Look Book

20 | The Jewelr y Book W E LC O M E to TJB's Winter 2026 issue! In the latest Current Obsession spread, "e Virtues of Verdancy" (p.38) I talk about green gemstones, and the many positive traits—both physical and metaphysical—with which they are thought imbued. But one of green's most common affiliations is with envy, as popularized in the early 1600s by William Shakespeare, first with e Merchant of Venice's "green-eyed jealousy;" next with Othello's "green-eyed monster;" and again with Antony & Cleopatra's "green sickness." Some three-and-a-half centuries later, in 1953, the jet-setting Sita Devi, Maharani of Baroda (known as "India's Wallis Simpson"), needing an infusion of cash, had sold two of her favorite jewels—a pair of anklets made from magnificent cabochon emeralds and rose-cut diamonds taken from the Baroda treasury— to Harry Winston, who reset the royal gems into a spectacular choker which, in a twist of fate, he sold in 1957 to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. Shortly thereaer, both women attended a soirée in the ballroom of New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Upon arriving, Devi noticed that a bevy of guests had surrounded Simpson and were unabashedly inspecting and complimenting her new dazzling new choker. Devi recognized the distinctive gems in Simpson's choker as those she'd sold to Winston, and when asked if she'd had a chance to admire Simpson's new jewel, snarkily replied (just loudly enough for Simpson to hear) that the stones were truly incredible, but "they looked so much better when I wore them on my feet." Simpson had the choker returned to Harry Winston the following day. e moral? Ditch the envy and embrace the estate jewel! And on that note, may we all enjoy a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2026! Michael Shulman, Editor, e Jewelry Book Michael Shulman C O N T R I B U T O R S & S T A F F E D I T O R ' S L E T T E R EILEEN McCLELLA ND As a jewelry journalist, Eileen wrote about countless retail jewelry stores in her role as managing editor of INSTORE magazine and project manager of the America's Coolest Stores Contest. A former reporter and editor for major newspapers including the Houston Chronicle, she holds a journalism degree from Kent State. Her work has earned repeated honors from Trade Association Business Publications International, the Folio Awards, and the Jesse H. Neal Awards. GAIL MELIKIA N SENIOR WRITER & EDITOR Finding the perfect words to market luxury goods is second nature to Gail. As an LA-based creative executive, her career has spanned the floral and beauty industries, giving her a unique insight that blends knowledge with emotion. As TJB's newest writer/ marketing pro, she's thrilled to work for a publication that defines beauty on every page. DA NIELLE BA RBER Danielle's first job out of college was in the art department of Krementz & Co., a large fine jewelry manufacturer, doing ads, catalogs, copywriting, and large format photography. Flash forward 25 years, she was fully immersed in our glittering industry, and had a childhood fascination for gemstones. She found a second home at Suna Bros. doing the same thing: all things creative and sparkling. PETER SMITH Peter Smith teaches Sales Training Masterclasses and Hiring Workshops in retail stores, and serves as a consultant to jewelry suppliers, brands, and retailers. He is the author of three books (Hiring Squirrels, Sell Something and e Sales Minute) and a columnist for e Jewelry Book and National Jeweler. He has more than 40-years in leadership positions in the industry including companies such as Memoire, Hearts On Fire, VIBHOR and Tiffany & Co. TM

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