Events & AwardsOct 30, 2026
Illuminating Carved Paraiba Pendant, Suite of Moonstones Wow at Spectrum AwardsSpectrum’s “Best of Show” honors went to a 101-carat Paraiba carved to look like Medusa that has a magnet-activated LED light.
EditorsJun 13, 2019
Musings from a Las Vegas Market Week Newcomer
Associate Editor Lenore Fedow shares four takeaways from her first Vegas trip, including her favorite events and why she doesn’t want another tote bag.
JCK Las Vegas is one of the many jewelry trade shows that takes place during jewelry market week, and is one of the shows Associate Editor Lenore Fedow went to during her first trip to Vegas.
I’m the new kid in class here at National Jeweler, having joined the editorial team this January.
My previous—and first—blog was about my experience attending American Gem Society Conclave this past April in Seattle, sitting in on education sessions and meeting a slew of industry experts.
If Conclave was my orientation to the jewelry world, then Las Vegas market week was my official initiation.
Here are my takeaways as a first-time attendee of the jewelry trade shows in Vegas.
1. There is so much—too much?—to see.
My plane made a rocky landing at McCarran that Thursday afternoon (May 30, the first day of Couture) and I don’t think I stopped going until I sat back down on my return flight to New York the following Monday morning.
I hit the ground running Thursday, heading over to Couture to “ooh” and “ahh” at some of the loveliest jewelry I have ever seen.
Notable mentions include the entire team at For Future Reference, a PR-meets-jewelry-sales company representing designers including Brent Neale and Retrouvai.
My previous—and first—blog was about my experience attending American Gem Society Conclave this past April in Seattle, sitting in on education sessions and meeting a slew of industry experts.
If Conclave was my orientation to the jewelry world, then Las Vegas market week was my official initiation.
Here are my takeaways as a first-time attendee of the jewelry trade shows in Vegas.
1. There is so much—too much?—to see.
My plane made a rocky landing at McCarran that Thursday afternoon (May 30, the first day of Couture) and I don’t think I stopped going until I sat back down on my return flight to New York the following Monday morning.
I hit the ground running Thursday, heading over to Couture to “ooh” and “ahh” at some of the loveliest jewelry I have ever seen.
Notable mentions include the entire team at For Future Reference, a PR-meets-jewelry-sales company representing designers including Brent Neale and Retrouvai.
A Brent Neale 18-karat yellow gold necklace featuring a lapis vase with flowers made of red coral, amethyst, mother-of-pearl, carnelian, citrine, and rainbow moonstone. ($13,850)
I also went to see Jan Leslie, a New York-based designer with a penchant for beautiful, quirky creations.
Leslie’s rainbow gummy bear-inspired cufflinks took home the 2019 Couture Design Award for Best in Men’s.
After a full Friday at Couture, I spent the weekend at JCK running from breakfasts to press briefings to lunch panels to appointments.
Tagging along with our Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff, I stopped by Stuller’s colossal booth to check out its new offerings—everything from fine jewelry down to the box it comes in—then met with Altr founder Amish Shah to discuss the future of lab-grown diamonds. (Michelle is working on articles about both of those.)
I also spent time with Omi Privé then Victoria Tse, playing dress-up with out-of-this-world beautiful colored gemstones and learning what went into making them so breathtaking.
It was a productive trip for sure, but even with a full schedule, there were things I missed.
My fellow editors told me about Lenore Dailey, an antique jewelry collector with an eclectic assortment of beautiful pieces. The opportunities to meet a fellow Lenore are few and far between, but I couldn’t find the time to head over to the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show at the convention center, which also housed the new Premier jewelry trade show, to seek her out.
I don’t know if it’s possible to see everything there is to see during market week, but I look forward to trying next year.
2. The impact of jewelry is far-reaching.
When I transitioned from being a business journalist, covering Wall Street and market trends, to covering the world of jewelry, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I knew how important my jewelry was to me—how fiercely, for example, I love the pair of snowflake-shaped earrings from my mother—and I knew what small businesses like mom-and-pop jewelry stores mean to a community, but I didn’t have a sense of the overall impact.
Nevertheless, I felt in my heart that moving on to cover this industry was a worthwhile endeavor.
I was assured that I had made the right call when I attended JCK’s opening breakfast with a special guest speaker, the president of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi.
The president of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi
I knew a little about Botswana before attending the breakfast, mainly about the various diamond mines and its wildlife.
President Masisi expressed what the diamond industry has done for his country, transforming one of the world’s poorest nations into an upper-middle-income country.
Diamonds represent one-third of the country’s gross domestic product, said Masisi, and the proceeds from the country’s 50-year partnership with De Beers have been invested into updated infrastructure, schools, roads and hospitals.
Masisi was an incredible speaker and I left the session feeling immensely proud of somewhere I have never even been.
3. Bring comfortable shoes and leave your tote bags at home.
Everyone warned me not to try to be a shoe fashion hero on the show floors, to ditch my heels and bring my most comfortable shoes with me to Vegas. I heeded those warnings, packing comfy ballet flats and sandals with soft, cushioned soles.
I wouldn’t have lasted an hour in heels and only wore them sparingly to dressier events. Even then, I had a pair of emergency flip-flops in my bag to change into for the walk back to my hotel room.
I needed a comfortable pair of shoes as much as I didn’t need a tote bag. There were tote bags galore at every show and at every booth.
I love a good tote bag, but I’m putting my foot down and calling for an end to the madness.
Looking for inspiration on what to hand out instead? Stuller gave out flower seeds while Tacori sent me on my way with a big bag of candy and I couldn’t have been happier.
4. I am really lucky.
On my worst day, when everything is going wrong, I still know how lucky I am to be doing what I love. I wake up excited for the day ahead and that’s not something everyone can say about their job.
Trying on a ton of jewelry was a dream come true, but it was the people I met in Vegas who left the most lasting impression.
What’s stuck with me is how warm and welcoming people were, how excited they were to share their knowledge with me and show off what they had created.
I feel grateful to work in an exciting and fun industry that has the capacity to do so much good for so many people and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Editors
The Latest
TrendsOct 30, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Pendants Say ‘Eye’m Watching You’Our Halloween Pieces of the Week are four “Eye” pendants, each set with colorful gemstones.
MajorsOct 30, 2026
The RealReal Hires Former eBay Exec as New Chief Merchandising OfficerAlexis Hoopes expanded eBay’s “Authenticity Guarantee” program during her tenure.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
WatchesOct 29, 2026
Bucherer Opens Rolex Boutique in Washington StateThe Rolex-owned retailer’s new 4,700-square-foot store’s façade honors the Pacific Northwest’s evergreen forests.
Weekly QuizOct 29, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsOct 29, 2026
Amanda's Style File: All Treats, No Tricks Get into the Halloween spirit with this roundup of 13 spooky jewels.
MajorsOct 29, 2026
Gesswein Hires Longtime Bench Jeweler, Educator Ann CahoonCahoon was appointed strategic account and educational program manager at Gesswein, which recently joined Continental Buying Group.
Brought to you by
Open an Account, Get $50 Off Your First Order. No Code Needed.Built on Relationships. Refined by Craft.
MajorsOct 29, 2026
Amanda Seyfried Stars In Tiffany & Co.’s Holiday CampaignTiffany & Co.’s latest ambassador makes her debut in its “Love Is a Gift” holiday campaign.
CrimeOct 28, 2026
Man In Florida Who Swallowed Tiffany & Co. Earrings ConvictedJaythan Gilder was found guilty of robbery and grand theft after stealing and then ingesting nearly $800,000 worth of Tiffany & Co. jewelry.
SurveysOct 28, 2026
Consumer Confidence Up in October as Gas Prices EaseConsumer confidence remains on the long-term downward trend that’s persisted over the past few years, said a Conference Board economist.
MajorsOct 28, 2026
Stuller’s Holiday Campaign Lets the ‘Magic of the Moment’ ShineThe holiday campaign includes key jewelry trends, a curated holiday gift guide, and resources to help jewelers prepare for holiday shoppers.
SourcingOct 27, 2026
De Beers Celebrates the Holidays With New ‘Desert Diamonds’ CampaignThe “Icons” holiday campaign spotlights four classic diamond jewelry styles reimagined in “Desert Diamond” tones.
IndependentsOct 27, 2026
Solomon Brothers Acquires Mervis Diamond ImportersSolomon Brothers, which has three stores in the Metro Atlanta area, said it may continue to acquire other independent jewelers.
IndependentsOct 27, 2026
Gabriel & Co. Supports Charity Partner DKMS With Gala, New JewelsThe fine jewelry brand raised $2.3 million at its annual gala that supports the nonprofit’s fight against blood cancer and blood disorders.
Events & AwardsOct 27, 2026
JFC Announces 2027 ‘Facets’ HonoreesThe annual fundraising event is slated for June 6, 2027, at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
CollectionsOct 26, 2026
Bliss Lau’s ‘Vantage’ Point Is the Hawaiian HorizonIn her “Vantage” collection, Lau explores heritage, identity, and inner strength through designs featuring blue-green Guatemalan jade.
MajorsOct 26, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Takes Consumers Behind the ScenesThe jeweler gave the public backstage tours of its flagship store and its design and innovation workshop as part of LVMH’s open house.
Events & AwardsOct 26, 2026
Support JFC’s ‘Monster Mash Challenge,’ If You DareVote for which jewelry professional should dress up as a monster to support Jewelers for Children’s annual Halloween fundraiser.
MajorsOct 23, 2026
PGI USA Set to Close at Year’s EndThe closure is part of a global restructuring that also includes PGI winding down its operations in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
SourcingOct 23, 2026
Rachel Chalchinsky’s ‘Survivor Tribute’ RingThe ring, our Piece of the Week, was designed by eight-year breast cancer survivor Rachel Chalchinsky of Color Source Gems.
TechnologyOct 23, 2026
JA Unveils New Website, LogoThe website offers enhanced member benefit access, industry directories, educational resources, a job board, and access to the MJSA Journal.
FinancialsOct 23, 2026
Kering’s Jewelry Sales Up Double Digits in Q3Boucheron and Pomellato had a strong third quarter, with Kering looking at jewelry as an increasingly important part of its portfolio.
CrimeOct 22, 2026
Jeweler Shot and Killed in His Suburban Cincinnati Store Tara Sinchuri was the owner of Everest Jewels in Fairfield, Ohio, and a father of three. He was found dead in his store on Tuesday.
MajorsOct 22, 2026
Neiman Marcus Has Gifts for the Jewelry Lover Who Has EverythingBespoke experiences from Buccellati and Verdura are on the retailer’s 2026 “Fantasy Gifts” list.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2026
JIS Fall 2026 Reports Record-Breaking Attendance The number of participants at the fall show was up 12 percent.
CollectionsOct 22, 2026
Billie Eilish, Finneas Co-Design Collection for John HardyThe Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings have collaborated with John Hardy on a new jewelry line inspired by their personal style.
