Events & AwardsOct 30, 2026
Illuminating Carved Paraiba Pendant, Suite of Moonstones Wow at Spectrum AwardsSpectrum’s “Best of Show” honors went to a 101-carat Paraiba carved to look like Medusa that has a magnet-activated LED light.
EditorsJun 17, 2019
What Does Transparency Mean in 2019?
It’s central to growing your business, and it’s not just about material provenance.
There are a handful of topics right now in the jewelry industry that come up again and again—sustainability, social media and omnichannel retail, to name a few—and rightly so, because they signal monumental changes in the way all sectors of the industry do business.
Transparency is one of these hot topics that I hear a great deal about, but I was surprised to get a totally different take on the issue at a recent educational panel at JCK Las Vegas.
Moderated by Ben Smithee of The Smithee Group, the panelists of “JCK Next Generation” illuminated how empowering transparency can be for a company when approached in a multi-faceted way.
“Some of us think if we don’t know provenance for every single element that we can’t participate in being transparent with our customers—that’s not at all true.”— Michelle Adorjan Chila, Tacori
“Don’t be intimidated by it,” said Michelle Adorjan Chila, senior vice president of marketing and public relations at Tacori.
“Some of us think if we don’t know provenance for every single element that we can’t participate in being transparent with our customers—that’s not at all true.”
For Tacori, Chila explained, which is handmade in California, the brand’s current mission is to illuminate what it already offers—“bespoke, made-to-measure jewelry”—to consumers.
“What we’re working toward is creating that artisanal transparency, so [customers] know which artisans worked on their pieces,” she said.
“In bridal, every customer feels like they got their own ring, though [in the industry] we know it’s a variation of a color, a finger size, a diamond shape or size, but it has to feel really personal. And that journey that it takes to get to you is personal. Each ring has its own unique path.”
Transparency can also be a valuable tool, she said, in communicating a brand’s story through social media.
“We’ve been doing Instagram Stories where we meet our designers and they talk about their favorite pieces and why. Doing that for your sales team is also really functional, where they get to share their favorite pieces and why, or give visibility into the before and after of a custom piece.
“Any [time] you give people insight into the magic adds value, and whether that’s provenance-related or materials-related or designer-related, that’s a really important story that we need more of.”
Chila’s point, that transparency into the inner workings of a business can pique
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
customer interest by drawing them into the brand’s world, had me thinking of certain social media accounts that I enjoy following.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by WWAKE (@wwake) on Jun 15, 2019 at 12:30pm PDT
Brooklyn, New York-based Wwake, headed by designer Wing Yau, is a perfect example of the strategy Chila talks about.
A recent Instagram story I viewed took me behind-the-scenes of the Wwake workshop in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood, where I watched a female bench jeweler set a ring with diamonds and gemstones. What many in the industry may take for granted as being the mundane, daily workings of their company can be fascinating to the average layperson, even to a seasoned jewelry lover like me.
I’m not the only one interested in the unique, esoteric craft of jewelry-making.
Instagram itself went on to visit the Wwake workshop as well, capturing a tour of the facility in its Instagram Stories (yes, Instagram’s Instagram Stories; I can only imagine how many consumers were introduced to Wwake in the process.)
Even if product isn’t fully made on-site or in the country, brands can still provide insight into their world.
Dana Rebecca Designs, based out of Chicago, does an excellent job of this.
A recent Instagram story showed the designer in her workshop in India, demonstrating the steps of the manufacturing process, while a typical story will show employees of the Chicago store showing off the jewelry they’re wearing that day, oftentimes touting a sale to go with it for certain pieces, and even tagging the clothing brands they’re wearing.
The social interaction feels personal and authentic, which is the key to transparency, said another “JCK Next Generation” panelist, Jackie Brooks, owner of Bottom Line Marketing.
“Be transparent with your employees. Are you up? Are you down?”— Jackie Brooks, Bottom Line Marketing
“You can’t cut corners anymore, it needs to be real,” she said of addressing consumers on social media.
But authenticity doesn’t stop there. Brooks stressed that transparency is important in all aspects of a company, not just on the consumer-facing front.
“Be transparent with your employees,” she said. “Are you up? Are you down? Are you meeting your sales goals? Why are there secrets in that world? Let employees take ownership.”
And how can retailers address transparency, particularly when it comes to the provenance of all the materials from all the brands they carry or the loose diamonds they sell, including older product made or mined before there was all this emphasis on transparency and traceability?
GIA Global Director of Business Development (and former National Jeweler publisher) Matthew Tratner said that as he’s traveled the country talking about GIA’s new diamond origin reports, that’s the No. 1 question he’s asked, and his advice is to just be honest.
“Unfortunately, the answer is really that the technology just didn’t exist to be able to match that rough to the polished diamond. It doesn’t mean [a diamond was] unethically sourced.
“As technology evolves and blockchain gets better and other [new] data systems come to the forefront, there’s always going to be that question.”
Tratner said to tell consumers: “There’s the technology to identify these diamonds now; when these other diamonds were obtained, the technology didn’t exist.”
More on Editors
The Latest
TrendsOct 30, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Pendants Say ‘Eye’m Watching You’Our Halloween Pieces of the Week are four “Eye” pendants, each set with colorful gemstones.
MajorsOct 30, 2026
The RealReal Hires Former eBay Exec as New Chief Merchandising OfficerAlexis Hoopes expanded eBay’s “Authenticity Guarantee” program during her tenure.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
WatchesOct 29, 2026
Bucherer Opens Rolex Boutique in Washington StateThe Rolex-owned retailer’s new 4,700-square-foot store’s façade honors the Pacific Northwest’s evergreen forests.
Weekly QuizOct 29, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsOct 29, 2026
Amanda's Style File: All Treats, No Tricks Get into the Halloween spirit with this roundup of 13 spooky jewels.
MajorsOct 29, 2026
Gesswein Hires Longtime Bench Jeweler, Educator Ann CahoonCahoon was appointed strategic account and educational program manager at Gesswein, which recently joined Continental Buying Group.
Brought to you by
Open an Account, Get $50 Off Your First Order. No Code Needed.Built on Relationships. Refined by Craft.
MajorsOct 29, 2026
Amanda Seyfried Stars In Tiffany & Co.’s Holiday CampaignTiffany & Co.’s latest ambassador makes her debut in its “Love Is a Gift” holiday campaign.
CrimeOct 28, 2026
Man In Florida Who Swallowed Tiffany & Co. Earrings ConvictedJaythan Gilder was found guilty of robbery and grand theft after stealing and then ingesting nearly $800,000 worth of Tiffany & Co. jewelry.
SurveysOct 28, 2026
Consumer Confidence Up in October as Gas Prices EaseConsumer confidence remains on the long-term downward trend that’s persisted over the past few years, said a Conference Board economist.
MajorsOct 28, 2026
Stuller’s Holiday Campaign Lets the ‘Magic of the Moment’ ShineThe holiday campaign includes key jewelry trends, a curated holiday gift guide, and resources to help jewelers prepare for holiday shoppers.
SourcingOct 27, 2026
De Beers Celebrates the Holidays With New ‘Desert Diamonds’ CampaignThe “Icons” holiday campaign spotlights four classic diamond jewelry styles reimagined in “Desert Diamond” tones.
IndependentsOct 27, 2026
Solomon Brothers Acquires Mervis Diamond ImportersSolomon Brothers, which has three stores in the Metro Atlanta area, said it may continue to acquire other independent jewelers.
IndependentsOct 27, 2026
Gabriel & Co. Supports Charity Partner DKMS With Gala, New JewelsThe fine jewelry brand raised $2.3 million at its annual gala that supports the nonprofit’s fight against blood cancer and blood disorders.
Events & AwardsOct 27, 2026
JFC Announces 2027 ‘Facets’ HonoreesThe annual fundraising event is slated for June 6, 2027, at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
CollectionsOct 26, 2026
Bliss Lau’s ‘Vantage’ Point Is the Hawaiian HorizonIn her “Vantage” collection, Lau explores heritage, identity, and inner strength through designs featuring blue-green Guatemalan jade.
MajorsOct 26, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Takes Consumers Behind the ScenesThe jeweler gave the public backstage tours of its flagship store and its design and innovation workshop as part of LVMH’s open house.
Events & AwardsOct 26, 2026
Support JFC’s ‘Monster Mash Challenge,’ If You DareVote for which jewelry professional should dress up as a monster to support Jewelers for Children’s annual Halloween fundraiser.
MajorsOct 23, 2026
PGI USA Set to Close at Year’s EndThe closure is part of a global restructuring that also includes PGI winding down its operations in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
SourcingOct 23, 2026
Rachel Chalchinsky’s ‘Survivor Tribute’ RingThe ring, our Piece of the Week, was designed by eight-year breast cancer survivor Rachel Chalchinsky of Color Source Gems.
TechnologyOct 23, 2026
JA Unveils New Website, LogoThe website offers enhanced member benefit access, industry directories, educational resources, a job board, and access to the MJSA Journal.
FinancialsOct 23, 2026
Kering’s Jewelry Sales Up Double Digits in Q3Boucheron and Pomellato had a strong third quarter, with Kering looking at jewelry as an increasingly important part of its portfolio.
CrimeOct 22, 2026
Jeweler Shot and Killed in His Suburban Cincinnati Store Tara Sinchuri was the owner of Everest Jewels in Fairfield, Ohio, and a father of three. He was found dead in his store on Tuesday.
MajorsOct 22, 2026
Neiman Marcus Has Gifts for the Jewelry Lover Who Has EverythingBespoke experiences from Buccellati and Verdura are on the retailer’s 2026 “Fantasy Gifts” list.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2026
JIS Fall 2026 Reports Record-Breaking Attendance The number of participants at the fall show was up 12 percent.
CollectionsOct 22, 2026
Billie Eilish, Finneas Co-Design Collection for John HardyThe Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings have collaborated with John Hardy on a new jewelry line inspired by their personal style.
