JCK Online - March 1, 2009

U.S. jewelers have an urgent plea for the new president and Congress: Lower the taxes! And, while they're at it, make health insurance affordable so small-business owners can insure their workers and themselves. These are some results of a recent JCK survey of hundreds of U.S. jewelers who were asked to name the big issues affecting them.

• Features
• Can U.S. Jewelry Manufacturers Survive?
• The Frugal Consumer: When Shoppers Lose the Urge to Splurge
• Rolex-Led Alliance Unveils New Watchmaking Curriculum

• Jeweler's Notebook
• How to Avoid Shipping Disaster
• Gem Pricing Report
• Gem Pricing Report
• In the Industry
• JVC and NCDIA Produce Color Diamonds Guide
• GIA Launches New eLearning Program
• Merchandising Management
• Four Steps to a Better 2009
• Suzanne on Staffing
• How To Handle Layoffs
• The Retail Advantage
• Say Bye-Bye to the Good Old Days

• Opinion
• Counterpoint
• Plan for the Worst
• Editor's Page
• The Facebook Phenomenon
• Our World
• The Fat's in the Fire

• Spotlight
• Get to Know
• Lana Fertelmeister
• Indicators
• Global Meltdown

• UpFront
• From the Publisher
• The Facebook Era Arrives
• News + Notes
• Visits to SIHH Down
• JADE Law Updated
• Did Colibri Shutdown Violate Law?
• From the JCK archives—June 1951
• From the JCKonline.com Blogs
• Newswire
• A Thousand Cuts
• De Beers Copes With Crisis
• Retail Bankruptcies Pile Up