MajorsMay 28, 2026
Signet Jewelers to Buy The Clear Cut Signet will integrate the online-only, natural diamond-focused jeweler into Blue Nile, which it wants to position as a higher-end retailer.
Events & AwardsNov 06, 2020
NYC Jewelry Week Isn’t Letting 2020 Slow It Down
Though the weeklong celebration of jewelry will be virtual for the first time, its event schedule is still loaded.
NYC Jewelry Week 2020 will include a virtual event with jewelry designer Temple St. Clair, who will speak about her new “Celestial” collection, created from a mission to design “meaningful jewels during these meaningful times.”
New York—NYC Jewelry Week turns three this year, and despite the pandemic pushing everything virtual, organizers are keeping up their momentum in 2020.
The weeklong event will run from Nov. 16-22 and be presented, for the first time, in a completely virtual format, featuring more than 120 panels, conversations, workshops, and virtual exhibitions via Zoom, YouTube, Instagram Live, or the NYC Jewelry Week website.
This year, the program is broken into seven themes to celebrate the various facets of jewelry to be explored.
Jewelry for All “represents the democracy of NYCJW as a platform,” organizers said in a press release, celebrating the stories and voices of all jewelry makers and lovers around the world.
Sessions within the theme will share stories of self-expression and identity through jewelry.
For example, “Chasing Horizons: A Preview” (Nov. 17) will see jeweler Steven KP introduce a three-part project highlighting queer voices in the jewelry field and their expression of self through their work, and “Sonwai: A Discussion of Modern Hopi Jewelry” (Nov. 18) will feature a conversation with Verma Nequatewa, a leading female contemporary master goldsmith and lapidary.
Full Circle carries over from last year’s event, focusing on responsible jewelry-making and the organizations and businesses supporting that mission.
In tune with the environment of 2020, this year’s programming in Full Circle: A Responsible Jewelry Cycle will focus on the impact of responsible sourcing on community, racial equity and social justice.
As part of this, one event to be held will be a discussion between industry writer Tanya Dukes and Muzo about the miner’s latest collaboration with jewelry designers to build awareness of the sourcing behind its Colombian emeralds (Nov. 16).
The sessions in Mindful Adornment, meanwhile, will take participants “on an exploration of mind, body, and soul,” diving into the spiritual role jewelry has long played in humans’ lives, as a source of strength, healing, and comfort.
NY Jewelry Week 2020 will offer several “mindful” moments, from meditation to Shamanic breathwork to yoga breaks, all led by jewelers who incorporate these practices into their jewelry businesses.
Then, through The Now NOW, Jewelry Week will look at aspects important to culture: education, activism, politics, equity, climate change, friendship, and health.
The theme will examine jewelry that “responds to, reflects upon, or calls to action what is on the minds and in the hearts of those in its extended communities with the belief that jewelry should represent the world around it.”
Events to be held within this include “Civil Rights and Body Politics: In Flux: American Jewelry and the Counterculture,” (Nov. 19) in which jewelers Joyce J. Scott and Harriete Estel Berman will talk about their experiences as makers in the turbulent 1970s and early 1980s, and “Cultural Innovators: April Walker and Johnny Nelson,” in which fashion pioneer April Walker and emerging jewelry designer Johnny Nelson will share their inspirations, like hip hop culture, music, beauty and health (Nov. 21).
The weeklong event will run from Nov. 16-22 and be presented, for the first time, in a completely virtual format, featuring more than 120 panels, conversations, workshops, and virtual exhibitions via Zoom, YouTube, Instagram Live, or the NYC Jewelry Week website.
This year, the program is broken into seven themes to celebrate the various facets of jewelry to be explored.
Jewelry for All “represents the democracy of NYCJW as a platform,” organizers said in a press release, celebrating the stories and voices of all jewelry makers and lovers around the world.
Sessions within the theme will share stories of self-expression and identity through jewelry.
For example, “Chasing Horizons: A Preview” (Nov. 17) will see jeweler Steven KP introduce a three-part project highlighting queer voices in the jewelry field and their expression of self through their work, and “Sonwai: A Discussion of Modern Hopi Jewelry” (Nov. 18) will feature a conversation with Verma Nequatewa, a leading female contemporary master goldsmith and lapidary.
Full Circle carries over from last year’s event, focusing on responsible jewelry-making and the organizations and businesses supporting that mission.
In tune with the environment of 2020, this year’s programming in Full Circle: A Responsible Jewelry Cycle will focus on the impact of responsible sourcing on community, racial equity and social justice.
As part of this, one event to be held will be a discussion between industry writer Tanya Dukes and Muzo about the miner’s latest collaboration with jewelry designers to build awareness of the sourcing behind its Colombian emeralds (Nov. 16).
The sessions in Mindful Adornment, meanwhile, will take participants “on an exploration of mind, body, and soul,” diving into the spiritual role jewelry has long played in humans’ lives, as a source of strength, healing, and comfort.
NY Jewelry Week 2020 will offer several “mindful” moments, from meditation to Shamanic breathwork to yoga breaks, all led by jewelers who incorporate these practices into their jewelry businesses.
Then, through The Now NOW, Jewelry Week will look at aspects important to culture: education, activism, politics, equity, climate change, friendship, and health.
The theme will examine jewelry that “responds to, reflects upon, or calls to action what is on the minds and in the hearts of those in its extended communities with the belief that jewelry should represent the world around it.”
Events to be held within this include “Civil Rights and Body Politics: In Flux: American Jewelry and the Counterculture,” (Nov. 19) in which jewelers Joyce J. Scott and Harriete Estel Berman will talk about their experiences as makers in the turbulent 1970s and early 1980s, and “Cultural Innovators: April Walker and Johnny Nelson,” in which fashion pioneer April Walker and emerging jewelry designer Johnny Nelson will share their inspirations, like hip hop culture, music, beauty and health (Nov. 21).
The fifth theme, Playing for Keeps, will delve into jewelry heirlooms past and present through tea parties, cocktail hours, books discussions, showroom visits, and studio tours.
“Happy Hour with For Future Reference” (Nov. 16) and “Picnic Conversations with Daniella Villegas” (Nov. 19) are two such events.
Bench Business will feature dedicated sessions for educating the jeweler, retailer and consumer about how jewelry moves from the bench to jewelry boxes, like “Power, Freedom, Love: the Jewelry of Lorraine West” (Nov. 17).
And last, but certainly not least, the Cultural Experiment theme is “all about the dreamers, the innovators, and the mainstays.” The theme will celebrate the makers, wearers, curators and educators who have paved the way in the jewelry space, including a panel discussion about the “Jewelers of the 60s & 70s” (Nov. 19).
These seven themes will be color-coded on the event schedule posted online and the NYC Jewelry Week Instagram to help guide participants through the week.
“In putting together this year’s NYCJW, we wanted to create a really positive experience for the audience—something that we are all missing these days. We hope that everyone approaches the week holistically, not simply as a series of one-off events, and spends time with us,” said co-founder Bella Neyman.
She added: “By looking at our schedule, one can easily put together their own version of the perfect jewelry day.”
NYCJW will also expand its program offerings for Here We Are, a strategic initiative seeking equity for underrepresented jewelers and artists through awareness, empowerment, and education.
For 2020, NYCJW's Director of Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Elliot Carlyle, partnered with photographer Alain Simić to create a series of editorial images celebrating several New York-based Black creatives.
Among the jewelers represented in this project are Lorraine West Jewelry, Aziza Handcrafted (whose jewelry is pictured in the photo above), Johnny Nelson, L’Enchanteur and AUR Jewelry.
“I was extremely happy when NYC Jewelry Week agreed to collaborate with me to produce this spread of images highlighting the work of several talented Black jewelry designers, each of whom celebrate their identity and heritage through designs that are strikingly beautiful,” Simić said.
“It is a shame that more attention has not been paid to these designers in the past—and there are many more who still do not have the recognition they deserve—but I am hopeful that these images and the support of NYC Jewelry Week will help give each designer broader reach and a new set of customers who would have otherwise not known about them or their beautiful work.”
The images come as part of the larger Here We Are program in 2020, which will also include three funding awards for Black jewelers. Winners will be announced on Friday, Nov. 13.
Additionally, Jewelry Week is rolling out a marketplace of exclusive items in conjunction with 1stDibs for Here We Are, launching Nov. 12.
Organizers are also adding networking and mentorship sessions for the program in December.
“Adding this aspect to the agenda means that the community and opportunities for the jewelers within HWA can expand beyond the week of NYCJW, that we can truly make this a community effort, build bridges, collaborate and be a platform for real change,” co-founder JB Jones said.
Meanwhile, this year’s week-long event will also continue its relationship with notable local and international museums and galleries.
There will be a behind-the-scenes look at the Alice & Louis Koch collection of over 2,500 finger rings at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich, and a tour of the Museo del Gioiello in Vicenza’s Basilica Palladiana, Italy’s first museum dedicated exclusively to jewelry.
NYC Jewelry Week’s full calendar of events for 2020 is available on its website.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
CollectionsMay 28, 2026
Meet The 17 Newcomers to Couture’s Design AtelierThese up-and-coming jewelry brands are bringing their distinct aesthetic and unique point-of-view to the Design Atelier for the first time.
GradingMay 28, 2026
GCAL By Sarine Launches 8X Cushion CutThe lab’s proprietary diamond cut grade has been expanded to include the popular fancy shape.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
ColumnistsMay 27, 2026
What Jewelers Can Learn From Luxury Fashion’s Digital PlaybookHigh-end fashion houses know how to emotionally connect with customers online. Retail jewelers should take note, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
ColumnistsMay 26, 2026
The Key Mindset for Better Trade Show BuyingBuying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
12 JCK Talks Sessions to Add to Your Las Vegas ScheduleThe trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
CBG Brings Its Curated Designer Project to Las Vegas ShowThe Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.
TrendsMay 26, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: A Cooldown Is ComingBring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
SourcingMay 21, 2026
Botswana, Angola Join WFDBThe addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
