Out now – The Jeweller Autumn issue has landed!
01 Oct 2020
Two weeks is a long time in publishing. Much has happened since The Jeweller went to press and some things were bound to change, shift or develop once the magazine was written and the ‘print’ button finally pushed. One of these was, sadly, the unavoidable cancellation of The Jewellery Cut Live event that was due to take place in Mayfair, London this month.
We have, of course, previewed the designer jewellery show in this issue of the magazine – a snapshot of some of the beautiful collections that were to be unveiled. And such talent and craftsmanship needs to be celebrated and given the exposure it deserves, show or no show, now more than ever. So, turn to page 46, wallow in wonderful jewellery and whet your appetite for The Jewellery Cut Live 2021!
Letter from the Editor, below, highlights just how much more there is to inspire and inform you in the new issue.
I’m writing this at the beginning of September and while I always live in hope of an Indian summer I’m not that optimistic – it really does feel like autumn. Leaves are turning and there’s a back-to-school feel in the air. Which actually I’m taking as a positive sign. Yes, we’d all dearly love to re-boot 2020, but since that manoeuvre is off the menu, we are left with no choice but to recalibrate the way in which we live and work. What happens next may be beyond our control, but we can future-proof our lives.
In terms of The Jeweller, that means “as you were folks”… or as close to it as possible. This Autumn issue of the magazine would usually be dedicated to previews of the major UK and international jewellery trade shows. However, just because all bar a couple have been cancelled or digitalised that’s no reason not to celebrate newness. Without IJL the Bright Young Gems initiative might have been mothballed this year, but we think the students’ efforts should be rewarded, so we highlight a few names to watch on page 38. Our Autumn Preview (p26) showcases collection launches by designers, manufacturers and brands and of course we also salute those very few events – like VOICE at Vicenzaoro (p16) – that have pulled out all the stops to deliver In Real Life shows.
The same goes for the online trade events that have been keeping things ticking over during and post-Covid. Following a successful summer digital event, British Craft Trade Fair repeated the exercise this month; SHINE at Goldsmiths’ centre (p40) and Jewellery Watch & Fashion at Autumn Fair: Home (p59) were online during September and the highly prestigious Goldsmiths’ Fair promises to be as elegantly luxe as ever, with buyers from across the world being able to browse from their sofas (p60).
Every cloud and all that. No-one wishes for a crisis, but it can create opportunities, and this one, for most of us, has presented a chance to re-think how we do things. Take digital marketplaces – they’ve been on the fringes of the industry for a while, with their enthusiasts as well as sceptics. Now, I believe, they are truly coming into their own and proving their worth. Not replacements for physical trade events and face-to-face meetings, but sitting alongside them for the benefit of all. On page 10 we look at a few variations on this theme. Also in this issue (and not before time!) we put fine jeweller Trevor Davis under the spotlight (p56) and we give the floor to a handful jewellery retailers who share their Covid stories (p42)… accepting the ‘new normal’ is what it’s all about.
That, plus resilience and hope.
Read The Jeweller Autumn 2020 Issue
Source: The National Association of Jewellers