A Century of Luxury & Legacy
More Than Buying Jewelry: The Value of Showing Up
Published: May 31, 2026
More Than a Jewelry Trade Show
As I write this, I am in Las Vegas during one of the biggest weeks of the year for the jewelry industry.
There are thousands of people here from all over the world. There are jewelry shows, antique shows, watch shows, educational sessions, new technology, new product launches, and more vendors than a person could possibly see in one day. It is a lot to take in.
The JCK show alone has more than 1,800 exhibitors and over 17,000 attendees. Then, right across the street, there are other shows happening at the same time. If you stayed for everything, you could easily be here for ten days.
It is exciting, exhausting, and honestly a little overwhelming.
We fly in early, usually leaving home before daylight. By the time we get checked in, get to the show, walk the floor, meet with vendors, attend appointments, and go to dinner, it can turn into a very long day. Add in the three-hour time difference, and it feels like you have been going nonstop for twenty-two hours.
But I still come.
Some people in our industry do not attend the larger shows. Some may go only to a regional event close to home. And I understand that. These trips cost money, take time away from the store, and can be physically demanding.
I probably go to more shows than I need to. Maybe I have a little fear of missing out.
But over the years, I have learned that there is something valuable about being there.
Looking Back at My Grandfather
Being here made me think about my grandfather.
Our family’s story in the jewelry business started back in 1926, but I do not know that my grandfather ever attended anything like this. Trade shows have existed in one form or another for a long time, although they may have looked very different years ago. They may have been small gatherings in a hotel ballroom, with just a few vendors showing tools, equipment, or merchandise.
My grandfather was not really in retail jewelry the way we are today. His work was more wholesale repair work and trade-shop work. So, if he ever went to an event, it may have been to see a new tool or a new piece of equipment.
Still, I wonder what he would think if he could see this.
He would see acres of displays filled with diamonds, colored stones, watches, wedding bands, technology, packaging, repair equipment, and ideas. He would see manufacturers from around the world. He would see retailers meeting with vendors they have worked with for years. He would see an industry constantly changing, while still built around many of the same basic things: trust, craftsmanship, relationships, and helping people celebrate meaningful moments in life.
A Memory of My Dad and the Airport
Trade shows also bring back memories of my dad.
When I was a little boy, I remember my dad taking a trip to New York. I am pretty sure he was going to one of the jewelry shows there. Back then, there were no cell phones. There was no quick text message to say, “I missed my flight. I will be on the next one.”
My mom had four boys, and we all went to the airport to pick him up. We waited for the flight he was supposed to be on, but he never came through the gate.
My dad had a way of getting distracted or running late, so we guessed he had missed his flight. There was not much else we could do except wait and see if he showed up on the next one.
For us boys, it became a great adventure. There was no TSA back then. You could spend time around the terminal, play games, and just enjoy being at the airport. My mom may have felt differently trying to keep up with four boys, but we had a wonderful time.
It is funny how some of the smallest memories stay with you.
The Trip That Changed My Business
Years ago, when I was trying to get started in business, I had a friend ask me if I was going to Las Vegas.
I remember asking him, “Do I need to?”
He said, “Oh yeah, you need to.”
Then I asked him a question that seems a little funny now: “If I go, can you teach me how to buy?”
He told me to come on.
At that point in my life, I did not have much money. I used a buddy pass from a neighbor across the street just to get there. I stayed in a rough motel, probably a Motel 6 or a Days Inn, and I had to walk about two miles every morning to get to the show.
But that trip changed my life.
Yes, I learned about buying jewelry. I learned about vendors. I learned about products and pricing and opportunities.
But more than that, I learned that trade shows are really about people.
They are about the conversations you have. The relationships you begin. The people who share an idea with you, introduce you to someone else, or take time to teach you something you did not know.
A lot can happen when you simply show up.
Why Vendor Relationships Matter
One thing I have learned over the years is that it is not always better to have a hundred vendors.
There is value in having a strong group of trusted partners. Maybe it is twelve vendors. Maybe it is twenty. The number is not really the point.
The point is building relationships where everybody wins.
We want vendors who understand us, our customers, and what we are trying to build at David Douglas Diamonds. We want to support the people who support us. When that happens, it becomes a win for our customers, a win for our team, a win for our vendors, and a win for our community.
Those relationships matter even more when times get tough.
In 2008, when the economy was struggling, many of our vendors helped us get through a difficult season. Over the years, through the ups and downs of business, I have seen people step in, offer help, give us grace, and stand beside us.
I do not forget that.
One of the things that has become important to me is to honor and bless all who God brings my way. That includes our customers, our employees, our vendors, and the people in our community.
We all need each other.
Bringing the Best Back Home
The reason we come to these shows is not simply to see something shiny or new.
We come to learn. We come to listen. We come to see what is changing in the jewelry industry. We come to find new materials, explore new designs, and discover products that may serve our customers well.
This year, there are new launches happening, new technology being introduced, and even new materials being developed for wedding bands. There is always something to see.
But after all the meetings, the walking, the early flights, the late dinners, and the long days, the real value is not just what we buy.
It is what we bring back.
We bring back fresh ideas. We bring back stronger relationships. We bring back a better understanding of what is happening in our industry. And hopefully, we bring back something that helps us serve our customers in a more meaningful way.
That is why I keep coming.
It is more than a jewelry trade show.
It is a reminder that showing up matters. Relationships matter. And sometimes the opportunity you need is waiting for you in a conversation you would have missed if you had stayed home.
As I write this, I am in Las Vegas during one of the biggest weeks of the year for the jewelry industry.
There are thousands of people here from all over the world. There are jewelry shows, antique shows, watch shows, educational sessions, new technology, new product launches, and more vendors than a person could possibly see in one day. It is a lot to take in.
The JCK show alone has more than 1,800 exhibitors and over 17,000 attendees. Then, right across the street, there are other shows happening at the same time. If you stayed for everything, you could easily be here for ten days.
It is exciting, exhausting, and honestly a little overwhelming.
We fly in early, usually leaving home before daylight. By the time we get checked in, get to the show, walk the floor, meet with vendors, attend appointments, and go to dinner, it can turn into a very long day. Add in the three-hour time difference, and it feels like you have been going nonstop for twenty-two hours.
But I still come.
Some people in our industry do not attend the larger shows. Some may go only to a regional event close to home. And I understand that. These trips cost money, take time away from the store, and can be physically demanding.
I probably go to more shows than I need to. Maybe I have a little fear of missing out.
But over the years, I have learned that there is something valuable about being there.
Looking Back at My Grandfather
Being here made me think about my grandfather.
Our family’s story in the jewelry business started back in 1926, but I do not know that my grandfather ever attended anything like this. Trade shows have existed in one form or another for a long time, although they may have looked very different years ago. They may have been small gatherings in a hotel ballroom, with just a few vendors showing tools, equipment, or merchandise.
My grandfather was not really in retail jewelry the way we are today. His work was more wholesale repair work and trade-shop work. So, if he ever went to an event, it may have been to see a new tool or a new piece of equipment.
Still, I wonder what he would think if he could see this.
He would see acres of displays filled with diamonds, colored stones, watches, wedding bands, technology, packaging, repair equipment, and ideas. He would see manufacturers from around the world. He would see retailers meeting with vendors they have worked with for years. He would see an industry constantly changing, while still built around many of the same basic things: trust, craftsmanship, relationships, and helping people celebrate meaningful moments in life.
A Memory of My Dad and the Airport
Trade shows also bring back memories of my dad.
When I was a little boy, I remember my dad taking a trip to New York. I am pretty sure he was going to one of the jewelry shows there. Back then, there were no cell phones. There was no quick text message to say, “I missed my flight. I will be on the next one.”
My mom had four boys, and we all went to the airport to pick him up. We waited for the flight he was supposed to be on, but he never came through the gate.
My dad had a way of getting distracted or running late, so we guessed he had missed his flight. There was not much else we could do except wait and see if he showed up on the next one.
For us boys, it became a great adventure. There was no TSA back then. You could spend time around the terminal, play games, and just enjoy being at the airport. My mom may have felt differently trying to keep up with four boys, but we had a wonderful time.
It is funny how some of the smallest memories stay with you.
The Trip That Changed My Business
Years ago, when I was trying to get started in business, I had a friend ask me if I was going to Las Vegas.
I remember asking him, “Do I need to?”
He said, “Oh yeah, you need to.”
Then I asked him a question that seems a little funny now: “If I go, can you teach me how to buy?”
He told me to come on.
At that point in my life, I did not have much money. I used a buddy pass from a neighbor across the street just to get there. I stayed in a rough motel, probably a Motel 6 or a Days Inn, and I had to walk about two miles every morning to get to the show.
But that trip changed my life.
Yes, I learned about buying jewelry. I learned about vendors. I learned about products and pricing and opportunities.
But more than that, I learned that trade shows are really about people.
They are about the conversations you have. The relationships you begin. The people who share an idea with you, introduce you to someone else, or take time to teach you something you did not know.
A lot can happen when you simply show up.
Why Vendor Relationships Matter
One thing I have learned over the years is that it is not always better to have a hundred vendors.
There is value in having a strong group of trusted partners. Maybe it is twelve vendors. Maybe it is twenty. The number is not really the point.
The point is building relationships where everybody wins.
We want vendors who understand us, our customers, and what we are trying to build at David Douglas Diamonds. We want to support the people who support us. When that happens, it becomes a win for our customers, a win for our team, a win for our vendors, and a win for our community.
Those relationships matter even more when times get tough.
In 2008, when the economy was struggling, many of our vendors helped us get through a difficult season. Over the years, through the ups and downs of business, I have seen people step in, offer help, give us grace, and stand beside us.
I do not forget that.
One of the things that has become important to me is to honor and bless all who God brings my way. That includes our customers, our employees, our vendors, and the people in our community.
We all need each other.
Bringing the Best Back Home
The reason we come to these shows is not simply to see something shiny or new.
We come to learn. We come to listen. We come to see what is changing in the jewelry industry. We come to find new materials, explore new designs, and discover products that may serve our customers well.
This year, there are new launches happening, new technology being introduced, and even new materials being developed for wedding bands. There is always something to see.
But after all the meetings, the walking, the early flights, the late dinners, and the long days, the real value is not just what we buy.
It is what we bring back.
We bring back fresh ideas. We bring back stronger relationships. We bring back a better understanding of what is happening in our industry. And hopefully, we bring back something that helps us serve our customers in a more meaningful way.
That is why I keep coming.
It is more than a jewelry trade show.
It is a reminder that showing up matters. Relationships matter. And sometimes the opportunity you need is waiting for you in a conversation you would have missed if you had stayed home.