Hard to believe, but it’s time for JCK Las Vegas and the magazine’s big June issue. It’s going to be an exciting show!

This week always brings together an ­amazing combination of commerce and ­community. For many businesses, annual ­revenues hinge on how they perform this week. For many organizations, the events that occur here are the most important of the year. For all of us, it’s a terrific opportunity to see old friends from around the world and immerse ourselves in the jewelry community.

Speaking of community, I’ve just finished my visit to the annual American Gem Society Conclave, held this year in Nashville. It was an outstanding edition, from keynotes to breakout sessions, dinners out to honky-tonk music.

Congratulations to Katherine Bodoh, CEO of AGS, on an amazing event. (Katherine was actually at home in Las Vegas with her newborn daughter, so double congrats!)

A highlight of Conclave was one of those exceptional moments that our industry provides: a private performance by Nashville band the Time Jumpers, with a very special appearance by Vince Gill! Harmon Group, Jewelers Mutual Insurance, the Gordon Co., and the Diamond Council of America were our generous hosts. They invited 250 lucky guests to an off-the-radar performance space called 3rd & Lindsley Bar & Grill. It was a true “Nashville moment.” Many thanks to Rick Arnemann, Scott Murphy, Jeff Gordon, and Terry Chandler for a wonderful night.

As always, it was a pleasure to mingle with so many friends from the retail and ­manufacturing worlds. I look forward to ­seeing all of you again at the JCK show.

Here’s wishing you a fun and financially successful time in Vegas!

Top: From the fantastic food to the amazing music, Nashville proved an ideal Conclave setting.

(Smelzer: photograph by Nicholas A. Prakas; Grooming: Claudia Andreatta/Halley Resources; Nashville: f11photo/Getty)