In New York, JA NY Summer draws to a close

New York--Exhibitors and buyers packed it in Tuesday as the JA New York Summer show came to an end after three days of buying activity at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The three-day show got off to a strong start Sunday and Monday with Jewelers of America holding two days of educational seminars on a number of topics, including synthetic diamond disclosure, website traffic, trend forecasting and responsible sourcing. Monday also included the presentation of the Mort Abelson New Designer of the Year award, which this year went to Todd Pownell for his organic, rustic designs.

The layout of the show proved to be a positive point for many of the exhibitors, including Barbara Ross-Innamorati of Evocateur, who said that the setup allowed for easy navigation and drove traffic to their booth, both positives for a new company looking to build its business.

“Because we’re still a newbie, people are still learning about us, and they’re very fascinated,” she said about the brand’s pieces, which feature striking images covered in enamel and gold or silver leaf. “The reception has been fantastic.”

Myriam Gumuchian, of Gumuchian, told National Jeweler that the show was good for her business, noting that it provided ample opportunity to meet a lot of new people and write a good amount of business.

“A lot of our sales were price driven more than anything else,” she noted, adding that while they did sell a few bigger pieces of colored gemstone jewelry, “People were looking more at the boutique pieces, buying in the $1,000 to $10,000 price range.”

She also said that the brand’s new “B” collection, which benefits Honey Love, a Los Angeles charity that promotes urban beekeeping and home gardens in an effort to address the dwindling honey bee population, also helped drive extra customers to the booth.

Yossi Abrahami of Doves by Doron Paloma reiterated Gumuchian’s sentiment that the show went well for them, with strong traffic on Sunday and Monday especially.

“Yellow gold continues to be hot,” he said. “In terms of color, we sold more of the pastel pieces. Paler colors and our neutrals were really popular with clients this show.”

“We’re very pleased with the overall energy and buying activity at the show,” said JA New York Show Director Drew Lawsky. “Buyers and exhibitors alike commented on how great the show looked, felt, and continues to be