Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
Van Cleef Archivist to Speak at Jewelry Conference
Cynthia Prasnal is scheduled to present a history of Van Cleef & Arpels and her work there at the Northwest Jewelry Conference in August.
Seattle--Attendees of this year’s Northwest Jewelry Conference (NWJC) will be treated to a history lesson on renowned jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels.
Each year the conference, which is in its fourth year, showcases a major jewelry house selected by conference participants. This year they picked Van Cleef & Arpels and will have Cynthia Prasnal, the brand’s archivist and heritage director, present a history of the company and her work there.
Six other instructors will join Prasnal to speak about period jewelry at the NWJC, which is scheduled to take place Aug. 12 to 14 in Seattle.
It will start Friday evening with a meet-and-greet reception followed by the first session--Bats, Bad Dreams and Damsels in Distress: The Darker Side of René Lalique’s Jewelry by jewelry historian Stefanie Walker.
Other sessions include Gemworld International’s Cigdem Lule sharing her ongoing archaeogemological research on Garnets--Treasured Gem of the Ancients and Walker’s Castellani and Italian Archaeological Jewelry.
Diana Singer of D&E Singer will look at Another Place and Time: The Roaring Twenties, blending politics, society, architecture and fashion with the Art Deco jewelry style.
Meanwhile, Peter Shemonsky, owner of Peter Jon Shemonsky, will appear at the NWJC for the fourth time, giving two presentations this year--Wiener Werkstätte and Secessionist Jewelry will look at the Vienna movement that transformed all art forms at the turn of the 20th century, while Maker’s Marks, Truths and Deceptions will expose fraudulent marks in period jewelry.
Stone of Heaven--Defining Jade with Jeff Mason of Mason-Kay will be an extensive workshop designed to study the unique characteristics of jade and their application in valuation.
Lastly, master diamond cutter Brian McHardy will lead a hands-on workshop to explore the process of diamond cutting from antiquity to present day in At the Wheel--How to Really Cut a Diamond, including an actual cutting workshop to take students from the examination of the rough crystal to executing the craft with the right equipment.
A new venue has been selected for the event; this year, it will be held at Cedarbrook Lodge, which is close to Sea-Tac airport and sits on 18 acres of restored wetlands.
Tuition costs $695 and includes all sessions, the Friday night reception, a full day Saturday with breakfast and lunch and a short day on Sunday, with breakfast and lunch followed by the after-party.
For more information or to register, call 425-455-0985 or visit the Northwest Jewelry Conference website.
The Latest

Simon Wolf shares why the time was right to open a new office here, what he looks for in a retail partner, and why he loves U.S. consumers.

A third-generation jeweler, Ginsberg worked at his family’s store, Ginsberg Jewelers, from 1948 until his retirement in 2019.

The risk of laboratory-grown diamonds being falsely presented as natural diamonds presents a very significant danger to consumer trust.

The company failed to file its quarterly reports in a timely manner.


The organization also announced its board of directors.

Charms may be tiny but with their small size comes endless layering possibilities, from bracelets to necklaces and earrings.

Located in Valenza, the now 355,000-square-foot facility includes a new jewelry school that’s open to the public, Scuola Bulgari.

A platinum Zenith-powered Daytona commissioned in the late ‘90s will headline Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in Geneva next month.

The basketball stars wear men’s jewelry from the “Curb Chain” collection.

The Signet Jewelers-owned retailer wants to encourage younger shoppers to wear fine jewelry every day, not just on special occasions.

The 21 pieces, all from a private collector, will be offered at its Magnificent Jewels auction next month.

Lilian Raji answers a question from a reader who is looking to grow her jewelry business but has a limited marketing budget.

GCAL by Sarine created the new role to sharpen the company’s focus on strategic partnerships and scalable expansion.

The Indiana jeweler has acquired Scottsdale Fine Jewelers in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Van Cott Jewelers in Vestal, New York, is hosting a going-out-of-business sale.

Industry veteran Samantha Larson has held leadership roles at Borsheims, McTeigue & McClelland, Stuller, and Long’s Jewelers.
The two organizations will hold the educational event together this fall in Mississippi.

The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

The Ukrainian brand’s new pendant is modeled after a traditional paska, a pastry often baked for Easter in Eastern European cultures.

The jeweler has announced a grand reopening for its recently remodeled location in Peoria, Illinois.

The “Strong Like Mom” campaign features moms who work at Tiffany & Co. and their children.

Interior designer Athena Calderone looked to decor from the 1920s and 1930s when crafting her first fine jewelry collection.

During a call about its full-year results, CEO Efraim Grinberg discussed how the company is approaching the uncertainty surrounding tariffs.

The free program provides educational content for jewelry salespeople and enthusiasts to learn or refresh their diamond knowledge.

The feedback will be used to prepare other jewelers for the challenges ahead, the organization said.