Like most ladies, I am sure you would love to know how to get diamonds for Christmas. I wish I could tell you that guys love shopping for your Christmas present. The truth is most of us hate going near the shops, especially at this time of year. Even worse there is a constant dread of choosing something that you are going to hate. So, what do we do? We procrastinate, we leave it till the last minute, then in the last chance effort, we dash to the shops on Christmas Eve to join all the other helpless guys looking for a present for their partners.

Sound familiar??


Why do guys do this?

I think it is partly because we don’t know what it is you really want, and partly because shopping for us guys is genuinely not an enjoyable experience. I am going to let you in on a little secret – we would rather be watching our favourite sports team, playing on our devices or pretty much anything else than spending hours at a shopping centre.

So, what’s the solution to not getting diamonds for Christmas?

Ladies, it would really help us a lot if you left a list of the things you would really like for Christmas, as well as a list of the things that you absolutely DO NOT WANT. I know that you think it is common sense not to get you a blender for Christmas, but for our practical minds, it simply isn’t that straightforward. We don’t take subtle hints, it needs to be written on a big sheet of paper in red and put on the fridge. Somewhere where we can’t miss it is ideal.

Secondly, tell us the stores that you would love us to shop at for you. Ideally, these stores should have great team members that will make the process easy and a pleasurable experience for us. Ideally, these stores should have ample comfortable seating, be away from the bustling crowds, and have offered us a beer or beverage of our choice while we are picking out your perfect gift.

So If you are tired of receiving the same type of gifts every year, try this new tactic and see if this Santa brings you exactly what you have been dreaming of. Not only will you get more of what you want, but we will actually thank you for making the process of choosing your gift easier for us.

Just in case your partner hasn’t been to see our new showroom. We have lots of beautiful diamonds for you to wear, a private upstairs diamond boutique with comfy chairs, a great team of diamond consultants trained to make picking out your Christmas present easy for them. If that wasn’t enough there is also an exclusive scotch bar and/or beer for them to make the experience one that they will want to come back time and time again.

We even have a special promotion running at the moment, to help you get diamonds for Christmas – you can find out more here #LetHerSparkle.

International Womens day quote

In today’s world is there really still any justification for inequality  between men and women in the workforce? I am constantly amazed when the subject comes up on TV or it is the punch line of a comedians joke. I think it is a sad reflection on our society, that in many industries women are paid less than their male counterparts for doing the exact same role.

Surely we have evolved as a civilisation, to see that in the workforce we deserve the same remuneration for the same job. Both genders are capable of significant contributions to the work force, and a person’s worth should be determined by what they contribute, not their gender. It is unfortunately not just their pay that they are sometimes missing out on, but also their future. As lower comparative wages, also means lower superannuation.

Here at Xennox Diamonds, we are always striving to find the most passionate and talented individuals, capable of delivering the most amazing experience to our clients. This is something that is not mutually exclusive to women or men. At the end of the day, I am looking for the X Factor, whoever it comes from, and I am looking for those that consider themselves professionals who are looking to achieve excellence. A thirst for knoweledge is also something that i think is vital not only for work specifically but life in general.

Regardless of their gender, the team that I am lucky enough to work with is rewarded based on the value they contribute to the business. While i understand that everyone has their different levels of things that motivate them, pay is not something that they are discriminated on.

That’s why, on International Women’s Day this year, I support the Pledge for Parity. It’s an important reminder that all of us in business can and must do so much more to promote equality, respect and fairness. It is for our wives, daughters, cousins and other extended family that we must do this.

You can make your pledge here http://www.internationalwomensday.com/ Let me know what you think?

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution last year that you didn’t keep or achieve?

By now you have probably recovered from your New Year’s festivities and made a few New Year’s resolutions. Ironically there are probably a number of them that you have recycled from last year. All those things that you want to change or improve, but never got around to doing. Whether it is something physical like losing a few kilos or business orientated like reaching more clients, having an incentive to achieve your New Year’s resolution is sure to increase your chances of success.

Goal Planning

When I sit down with clients we discover together what pieces are on their jewellery wish list and what major goals they would love to achieve for the coming year ahead. For some it might be a promotion or a number of successful client transactions, for others it is the completion of a project. Whatever your goal is, having a piece of jewellery to symbolise your achievement will not only give you the enjoyment of wearing it, but also spur you on to hit your next goal. One of the things that my clients often overlook is the power of goal setting – using diamonds as the carrot (pun intended). I always say that if a picture tells a thousand words, then your jewellery is a novel with a lifetime of memories. When I look at a piece of jewellery I am reminded of all the memories associated with it – how I designed it, where I sourced the diamonds from, how the jeweller made it etc…

Sally’s Story

One of my clients, Sally, had a goal of reaching 150 active recurring clients in her business. Sally’s incentive for working towards that goal was a new pair of gorgeous diamond studs. Throughout the year Sally worked tirelessly, putting in extra hours, sacrificing personal leisure time and even visited her diamond studs in the showroom as a motivator to stay on track.   By the time the end of the year came around Sally actually ended up with 186 clients. Sally had been so motivated to achieving her goal that the extra momentum she had built up allowed her to blow her target out of the water. Now we use Sally’s earrings as a memory anchor to help her go after her next target of 250 clients. You see, every time Sally now looks in the mirror, she doesn’t just see her diamond studs, she sees everything those diamond studs represent. Sally is reminded of all the hard work she put in to achieve her goal, and ultimately how successful it makes her feel, which is a great sense of fulfilment for her. It also makes her excited about going after her next goal, which is a diamond bracelet.   It doesn’t have to be a set of diamond studs for you; it might be a bracelet, a ring or a strand of pearls. Whatever your taste in jewellery is, link it to S.M.A.R.T. goal.

Set yourself one SMART goal

S – Specific, M – Measurable, A – Achievable, R – Relevant, T – Time sensitive.

I find limiting it to one main goal at a time works best, that is until you develop the skill set to handle multiple goals at once. That way you will avoid the vicious cycle of recycling your New Year’s resolutions. While the beginning of the year is a great time to set a goal, there is really no reason that you can’t do it at any time. Just follow the S.M.A.R.T acronym and link it with whatever is going to be your greatest currency, and you will be sure to achieve it. Accountability is also a great way to make sure that you stay on course to achieve your goal.

So what is your goal this year, and what is going to be on your jewellery wish list to motivate you to achieve it?

Like the old saying, “failing to plan, is planning to fail”. The time to set a new goal is now. So don’t wait another week or month to start putting your diamond S.M.A.R.T. goal together. I guarantee that when you look back in 12 months’ time, you will not only be amazed by the results, but you will have a lovely piece of jewellery to remember the journey.

About Karl

kschwantes-rock-cover-webuse-xlgeHis recently released book, ” Rock Her World” is available now. If you would like help, in choosing the perfect diamond to help you achieve your goals for 2016, there is a lot of great information in Rock Her World” or you can even listen to a sample chapter hereKarl believes that choosing a piece of jewellery should be a phenomenal experience, and over the last 21 years has helped more than 5800 clients choose a special piece of jewellery that tells their story.

Believe it or not Christmas and New Year’s Eve are the two biggest events on the calendar for proposals. Having helped over 5800 couples on their journey to finding their perfect engagement ring, it never ceases to amaze me how popular this time of year is.

I can’t really blame guys for choosing this time to propose. Everyone is normally taking time off with their partners to celebrate the holiday season, families are coming together, and lets be honest a fair amount of holiday cheer is involved. Whatever your reason for choosing this time of year to get engaged i have;

7 important tips that will help your proposal go off with a bang!

Often the process of choosing an engagement ring can be all consuming, and it seems to take everything they have just to make this important decision. One of the great things i get to do is to coach guys through the process not just about buying an engagement ring, but all the things they need to do before and after the pick up the ring.

Just remember, it doesn’t need to be difficult. Choosing an engagement ring can not only be easy, but also a fun and enjoyable experience as well. So if you have been thinking of taking the plunge this Christmas time – Don’t put it of any longer. 🙂

If you would like help, in choosing the perfect engagement ring, there is a lot of great information in my recently published book, “Rock Her World” or you can listen to a sample chapter here
Rock Her World

 

Valentine’s day is one of the most romantic days of the year to propose. This Valentine’s day, to celebrate the launch of my newly published book “Rock Her World” – The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Engagement Ring. I designed and created a beautiful Valentines Day engagement ring for one lucky couple to help them on their engagement journey.

After welcoming everyone, I wanted to give them a little overview on all the things that they needed to know about creating the perfect engagement ring. Expert tips on finding a diamond that sparkles unlike any other and some great options on how to protect your engagement ring once its made. Especially for the guys there were some great pointers on how to deliver the ultimate proposal.

Aria Restaurant

You can watch the slide show of the Rock Her World presentation here. We were even fortunate enough to be able to raise $1000 for the MASKS Foundation (Make a sick kid smile)

Valentines Day Engagement Ring Finalists

To make sure we kept the guys on their toes, we drew 3 lucky finalists. The three lucky gentlemen then had to go to the back of the room, where I could give them some proposal advice, on how to make the proposal moment memorable. The ring was under safeguard of our dedicated security guard. Who not only held the magic ring box, but two additional boxes without a ring in it. The lucky grooms to be, then had to each select a box.

Valentines Day Engagement Ring finalists

Valentines Day Proposal

With Nik finding himself the lucky winner, it was now time to propose. It was his turn to ask his special partner that question she had been waiting to hear. Nik did a fantastic job, and had many of the ladies (and some of the guys) in tears. Having told Joanne that win or lose, he was already a winner, he got down on one knee and proposed.

Valentines Day Engagement Ring proposal
The lucky couple are the first to wear one of my engagement rings from my new collection.

Valentines Day Engagement Ring

As the first one was created for Valentines day, I have decided to call this one VALENTINO. It also featured an Pink diamond set into the side of the setting, and a high performance 1 carat Passion8 “Hearts and Arrows” diamond in the centre.

Valentines Day Engagement RingIf you would like to know more about this beautiful ring, please don’t hesitate to email me. We can make all our rings to suite any diamond size or quality.

 

Karl Schwantes - Book Launch Flyer (3)

 

$1000 Passion8 Gift Card

Wedding day diamonds are a great way to spoil your new bride on one of the most magical days of her life. Wedding days can be an exciting roller coaster of emotions. New beginnings as the two of you begin your new life together, contrasted with the sadness of some fathers of the bride, who see their daughter leaving as the end of a chapter of their life. 

Who to give the Wedding Day Diamonds to?

Like the best man who is in charge of the wedding rings. The maid of honour or sister of the bride is a great choice, to give the wedding day diamonds to (which ever you are closer to). You will need to arrange a little get together prior to the wedding day to finalise the finer points of your plan.

When to give it to her?

It is a good idea to do a little research here, to find out what her wedding itinerary will be like. Ideally you want to try and arrange to have it presented when the mood is just right. An ideal moment is when she is having her hair done, or she is celebrating the moment with a glass of bubbles. It is a good idea to avoid doing it when she is having her make up applied as she may cry and cause her mascara to run. 

How to make it special?

While I am sure most ladies would be over the moon to receive diamonds on their wedding day. There is something that you guys can do, to make it even more special. Inside the box, write a special hand written note, telling her how special she is, and how much you are looking forward to seeing her walk down the aisle. I guarantee it will be something that she will treasure as much as the diamonds.

How much should you spend on wedding day diamonds?wedding day diamonds

Like everything in life, guides are just that. There is no strict rule as to how much you should spend, and everyones budget is different. Especially with the cost of weddings these days, it is important to pick something that isn’t going to blow out the already maxed out credit card. As a rough guide a set of fine diamond hoops could be from the $800 – $1500+.

Diamond studs are also a popular choice if she doesn’t have any, and are unlikely to clash with her wedding day dress.   

Free Holiday

Are you in need of a holiday? Or are you planning a wedding and looking for an amazing destination to kick back and recover from all your wedding planning? For some couples, all the effort that goes into planning a holiday can really take its toll. To help we are having our annual holiday promotion. We are picking up the tab for the resort accommodation at the Paradise Taveuni Resort in Fiji. This honeymoon location is a great way to recharge the batteries and reconnect with your new loved one.

With the average Australian wedding now costing over $40,000, a relaxing overseas tropical honeymoon is something high on the wish list for brides today. Even better if it is a FREE holiday. If you have been trying to decide where to go for your honeymoon, this might make the decision making process a little easier.

Lucky couples who purchase their wedding or engagement ring from Xennox Diamonds between July and August 2014, will see themselves soaking up the sun with a free holiday in Fiji. Saving the stress and expense of planning that dream honeymoon and leaving nothing to do but relax and bask in the beauty of that sparkling new ring.

Proposal Idea

While the concept for this promotion was designed around honeymoon’s, there is no reason why it can’t be used to plan a surprise proposal, Hint, Hint !!!! Gentlemen, please take note, this location would be ideal for popping the question. The money you save on the free holiday, could even go towards the ring you will be proposing with. Now there really has never been a better time to take the plunge. It will truly be a proposal she will never forget. 

 FREE Holiday –Taveuni Honeymoon – Fiji

 Free Holiday

Taveuni Island Resort & Spa is the jewel of the Pacific. It is set in ten acres of immaculate manicured tropical gardens, and accommodates only 12 privileged couples. There are only twelve accommodations with each house positioned for maximum privacy and to take advantage of the spectacular views over the azure ocean and surrounding islands.

On trip advisor, Paradise Taveuni has received a 4 1/2 star rating from more than 200 reviews, and a 94% thumbs up rating. You can see more of the reviews here

 

Here are the Honeymoon details

There are three levels of accommodation on offer,

a. For purchases between AUD$4,000-$7,000 will recieve a AUD$2,000 
holiday package at Paradise Taveuni, Fiji. Inclusive of 5 nights 
accommodation, breakfast daily, return airport transfers and activities.
b. For purchases between AUD$7,001-$14,000 will receive a AUD$2,600 
holiday package at Paradise Taveuni, Fiji. Inclusive of 5 nights 
accommodation, breakfast daily, a one course lunch, two course dinner, return 
airport transfers, a Paradise Massage and activities.
c. For purchases AUD$14,001 or greater will receive a 
AUD$3,600 holiday package at Paradise Taveuni, Fiji. Inclusive of 7 nights 
accommodation, all meals, return airport transfers, Wi-Fi access, a Paradise 
Massage and activities.

All holiday packages must be booked before 30th June, 2015 and used before 30th November, 2015. You can see more of the T@C here 

 Please feel free to post any questions you have.

A Royal christening certainly don’t come along very often; especially with four generations of royals in attendance. October 23rd marks the christening of Prince George by the Archbishop of Canterbury in St. James’ Palace’s Chapel Royal. While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have proven to be very hands on parents who favour a more low-key lifestyle, we can’t help but wonder what little treasures Prince George will be blessed to play with!

royal christening gifts

 

The Top 6 Royal Baby Christening Gifts 

diamond pacifier for the wealthy1.  Diamond Studded Pacifier

Fit for a baby Prince, this diamond studded pacifier, valued at $17,000, is made up of 278 diamonds equaling 3 carats. This pacifier will certainly catch the eye of any future Princess at the local mothers group.

 

 

silver spoon set with a diamond 2. Diamond Sterling Baby Spoon

Born with a silver spoon in their mouth – literally! Setting you back a mere $1,230, designer Christofle has designed a diamond sterling baby spoon fit for a King. Perfect as a christening gift, this spoon is crafted with a lone diamond at the tip of the spoon.

 

 

swarovski diamond high chair3. Swarovski Studded High Chair

Didn’t think it could get any better than a diamond studded spoon? What about this Swarovski-studded high chair? Designed by Carla Monchen, it is made from sturdy metal frames and features supporting armrests, keeping the comfort of the future King in mind. Practicality at it’s finest! 

 

 

solid gold pram fit for a king4. Gold-Plated Pram With Sound System 

Similar to a ride in a golden chariot this $6,000 luxury gold pram features royal blue satin lining and ultra luxuriant fur inside. Not only designed for comfort, the young Prince will also be able to learn and respond to the nursery rhymes as a clockwork music box is included. Perfect for ensuring a quick transition to the land of nod. 

 

diamond studded converse shoes 5. Diamond Encrusted Booties

These amazing pair of diamond encrusted Converse shoes would certainly make a great gift from Uncle Harry. Although, it may be a few years before the young Prince is busting a few moves on the dance floor.

 

 

royal christening high chair6.  The High Chair Throne

No future King of England would be complete without his own customised throne. It might be a few years yet until the new young Prince will get to sit on the real royal throne, but this one will do until then. 

 

 

 

  

Although it was quite a low-key ceremony with a mere 22 guests in attendance, there is sure to be quite a few christening gifts to unwrap. What ever the new young Prince receives for his nursery, it is sure to be something spectacular!

Last Saturday, 7th September 2013 was the Legacy Defence Force Charity Ball. It was a momentous day for many reasons; not only did we have a change of government and a Wallabies football game, but the annual Australian Aerospace Defence Charity Ball supporting Legacy as well. Over 700 guests were on their feet applauding the bravery of Ms Beckie McKinney, as she told her heroic story, and the invaluable support Legacy provided to her and her two children.

As an ex-defence force member myself, supporting Legacy is something that I am very passionate about. For the second consecutive year running, Xennox Diamonds was again proud to support Legacy and the Defence Charity Ball by donating a $10,000 diamond tennis bracelet. More than 500 tickets were sold on the night and the winner was one very lucky lady.

Legacy Defence Force Charity Ball – 2nd chance draw

Defence Force Charity Ball - Diamond Studs

Don’t worry if you missed out on winning the bracelet. We have decided to offer everyone that attended the Ball and entered our second chance draw the chance to win a $2,000 pair of diamond stud earrings as our way of saying thank you for supporting Legacy.

The lucky winner is…….

Jessica Ward

Legacy

Legacy is a voluntary organisation providing services to Australian families suffering financially and socially after the death of a spouse or parent during or after their defence force service. Legacy currently cares for over 100,000 widows and 1,900 children and dependents throughout Australia. Legacy Week runs from Sunday 1st to Saturday 7th September every year, with the Legacy Defence Charity Ball held as the finale to a fantastic week of fundraising. 

Defence Force Special Offer

At Xennox Diamonds we are proud to support our troops. To give back in the one way we know how and thank them for their service, sacrifice and strength, we wish to extend a 10% discount to all the defence force men and women who have served our country. Please call us or email us to find out more about our defence discounts and special offers. 

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