The Jewelry District

After some time, which provided both a chance to recover and distance to digest, Rob Bates and Victoria Gomelsky talk about all their takeaways from the JCK and Luxury shows in Las Vegas. They discuss the reasons for the record-breaking success many exhibitors reported from the show in the face of turbulent times; challenges in the natural and lab-grown diamond space; and the phenomenon of premium...

Hosts Rob Bates and Victoria Gomelsky interview an array of jewelry industry professionals live from the JCK and Luxury show floors. Get the immediate reactions of the heads of trade organizations, a variety of jewelry retailers, a JCK veteran, and a gem explorer on trends they’ve noticed, how the show went, and the state of the industry at large. Despite question swirling around many factors affe...

Hosts Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates interview a pair of high jewelry designers who also happen to be sisters: Ofira Sandberg and Lorraine Schwartz. The women share their family’s history going back three generations in the jewelry industry, and tell how they ended up in the business despite their childhood vow not to. Lorraine and Ofira also talk about where they got their keen eye for design an...

Lorraine Schwartz and Ofira Sandberg Guest on 'The Jewelry District'

Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates cover a gamut of enriching industry events and jewelry business news. Victoria bounced from Jewelers Mutual’s thought-provoking Conversations at Half Moon Bay to the ultra-luxe and action-packed Watches and Wonders in Geneva. She shares takeaways drawn from Conversations and the watch trends spotted in Geneva. Rob breaks down what the tariff refunds mean for busines...

Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates talk to David Siminski, vice president of sales at United Precious Metals, who shares how the volatility of the gold and silver market has been affecting refiners. He also explains what it means to be a primary refiner (as opposed to a smelter), and offers advice for retailers dealing with refiners so they can optimize what they’re doing, make more money, and be mor...

Rebecca Foerster Guests on 'The Jewelry District'

Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates cover a mix of fun events and notable jewelry industry news. From the glitz and glamour of 24 Karat Weekend to the colorful, gold-bedecked showcases at JIS Spring in Miami, the hosts take us on a tour of jewelry events that kicked off the season. Victoria shares her takeaways from JIS, including an enormous gold chain with a price tag she can’t stop thinking about....

Appearing in a new video format, JCK’s Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates interview Rebecca Foerster, the CEO and president of Hearts on Fire North America. Rebecca, who recently won JVC’s Stanley Schecter Award, shares how her experiences growing up in New York City, working in cosmetics and fragrances, and her introduction to the manufacturing side of the jewelry industry shaped her view of and aff...

Victoria Gomelsky and Rob Bates talk about takeaways and trends from the time capsule that was the Tucson gem shows. Victoria comments on the unique timing of the events, which occurred right before the tariffs were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court and right after the gold price hit a soaring high of over $5,500. Despite this, the mood was positive and the trends were clear. From reddish pink...

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates interview Eddie LeVian, CEO of Le Vian, who regales them with his family’s history with jewelry that dates back to the 1500s. They discuss the pivotal moments that shaped Le Vian’s identity as a brand including the story behind chocolate diamonds (hint: a well-known JCKer plays a part!). They delve into how Le Vian’s trend forecasts...

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk about Brilliant Earth's new showroom in Beverly Hills, which Victoria had just visited, and what she learned about what the 2026 bridal customer is looking for and how retailers are meeting that moment. They highlight the brand’s shift toward experiential, hospitality-driven retail and the shifting role of sustainability in con...

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates interview Bruce Bridges, president and CEO of Bridges Tsavorite and president of AGTA. Their deep, sprawling conversation covers Bruce’s upbringing in Kenya, his family’s deep ties to mining in Africa, and the complex, devastating story of his father Campbell Bridges’ murder. Beyond the details of what happened that day and Bruce’s...

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk about their 2026 predictions—however murky the future may be. They share their observations on how the bifurcation of demand and the strain on the middle class have affected luxury categories. Rob wonders if the year bring more stability to the diamond market, enabling the industry to roll out marketing campaigns to usher in a...

In the latest episode of The Jewelry District, JCK news director Rob Bates and JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky talk to a husband and wife team: Olivia Landau (co-founder and CEO) and Kyle Simon (co-founder and COO) of The Clear Cut—a New York City-based brand that creates custom engagement rings and other jewelry with the option to do so completely virtually. They talk about the origin story...

In the latest episode of The Jewelry District, JCK news director Rob Bates shares his takeaways from the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) Congress in Paris, including the question of whether CIBJO should change the terminology around lab-grown diamonds in their Blue Books. JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky talks about Philips’s record-breaking Decade One watch auction and its star lot ite...

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk with Susan Posnock in her capacity of Director of Public Affairs and Education at Jewelers of America. Susan explains the many ways that JA serves the industry. They discuss how the tariffs are impacting jewelry businesses and JA’s advocacy efforts on tariffs as well as other issues. They also talk about...

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk about the Louvre heist and the possible reasons behind it. They cover the gold price, which continues to soar, and jewelers’ and consumers’ sentiments about its enduring value. Victoria reports on the high jewelry scene in L.A., where she attended two events held by Bulgari and Boucheron. Finally, the to...

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates chat with Bella Neyman, founder of New York City Jewelry Week (NYCJW), an action-packed set of events that take place each year in mid-November. Bella shares how the event got started back in 2018, where she found inspiration for the festival, what her goals were in launching it, and—most importantly—what exc...

In this latest episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates cover a highly exclusive watch collector event called Rolliefest, where guests don’t even find out where they’re meeting until just before. There, Victoria met passionate watch collectors, admired their highly unique timepieces, and even shared some of her own. Rob is watching the tariff space as he reports o...

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates share interviews they did live at Converge—a combination of AGS Conclave and GIA Symposium at GIA’s campus in Carlsbad, California. They checked in with Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez, Katherine Bodoh, Elizabeth Gibson, Georgie Gleim, Sara Murphy, Elizabeth West, Pinny Gniwisch, and Terry Chandler. They get these exper...

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates sit down with Scott Guginsky, executive vice president of Jewelers Security Alliance (JSA), a non-profit trade association dedicated to battling jewelry crime. Scott, a decorated former NYPD detective sergeant, brings listeners up to speed on the latest high-tech robberies and a recent rash of smash-and-grabs. He offers advice on ho...

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates discuss the fallout from steep new tariffs imposed on India, the likely short- and long-term effects on the watch market from tariffs on Swiss exports, and the constant shuffle those in the jewelry industry face as they attempt to navigate the administration’s ever-shifting tariff policy. Next, Victoria updat...

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates talk with Andy Koehn, owner of Wisconsin-based family jeweler Koehn & Koehn Jewelers. The veteran retailer and diehard classic rock fan shares his philosophy on how a store is like a stage, and its staff is like a band. (Even Mick Jagger relies on discipline and preparation to keep Rolling Stones fans coming...

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates discuss outgoing Natural Diamond Council president David Kellie’s legacy and the challenges ahead for the NDC. Victoria reports on several exquisite new pieces from the high jewelry world, including a million-dollar Mellerio necklace inspired by Marie Antoinette and Boucheron’s ghostly albino thistles, remark...