National Jeweler has looked through the educational seminars that JCK will offer in Las Vegas to bring jewelers the 10 presentations they should be sure to check out.

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National Jeweler solicited recommendations from frequent Vegas goers, scoured tourism websites and leaned on the local Time Out magazine to compile this list of the city’s best dining.  

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Additional suspects have been taken into custody in connection with last year’s $50 million diamond heist at Brussels Airport, according to Paris-based news agency Agence France-Presse. 

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National Jeweler sifted through Goodreads’ releases again this month to bring jewelers four more books that could be good for business owners, as well as one editor’s suggestion for a nice read on the side. 

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Amazon has found another way to bring shopping to the increasingly mobile U.S. consumers. In recent days, the retail giant announced that consumers now will be able to shop on Amazon via their Twitter accounts.

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The New York jeweler charged with misrepresenting diamond simulants as the real thing pleaded guilty Friday to the charges brought against him, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.  

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De Beers’ diamond brand Forevermark is expanding into Turkey through a partnership with a local licensee, Zen Diamond.

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Richmond police have arrested and charged four people in connection with the recent murder of 29-year-old Muhammad Baig, an employee at Victoria Jewelers. 

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Born in the French Alps but now based in London, jewelry designer Ornella Iannuzzi has created a style that includes unusual, eye-catching and organic shapes, using rare and natural precious materials crafted in a way that mirrors sculptures as much as fine jewelry.

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When the antique and estate jewelry and watch show opens in Las Vegas at the end of the month, more than 400 exhibitors will bring a mix of pieces from the 1700s and 1800s to Art Deco and even more modern jewels to Sin City. 

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One year after the U.S. Senate passed the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013, the bill is seemingly going nowhere in the House of Representatives. 

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With the recent data breaches impacting major retailers and web security issues stemming from Heartbleed, National Jeweler takes a look at what jewelers can do to protect their customers. 

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The American Gem Society named industry veteran Doug Parker as the 2014 Robert M. Shipley award winner on Friday during Conclave.

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During her presentation at Conclave on Friday, Denise Chislett of Underwood Jewelers addressed how social media and a mobile website can increase engagement with customers and drive sales when done right.

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Jewelers tend to stick with the basics when it comes to their showcases and lose sales because of it, says consultant Larry Johnson. In a seminar held Wednesday at Conclave, he addressed the top 10 display mistakes and how retailers can avoid them. 

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In his presentation at AGS Conclave Wednesday, Shane Decker armed the crowd with knowledge about the different types of salespeople and closes, and how to handle customers’ objections when trying to close a sale. 

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We know that consumers are using their mobile devices to shop at levels never seen before. Whether it’s on a tablet or smartphone, they’re using mobile to shop, review peer feedback and opinions on products and services, and get social about their experiences and interactions with brands.

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Having a Google alert set for the general term “jewelry” can turn up a lot of results. While not always relevant, it’s good to at least sift through the alerts to make sure we’re not missing any important news stories, and it can be a great resource for interesting tidbits you wouldn’t otherwise find. Not too long ago, one of my alerts turned me on to a really interesting story about Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde and his project to eliminate smog with a new device he’s creating. Roosegaarde and his team of experts at the Studio Roosegaarde, which has locations in the Netherlands and Shanghai, are developing a safe, energy-friendly installation to capture smog and create clean air. The Smog project uses patented ion technology in an “electronic vacuum cleaner” to create large holes of clean air, and they’re aiming to create the largest smog-free park in Beijing, according to Studio Roosegaarde. The project’s timing is aligned with the recent vow by Beijing’s municipal government to lower the concentration of fine particulate matter by 25 percent by 2017. A mock-up is currently being tested in the studio, and the first park is slated to open in early summer of next year. What’s more, Roosegaarde is using the smog captured from the machine and turning it into fine jewelry. “I like the notion that you take something high-end and combine it with the problematic,” Roosegaarde told The New York Times.

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One retailer faces felony charges for allegedly selling moissanite and other man-made stones that he misrepresented as diamonds, a case that should serve as a reminder to jewelers that they are liable for what they sell. 

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Online retailer Gemvara has decided not to open a permanent brick-and-mortar location after a temporary store designed to test the brand’s brick-and-mortar appeal didn’t attract many customers. 

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Since I’m still getting acclimated with the fine jewelry industry and trying to expose myself to as many brands and people as possible, I decided to join National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff and check out the collections of Buddha Mama two weeks ago. Based on the name and the buzz behind the brand, I was intrigued.

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When I attended the Women’s Jewelry Association’s “In the Know” conference for the first time two weeks ago, I was blown away by all the speakers and the knowledge they had to share with the crowd.

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While I was in Tucson, I managed to sneak in a few extra seminars at the AGTA GemFair for fun, and one of them was a presentation about the Cheapside Hoard, which I think is fascinating.

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“The ROI (return on investment) of social media is that your business will still exist in five years.” That was the crux of a talk given Monday at the JA New York Winter show by Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likeable Jewelers and a best-selling author. 

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While I was in Tucson earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending a small event to meet the team behind a documentary that’s in the works called Sharing the Rough.

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