.

On that day I will travel from Amsterdam to Geneva and at 16.55 hours I will have the honor to speak about the topic: "Digital influence in offline purchase decisions."

To attend this event, please register via this direct link: Eventbrite.

Ace Jewelers, Luxury, News, Public Appearance, Retail, Technology

Webwinkel Vakdagen 2016

3 January 2016 admin Leave a comment

As you might know I love to speak about my passions. As CEO of Ace Jewelers Group of Amsterdam,www.AceJewelers.com I have been invited to speak during the Webwinkel Vakdagen 2016 (#WWV16). I will speak about Customer Experience in the luxury industry on Wednesday January 20th, 2016 in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The Webwinkel Vakdagen, also know as WWV, is the leading event in the Dutch Internet industry and this is the 10th anniversary edition. In 2006 it was the first time I have attended and it is amazing to see how the fair has grown to an industry meet-up you can not miss! The title of my presentation is: Luxury Customer Experience, online and offline. I will elaborate on critical success factors of Ace Jewelers in creating the ultimate customer experience in the luxury industry we operate in.

Hope to see you at my lecture at noon on the 20th of this month.

For an overview of all my speaking engagements, please visit this page.

Ace Jewelers

Founding Member of Leading Jewelers of the Netherlands

28 November 2014 admin Leave a comment

Personally I am a firm believer of partnerships, friendships and therefore synergy. Together with my brother, whom I have the honor with to run our family business, Ace Luxury Group, we decided to join forces with nine other friends and fellow jewelers. The eleven of us decided to start a marketing vehicle and collaborate to promote our amazing profession. Therefore two boutiques of the Ace Luxury Group, Ace & Dik Jewelers (Van Baerlestraat 46, Amsterdam) and Ace & Spyer Jewelers (Koningsplein 1, Amsterdam) are founding members of the Stichting Leading Jewelers of the Netherlands (registered at the Chamber of Commerce under 61672513).

This is the official press release:

"LEADING JEWELERS OF THE NETHERLANDS

The best Dutch jewelers unite!

With the foundation of Leading Jewelers of The Netherlands a dream has come true for eleven famous Dutch jewelers. By presenting themselves together, they can highlight the uniqueness of their boutiques. Without exception these are family-owned businesses, usually with a long history as a distinguished jeweler. Intimate knowledge of watches and jewelry goes together with personalized service.

Since the eleven jewelers are spread throughout The Netherlands, for the customer the best of the best is never far away. The Leading Jewelers of The Netherlands form a strong personal service oriented alternative to jewelry store chains and underline the classic qualities of the real jeweler.

The jewelers have 14 boutiques, all with a unique collection of watches and jewelry of the best international brands. The owners are all active in their day-to-day business and together with their skilled employees ensure very personal service. The in-store workshops guarantee high quality customization, repairs and maintenance.

These jewelers participate in the Leading Jewelers of The Netherlands:

Van Hell Juweliers - Amersfoort
Ace & Dik Juweliers - Amsterdam
Ace & Spyer Juweliers - Amsterdam
Van Hell Juweliers - Apeldoorn
Steltman Watches - The Hague
Juwelier van Willegen - The Hague
René Kahlé Juweliers - Laren (NH)
Willy Vossen Juwelier - Maastricht
Eugene van Baal Juwelier -Nijmegen
Alexander Juwelier Atelier - Oegstgeest
Juwelier van Willegen - Rotterdam."

For more info: http://leadingjewelers.nl/

Ace Jewelers, News, Public Appearance, Technology

Alon speaking during Global Ecommerce Summit 2014

13 May 2014 admin Leave a comment

Launched six years ago, the Global E-Commerce Summit is the leading international event that focuses on the most important trends and developments in global e-commerce, cross-border trading and omni-channel retail. After editions in Amsterdam and Monaco, the event settled on Barcelona, which has now been the home of the summit and the awards ceremony for the last four years.

Three days with inspiring key notes, market insights, business strategies, useful business cases, networking possibilities (like the Global E-commerce Party) and of course the fourth edition of the European E-commerce Award ceremony.

In 2014 the theme will be: The Next E-Commerce Revolution: No Borders, No Channels.

In 1998 Alon joined the family company as a marketing manager and created the first website for the company. In 2008, as Co-CEO of the company, Alon launched the first international eBoutique in the Netherlands to be authorized to retail high-end Swiss watch brands and premium diamond jewelry. Together with this launch, the company was transformed from a classic local retailer in to an international cross-channel retailer. Many innovations followed, like: the first augemented reality tool for diamond rings in the world, first etailer in the world that has been authorized by IWC Schaffhausen to sell online and the first Dutch jeweller to launch a stand-alone mCommerce site for luxury accessories, watches and diamonds.

On June 16th, 2014 Alon Ben Joseph will speaking during the Pre-conference e-Payments track of the Global Ecommerce Summit about “Challenges of a high-end jeweller with online payments.”

See more of Alon's former and future speaking engagements on this dedicated page.