Member News

By The Jewelers Board of Trade The Jewelers Board of Trade (JBT) has a message that we would like to share with you. Good news. Jewelry business closures continue to lag behind predictions. In Q1 2021, 148 jewelry businesses discontinued their operations, down 51% from Q1 2020. That breaks down to retailers 121 vs. 247; wholesalers 12 vs. 37 and manufacturers 15 vs. 19. Total jewelry business tracked by JBT in North America stands at 25,413. Not surprising that it continues to be even harder to start a new jewelry business. New jewelry businesses in the U.S. were down 33

Craig Underwood, CGA, of Underwood’s Fine Jewelers and past-President of the American Gem Society Board of Directors, recently won the 2020 Best of the Best photo competition from the Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas. Known by his friends, family, and industry peers as a talented photographer, Craig uses his camera to visually document the beautiful locales that he and his wife, Laura, have experienced during their travels. Craig’s award-winning photo was of an ancient and massive bamboo forest in Kyoto, Japan. Congratulations, Craig! If you’d like to learn more about Craig and Laura Underwood, they were recently featured in Celebrate

Are you looking for something to share on your social media that shows the latest trends and supports your fellow American Gem Society (AGS) members? “Trending Now” is our new webpage that focuses on the latest fine jewelry trends and features the gorgeous and timeless designs of AGS Supplier vendors.  You’ll see these seven seasonal trends: Long Necklaces Bangles Diamonds Pearls Chains Spherical Pieces Feel the Warmth Click the button below to be taken to the page! Trending Now If you see an image on the webpage that you like, feel free to use it in your social media, and

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, contemporary bridal and fashion jewelry brand, Uneek, launches its year-long campaign called, “It’s All About U.” Inspired by different stories of women fulfilling multiple roles in their family, career and other aspects of their personal lives, this campaign is an homage to women’s strength, resilience, and commitment to achieve their goals and overcome any challenge with flying colors. This Spring, Uneek introduces the Boss Babe, the Delicate Femme, the Vintage Fashionista, and the Modern Mom. Donning full looks of Uneek jewelry, every Uneek woman has a narrative that anyone can relate to and aspire

By Jewelers Mutual Group With the rise of cyber-attacks, you can never be too careful when protecting your digital information. As technology continues to evolve and become more sophisticated, criminals are developing tactics to target your assets without ever stepping foot inside your business. Ransomware is a type of virus that attaches itself to a harmless looking email or website, often from a legitimate-looking company. Once opened or activated, the virus infects the computer’s files with strong encryption that requires a “secret code” to have the encryption removed. Then, a ransom note appears on your screen, typically demanding a certain

For over 150 years, Furrer Jacot has created high quality, handmade jewelry. There are many things that set them apart, besides being an independently-owned company with 100% Swiss-made products. The production process is one of them. “All of our products are produced in-house in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, starting with an extruded blank; there is no stamping or casting of any kind,” says Zoe Grillo, client relations manager at Furrer Jacot. “The precious metals we use have zero porosity which makes them stronger, harder, and more elastic.” Furrer Jacot does not do mass production or stock; all their rings are made to

We continue our month-long celebration of diamonds with a video by Glenn Markman, CG, president and CEO of Facets of Fire Diamonds. Glenn takes us on a pictorial journey through the amazing history and skillful art of diamond cutting. Vendors: Are you interested in submitting a video on birthstones? This is your opportunity to share your expertise on birthstones with your fellow members through short, one to three-minute videos discussing the characteristics and qualities of gemstones. Your video will be featured in our semi-monthly Spectra Update and in AGS PRO. To participate, click the button below to fill out our Content Submission form

Ready for some marketing magic? Want to exceed sales expectations? What can you do to help your business succeed in this new era of consumer buying? Do you want to win some prizes? You’ll get the answers to these questions and more at Confluence! Joey Coleman, an award-winning international speaker and customer-experience design expert, has this special message about his Confluence session, “What’s Next? How to Navigate Customer and Employee Interactions in a Pandemic (and Post-Pandemic) Era.” During each session, you’ll have the opportunity to ask the speaker questions! How? The sessions are pre-recorded so that the speaker can be