MJSA Journal

For nearly a century now—ever since it launched in 1927—the MJSA Buyer’s Guide has been the industry’s most complete source for vendors offering the best in jewelry-making supplies and services. As part of MJSA’s affiliation last year with Jewelers of America (JA), the Buyer’s Guide now includes finished jewelry and incorporates JA’s Supplier Directory. Combined, the two publications form a single stop for manufacturers, designers, and retailers to find what they need for both shop and showcase. The best part: as JA/MJSA members, every vendor follows a strict code of ethics that breeds trust and confidence.

A handy reference, the latest edition groups MJSA/JA members by the products and services they provide—Beads, Business Equipment & Services, Chain, Contract Manufacturing Services, Findings, Finished Jewelry, Gemstones, Metals, Packaging & Display, Schools, and Tools & Equipment. Buyers can also look up specific items in the Guide’s index, which contains hundreds of supplies and services—everything from abrasives, bails, and casting equipment to XRF testers, yokes, and zircon.

This year’s edition also includes several articles to help buyers with their decisions:

• Gold, Reconsidered: With gold prices reach record levels, jewelry manufacturers and designers are exploring materials that preserve the visual impact of gold—from gold-filled and bi-metals to hollow electroformed pieces—without the steep price tag.
• Case by Case: Two retailers discuss how they approach buying finished jewelry for their showcase, weighing factors such as customer demand, margins, repair headaches, competition, and trust.
• Worth the Investment: From technology to staffing to personal growth, three jewelers reveal the single investment that made the most difference in their business’s success.