CBG, JIS Push Jewelry Trade Shows Back to Fall

Bay Harbor Islands, Fla.—The Continental Buying Group and Preferred Jewelers International are postponing their annual Las Vegas jewelry trade show until the fall.

The event originally was scheduled for May 30 to June 1 at Caesars Palace, but amid the rising number of cases of coronavirus across the world, CBG CEO Andie Weinman and COO Joe Murphy said in a statement they worried that even if the virus is eliminated by late May, retailers and suppliers would still need time to “regroup” after the slowdown the virus is likely to cause.

The event’s new dates have been confirmed for Tuesday, Sept. 8 through Thursday, Sept. 10 at Caesars Palace, with CBG noting that “by September, retailers should be able to regroup and be more focused on fourth quarter business.”

CBG also noted it is planning an education summit the day after the close of the show.

“We truly love our industry and our jewelry community,” the organizers said in a press release. “This is a time to be with family and not worrying about a jewelry show.

“CBG is not just a group or an organization; it’s family, and family comes first. We have been watching vigilantly what is progressing with COVID-19 and felt that the safety of all our suppliers and retailers was of the utmost importance.”

In other industry news, the Jewelers International Showcase (JIS) team is postponing the JIS April jewelry trade show.

According to show organizers, JIS April will merge with JIS October and be held in Miami Beach, Florida Oct. 13-16 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

JIS Events Industry Vice President Jordan Tuchband told National Jeweler JIS April has a “loyal following” of buyers, especially from Central/South America, who don’t constituently attend the other JIS shows but now are adjusting their plans to be able to attend JIS October for the next buying opportunity.

He added they’re expecting an increase in buyers at the fall event as a result of the postponement, based on the decrease in other jewelry shows taking place in first half of the year and feedback from JIS April attendees.

The American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute (AWCI) also has rescheduled its Time-Con event, originally scheduled for this month.

The three-day affair features networking and lectures, including topics like engine turning, ship’s bell clocks, complicated restorations, history of timekeeping, Herschede tubular bell clocks, and
more.

Time-Con 2020 now will take place from Oct. 8