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RAPAPORT... Jewelers of America (JA) acquired National Jeweler from Emerald Expositions, which owns the JA New York shows and Couture. JA’s board approved the acquisition today without disclosing the deal's financial terms and it will take effect later in January. JA and National Jeweler will remain and act independent of each other. “I’m excited about the National Jeweler acquisition and Jewelers of America’s ability to both better serve its members and the industry,” said JA's board Chair, Bill Farmer, Jr., of Farmer’s Jewelry, Lexington, Kentucky. Dave Bonaparte, JA's CEO, added, “This is an exciting day for Jewelers of America, as we expand into trade media and welcome National Jeweler to the JA family. National Jeweler is natural fit for our organization, as it shares our mission to be an informative resource to retail jewelry professionals. It’s an opportune time; with the launch of their digital magazine last fall, the National Jeweler team is poised for growth.” Michelle Graff, the editor in chief of National Jeweler, said, “This is a positive new chapter for a publication that has been in the business of reporting on the fine jewelry industry for 109 years. We look forward to taking advantage of the additional resources being part of the JA team offers us, but we remain focused on our mission: to objectively deliver the news that retail jewelers need to run their businesses on a daily basis.” Both organizations were established in 1906, with JA serving as a forum for the analysis and discussion of issues affecting the industry and a platform for which National Jeweler has been since its inception.
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