Editor’s note

A new product for a new age

Hello, and welcome to the first edition of our online-only magazine, a new quarterly publication that aims to bring jewelry store owners the same great news analysis, trend reporting and fresh ideas that the print edition of National Jeweler did for more than 100 years.

In this first issue we aim to help you, our readers, select stud earrings, which are on-trend, and cufflinks ahead of the November-December rush. We also give insight into the growing world of alternative financing for jewelers who, like so many small business owners today, find themselves hard-pressed to qualify for a traditional bank loan. Our cover story, meanwhile, is a look inside the world of celebrity styling. We examine how jewelry lands on the necks, ears and wrists of celebrities on the red carpet and how this practice, which has been growing since the mid-1990s, has evolved over the years.

Many independent jewelry store owners might read this and think, celebrity placement has nothing to do with me or my business. But, as we explain, the practice has expanded to the point that it is no longer the exclusive domain of big players like Tiffany & Co., Harry Winston or Chopard.

Smaller brands and designers, including independent jewelry store owners with a penchant for bench work, can make a statement on celebrities, both on and off the red carpet. To wit: one Texas store owner got four of her designs worn at the recent Emmy Awards, and she plans to turn it into a marketing boon for her business. Thank you for reading and let us know what you would like to see in the next National Jeweler digital magazine, which is due out in February. 

Michelle Graff
Editor-in-Chief