As I write this letter, August is winding down and the realization that summer will soon be over is kicking in. By the time you read this, September will be here and fall will have begun. I don’t know about your business, but here at JCK we barely felt a summer slowdown. Here’s hoping that suggests a strong second half of the year!
The late July jewelry week in New York City was a big success with some terrific highlights. First off, JCK Events’ Luxury Privé show at the Waldorf Astoria saw a strong fifth edition. The crowds were lively and most exhibitors came away with a great attitude, with many breaking new, key accounts among the upscale retailers in attendance.
This year’s Luxury Privé was the first under Sarin Bachmann’s leadership; congrats to Sarin and the rest of the Luxury team on a job well done. Oh, and thanks for giving me an excuse to dust off my Ogden (Utah) High School 1980 letterman’s jacket by throwing an ’80s bash. That was fun!
The evening events were as enjoyable—and as great a series of networking opportunities—as ever. Plus, we had two members of our JCK family honored this year: associate publisher Donna Borrelli and Reed Exhibitions senior vice president Yancy Weinrich, who manages the entire JCK Events portfolio.
I had a blast at the WJA gala with Luxury Brand Group’s Frank Proctor, The Knot’s Rachel Jackson, and Sylvie Collection’s Sylvie Levine, who brought her son, Gary.
Donna was nominated for a Women’s Jewelry Association Award for Excellence in the Special Services category. Think for a moment about the person in your office who does the most work behind the scenes yet gets relatively little recognition. For JCK, that’s Donna. She is truly one of the hardest-working individuals I’ve ever known. While Donna did not win (her competition was fierce), it was heartening to see her nominated (as the old saying goes). Many, many congratulations, Donna!
At the American Gem Society’s Circle of Distinction dinner the following evening, Yancy was awarded the Triple Zero Award, presented annually to members of the industry for their accomplishments and contributions. The award is named after the highest grade a diamond can receive in AGS nomenclature, and I, for one, think that’s exactly the award Yancy deserves.
We began our JCK careers (Yancy at the show, and I at the magazine) in the same month, 11 years ago. Over that time, I’ve witnessed her amazing work ethic, her dedication to her job and the JCK brand, her passion to go way beyond a paycheck, and—through her involvement with multiple trade organizations—her efforts to lift the entire industry to new heights. Even her acceptance speech was a combination of heartfelt thanks and a call to the trade to focus on millennials so we can build a new group of jewelry enthusiasts for the next generation of retailers. Congrats, Yancy, on being recognized for the amazing job you do!
I’m off soon for a week on the coast with my husband and our son, so hopefully on my return I’ll be fully recharged and ready for fall. With an exciting refresh of our website on the way (more on that soon!), plus all the other amazing third- and fourth-quarter projects we have planned, it’s a season I’m looking forward to.