Download Autumn 2023 PDF

Cover Image: Tick Tock 

• The NAJ Awards 2023 – the winners 
• The NAJ Summit - A weekend of learning and connecting 
• The Jewellery Show - What to expect at ExCel this year 
• Show Preview - An early look at the Jewellery Festival 
• Buying Groups - Three autumn events 
• Alan Cohen’s diamond industry journey 
• Ben Massey - The new NAJ CEO

What have I learnt recently? Well, as it happens, quite a lot. The NAJ Summit in June and the GIA Career Fair in July were chock-full of insights and information (my report’s on page 14), so I have a plethora of facts stored away. Some will come in useful for future features and industry chats, and others are rather more random, with less immediately obvious applications. 

Always carry a notebook (obvs, it’s my job) and remember to smile in interview situations (tick, unless a camera is pointing at me)
are two examples of arbitrary advice I like. My favourite snippet of insider knowledge, though: should you find yourself in a party of people climbing down a tricky mineshaft or Colombian mountainside, you, the inexperienced climber (let’s assume), will go first, so if
you fall, only you perish. Harsh... but fair. 

I shall be – pen poised – expecting more golden nuggets of wisdom at the forthcoming Jewellery Show (see my preview on page 24) and UK Jewellery Festival (page 34); both offer the chance to listen to and learn from industry experts during their two-day events in September. Plus, there are many new brands, designers and collections to discover, so fitting everything in will, as ever, be the challenge. Add autumn buying group events from the Houlden Group, Hallmark Jewellery Group and the Company of Master Jewellers (p38) and it’s going to be a busy month. 

Ahead of these shows, a visit to Goldsmiths North in Sheffield’s Cutlers Hall earlier
this summer gave me the chance to meet a great many talented designer makers in one splendid spot. A few of my highlights from this much-admired shopping opportunity are on page 46. While in that beautiful part of
the country, I also paid a visit to CW Sellors’ work in progress – a grand, unique jewellery design and creation centre on the banks of Carsington Water in the Peak District. Learn more about this ambitious project on page 56. 

Who doesn’t want (or need) to learn more about diamonds? The hot topic was central to panel discussions at both the Summit and the Career Fair (and will feature at forthcoming trade fairs, too). If you want to catch up on some diamond news now, see page 18, which is followed by an interview with the president of the London Diamond Bourse, Alan Cohen, who describes his industry journey. 

We also wanted to learn more about the NAJ’s recently appointed CEO, Ben Massey, so he goes under the spotlight on page 8. Finally, on page 64, for a truly deep dive into a jewellery life, I’d recommend A Touch of Gold, the reminiscences of antique jewellery specialist Geoffrey Munn – it’s a lovely, riveting read. And, of course, there’s loads to learn.