IndependentsNov 25, 2025
Pearl Stringer Margaret Hoisik DiesShe is remembered as an artist who loved her craft and was devoted to her faith, her friends, and her family.
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.
More on Editors
The Latest
SourcingNov 25, 2025
Finestar Opens Diamond Manufacturing Facility in JohannesburgIt joins the company’s other manufacturing facilities globally, including in India, Botswana, and Namibia.
TrendsNov 25, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Polka DotsThe polka dot pattern transcends time and has re-emerged as a trend in jewelry through round-shaped gemstones.
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.
CrimeNov 25, 2025
Former Arizona AG Official Charged With Trafficking Stolen JewelryVanessa Hickman, 49, allegedly sold a diamond bracelet that was mistakenly sent to her home.
Weekly QuizNov 20, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsNov 25, 2025
GIA Awards Susan Jacques With Its Highest HonorGIA’s former president and CEO was presented with the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement.
Recorded WebinarsNov 24, 2025
Watch: Top Tips for Social Media EtiquetteSocial media experts spoke about protecting brand reputation through behaving mindfully online.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
WatchesNov 24, 2025
Breitling Reveals Plans for Gallet, Universal GenèveIn 2026, the three will come together as “House of Brands,” with Gallet sold in Breitling stores and Universal Genève sold separately.
CollectionsNov 24, 2025
Muse Debuts a Wicked 'Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo' SequelThe second drop, which includes more Elphaba-inspired pieces from additional designers, will continue to benefit nonprofit Dreams of Hope.
IndependentsNov 24, 2025
J.R. Dunn Jewelers Names New PresidentSecond-generation jeweler Sean Dunn has taken on the role.
MajorsNov 21, 2025
Natural Diamond Council Names New CEOAmber Pepper’s main focus will be on digital innovation and engaging younger consumers.
SourcingNov 21, 2025
De Beers’ Branded, Traceable Diamonds Roll Out to 19 Retailers Called “Origin by De Beers Group,” the loose, polished diamonds are being sold in a total of 30 stores in the United States and Canada.
CollectionsNov 21, 2025
Piece of the Week: Melissa Kaye’s ‘Rocky Infinity’ NecklaceThe lariat necklace features a 4.88-carat oval-cut Zambian emerald in 18-karat yellow gold.
AuctionsNov 20, 2025
Vanderbilt Jewels Shine at Phillips Sale, Pink Diamond WithdrawnA 43-carat sapphire brooch from the Vanderbilt collection was the top lot of the Geneva sale.
CollectionsNov 20, 2025
Rebecca Rau Jewels Debuts With ‘Then & Now’ CollectionRau is a fourth-generation art and antique dealer from M.S. Rau gallery whose first jewelry collection merges artifacts with modern design.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2025
RJC Names New Executive DirectorFormer De Beers sustainability leader Purvi Shah will take over the role in February 2026.
WatchesNov 20, 2025
LVMH Takes Minority Stake in Citizen Group-Owned Movement Maker La Joux-Perret is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and makes solar quartz as well as mechanical watch movements.
GradingNov 20, 2025
Julia Griffith Joins SSEF as Head of EducationShe previously taught at Gem-A and is the founder of The Gem Academy.
CollectionsNov 19, 2025
Larkspur & Hawk Celebrates 25 Years With Helena Bonham Carter CampaignThe British actress and her daughter modeled pieces from the brand’s new “Palette” capsule for its “Once Upon a Time” holiday campaign.
TechnologyNov 19, 2025
Google Has a New Form for Reporting ‘Review Bombing’ Attacks Plus, the tech giant shares the steps retailers should take if they believe they’re a victim of a review extortion scam.
IndependentsNov 19, 2025
Houston Jeweler Keith Shaftel Retires, Next Generation Steps In Danny and Gaby Shaftel are now Shaftel Diamonds’ CEO and chief operating officer, respectively.
TrendsNov 19, 2025
Midas Chain Releases 2025 Holiday Style GuideThe jewelry manufacturer’s seasonal offering features its new “Melodie” bangles, as well as mini stud earrings and layering pieces.
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2025
NYC Jewelry Week 2025: 12 Must-See EventsWith more than 140 activations taking place in New York City now through Nov. 23, these 12 events are can’t-miss moments.
MajorsNov 18, 2025
Lugano Diamonds Files for Bankruptcy, Looking for BuyerThe Chapter 11 filing follows the resignation of CEO Moti Ferder, who stepped down after an investigation into the company’s finances.
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2025
A Giant, Bejeweled Moldy Berry Is on Display in LAThe artwork is part of an exhibition featuring works by Kathleen Ryan, an artist known for her gemstone-studded rotting fruit sculptures.
SourcingNov 18, 2025
Another Diamond Company CEO Steps DownMark Wall, president and CEO of Canadian mining company Mountain Province Diamonds, will vacate his position next month.
