Phoenix 2019- Laughing and Learning

Before the sun was up, the Sturm Bros.’ Design Team, was in the air and on our way to Phoenix,AZ. Twice a year, we attend the Independent Jewelers Organization Conference, to keep our motivation high, our skills sharp and our showcases full of extraordinary jewelry and gemstones. We had a view of Downtown Phoenix and the picturesque mountains in the distance. A wonderful breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and some stimulating conversation with our table mates, jewelers from Tahoe and Arkansas, we then headed to training seminars. We studied the legal issues surrounding the growing market of Lab-grown diamonds, body language, and new marketing techniques. Our break for lunch was long enough to set outside and soak up a little sun. We returned to seminars in the afternoon about the similarities of baby boomers and millennials .

Sunday morning started early with a Church service, continental breakfast and opening session. Our key note speaker was Mark Shulman, a professional drummer, author, and speaker. Currently, Mark plays for Pink. He has drummed for Cher and Billy Idol in his long career. The Sturm Brothers, Jordan and Joseph, had an opportunity for a press photo. Mark emphasized the need for an extraordinary attitude to be successful, “Attitudes guides your destiny.” We ate lunch at TGI Friday’s, which was located inside the Arizona Diamond Backs’ stadium. #baseballdiamonds We sat by the window and watched them prepare the field for baseball season. Sunday was opening day for the buying room. The buying room is an expansive room the size of a football field. We walked and looked for the rest of the day. Our evening ended soaking our feet and bodies in the hot tub under a clear Arizona sky.

These pictures don’t do the buying room floor justice. This place is awash with chatter and clamor. It’s a sea of diamonds, gold and just plain old, “Wow!”

Meet Yosef, our diamond dealer. Yosef purchased new cuff links just for the show, two carrot cuff links. we enjoyed the pun. Yosef sells diamonds of all shapes and sizes. All of his diamonds are earth mined diamonds. Some might be heat/pressure treated but these beauties are dug from the earth. Diamonds come in sizes so small they’re called flea flickers because breathing on them can knock them to the floor and much, much larger like the one pictured with my thumb. Yes, that is an earth mined diamond as large as my thumb. It was over 4 carats. The weight of a carob seed was the original measure for 1 carat of diamond weight. Now, jewelers use .20 grams as the standard weight of 1 carat. #loosediamonds

Below are the men’s jewelry brands we investigated before we left Phoenix. Inox is a preeminent men’s line. Sturm Bros.’ will be expanding their showcase collection over the summer. Inox jewelry is stainless steel, silver and gold with elements of wood, Italian rubber, and enameled elements mixed in. The entire collection is rugged, masculine, and built for real-life wear. The last photo is taken inside the TGI Friday’s before we boarded the light rail back to the airport. We left in the dark and we returned in the dark, for it was after midnight when we boarded the shuttle in Kansas City. #inoxjewelry

I encourage you to look back in every week or so for additional blog posts about our trip. Later posts will be full of details about diamond, gems and jewelry in general. I might even share my experiences with packing cubes. Like the look of what we do? Stop in; we’d be happy to show you around and let you experience jewelry the way we do jewelry.

Until next time. —The Sturm Bros.’ Team