Editor’s Note
This article tracks the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the jewelry industry, including event cancellations, store closures, and rescheduled dates. We are updating this list daily and will also include relevant industry webinars.
The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused the cancellation, rescheduling, and temporary closures of many stores and industry events.
As we receive word of these—and the events announce new dates and the stores eventually reopen—JCK will add them to this running list, which we plan to update daily. And since a lot of organizations are now holding webinars, we will list them, too.
– J.C. Penney has reopened 150 stores in 27 states, bringing its total to 304 reopened stores. It had temporarily closed all its stores in March. Additionally, five stores are currently offering contact-free curbside pickup only.
– James Avery has now reopened 90 of its 92 stores. Its manufacturing operations in Kerrville, Comfort, and Hondo, Texas, have also reopened.
– Pandora has reopened half of its 375 stores, according to a report in the New York Post. Safety precautions include social distancing markers for consumers, arranging times for them to come in advance, and requiring both customers and associates to wear face masks.
– James Avery will have 62 of its stores reopened in Texas as of May 22.
– On May 18, Swarovski decided to reopen stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
– Joshua J. Fine Jewelry, based in Los Angeles, has reopened.
– ASBA USA pearls and fine jewelry has reopened in Sarasota, Fla., as has its factory in Bangkok.
– WatchTime Los Angeles was originally scheduled for the end of May and has already been postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. WatchTime New York hopes to go as scheduled Oct. 23–25.
– The Indian Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Show, originally scheduled for September in Mumbai, India, will instead be held virtually June 1–4.
– The Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show, originally slated for late summer, has been postponed until Nov. 12–15. It will be held at the Baltimore Convention Center.
– The OroArezzo jewelry show, which was supposed to take place in July at the Arezzo Expo Centre in Arrezo, Italy, will not take place in 2020. Its next edition is slated for 2021. In the meantime, it has created OroArezzo On Stage, which will provide a virtual window into exhibitors’ creations.
– The JA New York summer show, originally scheduled for Aug. 9–12, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City, has been canceled. Organizer Emerald Expositions is still planning to hold its fall JA New York event Oct. 25–27, also at the Javits Center.
– The American Gem Society has canceled its annual Circle of Distinction dinner, scheduled for July 28 at the Plaza hotel in New York City. The group never announced honorees for this year’s event. This will mark only the second time the society has canceled the Circle of Distinction dinner, which began in 2000. The first time was during the 2009 recession.
– The American Gem Trade Association plans to move forward with its scheduled AGTA Spectrum Awards competition and as well as the annual editor’s event on Oct. 26 in New York City.
– The Couture Jewelry Show will hold a seminar on how jewelers can reopen safely on May 27 at 12 p.m. EDT. It will be hosted by John Kennedy, president of the Jewelers’ Security Alliance.
– CIBJO is hosting this webinar on May 28 at 9 a.m. EDT. It features David Kellie, CEO of the Diamond Producers Association; Huw Daniel, CEO of Platinum Guild International and president of CIBJO’s Precious Metals Commission; Jennifer Heebner, executive director of the Cultured Pearl Association of America; and Emmanuel Piat, owner of Maison Piat, who also is vice president of CIBJO’s Colored Stone Commission.
– The Jewelers Board of Trade is hosting a webinar on “Best Practices on Protecting Your Rights as a Creditor” on May 28 at 2 p.m. EDT. It will feature Timothy Wan, senior partner and CEO of Smith Carroad Levy Wan & Parikh.
– The Plumb Club is hosting “You’re Reopening: Make It Safe/Make the Sale,” a webinar to help retailers manage the new normal, on May 27 at 2 p.m. EDT. Speaking will be Tiffany Stevens, president and CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee; Kristie Nicolosi, president and CEO of the Kingswood Co.; and Kate Peterson, founder and president of Performance Concepts.
– MJSA is holding a variety of webinars, hosted by Andrea Hill, CEO of Hill Management.
– GIA is reopening several of its labs. GIA’s laboratories in Johannesburg and Tokyo opened on May 7. Visitors must make an appointment to visit the Johannesburg laboratory. The Tokyo location will accept and return items by transport only. Its labs in Antwerp, Belgium, and Gaborone, Botswana, opened on May 11, but the Antwerp lab is by appointment only. The laboratory in Carlsbad, Calif., opened on May 18 and will accept submissions via shipment only. The GIA Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Ramat Gan, Israel, laboratories remain open.
– The American Gem Society Laboratories has reopened, part of Nevada’s phase one reopening. Its parent organization, the American Gem Society, has stayed open, with employees working remotely.