Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.
JFC to Honor Jeffrey Cohen, Bill Luth at Facets of Hope
The Citizen and Signet executives will assist Jewelers for Children in raising funds for children in need.

Las Vegas--Jewelers for Children has announced Jeffrey Cohen of Citizen Watch America and Bill Luth of Signet Jewelers Ltd. as this year’s Facets of Hope honorees.
Cohen entered the watch industry 36 years ago. He began as a sales trainee at Movado, and ended his time with the brand as president worldwide.
Today he is president and CEO of Citizen Watch America. He has been on the JFC board for over a decade and was recently appointed vice president of charity programs.
Luth, who also has more than 30 years of experience in the jewelry industry, began working at Signet as a part-time sales associate while still in college. He worked his way up to roles including senior vice president of store operations at Zales North America, including strategic integration; senior vice president – transformation leadership team; and executive vice president of sourcing, distribution and logistics, repair, manufacturing and transformation leadership.
This year, Luth began his current role of executive general manager/executive vice president of Kay Jewelers. He has served on the Diamond Council of America board since 2011 and is the current board chairman.
The 2018 edition of the Facets of Hope gala marks the 20th anniversary of the event, which was held for the first time in June 1999 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.
Cohen and Luth’s roles as honorees entail assisting JFC in raising funds to support its charitable partners, all of which serve children in need.
Facets of Hope helps to raise awareness about the organizations JFC supports, plus celebrates the charity’s contributions over the previous year. Last year, 1,750 people attended the event.
For the 20th anniversary, JFC said it will provide updates on some of the children the organization has helped over the past two decades.
JFC Board Chair Pamela Mortensen said: “What an accomplishment and what a special celebration this Facets of Hope will be for Jewelers for Children. Jeffrey and Bill are the perfect honorees for us as we mark this important milestone for the industry and the support of children in need. ”
This year’s Facets of Hope gala will take place on Sunday, June 3 at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. Those interested in attending the event or sponsorship opportunities can contact JFC at 212-687-2949 or info@jewelersforchildren.org.
The event will begin with cocktails at 6 p.m. on the third
The Latest

The 11-piece “Medallions” capsule collection features five motifs: a crying eye, a heart on fire, a spiral, a flower, and a swallow.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.


Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.

NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.

José Gaztelu has been promoted to the role, which has been vacant since last year.

It has also opened the application period for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship through June 30.

The owner of the Ekati mine, which opened in 1998, has filed for insolvency protection amid the significant decline in diamond prices.

The company announced the change alongside its Q1 results, which showed that the jewelry brand’s year is off to a shaky start.

The retailer will cut 16 percent of its corporate workforce as part of its plan to exit bankruptcy.

Of the many examples used in the filming of “Le Mans,” this one is believed to have spent the most time on Steve McQueen’s wrist.

Megan Piccione dressed Lauren Wasser in layers of diamond jewelry, making her stand out in a crowd that included celebrities like Beyoncé.

Following decades of association leadership, the “semi-retired” colored gemstone expert is turning his focus to gemstone education.

The museum’s new exhibition will feature one of Jesse Owen’s Olympic medals, Yogi Berra’s crown, Super Bowl rings, and more.

The new program provides access to media exposure and editorial opportunities for exhibitors and retailers.

The “Eclipse” jewelry collection captures the fleeting moment where light and shadow align though onyx, diamonds, and freshwater pearls.

Buying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.
























