Events & AwardsOct 04, 2023
BIJC to Honor Simone I. Smith at Upcoming ‘Rock the Jewels’Events & AwardsOct 11, 2023
Matthew Tratner Joins JA New York
The industry veteran is the organization’s new group show director.
Matthew Tratner is JA New York’s new group show director.
New York—JA New York has announced Matthew Tratner will be its new group show director, a role he will step into before the upcoming JA New York Fall Show this month.
Emerald, the company that owns JA New York as well as the Couture show, cited Tratner’s strong leadership skills, his long-standing industry relationships and his “extensive experience spearheading substantive programs and initiatives” as motivation for bringing him on to direct the century-old show.
“We are thrilled that Matthew is joining JA New York as show director,” said Emerald Executive Vice President Gannon Brousseau.
“This industry is fueled by relationships, and Matthew has meaningful connections that extend throughout all facets of the jewelry industry ecosystem. His enthusiasm, coupled with his knowledge and experience, will truly be an asset to our events and we are delighted to welcome him to the team.”
Tratner succeeds longtime JA New York Group Show Director Drew Lawsky, who retired after a 29-year tenure with the show.
Related stories will be right here …
Emerald, the company that owns JA New York as well as the Couture show, cited Tratner’s strong leadership skills, his long-standing industry relationships and his “extensive experience spearheading substantive programs and initiatives” as motivation for bringing him on to direct the century-old show.
“We are thrilled that Matthew is joining JA New York as show director,” said Emerald Executive Vice President Gannon Brousseau.
“This industry is fueled by relationships, and Matthew has meaningful connections that extend throughout all facets of the jewelry industry ecosystem. His enthusiasm, coupled with his knowledge and experience, will truly be an asset to our events and we are delighted to welcome him to the team.”
Tratner succeeds longtime JA New York Group Show Director Drew Lawsky, who retired after a 29-year tenure with the show.
Prior to joining JA New York, Tratner was vice president of business development and marketing for GCAL by Sarine, a role he assumed after being part of the team that brokered the GCAL/Sarine partnership as vice president and general manager of Sarine North America.
Before his time at Sarine, Tratner was director of global business development at the Gemological Institute of America, where he created and implemented sales and marketing strategies for new and existing services like the Diamond Origin Program and the Lab-Grown Diamond Report.
Preceding that, he served as director of membership and sales for trade association and former owner of JA New York, Jewelers of America. He oversaw operations, increased annual revenue year-over-year, and grew supplier-side membership by 15 percent.
Tratner also served as publisher of National Jeweler following its acquisition by JA in 2015.
He officially will start his role as group show director Oct. 23, a week before the JA New York Fall Show, slated for Oct. 29-31 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
JA New York’s spring show, which relaunched last year after a break since 2019, is scheduled for March 10-12, 2024.
The organization announced last year it has nixed its summer show.
“I’m very excited to join JA New York as group show director,” said Tratner.
“Based on location and longevity alone, JA New York shows are uniquely positioned to be destination events for our industry. I look forward to leveraging my relationships, strengthening existing partnerships and working closely with the shows’ dedicated team to ensure that JA New York is a relied-upon resource serving the nuanced needs of this incredible industry.”
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy 100+ JCPenney StoresOnyx Partners has submitted a second offer to buy the department stores after its first offer fell through last year.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Atlanta Jeweler Introduces $10K MartiniSolomon Brothers Jewelers has partnered with local cocktail bar Roaring Social on a new martini garnished with a tennis necklace.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Another Member of the Siegel Family Joins Hamilton Jewelers Benjamin Siegel, son of President and CEO Hank Siegel, started working for the family business this week.
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.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Bulgari Opens Store in San DiegoThe new space features a modern design that blends Bulgari’s Roman heritage with San Diego’s coastal spirit.
Weekly QuizJul 30, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeAug 04, 2026
Crew of Thieves Break Into Indiana Jeweler’s HomeFour men were charged in connection with the break-in and accused of stealing $365,000 in cash, jewelry, and designer goods.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Pandora Hires Former Signet Board Member to Lead North American MarketAndré Branch has more than 25 years of experience with various brands, most recently serving as CEO of Ariana Grande’s cosmetics company.
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.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Sasha Primak Acquires GemlokNew York-based atelier Gemlok is best known for creating the innovative “bridge” setting that became popular in the bridal market.
CollectionsAug 04, 2026
Musician Carlos Santana Launches Jewelry BrandSantana Now's debut collection, “Unidad,” features symbolic motifs as well as pieces of wood from the Woodstock stage.
CrimeAug 03, 2026
Florida Man Gets 15 Years in Trio of Jewelry Store RobberiesThe 50-year-old man pleaded guilty earlier this year to robbing two jewelry stores and a pawn shop of more than $700,000 in merchandise.
WatchesAug 03, 2026
Citizen's New Spider-Man Watch Is a Collector’s DreamThe watch’s dial features an original design by Marvel comics illustrator Adam Kubert.
CollectionsAug 03, 2026
Chatham Releases First Men’s CollectionThe new collection of lab-grown diamond and colored gemstone jewelry provides a “fresh perspective” on the category, Chatham said.
TrendsAug 03, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Spinel vs. Peridot While some August babies are team peridot, the month's time-honored birthstone, others are team spinel, the newer alternative.
TrendsJul 31, 2026
These Pieces of the Week Are Sweet Edina Kiss’ “Popsicle” pendant and Karina Choudhrie’s “Ice Cream” charm satisfy that summer craving for a sweet piece of jewelry.
MajorsJul 31, 2026
Macy’s Iconic Red Shopping Bag Sign Torn DownThe massive billboard has been in the same spot on the department store’s Herald Square flagship store for decades.
SourcingJul 31, 2026
Gemfields’ H1 Revenue Jumps 72%The miner’s ruby and emerald auctions brought in a combined $102.9 million.
SourcingJul 30, 2026
De Beers Sale in ‘Final, Most Challenging’ Phase, Anglo CEO SaysThe goal is for the De Beers sale to be finished by the second half of 2026, with the subsequent approvals process expected to take a year.
Policies & IssuesJul 30, 2026
JA Heads Back to Washington as New Wave of Tariffs Takes Effect David Bonaparte, along with Tim Haake and Ronnie VanderLinden, continue to lobby for tariff exemptions for diamonds, gemstones, and pearls.
SurveysJul 30, 2026
Consumer Confidence Slips in JulySurvey respondents were concerned about the rising prices of food and groceries as well as unemployment.
EditorsJul 29, 2026
Q&A: The Past and Future of Angola’s Diamond Industry Endiama Commercial Director Elton Escrivão knows people have a lot of misperceptions about Angola. He wants to change that.
MajorsJul 29, 2026
Kevin Reilly Retires After 39 Years in the Jewelry Industry Reilly has been with PGI USA for the last 20 years, leading partnership development and professional education.
FinancialsJul 29, 2026
Kering’s H1 Jewelry Sales Up 14%Boucheron reached record sales while Pomellato found success in its signature collections.
Events & AwardsJul 29, 2026
Lauren Harwell Godfrey Designs a Flag for ArkansasShe was one of more than 120 American designers who created flags for the “United Flags of Fashion” project led by CFDA and Vogue.
ColumnistsJul 28, 2026
Peter Smith: Why Your Job Postings May Be Working Against You Smith reveals the method The Retail Smiths use to help retailers and vendors write better job postings.
FinancialsJul 28, 2026
Tiffany & Co., Bulgari Lead the Way for LVMH in H1LVMH’s jewelry and watch brands outperformed the company’s other divisions in an environment the company described as “disrupted.”
CollectionsJul 28, 2026
Lionheart’s New Collection Unites Spiritual Iconography“Sacred Heart” features symbols like crosses, angel wings, the Star of David, and the evil eye as a representation of coexistence.
