This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
5 new, potentially good reads for October
Goodreads, an online book discussion website, has released its monthly list of recently published books in all categories, from historical fiction to biography and memoirs.

New York--Goodreads, an online book discussion website, has released its monthly list of recently published books in all categories, from historical fiction to biography and memoirs.
National Jeweler chose four of these books that could be useful to business owners. This month’s picks include The Innovators, which tells the story of the collaborative geniuses of the digital age, as well as The Woman Who Would Be King, which touches on the world’s reactions to women in power. A staff pick also is included, as the last recommendation.
The following list provides a brief summary of each book and links to additional information on Goodreads.
1. The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
Walter Isaacson
Isaacson tells the story of the collaborative innovators of the digital age: who they were, how their minds worked and what made them so creative. It’s also a narrative of how they worked together and why their ability to work in teams led to even more creativity. This book is 528 pages.
2. The Invisible History of the Human Race: How DNA and History Shape Our Identities and Our Futures
Christine Kenneally
This book is a researched and provocative perspective on how our stories, psychology and genetics affect our past and future, exploring how everything from DNA to emotions to names and the stories that form our lives are part of our human legacy. Kenneally explores how trust is inherited in Africa and silence is passed down in Tasmania--how the history of nations is written in DNA. This book is 368 pages.
3. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Kara Cooney
This biography explores the longest-reigning female pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and the story of her rise to power in a man’s world. Hatshepsut was born into a privileged position of the royal household, as the daughter of a general who took Egypt’s throne, and whose mother had ties to the previous dynasty. Cooney traces the unconventional life of the almost-forgotten pharaoh and explores the world’s complicated reactions to women in power. This book is 384 pages.
4. Yes Please
Amy Poehler
In her first book, actress Amy Poehler offers up personal stories, funny bits on life, friendship and parenthood, and real-life advice on topics including when to be funny and when to be serious. This book is 288 pages.
Téa Obreht
Senior Editor Hannah Connorton finished this fictional story over the summer, which tells the story of a young doctor who is trekking to an orphanage by the sea for a mercy mission while dealing with the circumstances of her grandfather’s death. She recalls the stories he told her when she was a child, including those from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, but the most important story her grandfather has to tell is the one the doctor must discover for herself. This book is 338 pages.
The Latest

As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.

Discover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

The “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.


The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

Two existing executives have been given new roles.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

Meredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.