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Hill & Co. releases The Business of Jewelry Report: The Adaptation Odyssey. Q3 2026 edition features eight independent experts, from Harvard Business School to Bain & Company, who reached the same conclusion without comparing notes. 2 hours ago September 3, 2026 (PRESS RELEASE) YORK - Hill & Co., a global leader in business growth strategy for the diamond, gemstone, and jewelry industry, today released the Q3 2026 edition of The Business of Jewelry Report, titled The Adaptation Odyssey. Its finding: eight experts, from Harvard Business School to Bain & Company to Signet UK, arrived at the exact same diagnosis without ever comparing notes. Seventy million people stopped buying personal luxury goods between 2022 and 2025, the industry's first-ever decline, reports Bain & Company's Claudia D'Arpizio, even as branded jewelry grew eight percent a year, luxury's best-performing category. Self-purchase has climbed from five percent to forty percent of sales in a decade, according to Matter Of Form's Anant Sharma. And Harvard Business School's Dennis Campbell warns that AI capability is rising on an exponential curve while most organizations absorb it on a straight line, a gap that widens the longer it's ignored. Creative Strategy Incorporated's Jennifer O'Brien and Art Tavee argue that natural diamonds need to act like a challenger brand, not a defensive incumbent: "A Diamond Is Forever" worked because it gave buyers one clear emotion to feel, and the category still hasn't replaced it. Former Signet Jewelers Commercial Director Helen Gibb makes the case for profit-per-gram over profit-per-piece, treating gold as deployed capital rather than inventory sitting on a shelf. There's no such thing anymore as a B2B audience, says Studio & Marie's Jennifer Gonzalez: wholesale buyers now judge brands by the same standards as retail customers, and loyalty rarely carries across generations. And the flashiest AI project rarely pays back first, according to Cogent Labs CEO Ehmad Zubair, whose firm is Hill & Co.'s exclusive AI partner: real returns come from small automations surfaced by frontline staff, not big executive swings. "Every one of these contributors wrote from their own corner of the business, with no idea what the others were saying," said Elle Hill, Founder & CEO of Hill & Co. "Gold repricing overnight, luxury customers walking away, a brand message that hasn't changed in decades: it's all the same story. Our industry is being asked to change faster than it's built to change, and this report shows what closing that gap looks like." Readers can request a copy of the report here. Sponsored video. One phone call changed how Bob Bonaci retired. For 35 years, Bob Bonaci was a fixture in Kent, Washington, building not just a jewelry business but a reputation the community trusted. When retirement finally came into view, he wanted a closing process that honored what he'd built. Other jewelers who'd already retired pointed him toward Wilkerson, and the recommendation paid off. Wilkerson managed the details from start to finish, giving Bonaci a hands-off transition that still hit every financial and personal goal he set. "It is phenomenal, the success that we've had." Watch Bob's story. You may like. Bulletins. INSTORE helps you become a better jeweler with the biggest daily news headlines and useful tips. (Mailed 5x per week.)

Signet Jewelers names new presidents for Zales, Banter and Blue Nile. Mattel and Tiffany veterans tapped to lead brand overhauls under CEO's "Grow Brand Love" strategy. August 13, 2026 Signet Jewelers has named new presidents for three of its retail brands, part of a broader push to sharpen the identities of its four core banners under CEO J.K. Symancyk. Jamie Cygielman will become president of Zales and Banter by Piercing Pagoda, while Pam Cloud has joined as president of Blue Nile, the company announced in a release. The moves are designed to advance Signet's "Grow Brand Love" strategy, which Symancyk launched in March 2025 to differentiate Kay, Zales, Jared and Blue Nile and deepen customer connections, according to reporting from Forbes and WWD. Cygielman spent more than 30 years in consumer brands, most recently as global head of dolls at Mattel - a role she held for about a year - and before that as general manager and president of American Girl for more than seven years, where Signet said she restored the brand's sales and profit growth. She later took on Barbie and Mattel's broader dolls portfolio. She starts at Signet on Aug. 24, will be based in Dallas and reports directly to Symancyk, according to the company's announcement. She succeeds Kecia Caffie. Cloud brings more than 30 years of luxury retail experience, including over 25 years at Tiffany & Co., where she served as senior vice president and chief merchandising officer and helped launch collections such as Tiffany T and Tiffany Keys, Signet said. She most recently founded Roseate Jewelry, a New York pearl jewelry brand, according to Forbes. Cloud began her Blue Nile role on Aug. 10, is based in New York and reports to Chief Operating and Financial Officer Joan Hilson. She succeeds Corinne Bentzen. Symancyk said in the announcement that the appointments bring "important new capabilities to Signet" as it positions Zales and Banter for growth and accelerates Blue Nile's transformation into the portfolio's most upscale brand, anchored in natural diamonds - a shift that comes as Signet moves away from lower-priced lab-grown stones at Blue Nile, Forbes reported. For the first quarter of this year, Signet reported sales of $1.6 billion on a same-store sales increase of 1.8%. For all of 2025, the company posted sales of $6.81 billion on a same-store sales increase of 1.3%, according to WWD. Related Topics:

Signet onboards new leadership for Zales and Blue Nile. Jamie Cygielman will lead Zales' next phase of growth, while Pam Cloud will lead Blue Nile's transformation as an elevated luxury brand Signet Jewelers has announced two significant leadership appointments across Zales, Banter and Blue Nile that advance the company's Grow Brand Love strategy. Jamie Cygielman has been appointed as president of Zales and Banter and Pam Cloud has joined Signet as president of Blue Nile. "Grow Brand Love is about creating distinctive brands with clear value propositions and stronger connections to the customers they serve," said CEO J.K. Symancyk. "Jamie and Pam are accomplished leaders who understand how to unlock the potential of iconic brands through consumer insight, innovation and disciplined execution. "Their appointments bring important new capabilities to Signet as we position Zales and Banter for their next phase of growth and accelerate Blue Nile's transformation." Cygielman brings over 30 years of experience building and transforming globally recognised consumer brands and creating connections with consumers. Most recently, she served as global head of dolls at Mattel and general manager and president of American Girl, where she played an instrumental role in revitalising some of the company's most well-known brands. As head of American Girl, Cygielman established a new strategic vision and operational roadmap that restored sustainable top-line and operating profit growth while strengthening the brand's relationship with consumers. She later expanded her leadership to Barbie and Mattel's global dolls portfolio, sharpening brand positioning, evolving the product portfolio and amplifying consumer relevance. Cygielman will report to Symancyk and lead the next phase of growth for Zales and Banter, building on decades of customer trust while further differentiating the brands and broadening their appeal. She will oversee the brands' go-to-market strategies, with a focus on innovation, distinctive customer experiences and deepening relationships with consumers. "Both Zales and Banter have such a rich legacy and personal connection with their customers," said Cygielman. "For more than a century, Zales has been part of countless celebrations and milestones, while Banter has built a strong following by helping customers express their individuality and style. "I am thrilled to be joining Signet at such an exciting and important time and look forward to working alongside the Signet leadership team and both brand teams to honor that heritage while bringing fresh relevance to these iconic brands and creating new ways for customers to celebrate and express their personal style." Cloud also brings more than 30 years of luxury retail experience to Blue Nile, including more than 25 years at Tiffany & Co. In her role as SVP and chief merchandising officer and a member of the company's executive committee, she helped grow the multibillion-dollar global business and oversaw the launch of several of its most successful collections, including Tiffany T, Tiffany Keys and the annual Blue Book high jewellery collection. Cloud will report to Joan Hilson, Signet's chief operating and financial officer, to lead Blue Nile's next phase of growth and transformation, advancing its elevated natural diamond-leaning luxury positioning and overseeing its strategy across every customer touchpoint. "As we continue transforming our portfolio to make each brand even more compelling, having the right leaders in place is essential," said Hilson. "That's why I am delighted to welcome Pam to the Blue Nile team. Her deep experience in the jewellery industry, proven track record of driving growth, and ability to accelerate innovation and strengthen customer relevance will help us unlock the next phase of Blue Nile's transformation." "Having followed Blue Nile for many years, I am honored to join the brand at such an exciting moment in its evolution," said Cloud. "Blue Nile transformed the way people shop for fine jewellery, and I see tremendous opportunity to build on that legacy by creating an even more elevated, personalized luxury experience." Cygielman will join Signet from 24 August and will be based in Dallas. Cloud began her role on 10 August and will be based in New York City. Signet's portfolio includes, KAY Jewelers, Zales, Jared Jewelers, Blue Nile and Banter.