The first full week of April is abloom with (mostly virtual) events and buying opportunities. If you’re in the watch business, you are no doubt prepared for the tsunami of new product introductions due to be introduced at the online Watches and Wonders fair taking place (nominally) in Geneva. But there’s plenty for jewelry buffs, too. Zoom zoom—see you there!
WATCH
JCK x Black in Jewelry Coalition Interview Series: Ongoing (online)
In February, JCK senior editor Emili Vesilind interviewed the founding members of the Black in Jewelry Coalition, the first international nonprofit association dedicated to the inclusion and advancement of Black professionals within the gem, jewelry, and watch industry. Between episodes featuring Annie Doresca, CFO of Jewelers of America; Elyssa Jenkins, director of membership and digital content at Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC); Miya Owens, associate counsel and director of mediation at JVC; and Nellie Barnett, manager of media and public relations at GIA, you are guaranteed to come away with an understanding of why diversity is critical to the industry’s growth.
LISTEN
The Jewelry District, Episode 41: Ongoing
In the latest episode of JCK’s The Jewelry District podcast, editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates speak to Madeline Fraser, founder and CEO of Gemist. The tech entrepreneur turned her sights to the jewelry industry when she began shopping for an engagement ring. In 2018, she founded Gemist as a “try before you buy” digital platform for jewelry buyers seeking to create their own designs. For a taste of how Silicon Valley feels about the jewelry industry, don’t miss Fraser’s fun recounting of her experiences with investors.
BID
Doyle Fine Jewelry Sale: April 7, 12 p.m. ET (live and online)
The Doyle Fine Jewelry sale in New York has it all: 195 lots offering choice examples of Edwardian diamond rings, diamond fringe necklaces, Bulgari Tubogas wristwatches, Van Cleef & Arpels pearl earrings, and pretty much everything a modern jewelry lover might want. As an added bonus, the sale includes 23 lots from the collection of Panamanian entrepreneur and philanthropist Greta Crusoe, founder of the luxury swimwear label Perla Negra.
ATTEND
Colored Stone Market Trends Seminar: April 6, 2 p.m. ET (online)
Gemworld’s Richard Drucker and Stuart Robertson host the latest session in the Gemworld Live Webinar Series, this one featuring special guest Roland Schluessel of Pillar & Stone International. The author of Mogok Myanmar is a specialist in Burmese rubies and jade and Ethiopian emeralds. Don’t miss his insights into the year’s colored stone trends. Available to current GemGuide subscribers only.
Watches and Wonders Fair in Geneva: April 7–13 (online)
When Watches and Wonders was still known as the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (or SIHH), the number of prestige watchmakers who showed at the event typically totaled less than 20. This year, the fair has expanded to include 38 brands, including former Baselworld stalwarts Rolex, TAG Heuer, and Patek Philippe. But don’t let the growth in exhibitors fool you. This week’s virtual affair is bound to be as haute as ever.
Gemflix’s “A Tale of Two Designers”: April 7, 12 p.m. ET (online)
For Gemflix’s ongoing “Gem XX Series: Celebrating Strong Women in Jewelry,” designers Sarah Ysabel Narici (who works with Lorraine Schwartz) and Bea Bongiasca talk about the friendship they formed when they were design students at Central Saint Martins in London, and share the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Moderated by Gem X Core member Kimberly de Geer Atiyeh, the event explores conceptual design and career advice in equal measure.
WJA NY Metro “State of the Natural Diamond Industry” Panel: April 7, 12:30 p.m. ET (online)
National Jeweler editor-in-chief Michelle Graff leads a wide-ranging discussion about natural diamonds in today’s world. Panelists representing the Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association of America, the Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association, and the Natural Diamond Council will tackle consumer trends, and discuss how natural diamonds are performing pre- and post-pandemic.
92Y Elsa Peretti Retrospective: April 7, 7 p.m. ET, $10 (online)
In “Elsa Peretti: A Look Back at the Jewelry Designer’s Life and Work,” jewelry journalist and historian Marion Fasel (aka the Adventurine) and 92Y Jewelry Center Director Jonathan Wahl discuss the visionary designer, who died last month at age 80. Their far-reaching conversation will cover the best-selling designs Peretti created for Tiffany & Co. as well as her high-profile life among the fashion luminaries of 1970s New York. Come for insights into the designer’s creative process, stay for the quirky stories that inspired her iconic work.
Jewellery Industry Voices Webinar: April 8, 9 a.m. ET (online)
What does the future of the jewelry industry look like? Tune in to “Jewellery’s Next Generation: More Diverse, Independent & Out of the Box” for a glimpse of how five emerging professionals from diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds are reshaping, modernizing, and diversifying the trade. Moderated by CIBJO’s Edward Johnson and Steven Benson, the webinar offers an exciting look at how first-generation jewelers, unrestrained by tradition, are tackling the industry’s 21st century issues.
NYC Jewelry Week Jewelry Confidants Series: April 8, 12 p.m. ET (online)
The organizers of NYC Jewelry Week continue their “Jewelry Confidants” series of online conversations between industry friends who love jewelry. This week’s talk, which takes place on Zoom and will later be uploaded to YouTube, features jeweler, metalsmith, and artist Jillian Moore in conversation with writer and historian Saskia van Es.
Top: In support of #StopAsianHate, we’re highlighting Asian and Asian American jewelry designers in this Sunday newsletter and throughout our editorials this month and beyond. (18k gold Talay Flow Wave rings in purple, blue, yellow, orange, and pink sapphire; tsavorite; ruby; and diamond, $2,640–$3,080 each; Kavant & Sharart)
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