Spring has sprung! But if yesterday’s equinox didn’t bring warm weather to your part of the country, we’ve got you covered with a lineup of virtual events—including two detail-oriented business improvement webinars—that promise to keep you plenty busy indoors.
LISTEN
The Jewelry District, Episode 40; Ongoing
In the latest episode of JCK’s The Jewelry District podcast, editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates lead off with a discussion about gender and watches: Why does the watch industry continue to make and market “ladies’ timepieces” (inevitably small and diamond-set) when so many women would prefer to buy styles traditionally aimed at men? Come for the watch talk, stay for the update on a new sustainable certification for both mined and lab-grown diamonds.
BID
Christie’s Watches Sale: Through March 23 at 10 a.m. ET (online)
You have two days to peruse the selection of 133 watch lots on the block at Christie’s online sale this week. There’s bound to be stiff competition for all the timepieces by the Big Four (Patek Philippe, Rolex, Richard Mille, and Audemars Piguet), to say nothing of the inevitable mania over the sale’s Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3700 in yellow gold, or its cohort of modern Rolex sport models (the Hulk, Kermit, Batman, and Pepsi are all on offer). Be prepared to blow your budget!
The Family Collection of the Late Countess Mountbatten of Burma Sale at Sotheby’s London: March 24, 10 a.m. GMT (live and online)
Patricia Edwina Victoria Mountbatten (aka the 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma, great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, great-niece of Russia’s last tsarina, first cousin to Prince Philip, and the daughter of Britain’s last viceroy of India) and her husband, John Knatchbull, 7th Lord Brabourne, inherited, collected, and owned many beautiful and historically significant things. And Sotheby’s is now selling an impressive collection of them. But our advice is to look straight past the furniture, paintings, sculptures, Chinese works of art, silver, ceramics, and objets d’art and zero in on the jewels: 56 lots, to be exact, brimming with turn-of-the-century diamond pieces and art deco treasures fit, quite literally, for royalty.
ATTEND
92Y Conversation With Kendra Scott: March 23, 2 p.m. ET, $20 (online)
The 92Y continues to inform and delight jewelry lovers with its series of conversations with leading designers. On Tuesday, Jessica Pels, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, speaks to Kendra Scott, the designer who began her company with $500 in 2002 and now presides over a fashion jewelry empire valued at $1 billion. Consider this a master class in business acumen, delivered in an easygoing dialogue.
Gemflix Conversation With GIA’s Susan Jacques: March 24, 12 p.m. ET (online)
For Gemflix’s ongoing “Gem XX Series: Celebrating Strong Women in Jewelry,” Susan Jacques, CEO and president of GIA, tells the story of how, from her birthplace in Rhodesia (current-day Zimbabwe), she became CEO of Borsheims under Warren Buffett and then the leader of GIA. In charting her journey, Jacques will also turn the spotlight on the myriad women with whom the institute has worked, from a cohort of female artisanal miners in Tanzania to Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and red carpet jeweler Lorraine Schwartz.
WJA Masterclass on Hiring: March 24, 1 p.m. ET (online)
WJA’s new Masterclass leadership training series kicks off on Thursday with a deep dive into the mechanics of hiring. Peter Smith, president of Hearts On Fire and Memoire, leads the virtual session, titled “Hiring Strong Teams: How to Identify & Hire Top Salespeople,” with plenty of tips and advice for identifying and hiring effective, motivated salespeople across all segments of the industry.
JA Webinar on Organic vs. Paid Social Media: March 25, 2 p.m. ET (online)
Confused about how to build your social media strategy? In this webinar, Ben Smithee, Emily Copeland, and Blake Smith of the Smithee Group break down the ins and outs of organic versus paid social media and convey how each one can help you accomplish different business goals. Like!
Top: Diamond Initial Band in 14k gold, $1,495; V.Bellan
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
