NRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
Judi Powers Takes Over As President of CJDG
She succeeds Julie Bergstein Romanenko, who just completed her three-year term as head of the Contemporary Jewelry Design Group.

New York—The Contemporary Jewelry Design Group announced via Facebook that it has a new president of the executive board, jewelry designer Judi Powers.
Powers was appointed to the post this month, taking over for Julie Bergstein Romanenko of Just Jules Jewelry.
Powers handcrafts her eponymous line in Hudson, New York, drawing inspiration from nature and architecture. She began studying jewelry-making in 2002 and earned her AAS in jewelry design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2013.
As president, she said she wants to deepen communication, provide even greater service to members and build relevant partnerships.
“What I love most about CJDG is our community. Our members are dynamic, engaged, generous and fiercely committed to outstanding jewelry design,” she said. “When I became a member, I felt like I’d found my people, and it’s that feeling that I hope to engender among our membership during my term as president of the CJDG executive board.”
Romanenko served a three-year term that ended June 1.
“When I became president,” she said, “I wanted to do more than self-promote the group’s talents. [I wanted to] figure out a way to also give back to the industry I have loved for many years.”
During her term, she oversaw the launch of the Cindy Edelstein Memorial Auction, the event organized in memory of the late designer advocate and held at Couture in 2017 and 2018.
Romanenko said she hopes the event continues after this year’s hiatus.
The Contemporary Jewelry Design Group is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the craft of creative jewelry design and maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethics in business and in design.
As president, Powers will work alongside Executive Director Marylouise Sirignano Lugosch, Erika Winters, Dana Bronfman, and Elizabeth and Jack Gualtieri of Zaffiro Jewelry, as well as past executive board members.
The Latest

The “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.

The open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

The jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.


Sponsored by Jewelers Mutual

The proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

The Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.

The “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.

Natalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.

The pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.

Julien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.

Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.

The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.

The annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.

Seized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.

Rodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.

The AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.

The jewelry retailer plans to open 20 new stores this year and expand into new product categories.

The retailer reported an 8 percent decline in annual sales as it struggles under the weight of billions of dollars of debt.

The “Devil” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week, are part of designer Edina Kiss’ new namesake jewelry line that she will show at Couture.

The alert states that burglary crews are targeting jewelry businesses and details how jewelers and refineries can protect themselves.

The “watchmaker of shapes” debuted the reworked version of the vintage sports car-inspired timepiece at Watches & Wonders.

As demand for jewelry retail coaching grows, the company has established a dedicated business coaching leadership team.

The “Mountings 2026-2027” catalog showcases Stuller’s largest and most diverse assortment to date with more than 400 new mounting styles.





















