Gretchen Koback Pursel is the new chief people officer at the company formerly known as Saks Global.
My New Year’s resolutions
Hannah and I were having a laugh last week about how the calendar date of Jan. 1 inspires people to vow to turn over a new leaf: they are going to lose weight, save more money, be a better all-around person.
Change is difficult. It is a long-term proposition that requires dedication and desire that may not necessarily coincide with Jan. 1 on the Gregorian calendar.
That being said, there’s nothing wrong with using Jan. 1 to set reasonable goals for the year ahead and change things that didn’t work in 2013 or simply are in need of an update.
Here are two of my plans for National Jeweler in 2014.
1) Expanding our metals coverage. The price of gold keeps going down and is expected to drop even more in 2014 while yellow gold rises in popularity. In recent years, NJ has done a newsletter dedicated to silver 12 months out of the year as well as a quarterly one dedicated to platinum. This year, we are changing gears and introducing the Metals Market newsletter.
This newsletter will go out the third Tuesday of every month and will focus on a different metal each month, beginning with gold on Jan. 21. February will be platinum-focused, March will center on silver and April will cover a yet-to-be-determined alternative metal (suggestions welcome).
The metals will repeat in the same cycle twice more throughout the year.
2) Adding antiques. As many might already know our parent company, Emerald Expositions, is in the process of acquiring George Little Management LLC (GLM). GLM produces a number of antique jewelry shows, including the Antique Jewelry & Watch shows in New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami Beach.
To this end, National Jeweler plans to add twice-yearly antique and estate jewelry focused newsletters, scheduled for publication in April, before the trade-only Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show, and again in September, before the holiday selling season.
The newsletters will focus on what’s happening in the antique jewelry market--what’s hot (avoiding use of the word “new” here) and what jewelers can expect at the shows along with profiles of some interesting players in antique jewelry. Again, any suggestions for content are welcome.
Readers: If
Happy New Year. If anybody needs me, I’ll be keeping warm in one of these.
The Latest

Bromberg is remembered as a Southern gentleman who always wore a suit and tie and treated others with kindness.

With high durability and a wide range of colors to choose from, sapphires may be the ultimate birthstone, Gizzi claims.

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

Laughter is often considered a distraction in the workplace, but it has benefits for both staff and management, Peter Smith writes.


The California jeweler is renovating its store in Fresno, with plans to show off the new space in December.

A lifelong practitioner of Pilates, Gabrielle looked to the springs’ tension and suspension when creating this ring, our Piece of the Week.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 13.

The auction house has promoted Remi Guillemin, formerly its head of watches for the Americas and EMEA, to the role.

Jewelers of America also revealed the recipients of the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship and its own scholarship programs.

The British actor, known for his roles in “Twilight” and “The Odyssey,” will star in a campaign for the Master Control Chronometre.

The “Confetti Disco,” “Champagne Cheers,” “Tuxedo,” and “Classic Punk” jewelry collections each capture a distinct spirit of celebration.

Nelson Holdo of Newport Beach pleaded guilty to multiple counts of felony grand theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced Monday.

Cat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s “significant” collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction.

Arnaud Michon, the former Omega USA President, will now lead Messika’s Americas region during its international development.

The branding references the back-to-back jewelry shows that new parent company Forge will host in Miami's Coconut Grove this November.

The stainless steel Patek Philippe “Calatrava” watch from the 1930s sold for nearly $80,000 at a recent Hansons Cornwall auction.

Engagement rings are important but don’t ignore the customers who are buying jewelry “just because,” Emmanuel Raheb writes.

Former Pomellato CEO Sabina Belli has been named president of Kering Italia amid a shakeup of Kering's new Jewelry division.

The veteran luxury packaging executive was appointed to help the company grow its North American business.

Once the property of an Egyptian queen, the necklace was part of a larger exhibition of VCA jewelry at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

The labs’ separate investigations each determined that the East African country is producing copper-bearing tourmaline.

“Chicago Collects: Jewelry in Perspective” at the Oshkosh Public Museum will feature works by Fabergé, Lalique, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The “Worn Well” collection is Catbird's take on classic men's jewelry.

This Buddha Mama butterfly is our Piece of the Week honoring the legend, who embraced the beautiful insect as her symbol.

The former De Beers CEO, and perhaps its next owner, will be a featured speaker at the event, slated for Sept. 4-7 in Italy.
























