Policies & IssuesFeb 20, 2026
Supreme Court Rules Against Most of President Trump’s TariffsIn a 6-3 ruling, the court said the president exceeded his authority when imposing sweeping tariffs under IEEPA.
EditorsJun 17, 2019
What Does Transparency Mean in 2019?
It’s central to growing your business, and it’s not just about material provenance.
There are a handful of topics right now in the jewelry industry that come up again and again—sustainability, social media and omnichannel retail, to name a few—and rightly so, because they signal monumental changes in the way all sectors of the industry do business.
Transparency is one of these hot topics that I hear a great deal about, but I was surprised to get a totally different take on the issue at a recent educational panel at JCK Las Vegas.
Moderated by Ben Smithee of The Smithee Group, the panelists of “JCK Next Generation” illuminated how empowering transparency can be for a company when approached in a multi-faceted way.
“Some of us think if we don’t know provenance for every single element that we can’t participate in being transparent with our customers—that’s not at all true.”— Michelle Adorjan Chila, Tacori
“Don’t be intimidated by it,” said Michelle Adorjan Chila, senior vice president of marketing and public relations at Tacori.
“Some of us think if we don’t know provenance for every single element that we can’t participate in being transparent with our customers—that’s not at all true.”
For Tacori, Chila explained, which is handmade in California, the brand’s current mission is to illuminate what it already offers—“bespoke, made-to-measure jewelry”—to consumers.
“What we’re working toward is creating that artisanal transparency, so [customers] know which artisans worked on their pieces,” she said.
“In bridal, every customer feels like they got their own ring, though [in the industry] we know it’s a variation of a color, a finger size, a diamond shape or size, but it has to feel really personal. And that journey that it takes to get to you is personal. Each ring has its own unique path.”
Transparency can also be a valuable tool, she said, in communicating a brand’s story through social media.
“We’ve been doing Instagram Stories where we meet our designers and they talk about their favorite pieces and why. Doing that for your sales team is also really functional, where they get to share their favorite pieces and why, or give visibility into the before and after of a custom piece.
“Any [time] you give people insight into the magic adds value, and whether that’s provenance-related or materials-related or designer-related, that’s a really important story that we need more of.”
Chila’s point, that transparency into the inner workings of a business can pique
customer interest by drawing them into the brand’s world, had me thinking of certain social media accounts that I enjoy following.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by WWAKE (@wwake) on Jun 15, 2019 at 12:30pm PDT
Brooklyn, New York-based Wwake, headed by designer Wing Yau, is a perfect example of the strategy Chila talks about.
A recent Instagram story I viewed took me behind-the-scenes of the Wwake workshop in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood, where I watched a female bench jeweler set a ring with diamonds and gemstones. What many in the industry may take for granted as being the mundane, daily workings of their company can be fascinating to the average layperson, even to a seasoned jewelry lover like me.
I’m not the only one interested in the unique, esoteric craft of jewelry-making.
Instagram itself went on to visit the Wwake workshop as well, capturing a tour of the facility in its Instagram Stories (yes, Instagram’s Instagram Stories; I can only imagine how many consumers were introduced to Wwake in the process.)
Even if product isn’t fully made on-site or in the country, brands can still provide insight into their world.
Dana Rebecca Designs, based out of Chicago, does an excellent job of this.
A recent Instagram story showed the designer in her workshop in India, demonstrating the steps of the manufacturing process, while a typical story will show employees of the Chicago store showing off the jewelry they’re wearing that day, oftentimes touting a sale to go with it for certain pieces, and even tagging the clothing brands they’re wearing.
The social interaction feels personal and authentic, which is the key to transparency, said another “JCK Next Generation” panelist, Jackie Brooks, owner of Bottom Line Marketing.
“Be transparent with your employees. Are you up? Are you down?”— Jackie Brooks, Bottom Line Marketing
“You can’t cut corners anymore, it needs to be real,” she said of addressing consumers on social media.
But authenticity doesn’t stop there. Brooks stressed that transparency is important in all aspects of a company, not just on the consumer-facing front.
“Be transparent with your employees,” she said. “Are you up? Are you down? Are you meeting your sales goals? Why are there secrets in that world? Let employees take ownership.”
And how can retailers address transparency, particularly when it comes to the provenance of all the materials from all the brands they carry or the loose diamonds they sell, including older product made or mined before there was all this emphasis on transparency and traceability?
GIA Global Director of Business Development (and former National Jeweler publisher) Matthew Tratner said that as he’s traveled the country talking about GIA’s new diamond origin reports, that’s the No. 1 question he’s asked, and his advice is to just be honest.
“Unfortunately, the answer is really that the technology just didn’t exist to be able to match that rough to the polished diamond. It doesn’t mean [a diamond was] unethically sourced.
“As technology evolves and blockchain gets better and other [new] data systems come to the forefront, there’s always going to be that question.”
Tratner said to tell consumers: “There’s the technology to identify these diamonds now; when these other diamonds were obtained, the technology didn’t exist.”
More on Editors
The Latest
ColumnistsFeb 20, 2026
Peter Smith: Happiness, Cavemen, and Jewelry SalesSmith encourages salespeople to ask customers questions that elicit the release of oxytocin, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical.
MajorsFeb 20, 2026
Jewelers Vigilance Committee Names Julie Yoakum Board ChairJVC also announced the election of five new board members.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
CollectionsFeb 20, 2026
Boucheron’s ‘Faisceaux’ Brooch Heads to V&A MuseumThe brooch, our Piece of the Week, shows the chromatic spectrum through a holographic coating on rock crystal.
Weekly QuizFeb 19, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsFeb 19, 2026
Bailey’s Fine Jewelry Co-Founder ‘Mama Ann’ Bailey Dies at 100Raised in an orphanage, Bailey was 18 when she met her husband, Clyde. They opened their North Carolina jewelry store in 1948.
IndependentsFeb 19, 2026
Material Good Opens Third Location Material Good is celebrating its 10th anniversary as it opens its new store in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
Events & AwardsFeb 19, 2026
The Original Miami Beach Antique Show Returns in MarchThe show will be held March 26-30 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
AuctionsFeb 18, 2026
Joanna Carson’s Jewels Head to AuctionThe estate of the model, philanthropist, and ex-wife of Johnny Carson has signed statement jewels up for sale at John Moran Auctioneers.
PodcastsFeb 18, 2026
Episode 2: Jewelry Trends & Does the Red Carpet Matter?Are arm bands poised to make a comeback? Has red-carpet jewelry become boring? Find out on the second episode of the “My Next Question” podcast.
MajorsFeb 18, 2026
Select Jewelry Inks Agreement to Distribute Lightweight Gold JewelryIt will lead distribution in North America for Graziella Braccialini's new gold pieces, which it said are 50 percent lighter.
Policies & IssuesFeb 18, 2026
Community for Ethical Jewelry Looks for Executive DirectorThe organization is seeking a new executive director to lead it into its next phase of strategic growth and industry influence.
Events & AwardsFeb 18, 2026
DCA to Host Gemstone Selling Education Session at IJO EventThe nonprofit will present a live, two-hour introductory course on building confidence when selling colored gemstones.
TrendsFeb 17, 2026
A Bit of Jewelry for the Year of the HorseWestern wear continues to trend in the Year of the Fire Horse and along with it, horse and horseshoe motifs in jewelry.
SourcingFeb 17, 2026
Colored Gemstone Experts Talk Tariffs, Trends in TucsonAlthough the market is robust, tariffs and precious metal prices are impacting the industry, Stuart Robertson and Brecken Branstrator said.
GradingFeb 17, 2026
Dr. George Rossman, Former GIA Governor, Dies at 81Rossman, who advised GIA for more than 50 years, is remembered for his passion and dedication to the field of gemology.
CrimeFeb 13, 2026
JSA Offering $10K Reward in Nancy Guthrie Case Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, was abducted just as the Tucson gem shows were starting.
IndependentsFeb 13, 2026
97-Year-Old New Mexico Jewelry Store To CloseButterfield Jewelers in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is preparing to close as members of the Butterfield family head into retirement.
CollectionsFeb 13, 2026
A ‘Rosebud’ Necklace for Valentine’s DayPaul Morelli’s “Rosebud” necklace, our Piece of the Week, uses 18-karat rose, green, and white gold to turn the symbol of love into jewelry.
MajorsFeb 13, 2026
JFC Announces New BeneficiariesThe nonprofit has welcomed four new grantees for 2026.
MajorsFeb 12, 2026
These 8 Saks Fifth Avenue Stores Are ClosingParent company Saks Global is also closing nearly all Saks Off 5th locations, a Neiman Marcus store, and 14 personal styling suites.
CollectionsFeb 12, 2026
British Museum Raises $5M to Keep Jewel Linked to Henry VIII, Katherine of AragonIt is believed the 24-karat heart-shaped enameled pendant was made for an event marking the betrothal of Princess Mary in 1518.
SourcingFeb 12, 2026
‘Cotton Candy’ Necklace, 35-Carat Kunzite Win 2025 ‘Buyer’s Choice’ AwardsThe AGTA Spectrum and Cutting Edge “Buyer’s Choice” award winners were announced at the Spectrum Awards Gala last week.
Events & AwardsFeb 12, 2026
Kering Opens Entries for 2026 Sustainability-Focused AwardThe “Kering Generation Award x Jewelry” returns for its second year with “Second Chance, First Choice” as its theme.
TrendsFeb 11, 2026
Halle Berry’s Retro Engagement Ring Is a Sapphire-Set StunnerSourced by For Future Reference Vintage, the yellow gold ring has a round center stone surrounded by step-cut sapphires.
MajorsFeb 11, 2026
Francesca’s Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy AgainThe clothing and accessories chain announced last month it would be closing all of its stores.
