JCK magazine is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year! To commemorate that milestone, we’re talking to 150 veteran jewelry professionals in 2019 for a feature series meant to distill the voices of some of the industry’s most enduring and successful professionals.
We can’t print every interview in its entirety in the magazine—so we’ve been posting full interviews here on JCKonline.com every Thursday.
This week we hear from Benny Hematian, president of Effy Jewelry.
JCK: How long have you been in the jewelry industry, and how has it changed since you joined?
Benny Hematian: This year we’re celebrating 40 years of Effy Jewelry. Forty years since my father, Effy Hematian, left a successful career as an electronic engineer, migrated to America, and began designing and hand-crafting his distinctive styles. His eye for detail and quality and his exceptional way of using colorful gemstones soon gained a following among consumers and retailers alike.
Effy is still a family business, and I grew up learning everything from my father, even before I joined the business. My father has a passion that is contagious, and I am proud to be a part of that living legacy. As we all know, the industry is going through many changes, particularly with all the challenges that traditional retailers are facing with rapid changes in the way consumers shop. Jewelers, like all businesses, must learn to adapt and change quickly—because complacency comes with great risk.
What’s your experience with JCK magazine?
Effy and JCK have always enjoyed a very close partnership. Every year, we are impressed with the growth and development JCK continues to display in this industry, and we at Effy are proud of our relationship.
What has JCK magazine meant to you?
We consider JCK the authority when it comes to the jewelry world. We learn about the industry from JCK and we consider JCK the best possible vehicle to advertise new collections and designs to the industry. Through the years, Effy has graced JCK’s pages in not only advertisements, but also in many editorial segments.
What was your first impression of JCK magazine, and how has it changed over the years?
Like in any industry, you have to adapt to the times or you will be left behind. Through the years I’ve seen JCK adapt to the challenges that have faced magazine publishers as a whole and persevere. Looking to the past while staying in the present is crucial to a brand’s survival.
Top, from left: Bobby, Effy, and Benny Hematian (image courtesy of Effy Jewelry)
Catch up on all of JCK‘s 150th interviews:
Andrea Hansen, founder of Luxe Intelligence
Stephanie Gottlieb, jewelry designer
Barbara Palumbo, watch and jewelry industry writer
Roger Dery, gem cutter and cofounder of Gem Legacy
Joanne Teichman, managing director of Ylang 23
Todd Reed, founder and designer of Todd Reed
Jonathan Goldman, CEO of Frederick Goldman
Brian Gavin, diamond cutter and diamond jewelry retailer
Cecilia Gardner, former president and CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and general counsel and director of the United States Kimberley Process Authority
Sarin Bachmann, event vice president of the JCK, Luxury, and Swiss Watch shows for Reed Jewelry Group
Dave Bonaparte, president and CEO of Jewelers of America
Ettagale Blauer, former JCK New York editor
Lee Siegelson, rare and collectible jewelry dealer and expert
Tamara and Amir Goldfiner, cofounders of Rahaminov Diamonds
Dallas Prince, founder of Dallas Prince Designs
Esther Fortunoff, president of Fortunoff Fine Jewelry
Terry Burman, former Signet chairman
Brandee Dallow, president and founder of Fine Girl Luxury Brand Building & Communications
Tom Chatham, CEO of Chatham Created Gems & Diamonds
Tom Heyman, partner, Oscar Heyman & Brothers
Duvall O’Steen, jewelry publicist, Luxury Brand Group
Pat Henneberry, founder and president of the Jewelry Coach
Marty Hurwitz, CEO of MVI Marketing
Hank B. Siegel, president of Hamilton Jewelers
Erica Courtney, jewelry designer
Robert Weldon, director of GIA’s Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center
Stuart Robertson, vice president of Gemworld
Bill Furman, longtime JCK magazine ad sales manager
Kathryn Kimmel, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of GIA
Katie Kinsella Murphy, owner of Kinney + Kinsella
Frank Dallahan, publisher, The Retailer Jeweler
Jen Cullen Williams, managing director of Luxury Brand Group
Sally Morrison, chief marketing officer of Lightbox
Susan M. Jacques, president and CEO of GIA
Marie Helene Morrow, president of Reinhold Jewelers
Jenny Luker, U.S. president of Platinum Guild International
Beth Gerstein, co-CEO of Brilliant Earth
Russell Shor, GIA senior industry analyst
Walter McTeigue, cofounder of McTeigue & McClelland
Caryl Capeci, president of Hearts On Fire
Eddie LeVian, CEO of Le Vian
Peggy Jo Donahue, freelance writer and former JCK editor-in-chief
Rebecca Moskal, jewelry marketing veteran
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