If you’re planning to attend the JCK and/or Luxury shows opening at the Sands Expo and Venetian in Las Vegas at the end of May, clear your calendar this Thursday, May 2, 2:30–3:15 p.m. ET for a fact-filled webinar designed to help you navigate the show and plan your social calendar.

First things first: Register for the webinar here.

I’ll be kicking things off with a review of preshow planning suggestions—everything from how to think about your inventory needs to the importance of setting appointments with exhibitors. I’ll also cover some of the things you can do at-show to make the most of your time at the Sands, including building in a couple of hours for a discovery tour, in which you walk the show without an agenda, other than simply investigating the pieces that excite and delight you.

Next, I’ll touch on packing tips, such as why you may want to bring a flash drive to the show; hit on the highlights of the JCK Talks education schedule (want to know more about lab-grown diamonds, responsible sourcing, or the startups that are changing retail? We’ve got you covered); and remind you about the hashtags you’ll want to use when posting pics to social media.

I’ll also go over the key safety guidelines all jewelers in Las Vegas need to know.

Then I’ll move on to the fun stuff, including a look at the best places on  and off campus (i.e., the Venetian and Palazzo complex) to eat, drink, and be merry. (I’ve gleaned my tips from this must-read article by JCK contributor and Vegas insider Matt Villano, which appeared in our March/April 2019 issue.)

Then I’ll pass the mic to my colleagues at JCK Events, Sarin Bachmann and Kate Youngstrom, who will talk about all the new things you can expect to find at the recently renovated Sands, from an improved show layout to new neighborhoods, such as Global Gemstone, home to hundreds of top-quality stone dealers and their caches of rarely seen gems.

Even if you’ve attended JCK in the past, you won’t want to miss this preshow webinar. Think of it as a trailer for the biggest movie spectacle of the year, the can’t-miss show you’ll be talking about for months, even years, to come. This Thursday, we’ll give you a sneak peek.

Top: The Venetian’s Grand Canal (photo courtesy of the Venetian Resort)

Victoria Gomelsky

JCK Editor-in-Chief