ColumnistsMay 26, 2026
The Key Mindset for Better Trade Show BuyingBuying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.
OtherDec 16, 2014
8 tips for having a safe trunk show
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., ISPS and Jewelers UnBlocked give pointers on having a safe trunk show during the holiday season and year-round.
New York--Trunks shows are a good way to showcase goods from a particular designer, or designers, to a motivated customer base.
But getting those motivated customers into the store means advertising, which anyone, including criminals, can see.
David Sexton, the vice president of loss prevention consulting at Jewelers Mutual; Itay Hendel, the CEO of ISPS, a global jewelry security training and risk prevention firm; and Jewelers UnBlocked President and CEO Patricia Low offered the following tips for trunk show safety during the holiday season and year-round.
1) Ship the jewelry if possible. Vendors/designers shipping their goods directly to the store via armored car is the safest solution. And then, even if almost everything sells, ship what remains back to the office. “Thieves may target you as you leave the event, assuming that you have valuables on your person,” said ISPS’s Hendel.
2) If the merchandise can’t be sent in advance, be vigilant. Have the designer or vendor call when they near the store, giving the staff time to scope out the parking lot for suspicious behavior. Have them park as close as possible to a store entrance that is visible and not secluded.
3) Offer assistance. Have one or two members of the staff help unload the merchandise and bring it into the store while another staff member keeps an eye out for potential risks. The store owner should offer their safe or vault for overnight storage, if necessary.
4) Share information with the local police department. Let the local police department know that the store will be having designers/vendors visiting and be specific about the threats that robbery gangs pose. If possible, ask for extra police presence for the designer’s arrival and departure.
5) Keep a guard up, literally. Hendel recommended posting security guards--preferably off-duty police officers in uniform--at the front of the trunk show site whenever possible, particularly if the show includes significant pieces. Sexton said that jewelers also should, if feasible and necessary, provide secure transportation to and from the airport, or even provide an escort out of town to make sure the designer isn’t being followed.
6) Split up the high-value merchandise. Don’t put all the most expensive pieces in one display case to avoid huge losses in the event of a smash-and-grab.
7) Escort them out. Exercise the same vigilance as when the designer was arriving: Check the parking lot for
suspicious individuals and walk the designer to their car. Sexton also recommended that the person doing the escorting have a cell phone in hand so they can call in any suspicious activity. Do not, he said, carry a gun as it might escalate violence from waiting thieves.
8) Get covered. Both store owners and designers need to check with their insurance professional in advance to ensure they are covered for events such as a trunk show.
More on Other
The Latest
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
12 JCK Talks Sessions to Add to Your Las Vegas ScheduleThe trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
CBG Brings Its Curated Designer Project to Las Vegas ShowThe Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
TrendsMay 26, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: A Cooldown Is ComingBring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
SourcingMay 21, 2026
Botswana, Angola Join WFDBThe addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2026
Here Are the 2026 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.
AuctionsMay 15, 2026
American Collector Ponies Up Almost $17K for John Wayne’s RingThe Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.
