EditorsSep 12, 2025
Out & About: Mining Sapphires in Rock Creek, MontanaAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore headed out West for a visit to Potentate Mining’s operation hosted by gemstone wholesaler Parlé Gems.
Brought to you by
6 Steps to Start a Dynamic Company Culture
Learn how to better serve your employees, customers and community by having a dynamic and supportive company culture.
Brought To You By JewelersHealthCare
A dynamic company culture is not about beer on draft, lounges, a snack bar or a game room; it is much deeper than those things. JewelersHealthCare have put together 6 steps to help you evaluate your company and your team and see how you can create a more dynamic company culture to better serve your employees, customers and community.
The Basics are Clear
Everyone starts somewhere this we know, so why not start with the simple things you may already have in place when working on your company culture? Look at your company’s values, mission statement, passion and vision. These items may be older and might need some tweaking to fit your current goals as a company. Change these as needed and ensure they are clear and simple. Then share your new vision, mission and values with your entire team!
Support Your Team
Speaking of teams, have you looked at yours lately? Are they getting everything they need? This is a great question to ask during the current job market. Compensation is at an all-time high and so are expenses, ensure your team is supported in as many ways as possible.
Support can be more than compensation; it can be paid time off, banking holidays, rolling paid time off to the next year, maternity/paternity/adoption leave, 401k, vesting interest. These are all ways to show your team you care about their well-being. Then there is the ability to help them better care for themselves, through health insurance.
A Jewelers of America member benefit JewelersHealthCare can assist you in finding the right health care coverage solution for your team. This is more than health insurance; it’s a daily benefit of keeping money in your team’s pocket. JewelersHealthCare has over 130+ carriers across the United States with full medical coverage, ancillary benefits and so much more for your team from 1-100+ employees. This member benefit is here to help you save year after year.
A Jewelers of America member benefit JewelersHealthCare can assist you in finding the right health care coverage solution for your team. This is more than health insurance; it’s a daily benefit of keeping money in your team’s pocket. JewelersHealthCare has over 130+ carriers across the United States with full medical coverage, ancillary benefits and so much more for your team from 1-100+ employees. This member benefit is here to help you save year after year.
Leaders Lead
This may sound a bit redundant, but look at your leadership team, are they putting forth the effort? Are they able to meet the standards of your new vision and mission statement? Your leaders are the lifeline of your company culture. They are the beginning of the culture in many aspects. Give your leadership the space to mentor the team, help them grow and feel appreciated in their role.
Culture is a Feeling
Culture is more than your values and mission. It isn’t your logo and slogan, it’s not how your team dresses or even how you greet the customer. It is so much more than these things- though these make up the outward view of your culture. It is about the ties that bind your team together. It is feeling appreciated, knowing you are supported, and you have space to grow in your field. Creating a dynamic company culture means friendship, understanding, humor, learning, problem-solving and decision-making, working towards a goal together.
Culture is how your team feels when they are at work, and how they view work when they are at home. To know where your company can grow it is good idea to talk to your team and ask them to be candid about their views on work. Many companies boast about their amazing culture when they have created unhappy and unfulfilled employees.
Risks are Encouraged
When was the last time your team stepped out of their box, came up with a new idea, and then you used it? Encourage your team to step up and bring ideas to the forefront, then put some of them into place. If after putting an idea to work it doesn’t seem to fit the need, make changes, or try something else. Failure is not trying and not succeeding, failure is never trying in the first place.
Recognition - Above and Beyond
Everyone likes to be needed and there is nothing better than hearing you did well at something. It can be as simple as a shout out meeting where everyone notes how someone else helped them this week, or a praise board with sticky notes. Thanking someone for doing somethings helpful takes seconds and means so much. Something so simple helps unify your team, helps leaders be better leaders, and changes a mindset.
These 6 steps could be a huge shift for your company, or a few small changes that make a world a difference for your team. Give them a try look at your goals, how you are supporting your employees, how your leaders lead, how your team feels about work, how you react to ideas, and how you praise others. Making these changes in your company, you will see it effects your team outside the workplace as well, creating happier, healthier, fulfilled employees.
More on Independents
The Latest
TrendsSep 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Arunashi’s Fordite and Rhodolite EarringsFordite is a man-made material created from the layers of dried enamel paint that dripped onto the floors of automotive factories.
Events & AwardsSep 12, 2025
Al Gilbertson Wins 2025 Robert M. Shipley AwardGilbertson has worked as a researcher, jeweler, lapidary artist, appraiser, and business owner throughout his decades in the industry.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
Policies & IssuesSep 11, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case in November A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.
Weekly QuizSep 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsSep 11, 2025
Tabayer Opens Nordstrom Shop-In-ShopLocated in the revamped jewelry hall at the retailer’s New York City flagship, this opening is Tabayer’s first shop-in-shop.
SourcingSep 11, 2025
Need to Sell More Natural Diamonds? De Beers Has an App for ThatThe new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
Stuller to Swap Gold Scrap for Full Credit to AccountAs the gold price rises, the manufacturer is offering a 100 percent payout through Sept. 30 for gold clean scrap.
SourcingSep 10, 2025
Tech Meets Style in the New Loewe x Jacob & Co. HeadphonesJacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.
TrendsSep 10, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Archival Jewels Bring Life to ‘Frankenstein’Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.
SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
Phillips Names Dianne Batista Head of Jewels, New YorkThe industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.
MajorsSep 09, 2025
MJSA Education Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersThe nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.
MajorsSep 08, 2025
MJSA Is Officially Now Under JA’s UmbrellaThe two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.
AuctionsSep 08, 2025
Sotheby’s To Auction ‘Exceptional’ Collection of JAR, Suzanne Belperron JewelsThe single-owner sale will headline Sotheby's inaugural jewelry auction at the Breuer building, its new global headquarters, this December.
Events & AwardsSep 08, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
WatchesSep 05, 2025
Patrick Mahomes Is the New Hublot Brand AmbassadorThe Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.
SourcingSep 04, 2025
Lucara Unveils Unusual 37-Carat Pink DiamondThe Type IIa stone, recovered from Botswana’s Karowe diamond mine last month, features unique coloration.
WatchesSep 04, 2025
Breitling Takes Its NFL Game to the Next Level Breitling is now the NFL’s official timepiece partner, a move that puts the brand in front of the millions of Americans who watch football.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2025
The NYC Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show Returns in NovemberNYCJAOS is set for Nov. 21-23 in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
