More interesting—and surprising—than a catalog of all the changes to affect jewelry retail since 1869 is a catalog of things that haven’t changed. And there are plenty. On heavy rotation in our issues over the last century and a half, you’ll find all of the following: reporting about crime in all its iterations, from classic smash-and-grabs to scams perpetrated by swindlers and dishonest employees; sales, marketing, and merchandising stories on how to “enliven business” and “clinch the sale”; trend and fashion coverage chronicling the changing tastes of an increasingly affluent population; and diamond news galore, including discoveries, market updates, supply forecasts, design novelties, promotions, and, yes, selling strategies.
But most enlightening of all? The trade’s chronic hand-