Buying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.
JA to offer on-site certification at upcoming shows
The organization will offer sales and management professional certification exams at four upcoming industry events across the country.
New York--Jewelers of America will offer sales and management professional certification exams at four upcoming industry events across the country.
JA’s Professional Certification program establishes national standards through two-hour exams that evaluate the proficiency of jewelry professionals at two levels. No studying is required, as the certification attests to the existing expertise of the sales or management professional.
The exams offered on-site include: JA Certified Sales Professional – First Level; JA Certified Senior Sales Professional – Second Level; JA Certified Management Professional – First Level; and JA Certified Senior Management Professional – Second Level.
They will offer the following sessions at four upcoming events.
The Smart Jewelry Show
Navy Pier in Chicago, Ill.
Friday, April 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Oklahoma Jewelers Association’s Spring Seminar
Embassy Suites Hotel in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Sunday, April 19 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
JCK Las Vegas
Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas
Thursday, May 28 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 2 to 4 p.m.
Friday, May 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
JA New York Summer
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, N.Y.
Sunday, July 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 2 to 4 p.m.
Anyone who registers early for those exams gets $10 off the exam fee of $35 for JA members and $55 for non-members. Registration can be found here.
Those unable to attend these exams can take them at any time at a location near them by registering for a proctored exam.
Open to all jewelry professionals, the certifications not only helps advance the careers of sales associates and managers, but also differentiates a retail store from its competitors and will elevate the consumers’ trust in the jewelry professional, JA said.
“In today’s competitive landscape, we are striving to make it easier for jewelers to get the valuable tools they need to gain consumer confidence and keep the jewelry industry vibrant and healthy,” JA President and CEO David Bonaparte said. “I strongly encourage retailers to get their staff certified. The benefits from Jewelers of America Professional Certification will far exceed the minimal amount of time and small monetary commitment put into the exam.”
The JA Professional Certification program also offers certification for bench professionals at four levels of expertise. For more information about the programs, visit the JA website.
National Jeweler
The Latest

Bring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.

The deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.

As gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.

The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.


The “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.

The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

Everett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.

Fourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.

The new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.

The addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.

The NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.

Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.

The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.

Former Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.

The $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.

With gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.

Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.

In a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.

In a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.

The “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.

The jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.

This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.

The Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.

The discussion, "Rebuilding the Jewelry Workforce," will take place on Saturday, May 16, in Troy, Michigan.

The jewelry industry is reassessing its positioning as Gen Z reshapes the retail landscape and lab grown continues to gain market share.

























