CollectionsJun 06, 2025
Piece of the Week: Harwell Godfrey’s ‘Granny Squares Eleanor’ Necklace As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.
Events & AwardsOct 12, 2014
MJSA’s ConFab slated for early November
MJSA has announced the dates for its third annual ConFab conference, which offers presentations on business skills that help jewelry makers and designers succeed.
Attleboro Falls, Mass.--MJSA has announced the dates for its third annual ConFab conference, which offers presentations on business skills that help jewelry makers and designers succeed.
This year’s ConFab is scheduled for Nov. 2 at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
A portion of the topics and presenters slated for the conference are as follows.
Business 101: The Basics Every Jewelry Business Person Needs to Know
Ben Janowski of Janos Consultants will help attendees understand current business conditions and what it takes to create a sustainable jewelry business. He will discuss developing a business plan, criteria for product development, the establishment of target markets, internal requirements, timelines, sourcing options, and financial and pricing basics.
Legal 101: A Jewelry Business Guide to Laws and Regulations
Suzan Flamm, senior counsel at the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, will cover laws that impact the making and selling of jewelry. The easy-to-understand seminar will address protecting intellectual property, marking precious metals and creating legally compliant advertising. Flamm also will discuss anti-money laundering operations and the Kimberley Process.
Merchandising: Creating a Line That Sells
Cindy Edelstein of the Jeweler’s Resource Bureau will outline how designers can create an overall design concept, direction and merchandise mix for a viable collection, which can grow and evolve over the lifespan of a designer’s career.
Digital Marketing: A 2014 Update
Eugene Brill, vice president of operations at Richline Group’s Jewelry.com, will share the latest on search engine optimization, search engine marketing, pay-per-click and social media.
Photography: Creating Images that Sell
Matthew Perosi of JewelerWebsites.com will teach attendees the basics of how to take photos that compel customers to give jewelry a second look in a competitive online environment where good images are the “holy grail” for success in marketing.
“From the basics of developing a business plan and a viable collection to pricing, merchandising and marketing, this year’s ConFab will again feature the type of information that can be put to use directly and immediately by jewelry makers and designers who are new to our field,” said MJSA President and CEO David Cochran.
Registration for MJSA’s Confab is available on MJSA.org.
In addition to ConFab, MJSA also will be offering two webinars for jewelry makers and designers in October and November, both taught by Andrea Hill, owner and CEO of Hill Management Group and StrategyWerx, a small-business consulting and education firm.
On Oct. 17, Hill
will present Better Subcontracting for Jewelry Makers and Designers, where she will explain how to develop successful relationships with subcontractors, or those who perform CAD/CAM, casting, setting, finishing and other processes needed to create jewelry. This webinar will teach attendees how to evaluate contractors and their capabilities, communicate expectations and understand theirs, establish a successful working relationship and manage outcomes.
Hill will discuss Getting Lean for the Small Jewelry Maker or Designer on Nov. 7, where she will cover how to run a small jewelry business as efficiently as possible using the lean management “5S” concept, which stands for Sort (remove/reduce), Straighten (streamline/organize), Shine (clean/inspect), Standardize (create a standard of consistent behavior) and Sustain (commit to repeatable behaviors).
MJSA Online Learning webinars are $15 for members and $25 for non-members. Additional information and registration can be found on MJSA.org.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
SourcingJun 05, 2025
A Rare Suite of Rubies Has Arrived in Las VegasThe “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsIt will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Events & AwardsJun 04, 2025
As JCK Talks Returns, Don’t Miss These 12 SessionsFrom design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.
CrimeJun 04, 2025
10 Safety Tips for the Las Vegas Shows The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.
MajorsJun 04, 2025
Amy Curran Promoted at Hill & Co.Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into GoldThe designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
FinancialsJun 03, 2025
Signet Jewelers Sees Turnaround in Q1 With Sales Ticking Up 2%On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.
SurveysJun 03, 2025
Consumer Confidence Improves in May The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
Dakota Johnson Is Roberto Coin’s New Brand AmbassadorThe actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.
GradingJun 03, 2025
Mason-Kay Jade Adds ‘Fei Cui’ to Jade ReportsThe company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."
SourcingJun 02, 2025
Gemfields’ June Auction to Include 36-Carat RubyThe large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.
GradingJun 02, 2025
GSI Opens New Lab in Thailand Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.
TrendsJun 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Three Gems for June Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
David Allouche Joins Grandview Klein DiamondsThe diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
Supplier BulletinMay 29, 2025
Inoveo Platinum Grain, Exclusively Distributed by StullerSponsored by Stuller
SourcingMay 29, 2025
Grizzly Auctions 6,620-Carat EmeraldIt was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.
