MajorsAug 01, 2025
Jewelers Mutual Names Mike Alexander as President The insurance company’s previous president and CEO, Scott Murphy, has split his role and will continue as CEO.
EditorsAug 03, 2016
A Millennial’s Take on All the Talk About Her Generation
Arguing that members of her generation aren’t “lazy,” Senior Editor and millennial Brecken Branstrator talks about the need for a new conversation to help recruit this group.
Truth time: I’ve got millennial discussion burn-out.
And apparently I’m not the only one. Ben Smithee gave a millennial-focused presentation at the recent JA New York Summer show called “Enough Already! Why You’re Sick of the Millennial Madness & Why Most of What You Know Is Probably Wrong.”
It’s sort of bizarre being part of a generation that is studied so closely and written about so much. Brands and companies are trying to figure out how to market to this new consumer group to best capture their spending power and are constantly having conversations about habits that, to me, feel so familiar and natural.
But I think more than anything what angers me most is the fact that so many find it easy to generalize and draw conclusions about such a diverse group, and not usually in a good way: We don’t understand this group, so we’re just going to call them lazy and entitled.
At the JA New York Summer show, I sat in on an education session with National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff and Peter Smith, one of our columnists.
The session was a follow-up to Smith’s article on National Jeweler addressing the future of retail jewelry stores, which is the most-read story on our site so far this year. (Part 2 and a final follow-up also appeared on NationalJeweler.com.)
The Graff-Smith education session was designed as an “idea exchange” to encourage questions and interaction from the audience. It was a hit. The classroom was full and the questions kept coming long after the one-hour time slot passed.
Among many other topics, one of the things that came up was--surprise!--millennials.
In fact, the man sitting right beside me raised his hand and, as part of a discussion about the next generation not wanting to take the reins at family-owned stores, said that many millennials don’t have any interest in the 100-hour, six-day workweeks the generations before them put in and were “lazy.”
Allow me to speak for my generation for a second to say, that last part is just not the case. Are there young people today who may not be hard workers or feel entitled to good jobs without the hard work? Sure. But I think that could be said across all generations.
What’s more, I’d hardly call someone “lazy” just because they don’t want to work 100 hours a week. I certainly don’t want to, and
I like to think of myself as a pretty hard-working person.
This is something that Peter echoed when he said that he believes the “model has changed,” adding that he would be disappointed if his kids, who are millennials, did aspire to work seven days a week. “I would want them to be figuring out ways to do it smarter,” he said.
Most people seem to think that millennials want 50 vacation days a year, a beer cart and ping-pong table in the office, or to somehow be making six figures without a full-time commitment. No.
What we do want is a work/life balance and a job that we find fulfilling. I realize that waiting for said job might seem silly to some in the older generations, but while those companies are busy calling millennials lazy, they’re losing the best workers to companies that are willing to listen.
Michelle also brought up a great point in her response to the “lazy” comment. She said, “This misnomer that the millennials are lazy, I don’t buy that. I think that, for some reason, we’re just not making it interesting for them to come to the jewelry business.”
We all know that one of the biggest problems that plagues the industry is the lack of younger workers. I wrote a story in our fall 2015 digital magazine about that very issue and what organizations and companies are doing to counter-act it.
One of my favorite parts of Peter’s response to the audience member seated beside me was when he pointed out that the industry can and should be looking outside of itself to see how companies are recruiting members of the younger generation.
As opposed to just posting a job listing stating that the position requires X and Y qualifications and X hours, some of the “cooler” companies like Amazon, Google, Zappos and Southwest Airlines also are talking about a higher purpose, continued learning, social concerns and flexibility of schedule. They’re speaking right to the millennial crowd, and they’re getting them.
I know that it’s not an easy problem to solve and I’m not trying to say that it is. It is, however, a problem that can and should be addressed from our side. Just generalizing a whole generation as lazy and entitled isn’t going to do anything. Let’s steer the conversation to a place that’s productive and aims to figure out how this younger crowd can successfully be brought into the industry, to stay.
In the spirit of that JA New York session, I’d love for this to be a conversation and to hear more thoughts on these issues; please share in the comments!
This is something that Peter echoed when he said that he believes the “model has changed,” adding that he would be disappointed if his kids, who are millennials, did aspire to work seven days a week. “I would want them to be figuring out ways to do it smarter,” he said.
Most people seem to think that millennials want 50 vacation days a year, a beer cart and ping-pong table in the office, or to somehow be making six figures without a full-time commitment. No.
What we do want is a work/life balance and a job that we find fulfilling. I realize that waiting for said job might seem silly to some in the older generations, but while those companies are busy calling millennials lazy, they’re losing the best workers to companies that are willing to listen.
Michelle also brought up a great point in her response to the “lazy” comment. She said, “This misnomer that the millennials are lazy, I don’t buy that. I think that, for some reason, we’re just not making it interesting for them to come to the jewelry business.”
We all know that one of the biggest problems that plagues the industry is the lack of younger workers. I wrote a story in our fall 2015 digital magazine about that very issue and what organizations and companies are doing to counter-act it.
One of my favorite parts of Peter’s response to the audience member seated beside me was when he pointed out that the industry can and should be looking outside of itself to see how companies are recruiting members of the younger generation.
As opposed to just posting a job listing stating that the position requires X and Y qualifications and X hours, some of the “cooler” companies like Amazon, Google, Zappos and Southwest Airlines also are talking about a higher purpose, continued learning, social concerns and flexibility of schedule. They’re speaking right to the millennial crowd, and they’re getting them.
I know that it’s not an easy problem to solve and I’m not trying to say that it is. It is, however, a problem that can and should be addressed from our side. Just generalizing a whole generation as lazy and entitled isn’t going to do anything. Let’s steer the conversation to a place that’s productive and aims to figure out how this younger crowd can successfully be brought into the industry, to stay.
In the spirit of that JA New York session, I’d love for this to be a conversation and to hear more thoughts on these issues; please share in the comments!
More on Editors
The Latest
SourcingAug 01, 2025
Gemfields’ Auction Revenue Drops 50% in H1The nearly six-month pause of operations at its Kagem emerald mine earlier this year impacted the miner’s first-half results.
MajorsAug 01, 2025
Helzberg President Julie Yoakum Moves Over to Signet JewelersThe addition of Yoakum, who will lead Kay and Peoples, was one of three executive appointments Signet announced Thursday.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
CollectionsAug 01, 2025
Piece of the Week: Hernsdorf’s ‘Tears of Aphrodite’ NecklaceThe necklace uses spinel drops to immortalize the moment Aphrodite’s tears mixed with her lover Adonis’ blood after he was fatally wounded.
Weekly QuizJul 31, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingJul 31, 2025
De Beers Records $189M First-Half Loss The diamond miner and marketer warned last week that it expected to be in the red after significantly cutting prices in Q2.
Events & AwardsJul 31, 2025
These Are the 2025 CASE Award WinnersJewelers of America’s 35th annual design contest recognized creativity, artistry, style, and excellence.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
IndependentsJul 31, 2025
Matthew Tratner Takes Over as CBG President Tratner succeeds Andie Weinman, who will begin stepping back from the buying group’s day-to-day operations.
Policies & IssuesJul 30, 2025
Tariff on India Will Be 25%, Trump Says The president made the announcement via Truth Social Wednesday, adding that India also will face a penalty for its dealings with Russia.
FinancialsJul 30, 2025
Kering's Jewelry Brands Resilient As H1 Sales Slide 16%The luxury titan’s star brand Gucci continued to struggle amid a "tough" environment.
WatchesJul 30, 2025
Peek Inside Zadok Jewelers’ New Rolex Showroom in AustinIts opening marks the completion of the retailer’s new 11,000-square-foot store in the Texas capital.
SurveysJul 30, 2025
Consumer Confidence Ticks Up in JulyRespondents shared concerns about tariffs and commentary on the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
SourcingJul 30, 2025
Rob Bates to Release Latest Book in His ‘Diamond District Mystery’ Series“Making a Killing in Diamonds” tells the story of Mimi Rosen, the disappearance of a scientist, and the murder of lab-grown diamond CEO.
Events & AwardsJul 29, 2025
Melee The Show Welcomes 15 New DesignersThe first-time exhibitors, set to debut at the New York City show, share a devotion to craftsmanship, storytelling, and material integrity.
SourcingJul 29, 2025
Auctim to Offer 7.3M+ Carats of Rough EmeraldsThe online auction house’s September sale will feature rough Brazilian emeralds of various qualities.
MajorsJul 29, 2025
Alexis Padis Re-Elected AGS Board President She’ll lead an executive committee consisting of President-Elect Bryan Moeller, Mitchell Clark, Bill Farmer, and Larry Rickert.
Policies & IssuesJul 28, 2025
U.S.-EU Come to Agreement on Tariffs Announced Sunday, the deal will set the tax on goods imported into the United States from the European Union at 15 percent.
CollectionsJul 28, 2025
Nanis Brings a New Palette to ‘Ipanema’A new edition of the Italian brand’s “Ipanema” collection has debuted with gemstones that evoke Brazil’s breathtaking views.
MajorsJul 28, 2025
The 1916 Company Partners with ‘Shark Tank’ Star’s Watch Insurance PlatformThe retailer will refer its customers to WonderCare, founded by venture capitalist and watch collector Kevin O’Leary.
IndependentsJul 28, 2025
Sissy’s Log Cabin to Open Flagship in Arkansas The jeweler’s largest store yet is set to open in Little Rock next fall.
CollectionsJul 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jemma Wynne’s ‘Forme’ NecklaceAnne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Events & AwardsJul 25, 2025
Pre-Registration Open for September Hong Kong ShowJewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.
FinancialsJul 25, 2025
LVMH Sales Slip in H1 Amid ‘Prevailing Uncertainties’Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.
Events & AwardsJul 24, 2025
2 Retailers to Receive 2026 Gem Award for Lifetime AchievementMark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.
SourcingJul 24, 2025
De Beers Sees Diamond Production Sink 36% in Q2 While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.
CollectionsJul 24, 2025
Francesca Villa Adds Dimension to Her Intaglio CharactersThe “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.
