The Portland Jewelry Symposium Celebrates 10th Anniversary With Future-Focused Program

Peter Smith, CEO of Vibhor, will give the keynote address

The Portland Jewelry Symposium will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with the theme “Future Think: Innovate, Create, & Thrive.” 

The annual event, being held on October 1st and 2nd in Portland, Ore., will kick off with a Sunday night keynote dinner and address by jewelry industry veteran, Peter Smith, CEO of Vibhor and a columnist for National Jeweler, The Jewelry Book, and the World Diamond Magazine. He will share thoughts from his acclaimed 2016 article in National Jeweler, “What Will Become of Retail Jewelry Stores?”

“Given the rapid evolution we are experiencing in both retail business models and manufacturing technologies, it is very timely for the Symposium to take a deep dive into the innovative business models of tomorrow” says PJS Founder, Teresa Frye, owner of TechForm, which specializes in high-temperature platinum casting. “Beginning with our keynote Aadress and continuing across all presentations and bench demonstrations, we endeavor to create a sense of the visionary at this year’s event.”

Rounding out the "Future Think" program will be talks by digital manufacturing expert, Kevin Abernathy of BisVentures; Peggy Jo Donahue will moderate a tech-savvy panel featuring custom jewelers Calla Gold, Wendy Brandes, and Lisa Krikawa; retail business specialist, Becka Johnson Kibby of Edge Retail; responsible sourcing authority, Monica Stephenson of idazzle and Anza Gems; and specialist in XRF analytics technology, Jennifer Caban of Olympus.

Other presentations feature goldsmith and inventor Phil Poirier of Bonny Doon Engineering, designer Annie Koenig of Annie K & Motorhead Jewelry, gemstone carver Sherris Cottier Shank of Gemscapes, and bench expert Kristi Broussard of Stuller. A full line-up of the sessions and schedule can be found on the PJS website. 

Sponsors for the event include TechForm Advanced Casting Technology, Stuller, Platinum Guild International, Solidscape, Rio Grande, MJSA, Johnson Matthey, Otto Frei, Instore Magazine, Metalsmith Magazine, United Precious Metals Refining, Envisiontec, Hoover and Strong, Cad Blu, Red Sky Plating, A3DM Technologies, and the Santa Fe Symposium. 

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E-Commerce Jewelry Business Seminar at June Hong Kong Jewelry Fair

The jewelry trade platform, JewelleryNetAsia, will host a free seminar, “Successes in Jewelry eCommerce” during the June Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair 2013 (June 20 – 23). The workshops will take place June 21 at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center from 9:15 till 10.30 a.m., before the show opens. This will provide exhibitors and visitors an opportunity to enhance their skills in selling jewelry online.

Elle Hill of the jewelry retail website, Plukka—last year’s winner of the JNA Innovation Awards—will focus on gaining and retaining online customers. Hill’s experience is focused around the European and American markets. Wayne Wang of the online brand, Zbird, will highlight the ins and outs of winning over the Chinese consumers online. The sessions will be moderated by Jérôme Hainz, manager of eBusiness at UBM Asia.

“E-commerce is one of the hottest topics for both jewelry manufacturers and retailers. This is why we are extremely proud to host two industry experts who can talk about the challenges and opportunities with running jewelry e-commerce sites,” said Hainz, who oversees UBM Asia’s portfolio of trade websites, including AsiaFJA.com and JewelleryNetAsia.com.

The seminar will take place in Room S226 of the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center. The workshop will run from 9:15 am to 10.30.Registration is free but seating is limited. To register online, follow the link and to the online pre-registration form or go through the JewelryNetAsia website.  

For further information contact marketing@jewellerynetasia.com or call +852 2827 6211

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