Before Pope Leo XIV was elected, a centuries-old procedure regarding the late pontiff’s ring was followed.
Longtime Salesman Bill Furman to Retire
He will officially leave his current role as Reed Jewelry Group’s sales executive for Jewelers International Showcase this July.
Norwalk, Conn.--After devoting his entire career to the jewelry industry, longtime JCK salesman Bill Furman will retire this July.
Furman started selling advertising and marketing opportunities for JCK magazine and Rand McNally in 1971.
He was a part of the launch of the JCK Las Vegas trade show 21 years later, in 1992.
Today, Furman works as Reed Jewelry Group’s sales executive for Jewelers International Showcase (JIS), a job he took after Reed acquired JIS in 2015.
Commenting on his retirement, Senior Vice President of Reed Jewelry Group Yancy Weinrich said: “When I retire, I’d like to be remembered like Bill Furman--someone who was passionately committed to his customers, and made friends and a family among our industry.”
Among Furman’s many accomplishments over his four-plus decades in the industry were helping to launch JCK Trend & Luxury magazine, merchandising JCK Japan, Vista Joyera, NY Diamonds and AJM.
He also served as JCK magazine’s gourmet editor, reviewing restaurants for regional show guides.
Expect to find him enjoying gourmet meals in his retirement, including from his son’s restaurant brand, Free Range LA.
The Latest

The one-of-a-kind platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was estimated to fetch up to $1.7 million.

While the product has entrenched itself in the market, retailers and consultants are assessing the next phase of the category’s development.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

The police are trying to identify the man suspected of robbing two Tiffany & Co. locations in the area.


The well-known Maine jeweler takes over for Brian Fleming and will serve a one-year term.

The donation was the result of the brand’s annual Earth Day Ingot event.

Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA

Located in NorthPark Center, the revamped store is nearly 2,000 square feet larger and includes the first Tudor boutique in Dallas.

The nonprofit has made updates to the content in its beginner and advanced jewelry sales courses.

BIJC President Malyia McNaughton will shift roles to lead the new foundation, and Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez will succeed her as president.

As a nod to the theme of JCK Las Vegas 2025, “Decades,” National Jeweler took a look back at the top 10 jewelry trends of the past 10 years.

The company plans to halt all consumer-facing activity this summer, while Lightbox factory operations will cease by the end of the year.

Following weekend negotiations, the tax on Chinese goods imported into the United States will drop by 115 percent for the next 90 days.

Moti Ferder stepped down Wednesday and will not receive any severance pay, parent company Compass Diversified said.

Lichtenberg partnered with luxury platform Mytheresa on two designs honoring the connection between mothers and daughters.

The miner announced plans to recommence open-pit mining at Kagem.

Michel Desalles allegedly murdered Omid Gholian inside World of Gold N Diamond using zip ties and then fled the country.

Associate Editor Lauren McLemore shares her favorite looks from a night of style inspired by Black dandyism.

Sponsored by Instappraise

CEO Beth Gerstein discussed the company’s bridal bestsellers, the potential impact of tariffs, and the rising price of gold.

The brand’s first independent location outside of Australia has opened in Beverly Hills, California.

Cathy Marsh will lead the jewelry company’s efforts in the upper Midwest and western United States.

The company has multiple strategies for dealing with tariffs, though its CEO said moving manufacturing to the U.S. is not one of them.

Connecting with your customers throughout the year is key to a successful holiday marketing push.

Its commercial-quality emerald sale held last month totaled more than $16 million, up from about $11 million in September 2024.

National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff joined Michael Burpoe to talk tariffs, consumer confidence, and the sky-high price of gold.