The Jewelry District

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.

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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 

On this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates question whether the Paris Olympics suffered from overbranding and ponder what it means for future games, before discussing recent missteps at Tiffany & Co. and a flurry of C-suite changes at luxury watch brands. Next, Victoria explains how and why jewelry brands are tapping into the travel boom with shops in airports and aboard cruise ships. Finally, Rob brings listeners up to speed on Hodinkee’s return to its roots as a watch blog and the factors that prompted it.

Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com 

Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates speak with Constance Polamalu, Chief Operating Officer of Zachary’s Jewelers, as well as the owner and founder of both Bloomstone Jewelers and Birthright Foundry. Constance shares her unique entrance into the jewelry industry, as well as the facets of each of her different businesses, from lab-grown diamonds to pieces that represent her American Samoa culture. She also offers insights into selling and interacting with different generations and clientele depending on what jewelry they are looking for.

Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com

On this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk about celebrity watch collectors and investors, such as John Mayer and Jay-Z, and discuss the new Russian sanctions on diamonds that the G7 council is looking to put in place. As well, there are big changes happening at Richemont, with many of the top executives playing musical chairs, and the Saks-Neiman Marcus merger being spearheaded by Richard Baker with Amazon as an investor, raising eyebrows and leading to discussion about other “e-tailers.”  

Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com

This week, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk with Pippa Small, ethical jewelry designer and founder of Pippa Small Jewellery, based in London. Pippa has traveled extensively and worked to make sure that both her materials and partnerships are sourced with good intentions. Helping people tell stories through jewelry has always been her passion, and she shares her hopes and dreams for her business, the environment, and the people she has met along the way.

Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com

You’ll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates share their reactions to the 2024 JCK show, including their impressions of the states of the diamond and lab-grown diamond sectors, takeaways from the De Beers breakfast, their experiences interviewing Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, and how important it is for producer countries to have a presence at the show. Victoria talks about what she saw and learned from her press trip touring diamond factories in Surat, India with Ben Bridge.

Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates share interviews they captured live from the JCK 2024 show floor, including Jan Patrick Smith, CEO of John Hardy; David Kellie, CEO of the Natural Diamond Council; Gina Fahnestock, Senior Associate of Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability at Brilliant Earth; Wesley Tucker, CEO of Tracr; Marie Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability Officer of Kering; and Susan Jaques, President and CEO of GIA.

Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com 

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates react to Watches of Switzerland’s recent acquisition of Roberto Coin Inc. As the hosts discuss the slow growth of brands in the jewelry space, Victoria gives the fascinating backstory on Shinola’s Gomelsky watch as an illustration of the challenges of launching a new brand. Victoria covers the exciting activations to look out for on the JCK show floor, all in the name of love—this year’s JCK theme. Both hosts also run down the education sessions that you won’t want to miss this year.

Sponsored by Tracr: tracr.com

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates welcome one of the most influential guests ever to join the podcast—Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group. Al shares his back story, comments on the current state of the diamond industry, and sheds light on the future of the diamond business in Botswana as well as what lies ahead for the lab grown market.

Sponsored by Tracr: Tracr.com