Diamonds Do Good Honors Leaders for Community Impact
On the eve of opening day for the JCK show in Las Vegas, Diamonds Do Good (DDG) held its annual gala event, recognizing leaders of the industry that represent the tenet that “doing good is good business.”
Receiving the Diamond Influence Award was Beyoncé stylist Shiona Turini, reflecting on the prestige and enduring impact of natural diamonds in pop culture, while acknowledging her significant contribution to shaping and influencing diamonds in the natural landscape.
Luury retailer London Jewelers, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and Ben Bridge Jeweler president and CEO Lisa Bridge were all award recipients of the evening, recognized for their leadership in adopting policies and programs that reflect the interconnectedness of building a successful business, having a social purpose, and caring for the community.
The sold-out audience helped to raise an additional $50,000 for the program by purchasing exclusively-designed tiger-eye bracelets with diamond accents by Gabriel & Co., donated to DDG by board member Jack Gabriel and his brother, Dominick.
Funds raised from the event will be used to provide educational and entrepreneurship grants to empower young people living in natural diamond communities worldwide.
To learn more, visit diamondsdogood.com.
The Plumb Club Announces Return of Symposium in 2025
The Plumb Club has announced its retailer-focused learning event, Symposium, will return for 2025, following positive survey reviews and retail feedback. The event will take place during the week of March 10 in Manhattan, with specific location to be announced.
Survey results, conducted by Reed Exhibition after the 2024 event, found that the show team, location, keynote, and registration were all highly rated, at 90% and above satisfaction. 76% of respondents said they were satisfied in their objectives of gathering industry knowledge and learnings through the education conference program, and 89% said they were either likely or extremely likely to recommend Symposium to a friend or colleague in the industry.
“Symposium offered an impressive lineup of sessions featuring high-caliber, engaging speakers on topics confronting the jewelry industry,” said Brittany Merrill, GMM of merchandising for Helzberg Diamonds. “The diverse range of subjects, covering relevant issues around sustainability, artificial intelligence, and leadership, amongst others, provided an enriching experience, enabling attendees to think about their businesses innovatively outside their typical day-to-day environments.”
The 2025 Symposium event will be tailored based upon feedback, making it an easier to attend one-day event. Learning will be focused to a single track, responding to the concern that the multi-track format made it difficult for retailers to choose between all of the presentations. In addition, a retailer-based advisory committee is current in formation.
“The extremely positive survey results, compounded by the exuberant feedback from retailers, made the decision to move forward with the event again for 2025 a no brainer,” said Roger Forman, president of The Plumb Club, in a statement. “One of The Plumb Club’s pillars is education of the industry, and it’s pretty obvious that there is a strong desire for quality learning. It’s a natural fit.”
For more information, visit plumbclub.com.
Top: London Jewelers receives DDG Community Impact Award (left to right): Candy Udell, Zachary Udell, Mark Udell, Kathy Corey (DDG President), Randi Udell, Scott Udell.
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