From customers being robbed to post-pandemic trends, National Jeweler polled jewelers to find out what’s worrying them most.
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![The exterior of Bensons Jewelers in downtown Washington, D.C. The store closed last month after more than eight decades in business, with the owner citing a decline in foot traffic due to more people working from home. 20230328_Bensons Jewelers DC exterior.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/46de11dadeb947b0a51b79a98cbc5b70.jpg)
Bensons Jewelers closed for good Feb. 24, impacted in part by the decline in foot traffic downtown since the onset of the pandemic.
![Rough diamond sales totaled $565 million for De Beers Group in the third sales cycle of the year, up 26 percent year-over-year. (©De Beers Group/Photo credit: Ben Perry @ Armoury Films) 2021_De Beers rough diamond display.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/b89cc42f1e1f8f8138ddfae71f71a791.jpg)
Strength in rough diamond sales continues, but the war in Ukraine and COVID lockdowns in China have companies on alert.
![The Hong Kong Trade Development Council has pushed its two spring gem and jewelry events back again amid another coronavirus wave, scheduling them for July 29-Aug. 2. 20220328_HK-show.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/6821095cf4a35474c261aba2659a0d8c.jpg)
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council will now hold its two events July 29-Aug. 2.
![An estimated 2.5 million to 2.6 million U.S. couples are expected to tie the knot this year, the highest number since the mid-‘80s. Shane McMurray, CEO of The Wedding Report, attributes the increase to pent-up demand from 2020 and 2021, when the pandemic forced couples to postpone their weddings. 20220216_couple getting married.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/2875e9c4fec74931b5fd9d87b5d0e14d.jpg)
The number of weddings is expected to near 2.5 million in the United States this year, a number not seen since 1984.
![Peter Smith is president of Memoire and Hearts On Fire. He is author of three books, “Hiring Squirrels,” “Sell Something,” and his most recent, “The Sales Minute.” Connect with Smith on LinkedIn or at dublinsmith@yahoo.com. 2021_Peter Smith.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/7285a57f1ccf43c1163c82e787031580.jpg)
What changes did you make that are going to help your business endure beyond the current surge in jewelry sales? Peter Smith wants to know.
![The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration withdrew its “vaccine or testing” emergency temporary standard after the Supreme Court blocked it. However, OSHA said it is not withdrawing the ETS as a proposed rule. 2021_Vaccines.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/3a0a610fac0401c7beb5c5b2fddaaa63.jpg)
The Supreme Court recently blocked the emergency temporary standard, but OSHA may still have a path forward.
![The Ethical Gem Fair is one of the events returning live to Tucson this year. It will be held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral from Jan. 29-Feb. 1. 20220119_Tucson-2022-header.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/12fdb1219bc991dd067576e9ff284f11.jpg)
National Jeweler rounds up the full event calendar for the upcoming gem fairs.
![Inhorgenta Munich, last held in early 2020, has postponed its 2022 show. 2022_InhorgentaMunich.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/01c1708967a75aa60bbb5a6216ca6aa0.jpg)
Organizers have pushed the winter jewelry trade show to spring, citing travel restrictions.
![The Accredited Gemologists Association rescheduled its 2022 Tucson conference and moved it online amid rising COVID-19 cases. It will feature the same six planned education sessions but held virtually over two days. 20220107_AGA-virtual-conference.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/fcf352ddbaa6767219e1912931895c11.jpg)
The six planned gemological education sessions will now be held on Feb. 15 and 16.
![2021_24 Karat Club Banquet.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/265c1daec1eb8ed34d67bd9685fa7879.jpg)
The Jewelers Vigilance Committee and Jewelers Security Alliance annual luncheons are also postponed.
![20211222_GemAwards.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/be6b2b9b2cea91cad5aa8f5e2cda5825.jpg)
The January event is rescheduled due to the rapidly spreading omicron variant.
![Private companies with 100 or more employees are required to either have their workers fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or require weekly testing, as per the OSHA rule. 2021_Vaccines.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/2e1ba77a91ce2ee33982825b6f80896a.jpg)
OSHA said it will hold back on issuing noncompliance citations due to the confusion surrounding the mandate.
![De Beers owner Anglo American plans to require COVID-19 vaccinations to enter its mining sites and offices worldwide. 2021_Vaccination.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/76504400620405587656dd4ccd739c50.jpg)
Anglo American is gathering feedback from employees and stakeholders to craft its vaccine mandate.
The company donates 10 meals to the nonprofit for every piece of jewelry it sells.
![The National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association sent a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Labor and its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), raising questions and expressing concerns about an impending vaccine or testing mandate for companies with 100 or more employees. 20210928_Vaccine.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/58d8e758edca391a7115009a16a242ce.jpg)
NRF and RILA say their members need more information and will need more time before requiring employees to get vaccinated.
![More jewelry stores opened in Q2 2021 than Q2 2020, as per the Jewelers Board of Trade’s latest data. 20210805_Ring display.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/771ffaf9ea575f7ca6ac447db78a7579.jpg)
Although more jewelry businesses are shutting their doors, there is a silver lining to be found in the Q2 report.
![Amid a rise in the Delta variant of the coronavirus, the CDC has updated its guidance and some retailers are rethinking their store policies as well. 20210803_Cashier.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/49362f2fa022a87c70823b27fdeb8464.jpg)
As the Delta variant spreads rapidly, some retailers are reinstating mask mandates and requiring employees to get vaccinated.
![Dan and Hope Wixon, owners of Bloomington, Minnesota's Wixon Jewelers, have been inducted into National Jeweler's Retailer Hall of Fame in the Single Store, Independent category. 20210720_Dan and Hope brighter.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/ab07ba56d7d87fe29499bdc1510f34cb.jpg)
The first-generation jewelers have seen their biggest jewelry aspirations fulfilled.
![The World Federation of Diamond Bourses launched the Diamond Aid campaign in May, now resulting in a free vaccination drive for the diamond trade in Mumbai. 20210720_WFDB-header.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/217d36cef12fda9cd244e009907a8128.jpg)
It will include 5,000 members of the diamond trade in its first stage.
![From June 16-30, National Jeweler surveyed members of the industry on their plans for the Las Vegas shows in August. Read on to see what they had to say. 20210708_Las Vegas survey header.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/f2cfd8389e97f9785b84671685f20962.jpg)
National Jeweler breaks down the results of its recent survey on people’s plans for the jewelry trade shows coming up in August.
![Real estate investment trust Washington Prime Group has put a restructuring plan in place after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week. 20210617_Washington Prime Group Logo.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/d498c806f41df9c40ef829ec28b60a70.jpg)
The company is implementing a restructuring plan after struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
![JCK Las Vegas is set for Aug. 27-30 at the Venetian Resort and Sands Expo. 20210610_JCK Show.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/684eee4af99c349777ef97e3709dc362.jpg)
From updated health and safety guidelines to new events, here’s what to expect at the jewelry trade show in Las Vegas this August.
The money will go toward vaccine rollout in Botswana and Namibia, as well as diamond industry response efforts in India.
![Vicenzaoro will return to physical form this fall, taking place Sept. 10-14 at the Vicenza Expo Centre alongside T. Gold and VOVintage, which is scheduled for Sept. 11-13. 20210603_Vicenzaoro interior.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/fc1b35a19b2e52d111ed68f6707dc316.jpg)
Slated for mid-September, it’ll be Europe’s first major live jewelry trade show since the start of the pandemic.