Zadok Jewelers Archives – Jewels Abound

July 12, 2020July 12, 2020

Doom, Gloom and Diamonds: Working Retail in the Age of COVID-19

Most mornings, I’m awoken by my son, who is four months old. Lately, that means it’s somewhere between 4 and 6 a.m. When I’m on morning duty, I change him and feed him. For a few sweet hours, I can pretend life is normal. As I get ready for work, a familiar sense of dread slowly builds. My husband is working from home, so I do my best to focus on the time we have together and be grateful. If not for the pandemic, he’d leave the house at 6:30 to get to work by 7, and I’d be wrangling the baby and our pets while getting ready for work by myself.

I drop off my son at my parents’ house, breeze down the empty freeway and pull up to the store. I take a few sips of water and put on my masks, a cloth one with a surgical mask stuck inside. If It’s a Saturday, the busiest day of the week, I wear an N95 with a surgical mask layered over it. Doubling up masks makes the loops pull my ears forward, giving me the appearance of some kind of apocalyptic elf. By the end of the day, I’ll have a bad headache from the constant pulling. I walked around my house the other day wearing just a cloth mask, trying to understand why some people seem to have such a hard time with them. It was almost like wearing nothing at all.

Masks for working retail in the age of COVID-19 — Preparing masks was not how I intended to spend the end of my maternity leave. But working retail in the age of COVID-19 necessitated it.

Once the mask is in place, on goes the face shield. I’m the only one at work who wears one. If I thought there were a chance in hell that everyone I interacted with over the course of a day would be wearing a mask properly, I wouldn’t wear the face shield. Unfortunately, most Houstonians don’t seem able to wear one correctly or consistently, jam-packed hospitals be damned. (And we expect children to wear them in school come fall??) Customers are much better about wearing masks now that it’s mandated. A few of my co-workers are, how shall I say…a work in progress.

I get out of my car and the day begins.

The ensemble I wear while working retail in the age of COVID-19 — My daily getup. I put Zadok ribbon on the face shield.

Recently, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that if the situation statewide continues to worsen, he will have to consider a second lockdown. Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo declared the threat to the county as Level 1: Stay Home, meaning there is a severe and uncontrolled level of COVID-19. And still, so many just don’t care. People will happily believe anything they read or watch online if it serves their own self interest. See: masks are bad for you, that Plandemic video, “Case numbers are only increasing because there is more testing!!”, the list goes on.

Sometimes, in a strange way, I am jealous of them. How nice it must be to carry on with meals out, vacations and children’s play dates, without a care in the world. The only people my son has met outside of my household are my parents and my high-risk sister, who purposefully dehydrates herself so that she can make the drive from Austin without having to stop to use a public restroom. I haven’t seen one friend since I had a socially distanced diaper pickup in March two weeks after giving birth. Living like this long term isn’t sustainable, but it’s what we’re sticking with for the time being.

I tell myself it’s not so bad. The baby keeps us plenty busy and I am more than capable of giving myself a pedicure. But the truth is, I miss my friends and I hate that they can’t meet my baby. I hate all of this.

At work, when I’m busy, things feel pretty normal. I don’t want to give the impression that it’s all doom and gloom all the time, or that I’m terrified every day. It’s not and I’m not. I love my job and I care deeply about the store I work for, so it’s always nice to see customers on the showroom floor, despite the current situation. A global pandemic may be raging, but anniversaries still happen, people are still getting married and babies will be born no matter what. Watch lovers continue to covet watches, and lately, there has been an explosion of couples looking at engagement rings. We’ve taken to calling it Covid love. In many ways, being back at work helps keep me sane during all this. The familiar routine and human interaction pull me out of the Covid spiral.

Although I must admit that at times, it feels like a lose-lose situation. When lots of customers are in the store, I don’t feel particularly safe. But when traffic is light, I worry about that, too.

An empty Zadok Jewelers showroom — Working retail in the age of COVID-19 means that the store can look pretty empty sometimes. This was taken at 3 p.m. on a recent Saturday, usually the busiest time for us. Days like this stress everyone out.

When I first got back from maternity leave in early June, customers would bring up the pandemic a lot more than they do now. It’s all becoming routine, I guess. I follow their lead and focus on whatever occasion they’re celebrating. It’s nice to be able to make people smile. I’ve always enjoyed that about my job. But sometimes, my face shield makes people angry. “Take that thing off your face! You’re way too pretty to be wearing that!” was a confusing comment I received the other day. Gee, thanks? It wasn’t the first comment and it won’t be the last. I’ve had meaner. I tell myself it’s character building, and that I’ll have some great stories for my son one day. I should add that just as many people want to know where I bought it.

Dramatic pose in face shield — A dramatic reenactment of a person being offended by my face shield. Just kidding, we were taking photos of my letter A pendant and wanted to have some fun. By the way, I posed for this photo outside in the sunshine on a hot Houston July afternoon wearing long black pants and a black top. I lived. Please wear your mask when entering a retail establishment. Photo: Tim Ewasko

Within my Covid bubble, I am the only one who works face to face with the general public. My sister and husband work from home, and my parents are retired. My parents are watching the baby during the day for the time being so we can avoid daycare. They are willing to risk their own health to protect their grandson. After all, they say you’re only as safe as the least safe person in your bubble. I am that person, and I feel a great deal of pressure because of it. The muscles in my neck and shoulders have been hard as rocks for weeks.

So I stay away from other store employees as much as possible, alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer always at the ready. I scarf down my lunch alone in my office as quickly as I can. Even though I do everything I can to protect myself at work, I know that only goes so far. If I don’t have the authority to make people put their masks on over their nose, I sure as hell can’t tell them what to do in their personal lives. On bad days, I feel something akin to rage bubbling up inside me. I try my best to quash it, but it’s getting harder and harder the longer this goes on.

At the end of the day, I wipe down my computer, keys, cell phone and anything else I’ve touched that comes home with me. Once in my sweltering car, which has been baking all day in the summer sun, I finally take off the mask and face shield. At home, I hang up my clothes in the garage and head straight to the shower.

Overkill? Maybe. But if my worst fears become reality, at least I can say I did everything I could.

December 4, 2019December 4, 2019

A Chat with Stephen Webster on his No Regrets Lounge and More

Recently, British designer Stephen Webster paid a visit to Zadok Jewelers. As the public-facing creative force behind his eponymous jewelry brand, he’s been photographed all over and with all manner of celebrities, so I recognized him immediately.

What I didn’t see coming, because you never know with highly successful people, was the friendly and relaxed energy he exuded as soon as he walked through the door despite having landed in Houston at 1 a.m. the night before. He brought his No Regrets Lounge with him, a curated space involving a signature margarita and a neon sign (more on that later) that Zadok customers got to enjoy at a party that evening.

He was kind enough to agree to sit down with me for a quick chat, much like the one I had with with Ippolita Rostagno last year. What I had planned on being a five minute interview turned into 16 minutes of recording. His answers were thoughtful and detailed, and always came with a back story. I found the designer to be a bench jeweler at heart with a fierce creative streak and very solid sense of self after decades in the jewelry industry.

Jewels Abound: You’ve been in the jewelry business a long time. How do you manage ensuring your jewelry is commercially successful without compromising your creativity?

Stephen Webster: Well, I think you set a balance. I think for me, I kind of tend to be quite headstrong because there’s lots of jewelry out there, and lots of jewelry that’s commercially successful. And I think that I realized probably quite a few years ago that my place was a niche, so it was never going to be that I had a commercial line that was everybody’s bread and butter. And to be honest, that wouldn’t interest me, to be that jeweler. I try to stick to that and I think it kind of shows in the work, that there’s not anything where you say, oh, that’s your commercial line. I have things that are commercially more successful than others, but what I like more than anything is when something feels a bit like a creative challenge, and that works [commercially]. Then you’re like, wow, that’s the perfect combination. And it doesn’t always [work].

Love Me, Love Me Not bracelet — This one-of-a-kind bracelet is from the Love Me, Love Me Not collection. See the petals that look like they’ve been pulled off? Just lovely.

So I’m not that good at thinking, right, now we need to pay the bills, so therefore we’re going to design like this, because I think that I’d drift. It’s quite important that you find where your niche is and I wouldn’t be happy – I’ve been a jeweler for 44 years – if I felt like I was just doing something that was purely looking at the bottom line.

Rings in the No Regrets Lounge — A selection of Stephen Webster rings from different collections. Nature inspires many of his designs.

JA: You started up in 1989 and currently have more than 100 points of sale around the world. When did you start having events with fun elements like the No Regrets Lounge, and how has it changed your business?

SW: It really kind of took off for me about the mid 90s. It took off in America. I used to live in Santa Barbara, CA designing and making jewelry for a jeweler there. I developed my style there because of my exposure through my partner, who you’d call sort of a rock adventurer. He used to go to far-flung places like Afghanistan and Pakistan, Brazil and Africa, and come back with these really juicy rocks that weren’t the normal palette of what jewelry was at that time. It was quite tight. Jewelry predominantly would have been emeralds, sapphires, rubies, diamonds, pearls, opals, etc. But I very early on was exposed to tanzanites and tourmalines and tsavorites and aquamarines, things that were just not something that you felt you had to treat in the same reference.

I felt like I had more fun with it. They looked like more fun, and they were more fun. So that started to become my style. I thought, well, I can make a cocktail ring, and that sounds sort of fun. Or I can make an engagement ring, that doesn’t sound like much fun. I’ll go with the cocktail ring. If I’ve got a philosophy of my design, it’s a bit like that. I try to bring some enjoyment to what I do. And it really does work. People look at it and they feel that I enjoy designing it and making it, and they enjoy wearing it.

You asked about the No Regrets Lounge. I opened a store on Rodeo Drive about 12 years ago. We had an upstairs space that was offices, and I thought, I don’t really want offices. I thought I’d make this place where I can show things that I like. So it wasn’t about what I made, it was never showing jewelry. I would show art, photography, I’d bring chefs in, DJ’s, classical musicians, we had everything upstairs. My clients just loved that they didn’t know what was next.

I can’t remember why I called it this, but I called it the No Regrets Lounge, and that became this place. Everybody knew it as the No Regrets Lounge. Before we’d start whatever we were doing, I’d say, “Welcome to the No Regrets Lounge!” It was kind of the only non-manicured space on Rodeo Drive. And it was meant to be that way, and it looked like a place where you just went and had fun, and we had lots of fun there.

When I closed the store [on Rodeo Drive], the bit I missed more than anything was the No Regrets Lounge. I thought I could take it and travel with it. So I took it to Art Basel last year. It was my place in Art Basel, and people loved it; they thought that they wanted to live there. That’s the idea of the No Regrets Lounge. It’s quite fluid. There are a couple of things you need, like the neon that says “No Regrets Lounge” in case you get lost, but the rest is really about an environment where I can best showcase what I do. That can be the men’s or women’s jewelry, or my homeware, which now belongs perfectly because it’s about things you might find in a lounge. Tequila toolkits, vodka toolkits, chef’s knives, it’s all for the home.

Stephen Webster barware in the No Regrets Lounge — A selection of Stephen Webster barware on display in the No Regrets Lounge at Zadok Jewelers.

As you are well aware, because there’s one in Zadok right now, people really like it. The staff like it; it doesn’t feel corporate, like this is my branded corner. It feels like my branded corner in a way that’s not branded. So it’s kind of subliminal.

JA: You’ve gone public with this before, so I hope you don’t mind me asking. A few years ago, you shared the story of your decade-long battle with anorexia. What inspired you to go public with that story?

SW: I wrote a book called “Goldstruck” that was autobiographical without being an autobiography. I knew that I had enough in me that was kind of entertaining through my life being a jeweler. And I’ve made it that way. It’s quite obvious that surrounds what I do. But at the same time, I had a period that was really not so much fun [laughs]. You’ve kind of got to battle on through.

Part of the reason I ended up having mental health problems was because of jewelry. I found myself in a place where I was very conscientious of what I did as a jeweler. I was living in Canada, and I had made myself without realizing really unhappy being in this place where, to be honest, I probably should never have been. But I was there, I was employed, I took that very seriously. I had a team that I had employed around me, and I think it just went that way.

It was a chronic kind of homesickness – I was quite young, I was in my early 20’s – and without realizing it you kind of feel a little bit out of control. But you can control yourself. And that’s often what sparks something like an eating disorder, this idea of control. I didn’t know anything about it. It was very unusual, to be a guy with an eating disorder. [Laughs] I didn’t know any others, that’s for sure. It was also quite an early time even for the term. I think we’re much more aware of these things now.

Fast forward, where I was sort of more like, recovered, if you like? My eldest daughter who now works for me, I could see the same thing happening to her. It was a completely different set of circumstances; she was being bullied. She was in her mid teens and we didn’t know. We recognized that she was not eating, and it happened so quickly. But because I was very unusual in the fact that I was a dad who had experience myself, we were able to be part of her much quicker recovery. I’d say she’s an extremely healthy woman now, in her late 20’s. Very aware of the fact that she had an eating disorder. You tend to be able to spot it in people when some other people might not be able to. You’re kind of aware of what’s going on for people.

I feel [I went public] for these reasons. It’s not embarrassing. It’s like you said, well, you’ve been through it. And people talk much more about mental health now than they ever have. It’s such a good thing, I know in England and in America. So it’s not like I start a conversation with it. But if it’s appropriate, like you’ve asked me the question, I’m happy to talk about it. And it’s part of my journey. It was too long to ignore [laughs].

Stephen Webster and I at the No Regrets Lounge party at Zadok Jewelers.

JA: You have two children, correct? I’m expecting my first child. Any parenting tips?

SW: Well, congratulations! I’m so lucky with my two daughters with how they are. We are such a close family. Now, I could say that certainly when the eldest one was growing up, she was four and a half when I got divorced, I was trying to build a business, I was traveling like crazy. You could have almost said, you were a terrible parent. But you know what? I wasn’t a terrible parent. You can find yourself in a situation, especially when you go through a divorce, where you suddenly got very limited access to your children, especially as a father. It’s not always like this, but just for me it was.

I thought, right, okay, I’m not happy about this. That wasn’t part of what happened between her mother and I. So I became a volunteer art teacher at her school. So for two years, I was their art teacher. We talk about it now, how that was just so crazy. Like, “My dad’s coming to teach us art!” for two years. And I used to turn up on my Harley Davidson so they were all about scared of me. I didn’t have any trouble from any of them. It’s not about a plan, but it kind of bonds you.

Stephen Webster and family — Stephen pictured in 2013 with wife Assia (far left), younger daughter Nika (center) and older daughter Amy (far right). Courtesy: Daily Mail UK

And she works for me now, which is amazing. Cause she went and did her own thing, went to university and lived in Berlin for four years and was making films. And I said to her, look, what you’re doing I think is what I think I need. She was making film content for brands. I said, do you want to come and work with me? She said, “Oh dad, I love you but I don’t know. I mean, I love what I do.”

So she had a trial period for a month. And then she said after two weeks, this is what I’ve got to do. I love what you’ve achieved. Everyone who works for me, some have been with me for 18 years of and they grow with this business. It’s not just me; I’m a member of the team and now she’s a member of the team. So I go from seeing her somewhat, you could say, absently, and now I see her every day, which is amazing. So that’s cool.

Her sister is 20, and she’s moved to Shanghai for a year. She studies Mandarin. She’s really, really good at language. But we’re a really tight family and it’s so lovely because they still want to hang out with their dad. [Laughs] So you say, well, was I a good dad or not? I don’t know, we’re certainly a close family. I haven’t got too much advice about that other than, you know, in the end if you give your family as they grow up room to breathe, and trust them…

You know, I never tried to put anything on either of them. Jewelry is a perfect example of these sort of family businesses, where generations come in. Sometimes they love it, they really do, and then they take it to the next level. And sometimes maybe they don’t, and they felt maybe a bit spiteful or something. I wouldn’t ever have wanted that. I suppose I thought – cause she only started working for me a year and a half ago – that would never happen. It was actually somebody else, an Italian friend of mind said, why don’t you bring in your daughter? She’s amazing at doing this stuff! And I thought wow, I don’t know.

But anyway, that’s it. You’ll do it your way.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

November 21, 2019November 21, 2019

I Went to Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin

Back in September, our Vacheron Constantin area sales rep emailed one of the Zadoks to ask if I would be able to attend a training with the brand in Geneva, Switzerland the following month.

Let’s see, I thought. Do I want to go on an all expenses paid trip to Geneva with one of the oldest and most respected watch manufactures in the history of watchmaking to visit their headquarters? As part of an exclusive group of only five other salespeople from big time retailers in the North American market? Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin? Oh gee, I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.

NOT.

I realized I’d be about five months pregnant during the trip, so I immediately called my OB to make sure I was okay to travel. I knew I would be, but I also knew my husband would be very unhappy if I accepted the invitation without talking to the doctor first. As soon as I got the go-ahead, I emailed back to accept the invitation and texted my husband to let him know I’d be jetting off to Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin for a week while carrying our unborn child. He was cool with it.

If you’ve never heard of Vacheron Constantin, it’s because they only make about 25,000 watches per year. Compare this to Rolex, which produces more than 800,000 per year. Vacheron Constantin doesn’t do any marketing with celebrities, either. It is one of the watchmaking maisons under the Richemont group, which also owns Cartier, Montblanc and Jaeger-LeCoultre, to name a few. Vacheron Constantin was founded in 1755 in Geneva and has had uninterrupted production since then. No other manufacture can make the same claim. Think about it– that’s older than the United States. They specialize in belle haute horlogerie, or beautiful high watchmaking. After my trip, I understand better than ever what that actually means.

First Impressions

Geneva in autumn is gorgeous. The leaves are turning, the weather is chilly but not too cold, and the sky is overcast for the most part. Coming from the tail end of a Houston summer, I loved it.

The Jardin Anglais in autumn — Walking around the Jardin Anglais.

L'horloge Fleurie in Geneva — Geneva’s famous attraction, L’horloge fleurie (flower clock)

It’s the kind of city where no one jaywalks and everything runs on time. Plus, they speak French, so I got to practice.

Geneva at dusk during my trip to Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin — Geneva at dusk. No jaywalkers in sight.

Day 1: Let the Training Begin

Our first full day began at the Vacheron Constantin manufacture and administrative headquarters in Plan-les-Ouates, which is about a 30 minute drive outside the city center. Designed by famed architect Bernard Tschumi, the building was completed in 2005 and is a sight to behold.

Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin — Our group. The inside of the building is just as beautiful as the outside.

This day started with a general reintroduction to the maison’s history and a look at some heritage pieces from the archives. We saw some truly incredible things. My favorite was the original watch inspired by Gerard Mercator’s 16th century atlas.

Vacheron Constantin acquired the atlas itself at auction many years later, so we got to see that, too! Mercator created the term “atlas” to describe a collection of maps, if that gives you any idea of his importance in the world of cartography.

Title page of the Mercator atlas — The title page of Mercator’s atlas. Amazing!

We also got to see a watch from 1921 that inspired the design of a watch I sold last year!

Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin archives — The watch in the center is the original.

Historiques Americain 1921 in platinum — The watch in the center is the original.

In the afternoon, we got to practice putting together a mechanical watch movement. I didn’t have a knack for this, but I managed to finish. It was an interesting exercise and I was glad I got to try it out. I should note that it was not a Vacheron Constantin movement!

That night, we ate our weight in fondue at Hôtel de Ville. If you ever find yourself in Switzerland while not drinking, our waiter suggested an excellent pairing for me. (I had finished my sad one-third of a glass of wine and was looking dejected, which prompted him to make the suggestion). It was a Swiss sparkling apple juice and it did indeed go very well with the cheese. I regret not bringing a few bottles home for the holidays. Martinelli’s apple cider is not the same.

Day 2: Journey Into the Vallée de Joux

Day two was my favorite. I woke up with a raging sore throat and felt very tired, but chose to ignore that. We boarded our shuttle and headed toward Le Brassus, a town in the Vallée de Joux about an hour and a half from central Geneva. It was otherworldly.

Fall leaves in Switzerland — Beautiful fall leaves as we headed up into the Alps.

Cloud cover in the Swiss Alps — Cloud cover in the Alps.

The Vacheron Constantin manufacture in Le Brassus handles watch component production and finishing. Before assembly by a watchmaker, each component is hand decorated to extremely strict aesthetic standards set by the maison. Most of our day focused on this, and we got to observe the people doing it in action. Imagine your entire workday, work week, work life devoted to engraving one tiny part of a watch movement, for example. It takes an unbelievable amount of concentration and skill.

Movement decoration — Go follow @vacheronconstantin

I got to try my hand at a couple, including perlage, also known as circular graining. This requires pressing a tiny whirring engraver onto a movement plate to create overlapping circles. It’s vital to maintain the same amount of pressure when pulling down each time and just as important keep the circles perfectly spaced. I did okay!

Trying perlage — Trying my hand at perlage. I was excited; they were amused.

I also did some chamfering, which is beveling a perfect 45 degree angle onto any edge that requires it. There is no way to measure the angle; you only know it’s right from the way the light reflects. Having done some bench jewelry work in the past, I was better at this. I’m still waiting for my job offer, though. Any day now!

In Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin trying perlage and chamfering — The expert’s example perlage rows are on the outside. I pressed down too hard on my rows and didn’t space as evenly. At the bottom right you can see the reflection of my chamfered edge.

We made the drive back to Geneva and I passed out most of the way back, as did everyone else. When we got back, we made a visit to the Vacheron Constantin Geneva boutique, conveniently located right next to our hotel. It was immaculate and beautiful. Now that I mention it, I don’t think I saw a speck of dust anywhere the entire time I was in Switzerland.

Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin Geneva Boutique — Boutique entrance

Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin Geneva Boutique second floor — Boutique entrance

Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin Geneva boutique watchmaker station — Watchmaker station

Geneva boutique strap display — Watchmaker station

By the end of the day I felt like death warmed over, and in addition to the sore throat, I had the sniffles. So after dinner I went to bed early, excited for our last day of training.

Day 3:

Our last day brought us back to the headquarters in Plan-les-Ouates. My nose was running like a faucet by now, and any hope of a quick recovery had flown out the window, but I didn’t have a fever so I was determined to make it through the last day. I knew I had a run-of-the-mill cold, so I just tried my best to pay attention while sanitizing my hands a lot.

Despite my faucet nose, it was a really nice day. We visited the Métiers d’Art workshop, where we got to see enameling and hand engraving of some specialty pieces. The gem setter was on vacation, unfortunately, so we didn’t get to see any watches being set with diamonds or gemstones. (The Swiss get something like 40 vacation days a year, so it was inevitable that someone would be gone during these tours– good for them!) We couldn’t take photos of the engraving, but I was able to capture this nifty wall of enamel colors.

Enamel wall in Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin — Wall of enamel. The colors!

We also visited the design studio, where we got to learn about the entire design process, from creative inspiration to 3D-printed prototypes to final color selection. No photos were allowed here, for obvious reasons. I appreciated this peek behind the curtain in particular. Most watch trainings primarily focus on brand history and watch movements with maybe a minute or two devoted to design inspiration, so to get a detailed explanation of the creative process surrounding aesthetics was interesting.

At the end of the day, we had a mini-graduation of sorts. Hugo Castro, the international training project manager for Vacheron Constantin, presented each of us with a certificate of completion.

Graduating in Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin — Graduation day with Hugo Castro at the Vacheron Constantin headquarters in Plan-les-Ouates.

I had such an amazing experience in Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin and cannot thank the training team enough. It was better than I could have dreamed. I understand so much better the time and effort put into creating these amazing timepieces. I wish I hadn’t gotten sick, but I have no regrets.

VacheronConstantinCabinotiers — It can take three months to finish engraving a case like this. Courtesy: Vacheron Constantin

Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin, Lake Geneva, a rainbow and cold meds — One last sunset looking at Lake Geneva and a rainbow. I enjoyed both along with hot chocolate and completely useless pregnancy-friendly herbal cold meds. Being in Switzerland with Vacheron Constantin was a dream.

July 28, 2019July 28, 2019

My First Time at COUTURE and JCK: Day 3 and Takeaways

Catch up on Day 1

Catch up on Day 2

Saturday morning began bright and early with the Plumb Club breakfast at the ungodly hour of 7:15 a.m. The Plumb Club is an organization of suppliers whose purpose is to connect its members and their customers and help shape the future of the jewelry industry. The keynote speaker, Shep Hyken, gave a speech on how a great customer service experience can –must!– set any business apart.

Two main points stuck with me. The first was that customers no longer compare you to your competition, they compare you to the best service they have ever had, anywhere. Fair? No. But it is what it is. The second was that you don’t need to provide 5 star service 100% of the time to be excellent. You just need to provide above-average service consistently, with no hiccups or off days. That’s the real key.

And that’s about all I got out of the breakfast, because at this point in the trip, I was dragging. I mean really, truly, dragging. The combination of endless walking, dry desert heat and little sleep was really getting to me. Later I’d learn that many convention regulars pack humidifiers for their hotel rooms. I didn’t have one hangover the whole trip, but it didn’t matter. I was exhausted.

Activity log showing 6.4 miles and 16,165 steps — An average day’s activity log from my first time at COUTURE and JCK.

It was in this state that I returned to JCK and Luxury after the breakfast, determined to see a ton of jewelry. My feet were covered in a protective layer of band-aids and I was ready to roll–or at least I was determined to drag myself from booth to booth all day long. I’d already abandoned my plan to head to the Las Vegas convention center that day for the Premier show. I figured it was better to hit fewer shows and do them well then get just a taste of too many.

I sat on the floor briefly to consult the JCK map app and get my bearings. All of the benches were full of people resting and I remember thinking, “Okay, good, I’m not the only one struggling today.” I got up, walked a bit, and realized that I didn’t have my notebook with me. My notebook containing my notes about every single thing I’d done during my first time at COUTURE and JCK and takeaways so far. Every lecture, every booth, every random observation, gone. All of the quotes I’d written down at the panels I attended, gone. I returned to where I’d sat on the floor and it wasn’t there. So I made the hike back to the ballroom at the Venetian where the Plumb Club breakfast had taken place. A really nice staff member who was breaking down tables helped me look, but we had no luck.

Then, I visited one of the many JCK information booths to ask if there was a lost and found. What followed was a rather ridiculous back and forth journey during which JCK staff directed me to the Sands Expo security booth, the security booth people sent me back to talk to JCK staff, and on and on until I was ready to give up. After much confusion over what should have been a very simple matter, I was finally able to leave record of my missing notebook with security. (A note to the Sands Expo: your security staff needs work. Also, the security booth is left completely unattended more than it probably should be.)

At some point during all this, I took a walk among the booths and found Simon G., one of our bridal vendors.

Simon G. sapphire and diamond rings — Pretty sapphire rings.

At this point, I could have laid down on the floor next to the JCK DJ booth and gone right to sleep as thousands of people streamed by. Instead, I dragged myself back to the Mirage, grabbed some lunch to go, ate in my room and took a three-hour nap.

The DJ booth at JCK Las Vegas 2019 — I walked by this DJ about 11,000 times during my notebook search. He was a champ.

I woke up and got ready for my last night in Vegas. First, I had a GIA Alumni event at a restaurant called Yardbird. But by the time I got to the event, it was so packed I couldn’t hear myself think, much less talk to anyone. Walking across the room to get a drink and a cake pop was a challenge in and of itself. This was a bummer, but I was happy to see that their event was a success. Note to self: don’t arrive fashionably late to any future GIA alumni events in Vegas! I finished my drink, ate my cake pop and headed to dinner with the Zadok team.

Don’t ask me why you get two photos of an event I was at for 10 minutes. You just do.

In the morning, I boarded my 6 a.m. flight back to Houston and passed out the entire time. It was an amazing, exhausting trip and although it didn’t go perfectly, I learned a ton. It was truly one of the coolest experiences of my life and I’m so grateful I was able to go.

I almost forgot– I did get my notebook back in the end! A few hours after I landed back in Houston, I got a text message from a woman named Caroline who works for Andreoli, a line we’ve worked with at Zadok in the past. She found my notebook at the show, saw my contact information inside and ended up giving it to my boss, who brought it back to me, along with a few lovely pieces of jewelry for the store. It’s a small world after all! Thanks again, Caroline.

Multi-hued sapphire and diamond horseshoe earrings by Andreoli — Fancy sapphire and diamond earrings in 18k white and yellow gold made by Andreoli. These were sent to the store along with my notebook. Beautiful detail front and back! Photo: Tim Ewasko

COUTURE and JCK Takeaways

Sustainability was the major theme of the show. A note to anyone out there who is, or could become, a jewelry customer: If you ask, you shall receive. Walmart began carrying organic products because customers repeatedly asked for them. Do you care about the origin of your diamonds? Does it matter to you where your jewelry was made, and by whom? Do you care about the carbon footprint involved to make that cute stackable band you have your eye on? Speak up. The industry will listen. It already has–thank God, or I wouldn’t be a part of it.

Lab grown vs. natural diamonds: will one conquer the other? Can both coexist? Are lab grown diamonds for cheaper, less formal jewelry and are natural diamonds for more expensive, occasion-oriented jewelry? This remains to be seen. The industry can do as much marketing as it wants to, but at the end of the day, the consumer will decide.

I have heard industry people say trade shows are dying. It didn’t look like it to me. But there are a lot of shows, and this was only my first time at COUTURE and JCK. I will say, as someone who paid her way to attend, going to a convention in Las Vegas is expensive (and I didn’t even have registration fees!) I spent 50,000 hard-earned airline miles on my flight and almost $900 on three hotel nights. That’s with the convention discount. And you have to eat, too. I admit I attended some talks because in addition to having interesting subject matter, there was free food. The Zadoks were kind enough to invite me out to dinner two nights, which made a huge difference. But for a small store, new designer, or a freelancer or blogger like me, it’s a big investment to attend one of these things.

Jewelry people are fun. There is minimal snobbery and cliquishness at Vegas Market Week compared to what I’ve heard about New York Fashion Week from friends who work in or adjacent to that world. With that said, big time jewelry brands with big followings may not give you the time of day. But that’s okay. No one’s going to body-block you and stop you from entering their booth.

The biggest takeaway of all? I want to go back.

June 27, 2019June 27, 2019

My First Time at COUTURE and JCK: Day 2

Check out my post on Day 1!

My first time at COUTURE and JCK: day 2 started off with a much-anticipated panel discussion. I woke up early so that I could attend the COUTUREtalk called Lab Grown x Mined Diamonds. Somewhat mystified by the “x” in this context — did it mean “for”? “by”? “and”? — and excited to hear what the panel had to say, I was also happy to see they had breakfast.

Breakfast at COUTUREtalk Lab Grown x Mined Diamonds — Best breakfast of the trip. Thanks, COUTURE! What? It’s the most important meal of the day!

The individuals making up the panel represented a diverse array of jewelry industry professions. Designer Stephen Webster was there, as was Laura Freedman, owner of bi-coastal jewelry boutique Broken English. On the marketing end of things, they’d invited Lightbox CMO (remember my post on them?) Sally Morrison and Rachel Aaron of Canadamark Diamonds. Cathryn Ramirez of GIA moderated.

I found the discussion enjoyable, if somewhat predictable. The panelists either enthusiastically agreed with or tiptoed carefully around the party line currently marketed by the Diamond Producers Association: natural diamonds are for meaningful occasions and lab-grown diamonds are not. In other words, natural diamonds are high-end luxury items and lab-grown diamonds are for lower-priced fashion jewelry.

Stephen Webster said he thinks both natural and lab-grown stones have design potential, adding that “something new can be amazing and dynamic.” He did not bring up his collaboration with Atelier Swarovski called Double Diamond. That collection used lab-grown diamonds and lab-grown quartz dubbed “Swarovski-created.” (At least, I don’t think he brought it up. I got a little distracted at one point when I realized that Liza Urla of Gemologue was seated one table over.) The Double Diamond collection was priced from $1,990 up to $11,000. I’d consider that aimed at the luxury consumer, wouldn’t you?

The COUTUREtalks Lab Grown x Mined Diamonds panel seated onstage — From left to right: Cathryn Ramirez, Laura Freedman, Sally Morrison, Stephen Webster and Rachel Aaron

Laura Freedman seemed to be taking a wait-and-see approach with her stores. “Consumers are not asking for this product yet, but it’s coming,” she said. Sally Morrison shared that Lightbox isn’t seeing a particular millennial focus on lab-grown diamonds, which many wrongly assume, then drilled her main point home: “One thing a lab-grown diamond is not is rare, because we can make them over and over again.” Message received.

When it came time for the audience Q&A, I raised my hand to ask why it’s being treated as an established fact that lab-grown diamonds are for lesser occasions. We’re seeing a big push in the bridal market with lab-grown center diamonds, for example. If that’s not celebrating a momentous occasion with a lab-grown diamond, what is? But I didn’t get to ask my question, because a man from the lab-grown industry stood up and loudly interrupted with, “I just want to say…” and then shared an unsolicited opinion.

“Well, I would like to hear what you had to say,” said a nice woman sitting to my left when Mr. Interrupter finished and people stood up to leave. I talked to her and the man to my right about my question for a bit. They agreed that that the lab-grown vs. natural mindset is not set in stone. Then, she invited me to her company’s party that evening. She worked for –wait for it– Atelier Swarovski.

It was time for the trek to pick up my badge and explore JCK and Luxury by JCK. I was walking toward the COUTURE exit when I spotted Barbara Palumbo sitting by herself, shuffling through some papers. She’s a freelance writer I discovered after stumbling upon this blog post about her experiences with sexual harassment in the jewelry industry. She wrote it a year before the #MeToo movement became a thing. I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t meet her, so I walked over and said hello. I was nervous, because you never know who’s going to be an asshole in this world. But she was really warm and funny and game to take a picture with me.

Jewels Abound and Barbara Palumbo pose together at the COUTURE show. — With Barbara Palumbo of Adornmentality and What’s on her Wrist.

Who took the photo of us? None other than Katerina Perez, jewelry blogger extraordinaire. She’d come over to say hi to Barbara when I was talking to her. So in the span of about 20 minutes, I saw three successful bloggers I admire, met two and got a photo with one. Not too shabby!

Once I made it to the Venetian, I headed to the Sands Expo and Convention Center, home of JCK. My first impression? Holy shit, this is MASSIVE. I got my badge and intended on taking a quick lap around the convention to get my bearings. I quickly realized there is no such thing as a quick lap at JCK. There were multiple floors, ballrooms, lounge areas and an entire gemstone pavilion. What seemed like a million vendors had everything from loose opals to charms to chains to the latest in CAD and CRM software. There was even a DJ who played from start to finish every day! It was wild.

Benches and street signs inside the Sands for JCK Las Vegas — The benches and street signs were very necessary.

I completed my sorry attempt at a lap and wasn’t sure what to do. It was almost time for a GIA panel called Embracing Sustainability Amid New Consumer Expectations, so I headed in that direction. The idea of sitting down for a while was really appealing.

The talk opened with a video montage. Loud, ominous music blared from speakers and images of blood diamond magazine covers and child miners danced across the screen. As the lights came back on, Susan Jacques, president and CEO of GIA, took the stage to introduce the speakers. She emphasized our industry’s need to change the public’s perceptions by focusing on the efforts being made to improve industry-wide. “We must be the change we wish to see in the world,” she said.

Claire Piroddi, Dr. Saleem Ali, Lisa Bridge, Marcus ter Haar, Nadja Swarovski and Susan Jacques onstage — Claire Piroddi of Kering, Dr. Saleem Ali from the University of Delaware, Lisa Bridge of Ben Bridge Jewelers, Marcus ter Haar of Okavango Diamond Company, Nadja Swarovski of Swarovski, and Susan Jacques of GIA

Overall, I was very pleased to learn of the different efforts being made from mine to market to treat our planet better. Everyone acknowledged that today’s consumers care about where their jewelry comes from, and that it’s our job to make sure we’re taking care of the earth and sourcing our materials responsibly.

While all of the panelists were excellent, two in particular stood out to me. Claire Piroddi holds the title of Sustainability Manager of Watches and Jewelry for Kering. Kering is a luxury group that owns brands like Ulysse Nardin and Pomellato, both of which we carry at Zadok Jewelers. Kering has developed a sustainability road map to 2025 that includes reducing its environmental footprint, promoting gender equality and embracing new technology and startups.

Marcus ter Haar is CEO of Okvango Diamond Company, which operates in Botswana. He talked about the positive impact that diamond mining has had on Botswana, which has a partnership with DeBeers called Debswana. The government of Botswana and DeBeers each own 50% of Debswana. Every diamond mined in Botswana that a consumer later purchases helps provide education, free healthcare and more. Most consumers don’t know about this, so it’s precisely the kind of thing we need to educate them about.

After that, I waited by the door, hoping to make it into a GIA lab I registered for a little too late. I was on the waiting list, but in the end did not get to participate. At this point, I felt a little frustrated with myself. I’d vastly underestimated the time it would take simply to get from point A to point B every day, and I wasn’t getting to see nearly as much jewelry as I thought I would. It was time to get serious.

During my attempt to get serious, I found myself completely lost in the gemstone pavilion. Which was okay, because I got to see this cool opal from Cody Opal Australia.

A 59.51 ct. black opal displaying flashes of blue and green — 59.51 ct. of Australian black opal awesomeness.

Too exhausted to do anything else, I went back to my room, took a nap, went out to dinner with the Zadok team and called it a day. I would return to JCK and JCK Luxury the next day and make up for lost time.

Or so I thought.

Stay tuned for the third and final post about my first time at COUTURE and JCK!

June 10, 2019June 10, 2019

My First Time at COUTURE and JCK: Day 1

My plane to Las Vegas was seventeenth in line and 45 minutes late for takeoff when I decided that whatever happened during my first time at COUTURE and JCK, I would just roll with it. I was about to attend the most important annual jewelry trade shows in the country, and I needed to chill out.

My anticipation had been building since January, when I asked my bosses if I could register under Zadok Jewelers so that I could attend for Jewels Abound. I would pay my own way, running around and exploring for the blog while they attended to official buying business. It would be one of the coolest experiences of my life, and I’d have an amazing time. But I didn’t know that, because I was stuck on the tarmac at IAH.

I did finally make it to Vegas with my nerves intact. The silver lining of arriving much later than I’d planned was that my room at the Mirage was ready for check-in.

Room key dispenser — The self check-in did not exist the last time I stayed at this hotel three years ago. No line!

The next stop was picking up my badge at the COUTURE registration desk at the Wynn hotel. Since 1995, COUTURE has brought together big-name heritage brands and emerging design talent to showcase their newest creations. Thousands of retail buyers and members of the press attend the show each year. (COUTUREtime, for Swiss watches, is also at the Wynn, but I did not make it to the watch show.)

Me holding my COUTURE badge at the Wynn — I was seriously so jazzed to get this badge. I’ll keep it forever.

Once I got my badge, it was time to hit the booths. I was really nervous. Even though I work for a well-known store, I didn’t know if anyone would want to talk to me. I felt like the new kid at school trying to find a seat in the cafeteria for the first time. Where do I go first? Who looks nice?

Irene Neuwirth is a personal favorite, so I made a beeline for her booth. I was hoping to see the one-of-a-kind ribbon earrings Rachel Brosnahan wore to the 2019 SAG Awards in person, since I knew they were still for sale. I asked someone working there if I could see them, and got to hold them in my hand. They were stunning in person, just lovely. But when I asked if I could take a picture of them, the girl helping me got uncomfortable and said she wasn’t sure. This was the only time during my three days in Las Vegas when someone didn’t respond with an immediate yes to a photo request. I’m still not sure why. There are photos of those earrings all over the internet and they were trying to sell them at the show. Oh well! I decided to move on.

As I tried to decide who to visit next, a friendly “Hello!” rang out in my direction. It was David, a kind gentleman who works for Beverly Hills designer Dena Kemp. Dena herself was there as well, and we started chatting. It was also her first year at COUTURE, and she and David were more than willing to show me their line. My favorite piece was a one-of-a-kind mint tourmaline and diamond ring.

Close-up of a large mint tourmaline and diamond Dena Kemp ring — Mint tourmalines and diamonds were used in this intricate one-of-a-kind ring. (“Mint” just refers to the color). Dena travels around the world to purchase the stones she uses in her jewelry herself!

After this second encounter, I began feeling more comfortable. I walked around the COUTURE showroom as much as I could, trying to visit as many designers on my list as possible. All in all I got to see a decent amount of jewelry and I met a lot of really nice people who were happy to show off their designs. I didn’t get as many photos and videos as I would have liked because a lot of designers were in meetings, so sometimes it was difficult to capture the pieces I wanted to see. Here’s a bit more of what I saw.

A selection of Lydia Courteille designs at COUTURE 2019 — Lydia Courteille is a fabulous French designer with a badass new collection called Marie Antoinette Dark Side. That collection was constantly in meetings, so I didn’t get to photograph it. But this selection of pieces is also a good example of her creative and fantastical designs. I did get to meet Lydia and I think she’s a genius.

A golden south sea pearl and diamond necklace at COUTURE from Yoko London Pearls — Yoko London Pearls was one of the first brands I followed as @jewelsabound on Instagram. It was a real treat to finally see their creations and meet CEO Michael Hakimian in person. Is this golden south sea pearl and diamond necklace a showstopper or what?

These Jacquie Aiche pendants are really interesting. Opal was popular in Vegas this year.
Jacquie Aiche is a Hollywood favorite. Her aesthetic is very LA.

Karen Suen diamond earrings on display at COUTURE

Karen Suen, based in Hong Kong, is another favorite Instagram follow that I was excited to see in person my first time at COUTURE and JCK. These black, gray and white diamond earrings have amazing movement. Her team could not have been nicer! Karen had stepped away when I was there, unfortunately, and I never did find the time to go back to her booth.

Karen Suen emerald earrings on display at COUTURE

These emerald and diamond earrings were divine. Look at the carved emerald leaves and the smooth cabochon drops. Phenomenal color. Plus, the drops are detachable!

Before I knew it, it was time to head back to my hotel to prepare for the COUTURE opening night party. I decided to make a quick stop at the Stuller table on my way out. I’ve ordered many an earring back from this Lafayette, Louisiana-based company, so I wanted to say hi. Plus, they had a zen garden to play with! Then, something crazy happened. One of the women working for Stuller, Katie Kennedy, and I realized that our mothers are both from Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Donaldsonville is an extremely small town, so we pretty much flipped out and texted our mothers immediately.

Abby and Katie Kennedy at the Stuller table at COUTURE Las Vegas — Here I am with Stuller’s Katie Kennedy, the only person I know who has been to Donaldsonville, Louisiana that I am not related to.

It turned out my mom did know of her family growing up! It was one of those crazy small-world moments that I never could have imagined would happen during my first time at COUTURE and JCK.

Finally, it was party time! The theme was #ThrowbackThursday 80’s Night. Not a lot of people came in 80’s themed outfits, but there was an awesome band, plenty of drinks and good company. It was a great way to officially kick off my first time at COUTURE and JCK.

Jewelry people know how to party!
With Betty and Stacy from the Zadok team

Stay tuned for more from my first time at COUTURE and JCK!

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019

I Got One-Starred by a Customer: Part II

Need to catch up? I Got One-Starred by a Customer: Part I

Everyone Needs a Break Sometimes

Once or twice a year, my husband and I take an international trip. During these trips and these trips only, I do not read work emails. I know that’s shocking nowadays. But look, I work in sales. That means checking my work email multiple times a day, every single day, all year long. I am at the store on Christmas Eve; I work the Friday after Thanksgiving. It’s not out of the ordinary to get texts from customers at 10 p.m. on a Sunday night. I love what I do, so this is not a complaint. But everyone needs a break once in a while. In the four years I’d worked at Zadok Jewelers before this trip to Colombia, my unplugging during international trips had never been a problem.

I Got One-Starred, but First, a Threat!

My husband and I had an amazing two weeks in Colombia. I came back to work relaxed and refreshed, ready to dive back into things. I sat down that morning, opened my email, scrolled to the bottom to start answering them in order, and saw this:

I got one-starred by a customer — Does this remind anyone else of those angry “I’m a nice guy” messages from men on dating apps that go viral? Gotta love a nice threat. (Also, don’t judge my 253 unread emails. None of them are from actual humans.)

He’d sent it while we were on the plane from Houston to Bogotá, just a few hours after I’d officially unplugged for the trip. I don’t think I have ever felt so taken aback in my entire life. I was absolutely gobsmacked and just sat there, blinking. Then, the part about leaving bad reviews sank in and my heart dropped down to my stomach. Panicked, I immediately went to Google. There it was, the customer rant to end all rants:

Tears began streaming down my face. This person was clearly trying to damage not just the store’s reputation, but mine. Horrified by how angry he sounded and still in shock, I began to fear for my job and my career. His repetition of my full name was genuinely bizarre and made it pretty clear that his goal was to cause me personal suffering.

But most of all, as I read the rant over and over again, I was disturbed by the fact that every single claim this man made was a bald-faced lie. (Well, he did come and pick up his mom’s ring, but he didn’t ask for a manager like he said he would in his email.) I checked Yelp and found nothing, then went to Facebook and found the same review copy-pasted there. Months later, I’d find it on Wedding Wire as well. I decided to forward our entire months-long email chain to the higher-ups at work, informing them about the review and telling them it was completely false. Why delay my fate? I preferred that they find out about it directly from me.

An accurate depiction of me trying to cry discreetly at work that day. via GIPHY

As I sat at my desk feeling like absolute garbage, our digital marketing and PR person came upstairs, right on cue. She had, of course, received notifications about the review. He had published them all the night before I came back to work. I suspect he read my out-of-office message and planned it that way so I’d have a nice surprise upon my return.

She told me immediately that she knew the review was bullshit as soon as she read it, that I would never do that, that this customer was clearly angry about something that had nothing to do with me. The Zadoks, I found out later, were also immediately certain that it was completely false. No one doubted me for a second, which I will always feel grateful for, and proud of. All of this was all somewhat reassuring, but didn’t solve the problem at hand.

The Customer is Always Right (At Least Online)

Turns out there’s not a damn thing a business can do to remove negative online reviews on sites like Google and Yelp, even when you have written proof they’re full of lies. Lying and repeating someone’s full name do not constitute abuse, so flagging did nothing. All a business can do is type a response. The store opted to type a generic “please-get-in-touch-with-us-about-this” response, which in my mind only validates what he wrote in the eyes of anyone reading it. He made some really specific claims that will probably seem believable to anyone who doesn’t know the whole story. I would have handled it differently, but it was not my decision to make. They didn’t want to poke the bear, so to speak. He did get in touch, but was not, how shall I say, receptive.

So that’s that. With the passage of time, algorithms and new reviews have pushed it lower and lower. But it will always be there, floating around online for anyone to see. In Canada or Australia it seems I’d have a firm legal case for libel, but here in the U.S. I’d have to prove actual damages, which I have no way of doing. Someone would have to refuse to work with me because of reading the review. To my knowledge that hasn’t happened, and I hope it never will.

Now What?

I’ve checked my work email excessively since I got one-starred by a customer. More than is necessary or healthy, as if I were the founder of a tech startup about to go public. When my husband and I moved back to the U.S. and re-entered this work-obsessed culture, I promised myself I would never become this person. And I wasn’t this person until I got one-starred. I hate it. I don’t have the inflated sense of self-importance that causes one to feel warm and fuzzy about checking their work email right before turning out the light to go to sleep.

My husband and I are going to France soon, a dream trip we’ve been planning since last July. I’ve debated with myself about unplugging. What if something bad happens again? But really, what could I have done from Colombia? Forward the threatening email to my co-worker and spent the rest of my vacation distracted, freaking out about an irrationally angry customer, checking Google and Yelp every day ? I’m so glad I didn’t spend my trip that way and was instead present in the moment, enjoying time with friends and family we see maybe once a year, if that.

Family photo in Colombia — With my husband along with his mother and grandfather on our trip. This is what matters most.

Do you know what the funny thing is? My engagement ring, which I absolutely adore, cost the same amount as this guy’s final budget. His real final budget, not the one he said he had in his review. I know there’s nothing I did to fuel his rage. Maybe one day he’ll find peace with whatever demons caused him to act out in this way. Me? I just want to eat some croissants and guzzle champagne in peace. Here’s hoping.

Want to see what I did in Colombia?

Jewels Around the World: The Emerald District in Bogotá, Colombia

Jewels Around the World: Shopping for Emeralds in Cartagena, Colombia

April 14, 2019April 14, 2019

I Got One-Starred by a Customer: Part I

I got one-starred by a customer! What do I mean when I say that? It means a customer wrote an online review about where I work, and more specifically, about me, leaving a one-star rating. Want to know why a lot of businesses loathe online reviews? Because of BS like what you’re about to read! Pour yourself a stiff drink on my behalf and enjoy.

Everything Seemed Normal at First

On June 9, 2018, I was working the sales floor at Zadok Jewelers on a Saturday and helped a young man who was looking for an engagement ring. It seemed like a perfectly normal encounter, and he was friendly and polite. The following Monday, as is my custom, I sent him an appointment recap with information, photos and pricing on the rings and diamonds we looked at in store.

He did not respond, so six days later I followed up, and reminded him we were still holding his mother’s ring that he wanted to trade in toward his purchase.

What followed was a fairly standard exchange about pricing for different settings and diamonds. I got him all of the information he requested. He responded a week later and mentioned that since he was going to buy a house, his budget had changed. I answered him on my day off and said I heard him loud and clear, and that I’d send him some alternatives the next day, which I did. Then there was back and forth about payment options, financing information and the like. He stopped responding.

via GIPHY This is the sort of reaction I always aim for!

Things Start Getting Weird

One month and three days later, now in early August, he wrote to me apologizing for his delay in getting back to me. He said that he needed to lower his budget more. This happens a lot. Life happens, customers drop off, budgets change— no big deal! I wrote back said no problem; I work on the customer’s timeline. Then, I asked if he was open to different ring styles from what we’d looked at before, since with the new budget I was more limited with what I could find him.

(If all of these details seem excessive, just keep reading. You’ll understand later).

Two weeks later, he responded asking if I’d had time to look into more options. I asked him a second time if he was open to other styles. He said yes on a Thursday. Four days later, on Monday, I apologized for the delay in getting back to him and sent over photos and pricing for different styles. (Four days, even when two of those days are days off of work for me, is not a quick response time in my mind, hence the apology.)

He responded and said the options looked great, and that he was ready to spend $X. The only problem was that $X was a much lower budget than we’d last discussed, a four digit difference in fact. I felt a little perplexed by him presenting me with a new budget as if it hadn’t changed. Now, it would be difficult to find him any ring at all.

I Thought We Were Done?

At this point, I’d spent almost three months emailing back and forth with someone who never got past the initial investigation phase of ring buying. He hadn’t returned to the store once since his first visit and his communication had been erratic. I gently explained that I wasn’t seeing any diamonds in the carat range he wanted that would keep him in budget, but that I hadn’t factored in the trade-in item yet. In hindsight, that was a mistake. I was tiptoeing around the issue, and with the ambiguous comment about the trade-in item I wasn’t direct enough in saying that I could not get him what he wanted at his budget, period. Irony alert: I specifically remember not wanting to say anything that could be interpreted as the slightest bit blunt or snobby because I feared a bad online review. His reply: “Ok, thank you.”

I thought that it was over, that “Ok, thank you” meant “Ok, thanks anyway.” That was the end of our communication. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out, and that’s okay. Except that it wasn’t. He would one-star me, and I had no idea.

Can I Live? Spoiler Alert: No

Six days later, I was on a late-night flight to Bogotá, Colombia, excited to travel around Colombia visiting my husband’s family and friends for two weeks. I had contacted all of the customers with whom I was actively working to let them know that I would be gone. I left detailed instructions with my co-worker, who would help them in my absence. My out-of-office email message had his information as well, along with the statement that I would answer all emails in the order in which they were received upon my return. If anyone needed help before then, all was taken care of.

via GIPHY An accurate depiction of our excitement level when leaving for Colombia.

I didn’t contact the customer with whom I’d emailed back and forth with for so long before leaving. If I made any other mistakes, I guess this was mistake #2. But we hadn’t actually accomplished anything together, and if he had written to me, we’d have to start from scratch yet again. I honestly thought he was done with me and the store.

Spoiler alert: he wasn’t. The shit was about to hit the fan, and I was leaving on a jet plane, none the wiser.

To be continued…

August 26, 2018

Hurricane Harvey: One Year Later

I remember thinking that this time, it was different. As a lifelong Houstonian, I’d lived through other storms, two of which had left my husband stranded on the freeway for hours in the not-too-distant past. (Welcome to Houston, newbie!) But there was something so ominous and sinister about Hurricane Harvey even before the storm reached Texas.

Mario and I closed on our first house two weeks before Harvey made landfall. We knew our area didn’t have a history of flooding, but that didn’t mean we weren’t terrified. I think we each went to the grocery store twice to stock up on water and non-perishables. Days before the city shut down, the shelves were already emptying. We didn’t have living room furniture, or internet, or a washer dryer, or much of anything, really. But dammit, at least we had food and water.

Empty Kroger shelves. — August 24, 2017: Good luck buying canned soup at Kroger.

Long line at Kroger. — The lines, as you can imagine, were insanely long.

By Saturday, August 26, 2017, all of Houston was hunkered down at home, ready to wait it out. The rain was relentless. There was the occasional break, but it just kept pouring down, so heavy, so loud. With no internet, Mario and I camped out in the living room, glued to the local news.

Dog in front of the television. — Patio furniture, a TV with local channels, lots of wine and a nervous dog.

As time passed, the rainfall intensified. It was very surreal to look out our window and see no flooding whatsoever, then turn to the television and see live footage of downtown Houston, just one mile away, completely under water. So many moments run into a blur in my mind. I remember the panic of the tornado warning, when we grabbed Pixel and ran into the empty master closet. I thought, really? On top of everything else, we have to worry about a fucking tornado?? I remember watching live Facebook videos of friends being evacuated from their houses in fishing boats. The relief every time I learned that my family was still okay. Seeing what we all thought was a photo of Zadok Jewelers flooded, which thankfully was not the case. But when I saw the photo, my heart shattered into a million pieces, and for the first time that weekend, I cried.

Zadok strip center flooded — Turns out, it did not flood. But this photo sure gave us all a scare.

By the end of the day on Sunday, we started thinking that our luck might run out. Hurricane Harvey’s trajectory meant that the storm kept dumping rain over our area. It was as if it wasn’t moving at all. When we went to bed that night, I set an alarm for 3 a.m. When it went off, I got out of bed and went downstairs to look outside and check to see if the raging waters had finally reached our doorstep. But while our ditch was full, there was no water in the street. That was as bad as it got for us. We were so, so lucky.

Ditch full of water. — 3 a.m. and nothing but a full ditch.

In the aftermath, Mario and I tried to do what we could to help the people whose lives had been turned upside down. We drove to the temporary shelter at George R. Brown and dropped off water and clothing. I took a friend some cardboard boxes from our move so she could pack up everything salvageable in her grandmother’s house, which had flooded. I volunteered at the Houston Food Bank. The truth is, I felt helpless, and I sank pretty low for a while there. I wouldn’t feel normal again for a long time.

Today, one year later, I choose to remember the endless generosity shown by my fellow Houstonians in the face of tragedy. It was, and still is, the silver lining of the worst natural disaster we’ve ever faced. Many people’s lives are still not back to normal. For some, whatever “normal” they knew before is gone forever. Today, one year later, I think of them.

May 15, 2018December 4, 2019

A Chat with Ippolita Rostagno of Ippolita

I was heavily focused on my Asiago cheese bagel during a Saturday morning sales meeting when it was announced that Ippolita Rostagno would be making a personal appearance at the store.

*Record scratch* Wait, WHAT? The fabulous half-Italian, half-American, Florence-born artist, jewelry designer and all around Renaissance woman would be coming to Zadok? I put my bagel down and tried to calm my inner fan girl. It takes a lot to make me stop eating my bagel during a sales meeting, but this was big news.

Ippolita Rostagno makes some of the most wearable, versatile and comfortable fine fashion jewelry out there. She launched her eponymous line, Ippolita (pronounced eeh-POH-lee-tah), in 1999 when Bergdorf Goodman in New York agreed to place a few pieces in one of their display windows.

A selection of Ippolita's signature gold and gemstone bangles. — A selection of Ippolita gold and gemstone bangles.

She met a need that most designers didn’t know existed: fine jewelry women could wear every day, not just on special occasions. As Rostagno is fond of saying, her pieces are “cool enough to covet, and classic enough to keep.” The rest is history.

I approached her with some trepidation the day of the Ippolita trunk show. I had no idea what she would be like, or if she would want to answer my questions. But I shouldn’t have worried. Rostagno’s preternaturally calm presence and serene, knowing blue eyes immediately put me at ease. Below are excerpts from our conversation.

Jewels Abound: You have several women in senior positions at Ippolita, including your chief commercial officer. How important is it to you to have women filling these senior roles?

Ippolita Rostagno: Well, I would say it’s very important because this is a product that is designed by a woman. It’s for women and meant for women, and women are much more sensitive to every single aspect of the design, manufacture and sale of a product that’s meant for women. At one point I think I maybe had only one singular man in the whole company [laughs], and then we eventually diversified a little bit more just for the company culture. But honestly, it’s better if you have women because women understand every single thing about it because they are the customer.

Ippolita Rostagno at Zadok Jewelers — Ippolita Rostagno wearing her signature black feathers during her trunk show and personal appearance at Zadok.

JA: Next year is the 20th anniversary of your brand. How do you feel about reaching this milestone, and is there anything special in the works? Maybe an anniversary collection?

IR: Yeah, I’m going back to basics. That’s one of the things that these 20 years have taught me. There’s a reason that people responded to your brand in the first place. Your unique vision and your particular point of view is what other people find valuable and communicates something interesting. I’m a big fan of making a product that is relevant, and [as for] the commercial aspect of being in business, it takes a lot of trust for somebody to, you know, plunk down the money, essentially [laughs]. They really have to believe that you have a vision that has staying power. After 20 years I think I can say okay, now it’s clear to me, too.

You know, clearly, at the beginning, you don’t know what your vision is. You don’t know what your aesthetic is. And your aesthetic is 20 years of editing and editing and editing and editing. And peeling off the things that are not really core. Now I have a true understanding of where I exist in the world in terms of an aesthetic, in terms of having built, you know, a craft language. And so for the 20th anniversary, I am looking forward in a sense to sort of re-crafting that message in a core way that everybody — you know, because there are a lot of new adopters who sort of missed the trajectory of the brand.

Ippolita Rostagno poses next to Abby Haun — Ippolita Rostagno and yours truly. I’m wearing an Ippolita Silver necklace and earrings. The stones are turquoise with bronze under clear quartz. Rostagno wears Ippolita pieces in yellow gold and mother of pearl. Photo: Tim Ewasko

JA: Myself included! Because when you first started it was just metal, right? And you came to the stones later?

IR: Yes. Yeah, just metal. For the first six years, it was just metal. And it was just gold. Because I come from a sculpture craft background, not a jewelry background. So I needed to learn the job, you know, so I learned on the job. But it was a different time, too. The category of fine fashion jewelry didn’t even exist, you know? In many ways I pioneered this transition and now there is a whole world in this fashion fine jewelry category that didn’t really exist at all before. There have been a lot of changes, but even though there have [been], I think that there are a lot of things that are very core to what I did at the beginning that are valid and evergreen, and in some ways need to be re-narrated.

JA: You come from an artistic background and live what many would consider an unconventional life. Do you have any advice for people who come from a more rigid background and are afraid to take the steps toward the unconventional life that they truly want to live?

IR: You know, I would say that nowadays you don’t even really have a choice, meaning the world is shifting. Everything is shifting [from] the way that you knew it. I mean, this concept that you start in the mail room and end in the boardroom is no longer viable. And so, even the concept of spending your life at a single company doesn’t really exist. Therefore, I think it’s challenging even if you want to follow a traditional path, to figure out what to do.

But my life experience, I think, has taught me that no matter what you pick, it’s difficult. Even if you pick a quote-unquote normal path, be a lawyer, be a whatever, you still have to find your place in the firm, you still have to find your place in the world, you still have to find your place in the niche of what you’re doing, and it’s not easy. So, therefore, you might as well pick something that you are really passionate about because it takes so much work to sustain that interest over the course of a lifetime that you’re better off. You’re better served for your soul to pick something that you enjoy doing because you’re going to be doing it long and hard for a long time [laughs].

So I really think, you know, don’t wait to jump ship. You know, just let me do something quote-unquote easy, like going to work for somebody, if that’s not really what you want to do. Try to get into the field you’re interested in quickly because you’re going to fail repeatedly. But failure is the same thing as learning. You’re going to learn a lot, you know, so that’s my advice. Yeah.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.