FinancialsAug 08, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 3% as Engagement Ring Sales RiseThe company raised its full-year sales guidance while noting it has not yet assessed the potential impact of the latest tariff news.
EditorsJun 07, 2013
Lucky Number 3
We are not yet a full week removed from the madness and, I’ll be honest, I am exhausted. I stayed up too late on Sunday (along with many other nights) then had to catch a 7 a.m. flight home Monday. I definitely had the feeling all day that I had woken up in Vegas.
1) It was a good Vegas. I had the chance to walk both Couture and JCK and I would say both shows seemed upbeat, and busy.
It was my sixth Vegas, a paltry number compared to those industry veterans who have logged decades of trips to Sin City. But, still, I feel like I have a solid basis for comparison after half-a-dozen shows. This year’s “jewelry market week” activity, I believe, exceeded not only the down years of 2008, 2009, but also 2010 and 2011. It’s been the best year I’ve witnessed in terms of attendance and attitude since the downturn.
On the Couture side, some people were saying it was the best Couture ever, which would make sense considering the strength at the higher end of the market. Show organizers say that qualified attendance (retailers and press) was up 11 percent year-over-year.
JCK seemed busy as well, and I talked to one diamond dealer who said he did business mostly in bigger goods, 2 carats and up, while sales of melee slowed due to the number of jewelers sourcing smaller stones by breaking them out of gold buybacks.
2) The millennials are making waves. Dates for this generation vary depending on whom you ask. Some say the genesis of the millennials, also known as Gen Y, is in the late 1970s, while others push it into the early 1980s. In his State of the Diamond Industry presentation, Martin Rapaport defined the millennials as those aged 15 to 30, which would mean they born roughly between 1983 and 1998.
No matter their exact birthdates, it is a large generation (they are, after all, the children of the baby boomers) that is making a big impact on the world around them. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by the jewelry industry.
More companies are stressing ethical sourcing these days--can you say where your diamonds come from?--because younger people have expressed that they care about the origin of the products they buy and the ethics of the companies behind them.
There is also a greater emphasis on brands because this is a generation that identifies strongly with the story of the product they are buying and/or the ethos of the company behind it, which also ties
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
back to my previous point about ethical sourcing.
One more note about millennials: this is a generation that wants to have things their way, exactly.
Think about this: Apple’s now-iconic iPod debuted in 2001, when the oldest members of this generation were just 18. The iPod took listening, and purchasing, music to a whole new level, allowing people to buy songs a la carte instead of having to purchase entire albums. It also gave people the option of carrying virtually all of their music around with them and listening to it in any order they choose.
The lesson here for jewelers: millennials might not want exactly what you have in the showcase so you need to have a way of getting them a piece customized to their liking.
3) Supply chain transparency is a hot topic. This is a point that, obviously, ties back into No. 2--there is a large generation coming up that cares about this issue.
During the JCK show, there were sessions on responsible gold sourcing from the Responsible Jewellery Council, the new Diamond Source Warranty Protocol and the ethical “facets” of diamond sourcing as well as Rapaport’s annual Fair Trade Conference.
It’s becoming a bigger issue for diamonds and gold, as well as colored gemstones, and it’s one of which retailers need to make sure they are aware.
I enjoyed seeing everyone that I had the chance to chat with in Las Vegas. Have a great weekend; I leave you with this brief but Lucky dance lesson to get it started.
One more note about millennials: this is a generation that wants to have things their way, exactly.
Think about this: Apple’s now-iconic iPod debuted in 2001, when the oldest members of this generation were just 18. The iPod took listening, and purchasing, music to a whole new level, allowing people to buy songs a la carte instead of having to purchase entire albums. It also gave people the option of carrying virtually all of their music around with them and listening to it in any order they choose.
The lesson here for jewelers: millennials might not want exactly what you have in the showcase so you need to have a way of getting them a piece customized to their liking.
3) Supply chain transparency is a hot topic. This is a point that, obviously, ties back into No. 2--there is a large generation coming up that cares about this issue.
During the JCK show, there were sessions on responsible gold sourcing from the Responsible Jewellery Council, the new Diamond Source Warranty Protocol and the ethical “facets” of diamond sourcing as well as Rapaport’s annual Fair Trade Conference.
It’s becoming a bigger issue for diamonds and gold, as well as colored gemstones, and it’s one of which retailers need to make sure they are aware.
I enjoyed seeing everyone that I had the chance to chat with in Las Vegas. Have a great weekend; I leave you with this brief but Lucky dance lesson to get it started.
More on Editors
The Latest
Events & AwardsAug 08, 2025
GJEPC’s Jewellers for Hope Celebrates 10 Years of FundraisingThe organization has raised more than $1.3 million for charity since its inception.
TrendsAug 08, 2025
Piece of the Week: Rahaminov Diamonds’ Bezel BangleThe brand’s latest iteration of a bezel-set diamond bangle features clean lines and a timeless design for a new modern silhouette.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
WatchesAug 07, 2025
Bulova’s New Collection Honors Tony BennettThe first watch in the series commemorates his participation in the Civil Rights movement, marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
Weekly QuizAug 08, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Lab-GrownAug 07, 2025
Chatham Releases Catalog for Loose Lab-Grown GemstonesThe catalog contains a complete listing of all the loose gemstones in stock, as well as information about the properties of each stone.
TechnologyAug 07, 2025
Rembrandt Charms Debuts New Website, Bird CharmsThe company added a retailer dashboard to its site and three new birds to its charm collection, the cardinal, blue jay, and hummingbird.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
Policies & IssuesAug 06, 2025
Tariff on India to Rise to 50%, Trump Says An additional 25 percent tariff has been added to the previously announced 25 percent.
MajorsAug 06, 2025
Claire’s Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy AgainThe jewelry and accessories retailer plans to close 18 stores as part of the proceedings.
IndependentsAug 06, 2025
Smith & Son Jewelers to Close 107-Year-Old Location Its Springfield, Massachusetts, store is set to close as owner Andrew Smith heads into retirement.
CollectionsAug 06, 2025
Zahn-Z Swims With Whales in ‘Beluga’ CollectionDesigner Hiba Husayni looked to the whale’s melon shaped-head, blowhole, and fluke for her new chunky gold offerings.
TrendsAug 06, 2025
Paola De Luca to Release Trendbook 2027+She will present the 23rd edition of the trend forecasting book at Vicenzaoro on Sept. 7.
CrimeAug 05, 2025
Report: Suspect Arrested in 1992 Murder of Miami JewelerOmar Roy, 72, was arrested in connection with the murder of jeweler Dionisio Carlos Valladares.
CollectionsAug 05, 2025
Mignon Faget Commemorates 20th Anniversary of Hurricane KatrinaThe New Orleans-based brand’s “Beyond Katrina” jewels honor the communities affected by the storm.
ColumnistsAug 05, 2025
The PR Adviser: Affiliate Marketing Is the Cost of CoverageLilian Raji explains why joining an affiliate network is essential for brands seeking placements in U.S. consumer publications.
Events & AwardsAug 05, 2025
JA Announces Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship WinnersThe organization has awarded a total of $42,000 through its scholarship programs this year.
Events & AwardsAug 04, 2025
Gem Awards, David Yurman Introduce $50K Grant for Emerging DesignersThe winner of the inaugural David Yurman Gem Awards Grant will be announced live at the 2026 Gem Awards gala.
TrendsAug 04, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: August’s Bright BaublesAs summer winds down, celebrate the sunny disposition of the month’s birthstones: peridot and spinel.
CrimeAug 04, 2025
‘The Watch King’ Assaulted, Robbed in QueensMoshe Haimoff, a social media personality and 47th Street retailer, was robbed of $559,000 worth of jewelry by men in construction outfits.
MajorsAug 04, 2025
Borsheims Welcomes New Assistant Facilities ManagerXavier Dibbrell brings more than a decade of experience to the role.
MajorsAug 01, 2025
Helzberg President Julie Yoakum Moves Over to Signet JewelersThe addition of Yoakum, who will lead Kay and Peoples, was one of three executive appointments Signet announced Thursday.
MajorsAug 01, 2025
Jewelers Mutual Names Mike Alexander as President The insurance company’s previous president and CEO, Scott Murphy, has split his role and will continue as CEO.
SourcingAug 01, 2025
Gemfields’ Auction Revenue Drops 50% in H1The nearly six-month pause of operations at its Kagem emerald mine earlier this year impacted the miner’s first-half results.
CollectionsAug 01, 2025
Piece of the Week: Hernsdorf’s ‘Tears of Aphrodite’ NecklaceThe necklace uses spinel drops to immortalize the moment Aphrodite’s tears mixed with her lover Adonis’ blood after he was fatally wounded.
SourcingJul 31, 2025
De Beers Records $189M First-Half Loss The diamond miner and marketer warned last week that it expected to be in the red after significantly cutting prices in Q2.
Events & AwardsJul 31, 2025
These Are the 2025 CASE Award WinnersJewelers of America’s 35th annual design contest recognized creativity, artistry, style, and excellence.
