The Jewelers Vigilance Committee presented the 2015 Stanley Schechter Award to David Bouffard, the vice president of corporate affairs for Signet Jewelers Ltd.
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During a session at the JA New York show Monday, experts discussed how jewelers can navigate the changes in today’s marriage market to capitalize on current opportunities.
Tiffany’s first ad featuring a same-sex couple was the top story on NationalJeweler.com last week.

Day’s Jewelers presented a check for $102,300 to Jewelers for Children after pledging to raise $100,000 for the charity to mark a century in business.

During her keynote address at the JA NY Winter show, MSNBC host JJ Ramberg spoke of the need for retailers to simplify their businesses and explain the “why” behind their stores.
Jewelers can boost where their website lands in search results by focusing on quality content, natural keyword inclusion and social sharing, an SEO expert said during an education session Sunday at JA New York Winter.
The Women’s Jewelry Association now is accepting applications from members for a merit-based grant to help women in the industry get their businesses off the ground.
Sales growth in the U.S. outpaced that of other regions in the third quarter for Richemont, with jewelry and Net-a-Porter turning in the strongest performances.

Target announced Thursday that it will discontinue the operations of the 133 stores it has opened in Canada and refocus on growing its U.S. business.

A keynote speech delivered by a small business expert and a panel discussion on how to snag the modern bride are among the sessions scheduled to take place at the JA New York Winter show.
I have been doing something scary lately: I’ve been leaving the house without my phone. Not for long periods of time--say, an entire 8-hour span--but rather just a stretch of a few hours, on a weekend afternoon or on those rare workdays when I escape my office for a bit at lunch.

Slane, the jewelry company started by sisters Landon and Heath Slane 18 years ago, is discontinuing its wholesale operations while the brand “considers a new direction for the future.”
Insurer Jewelers Mutual has earned its 28th consecutive A+ Superior financial strength rating from A.M. Best Company, an insurance rating and information source.
Total retail sales in November and December increased by 4 percent to reach their highest levels since 2011, according to the National Retail Federation.
Dorothy Lee Thrift Burke, who founded Burkes Jewelers in Virginia’s Northern Neck with her husband Fred, has died at the age of 90.

Holographic showcases can help jewelers tell the story behind their pieces, appealing to the desire of today’s consumers to find out information on their own.

Circa, a New York-based buyer of fine jewelry and watches, has announced that founder Richard Tilles is returning to the company as the new president of its Core division.
For the second year in a row, Rapaport Ltd. will hold its diamond-centric trade show at the same time as Baselworld.
U.S. Antiques Shows will hold an appraisal day at the upcoming Original Miami Beach Antique Show in partnership with Skinner Auctioneers & Appraisers.

The Women’s Jewelry Association will honor J.C. Penney’s Pam Mortensen, Underwood Jewelers’ C. Clayton Bromberg and Gumuchian at its 2015 Awards for Excellence gala.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund, the organization that works to better the lives of people in diamond-producing countries worldwide, honored actress Jane Seymour and Jewelers for Children Executive Director David Rocha at its annual Good Awards.
A judge in Erie, Pa. sentenced Paul Blarr, the jeweler charged with selling fake diamonds and plated gold as karat gold to customers for years, to 23 to 69 years behind bars Monday, The Buffalo News reports.

Fiera di Vicenza S.p.A has unveiled “The Boutique Show” concept, which places exhibitors into one of six defined areas based on what they sell.

A story outlining eight jewelry trends expected to be prevalent in 2015 was the most popular story on National Jeweler last week.
Shinola and Stephen Webster won for marketing/communications and design, respectively, while W magazine’s Claudia Mata took home the Gem for media excellence.