CollectionsJan 27, 2026
De Beers London, GemFair Debut New Collection Highlighting Artisanal DiamondsThe collection marks the first time GemFair’s artisanal diamonds will be brought directly to consumers.
EditorsAug 20, 2015
14 lessons to learn from Amazon
All week my best friend, who is six months pregnant and pretty much confined to her home due to the 90-degree-plus heat, has been eagerly texting me links to stories that have been published online following The New York Times article on the workplace culture at Amazon.
Long hours? Calls late at night and on supposed off days? Unreasonable output expectations? Crying at desks? Ruthless culling of people who just weren’t up to the task? Working in the bathroom?
Check on the first five. As for the sixth, I never personally witnessed any bathroom work being done at the newspaper where I worked. The bathroom was reserved for crying by those individuals who had enough self-respect not to do so at their desks. (I wasn’t one of those people.)
The only difference between my experience at the newspaper and those of the “Amazonians” is, quite frankly, money. There was never any chance of any huge stock incentives at the newspaper, no matter how many “groundbreaking” article ideas we had.
Also, as our senior editor Hannah just pointed out to me, it’s important to have perspective.
Yes, working at Amazon sounds bad and yes, the company absolutely should not be mistreating workers who suffer from health problems or are dealing with personal crises, and factory workers should not be made to toil in 100-degree heat until they drop.
But the working conditions still are far, far better than what millions of people experience elsewhere in the country and across the globe, including many workers in this industry. Hannah pointed me to the blog Humans of New York. The blog’s creator just finished a trip detailing the lives of people in Pakistan. So, what do you think sounds worse—a job at Amazon or working in the brick kilns there?
My personal feelings about the complaints from the Amazonians aside, the Times article does give greater insight into the man who built Amazon, Jeff Bezos. Love him or hate him, you can’t argue the fact that Jeff Bezos is a man with a plan for his business.
Twice in the story, the author points readers to a list of 14 leadership principles, also referred to in the article as the articles of faith, created by Bezos himself.
Jewelers, how many of these principles make your list? And are you teaching your principles to employees and using them daily in the operation of your business?
Amazon’s principles are, by design, simple, general enough to
apply to a wide range of businesses and used daily in the course of business. The Times states that they are actually recited in food-truck lines at lunch and, in some cases, Amazon employees teach these principles to their children.
Obsess over customers. When there’s a problem or a product to develop, start with the customer and work backward.
Never say “that’s not my job.”
Hire the best people and develop them.
Have the backbone to disagree and have the courage of conviction to stick with a decision.
Though it’s not formally included on the list of 14, from what I’ve gathered, the No. 1 principle at Amazon is “word hard,” which I think is necessary in any job at which one wants to achieve great things.
I speak negatively about my time at the daily newspaper above but, in all honesty, I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t put in all those hours early in my career and been driven so hard to understand what separates good journalism from bad journalism.
All those tears shed at my desk, it turns out, have paid off.
Obsess over customers. When there’s a problem or a product to develop, start with the customer and work backward.
Never say “that’s not my job.”
Hire the best people and develop them.
Have the backbone to disagree and have the courage of conviction to stick with a decision.
Though it’s not formally included on the list of 14, from what I’ve gathered, the No. 1 principle at Amazon is “word hard,” which I think is necessary in any job at which one wants to achieve great things.
I speak negatively about my time at the daily newspaper above but, in all honesty, I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t put in all those hours early in my career and been driven so hard to understand what separates good journalism from bad journalism.
All those tears shed at my desk, it turns out, have paid off.
The Latest
SourcingJan 27, 2026
GemGuide Launches Pricing for Montana SapphiresThe initial charts are for blue, teal, and green material, each grouped into three charts categorized as good, fine, and extra fine.
TechnologyJan 27, 2026
Clientbook Launches Appointment Booking ToolThe new tool can assign the appropriate associate based on the client or appointment type and automate personalized text message follow-ups.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Tucson Preview 2026: Earthy Tones and Innovative Shapes Buyers are expected to gravitate toward gemstones that have a little something special, just like last year.
Weekly QuizJan 22, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Angolan Diamond Cos. Join NDC as Rio Tinto, Murowa Exit Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
Francesca’s To Close All StoresThe retailer operates more than 450 boutiques across 45 states, according to its website.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
BIJC Names 5 New Board MembersThe new members’ skills span communications, business development, advocacy, and industry leadership.
CollectionsJan 26, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Celebrates 189 Years of Love StoriesThe jeweler’s 2026 Valentine’s Day campaign, “Celebrating Love Stories Since 1837,” includes a short firm starring actress Adria Arjona.
GradingJan 26, 2026
DCA Updates Colored Gemstone CourseThe new features include interactive flashcards and scenario-based roleplay with AI tools.
MajorsJan 23, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Acquires 4-Store Jewelry Chain in TexasFamily-owned jewelry and watch retailer Deutsch & Deutsch has stores in El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.
WatchesJan 23, 2026
Damiani Group to Acquire Baume & MercierThe Italian luxury company purchased the nearly 200-year-old Swiss watch brand from Richemont.
TrendsJan 23, 2026
Martin Katz’s Earrings Call to Mind Wintry Weather Micro-set with hundreds of diamonds, these snowflake earrings recreate “winter’s most elegant silhouette,” and are our Piece of the Week.
MajorsJan 23, 2026
Rembrandt Charms Names New Director of Creative, Brand StrategyElla Blum was appointed to the newly created role.
Supplier BulletinJan 22, 2026
The Rise of Centralized Sourcing in the Colored Gemstone MarketSponsored by RapNet
MajorsJan 22, 2026
Lugano Diamonds Finds a BuyerInvestment firm Enhanced Retail Funding, a division of Gordon Brothers, was the successful bidder.
SourcingJan 22, 2026
De Beers To Release ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ BookIt explores the history of the iconic tagline and the company’s strategy to redefine the role of diamonds in society.
MajorsJan 22, 2026
Swarovski Appoints New North America PresidentRetail veteran Sindhu Culas has stepped into the role.
MajorsJan 22, 2026
Stuller Names New Chief Merchandising, Marketing, Sales OfficerTaylor Burgess, who has been at Stuller since 2013, was promoted to the newly created role.
PodcastsJan 21, 2026
Episode 1: High Gold Prices, the Diamond Dilemma, & What’s NextWas 2025 a good year for jewelers? Did lab-grown diamonds outsell natural? Find out on the first episode of the “My Next Question” podcast.
CrimeJan 21, 2026
4 Men Charged in $1.7M California Smash-and-Grab Jewelry Store RobberyPlus, JSA’s Scott Guginsky discusses the need for jewelers to take more precautions as the gold price continues to climb.
IndependentsJan 21, 2026
Delaware Jeweler Felice Morris Dies at 91Morris’ most cherished role was being a mother and grandmother, her family said.
CollectionsJan 21, 2026
Bulgari Weaves New Collection of ‘Vimini’ Creations“Vimini” is the first chapter of the “Bulgari Eternal” collection that merges archival pieces with modern creations.
Events & AwardsJan 21, 2026
Jewelers Mutual’s ‘Conversations’ Retreat Returns to Discuss AIThe third edition will be held in Half Moon Bay, California, in April.
Events & AwardsJan 20, 2026
These Are the 5 Finalists for the David Yurman Gem Awards GrantThe grant is in its first year and was created to recognize an exceptional fine jewelry designer whose star is on the rise.
ColumnistsJan 20, 2026
First-Party Data Is the Most Valuable Asset Jewelers Have in 2026Data built on trust, not tracking, will be key to success going forward, as the era of “borrowed attention” ends, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
