JVC Announces Luncheon Speakers
Ukrainian jewelry designer Valeriya Guzema will be the focus of a live interview segment.

The event will be held at the New York InterContinental Barclay on March 8, beginning with cocktails at noon, followed by lunch at 12:30 p.m.
It will feature a live interview, “A Conversation with Valeriya Guzema,” hosted by Victoria Gomelsky, editor-in-chief of JCK.
Gomelsky will sit down for a discussion with Ukrainian businesswoman, jewelry designer, and philanthropic activist, Valeriya Guzema to explore the human impact of the Russian sanctions through Guzema’s eyes.
Guzema is the founder and creative director of the Guzema Fine Jewelry brand and the Guzema Foundation. Before getting into the jewelry business in 2015, she worked as a fashion editor for Elle Ukraine and as a fashion journalist for HD Fashion TV channel.
The designer began her journey with $500 in savings, and received, from her mother, gold teeth that belonged to her grandfather. She sold the gold, and with the capital, created her first pieces. Her first collection was stolen, but she continued creating.
In March 2016, she founded Guzema Fine Jewelry and has since created more than 50 collections and opened three boutiques in Ukraine.
In 2021, she established the Guzema Foundation, a charitable endeavor initially formed to help children receiving heart treatments at the Chernihiv Regional Children’s Hospital. In 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the foundation expanded its efforts to support the Ukrainian army and civilians affected by the war.
Guzema has been included in the “Top 30 Under 30” list by Ukrainian media company Kyiv Post in 2020, and in 2021, appeared on Ukrainian Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list and was named “Best Accessory Designer” by Best Fashion Awards.
She is also a graduate of the Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C.
Host Gomelsky specializes in jewelry and watch writing and her freelance work has appeared in the New York Times, Robb Report, AFAR, the Hollywood Reporter, WSJ Magazine, and Waking Up American: Coming of Age Biculturally, an anthology published by Seal Press.
She graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1995 and earned her MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University in 2002.
Also at the luncheon, Matthew G. Stuller Sr., founder and CEO of Stuller, Inc., will receive the 2024 JVC Stanley Schechter Award, which honors individuals who exemplify industry ethics.
The award was established in 2002 and pays tribute to Schechter’s legacy of integrity and courage, JVC said, recognizing his contribution to JVC and the jewelry industry over the course of 50 years.
“Matt’s commitment to customer service, staying ahead of market trends, and his significant philanthropic efforts, including the Stuller Family Foundation, Parish Proud, and Love Our Schools, truly align with the values celebrated by the Stanley Schechter Award,” JVC writes of the honoree.
“His leadership, both in business and philanthropy, embodies the spirit of the Stanley Schechter Award, recognizing those individuals who go above and beyond in upholding industry ethics and making a positive impact on the community.”
Stuller has “consistently upheld the highest standards of industry ethics,” JVC said, starting from when he began his entrepreneurial journey at 19 years old. Over 54 years, Stuller Inc. has produced 340,000 jewelry-related products while remaining committed to integrity.
Stuller’s leadership is shown through the company’s CAD/CAM software, Matrixgold and CounterSketch, as well as through his dedication to ethical business practices, said JVC.
His legacy is not just in Stuller, Inc.’s success, the committee said, but in his “profound commitment to ethical business practices that resonate throughout the jewelry industry and beyond.”
JVC’s website said that at the event, it will also be announcing several new initiatives to “support our industry’s success into 2024 and beyond.”
The Latest

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.


Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

The historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.

To mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.

The gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.