RAPAPORT... The jewelry world is mourning the passing
of Cindy Edelstein, an entrepreneur, author, editor and long-time consultant to
the industry, who died on Sunday at the age of 51. The cause was heart failure,
according to a post on Instoremag.com January 24.
Edelstein
began her career in the industry as fashion editor at JCK magazine. In
1991 she founded the Jeweler's Resource Bureau with her husband, Frank Stankus,
with the idea of highlighting jewelry designers and their work.
Among many other roles, she was a trade-show consultant for
the JCK show, the Couture show and the AGTA show, as well creating her own
designer-centric show, globalDESIGN. She was a prolific writer about jewelry
design in trade publications and online and with her husband co-wrote a book
titled Brilliance: Masterpieces from the American Jewelry Design
Council, which sold out of its first printing. She was numerous prestigious
awards. She was also a long-serving member of the board of the Women's Jewelry
Association.
In an email to Rapaport News, a
spokesperson for U.S. trade organization Jewelers of America said: “Jewelers of
America and all of our members mourn the loss of Cindy Edelstein. She was one
of our industry’s finest champions. She was supportive, smart, and giving of
her remarkable talents. She touched the lives and hearts of so many.
“We find strength in knowing her legacy will live on through
the countless remarkable jewelry designers that she helped. Her contributions
have shaped what the industry and designer jewelry is today. She will be missed
dearly.”
"Cindy Edelstein loved jewelry and was a
driving force in the jewelry design community,” said Amber Michelle, editor in chief
of Rapaport Magazine. “She was constantly developing innovative new
programs to promote designer jewelry to the industry and to assist designers in
growing their businesses. Cindy celebrated design and through her many
projects, she made sure that the rest of us celebrated with her. Above all else
she always said that she was blessed to have her husband Frank and her daughter
Remy.”
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