When you give a history nerd access to 140 years worth of archives, this is what happens.

My compilations of the top 50 JCK covers and the 50 most memorable jewelry ads of all time were popular with our readers, so I decided to dive back into our archives and see what I missed the first time. As it turns out, there were plenty of other gems waiting to be mined (witty jewelry puns are an added bonus). Once a month, I’ll feature the 10 best JCK covers from each decade along with practical business tips starting with this post—which covers the late 1800s and the early 1900s.

As always, let us know your favorites. I’ll make the cover that gets the most feedback our Facebook and Twitter profile picture the last week of every month. 

Top 5 Tips From 1878-1919

1. Dealing in stolen goods, or in goods that have a suspicion of “crookedness” in them, is certainly not an honest procedure, nor is the person to be envied who indulges in it, even though he makes a fortune thereby.—The Jewelers’ Circular and Horological Review December 1878
2. If the salesman can, without violence to his own conscience, agree with the customer in his taste and judgment, he has won the respect of that customer, and will be forever after considered a man of excellent taste and good judgment.—The  Jewelers’ Weekly Mar. 10, 1886
3. To succeed with direct advertising, you must have something to say, and say it. If you have a desirable line of goods that should appeal to a larger number of people, and which you think are particularly good value, tell about these good in a straightforward way.—The Jewelers’ Circular-Weekly Feb. 1, 1905
4. The businessman ought not to devote more time to business than his employees do. Physically and mentally he is the same, and, sooner or later, overwork or constant mental strain will manifest itself in serious disorders. The successful businessmen are those who manage men and leave the men they manage to manage the details.—The Jewelers’ Circular-Weekly April 12, 1905
5. Why not liven up your advertising by celebrating a baby’s day? Feature little gold rings at a popular price for the baby and offer to engrave the initials of his royal babyhood free of charge. Every mother loves her baby, and every mother loves the jeweler who loves her baby.—The Jewelers’ Circular-Weekly Feb. 5, 1919

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