The Jewelry District show

The Jewelry District

Summary: A podcast by JCK Magazine and JCKonline about industry news, trends, interviews, weird stories, and more!

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 Episode 58: A Look Back At 2021 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:27:56

In This EpisodeJCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) look back and reflect on the past year.Show Notes00:30 Victoria and Rob remember their colleague Donna Borrelli, who died last month.05:44 Rob follows the trends on bridal and watches.10:00 Jewelry is art, Baselworld isn't happening, and some IPOs are booming.17:13 Victoria talks about Patek Phillippe and Tiffany & Co.'s long history.22:17 Rob and Victoria discuss the jewelry industry outside of the United States.Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com (https://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/)Show RecapIn MemoriamVictoria and Rob remember their colleague, Donna Borrelli, who was the associate publisher of JCK for 17 years and passed away due to complications from COVID-19. Rob also looks back on the other greats of the jewelry industry who have passed away this year.What's HotAll in all, the jewelry industry has performed remarkably well throughout the pandemic. Rob notes many predict a wedding boom in 2022—and that means a boost to engagement and wedding ring sales. Victoria mentions that watches are also a hot commodity, and diamonds are accruing value. Rob backs up Victoria’s claim on watches by saying that Gen Z and younger populations are getting into timepieces, which is helping the industry flourish.Jewelry as Art, Baselworld, and Noteworthy IPOs Victoria’s newest piece (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/06/fashion/art-jewelry-sienna-patti-louisa-guinness.html) in The New York Times is about jewelry as art. She asks which kinds of jewelry are art and which kinds are not. Rob brings up Baselworld, which, after so much back and forth is still not going to happen in 2022. There have also been several IPOs this year—most notable in the jewelry industry, Brilliant Earth. Rob says Brilliant Earth was ahead of its time in promoting traceable diamonds.Patek Phillipe and Tiffany & Co.Victoria also broke some news in The New York Times about LVMH’s newest acquisition, Tiffany & Co. The acquisition was finalized in January, and there have been a ton of interesting things coming out of Tiffany since then. Victoria spoke (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/06/fashion/watches-patek-philippe-nautilus-tiffany.html) of the limited-edition timepiece created by Patek Phillippe and Tiffany. Victoria talks about the companies’ long history together, and she predicts this will be an incredibly sought-after watch.The Jewelry Industry AbroadLuxury brands are responding to Chinese consumers where they want to be met. Consumers in China are hyper-focused on digital, and Victoria has done a lot of thinking about how luxury brands dealing with Chinese consumers can trickle down to American consumption. Victoria and Rob also talk about the end of the war in Afghanistan and what effect that has had on the jewelry industry. To wrap up the podcast, Rob and Victoria cover the aftereffects of 2020’s racial efforts to shine a light on Black jewelers. One of the most important sales was Sotheby’s Brilliant & Black, which featured 21 of the world's leading Black jewelry designers.

 Episode 57: Guest Scott Lachut | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:25:11

In This Episode You’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk with Scott Lachut, partner and president of research and strategy at PSFK.Show Notes00:30 Rob and Victoria introduce their guest, Scott Lachut, partner and president of research and strategy at PSFK.06:40 Scott explains what PSFK does best.11:37 Rob asks if physical retail will remain post-pandemic.14:33 Scott gives advice for preparing for the digital future.19:58 The metaverse and how it will intersect with the role of luxury.Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com (http://jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/)Show RecapIntroducing Scott LachutRob and Victoria introduce Scott Lachut, partner and president of research and strategy at PSFK. Founded in 2006, the company is concerned with the future of retail, from content to digitalization to omnichannel. Scott is a futurist and trend consultant. In his early career, he ran a moving company, worked in kitchens, and as a writer before he arrived at PSFK. Rob asks what kind of information Scott takes in, and he says he looks at micro trends with a 1–5-year horizon.Retail Focused Scott’s focus is on retail, customer experience, and brand experience. PSFK comes out with a prospective on the future of retail every year. They use these reports for some of their conferences, one of which was recently on predictions of what retail will look like in 20 years’ time. Victoria asks what some of the highlights of this conference were. Scott speaks of the “meta mall,” the “omni consumer,” the “creator economy,” and the “on-demand brand,” all of which he explains.Where Does Physical Retail Stand? Rob asks with all the changes from COVID-19 on consumers’ shopping experience if Scott thinks retail will go back to normal once the pandemic is over. Scott says he’s very much in favor of physical retail and that he doesn’t think that retail is going away, but bad physical retail will. He also believes that the convenience of shopping online will stay. People also turn to digital when they want to do research on a product before buying. What digital doesn’t excel at yet is the emotional and social connection that physical retail provides.How Retailers Can Prepare for the Digital FutureVictoria asks how Scott might advise jewelry retailers to prepare for the digital future. Scott says retailers need to embrace the change, since moving digital is inevitable. It’s all about trying to figure out where your audience is. For example, Scott says you’re now able to reach very niche audiences through smaller platforms such as Discord and Reddit. You must experiment and be OK with failing and trying again. The one important thing that retailers need to adopt is text and chat, as people still need some way to communicate and develop relationships. Scott thinks the beauty industry is one sector doing exceptionally well in adopting technology. He also discusses membership-based retail.The MetaverseVictoria brings up the metaverse and asks Scott if we should all be jumping on the digital train and how the metaverse will intersect with luxury. Scott says that Morgan Stanley reports that the metaverse has the potential to become a $50 billion industry. Scott believes that virtual worlds with avatars in the metaverse will be places to socialize, work, and shop, but that it won’t replace living, breathing human interactions.

 Episode 56: Sustainability and Holiday Marketing | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:25:20

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk about sustainability in the industry, holiday predictions, and a new De Beers ad campaign.Show Notes00:30 As the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference continues, Rob and Victoria discuss sustainability.07:40 Victoria relays key points from her conversation with an industrial ecologist on sustainability practices.13:35 According to the industrial ecologist, recycled materials aren’t always the answer.19:50 Rob talks about the the National Retail Federation’s holiday season predictions.22:50 De Beers has a new holiday marketing campaign.Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com (https://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/)Show RecapPurpose-Led vs. Money-LedVictoria and Rob discuss Halloween and all of its disposable decorations as a segue into their conversation about sustainability in the jewelry industry. Sustainability is rightfully on everyone’s mind as UN leaders meet in Glasgow, Scotland, for their Climate Change Conference. Rob says so many brands are now saying they’re purpose-led rather than money-led. Sustainability of jewelry is now one of those things that is nearly as important as design and price these days. How sustainable someone is has also become a sort of status symbol.The Biggest Environmental SuckVictoria mentions Cartier and Kering, who have teamed up in partnership with the Responsible Jewellery Council, announcing their watch and jewelry initiative to be sustainable by 2030. She also discusses research she did asking people in the watch industry how they’re being more sustainable—with answers from changing their packaging to moving away from relying on animal agriculture for their watch bands. However, you’ll also hear about her conversation with an industrial ecologist, and he gave a completely different answer on the worst, most unsustainable practice.Why Recycling Isn’t Always The AnswerSustainability is one of those things that should be frightening to everyone since it will affect everyone for decades to come. Victoria mentions the circular economy and to explain its complexity brings up that there’s a kind of recycled steel that some in the jewelry industry wanted to use just because of its recycled nature. The industrial ecologist she spoke to says that if people are using this special steel to make jewelry when they can just use regular steel, they’re actually taking this valuable resource away from places where it would bring more benefit. Rob says at the end of the day, the real solution is to buy less stuff—an impossible task in a materialistic world.Predications for the Holiday SeasonVictoria and Rob pivot to discussing the upcoming holiday season. The National Retail Federation predicts that retail sales will increase from 8.5% to 10.5% over last year. They question what might be causing this predicted boom in sales. Rob thinks people aren’t spending as much on clothes because people aren’t going out as much, and they aren’t traveling as much as we thought they would be at this point either. Rob says he believes this holiday will be another one focused on sentimental themes.De Beers And Their 2021 Holiday CampaignThe new De Beers holiday campaign is built around the phrase “I do,

 Episode 55: Guest Gina Drosos | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:37:34

In This Episode You’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk with Gina Drosos, CEO of Signet Jewelers.Show Notes00:30 Victoria and Rob introduce their guest, Gina Drosos, CEO of Signet Jewelers.11:30 Gina tells a story about her appreciation of sentimental jewelry while growing up.14:15 Gina explains how she sees the culture of the jewelry industry.17:14 Rob asks Gina about her average day, and Gina tells Rob what she loves doing most.21:02 Rob and Gina talk about what they expect 2021 holiday sales to look like.25:08 Gina discusses Signet's acquisition of Diamonds Direct and her thoughts on lab-grown diamonds.Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: Signet Jewelers (https://www.signetjewelers.com/our-home/default.aspx), jckonline.com (https://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/)Show RecapIntroducing Gina Drosos Victoria and Rob introduce their guest, Gina Drosos, CEO of Signet Jewelers. She’s calling in from about an hour and a half outside of Atlanta, from Lake Oconee. Gina joined the Signet board in 2012, and she’s been CEO since August 2017. She says she’s always wanted to work in an industry where she feels as though the product makes a difference in people’s lives. She also explains how she likes “transformation opportunities,” and what she means by that. She also talks about her experience working in other companies before she landed at Signet. One of those companies she's particularly proud of is Olay.The Road to SignetVictoria asks Gina what led her to Signet Jewelers. Gina says that while working at Procter & Gamble, she was looking for an opportunity to serve on an outside board, and she ended up finding Signet. Rob asks if Gina had an affinity for jewelry growing up, and she says she would always play in her mother’s jewelry box. While her mother didn't have a large collection, all of her pieces were meaningful. On Gina's 18th birthday, her parents bought her her very first piece of fine jewelry, a diamond cocktail ring from Friedman’s.Our Industry CultureVictoria asks Gina how her experiences outside the jewelry industry compare to those she’s had inside. Gina says the culture of the jewelry industry is unrivaled. She says that there’s a family feel all the way through the supply chain, a connectedness that she’s never felt before. Second, she says that the supply chain is different and the industry is intellectually complicated. Third, Gina says, the industry is very fragmented, as there’s room for independent jewelers. Even with Signet being as large as it is, it still only has a 7% market share. Jewelry is a massive industry, with room to grow.What Gina Loves MostRob asks Gina what her average day looks like. While the “average day” has changed quite a bit over the last two years, Gina says her best days are when she’s out in the stores. She enjoys seeing Signet's mission of inspiring love come to fruition in the lives of its customers. She also says she loves being in the distribution center. Seeing product being made, product coming in from different countries, checking its quality,

 Episode 54: Watch Sustainability, the HardRock Summit, and the Pandora Papers | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:24:34

In This Episode You’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director 

 Episode 53: Guest Sean Kell | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:28:11

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director 

 Episode 52: Thoughts From The JCK | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 453100:29:50

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director 

 Episode 51: Guest Kate Youngstrom and the JCK Show | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:24:03

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) ...

 Episode 50: JCK Las Vegas, Tiffany, and Rolex | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:23:05

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk about the new Tiffany campaign, Rolex, and diamond tracking systems. Show Notes00:51 The JCK Show is coming up, and Rob and Victoria excitedly wonder how it will go.05:36 Rob talks about how Tiffany & Co.’s new campaign is ruffling some feathers.11:50 Rolex has increased market share over the course of the pandemic, and the JCK editors talk about the brand.17:46 Alrosa came out with nanotechnology to track its diamonds. Rob explores the technology's applications. Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: JCK Show, (https://lasvegas.jckonline.com/en-us.html) jckonline.com (https://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/) Show Recap The JCK Show Victoria and Rob talk a little bit about the JCK Show coming up later this month. They both have been making appointments, and Rob will be on a panel. Victoria thinks this will be a very different Vegas than what we’re used to, but she says it’ll be a very special one as we all come back together for the first time. Not Your Mother's Tiffany Rob recently wrote about Tiffany & Co.’s new campaign, which has been a bit controversial. Some are attributing the company’s new campaign slogan, “Not Your Mother’s Tiffany," to 29-year-old Alexandre Arnault, who oversees the brand’s communications. He’s the son of Bernard Arnault, LMVH chairman. Rob says Alexandre is trying to “hip up” the brand—but wonders if the new campaign is too cheeky. Some mothers are offended by the campaign, as it dates the Tiffany they know. Victoria brings up the Mercedes Benz campaign featuring Janis Joplin that isolated its core consumer but ended up working well for the brand. Rolex, Unsurprisingly, Stays on the Rise Victoria pivots to talking about the watch industry, specifically Rolex. The brand has gained market share over the course of the pandemic. Victoria spoke to a fellow editor in the watch space, who said that other watch companies looking to gain market share shouldn’t compare themselves to Rolex: “We all live on planet watchmaking, but they’re on planet Rolex.” Victoria brings up the brand since Tourneau has recently opened up an adjoining Tudor–Rolex boutique in New York City's Meatpacking District. New Diamond Tracking Technology Rob talks about tracking diamonds through the supply chain. Alrosa just came out with a system that uses nanotechnology, a part of the gems' molecular structure, to track its diamonds. Rob mentions that some people are concerned about hacking and security. However, this technology should be able to bring more transparency to the industry when it comes to origin, traceability, and trackability. But Alrosa’s tracking technology doesn’t just have to be about tracking where diamonds came from. It may also be useful for those wanting to track their diamonds if they happen to be stolen, so there are plenty of uses for this tech.

 Episode 49: Guest Alan Revere | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:24:43

In This Episode You’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk with Alan Revere, award-winning jewelry designer, author, and founder of the now-closed Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts. Show Notes00:50 Victoria and Rob introduce their guest, Alan Revere.07:16 Alan got his start with jewelry in Germany, and he explains what he did once he got back to the United States.11:00 Alan tells the JCK editors what the jewelry industry was like back in the ’60s and ’70s.13:04 Alan discloses which jewelers have stuck out to him.15:47 The Revere Academy closed in 2017, and Alan explains his feelings on that time.18:58 Now retired, Alan lets listeners know what he's up to these days. Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jcklasvegas.com (https://lasvegas.jckonline.com/), jckonline.com (https://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/) Show Recap Introducing Alan RevereVictoria and Rob briefly mention this year’s new issue of JCK magazine, which is all about JCK Las Vegas, now taking place in late August. They then introduce their guest, Alan Revere. He is the past president of the American Jewelry Design Council, founder of the Contemporary Design Group, and founder of the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco. He’s now retired in Lucas Valley, in Marin, Calif., living in a midcentury modern home. He grew up in Great Neck, N.Y., but trained in Germany. Here he tells the story of how he got involved in the jewelry industry. How Alan Got His StartAlan tells us he dropped a potential career in law for the arts in the ’70s. Victoria asks about what happened when he came back from Germany in 1974 and landed on the West Coast. Alan says he got a job as a bench jeweler in Oakland, Calif.. It was there that he learned how to do repairs, resize rings, fulfill custom orders, and the like. At the California College of the Arts, Alan taught a small class—which eventually led to him teaching from his studio, and then his home. In 1979, he established the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts. Industry Changes in the ’60s and ’70s Rob says we think a lot about how the ’60s and ’70s were a big time for change in arts and design, and asks Alan what school of design he belonged to. Alan says in the ’60s, contemporary jewelry started to come of age, but no one was selling under their own name. By the ’70s, that had all begun to change, when a range of trends began to bloom and jewelers started their own name brands. At that time, Alan says people had more money than they knew what to do with, so it was a better time for buying jewelry. Who Stands OutVictoria asks Alan if he taught CAD at the Revere Academy, and he explains that he did, but seldom. For him, creating jewelry is best when done with your hands. He’s a craftsman who wants to touch the materials—but he recognizes how useful today's technology is. Changing subjects, Victoria asks which of Alan's students have really stood out. Alan says James Binnion, a metaler; Mary-Lee Rae an enamelist; and Dana Bronfman, a newcomer to the space. He also mentions Kirk  Bloodsworth, the first convicted inmate to be released because of DNA evidence, who then released a line of jewelry for others who have been exonerated. Though Alan says there is no other academy like his as none are all-encompassing as his was, there are a few he likes.

 Episode 48: Watches of Switzerland, Alex and Ani, and Marketing Innovations | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:24:02

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk about Watches of Switzerland, Alex and Ani, and marketing innovations. Show Notes00:55 Victoria talks about her trip to New York to see Watches of Switzerland's new campaign.07:02 The jewelry industry is doing well.09:25 Rob explains how Alex and Ani declined into bankruptcy.16:49 Victoria discusses her article for The New York Times in which she talks with top minds in marketing.20:14 The president of research and strategy at the New York–based company PSFK told Victoria about developing technology called "digital twins." Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: Zing by Jewelers Mutual (https://zing.jewelersmutual.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIreWth9nO8QIV-25vBB2MxAJ7EAAYASAAEgIHffD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds), jckonline.com (https://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/) Show Recap New York Is Back! Plus Watches of Switzerland Shows Off Victoria and Rob kick off the podcast by talking about Victoria’s recent trip to New York, her first visit to the city since the pandemic started. She was in New York for a press trip, sponsored by Watches of Switzerland to celebrate its newest campaign: Anytime, Anywhere. The brand showed off its watches in a spectacular video created by a creative director hired specifically for the job. Watches of Switzerland will have an Airstream parked in the Hamptons in New York through August to show off its watches. Victoria and Rob also briefly talk about how New York has changed since the beginning of the pandemic and where peoples’ dispensable income is going. A Thriving Industry Rob says lab-grown and natural diamonds are doing well. The fear was that these two industries would cannibalize each other, but so far that hasn’t happened. Retail sales are up, and people are ready for the pandemic to be over. Victoria pivots to mention a company called Threads Styling, a chat-based platform with an Instagram account. If consumers like what they see, they can start a chat via WhatsApp with a personal shopper and talk about the pieces they're interested in. Now, the company has its own shop on Instagram. Rob mentions Signet is also doing well. Alex and Ani and Bankruptcy Victoria gives a quick counter to all the optimism we’ve heard so far of booming retail sales: Alex and Ani has gone bankrupt. Rob explains the brand was once one of the biggest in the industry, valued at over a billion dollars. However, last month it filed for Chapter 11. Alex and Ani's interim CEO has said the company faced three main problems: macro trends driving customers away from brick-and-mortar retail, explosive growth in the early 2010s that resulted in operational challenges, and significant turnover in management. Rob also explains the company’s link to a spiritual healer and the ways in which its mobile app used customer data. What's Next for Watches Victoria held a trio of interviews for an article called “What’s Next for Watches (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/18/fashion/watches-future-predictions.html)” which ran in The New York Times on June 19—asking her interviewees what's coming in the watch industry and retail at large. The first person she spoke to is an expert on consumer psyche, who held conversations with consumers on what they need to feel good about purchasing something.

 Episode 47: Guest Casey Melvin | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:25:00

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk with guest Casey Melvin, cofounder and co-CEO of the Future of Jewelry. She'll be describing what the company she and her sister started offers and how it's different from traditional jewelers. Show Notes00:30 Victoria and Rob introduce their guest, Casey Melvin.07:08 Casey describes the Future of Jewelry platform.10:20 Casey talks about how she differentiates her company from those of traditional jewelers and describes her consumer.13:05 Victoria asks if the Future of Jewelry has had any investors, and Casey describes the types of rings consumers can create on the company's website in greater detail.20:30 Rob asks Casey what the future of her company looks like. Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Riley McKascleProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: thefutureofjewelry.com (https://thefutureofjewelry.com/), jckonline.com (http://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/) Show Recap Introducing Casey Melvin Victoria and Rob introduce their guest, Casey Melvin, cofounder and co-CEO of the Future of Jewelry. Casey entered the jewelry industry in 2016. Before that, she was in law school. It was during law school that she studied abroad in the United Kingdom with her sister. One weekend in Spain, they were looking for a piece of jewelry to mark their trip to the country. She found a signet ring that she loved and wanted to surprise her sister with one—but the rings were either extremely expensive, or extremely cheap. From there, they both got into 3D printing for their own brand of customizable signet rings. The Future of Jewelry Platform Casey tells the JCK editors a little bit about the platform the Future of Jewelry uses that allows buyers to design their own ring on its website. You don’t have to be a designer in order to create your signet ring. You can choose the band, engraving, and kind of metal, all of which helps you make a ring that's completely unique and personalized. If you have access to a 3D printer, you can also buy a design file of the ring you design and 3D-print the piece yourself. (https://www.jckonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TheJewelryDistrict-SigentRing-175x300.png) How the Company Stands Out Victoria asks how Casey’s platform fits in to the world of more traditional jewelry. She believes that her company stands out as it democratizes jewelry at a lower price point. She wants her consumer to be a part of the design process. She says she imagines the Future of Jewelry buyer to be in their 20s or 30s, someone with a bit of disposable income, who wants a piece that stands the test of time. Casey says the company has attracted a lot of customers by word of mouth, and she wants to create direct relationships with her customers. The Ring and Company Inventory Victoria asks Casey if the company had any investors, and Casey answers that it's just been her and her two sisters (though she's received some advice from Mark Cuban; he told her to keep the company in the family, advice that she took to heart). As for the ring itself, you can engrave it with a monogram, roman numerals, icons, dates, geographical locations, and more. Victoria asks if this kind of personalization is coming soon to other companies—Casey doesn’t think so.

 Episode 46: India, Kay + Zales, and De Beers Forevermark | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:24:45

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk about how COVID-19 is affecting India, the Kay + Zales combo stores, and the De Beers Forevermark rebranding. Show Notes 00:30 While New York City and Los Angeles are doing okay in terms of COVID-19, the situation in India is looking bleak.06:27 Rob discusses what stock prices are looking like in India despite the pandemic.12:36 Kay and Zales have come together to form Kay + Zales. Rob and Victoria offer their thoughts.18:32 Forevermark rebranded recently. Why? And what does Gen Z think? Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Riley McCaskillProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine Show Recap Stuggles In India Victoria and Rob talk about how things seem to be going back to normal in Los Angeles and New York City, as people start leaving their homes more after being inside for so much of 2020. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for India, where 132,788 new cases of COVID-19 were reported on June 1. Victoria recently reached out to Tarang Arora, who is part of the family that owns Amrapali. He’s involved in an initiative called Find a Bed, which helps place people in hospitals in India. Where Are India's Stock Numbers? Rob looks at India from an industry perspective and reports that its stock levels in jewelry were very high before the country was hit so hard by COVID-19. In fact, its stock numbers were higher in March 2021 than they were in March 2020, before the country experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases. Victoria wonders whether India is now experiencing the same things the United States did in 2020 as far as buying and selling—such as people being home more often and buying jewelry to pass the time. Rob also relays an interesting news story about fraudulent letters and bank loans from one Indian company. Combining Forces: Kay + Zales Victoria asks Rob to explain a story (https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/signet-kay-zales-combo-stores/) he wrote recently about a Kay and Zales combo-store concept, Kay + Zales. Since malls haven’t been getting the same traction they once did, the two competitors (both owned by Signet) decided to combine forces and share the same store space. Will this idea be successful? Time will tell. You’ll also hear from who Rob calls his “JCK spy." They visited the store to see what the commotion was about, and he relays his informant's thoughts. Victoria applauds the stores' innovation and willingness to try something different. What's in a Name? Recently, Forevermark rebranded itself as De Beers Forevermark. The reasoning behind this move, Rob explains, is that LVMH once had rights to use the De Beers name commercially, but once De Beers bought the company out, De Beers wanted to consolidate its brands under the same name. We have yet to see if the De Beers name will make any difference to the Forevermark brand. Victoria wonders what members of Gen Z know of the brand name De Beers, if they know it at all.

 Episode 45: Guest Shelia Bayes | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:28:51

In This EpisodeYou’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) ...

 The Jewelry District, Episode 44: Our Digital Future, Tiffany’s Male Engagement Rings, Burma Sanctions | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 0:24:40

In This Episode You’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/victoria-gomelsky/) and news director Rob Bates (https://www.jckonline.com/writer/rob-bates/) talk about new technology in jewelry, Tiffany & Co.’s new engagement rings for men, and the United States' sanctions on Burma. Show Notes 00:30 Victoria questioned luxury brands about their opinion on technology in the industry.6:55 Victoria wonders whether jewelry will eventually become all digital.13:30 Rob and Victoria discuss Tiffany's new engagement rings for men and why these are different from previous men's engagement pieces.19:36 Rob explains what's going on with the sanctions on Burma and what they mean for you. Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com (https://www.jckonline.com/), @jckmagazine (https://www.instagram.com/jckmagazine/) Show Recap Resistance to Technology in the Luxury Space We’re living our lives in the digital sphere more than ever, but the question remains, will our future be digital? Victoria explores the intersection of jewelry and the digital world, especially in the luxury industry. When Victoria reached out to leaders in the jewelry industry for comment, very few responded. A woman from Boucheron was one of the few who did respond, and she and Victoria spoke about AI, 3D printing, and more. Victoria will explain the collision between high jewelry and mass jewelry and what she sees as the democratization of jewelry, largely due to the development of our online world. What A Digital Future Could Look Like While she was researching this topic, Victoria spent time thinking about a world in which jewelry is primarily digital. A digital world of jewelry could mean we all have avatars and digital skins, but it could also mean owning digital-only jewelry. Victoria and Rob briefly discuss NFTs (non-fungible tokens). NFTs are driven by cryptocurrency, and you can buy jewelry, real estate, art, and other big-ticket items that only exist as a unique entity whose sale is minted on a digital ledger. Victoria deep dives into what NFTs are and how they work, and why high luxury brands are wary of them. Tiffany Announces Engagement Rings For Men Tiffany & Co. has announced its offering diamond engagement rings for men. While the company is not the first to offer men these rings, it joins a trend in the jewelry industry toward gender neutrality. Rob explains how prior to World War II, men did not receive wedding rings at all, so America has come a long way in its jewelry offerings. He also mentions the bittersweet removal of Tiffany’s A3 ad in the New York Times. Victoria and Rob also explore the difference between the diamonds on Tiffany's men’s and women’s diamond rings. The Sanctions On Burma Rob and Victoria wrap up the podcast with a more serious topic: the U.S. sanction on Burmese products. For a long time, Burmese rubies were banned in the United States. Earlier this year, the country underwent a military coup, and now the United States has instituted sanctions against Burmese jade, ruby, and pearls. Some say the original ban wasn't as effective at hurting the military as the U.S government planned, but it did largely affect those small artisanal diggers who depend on mining for their livelihood. Rob says not only will all of these sanctions affect the colored stone industry, but they will also bring into question jewelers' sourcing.

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