JCK magazine is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year! To commemorate that milestone, we’re talking to 150 veteran jewelry professionals in 2019 for a feature series meant to distill the voices of some of the industry’s most enduring and successful professionals.
We can’t print every interview in its entirety in the magazine—so we’ve been posting full interviews here on JCKonline.com every Thursday.
This week we hear from Jonathan Goldman, CEO of jewelry manufacturer Frederick Goldman.
JCK: How long have you been in the jewelry industry, and how has it changed since you joined?
Jonathan Goldman: This will be my 42nd year in the jewelry industry. I started working for my father during the summers on the road with our Southeast sales rep in the ’70s. I learned the business and fell in love with the industry. This is actually the company’s 70th year in business.
The business back in the ’70s was still dominated by independent retailers, as there were not as many chains to sell. Wholesalers also played a part by purchasing from manufacturers and selling to the independents. As the wholesalers went away, manufacturers like Frederick Goldman began going direct to the independents and established their own sales force.
As time went on, different retail models emerged and eventually went away. Included are regional mass retailers, catalog showrooms, some regional chains, and lease departments. Today, the obvious competitor is internet sellers as well as Amazon. In all of the years that I have been in the jewelry industry, however, one thing has never changed—and that is the value of relationships.
What’s been your experience with JCK magazine?
My father was very progressive and decided that in order to expand his market from a regional manufacturer to a national company, three things were going to be important. One, we had to get our name out there, and JCK offered us the opportunity to do national trade advertising. Two, WATS lines, where the manufacturer would pay for incoming calls, became available, and, of course, our own sales force.
One of our first ads in JCK was our customer service representative answering the phone. In big block letters we promoted the 800 line, which 45 years later is still the same number (shameless promotion)—800-221-3232.
What has JCK magazine meant to you?
JCK has always been and continues to be the voice of the industry. We have continuously advertised in the magazine, and now online, for almost 50 years.
What was your first impression of JCK magazine, and how has it changed over the years?
When I was a teenager, and still to this day, I read the magazine cover to cover. This was the first magazine that we advertised in and the first one I became familiar with. Lots of magazines have cropped up over the years, but JCK is the one that survived!
Top: Jonathan Goldman (photo courtesy of Jonathan Goldman)
Catch up on all of JCK‘s 150th interviews:
Brian Gavin, diamond cutter and diamond jewelry retailer
Cecilia Gardner, former president and CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and general counsel and director of the United States Kimberley Process Authority
Sarin Bachmann, event vice president of the JCK, Luxury, and Swiss Watch shows for Reed Jewelry Group
Dave Bonaparte, president and CEO of Jewelers of America
Ettagale Blauer, former JCK New York editor
Lee Siegelson, rare and collectible jewelry dealer and expert
Tamara and Amir Goldfiner, cofounders of Rahaminov Diamonds
Dallas Prince, founder of Dallas Prince Designs
Esther Fortunoff, president of Fortunoff Fine Jewelry
Terry Burman, former Signet chairman
Brandee Dallow, president and founder of Fine Girl Luxury Brand Building & Communications
Tom Chatham, CEO of Chatham Created Gems & Diamonds
Tom Heyman, partner, Oscar Heyman & Brothers
Duvall O’Steen, jewelry publicist, Luxury Brand Group
Pat Henneberry, founder and president of the Jewelry Coach
Marty Hurwitz, CEO of MVI Marketing
Hank B. Siegel, president of Hamilton Jewelers
Erica Courtney, jewelry designer
Robert Weldon, director of GIA’s Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center
Stuart Robertson, vice president of Gemworld
Bill Furman, longtime JCK magazine ad sales manager
Kathryn Kimmel, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of GIA
Katie Kinsella Murphy, owner of Kinney + Kinsella
Frank Dallahan, publisher, The Retailer Jeweler
Jen Cullen Williams, managing director of Luxury Brand Group
Sally Morrison, chief marketing officer of Lightbox
Susan M. Jacques, president and CEO of GIA
Marie Helene Morrow, president of Reinhold Jewelers
Jenny Luker, U.S. president of Platinum Guild International
Beth Gerstein, co-CEO of Brilliant Earth
Russell Shor, GIA senior industry analyst
Walter McTeigue, cofounder of McTeigue & McClelland
Caryl Capeci, president of Hearts On Fire
Eddie LeVian, CEO of Le Vian
Peggy Jo Donahue, freelance writer and former JCK editor-in-chief
Rebecca Moskal, jewelry marketing veteran
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