ASJRA’s May Conference Examines ‘Iconic’ Jewelry Companies
Jewelry historians, authors, and experts will explore the works of Tiffany & Co., Oscar Heyman, Verdura, and more.

Held virtually from May 6-7, the sessions will center around the theme of “Iconic Jewelry Firms,” delving into the likes of Tiffany & Co., Oscar Heyman and Verdura.
The speakers and sessions are as follows.
On May 6, Beth Wees, curator emerita of The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, alongside jewelry specialist Sheila Smithie, FGA, will host the first session of the day, “Marcus & Co.: Three Generations of New York Jewelers.”
The American jeweler was a mainstay in New York City from 1892 to 1962.
Reema Keswani, founder of Golconda Jewelry and former president of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, will present “The Jewelry Designs of Shinde.”
Ambaji Venkatesh Shinde was a well-known jewelry designer, notable for his work at Harry Winston.
Jewelry expert Elizabeth Bray will speak on “The Jewelry of Paul Flato,” highlighting the American jeweler’s work. Bray is the author of “Jeweler to the Stars: The Jewelry of Paul Flato,” published by ACC Art Books in 2010.
Costume jewelry historian Barbara Schwartz will lead a session called “Coro and Louis Rousselet: Two Costume Jewelry Makers You Need to Know More About.”
A virtual cocktail party will be held at 6 p.m. Eastern to celebrate the conference.
Day two will kick off with writer Beth Hamilton presenting “Oscar Heyman, The Jeweler’s Jeweler.” She was a contributing author of the book with the same title.
Fashion and jewelry historian Ariana Bishop will give a presentation titled “ Verdura. America’s Crown Jeweler.”
Laura Mathews, great-granddaughter of 20th-century jeweler and sculptor Gustav Manz, will present a session on his work, titled “Lost & Found: The Jewelry of Gustav Manz.”
Jewelry historian Anna Rasche will host “The Drecier Company,” a prominent New York jeweler during the Gilded Age.
Jewelry expert and author Elyse Zorn Karlin will present “The Art Jewelry of Louis Comfort Tiffany.” Karlin is co-director of the event alongside Yvonne J. Markowitz.
The attendance fee is $155. ASJRA members will receive a 10 percent discount.
There is also early-bird pricing available for those who register before March 30.
For those interested in the conference but unable to attend live, a recording will be available for three weeks after the conference.
For more information or to register, visit the ASJRA website.
The Latest

The Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.

The jewelry industry is reassessing its positioning as Gen Z reshapes the retail landscape and lab grown continues to gain market share.

A matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

Sponsored by A Diamond Is Forever


The next generation of lapidarists are entrepreneurial, engaged online, and see the craft as a means for artistic expression.

It was the second auction appearance for the fancy vivid blue-green diamond, which sold for $7.8 million at Christie’s Geneva 12 years ago.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force took a 22-year-old man into custody. He was charged with tampering with evidence.

While the overall number of crimes was down, there were more incidences in which robbers pulled out guns, mace, or rammed cars into stores.

Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry is closing its store inside the downtown shopping center after 40 years in business.

Reena Ahluwalia’s painting of the rare red diamond is the first contemporary painting to join the National Gem Collection.

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.

Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.

The 11-piece “Medallions” capsule collection features five motifs: a crying eye, a heart on fire, a spiral, a flower, and a swallow.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.

Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.

NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

Two pieces were named “Best in Show,” one from the retail category and one from the supplier category.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.
























