A ring set with “hogback” diamonds, an early stone cut dating to around the 16th century, sold for more than $20,000 at a U.K. auction.
MJSA Launches ConFab Chicago
The day-long seminar program will be held Oct. 24, in conjunction with the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference.
Attleboro, Mass.—MJSA has announced the launch of ConFab Chicago, a new day-long seminar program.
Held in conjunction with the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference and alongside the 2019 Responsible Gem Boutique, the event will take place Oct. 24 in the Jeweler’s Center at the Mallers Building from 10 a.m. to 4 pm.
Its education sessions, led by industry experts, will focus on the business, sales, marketing and legal aspects of jewelry manufacturing and design.
Andrea Hill, owner of Hill Management Group and MJSA’s designer advocate, will present “The Anatomy of Your Story: From Values to Strategy to Brand.”
Hill will advise attendees on how to connect with consumers and how to build the foundation of an authentic brand.
In “How to Harness Your Inner Salesperson,” Donna DeLucia, senior director of technical sales for the Jewelry Solutions Group (a division of Frederick Goldman) will demonstrate how to be a better, more authentic salesperson.
Sara Yood, senior legal counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, will present “One Trip Around the Sun: 2019 Legal Update with JVC,” covering how the FTC changes have impacted the jewelry industry.
Topics up for discussion include the elimination of precious metal thresholds, allowable descriptions for lab-grown diamonds, updated sales tax laws and anti-money laundering rules.
Between sessions, attendees will have time for networking and visiting the Responsible Gem Boutique, featuring Columbia Gem House, Anza Gems and more.
RELATED CONTENT: Here’s What’s on Tap for Chicago Responsibility Conf. 2019The ConFab registration fee is $50 for MJSA members and $75 for non-members and includes lunch. Registration is limited.
Attendees of both MJSA ConFab Chicago and the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference will receive a 10 percent discount off the registration fee of the former.
MJSA members will also save 10 percent on the $350 registration fee of the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference, slated for Oct. 25 and 26.
To register for MJSA ConFab or for more information, visit MJSA.org.
The Latest

The rainbow version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, features angel-cut, octahedral lab-grown sapphires designed to be worn as armor.

The new initiative donates a portion of the proceeds from select charms to charitable causes.

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

The Brooklyn-based jeweler created a limited-edition version of its “Aura” eternity band, set with gemstones in the team’s colors.


Dallow will lead the International Colored Gemstone Association, effective July 6.

Senior Editor Lenore Fedow headed to Savannah to learn more about the 10-year, $10 million partnership between JM and the art school.

DCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.

Its new capsule jewelry collection features gold-finished stainless steel pieces designed for a maximalist look without a luxury price tag.

The three industry leaders bring financial, communications, and legal expertise to the nonprofit’s board of directors.

Jewelers are missing out by not offering this one key add-on at the online point of sale, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

The fourth collaborative collection from the retailer and jewelry content creator focuses on gemstone charms and strands of colorful beads.

The collection features traceable alexandrite from Brazil in calibrated sizes that is sorted by grade.

Dhaval Raja has been appointed to the role.

The capsule collection looks to vintage trunk pins that echo the spirit of speed, freedom, and the mythology of the American road trip.

SSEF issued a notice about the potential new source of the sought-after gemstone, citing “credible reports” from trade sources.

As Amazon Prime Day kicks off, Etsy is encouraging shoppers to support small businesses.

Cole Winward is the recipient of 2026 AGA Gemological Scholarship.

Whether they evoked nostalgia, wonder, or laughter, these jewels put a smile on our faces.

Scheduled for April 2027, Basilia will be the first watch and jewelry trade show held in Basel since the collapse of Baselworld in 2020.

Submissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.

The beloved beagle dons his aviator outfit for the new Engineer Master II Snoopy Flying Ace timepiece.

The recent high jewelry auction, which also featured the sale of a 10-carat blue diamond, was “a celebration of color.”

She wore the “Le Cauri Endiamanté” earrings, our Piece of the Week, in the Obamas’ first dual portrait for the Obama Presidential Center.

Couture’s Michelle Orman joins Amanda Gizzi and Michelle Graff for this special post-Market Week episode of My Next Question.

The lab is seeing emeralds with filler added post-testing enter the market, accompanied by reports that indicate little to no treatment.

The third generation of the Stern family to head Patek Philippe, he navigated the “quartz crisis” and preserved the brand’s independence.





















