CollectionsJan 30, 2026
Follow the Beat With Etiq’s ‘Khol’ RingThe “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.
EditorsFeb 01, 2016
Saying Goodbye to Cindy
Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff shares her thoughts, and others’ memories, of Cindy Edelstein, who was everything to the jewelry industry.
I spent the greater part of the day Monday trying to remove myself from this story.
I tried to do what I always do: I made a list of the appropriate people to talk to, I made phone calls, I did research on the individual’s background and career path but, in the end, I just couldn’t do it.
I have known and worked with Cindy Edelstein for too long to write an account of her passing from the perspective of those who knew her best without injecting myself.
I tried to do what I always do: I made a list of the appropriate people to talk to, I made phone calls, I did research on the individual’s background and career path but, in the end, I just couldn’t do it.
I have known and worked with Cindy Edelstein for too long to write an account of her passing from the perspective of those who knew her best without injecting myself.
Cindy Edelstein
Cindy was, as we all know, a great advocate for jewelry designers, particularly up-and-coming talent. And she was doing this long before the industry came to the realization that emphasizing the craft is exactly what needs to be done.
She had the ability to recognize talent and potential, essentially what would be “hot,” before anyone else. “Cindy,” her good friend and business partner Andrea Hill told me Monday, “could look at stuff other people dismissed, and she knew it was going to be important.”
She also had another ability, one that is even more difficult to master than being a prognosticator of the popular.
Cindy could tell people exactly what she thought without offending them, and they were better off for it. She knew how to be honest while being nurturing and encouraging at the same time. As someone who manages two young artists of a different kind (writers), I can tell you it’s not an easy thing to do, and it’s not a skill everyone has.
Her brand of tough-yet-tender love was what made her, designer Alex Woo observed, a “fairy godmother” to the industry’s designers, and a great mother to her own daughter, Remy.
“Words cannot describe how much we (the designers) will miss her,” Woo wrote to me.
Words are also not enough for me to express my condolences to Remy, Cindy’s husband Frank and the rest of her family.
------------------------------------------
Here’s another problem with the story I originally tried to write about Cindy.
Normally when you write a straight news article, particularly an obituary, it’s a very linear form of story-telling: This person worked here from 19XX to 20XX, then moved over to X company where they stayed for the next X years.
But I can’t do that with Cindy because she was everywhere, doing everything at all times. In an age when many people’s social media profile descriptions border on the absurd, Cindy truly was everything she claimed to be —fine jewelry business connector, advocate, teacher and author.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
She kept nurturing emerging designers, most recently with JA New York and Couture, while also churning out copy for both this publication and InStore and remaining a very active member of the Women’s Jewelry Association.
None of this, of course, prevented her from also mastering social media, where she ran rings around young and old alike, Instagramming, Facebooking and tweeting regularly. She even, Mark Davidovich told me on the phone Monday, was live-tweeting from the red carpet at the Gem Awards just a few weeks ago.
The last time I saw Cindy was at the very same Gem Awards where Mark was admiring her social media skills.
In true Cindy fashion, she worked the room all night at Cipriani’s, snapping pictures of everybody and sharing them on social media.
Looking back on it now, I realize that Cindy took as much joy in taking those pictures as people did in posing for them, because that’s just the kind of person Cindy was. She found joy not in personal success or happiness, but in securing it for others.
And that’s what is saddest of all—without Cindy, there’s one less truly kind person in the world today.
Goodbye, Cindy, and may God keep you, wherever you are. I hope I said thank you the last time we spoke. If I did not, I am saying it now.
None of this, of course, prevented her from also mastering social media, where she ran rings around young and old alike, Instagramming, Facebooking and tweeting regularly. She even, Mark Davidovich told me on the phone Monday, was live-tweeting from the red carpet at the Gem Awards just a few weeks ago.
The last time I saw Cindy was at the very same Gem Awards where Mark was admiring her social media skills.
In true Cindy fashion, she worked the room all night at Cipriani’s, snapping pictures of everybody and sharing them on social media.
Looking back on it now, I realize that Cindy took as much joy in taking those pictures as people did in posing for them, because that’s just the kind of person Cindy was. She found joy not in personal success or happiness, but in securing it for others.
And that’s what is saddest of all—without Cindy, there’s one less truly kind person in the world today.
Goodbye, Cindy, and may God keep you, wherever you are. I hope I said thank you the last time we spoke. If I did not, I am saying it now.
More on Editors
The Latest
MajorsJan 30, 2026
Arch Crown’s 2026 ‘Tag & Label’ Catalog Is HereThe catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.
CollectionsJan 29, 2026
Ghirardelli’s ‘Chocolocket’ Returns for Valentine’s DayThe chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”
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.
AuctionsJan 29, 2026
These Were Bonhams’ Top 10 Jewelry Lots in 2025The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.
Weekly QuizJan 29, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingJan 29, 2026
Stuller Website to Mark AGTA-Sourced GemstonesAny gemstones on Stuller.com that were sourced by an AGTA vendor member will now bear the association’s logo.
WatchesJan 29, 2026
Audemars Piguet Opens AP House in AtlantaThe Swiss watchmaker has brought its latest immersive boutique to Atlanta, a city it described as “an epicenter of music and storytelling.”
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.
SourcingJan 28, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair to Debut Designer Showcase in TucsonThe new addition will feature finished jewelry created using “consciously sourced” gemstones.
ColumnistsJan 28, 2026
Peter Smith: Setting the Next Generation Up for SuccessIn his new column, Smith advises playing to your successor's strengths and resisting the urge to become a backseat driver.
SurveysJan 28, 2026
Consumer Confidence Falls Below Pandemic Lows in JanuaryThe index fell to its lowest level since May 2014 amid concerns about the present and the future.
IndependentsJan 28, 2026
Foundrae Heads to Aspen for Latest Store OpeningThe new store in Aspen, Colorado, takes inspiration from a stately library for its intimate yet elevated interior design.
FinancialsJan 28, 2026
Tiffany & Co., Bulgari Sales Resilient as LVMH’s 2025 Sales SlipThe brands’ high jewelry collections performed especially well last year despite a challenging environment.
CollectionsJan 27, 2026
De Beers London, GemFair Debut New Collection Highlighting Artisanal DiamondsThe collection marks the first time GemFair’s artisanal diamonds will be brought directly to consumers.
SourcingJan 27, 2026
GemGuide Launches Pricing for Montana SapphiresThe initial charts are for blue, teal, and green material, each grouped into three charts categorized as good, fine, and extra fine.
TechnologyJan 27, 2026
Clientbook Launches Appointment Booking ToolThe new tool can assign the appropriate associate based on the client or appointment type and automate personalized text message follow-ups.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Tucson Preview 2026: Earthy Tones and Innovative Shapes Buyers are expected to gravitate toward gemstones that have a little something special, just like last year.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Angolan Diamond Cos. Join NDC as Rio Tinto, Murowa Exit Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
Francesca’s To Close All StoresThe retailer operates more than 450 boutiques across 45 states, according to its website.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
BIJC Names 5 New Board MembersThe new members’ skills span communications, business development, advocacy, and industry leadership.
CollectionsJan 26, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Celebrates 189 Years of Love StoriesThe jeweler’s 2026 Valentine’s Day campaign, “Celebrating Love Stories Since 1837,” includes a short firm starring actress Adria Arjona.
GradingJan 26, 2026
DCA Updates Colored Gemstone CourseThe new features include interactive flashcards and scenario-based roleplay with AI tools.
MajorsJan 23, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Acquires 4-Store Jewelry Chain in TexasFamily-owned jewelry and watch retailer Deutsch & Deutsch has stores in El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.
WatchesJan 23, 2026
Damiani Group to Acquire Baume & MercierThe Italian luxury company purchased the nearly 200-year-old Swiss watch brand from Richemont.
TrendsJan 23, 2026
Martin Katz’s Earrings Call to Mind Wintry Weather Micro-set with hundreds of diamonds, these snowflake earrings recreate “winter’s most elegant silhouette,” and are our Piece of the Week.
MajorsJan 23, 2026
Rembrandt Charms Names New Director of Creative, Brand StrategyElla Blum was appointed to the newly created role.
Supplier BulletinJan 22, 2026
The Rise of Centralized Sourcing in the Colored Gemstone MarketSponsored by RapNet
