SurveysApr 03, 2025
2025 Retail Sales to Grow More Slowly Amid ‘Uncertainty,’ Says NRFThe National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.
EditorsApr 22, 2019
4 Takeaways From My First Conclave
Associate Editor Lenore Fedow recaps the lessons she learned in Seattle at her first AGS Conclave.
AGS Conclave wrapped up in Seattle earlier this month and plans to head to Denver next year.
I recently returned from my first American Gem Society Conclave, and now I’m here to write my first blog.
I joined National Jeweler’s editorial team this January, covering breaking news and financials of the large public jewelry companies, like Signet and Tiffany.
I am taking my background in business journalism—covering Wall Street and market trends—and my previous experience working in New York’s Diamond District providing customer service and combining them for this job.
If I’ve learned one thing in my short time here, it’s that I have quite a lot to learn, which is the reason I packed my bags and headed west to Seattle earlier this month.
So, without further ado, here are four takeaways from an industry newbie’s first Conclave.
1. It’s a close-knit community.
I made my way to the registration desk Monday morning to pick up my entry badge. An AGS employee greeted me with a smile and took down my information, printing out my badge and slapping a bright, white sticker on the bottom.
It read “NEWCOMER,” clear as day in shiny gold lettering.
I spotted a fair number of white badges during my time in Seattle at Conclave, but I got the sense that most of the people attending had been coming to Conclave for quite a while.
Rarely did I make it down a hallway or through the lobby without walking around groups of what seemed like old friends, excitedly chit-chatting about what’s gone on since last they met.
The newcomer badge was a wonderful icebreaker when I stopped to chat between sessions or in the elevator. It was encouraging to hear how many years people have been attending Conclave.
While the education sessions were interesting and diverse, I imagine what brings people back year after year is the sense of community.
Here I was halfway across the country in a new city in a new industry and I was made to feel right at home.
So if you stopped to say hello or made space for me at your breakfast table, it was noticed and appreciated.
2. Adapting to change is a slow but necessary process.
A change isn’t coming; it is already here.
Throughout my time at Conclave, I met with so many wonderful people with so much experience and talent to share with the industry.
However, as I sat through sessions and listened in on discussions, I sensed a lot of hesitancy to change, especially in terms of technology and social
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
media, and I worried that all that love and knowledge might be in danger of fading away in the coming years.
I wouldn’t advise everyone to put their inventory on blockchain or start opening pop-up shops left and right, but an openness to change is a step in the right direction.
I sat in on a session led by Jennifer Shaheen, president of Technology Therapy Group, which provides marketing and tech expertise to retailers, and she was quick to offer a helping hand to jewelers in attendance.
During her session, she went over how artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality and virtual reality were changing the retail landscape and outlined ways storeowners could utilize technology to improve the shopping experience and collect useful data along the way.
If you’re looking to educate yourself on retail technology or make better use of your data, Shaheen would be the person for the job.
3. There is still some confusion about the revised FTC Jewelry Guides.
I attended a session on the revised Jewelry Guides, presented by Tiffany Stevens and Sara Yood of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.
I was a bit confused as to why the session would be held in April when the revised guidelines were made public in July, but after sitting in on this session I came to see why continual education is needed.
As a relative newcomer to the jewelry world, I thought I’d be alone in my confusion when Stevens and Yood went into the nitty-gritty details of the revised guidelines, but there were a lot of hands up during the Q&A portion.
If you need a refresher, you can take a peek at our stories about the changes to the Jewelry Guides as they pertain to lab-grown diamonds as well as other topics including pearls and metals.
If you have compliance questions, you might want to give JVC a call.
4. Have confidence in your product.
It was clear to me from the start at National Jeweler that lab-grown diamonds have really shaken up the industry.
In a lot of what I've read so far and heard at Conclave, I feel like lab-grown diamonds are being positioned as akin to the bogeyman, lurking around the corner poised to snatch away all natural diamond customers with deceitful advertising.
But at the end of a session on diamond market trends, Rapaport Senior Analyst and News Editor Avi Krawitz said something that stuck with me.
He advised attendees to vouch for their product, highlighting what makes a natural diamond unique, and focus less on the perceived threat of lab-grown diamonds.
I can’t speak for my entire generation but, for me, the natural formation of a diamond, and any gemstone really, is the most fascinating and unique thing about it.
It’s incredible to think that this stone on my finger is the result of carbon molecules coming together over billions of years deep in the earth. Then, human innovation found a way to unearth that stone and transform it into portable art, allowing me to carry a piece of that story around with me every day.
Sold.
In closing, I am grateful for this new experience and the industry’s warm welcome. I look forward to seeing you all again soon!
I wouldn’t advise everyone to put their inventory on blockchain or start opening pop-up shops left and right, but an openness to change is a step in the right direction.
I sat in on a session led by Jennifer Shaheen, president of Technology Therapy Group, which provides marketing and tech expertise to retailers, and she was quick to offer a helping hand to jewelers in attendance.
During her session, she went over how artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality and virtual reality were changing the retail landscape and outlined ways storeowners could utilize technology to improve the shopping experience and collect useful data along the way.
If you’re looking to educate yourself on retail technology or make better use of your data, Shaheen would be the person for the job.
3. There is still some confusion about the revised FTC Jewelry Guides.
I attended a session on the revised Jewelry Guides, presented by Tiffany Stevens and Sara Yood of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.
I was a bit confused as to why the session would be held in April when the revised guidelines were made public in July, but after sitting in on this session I came to see why continual education is needed.
As a relative newcomer to the jewelry world, I thought I’d be alone in my confusion when Stevens and Yood went into the nitty-gritty details of the revised guidelines, but there were a lot of hands up during the Q&A portion.
If you need a refresher, you can take a peek at our stories about the changes to the Jewelry Guides as they pertain to lab-grown diamonds as well as other topics including pearls and metals.
If you have compliance questions, you might want to give JVC a call.
4. Have confidence in your product.
It was clear to me from the start at National Jeweler that lab-grown diamonds have really shaken up the industry.
In a lot of what I've read so far and heard at Conclave, I feel like lab-grown diamonds are being positioned as akin to the bogeyman, lurking around the corner poised to snatch away all natural diamond customers with deceitful advertising.
But at the end of a session on diamond market trends, Rapaport Senior Analyst and News Editor Avi Krawitz said something that stuck with me.
He advised attendees to vouch for their product, highlighting what makes a natural diamond unique, and focus less on the perceived threat of lab-grown diamonds.
I can’t speak for my entire generation but, for me, the natural formation of a diamond, and any gemstone really, is the most fascinating and unique thing about it.
It’s incredible to think that this stone on my finger is the result of carbon molecules coming together over billions of years deep in the earth. Then, human innovation found a way to unearth that stone and transform it into portable art, allowing me to carry a piece of that story around with me every day.
Sold.
In closing, I am grateful for this new experience and the industry’s warm welcome. I look forward to seeing you all again soon!
More on Editors
The Latest
TrendsApr 03, 2025
Tallulah Willis Imbues Antique Engagement Ring With MagicThe 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.
SourcingApr 03, 2025
Canadian Mine Produces 158-Carat Yellow Diamond Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
Brought to you by
The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They DeserveBench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.
CollectionsApr 03, 2025
Buccellati to Open Immersive Exhibition in MilanThe multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.
Weekly QuizApr 03, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Policies & IssuesApr 03, 2025
Jewelers of America to Hold Webinar on TariffsThe virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.
CollectionsApr 02, 2025
Bea Bongiasca’s ‘Tarallo’ Collection Expansion Is a ZooThe pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean MoreNatural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.
MajorsApr 02, 2025
Neiman Marcus’ Dallas Flagship Will Remain Open, For NowParent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.
SourcingApr 02, 2025
Winston’s Collection of Natural Color Diamonds Now on Display in D.C. Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Events & AwardsApr 02, 2025
Punchmark to Host Client WorkshopThe educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.
IndependentsApr 01, 2025
Bergman Jewelers in Omaha Closing After 137 YearsThe independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.
MajorsApr 01, 2025
QVC Group to Cut 900 Jobs in the U.S.The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
U.S. Antique Shows Adds Fall Show in FloridaThe debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
TJS to Host Discussion on Jewelry Industry’s Labor ShortageThe roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.
CollectionsApr 01, 2025
Monica Rich Kosann Says ‘Good Grief’ in Peanuts Jewelry CollectionThe “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.
Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2025
Watch: What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Recycled’ Gold?Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.
TrendsMar 31, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Dripping in DiamondsDiamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.
MajorsMar 31, 2025
Lashbrook Expands Into Luxury Golf Gifts With AcquisitionThe Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.
WatchesMar 31, 2025
Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin Will Also Head LVMH WatchesThe longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.
CrimeMar 28, 2025
2 Suspects Arrested in $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Robbery of NY Jewelry StoreAuthorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.
SourcingMar 28, 2025
19th-Century Jade Book Now Available in EnglishLotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.
CollectionsMar 28, 2025
Piece of the Week: Löf’s ‘The Valentine’ RingThe ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.
SurveysMar 27, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls in March Amid ‘Gloomy’ OutlookThe Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.
AuctionsMar 27, 2025
300-Year-Old Ring Linked to Witch Trial Judge Goes Unsold at Auction However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.
WatchesMar 27, 2025
Austin Butler Joins Breitling as Brand AmbassadorThe Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.
SourcingMar 27, 2025
Susan Jacques, Gaetano Cavalieri to Headline 2025 ICA Congress The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.
