JA CEO Provides Tariff Update Following Annual Fly-In

New York—Jewelers of America recently held its annual fly-in, taking members to Washington, D.C., last week to lobby on the issues and policies impacting the jewelry industry.

On Sept. 17, the group, led by the Jewelers of America Political Action Committee (JAPAC), met with lawmakers, focusing mainly on tariffs, as well as the threat of organized retail crime to jewelry businesses.

Discussions were centered around the impact of tariff rates on imports from countries that are vital to the gem and jewelry trade, such as India (50 percent tariff rate), where 90 percent of the world’s diamonds are cut and polished, and Switzerland (39 percent), the center of the mechanical watch-making world.

Fly-in attendees told members of Congress that such high tariff rates are unsustainable, as they will shrink already tight margins, force them to pass along costs to customers, or reduce their investments in employees and local communities. 

“Right now, it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation in dealing with the tariffs, which have strained and caused major disruptions to the global supply chain,” JA President and CEO David Bonaparte said in a press release about the fly-in. 

“The majority of retailers and manufacturers in the U.S. are dependent on diamonds and gemstones that cannot be sourced in the U.S.” 

Prior to the fly-in, the Trump administration announced potential exemptions for select items that cannot be grown, mined, or naturally produced domestically.

On Sept. 5, the president issued an executive order establishing a new annex (page 38) outlining goods of this nature—including natural diamonds, colored gemstones, and natural pearls—that would be rendered eligible for a tariff exemption or reduction when imported from countries with which the U.S. has reached a unilateral trade agreement. 

While any tariff relief is contingent on a formal trade deal being reached, any changes to tariff rates ultimately will not be implemented until the president puts them into effect.

In an interview with National Jeweler, Bonaparte said this was progress. 

He believes the move to be a result of conversations that took place Aug. 19, when he and other industry representatives met with Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro.

Bonaparte said following the fly-in, he is optimistic about the U.S. reaching a deal with Switzerland, having heard reports that negotiations are moving in a positive direction. He hopes a resolution is only a few weeks away.

India is a much bigger challenge, he acknowledged, as the country is a major importer of Russian oil—something it has been defiant about even amid pressure, threats, and penalties from the U.S. 

Nonetheless, Bonaparte said, according to Indian colleagues, discussions are happening.

However, any disengagement from Russia could take months or longer, NPR reported, and Bonaparte’s hope is that the U.S. will react positively to any indication that India is working to cut ties. 

“The negotiation is for India to figure out a way to wean themselves off Russian oil. If they show that they’re doing that … if they show progress and willingness to get off of Russian oil, I think the administration would be receptive and lower the tariff,” Bonaparte said.  

In addition to discussing tariffs, fly-in attendees asked lawmakers to support the Organized Retail Crime (ORC) Act of 2025 (S. 1404/H.R. 2853) by becoming a co-sponsor of the bipartisan legislation. 

The bill would strengthen federal coordination and equip local and state law enforcement to better identify and investigate ORC groups, JA said.

It creates a federal Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center to streamline intelligence-sharing and multi-agency collaboration, which JA said is “a critical step for retailers to effectively combat criminal activities.”

The group met with Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, who introduced the legislation in the House.

“Everybody was on board with an anti-crime bill,” said Bonaparte, noting that Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, had his chief of staff sign onto the bill while they were standing in his office.  

Bonaparte added that, in an email sent after the fly-in, Michael Page, third-generation owner of Hingham Jewelers in Hingham, Massachusetts, said that Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., had also signed on as a result of the meeting.

“Having direct access to lawmakers during times of such dramatic policy change is invaluable,” said Page, who was a first-time fly-in attendee.

“The legislators we met with seemed genuinely interested in hearing how national politics is impacting our small, family-owned business.”

Brian Alter, owner of Alter’s Gem Jewelry and a member of the JAPAC board, added, “Participating absolutely does make a difference.” 

Along with Page and Alter, the fly-in was attended by the following industry professionals:

— Lawrence and Katy Bock, Bachendorf’s; Dallas
— Jon Bridge, Ben Bridge Jeweler; Seattle
— Coleman Clark, BC Clark and Chairman of JA’s Board of Directors; Oklahoma City
— Susan Eisen and Ron Wolff, Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry Watches Art & Appraiser, El Paso, Texas
— Bill Farmer Jr., Farmer’s Jewelers; Lexington, Ky.
— Susan Grant, Grants Jewelry; New York
— Joseph Molfese, Bella Cosa Jewelers and Chair of the JAPAC Board; Willowbrook, Ill.
— Steve Padis, Padis Jewelry; San Francisco
— Constance Polamalu, Zachary's Jewelers; Annapolis, Md. 
— Ronnie VanderLinden, Diamex  and President of International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA); New York
— MJSA Board Chair Ed DeCristofaro, LDC, Inc.; East Providence, R.I.

The group was led by Bonaparte, and JA Public Affairs and Education Director Susan Thea Posnock. 

Tim Haake, managing director of Haake & Associates, JA’s long-term government affairs firm, and Jennifer Bogart, president of Bogart Associates, were also in attendance.

To learn more about JA’s legislative advocacy and JAPAC or to join Jewelers of America, visit its website.