Last week I went on my first official business trip, to the gem shows at Tucson and what a trip it was.

Brecken Branstrator

Erica Courtney is showing a number of new additions to the brand’s existing Drop Dead Gorgeous collection at the American Gem Trade Association’s GemFair show in Tucson this week.

Brecken Branstrator

Presidium Instruments is showcasing what it claims is the world’s first device to detect flame fusion-created rubies at the American Gem Trade Association GemFair this week.

Brecken Branstrator

At the AGTA GemFair on Wednesday, Performance Concepts’ Kate Peterson outlined eight consumer trends for 2014 and how retailers can translate them into sales at their stores.

Brecken Branstrator

Frederic Duclos is showcasing an expanded colored gemstone collection in Tucson, matching the stones with its signature sterling silver, in addition to offering a new mixed- metal look featuring yellow gold and ruthenium finishes.

Brecken Branstrator

After the Super Bowl safety that started Sunday’s game, shocking viewers across the country and ultimately serving as a not-so-super harbinger for the Denver Broncos, Jeff Dennis Jewelers will be giving more than 400 customers their money back. 

Brecken Branstrator

Jewelry brand Fred Leighton is making its first move into e-commerce, selling on luxury retail website Net-a-Porter.  

Brecken Branstrator

A California jeweler who was injured when a customer attacked him with a hatchet in his store has inspired a fund to help other local businesses in similar situations. 

Brecken Branstrator

Though I’m still working to familiarize myself with what it is and how it works, I have noticed that Bitcoin seems to be in the news a lot more recently.

Brecken Branstrator

Jeff Dennis Jewelers is betting on football--the big game in particular--to give business a boost.  

Brecken Branstrator

Thanks to an act of quick thinking, a Helzberg Diamonds store employee who also happens to be a septuagenarian was able to put a stop to an armed robbery attempt Tuesday evening.

Brecken Branstrator

From big diamonds to baroque pearls to pieces featuring the hue of 2014, “Radiant Orchid,” National Jeweler recounts the top pins and pictures of the year on its Pinterest and Instagram accounts.

Brecken Branstrator

Most retailers reported that the 2013 holiday season ended with sales up slightly or on par with last year, though a few noted that the average price point plummeted.

Brecken Branstrator

Despite a shorter shopping period and severe weather, early numbers indicate that holiday sales increased year-over-year, with jewelry cited as one of the season’s best-selling categories. 

Brecken Branstrator

Buyers are back in the market for luxury items and jewelry this holiday season, with the biggest shopping day for the season still to come, according to MasterCard Advisors. 

Brecken Branstrator

The holiday shopping season is almost halfway over, but there’s still time to make sure the store’s staff and setup is doing everything possible to maximize sales. 

Brecken Branstrator

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the holiday shopping season is in full swing. In addition to all the hectic sales and promotions at big-box retailers, the jewelry industry is well into its most important sales season.

Brecken Branstrator

The winter storm dubbed Dion has been making its way across the country since late last week, dumping a mix of snow and ice on a number of states and interfering with any shopping that wasn’t taking place online.

Brecken Branstrator

Designer Claudio Pino made several of the rings featured in the popular franchise’s second film.

Brecken Branstrator

Though Jessica Hendricks grew up with a direct connection to jewelry, learning the ins and outs as her mother ran two stores, she didn’t anticipate going into the industry herself. She attended New York University to study theater, but a series of events and experiences would soon take her back into the industry she knew so well.

Brecken Branstrator

Sean Dunn, vice president of Florida jeweler J.R. Dunn, shares the ups, and the downs, of his company’s transition to a new website with a different domain name.

Brecken Branstrator

Paris-based House of Alexandre Reza has been known for its extraordinary gems, designs and craftsmanship since the 1950s.

Brecken Branstrator

JA Special Delivery ended Tuesday, wrapping up three days of buying and selling activity, with a number of vendors noting that their silver business was particularly strong.  

Brecken Branstrator

JA New York opened its Special Delivery show to a good buzz Sunday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

Brecken Branstrator

As the new associate editor at National Jeweler, I can’t imagine a better way to get acquainted with the fine jewelry industry than to head straight to an event, where I got to see great pieces up close and in person. On Monday, I went to see all the jewelry involved in the AGTA’s 2014 Spectrum Awards.

Brecken Branstrator