Jewelry Independent Summit Returning in February

New York—The Jewelry Independent Summit will be back in New York in two months.

The jewelry event is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 3. (The exact location is disclosed to registrants only.)

While the educational summit is open to everyone in the industry, its main goal is to provide insight and support for designers to develop marketable and profitable businesses.

February’s event will serve as a “curated crash-course in all things jewelry” for those considering working in or who are already working in the industry, organizers said.

Every summit features experts from a range of backgrounds who take a deep dive into relevant topics like social media, sales, accounting and branding.

But rather than the group panels that have been featured in years past, this year’s summit will take on a new format with one-on-one discussions, whereby each speaker will be interviewed by a moderator and have an opportunity to share their individual expertise. They also will have the opportunity to answer questions from audience members and those streaming the summit remotely.

Organizers said the goal of the format change is for each speaker to be able to leave a larger impression on the audience by highlighting their specific skillset and expertise within the industry.

This installment will feature jewelry designer Polly Wales, Gem Jewelry Boutique owner Laura Kitsos, jewelry photographer Alain Simic, jewelry designer Sofia Ajram, Accounting for Jewelers founder Mariel Diaz, author and journalist Beth Bernstein, Barneys New York Associate Fine Jewelry Buyer John Massad, graduate gemologst and social media expert Benjamin Guttery and many more.

Attendees will have the opportunity to network with the speakers during the event.

There is a streaming option available for those who can’t attend the summit in person, launched with last year’s event.

This option allows registrants to tune in live or after the summit, and watch and rewind as many times as they would like for up to 30 days after the event. (In-person attendees receive a link to re-watch as well.)

This is the third time the Jewelry Independent Summit has been held.

Past speakers include designer Jade Trau, Barneys Senior Fine Jewelry Buyer Gurki Basra and T: The New York Times Style Magazine Senior Market Editor Angela Koh, among others. 

Tickets for the Feb. 3 event can be purchased on its website. (Use code SUMMIT24 for a discount.)

Editor’s note: This story was updated post-publication to reflect correct