Episode 156: Live From Converge

The Jewelry District

JCK

Business News, Fashion & Beauty, Business, Arts, News

4.9 • 50 Ratings

🗓️ 24 September 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this week’s episode, JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates share interviews they did live at Converge—a combination of AGS Conclave and GIA Symposium at GIA’s campus in Carlsbad, California. They checked in with Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez, Katherine Bodoh, Elizabeth Gibson, Georgie Gleim, Sara Murphy, Elizabeth West, Pinny Gniwisch, and Terry Chandler. They get these experts’ points of view on a gamut of topics: trends they’re stocking up on for the holidays; how the industry is handling lab-grown diamonds; the benefits and drawbacks of AI; and key takeaways from the packed agenda of professional development and education offered. Follow along with our Q&As to be a fly on the wall at the event or if you attended, check in with fellow jewelry industry professionals. Sponsor: Jewelers Mutual (assetprotection@jminsure.com)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Jewelry District, a podcast by J.K. Brought to you by Jewelers Mutual.
0:16.0	Today, Rob Bates and Victoria Gamalski interview attendees on the Converge show floor in
0:20.8	Carlsbad, California.
0:29.1	Okay, we're here at Converge with Alyssa Jenkins Perez, the head of North American development
0:35.0	at the Responsible Jewelry Council and the President and co-founder
0:38.8	of Black and Jewelry Coalition.
0:41.4	And we're here at the coffee break.
0:42.5	I don't see much coffee here, but we do have some good people and I'm here with actually
0:46.6	Michael host Victoria.
0:47.6	Hey there, we're happy to have Alyssa be our very first interview of this series at Converge,
0:52.6	which is of course the AGS Conclave
0:54.6	Times-Gi Symposium, where these two stellar organizations have gathered all their
0:59.9	members together in Carlsbad at the lovely Omni Lacosta Resort. We're here on day two of a three-day,
1:05.9	well, I guess four-day event, if you count the kind of intro on Sunday. and Rob and I are here reporting from the floor.
1:13.1	Okay, Alyssa, did you do a presentation today?
1:16.2	My presentation is tomorrow. It's about industry associations and how getting involved can help your business.
1:22.8	So, you know, I love all of the different industry associations that are out there.
1:26.4	Of course, it's great to see our JC members here and our B.I.JC members.
1:31.3	We worked with AGS and GIA this year again to have a grant recipient come from B.JC.
1:38.3	We have two here, so that's really exciting.
1:40.3	Yeah.
1:41.3	And anything really strike you during these couple days? Well, the networking
	...

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