He retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.
Off-Premises Attacks Spiked in Oct., JSA Says
There were eight attacks on traveling salespeople and jewelers away from their stores in October, about four times the monthly average seen so far this year.
According to the JSA, there were eight off-premises attacks in the month of October, about four times the monthly average recorded in January-September.
In one recent case, which the JSA described as “dramatic,” two salespeople driving onto a highway entrance ramp near the Seattle suburb of SeaTac were cut off by one car and struck from behind by another.
While one suspect stood nearby and pointed a handgun, two masked suspects approached the vehicle, broke two windows and assaulted the driver before grabbing a backpack containing diamonds and then puncturing the car’s tires.
Other attacks on traveling salespeople occurred in Lexington, Ky., Las Vegas and Chattanooga, Tenn.
The JSA also noted that a traveling salesperson was murdered earlier this year near the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, following a robbery attempt near the same airport the previous week.
Jewelers, meanwhile, were attacked off-premises in Roswell and Lilburn, Georgia; Thousand Oaks, California; and Naples, Florida.
The jeweler in Roswell got hit while leaving through the back door of her store while the jeweler in Lilburn was robbed in his home’s garage, the JSA said.
In the Naples robbery, four men wearing clown masks hid behind some bushes with a baseball bat and hit a jeweler’s SUV. As he walked to the back of the vehicle to inspect the source of the noise, the suspect struck him with bats, jumped into the SUV and drove off with his jewelry.
The JSA has 11 basic security recommendations for traveling salespeople and jewelers when they are carrying merchandise off-premises. They are the following.
1. Never resist in a robbery.
2. Traveling salespeople need to drive evasively after every sales call and before returning to their hotel, home or office. Drive slowly, cruise around the block, make U-turns, or pull into a fast-food restaurant or bank parking lot. Salespeople need to be aware of their surroundings--is anybody following the car?--and note that highway entrance and exit ramps provide a “favorable opportunity” for boxing in vehicles, the JSA said.
3. When driving to a retail store, scout the location. Park as close to the store as possible, do not enter by a rear or secluded entrance, and don’t stay in the car for any length of time before or after making sales calls.
4. Do not leave jewelry in an unattended vehicle.
5. If jewelers or traveling salespeople think they are being followed, call 911 and tell the dispatcher the situation. If possible, make the call obvious to the suspects because criminals are less likely to pursue if they think their intended victim has called police.
6. Jewelers and salespeople who are having trouble with their trunk lock, door lock or ignition key, or have a flat tire, radiator trouble or have been bumped by another vehicle are likely being targeted for a crime. They should get themselves to a safe place.
7. Jewelers should not take valuable merchandise to their homes.
8. Even those not carrying merchandise should consider themselves a target if they are seen visiting a jewelry store while carrying a bag of any kind.
9. Gangs have been known to place global positioning system, or GPS, devices on salespeople’s cars. There are electronic devices that can detect their presence, and the JSA also recommends that traveling salespeople check under their cars regularly.
10. Keep travel plans confidential, including flights, departure and arrival times, hotels, rental cars and locations to be visited. This includes being careful about the type of information that’s shared on social media.
11. Do not gas up prior to returning a rental car, as it is important to limit exposure to potential crime. Buy the gas from the rental car company beforehand, or just return the car.
The Latest

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.

The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.


The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.

Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Globally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.

The Brooklyn-based jewelry designer is remembered as a true artist and a rare talent.

Production at the mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories topped 1 million carats in Q2, the third consecutive quarter of growth.

A new slate of Learning Workshops will take place in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia.

The middle class is changing its approach to buying jewelry and affordable luxury goods, the NRF said.

It marks the third consecutive quarter of growth for Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, and Vhernier.

The reseller’s market trends report, based on its sales data, also shows exactly how much Rolex prices have jumped since 2010.

The auction house will be hosting a retrospective paying tribute to jeweler Jean Dinh Van and his company’s 60th anniversary.

Jake Duneier and Danielle Duneier-Goldberg have stepped into the roles of CEO and president, respectively.

The “Impermanence” collection contemplates nature through the Japanese art of Ikebana (flower arranging) and philosophy of wabi-sabi.

The Texas-based jewelry retailer has set up shop in Tennessee and Arizona.

Eric Ford will step into the role, bringing with him decades of experience.

In addition to improved capabilities, the acquisition will allow the jeweler to offer support to other independent jewelers.

The “Celestial Blue” capsule collection campaign features Olympian Kateryna Sadurska.

The seasonal store, located in Mykonos, Greece, offers exclusive events, personal styling, and curated experiences.

The New England jeweler is hosting a bridal event for the month of August.

The trade-only event will host its debut fair in the Emerald City later this month.

Its sessions will focus on inventory strategies, staff performance, retention and acquisition, emerging market trends, and more.

For its 10th anniversary, Miseno designed the “Arco” earrings based on the Arco Felice, an arch conceptualized in A.D. 95 in Miseno, Italy.