6 Jewelry Trade Shows and Events To Attend as a Business Owner

6 Jewelry Trade Shows and Events To Attend as a Business Owner | Jewel360

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Trade shows are a long-standing tradition in the jewelry industry.

Jewelry professionals attend trade shows and other industry events to find inventory to purchase, further their education, discover new industry trends, and network with other jewelers.

However, there are costs associated with attending trade shows — including travel, lodging, food, and organizational memberships fees — which lead some jewelry store owners to wonder if attending these events is worthwhile.

There are also a variety of jewelry trade shows and events to choose from. Some are open to anyone, while some are open only to organizational members. Some are in-person, while some events are digital. And of course, events are held in a variety of locations across the U.S.

In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits jewelry trade shows offer you as a jewelry store owner. We’ll also cover which events are the most important to attend, so you’re never out of the loop.

Key Benefits of Attending Trade Shows and Events

Jewelry industry events help you see your business’ potential and take steps toward achieving it. Let’s dive into the most important benefits of jewelry trade shows.

Networking

Attending trade shows allows you to forge valuable relationships with other jewelry professionals, including peers, suppliers, and potential business partners. While you’re at a trade show, take time to explore booths and attend both large and small presentations. This allows you to have interesting conversations and learn from other attendees.

As you have these conversations, take an interest in what other jewelers are doing and don’t underestimate what you can learn from them. But remember to be respectful of others’ time, as event attendees and presenters likely have full schedules.

Supplier Relationships

All jewelry store owners need suppliers, and you need to manage these supplier relationships effectively. Attending trade shows in person gives you an edge over those who only work with suppliers online. Jewelry trade shows are attended by designers, manufacturers, and suppliers, allowing you to explore a variety of options to help you find the right inventory for your store.

Meeting a supplier in person allows you to get to know each other as people — this helps you build trust, so you can negotiate better terms. It also allows you to see product samples up close, so you can determine if the jewelry items a supplier has to offer are a good fit for your business.

Trendspotting

Attending jewelry trade shows helps you stay up to date on industry trends. You can often preview new products and technology at these events, which allows you to consider how you can incorporate these trends at your jewelry store. This way, you can keep up with the competition. It’s important to pay attention to emerging trends and changing customer preferences — and update your products and processes accordingly.

Your customers are always looking for the next big thing, and if your jewelry store doesn’t have it, they may look to a competitor.

Brand Exposure

Depending on the scale of your business, you might be setting up a booth at a trade show, or simply attending. Either way, these events allow you to showcase your brand, so make sure to present it in a unique and memorable way.

Make sure your brand is represented visually at an event. You can advertise your brand through the following methods:

Booth display
Shirts
Hats
Badges
Business cards

You also need a game plan for how you’ll talk about your brand and what you want to communicate about it at the event. Before you attend the show, brainstorm with your team about what makes your brand unique and what competitive advantages you have. As you have conversations at trade shows, bring up these key points to make your brand more memorable.

Education

The jewelry industry is continually evolving. There’s always something new to learn, even for seasoned professionals with decades of experience. Classes and workshops at jewelry trade shows offer industry insights, best practices, and opportunities to sharpen your skills.

Before you attend an event, take a look at the presentations that will be offered, and determine which ones are the most relevant to your business. You may want to learn more about specific jewels and gemstones, or improve business skills like inventory management strategies. You might invite members of your staff to travel to the event with you, so they can learn more, too.

The more you learn, the more qualified you are to run your business.

Sales

To be worth your time, trade show attendance should help boost your bottom line. If you have a booth and you’re selling directly to consumers, you can measure the sales you made in comparison to the money you spent. However, more often than not, you’ll be exploring resources that can help you run your jewelry store.

This might be new jewelry items to sell, or it might be software, furniture, or other equipment to help you improve your business. These improvements can increase your in-store sales for years to come.

Return on Investment

You may not know how much attending a jewelry trade show has benefited your business until long after the show is over, but estimating its financial impact on your business helps you determine whether attending the event was worthwhile.

The value of attending these events is greater than just sales made. It includes connections with other professionals, deals you make with suppliers, new products you discover, store improvements, and the knowledge you gain about the industry.

While some of these metrics are difficult to quantify, estimating the financial benefits of a show will reveal which shows are most profitable and impactful for your business. If an event proves to be worth the cost, keep attending until it isn’t. Over time, you’ll create a customized event strategy for your business.

6 Top Jewelry Trade Shows and Events To Attend

These are our picks for the best jewelry events to attend. While each has its strengths and weaknesses, all of these events offer opportunities for education and networking to open doors for your jewelry business.

1. JCK

Jewelers Circular Keystone (JCK) is the largest trade show in the jewelry industry. The annual show takes place in early summer, and the 2024 show was attended by 17,300 attendees and 1,900 exhibitors. The event is attended by buyers, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, and students. The event is only open to members of the jewelry industry, and attendees must register and be approved beforehand.

2. RJO

Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO) hosts two shows each year, one in the winter and one in the summer. These shows are only open to RJO members, and numerous exclusive products and show specials are offered during the event.

3. IJO

Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO) holds a conference each spring. These conferences are exclusive to IJO members. Members of the organization that attend the conference have access to top jewelry vendors and savings on inventory they can pass on to their customers.

4. Conclave/Converge

“Conclave” is an annual event hosted by American Gem Society (AGS) that began in 1937. The event features speakers and networking with other professionals.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has hosted a symposium once every few years for decades. At these symposiums, researchers and gemology professionals gather to discuss gemological developments.

Starting in fall 2025, “Conclave” and the GIA symposium will combine in a new event called “Converge,” hosted in California at GIA’s headquarters. This event will bring together the best of both events.

5. JIS

Jewelry International Showcase (JIS) hosts two shows a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. These shows are strategically timed to help jewelers replenish their stocks in preparation for busy seasons, and allows them to connect with others in the industry, including manufacturers, wholesalers, and brands. JIS is attended by hundreds of suppliers from the most popular jewelry-producing regions in the world.

6. RJS

Retail Jewel Summit (RJS) is a new digital event hosted by Jewel360. The first summit was held in May 2024, and was designed to educate jewelry store owners about industry trends, including how to implement technology in jewelry retail. The event featured speakers from Jewel360, Jeweler’s Mutual, and Jewelers for Children.

Stay Informed With Jewelry Trade Shows

Attending jewelry trade shows connects you to the larger jewelry industry. By strategically attending the most relevant trade shows for your jewelry store, you’ll make connections that lead to new opportunities for your business. You can discover new inventory, strike up deals with new suppliers, create awareness for your brand, and much more. You can also learn about new technologies that can assist you in running your business.

One of these technologies is a point of sale (POS) system. Jewel 360 is a cloud-based POS system specifically designed for the jewelry industry. This all-in-one system helps you streamline all of your jewelry store’s processes, including sales transactions, inventory management, and e-commerce.

To see what Jewel360 can do for your business, schedule a demo today!