It’s the Signet-owned banner’s first location in Georgia.
4 Takeaways From My First Conclave
Associate Editor Lenore Fedow recaps the lessons she learned in Seattle at her first AGS Conclave.
![AGS Conclave wrapped up in Seattle earlier this month and plans to head to Denver next year. 20190314_Conclave_Logo_copy.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/25432d8df2c0f01eba5ad30b4fb45a7e.jpg)
I recently returned from my first American Gem Society Conclave, and now I’m here to write my first blog.
I joined National Jeweler’s editorial team this January, covering breaking news and financials of the large public jewelry companies, like Signet and Tiffany.
I am taking my background in business journalism—covering Wall Street and market trends—and my previous experience working in New York’s Diamond District providing customer service and combining them for this job.
If I’ve learned one thing in my short time here, it’s that I have quite a lot to learn, which is the reason I packed my bags and headed west to Seattle earlier this month.
So, without further ado, here are four takeaways from an industry newbie’s first Conclave.
1. It’s a close-knit community.
I made my way to the registration desk Monday morning to pick up my entry badge. An AGS employee greeted me with a smile and took down my information, printing out my badge and slapping a bright, white sticker on the bottom.
It read “NEWCOMER,” clear as day in shiny gold lettering.
I spotted a fair number of white badges during my time in Seattle at Conclave, but I got the sense that most of the people attending had been coming to Conclave for quite a while.
Rarely did I make it down a hallway or through the lobby without walking around groups of what seemed like old friends, excitedly chit-chatting about what’s gone on since last they met.
The newcomer badge was a wonderful icebreaker when I stopped to chat between sessions or in the elevator. It was encouraging to hear how many years people have been attending Conclave.
While the education sessions were interesting and diverse, I imagine what brings people back year after year is the sense of community.
Here I was halfway across the country in a new city in a new industry and I was made to feel right at home.
So if you stopped to say hello or made space for me at your breakfast table, it was noticed and appreciated.
2. Adapting to change is a slow but necessary process.
A change isn’t coming; it is already here.
Throughout my time at Conclave, I met with so many wonderful people with so much experience and talent to share with the industry.
However, as I sat through sessions and listened in on discussions, I sensed a lot of hesitancy to change, especially in terms of technology and social
I wouldn’t advise everyone to put their inventory on blockchain or start opening pop-up shops left and right, but an openness to change is a step in the right direction.
I sat in on a session led by Jennifer Shaheen, president of Technology Therapy Group, which provides marketing and tech expertise to retailers, and she was quick to offer a helping hand to jewelers in attendance.
During her session, she went over how artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality and virtual reality were changing the retail landscape and outlined ways storeowners could utilize technology to improve the shopping experience and collect useful data along the way.
If you’re looking to educate yourself on retail technology or make better use of your data, Shaheen would be the person for the job.
3. There is still some confusion about the revised FTC Jewelry Guides.
I attended a session on the revised Jewelry Guides, presented by Tiffany Stevens and Sara Yood of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.
I was a bit confused as to why the session would be held in April when the revised guidelines were made public in July, but after sitting in on this session I came to see why continual education is needed.
As a relative newcomer to the jewelry world, I thought I’d be alone in my confusion when Stevens and Yood went into the nitty-gritty details of the revised guidelines, but there were a lot of hands up during the Q&A portion.
If you need a refresher, you can take a peek at our stories about the changes to the Jewelry Guides as they pertain to lab-grown diamonds as well as other topics including pearls and metals.
If you have compliance questions, you might want to give JVC a call.
4. Have confidence in your product.
It was clear to me from the start at National Jeweler that lab-grown diamonds have really shaken up the industry.
In a lot of what I've read so far and heard at Conclave, I feel like lab-grown diamonds are being positioned as akin to the bogeyman, lurking around the corner poised to snatch away all natural diamond customers with deceitful advertising.
But at the end of a session on diamond market trends, Rapaport Senior Analyst and News Editor Avi Krawitz said something that stuck with me.
He advised attendees to vouch for their product, highlighting what makes a natural diamond unique, and focus less on the perceived threat of lab-grown diamonds.
I can’t speak for my entire generation but, for me, the natural formation of a diamond, and any gemstone really, is the most fascinating and unique thing about it.
It’s incredible to think that this stone on my finger is the result of carbon molecules coming together over billions of years deep in the earth. Then, human innovation found a way to unearth that stone and transform it into portable art, allowing me to carry a piece of that story around with me every day.
Sold.
In closing, I am grateful for this new experience and the industry’s warm welcome. I look forward to seeing you all again soon!
The Latest
![These “Double Loop” earrings feature a drop-cut amethyst sitting atop the lower hoop, totaling 1.60 carats between both earrings. The hoops are made of silver covered in “pistacchio” colored enamel, while 9-karat yellow gold holds the stones in place and connect the two hoops behind the earlobe ($1,770). Bea Bongiasca’s Double Loop Earrings](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/f338ef6b4603be3c97765f833b831ca0.jpg)
Commemorate “brat summer” with these green hoops.
Sponsored by Gemological Institute of America
![Untitled design.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/583fbcb2bb839782810080debef35d3c.jpg)
As the demand for lab-grown diamond jewelry may still be increasing, the most notable change we are likely to see is price stabilization.
![Earlier this month, online giant Amazon and the Better Business Bureau filed a joint federal lawsuit against ReviewServiceUSA.com for allegedly selling fake reviews, both positive and negative. Amazon package outside door](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/27fce4225a38900d54a5536ce523a22d.jpg)
They claim ReviewServiceUSA.com was selling both positive and negative reviews of products and businesses.
![](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/99a46b30cc354962ac2e29ecd113587a.jpg)
![A shot of the Venetia diamond mine in South Africa, owned by De Beers Group. The diamond miner and marketer saw revenue drop 21 percent and rough diamond sales decline 20 percent in a “weak” market for diamonds. De Beers’ Venetia diamond mine](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/a1f16ceaaba662e80385166060d192a7.jpg)
Lab-grown diamond sales in the United States and ongoing economic challenges in China are impacting natural diamond demand.
A longtime member of IJO, she’s remembered for her passion for design, learning, and environmentalism.
![1872 x 1052 Gemolite.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9d60901b44425a53b9010301897a3bbc.jpg)
GIA®’s most advanced microscope has new features to optimize greater precision and comfort.
![A malachite and diamond bracelet from Pomellato’s “Pom Pom Dot” collection, launched earlier this year. Pomellato and Boucheron were bright spots for Kering in an otherwise underwhelming first half of the year. Pomellato Malachite Pom Pom Dot bracelet](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/3c237b62e009742fc52487097daf3c5a.jpg)
The gains come amid a tough time for parent company Kering, which saw sales slide 11 percent in the first half of the year.
![Volunteers and Shane Co.’s corporate team from all 22 locations of the family-owned jewelry chain have begun packing backpacks with school supplies for teachers to distribute to their students this school year. Shane Co. and the Kids in Need foundation logo](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/1c5abfb36ec775724f014f47bfbb47fc.jpg)
The fine jewelry retailer filled backpacks with back-to-school essentials for students in 13 states.
![A shot from the advertising campaign for LVMH-owned Bulgari’s “Eden the Garden of Wonders” high jewelry collection. LVMH’s jewelry and watch sales slipped in the first half of the fiscal year. Bulgari high jewelry campaign](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/c24eb75ca8cea44d2e9859648f4a98ee.jpg)
Tiffany & Co. is focusing on its “iconic” collections while the company has made changes at the top at TAG Heuer and Hublot.
![Chaumet, a Parisian jeweler owned by LVMH, has designed the Olympic and Paralympic Games medals. Chaumet Paris 2024 Olympics medals](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/7831b3a738baddfc7d783e6df0fbf796.jpg)
The Parisian brand is the first jewelry company in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to design the medals.
![The acquisition of Union Life & Casualty by Jewelers Mutual will help strengthen both the pawn market and the insurance industry, said JM. Jewelers Mutual and Union Life and Casualty logos](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/195925667226ecfc51b4e1bb09607143.jpg)
Union Life & Casualty will join JM Insurance Agency Partners, expanding the provider’s pawnbroker coverage.
![The winner of this year’s Lonia Tate scholarship, Bradlei Smith will receive the opportunity to earn her Graduate Gemologist diploma from GIA and, following graduation, an internship at Ben Bridge Jeweler in Seattle. Bradlei Smith](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/996834935ae30a7a1195db8b9db6cb7d.jpg)
Los Angeles-based Bradlei Smith was selected for this year’s award.
![Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com. National Jeweler columnist Peter Smith](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/bec7295a7f478778b1c196e6d81e7cd9.jpg)
In his latest column, Smith shares multiple reasons why people who look at the glass as being hall full often make better salespeople.
![De Beers Group mined 6.4 million carats of diamonds in the second quarter of 2024, down from 7.6 million in the same period last year. (©De Beers Group/Photo credit: Ben Perry @ Armoury Films) De Beers rough diamond display](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/80cd02b1c8384f4b2efda0bcdf6a75e1.jpg)
The company also reported the $150 million sale of an iron ore royalty right, part of its ongoing effort to divest “non-core” assets.
![In honor of its summer bridal event, Long’s Jewelers is partnering with Wequassett Resort and Golf Club on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, and jewelry brand JB Star on a vacation giveaway. Long’s Jewelers giveaway promo](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/4e7a90944c4e8875a4f3818dbe26b28b.jpg)
The giveaway is part of the New England jeweler’s summer bridal event.
![L.A.-based flower designer, Sophia Moreno-Bunge models Guzema’s “Hidden Beauty” collection in front of a garden in Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, California. Sophia Moreno-Bunge of Isa Isa modeling Guzema’s Hidden Beauty collection](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/6f3822623eb7fd2f6468f82825194cb1.jpg)
The ad features three celebrity florists creating floral sculptures while wearing jewelry by Guzema.
![The Entrepreneurship Grants program supports winners with financial aid to scale their businesses and increase their societal impact, said Diamonds Do Good. Pictured here are three of the 13 winners, top right is Tresia Shituula, and bottom row left to right, are Monkgogi Moshaga and Mohamed Samu. Tresia Shituula, Monkgogi Moshaga, Mohamed Samu](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/a7c9b87301b76a9446f6522747ce5b95.jpg)
The grant provided a total of $100,000 to support 13 entrepreneurs from diamond communities in Africa and India.
![Ghazi Osta, better known as Gus, was the owner and president of Volusia Gold & Diamond, a store he and his wife, Leigh Osta, opened in 1986. He was shot and killed inside the store Friday afternoon after a brief argument with a regular customer. (Photo courtesy of Volusia Gold & Diamond Facebook page) Ghazi “Gus” Michel Osta](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/c8c1fa3df746cbd364915a98dcac9d21.jpg)
Ghazi Michel Osta, or “Gus,” was killed Friday by an 83-year-old man said to be a frequent customer at his store, Volusia Gold & Diamond.
![Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez (left) is the Responsible Jewellery Council’s new head of North American development, and Effie Marinos is its new specialist advisor for technical standards. Elyssa Jenkins-Perez and Effie Marinos](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/94332af0c7a776e7a8c36fabf76baa5f.jpg)
The organization also announced Effie Marinos as its new specialist advisor for technical standards, as well as four other appointments.
![Karen Rentmeesters, who joined the Antwerp World Diamond Centre in 2010, will take on the role of CEO. Karen Rentmeesters](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/3256fcc71cd43a399055c61f68486269.jpg)
Rentmeesters has served as interim CEO since April following former CEO Ari Epstein’s resignation.
![Longtime Washington, D.C., jeweler Brian Mann (right) with his wife Jessie Mann, an artist who custom-paints porcelain Limoges Boxes, at a 2016 Jewelers of America member event. Mann, the longtime co-owner of David Mann Jewelers, died June 21 at age 70. Brian and Jessie Mann](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/be4debc6e0b3198943a66ef0e2197c2c.jpg)
Mann, whose family’s jewelry store was located inside the Pentagon, is remembered for being a thoughtful champion of the industry.
![The 1916 Company recently opened a new Tudor boutique in Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Tudor store in Denver](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9f8600ea53ed731963331ebd28a10d16.jpg)
The 500-square-foot boutique is located in Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
![This necklace from Messika’s “So Move Max” set is made of yellow gold with 19.18-carats of brilliant-cut diamonds and designed with circle motifs that move within the links (price upon request). Messika’s So Move Max Necklace](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/14c78af4a4e8c6b996a81bbb5a5bc69f.jpg)
Dance all night long with the “So Move Max” set’s necklace.
![On Sept. 1, Julien Tornare (left), current CEO of TAG Heuer, will become CEO of Hublot. Antoine Pin, now the general manager of Bulgari’s watch business, will take over Tornare’s role as CEO of TAG Heuer. (Images courtesy of LinkedIn) Julien Tornare and Antoine Pin](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/b24627b34ece895ddd254bae22751fb8.jpg)
Luxury giant LVMH is reshuffling the leadership in its watches division.
![A rendering of a billboard from Etsy’s new campaign. The campaign is designed to highlight the platform’s creators and how their products are made. Etsy billboard rendering in NYC](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9a94f394f326b90dc1c9da6a711c5e09.jpg)
Sellers and shoppers have spoken out against a rise in mass-produced merchandise on the platform meant to highlight handmade goods.