July 20, 2005
one very cool pillbox
It turns out that one of English Cut’s customers also knows a hardcore diamond cutter/master jeweler, Paul Hatton.
Next thing you know, our customer is telling Paul all about blogs and whatnot.
Next thing you know, I get a phone call.
Next thing you know, I’m building yet another blog for a master English craftsman.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please go check out “Hard Diamond”.
Thank you.
Why “HARD Diamond”? Hard isn’t really the most surprising characteristics of a diamond, is it? Sounds a bit tautologic. I’d have gone with “Diamondaine” or something along that line.
“Hard Diamond”… Easy to spell, easy to remember.
Same reason we came up with “English Cut”. As soon as you start going for cute & clever, you start losing people.
[ALSO:] Seth makes a very good point on this very subject:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2005/07/before_you_spen.html
Just don’t forget to fix the links under the top-right “About Paul” at http://www.harddiamond.com/archives/2005/04/test.php — they all go nowhere (for me at least)
Same here, those links don’t work. So the blog could be called “Rough Diamond” for the moment
.
Though in general I agree with the “easy to spell, easy to remember” naming ‘principle’, “Hard Diamond” is lacking something, for me it doesn’t really touch the right nerve, like “English Cut” does.
Going for cute & clever may cost you people, but not if you are going for the cute & the clever
Time to get a new camera, Hugh.
Yeah, those links need fixin’… got my webmaster working on it.
I find “cute and clever” people usually a complete waste of space. There to be eaten like popcorn etc.
I don’t know, but hiring a designer might be an idea, instead of using these default blogs
Then again, a too well designed blog might have a negative effect…
I find Hard Diamond cute and clever. Then again I am German.
Currently one of the most successful ad campaigns in the U.S. grocery business is for Publix’ fresh meat. Publix’ campaign lists three key product attributes — because that’s all the average person can remember (like “red, white, and blue” or “coffee, tea, or milk”):
1.) The meat is FRESH
2.) The meat is “carefully selected” and
3.) The meat is USDA inspected.
Guess what: *ALL* U.S. meat is USDA inspected. It’s the law. But because none of Publix’ competitors was using this latent attribute to build top of mind awareness for their fresh meat programs, Publix squatted on it and now “owns” it in the customer’s mind.
To say that a diamond is “hard” seems obvious. But obvious works, often much better than the alternatives.
In this case, my money’s on “Hard Diamond” because the name smacks of authenticity, and in the end, diamond aficionados are buying “piece of mind” and “safety” as much as they are buying clarity, cut, and color.
Those who know Paul would agree that “Hard diamond” doesn’t just sum up what the blog’s about but also is a fair description of this unbelievably talented master craftsman.
Funny, Sally, that’s exactly what Dave T. (Paul’s dealer) said…
Hard Diamond — Master Jeweller’s blog…
It might be less obvious to those who don’t know Paul, though. But, maybe, I just don’t get the revealing connotations of “hard” due to the fact that English isn’t my mother tongue.
Literally “Hard Diamond” is about what? Hard diamonds? And Paul Mark Hatton is what? A hard diamond?
I do not question his craftsmanship (who am I to judge, though I’ve been writing about jewelry and watches and stuff as a journalist more than 20 years ago?), but how does “hard diamond” describe him?
He sure isn’t designing jewelry for Joe Average, so Marketing Headhunter’s “fresh meat” comparison doesn’t seem to be very helpful, though it may be true in other regards.
People (like Jack Nicholson) aren’t buying “pure carbon transformed under enormous pressure for millions of years” but for other reasons (whatever those may be). And I simply don’t understand (really!) why this is signalled by “Hard Diamond”?
Jeeze Louise, Markus… it’s OK. It’s not your blog. You don’t have to like the name
Hugh, it’s totally irrelevant if I dis/like the name and I know it. I want to understand (as in learn) why you chose that name.
It’s not my blog? Of course not. But I’m not blogging here, I’m commenting. If you’re uncomfortable with that kind of conversation, you should say so.
“Diamondaine.com” was already taken
I like Hard Diamond. It’s memorable, and that’s not easy to do. Hugh has made it appear easy because that’s what good copywriters do.
“Diamondaine.com” was already taken
— Funny, indeed. You must have used a different whois server than I.
jewelry-4-you.co.uk.… ermmmmmm…
One very cool pillbox wouldn’t be a bad name. Intriguing but also refers to one of his creations.
Interesting that most of the comments have been about the choice of “Hard Diamond” rather than the global microbrand concept or the loosely connected bespoke craftsman thang which I find far more exciting. Hugh is on to something quite big here, potentially. I am much, much more interested in what could possibly be next.
As time goes on with this blog I hope everyone will see that not only does Hard Diamond work well with Paul but also with the type of jewelry he makes. Knowing a bit about the inside of this thing there are some fascinating posts to come.
Bespoke shoes? Ties? Shirts? Artisan colognes? No idea but I know there is something.
On the name thing — I agree with Sally who clearly knows Paul
In the interests of honest and open disclosure I am a bit pissed.
:bM
Funny, Big Malc, I was thinking the same thing…