It’s hard to believe because, on one hand, I’m not sure how it’s July already and, on the other, it seems like this year has lasted 1,000 days already.
In honor of 2020 being, mercifully, halfway over, I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 stories published on NationalJeweler.com so far this year.
One note about this list: It is not a subjective listing of my favorite, or even the best, stories that appeared on our site but, rather, a straight lineup of the most popular stories by click count.
You’ll notice there aren’t as many coronavirus-related stories on it as you might expect, and there are no stories related to our coverage of the protests that continue following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
In the weeks following their deaths, I heeded the calls to listen and really took some time to think about how I, and National Jeweler, could facilitate a conversation about the lack of racial diversity—specifically, the lack of representation of black Americans—in the jewelry industry in the United States.
I am currently working on a project in conjunction with Jewelers of America, which owns this fine publication, but am not ready to share any details.
In the meantime, on a personal note, I’d ask those who are interested in finding ways to make a difference check out the Poverty Initiative and the Poor People’s Campaign. I connected with both a couple years back through a dear childhood friend, and the work they do is so, so important.
Now, here are the 10 most-clicked-on stories on NationalJeweler.com so far this year, starting with an update on two of the biggest bankruptcies in retail.
10) Here’s the Latest on Neiman Marcus, JC Penney Bankruptcies Neiman Marcus and JC Penney both went Chapter 11 in May, and both for similar reasons—declining sales and mounting debt compounded by the toll the coronavirus has taken on retail. Associate Editor, News Lenore Fedow updated readers on both cases in this story published in late June.
9) Companies Pull Goods off RapNet in Droves After Price Cut Penned early in my days of social isolation, this story details the drama that ensued after Martin Rapaport cut listing prices on his benchmark trading platform by an average of 7 percent across the board.
coronavirus-specific stories made our top 10. Lenore wrote this one in mid-February, before we really understood how widespread the problem would become.
7) Jewelry Cleaning Tips Straight from an Expert It took me forever to get around to writing this one—I interviewed Kristie Nicolosi back in April, didn’t publish the story until June—but it turned out to be a worthwhile endeavor. The Kingswood Company president talks cleaning routines, the drawbacks of using alcohol on jewelry, and the difference between cleaning and disinfecting.
6) 5 Things to Know About ... Fordite Articles in the “5 Things to Know About … ” series from Senior Editor, Gemstones Brecken Branstrator are always popular, and this one on fordite was no exception. All of you “5 Things” fans can also check out her June article on taaffeite.
Two pairs of statement earrings featuring fordite from designer Marla Aaron
5) A Ring for a Socially Distanced Summer Solstice British jeweler Theo Fennell and his team spent six months crafting this one-of-a-kind piece, which features a miniature Stonehenge. I decided to write about this ring because I’ve always been fascinated by Stonehenge. Guess I’m not the only one.
3) A Designer’s Death Marks the End of a Decades-Long Partnership Roberto Faraone Mennella was the creative force behind his eponymous label based between New York and Italy. Senior Editor, Fashion Ashley Davis interviewed his longtime partner, Amedeo Scognamiglio, for this moving tribute.
2) 6 Trends and Observations from the 2020 Tucson Gem Shows Hey, remember when we all used to go trade shows? Upon her return from Tucson earlier this year, Brecken provided this recap of the hottest stones and shapes, which proved to be very popular.
1) Tiffany Launches New Collection During Quarantine Ashley’s May article on “T1” is our most-read article so far this year. Our fashion editor described the collection as “a bolder take on the Tiffany T range, celebrating a woman’s personal power.”
Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.
