go balance an egg

March 20th was the spring equinox. It is one of two days each year where we have parts of day and night. This is because on this day the sun is now positioned exactly above the Equator. If that isn't enough science for this blog, there is also a strange phenomenon that only occurs on the equinox, and it is practiced once in a while in the Chiarella household. On the equinox you can balance an egg on its end. Trust me, it's not as easy as it seems, but if you are persistent you will see that it does work. I couldn't do it after an hour of trying, but Elizabeth got it on the 3rd try !

The equinox is also considered the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere and the word Equinox comes from the latin words “equi”, and "nox" or night. Many ancient civilizations celebrated the equinox as the coming of good times (warm weather and trees/plants starting to regrow), and places like Stonehenge celebrate the equinox. I can say for sure that the first day of spring is always a good thing.

We've had nothing but bad news lately, with the economy and wall street. But, in the jewelry biz, we just keep plugging along. I know that no matter how terrible the economy, if I put on a nice outfit and a pair of sparkling earrings, my day gets a bit better.

My company, like so many other businesses across the country, has seen slow sales, but we want our customers to be happy. I can't make the stock market go back up, but I can cut the prices on lots of items in the online store, and offer gifts with purchases, give bridal party discounts and do whatever else we can afford to do so that our customers can get some bling to brighten their day. We want customers to be happy, and the equinox is a good excuse to do something extra for our customers.

I'll share some emails that I have gotten lately, they indicate that maybe I really am doing OK. We had a promotion running on the retail website, but Alli did not have the coupon. I wrote back: I noticed on your order that you wished you had a coupon. I will be sending you a pair of earrings that are part our next promotion as a gift. You will love them! -Roberta.

Here's the return email: Thank you! I work at a design agency where I manage packaging design projects for consumer good brands. I know the importance of customer service. And I know the importance of building a brand. You do them both very well. If you are ever hiring a marketing rep for the mid-west, please give me a call. I would love the opportunity to learn more about your organization. Thanks again, Alli.
At the studio, we love to make our customers happy. It makes the day go by faster, and we don't pout about the dow jones when our customers are sending us emails like this one:

Hi Roberta and Elizabeth, I got the earrings and the bracelets today and they look great. Thank you so much for your help; the bracelets are the perfect compliment to the earrings. Also, thank you so much for my gift! It was such a lovely surprise. And while I know I have already said it twice, thank you again. I will certainly send pictures of the girls wearing the jewelry.
All the best, Lisa

The coming of spring means it is time to get out of the winter blues. Lots of customers haven't bought themselves anything for a while, but want some nice bright affordable jewels for the warmer weather.

Joan writes: Hello,I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with all of the jewelry I have purchased from you! I have not taken off my silver bean earrings from my first order until now to replace them with the gold bean earrings that I just received in my second order. I love the delicate look of the jewelry & the high quality. Everything has exceeded my expectations & I found you from your line at HSN. Thanks for some beautiful jewelry and I'm a jewelry maven!! Joan

Just to make sure everyone's happy we like to put a gift into an order every now and then, just to make someone smile. Let me share this email: Hi again Roberta,
Well I think it was one of your sweet packers who snuck a little surprise-prize in my most recent order. I just wanted to thank you since it's your company, but I think it was your sweet employee who did such a nice thing. She sent me the "perfect" earrings in tanzanite blue but I guess I'll have to take off my bean earrings and switch them around once and a while. I think the beans are the perfect earrings.
So anyway sweet lady, I just wanted to tell you how lovely your people are, how much I appreciate it, and what an evil temptress you are, because every time I open my package from your company I'm swooning and smitten, and then I have to go purchase the same exact thing in the other color metal. And then get them for gifts, and then for back up in case I ever break one.... See how it goes? EVIL!!!! Please don't ever stop making the bean earrings, if you do, send me an email and I'll buy a gross of each color. Thank you!!!! Joan M.

Isn't it nice that people take the time to write us, to express their satisfaction with a product. If only we could feel this way about Citibank! But, that's not my area of expertise, my little corner of New York is jewelry, jewelry, jewelry! We are doing the best we can to make americans feel good now that the days are getting longer. Just don't ask me to try to balance an egg for you! Ciao.