Throwback Thursday: JCK Las Vegas Memories

I’m still at the LUXURY jewelry show at JCK Las Vegas (if you’re here, come see me in Elite Enclave, booth LUXEE 28!).

This is my first time exhibiting my designs at the LUXURY show, but I’ve attended before. The highlight of any JCK show — even better than the concerts in the wave pool at the Mandalay Bay hotel — is getting together with my “Vegas Gems” gang.  This group of fabulous women includes all kinds of jewelry professionals who are very supportive of each other. It’s because of them that I’ve been nominated for a Women’s Jewelry Association Award for Excellence this year.

For Throwback Thursday, here are some photos from past shenanigans with the Vegas Gems. In 2013, I was invited by JCK to speak about social media, and how to use it to attract the “next generation” customer. That year, Maroon 5 performed in the pool and I was like, “OH MY GOD ALL CONCERTS SHOULD BE IN POOLS FROM NOW ON!” Here I am striking a pose with jewelry designers Erika Winters and Shamila Jiwa.  As you can see, Erika and I weren’t really prepared for a pool party.

Click for the 2013 post.

In 2014, I was invited to the show by Platinum Group International.  Gorgeous Barbara Palumbo of Adornmentality — who sometimes calls us “geminists” — shared this photo from our dinner.

Click for Barbara’s original post.

That year I came prepared for the Rob Thomas concert in the pool.

I’m standing on top of a pool!

Last year, we got totally out of control in a limo.

Sitting: Brittany Siminitz, Jessica Neiwert, some friendly fellas, Monica Stephenson. Lying down: Barbara Palumbo. My gold-shod foot in the right corner. Click for original post.

The 2015 concert was Gavin DeGraw. I didn’t know a single song, but I enjoyed the pool as usual.

I went down to the front.

I’m looking forward to the 2016 Gems dinner on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s pool concert featuring Train. But I’m sad as well because we lost a special Gem this year: jewelry industry icon Cindy Edelstein died in January, at the young age of 51. (Cindy is standing on the far right in Barbara’s photo from 2014.)  Cindy was an upstanding, honest, gracious person, and I’m going to make sure we pour out some Prosecco for her this Saturday. We miss you, Cindy!