IndependentsOct 23, 2023
Retailer Hall of Fame 2023: Stan and Ingrid RaznyIndependentsOct 31, 2023
Retailer Hall of Fame: The Issues Keeping Jewelers Up at Night
From customers being robbed to post-pandemic trends, National Jeweler polled jewelers to find out what’s worrying them most.
Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in the print edition of the 2023 Retailer Hall of Fame. Click here to see the full issue.
For the “Final Thoughts” feature in the 2023 Retailer Hall of Fame issue, National Jeweler polled past inductees to find out what about the jewelry business currently has them wide awake at 3 a.m.
Here’s what they had to say.
For the “Final Thoughts” feature in the 2023 Retailer Hall of Fame issue, National Jeweler polled past inductees to find out what about the jewelry business currently has them wide awake at 3 a.m.
Here’s what they had to say.
“The alarming increase in attacks on shoppers in the mall, indoor or out, and being followed while driving home, then attacked. It’s happening more and more [and it’s] very concerning that clients will stop buying due to fear.”
— Lawrence Bock, Bachendorf’s Jewelers
“There’s been a trend of higher-price-point sales, which of course sounds like a great problem to have; the concern is that it’s been coupled with lower unit sales and fewer transactions overall. Thinking about how this will play out in the future should higher-ticket sales start to slip is on my mind quite a bit.”
— Christina Gandia Gambale, Greenwich St. Jewelers
“The access to view things online, yes, it’s wonderful, it’s great for learning and inspiration and for people who don’t have great places to see things. But it does take away the, ‘Oh my God, I’ve never seen anything like that before ever,’ [reaction] in person when you go to see it.”
— Lauren Kulchinsky Levison, Mayfair Rocks
“Highly sought, premium product remains [hard to get] and the scarcity of experienced goldsmiths is being felt across the industry. We are not losing sleep over it … [but] we may toss and turn a little trying to figure out how to be first in line when new items become available.”
— Larry Pelzel, Neiman Marcus
“The most important challenge for our business is the utilization of technology to personalize and enhance our customer’s experience without being intrusive or annoying.”
— Jeff Corey, Day’s Jewelers
“As technology is evolving so quickly with new platforms every few months, we continue to think about how to ensure our current in-store culture translates to these new ways of communicating. Reinhold Jewelers is rooted in relationships, creating an intimacy between ourselves, our clients, and our designers and we want to ensure this core piece of our identity is not lost in the digital world.”
— Marie Helene Reinhold, Reinhold Jewelers
“During the past several years, COVID has caused some of the most dramatic lifestyle changes I’ve ever witnessed. Initially, we spent little on travel, big parties and the accessories needed for them. People had lots of unspent income, which led to a boom in sales. We are now [experiencing] a slowdown in sales, with the exception of luxury watches. This has left me to constantly ponder the issues of the level of inventory needed as well as matching it to how people are living their lives. The question remains as to what the lifestyles of the consumers will look like in the near future and how to remain relevant to them.”
— Jim Rosenheim, Tiny Jewel Box
More on Independents
The Latest
Policies & IssuesNov 14, 2025
U.S., Switzerland Reach Deal That Drops Tariff to 15%The Swiss government announced the deal, which cuts the tax on Swiss imports by more than half, on social media Friday morning.
AuctionsNov 14, 2025
Napoleon’s Diamond Brooch Blows Away Auction Estimates A buyer paid $4.4 million for the piece, which Napoleon wore on his hat for special occasions and left behind when he fled Waterloo.
FinancialsNov 14, 2025
Richemont’s Q2 Jewelry Sales Up 12%Plus, how tariffs and the rising price of gold are affecting its watch and jewelry brands.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
CollectionsNov 14, 2025
Piece of the Week: Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Butterflies in Flight’ Jewelry BoxFurmanovich designed the box to hold Mellerio’s “Color Queen,” a high jewelry collection consisting of 10 rings.
Weekly QuizNov 13, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsNov 14, 2025
JCK Names New Event DirectorJennifer Hopf, who has been with JCK since 2022, will lead the execution of the long-running jewelry trade show.
MajorsNov 13, 2025
Vahan Jewelry Founder Leon ‘Sacha’ Der Calousdian Dies at 85The third-generation jeweler is remembered as a passionate creative with a love of art, traveling and sailboat racing.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America Aligns New Mission to Create Meaningful Impact for MembersFrom educational programs, advocacy, and recent MJSA affiliation, Jewelers of America drives progress that elevates businesses of all sizes.
CrimeNov 12, 2025
Father, Son Jewelers in Chicago Victims in Double Homicide JSA and Cook County Crime Stoppers are both offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
‘Mellon Blue’ Diamond Sells for $7M Less Than It Did a Decade AgoA buyer paid $25.6 million for the diamond at Christie’s on Tuesday. In 2014, Sotheby’s sold the same stone for $32.6 million.
AuctionsNov 12, 2025
Historic Rolex Oyster Fetches $1.7M at Sotheby’sMercedes Gleitze famously wore the watch in her 1927 swim across the English Channel, a pivotal credibility moment for the watchmaker.
GradingNov 12, 2025
It’s Time: GIA’s Express Holiday Service Is Back GIA is offering next-day services for natural, colorless diamonds submitted to its labs in New York and Carlsbad.
MajorsNov 10, 2025
Jewelers Focus on Love, Joy In 2025 Holiday Campaigns Tiffany & Co., David Yurman, and Pandora have launched holiday campaigns depicting their jewelry as symbols of affection and happiness.
SurveysNov 10, 2025
5 Things Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This YearThe National Retail Federation is bullish on the holidays, forecasting retail sales to exceed $1 trillion this year.
AuctionsNov 10, 2025
300+ Colored Diamonds Up for Auction at Christie’sLate collector Eddy Elzas assembled “The Rainbow Collection,” which is offered as a single lot and estimated to fetch up to $3 million.
EditorsNov 07, 2025
Piece of the Week: An MVP’s Sapphire Tennis Necklace At the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto sported a custom necklace made by California retailer Happy Jewelers.
IndependentsNov 07, 2025
Foundrae’s New Palm Beach Location Is a ‘Golden Solarium’The brand’s seventh location combines Foundrae’s symbolic vocabulary with motifs from Florida’s natural surroundings.
FinancialsNov 07, 2025
Watches of Switzerland’s H1 Sales Up 8%The retailer also shared an update on the impact of tariffs on watch customers.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
Pink Tourmaline Bracelet, Emerald Suite Take Top Spectrum Honors Pink and purple stones were popular in the AGTA’s design competition this year, as were cameos and ocean themes.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Hosts Raffle Supporting Food RescueAll proceeds from the G. St x Jewel Boxing raffle will go to City Harvest, which works to end hunger in New York City.
IndependentsNov 06, 2025
Cornell’s Jewelers Names New PresidentCourtney Cornell is part of the third generation to lead the Rochester, New York-based jeweler.
SourcingNov 06, 2025
De Beers’ Production, Sales Increase in Q3 De Beers also announced more changes in its upper ranks ahead of parent company Anglo American’s pending sale of the company.
WatchesNov 05, 2025
Shinola President Steps Down Just as He Starts Former Signet CEO Mark Light will remain president of Shinola until a replacement for Ulrich Wohn is found.
AuctionsNov 05, 2025
Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer Makes Her Auction DebutKindred Lubeck of Artifex has three rings she designed with Anup Jogani in Sotheby’s upcoming Gem Drop sale.
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Pandora Posts Modest Q3 Sales Growth Amid ‘Weak’ Consumer Sentiment The company focused on marketing in the third quarter and introduced two new charm collections, “Pandora Talisman” and “Pandora Minis.”
FinancialsNov 05, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q3 Sales Climb 10%The jewelry retailer raised its full-year guidance, with CFO Jeff Kuo describing the company as “very well positioned” for the holidays.
Policies & IssuesNov 04, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case WednesdayAhead of the hearing, two industry organizations co-signed an amicus brief urging the court to declare Trump’s tariffs unlawful.
