If you’re like us, you’re just getting over your jet lag after a hopefully productive trip to Tucson for gem week. So why not take this week to relax? Curl up with a good jewelry-themed book—or a webinar (or two or three). Or, if you’re lucky enough to be in sunny South Florida, you can take in not one but two shows: the Palm Beach Show and the Palm Beach Fine Craft Show.
P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day! What better excuse to buy yourself a heart-shape jewel?
READ
Murder Is Not A Girl’s Best Friend by Rob Bates
On Feb. 8, JCK’s very own Rob Bates published his second novel, Murder Is Not A Girl’s Best Friend. It’s the second book in the Diamond District Mystery series, a follow-up to his freshman effort, A Murder Is Forever, which came out in October 2020. Protagonist Mimi Rosen, a journalist–turned–sleuth, is back, as is her father, Max. Rob recently spoke to JCK’s Brittany Siminitz about the inspirations for the book and characters. If the second book is as fun, easy, and enlightening a read as the first, you all are in for a treat!
SHOP
The Palm Beach Show at the Palm Beach County Convention Center: Feb. 17–22 (in person)
Dealers of high-end jewelry, art, antiques, and design gather in Florida’s epicenter of affluence this week for the Palm Beach Show at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Jewelry exhibitors include vintage and estate specialists such as M.S. Rau and Macklowe Gallery and contemporary designers such as New Delhi–based Neha Dani, who will be showcasing a new series of jewelry titled La Pluma, inspired by bird wings and the freedom they symbolize.
The Palm Beach Fine Craft Show at the Palm Beach County Convention Center: Feb. 18–20 (in person)
Colocated with the renowned Palm Beach Show, the Palm Beach Fine Craft Show at the Palm Beach County Convention Center features the nation’s top contemporary craft artists, including an impressive cohort of jewelers such as Rebecca Myers and Shana Kroiz.
ATTEND
Gemflix Webinar on Eye Miniatures From the Skier Collection: Feb. 16, 12 p.m. ET (online)
In its latest webinar, Gemflix turns its attention to eye miniatures, a genre of jewels, including rings, brooches, and necklaces, that flourished in late 18th– and early 19th–century England. Depicting a single eye, “lover’s eyes” were designed as tokens of affection. Jewelry collector Nan Skier, co-owner of the Nan and David Skier collection of eye miniatures, featuring over 130 pieces, shares stories behind some of her favorite items.
CIBJO Jewellery Industry Voices Webinar: Feb. 17, 9 a.m. ET (online)
CIBJO’s “Jewellery Industry Voices” webinar series returns with a deep dive into data and what the growing use of statistical analysis means for the jewelry and gemstone industry. Moderated by Edward Johnson and Steven Benson with a welcome by CIBJO president Gaetano Cavalieri, the session features Uni Diamonds’ Mahiar Borhanjoo, Bain & Co.’s Sophia Kravchenko, Helzberg Diamonds’ Julie Yoakum, and Rosy Blue’s Raj Mehta as panelists.
Jewelers Circle Webinar on the Journey of the Gem: Feb. 17, 11 a.m. ET (online)
Jewelers Circle hosts a show-and-tell webinar this week, “The Journey of the Gem: A Showcase of Minerals to Cut Gemstones,” in which Raquel Alonso-Perez, curator of Harvard University’s Mineralogical and Geological Museum, showcases rough minerals and their counterpart gemstones from some of the most iconic localities in the United States.
WJA and BIJC Webinar Celebrating Black History Month: Feb. 17, 1 p.m. ET (online)
Members of the Women’s Jewelry Association and the Black in Jewelry Coalition join forces this week on a webinar in which they’ll celebrate Black heritage and discuss what they’re doing to create a more inclusive industry. Attendees will learn about industry-wide initiatives that are helping to advance and shape more opportunities for Black jewelry professionals and how they can get involved and offer their support.
NAJA’s 57th ACE It Winter Virtual Education Conference: Feb. 19–20 (online)
The National Association of Jewelry Appraisers’ winter conference offers a full slate of educational sessions via livestream, including “Origin and Its Effect on Pricing” from Gemworld’s Richard Drucker, a look at America’s “must-see” gemstone mines by gem sculptor Helen Serras-Herman, and “Unlocking the Beauty Within: Evaluating the Influence of Cut on Value” by gem cutter, metalsmith, and gemologist Derek Katzenbach.
Top: Love amethyst heart necklace in 14k gold with pink tourmaline detail, $398; Jane Win Jewelry
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