This was a year filled with big news, both outside the jewelry industry and within it.
De Beers was put on the block. Signet changed CEOs. And Patek Philippe introduced a new watch!
All of which provided lots of discussion fodder for The Jewelry District podcast and its two hosts, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates.
So let’s review the highlights of The Jewelry District‘s very busy and active (but fun) 2024, as we count down the top episodes of the year:
10. Episode 112: Predictions for 2024
The 10th most popular podcast comes from the carefree days of early January 2024. Hear what the young, naive versions of Rob and Victoria considered the big trends of the year, and note what they got right—and wrong.
9. Episode 123: Live From JCK
Having just returned from JCK’s Las Vegas show, Victoria and Rob chat about how tired they are (of course), reminisce about their favorite moments, and share interviews with the CEOs of John Hardy, the Natural Diamond Council, GIA, and Tracr.
8. Episode 113: Guest Stanley Zale
Hill & Co. consultant, veteran diamantaire, nice guy, and person with a famous last name Stanley Zale visits the podcast to review his 40 years in the industry and give his sense of where things are going.
7. Episode 117: Guest Jean-Claude Biver
One of the podcast’s most passionate (and loudest) guests, watch industry legend Biver provides a rollicking tour of his five decades in the industry—and becomes the first guest who needed to be bleeped.
6. Episode 127: Guest Constance Polamalu
Speaking from the floor of Zachary’s Jewelers in Annapolis, Md., Polamalu tells the strange and unlikely story of how she got into the industry, which involved marathon viewings of the Home Shopping Network and lots and lots of hustle—as well as how her husband tricked her into picking her own engagement ring.
5. Episode 120: Watches and Wonders, AGS Conclave, a Lab-Grown Factory Visit
Victoria reviews the Watches and Wonders show, and Rob talks about his visits to the American Gem Society (AGS) Conclave and the lab-grown diamond factory Plasmability. Special bonus: Rob whines about his travel mishap.
4. Episode 128: LVMH at Olympics, Tiffany’s Travails, Travel Retail, Hodinkee
The editors debate whether LVMH’s presence at the Olympics was overkill, review the unpleasant rumblings at (LVMH-owned) Tiffany, muse about the opportunities with travel retail, and discuss the changes at Hodinkee (which would be followed by more changes at the site).
3. Episode 133: Guest Stephanie Gottlieb
The designer shares how she built her business by tapping the power of social media, why she coaxed an old friend to work for her, and how she handles the delicate subject of lab versus natural diamonds on social media.
2. Episode 116: Tucson, Russian Diamond Sanctions, an Instagram Suspension
Topics include the AGTA show in Tucson, lingering questions about Russian diamond sanctions (many of which still linger), and what Rob calls one of his favorite recent stories: how a jewelry blogger resolved her unexpected, and totally uncalled-for, Instagram suspension.
1.Episode 121: Guest Al Cook
This year’s most popular podcast episode involved, not surprisingly, one of its biggest names. In his only appearance on a trade podcast, De Beers CEO Al Cook discusses his background in geology—and his early desire to be secretary-general of the United Nations—then walks the editors through his plans for the diamond giant.
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