AuctionsApr 27, 2026
12 Years Later, the ‘Ocean Dream’ Diamond Resurfaces at Christie’sThe largest known fancy vivid blue-green diamond could fetch more than $12 million at its second auction appearance.
EditorsMar 03, 2014
Three takeaways from my digital panel
When it comes to educational sessions at jewelry trade shows, I am usually in the audience, scribbling notes furiously for a future story.
I had a total of four panelists who so generously and enthusiastically donated a few hours of their Sunday to participate: diamond wholesaler Marc Knobloch, Jewelers of America’s Matt Tratner, Keith Adwar of Adwar Casting and Diane Warga-Arias, an occasional columnist for this publication who also does brand development and appears on HSN.
From behind the podium, I was not able to take notes in the same copious manner I would have had I been sitting in the audience. Perhaps, though, it wasn’t such a bad thing to do less furious scribbling and more listening and absorbing.
In any case, here are three great takeaways from the discussion for those of you unable to join us in New York on Sunday.
1) Even if retailers hire an outside agency or extra staff member to handle social media, they still need to understand it. Diane said retailers need to put the same love into building their online brand, website and social media presence, as they did when they first opened their store. Even if retailers use a marketing company or hire someone specifically to do social media, it doesn’t excuse them from understanding it or keeping tabs on posts, tweets and pins.
It’s perfectly fine if you don’t know anything about social media and have to learn as you go along. Diane had a great quote on this point, something to the effect of, “You learn to drive a car while driving.”
2) Anthropologie, Greenwich Jewelers in New York, Kravit Jewelers in Oceanside, N.Y. and Starbucks. What do all of these names have in common? They were all mentioned by panelists (to be clear, Anthropologie was actually the moderator’s mention) as being examples of retailers who are providing a good experience for customers in store and/or online. Anthropologie is a retailer of clothing and fashion jewelry, some of which borders on being fine. Greenwich Jewelers is a store located here in New York City while Kravit Jewelers is on Long Island. I think everybody knows what Starbucks is.
Visit these retailers’ websites, go into their stores, sign up for their emails and check them out on
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. They are doing good things, and there’s no reason not to learn from them even if they are not all sellers of fine jewelry. In fact, if you ask me, I think jewelers could learn a lot by taking a page from the digital innovation of retailers outside the industry.
3) Make it easy for people to buy from you by selling online. People today think more carefully about purchases before plunking down their hard-earned and, for many, dwindling dollars. I know I do.
On a Friday a few weeks ago, I (shockingly) got away from desk at lunchtime for an hour and wandered into the nearby Nine West shoe store. (Add Nine West to the list of stores whose websites you should study. They do a really good job online.)
In there, I saw the wine-colored suede version of a pair of high-heeled black booties that I already have and love. They were on sale, but I still wasn’t entirely sold. Do I really need them? Do I have outfits I can wear them with? Do I already own something similar? So I left the store without them. I have this rule about shopping that I’ve instituted in the wake of the recession that also correlates with the rise of e-commerce: I don’t buy something unless I absolutely love it. More often than not, this means I leave the story empty-handed and go through the physical closet check I mentioned above when I get home. If I feel like the shoe, bag or dress fills a gap in my wardrobe and I can’t stop thinking about it, then I buy. If the desire fades or I decide that it’s too similar to something I already own, then I don’t. Sometimes purchasing involves going back to the store but, more often than not, it happens online. I’ve done this a lot with Nine West and also with Anthropologie, which I brought up during the panel as being an example of a retailer that has a great in store and online experience.
This is all a somewhat-long-winded way of saying: You have to give people today the chance to shop when and where they want to, a statement backed up by Matt during Sunday’s panel. Matt brought up the example of a couple browsing a jewelry store one afternoon that is really interested in a ring. They leave without it, which is understandable. It’s a big purchase. But then they go home and the wife still really wants the ring so the husband decides to go ahead and get it for her (always the right choice, in my opinion.) Make it easy on him. Put it online and let him buy from home, right then and there.
3) Make it easy for people to buy from you by selling online. People today think more carefully about purchases before plunking down their hard-earned and, for many, dwindling dollars. I know I do.
On a Friday a few weeks ago, I (shockingly) got away from desk at lunchtime for an hour and wandered into the nearby Nine West shoe store. (Add Nine West to the list of stores whose websites you should study. They do a really good job online.)
In there, I saw the wine-colored suede version of a pair of high-heeled black booties that I already have and love. They were on sale, but I still wasn’t entirely sold. Do I really need them? Do I have outfits I can wear them with? Do I already own something similar? So I left the store without them. I have this rule about shopping that I’ve instituted in the wake of the recession that also correlates with the rise of e-commerce: I don’t buy something unless I absolutely love it. More often than not, this means I leave the story empty-handed and go through the physical closet check I mentioned above when I get home. If I feel like the shoe, bag or dress fills a gap in my wardrobe and I can’t stop thinking about it, then I buy. If the desire fades or I decide that it’s too similar to something I already own, then I don’t. Sometimes purchasing involves going back to the store but, more often than not, it happens online. I’ve done this a lot with Nine West and also with Anthropologie, which I brought up during the panel as being an example of a retailer that has a great in store and online experience.
This is all a somewhat-long-winded way of saying: You have to give people today the chance to shop when and where they want to, a statement backed up by Matt during Sunday’s panel. Matt brought up the example of a couple browsing a jewelry store one afternoon that is really interested in a ring. They leave without it, which is understandable. It’s a big purchase. But then they go home and the wife still really wants the ring so the husband decides to go ahead and get it for her (always the right choice, in my opinion.) Make it easy on him. Put it online and let him buy from home, right then and there.
More on Editors
The Latest
ColumnistsApr 27, 2026
Stop Treating Mother’s Day Like an AfterthoughtEmmanuel Raheb says jewelers need to start marketing early and make it easy for customers to pick a gift for mom.
IndependentsApr 27, 2026
Longnecker Jewelry Celebrates 30 YearsIn honor of the milestone, the Nebraska jeweler has debuted Leslie & Co., its new in-house jewelry brand.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
MajorsApr 27, 2026
JBT Re-Elects Jeff Corey as Board ChairThe trade organization, which held its annual elections earlier this year, also added five new board members.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
TrendsApr 20, 2026
Beth Bernstein, Sonia Esther Soltani Pen New Jewelry Book“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2026
Atlanta Jewelry Show’s Spring Event Is Hitting the RoadThe AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.
MajorsApr 20, 2026
Kendra Scott Names New CFO, Chief Business OfficerThe jewelry retailer plans to open 20 new stores this year and expand into new product categories.
TrendsApr 17, 2026
New (Groundbreaking) Floral Jewelry for Spring 2026Flower motifs are the jewelry trend blooming amongst the new collections that debuted this spring.
