The Jewelry District – Détails, épisodes et analyse

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk Victoria’s tour of a Montana sapphire mine and some consolidation occurring in the lab-grown diamond industry. Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk with Greg Verras, watch design director for Shinola, a Motor City icon beloved for its “built in Detroit” timepieces. Greg shares his unlikely journey from a skateboard startup in his garage to high-end watch designer. He touches on what inspires new Shinola timepieces and collections, the hallmarks that make them uniquely American (casual accessibility meets heirloom quality), the wisdom of approaching new trends with care and caution, and the power of storytelling to sell product. Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates share news from their recent trips to Geneva and Austin to attend key industry conferences. At Watches & Wonders, Victoria noted a trend toward red and burgundy watch accents, along with a preponderance of derivative designs rather than radical innovations. She and Rob theorize on the reason for the trend. At a well-attended AGS Conclave, lab-grown diamonds and gold prices were hot topics, and Rob got a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of a local boutique lab-grown producer. Sponsored by De Beers: institute.debeers.com

In This Episode In this edition of The Jewelry District you’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates interview Satta Matturi, owner of the eponymous brand. She’ll be discussing her interest in the diamond business, which started from an early age, and how she made her way to create and design for her own brand.

Show Notes00:30 Rob and Victoria introduce Satta Matturi, owner of the eponymous brand.04:45 Satta talks about beneficiation in Botswana.07:20 With a father who worked for De Beers, Satta has always had an eye for diamonds, and she explains how she got her start.11:05 Satta is passionate about jewelry and draws inspiration from Africa for her designs.16:48 Rob asks Satta about her social media presence, and she enthuses about her new jewelry collection out this week.

Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine

Show Recap

Introducing Satta MatturiVictoria introduces today’s guest, Satta Matturi, designer and founder of the eponymous jewelry brand. She splits her time between London and Gaborone, the capital of Botswana; for this episode, she’s calling in from London. Satta was born in Sierra Leone, and her father worked for De Beers, so she says her family is synonymous with the diamond industry. Satta says that Sierra Leone used to be referred to as the "Athens of Africa," and she explains how she got her start as a jeweler.

Botswana and the Diamond IndustryRob brings up that Satta now lives in Botswana, which, compared to Sierra Leone, is the poster child for beneficiation. But Satta says the two countries are so different it would be hard to even compare them. Satta tells us a little bit about beneficiation in Botswana and the headway they’ve made.

Where She Got Her StartVictoria asks Satta if it was a foregone conclusion she would end up where she is now; she says it wasn’t and details how she went to school in London before ending up at De Beers. She started at that company as a trainee diamond valuer, beginning her training out on the production floors before moving to sales. She became a key account manager in London, quickly transferring to South Africa before going back to London and, eventually, on to India.

African Ethos Turned Contemporary CreationSatta tells Victoria and Rob of her passion for jewelry, which led her to start her own jewelry brand. She wanted to identify the market for distinct fine jewelry that was different from the norm, and she drew inspiration from the African continent, where these precious materials come from, to make contemporary pieces with an African ethos. Rob also asks Satta for any advice she would give to someone starting out in the industry, and she describes three things she would have done differently.

Social Media and a New CollectionRob asks Satta about her presence on Instagram and how she works to stand out. Since she didn't much capital when she started her business, she had to figure out how to promote herself on social media. Victoria also asks about her plans to debut her jewelry in the United States, and her work on a new African art deco collection that’s dropping this week.

In This Episode In this edition of The Jewelry District you’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk about their recent publications, LVMH and Tiffany, and social commerce. You’ll also hear another installment of Weird Story of the Week, and this one involves a Real Housewives star.Show Notes

Show Notes

00:30 Rob gives a sneak peek of his new novel A Murder Is Forever.03:15 Victoria’s new piece for the New York Times details the history of wristwatches.09:35 The LVMH/Tiffany schism comes as no surprise to Rob.14:23 Victoria will host a webinar on Wednesday that covers holiday 2020, and she discusses the importance of social commerce.17:55 Kyle Richards of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills gets wrapped up in the Weird Story of the Week.

Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine

Show Recap

'A Murder Is Forever'A Murder Is Forever is Rob's first novel. It’s a mystery that's set in New York City's Diamond District. You’ll hear a little about the plot of the first book, which is available in paperback and e-book format on Tuesday.

The Wristwatch At 100Victoria has a piece in Tuesday's in the New York Times, “The Wristwatch at 100.” It’s a cover story for an international watch section, and she reflects on the past 100 years of wristwatches going back to World War I veterans popularizing the style. Rob and Victoria also spend some time talking about watches of the '80s.

LVMH-Tiffany BreakupLast year, Tiffany finally succumbed to the advances of LVMH, the biggest luxury conglomerate in the world, after it received an offer of $16 billion. In the past two months, LVMH has called off the deal after receiving a letter from the French government advising the company to back out. Rob explains why he didn’t think the deal was a very good one in the first place. Both companies have filed lawsuits, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens come January.

2020 Holiday Season RetailVictoria will be hosting a webinar on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET for JCK: “7 Ways the 2020 Holiday Season Will Be Different and What Jewelry Retailers Should Do About It,” in which she’ll explain the importance of Zoom consultations. In preparation for JCK’s webinar, she sat in on a webinar about social commerce, in which the presenters described how commerce isn’t developed for shopping; it’s developed for transactions. The shopping experience is hard to re-create, and Victoria explains how social commerce can help.

Weird Story of the WeekRob tells a story about Kyle Richards, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star. On the “Secret Revealed” episode of Real Housewives, Richards leaked a new twist in her investigation of a 2017 robbery, in which she lost more than a million dollars of personal items. You’ll have to listen in to hear the incredibly strange way she ended up finding one of her lost pieces of jewelry.

In This Episode In this edition of The Jewelry District, you’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk with Andrea Hill, CEO of Hill Management Group. Andrea says that in order to stand out in this ever-evolving jewelry world, your company needs a story. The trio also covers climate change and technology.

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Show Notes00:26 Rob and Victoria introduce Andrea Hill, CEO of Hill Management Group.05:57 Andrea describes what the jewelry industry is missing, based on past retail management experience.10:15 Building a successful jewelry business is all about telling a story, and Andrea explains what jewelers need to do just that.14:20 Climate change is real, and Andrea tells us about the “Kindness Economy.”15:13 Andrea serves in a mentorship role and leaves us the pillars to success.

Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine

Show Recap

Introducing Andrea HillBased in eastern central Wisconsin, Andrea started her tenure in the jewelry industry at Rio Grande. Before she made it there, she worked in a billiards store that started selling video equipment, making her store one of the first video rental stores in the country, pre-Blockbuster. She also worked at Playboy Enterprises, building up their licensing for videos and creating a video catalog. She then bounced around companies as a CEO before landing in the jewelry industry.

What The Industry Is MissingAndrea describes her company, Hill Management Group, where she helps people get ready for entering the digital age. You’ll hear her discuss what she has learned from other industries and what the jewelry industry should be taking away from them. She emphasizes that your jewelry company can’t just be the oldest around anymore, as people no longer have to settle for their neighborhood store for jewelry expertise.

Jewelry Retail As Storytelling Andrea talks about need to have a rich content strategy. In order to develop your brand in the most efficient way possible, Andrea says you need to know who you are, what you do that makes you different, and why you matter in order to succeed—and that’s just the start. You then need to merchandise your store with products that fit that theme, and someone should always be creating new copy for your website.

Kindness EconomyPost-recession, the vast majority of us have accepted that climate change is real and happening, and that something needs to be done about it. We need to be aware of the fact that we are not the center of the world, and other spaces and living things matter too. Andrea describes what she calls the “Kindness Economy” and what customers expect from the retailers they buy from.

The Jewelry Industry Should Be Fun Switching topics to the mentor work Andrea does—she argues that mainstream jewelry has become far too generic for its own good. She once again emphasized the importance of your store’s story, giving an example of this in practice. Andrea concludes by telling us all to learn, try new things, experiment, and be willing to fail.

In This Episode In this edition of The Jewelry District you’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk about the enduring influence of art deco, the decline of department stores, and the rise of virtual styling. They’ll also cover a Weird Story of the Week that involves an antique ring and an unhappy fiancée.

Show Notes00:30 Victoria discusses her New York Times article on art deco.07:19 Department stores are seeing a decline, and Rob explains why.12:54 Victoria believes that jewelers should also work as stylists and discusses how this process is going virtual.17:59 Rob brings back the Weird Story of the Week segment with the tale of an unhappy fiancée.

Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine

Show Recap

Art Deco Is Here To StayRob introduces an article from the New York Times that Victoria wrote, “Art Deco at 100: Jewelry Can’t Get Enough.” She covers the enduring influence of art deco and explains that the century-old style isn’t really making a comeback. Art deco has never really gone away. Many jewelers have defined their whole aesthetic by revisiting or reinterpreting the style. Victoria talks about some of the deco looks she’s most interested in.

Brick-And-Mortar DeclineDepartment stores are on Rob’s radar right now, and he discusses how they are having huge problems. The big icons of American retail are suffering due to online shopping. Victoria asks Rob if there are any department stores that he sees plateauing or declining, and Rob emphasizes how those serving the middle class are suffering the most. Victoria delves into the omnichannel approach, and Rob raises what the decline of department stores means for jewelers.

The Jeweler As Stylist Victoria brings up how jewelers can work as stylists, and how they should consider themselves to be stylists in the way that they help customers figure out how to incorporate jewelry into their existing wardrobe. Victoria has previously spoken to the founder of The Jewelry Edit, who wanted to “move the jewelry box from the back of the closet to the center of the wardrobe.” You’ll hear about how this process is going virtual as people with expertise show clients how to best accessorize their look.

Weird Story of the WeekRob brings back one of our favorite segments, Weird Story of the Week, with a story from a publication called In The Know. He recounts the proposal by a woman to her girlfriend, who said yes. All was fine until the proposed confronted her girlfriend and said she didn’t want the ring that her girlfriend had spent months picking out, but instead wanted her grandmother’s antique ring. Rob and Victoria talk about whether it's ever okay to request (or demand) jewelry from a loved one.

In This EpisodeIn this edition of The Jewelry District, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates interview Marla Aaron, jewelry designer and founder of her eponymous brand. They’ll be discussing Marla’s rise as a self-taught newcomer in the jewelry industry and how she built her online presence and jewelry business from the ground up.

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Show Notes00:30 Rob and Victoria introduce New York City–based jewelry designer Marla Aaron.06:27 Victoria asks Marla how her background has affected her launch into the world of jewelry.11:43 Marla describes some of the more unconventional things her business has done.15:06 They discuss Instagram and Zoom as tools Marla uses in her business.17:23 Marla discusses her Lock Your Mom project.19:16 Victoria asks about Marla Aaron’s new jewelry collection.

Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine

Show Recap

Introducing Marla AaronVictoria and Rob kick off by introducing their guest Marla Aaron. She’s a jewelry designer based in NYC and known for her for her “emotional hardware”—her lock jewelry, which has been around since 2012. She had a 20-plus year career in marketing and advertising, but she’s always been obsessed with jewelry and hardware. She worked on creating jewelry for several years while holding onto her full-time job before leaping headfirst into the jewelry industry. She also recounts her fascination with hardware, which started in her youth, and historically traces back to the Victorian and Georgian eras.

Marketing and AdvertisingVictoria asks if Marla’s background in marketing has at all affected her line of work, but Marla explains how much she is driven by her own passion, so much so that she says she has thrown out many things she believed to be an absolute truth in order to pursue her dream of designing jewelry. Marla explains how as a relatively new designer she put herself on the map. There were certainly some bumps in the road, but, luckily, Instagram was starting to take root at the same time, which helped her boost her company.

Unconventional Business PracticeMarla Aaron is in about 40 stores around the world and has its own showroom in NYC. It's also opening a new showroom on 47th street in the next few months. The company doesn’t do consignment as it would limit Marla in what she could do. Marla describes some of the more unconventional things that her business does that makes it stand out. One of the most unconventional is its fine jewelry vending machine, and you’ll hear her describe this installation at the Brooklyn Museum.

Self-Taught, Self-Built Online PresenceYou’ll hear Marla explain her company's online presence and talk about the second Instagram account that her customer experience staff runs. She also explains how she Zooms with her customers using two employees—one at the ready to show off the jewelry and one to answer questions. Her Instagram has 95,000 followers, so Rob asks what she thinks of influencers and if she believes jewelry owners are becoming their own sort of influencer.

Lock Your Mom ProjectVictoria asks how the pandemic has been for her, and Marla explains how on March 11 she sent all of her staff home, and since then has implemented daily 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Zoom calls to keep up. You’ll also hear Marla explain her Lock Your Mom project, where every year her company gives jewelry to single moms who might be feeling bittersweet on Mother’s Day. The sterling silver heart lock has an explanation point for the exclamation of motherhood.

New Jewelry To Look Out ForRob asks what has been driving Marla Aaron jewelry to flourish during this time, and Victoria asks Marla about her new fall collection. Marla explains how excited she is for the September 15 release of the collection. An enormous departure from what it normally does, the pieces have a new lock function that she has been working on for three years and other pieces that are outside her wheelhouse. Rob asks Marla as a newcomer what she thinks needs to be changed in the business, and Marla explains how she thinks accessibility is a problem.

In This EpisodeIn this edition of The Jewelry District you’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates discussing last week’s JCK Virtual Show. There’s much to go over for this first-of-its-kind event for JCK, and Rob and Victoria, who were in on the action, have all of the insider commentary.

Show Notes

00:31 Victoria and Rob discuss JCK’s Virtual Show04:10 Victoria chats about the trend talks she was involved in08:58 The entrepreneurial spirit is still at work in the jewelry industry, and Rob is impressed10:40 Living in a pre-COVID and post-COVID world14:04 A future of augmented reality may be approaching us. Victoria tells us about an experience she had with some new technology17:07 Rob and Victoria discuss the importance of your virtual presence

Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine

Show Recap

General Overview of the Virtual ShowVictoria and Rob discuss their experience with their first weeklong virtual show. One of the most convenient parts of it was that they were live—but could also be watched on demand. The Virtual Show also had talks from faces new and old. Rob mentions how he misses face-to-face interactions, and Victoria counters with how she appreciated using the chat function to talk to people she hasn’t been able to recently.

Trend Talks and MoreVictoria led a lot of the trend talks with experts from across the board—from gemstone to bridal, from fashion to luxury. Rob also played his part in the Virtual Show by discussing The Industry Report with Yancy Weinrich. Victoria also explains her talk with Chris Walton, a retail strategist from Minneapolis, on his “Ways Retail Will Change Regardless of COVID.” Chris emphasized to her the value of experimentation and social commerce.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit Is Alive and WellRob is impressed with innovation in the jewelry industry as it shows off its entrepreneurial spirit virtually. The Industry Trend results show that people who are committed to their company will embrace the coming changes and take the necessary steps to go virtual. Victoria notes that the Virtual Show was pretty optimistic, energetic, and enthusiastic overall.

Sustainability and Overcoming CrisisThe Virtual Show focused on larger topics that still needed to be discussed, like sustainability. Victoria explains that she believes there will always be a “pre-COVID” and a “post-COVID” in our minds—but “post-COVID” encompasses so many necessary things in a slowly changing industry. Rob mentions that we’ve been able to come out of so many crises before in his lifetime, and Victoria wonders what this crisis means for the holiday season.

The Future of Augmented RealityVictoria discusses a conversation she had with Max Moses, a Ukrainian “tech guy” from the company Atelar, on augmented reality. The technology was impressive—and Moses believes there is a future where we no longer have smartphones, but rather lenses with augmented reality capabilities. You’ll hear about Victoria’s experience using his technology.

Keeping Up Your Virtual PresenceRob mentions the importance of new technologies like Zoom backgrounds in bringing up a larger conversation about appropriate dress and creating your virtual presence. Victoria discusses her camera readiness for the Virtual Show. Pivoting, Rob discusses how people will likely want to celebrate coming out of this crisis with new jewelry.

In This EpisodeIn this edition of The Jewelry District you’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates interview two guests from Reed Exhibitions, group vice president Sarin Bachmann and special events and education director Kate Youngstrom. They’ll be discussing the upcoming JCK Virtual 2020 show. Listen in to find out how the show was planned, how it will work, and what you should wear (spoiler: Pajama bottoms are okay).

Show Notes

00:33 Victoria introduces today’s guests, Sarin Bachmann and Kate Youngstrom04:09 Sarin and Kate explain the decision to move the JCK Las Vegas show to a virtual space08:23 Everyone discusses what you can expect at the JCK Virtual show12:19 Rob asks how to still stay social and network at this virtual event14:47 Sarin and Kate discuss the development of the show19:22 What to wear to the show—and a look ahead toward 2021

Episode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyEditor: Olivia BrileyProducer and engineer: Katey Clifford and Kathy PasseroPlugs: jckonline.com, @jckmagazine

Show Recap

Introducing Sarin Bachman and Kate YoungstromVictoria begins by introducing today’s guests from Reed Exhibitions, Sarin Bachmann, group vice president, and Kate Youngstrom, special events and education director. Sarin started out running the Luxury show for many years and had a start-up retail business before hopping back into Luxury. Sarin is head honcho at the JCK Las Vegas show, and Victoria and Rob will be discussing the upcoming JCK Virtual, the first event of its kind for JCK.

Canceling the Show and Going VirtualThe decision to cancel JCK Las Vegas wasn’t one that came easy. The show has never been canceled in its history—but it was the right decision to make. There was a need to pivot to an online version, and the Las Vegas team immediately got to work on it. They’ll explain how they’ve worked hard to stay true to their live Vegas event as much as possible, providing the same top-notch education from the industry experts they always have.

What to ExpectTo get the most out of the week, you should start looking at the schedule of events in advance and begin creating appointments with others just as you would in person. Trends will be grouped together, too, so you can easily find what you’re looking for. There will be four keynotes during the weeklong event, one on each day, Monday through Thursday. Exhibitors will also be loading up photos and videos of their products, so you’ll be able to see them virtually.

Staying Social and Networking VirtuallyRob asks how social events will operate in this virtual world without everyone being in the same room, and Sarin explains how people are getting creative. There will be two networking events: Drunk Yoga sponsored by Luvente, and a special guest chef from someone in the industry offering a cooking class. Wednesday afternoon will offer a fashion show. Thursday’s event will be a secret—but stay tuned to find out!

Why Now?JCK’s goal is to educate exhibitors and retailers and keep them up-to-date on what’s new and what’s next—and they’ve been getting positive feedback on the show planning so far. Rob asks if people will be in the buying mood, and according to JCK's 2020 State of the Jewelry Industry Report, July/August was the time that people preferred. Sarin also discusses their matchmaking program for retailers and exhibitors.

Wardrobes, Backgrounds, and Looking Ahead to 2021Rob asks the all-important question of what people should wear to JCK Virtual. You can dress how you would for any other working-from-home event. Rob then asks what should your background look like. Sarin and Kate note to make sure there’s light in front of you, not behind you, and to make sure you’re in a place where you can have the volume up and speak as you normally would. They then discuss what the JCK Industry Fund has contributed this year. Finally, Victoria talks about JCK Las Vegas 2021 since we’re all missing being in person. It's scheduled to take place June 4–7, 2021, with Luxury running on June 2–3.