IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
MajorsOct 03, 2023
Hedda Schupak, Longtime Industry Editor, Dies at 62
She was the former editor-in-chief of JCK magazine and the Centurion newsletter and is remembered for her honesty and loyalty.
Hedda Schupak, editor of the Centurion Newsletter and former editor-in-chief of JCK Magazine, died Tuesday morning of lung cancer. (Photo courtesy of Russ Shor)
New York—Longtime jewelry industry journalist Hedda Schupak died Tuesday morning at a Philadelphia-area hospital of complications from lung cancer.
She was 62.
Longtime friend and fellow industry editor Russ Shor confirmed the news to National Jeweler.
Schupak studied fashion design at Drexel University, later transferring to Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a degree in English and communications.
Shor first met Schupak 37 years ago, when she started as assistant production manager at JCK Magazine, then published out of Radnor, Pennsylvania.
In 1997, she became the publication’s fashion editor.
“Fashion design was her real passion,” Shor said, and she pushed the industry to see jewelry as more of a fashion accessory and to market it to women interested in buying jewelry for themselves.
For a 2019 National Jeweler article asking members of the industry to weigh in on the biggest developments of the past decade, Schupak listed the industry’s recognition of female self-purchasers as one of them.
She noted the importance of, “the industry finally, FINALLY starting to acknowledge how important it is to sell jewelry as fashion to a female self-purchase audience.”
Schupak rose to become editor-in-chief of JCK Magazine in 2000 and remained in that role until 2009.
In 2010, she became editor of the Centurion Newsletter before announcing her “semi-retirement” last year, telling JCK News Editor Rob Bates that leaving the jewelry industry was “bittersweet.”
“I have just been fortunate to have had such a great career in such a great industry,” she said in the article published on JCKOnline.com. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities to travel around the world, and to meet people from so many places. I just feel very blessed.”
Schupak resided in suburban Philadelphia with her husband, Jim Baum, and their five cats. Baum just retired from First Union Bank.
“They had all these plans,” Shor said. “They were just going to live a good retired life.”
National Jeweler will have more on Schupak’s life and career, including information on funeral services as they become available.
Anyone with memories of Schupak they would like to share may email National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff at michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com.
She was 62.
Longtime friend and fellow industry editor Russ Shor confirmed the news to National Jeweler.
Schupak studied fashion design at Drexel University, later transferring to Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a degree in English and communications.
Shor first met Schupak 37 years ago, when she started as assistant production manager at JCK Magazine, then published out of Radnor, Pennsylvania.
In 1997, she became the publication’s fashion editor.
“Fashion design was her real passion,” Shor said, and she pushed the industry to see jewelry as more of a fashion accessory and to market it to women interested in buying jewelry for themselves.
For a 2019 National Jeweler article asking members of the industry to weigh in on the biggest developments of the past decade, Schupak listed the industry’s recognition of female self-purchasers as one of them.
She noted the importance of, “the industry finally, FINALLY starting to acknowledge how important it is to sell jewelry as fashion to a female self-purchase audience.”
Schupak rose to become editor-in-chief of JCK Magazine in 2000 and remained in that role until 2009.
In 2010, she became editor of the Centurion Newsletter before announcing her “semi-retirement” last year, telling JCK News Editor Rob Bates that leaving the jewelry industry was “bittersweet.”
“I have just been fortunate to have had such a great career in such a great industry,” she said in the article published on JCKOnline.com. “I’ve had a lot of opportunities to travel around the world, and to meet people from so many places. I just feel very blessed.”
Schupak resided in suburban Philadelphia with her husband, Jim Baum, and their five cats. Baum just retired from First Union Bank.
“They had all these plans,” Shor said. “They were just going to live a good retired life.”
National Jeweler will have more on Schupak’s life and career, including information on funeral services as they become available.
Anyone with memories of Schupak they would like to share may email National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff at michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Majors
The Latest
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
