The other day I heard a couple of salespeople in a very large jewelry store that does quite well. They were complaining that the Journey "concept" is too broad and that stores have invested in too many differing styles. Their argument was that everyone should be pushing the 7-diamond squiggle (I personally prefer to call it "Path of Light"), instead of diverting money to purchase and market other styles. I don't neccesarily agree with this, but they make a point. I know people complain a LOT about the "sameness" of merchandise, especially at the mid-market and in chains, but the fact is that EVERYONE carries diamond studs and diamond solitaire rings. Why? Because they sell. Why? Because they are considered basics that everyone will buy and wear. Why? Think about it. Someone somewhere at some time must have started to push solitaire engagement rings and solitaire diamond earrings, and then everyone jumped on the bandwagon...and yes I know we can talk about De Beers forever, but the fact remains that with so many people complaining about Journey, it might turn out to be more of a Right Hand Ring than Three Stone campaign...expanding awareness and creating a market, but not dramatically uplifting sales.

People have always wondered about the efficacy of DPS promotions, but no doubt that it attracted the public's attention. Spend that kind of money and it will happen. In this case, the Journey concept simply does not have the "legs" to continue to attract consumers. Three stone rings do. The key life passage events of marriage and then anniversaries that recur every year maintain the interest in the product, as it does, for example, with a basic like studs. But once a Journey idea is bought, it's over. And once people who liked the idea made their purchase, the concept is over. It is an easy item to debase, as you say, as happened years ago with the tennis bracelet, and that does keep it out of upscale stores. I think it is an error to say that it generated $1.2b is sales because that makes it sound that it was all incremental sales. It might be true that Journey accounted for $1.2b in sales, but how much of that was diamond sales that would have been made anyway? Considering that last year was a down year, we could say that Journey helped retain sales that could have gone to other products.

From what I've seen, the number one category absolutely canibalized by Journey was the three-stone pendant, and to a lesser extend, the diamond circle pendant, both of which were running low on steam. Journey's featured holiday item was the "seven-stone squiggle" pendant, so of course diamond fashion pendants were hit hardest.

I think a big part of the problem has been the styling, rather than the concept. The "love grows with time" concept is a good one; PGI is making it the centerpiece of their advertising as well, and with good design to execute it, it could be solid for years. But speaking as both former fashion editor and permanent fashion-loving female, the squiggle was a cute idea that has outlived its cuteness. It was a bit different, but not too "out there," and customers responded to it. But 18 months later, we've been there, done that, and it no longer has the appeal of being different. It's just that squiggly snake thing, again, yawn, I'm outta here. The industry has to start thinking a bit more like fashion people--because if everything is marketed as forever, who needs to buy another one?