Now that the calendar has turned to November, it’s time to vote in our sixth annual Jewelers’ Choice Awards, the trade’s most prestigious retailer-decided design competition. Included with this copy of JCK is our annual “JCK Jewelers’ Choice Awards Voting Guide” featuring images of every piece entered in the contest. Please take a moment to pick your favorites.

Next, log on to jewelerschoiceawards.com to cast your votes. The winning piece will be featured on the cover of the March issue, while beautiful original ­photography of each category’s first-place winner will be featured inside. Then, in April, you’ll receive a copy of “The Best of the Best,” a supplement to the magazine highlighting all three winners in each category (first place and finalists).

Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled programming.… The past couple of months have been busy as usual, beginning with my visit to the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair. I’m really starting to enjoy my twice-annual trips to this hub of the Far East. The city can be punishing if you don’t know your way around—walking in a suit in Sahara-hot weather toting a bag of magazines is no fun at all—but the more I go, the better I become at using the subway and navigating the underground (and air-conditioned) passageways.

Career Fair: © Gia
Stylist George Blodwell had us all cracking up at the GIA Career Fair discussion that I moderated.

One of my favorite memories from this year’s visit was a terrific dinner with our European sales representative, Mirek Kraczkowski, and our dear friends Maria and Carlos Ramón of Ramón Joiers in Barcelona. We dined at Aqua, an amazing restaurant with an incredible view of Hong Kong Island.

Next was my annual trip to Southern California in early October for the GIA Career Fair in Carlsbad, and the Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California’s annual dinner dance in Beverly Hills. At the Career Fair, I once again moderated a panel on creative careers in jewelry. Our speakers included antique and estate expert Mona Lee Nesseth; Jeff Mason, a gemologist and jewelry expert featured on the History Channel’s hit series Pawn Stars; Au-Co Mai, president and CEO of Emitations.com; and celebrity stylist George Blodwell.

Luxury Brand Group
GIA president and CEO Donna Baker at the 24 Karat Club of Southern California dinner in her honor

The session provided some amazing lessons for the GIA grads in the room. Thanks and congrats to GIA’s Kathryn Kimmel and her team (especially Sarah Hatfield) for including me and for a terrific day.

Speaking of GIA, this year’s Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California dinner dance honored GIA president and CEO Donna Baker. As we noted in JCK’s March 2011 issue (see “A View From the Top”), Donna has brought a diverse and successful background and point of view to the organization and has done an amazing job leading GIA’s 1,500 employees. Congrats to her on the award and on a particularly eloquent acceptance speech!

As you prepare for the holiday season, know this: We at JCK are always striving to bring you the news and insights that will make a difference in your business. That effort includes constant brainstorming on editorial packages, supplemental publications, and online improvements designed to sustain our reputation as the industry authority in print and online, and at trade shows and events around the globe. We thank you for your ongoing support.