CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Video Puts Jewelry Front and CenterIconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.
Events & AwardsJan 18, 2015
How jewelers can keep it simple, tell a story
During her keynote address at the JA NY Winter show, MSNBC host JJ Ramberg spoke of the need for retailers to simplify their businesses and explain the “why” behind their stores.
“It’s going to take a lot of time, it’s going to take a lot of tests and it’s going to take a lot of talking to your customers,” JJ Ramberg said of developing the story behind a store.
New York--The JA New York Winter show opened Sunday with a trio of screaming children.
Don’t worry; they weren’t lost.
The children are the two sons and one daughter of JJ Ramberg, an entrepreneur and host of Your Business on MSNBC. She delivered the keynote address as the show opened on Sunday morning, starting her presentation with a home video of her three young children, all in an unhappy state.
In addition to engaging the audience, Ramberg’s video made a point: Whether it’s children, other family obligations or something else, entrepreneurs lives are busy. They need to make running their businesses as simple as possible, to “uncomplicate” them.
“We are not just running our businesses,” she said. “We are running our lives.”
She talked about a Your Business makeover episode that profiled the Monterey Bay Silver Co. in California.
The problems they found likely will sound familiar to many jewelers: the company had too many stores, too much cash tied up in inventory that wasn’t moving, and didn’t have any kind of point-of-sale system so they had no idea what was popular among customers and what wasn’t.
Your Business gave the store one of its makeovers, which are similar to what chef Gordon Ramsey does on his show Kitchen Nightmares, where he and his crew overhaul ailing restaurants.
They consolidated the business from four locations into one and had a design company overhaul the interior. They got the jewelry store a POS system and recommended that the store employee tucked away in a tiny room in the back re-stringing pearls, a service heavily marketed by the store, be brought up front so customers can watch her at work.
These changes simplified the business, helping the store and its owners. “What we do,” Ramberg said, “is not brain surgery.”
During her presentation, Ramberg also told of the need for retailers today to have a story behind their store--a “why” explaining their reason for being in business--and to make it an experience, not just a place to shop.
A store’s story could be anything: that they are a third-generation jeweler that’s been in the same spot for decades; that they are a store that is committed to ethical sourcing and fair trade products; or that they are a store that’s extremely fashion-forward and on top of all the trends.
Whatever that story is, it has to be
told the same across all platforms--in the store and its merchandise mix, on the website and across social media. And, Ramberg noted, it has to be understood and expressed by all employees.
Examples she provided of companies with a good why, a solid story, were Tattly, whose mission can be read here, and the aptly named Story, a Manhattan store where the owner changes out the theme every eight weeks.
“Consumers can buy things pretty much everywhere,” Ramberg told the audience. “But they want to shop at your store because it’s infused with this ‘why’.
“Your store has to really have this ‘why.’”
The JA New York Winter show continues through Tuesday at the Javits center.
Examples she provided of companies with a good why, a solid story, were Tattly, whose mission can be read here, and the aptly named Story, a Manhattan store where the owner changes out the theme every eight weeks.
“Consumers can buy things pretty much everywhere,” Ramberg told the audience. “But they want to shop at your store because it’s infused with this ‘why’.
“Your store has to really have this ‘why.’”
The JA New York Winter show continues through Tuesday at the Javits center.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This SummerThe luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Buddha Mama Brings Its ‘Moon’ Locket To DallasThe one-of-a-kind locket, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal three hidden images to keep close to your heart.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
