Retail Studies- Buy Merchandise

I started a new module today at SIRS.

As the name suggest, it deals with Merchandising.This module consist of the following elements

1) Identify the retail position of the store
2) Interpret changing consumer values and global trends
3) Build a strategic product range
4) Negotiate with supplier
5) Order stock

It is one of the elective module that will lead to a Diploma in Retail Studies

Completion of unit

We finally completed the 40 hours of study and course work required in order to be certified as competent in the eletive unit - Set up a retail Business

Singapore Institute of Retail Studies -SIRS

I signed up for a module at the Singapore Institute of Retail Studies. It is a branch of Nanyang Polytechnic. As the name suggest they are devoted to teaching and training workers from the retail sector.

I chose to study the module - Set Up a Retail Business. This is one of the 9 modules that will lead to a Diploma in Retail.

In order to earn a Diploma In Retail Management you have to take 7 Core modules and 2 Elective modules.The following subjects make up the 7 core modules

1) Manage Merchandising and Store Presentation
2) Manage Finance for Retail Operations
3) Manage marketing Strategies
4) Lead and Manage Work Teams
5) Retailing and the Economy
6) Manage Service operations
7) Manage human Resources to Achieve Service Excellence

Elective Modules
1) Set Up Retail Business
2) Buy Merchandise

Brazilians flaunt Kate's engagement ring, for 3 dlrs

A three dollar ring like this would have a Sapphire made of glass!!


AFP - Saturday, November 20

RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - – Britain's upcoming royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton has sparked a fever in Brazil, with Rio residents snapping up three-dollar copies of Princess Diana's engagement ring.

Shops selling the cheap imitations of the 45,000-dollar sapphire-and-diamond encrusted piece of jewelry the prince gave to Middleton have been overrun by Brazilians wanting to share in the glamor of the occasion, the O Dia daily reported.

"The original item was on the fingers of princesses and queens, and that helps the ego for just about anybody," said Raquel Pontes, a 27-year-old teacher trying on one of the cut-price copies.

Shopkeepers were rubbing their hands together at the thought of a Christmas-time sale boom of the rings.

For Brazilians wanting a replica with a bit better quality, online vendors were also offering versions for significantly higher prices.

Brazilian fever over the wedding was further fueled after Middleton made an appearance wearing a blue dress by London-based Brazilian designer Daniella Issa Helayel when her engagement was announced.

Copies of that dress were also flying off the shelves in Rio, almost as fast as in London.

Completion of Unit

Far East Gemological intistute held a graduation ceremony for students who have completed the WSQ courses in the past months. Prof Hugh Bari was invited to give us a talk on Pearls

Moh's scale

We learned more about the properties of gemstones today. Using the MOh's scale gems are given a number that indicates how hard there are. Rubies and Sapphires are 9 on the scale.This determines how gems are set into jewellery. You cannot use Kiyanite which is 4 on the MOH's scale to set in a ring. The stone would not last long. It is safer to set it into a pendant.One must take note that this scale gives only an order of relative hardness. For example Diamond is 10 on the scale and Corundum is 9 on the scale but diamond is actually 140 times harder than corundum

Moh's scale of hardeness
1 - Talc
2 - Gypsum
3 - Calcite
4 - Fluorite
5 - Apatite
6 - Felspar
7 - Quartz
8 - Topaz
9 - Corundum
10 - Diamond

Introduction to the wonderful world of Gemstones

Amethsyt crystals in marble matrix.This piece came from a mine in northern Vietnam




Out of the 10 people attending this class only three were working in the trade.As usual, the first class is always the easiest.

Out of about 4000 minerals that have been identified only 90 of them have the beauty and durability to be sought after by man. Out of these 90, 20 are inportant in the trade

We were taught about how Gemstones are grouped according to their similarities of chemical composition.For example under the Corundum group we have 2 species- Rubies and Sapphires.Sapphires come in different varieties like blue sapphires,yellow sapphires and pink sapphires.