Holiday Momentum Starts to Build

A big thank-you to everyone who joined last week’s Business of Jewelry Roundtable. Both sessions offered such different — yet equally valuable — perspectives on “AI as a Strategic Partner.”

On a personal note, it was reassuring to know I’m not alone in both the frustration and fascination of navigating AI. The discussion left me wiser and clearer about how I might apply these tools strategically in my own small business — especially as I start mapping out programs for 2026.

Yes, 2026! Hard to believe we’ve already entered the final quarter of 2025. The holiday chatter is building, along with familiar questions about what this season will bring — particularly around US tariffs, which now seem to be easing as more countries strike deals with Washington or find ways to adapt.

Some of those themes feature in this week’s memo as attention shifts firmly to the holidays. Here’s to a strong finish to the year for all of us in the diamond and jewelry trade.

This blog first appeared in the October 6 Pressing Matters Executive Memo. Read the full memo here, Pressing Matters, featuring the following sections:

• Deep Dive: De Beers Urges Desert Diamonds Collaboration

• In Focus: Engagement Trends to Watch

• Chart Check: Antwerp Trade Levels Hold Steady

• What I'm Watching: AWDC Town Hall

• Industry Voices

• The News That Matters

• The Week Ahead

• Pic of the Week: Urban Desert 

Image: De Beers launched its Desert Diamonds campaign at New York’s Artechouse, drawing celebrities, government officials, and industry figures. (Image: De Beers via Media Outreach Newswire)