INSTORE

INSTORE Show Spotlight: Ready for a Bench Challenge – with a Twist?

Published

11 months ago

June 20, 2023

INSTORE Staff

A favorite feature of The SMART Jewelry Show returns — with a twist! Designed in partnership with MJSA, the Bench Pressure Challenge includes two separate challenges – one featuring a mystery box of materials, which our competitors will turn into jewelry that will be displayed at the show. There, they will explain their vision and techniques to the audience. The second challenge will take place on-site where competitors will have just three hours to resize a bypass ring shank, attach differently sized and shaped basket heads to the ring, set the heads with stones and apply a final finish.

Join us for The INSTORE Show August 13-15 in Rosemont to watch the competition live on the show floor. When the challenges aren’t running, the stations will be used by bench jewelers for daily demos where you can learn new techniques and ask questions. Don’t miss all the action.

She Wanted to Spend More Time with Her Kids. She Called Wilkerson.

Your children are precious. More precious than gold? Absolutely! Just ask Lesley Ann Davis, owner of Lesley Ann Jewels, an independent jewelry store that — until the end of 2023 — had quite a following in Houston, Texas. To spend more time with her four sons, all in high school, she decided to close her store. Luckily, she was familiar with Wilkerson and called them as soon as she knew she wanted to move on to bigger, better and more family-focused things. Was she happy with her decision? Yes, she was. Says Davis, “Any owner looking to make that life change, looking to retire, looking to close, looking for a pause in their career, I would recommend Wilkerson. Hands down!”