Conclave 2026

Your Repair Counter Could Be Your Most Powerful Profit Center—If You Treat It Right. Repairs are one of the most overlooked, yet lucrative, opportunities in jewelry. Jimmy Lawson reveals a proven 5-step Repair Intake System that transforms routine service into revenue and lifelong client relationships. From a simple cleaning and inspection to “The Dance” of meaningful conversations and imaging, attendees will learn how to align sales and bench teams, streamline processes, and deliver exceptional client experiences. The result? Increased repair revenue, stronger trust, and a scalable system that keeps customers coming back.

Global trade policy is shifting rapidly — and jewelry businesses are feeling the impact. From new tariff proposals and customs enforcement priorities forcing businesses to seriously evaluate sourcing strategies, today’s market requires companies to stay informed and adaptable. The jewelry industry continues to evolve, as do the legal, regulatory, and consumer protection issues impacting businesses every day. Join the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) for an informative and practical session covering the most important compliance topics facing jewelry professionals today. This presentation will explore key areas including tariffs, advertising and marketing claims, social media and influencer compliance, product disclosures, responsible sourcing considerations, and emerging legal trends affecting the industry. JVC experts will also share real-world examples and best practices to help businesses reduce risk while building consumer trust and confidence. Designed for professionals across all sectors of the jewelry industry, this session offers valuable takeaways to help attendees strengthen compliance practices and stay ahead in a rapidly changing marketplace.

Luxury purchases are often explained through demographics, psychographics, or income levels. Yet the decision to buy luxury—especially luxury jewelry—is rarely that straightforward. The motivations behind these purchases are far more complex, emotional, and often unconscious. This session will explore the art and science of luxury buying behavior. We examine the psychological forces that shape desire, hesitation, and decision-making, and why clients themselves often struggle to articulate their needs. Most importantly, we will discuss how talented sales professionals ethically unlock resistance and positively influence client buying behavior through subtle psychological cues and effective behavioral nudges.

With an open rate of 90%, SMS marketing is one of the best ways to build customer relationships, boost foot traffic, and close more sales. During this session, our jewelry industry experts will walk you through everything you need to know about SMS marketing — including how to set up your system, comply with opt-in regulations, craft compelling messages, and drive real revenue. Don’t miss out on learning about this critical jewelry store marketing channel!

David Berdugo spent a decade scaling Blue Nile and James Allen — then stepped back, worked inside independent jewelry stores, and interviewed hundreds of jewelers across the country. This session is built on what sits at the intersection of both worlds. Winning the custom engagement sale happens in three places: online, before the customer ever walks in; at the counter, where hesitation is the enemy; and behind the scenes, where your operation either keeps your promises or quietly breaks them. Attendees will leave with immediately actionable frameworks for all three—turning more maybes into a same-day yes.

What happens when a father, a wholesaler daughter, and a retail son show how having fun grows both joy and sales?

This high-energy, honest, and entertaining session pulls back the curtain on what really keeps people thriving (and laughing) in the jewelry business. From the retail floor to the wholesale side, this family shares real stories, hard lessons, and simple mindset shifts that will get you smiling and selling more jewelry.

Too often, the jewelry retailer lacks a strategy for how to arrange the merchandise in a showcase to grow sales. Often the layout does not feature the pieces in the showcase the owner wants most to sell. Often, the displays in a showcase are not arranged in a logical manner that matches the linear process of the salesperson’s presentation. The result is an overwhelmed or confused customer that does not buy. This seminar is a practical look at strategies that focus the customer’s attention on the pieces the store wants most to sell. It offers a step-by-step sales path that walks the customer from a full showcase, to a platform, to a tray, to an individual piece—so the customer says the store is "easy to shop."

We went to school. We received gemological teaching and training. We might even fancy ourselves as well-read. But how do we take all that learning and all that experience and move a client from "just looking" to "I must have it"—and have it from you, an AGS store? I'll cover that and more, as you begin the path to "That's right—I'll take it."