It’s that time of year again…when retailers across the country are invited to vote on their favorite pieces in the JCK Jewelers’ Choice Awards!
This year’s awards (our fourth annual) saw a big increase in entries, up 30 percent compared to last year. That means more wonderful product to review, vote on, and ultimately add to your store’s collection. If you are a jewelry retailer, please take a moment to look over the beautiful “2010 Voting Guide” sent to you with this issue of JCK.
Once you’ve reviewed the entries in print, take a moment to log in at jckonline.com/jewelerschoiceawards to begin voting. Once there, you’ll see additional pictures of each entry (up to four images of each). As you click your favorites and complete a page, you’ll automatically be taken to the next.
Victoria Gomelsky, JCK’s editor in chief
Our mission from the launch of these awards has been to provide a fun, interactive environment in which retailers can see terrific product. We’re confident this year will be no exception. Remember, your winning selections will be showcased on the cover and inside our March 2011 issue.
You’ve probably already heard the news—the announcement was made after our last issue was put to bed—but I’m thrilled to welcome my friend and talented colleague Victoria Gomelsky to the position of editor in chief of JCK. Vic’s talents are amazing. She possesses a rare combination of insider knowledge of our business (she began her career as a reporter at National Jeweler) and an understanding of the world of international luxury (she has been editor in chief of Couture International magazine and has written for such prestigious publications as The Wall Street Journal, the International Herald Tribune, and The New York Times, among others).
Vic’s talent and contributions are already showing (did you see our glorious October issue?), and we know the magazine will just keep getting better under her leadership. Welcome, Vic!
The Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair is one of the trade’s best gatherings.
Finally, as happy as I am to be in New York City this time of year (great energy on the streets!), I truly enjoyed being at the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair. The city’s convention center is beautiful, with four-story-high walls of glass and views that make you feel you’re on a cruise ship rather than a show floor. It’s such a pleasure to see friends and clients from Brazil, Europe, India, Israel, and the United States—as well as China—in one place. Meeting on the show floor, breaking bread with clients, running around the city at night: The experience was exhausting, but it was also a valuable reminder of how lucky we are to work in a truly international business.
P.S. To those of you who are looking for our annual salary survey in this November issue, fear not: We’ve expanded this year’s survey to include four additional “S’s” beyond salary: store, stock, sales, and staff. The results of this year’s survey will appear in the 2011 JCK Jewelers’ Directory, an essential annual resource also featuring thousands of listings of industry insiders, to be mailed to you next month at no extra cost with your December/January issue of JCK. We’re sure you’ll enjoy its revealing retail benchmarks and information.