Episode Details

JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates sit down with Dave Bindra, vice president of B&B Fine Gems, to find out how he got started in the colored gemstone business and to hear how well he thinks the jewelry industry is addressing current challenges such as the need for more young talent, increased diversity, and better transparency. Gearing up for JCK Tucson 2023? Dave shares expert insights on what to expect at the show as well as which stones and colors are trending this year. (Hint: Think pink in many shades and expect to see stunning sapphires and spinels.)

Sponsored by De Beers: institute.debeers.com

Show Notes

02:08 An unexpected journey into a jewelry career

10:57 Encouraging youth and diversity in the industry

13:53 What’s ahead for colored gemstones

15:33 The traceability factor

17:13 What to see at JCK Tucson this year

21:10 Underappreciated gems and personal favorites (or garnets, spinels…and sneakers)

Episode Credits

Hosts: Rob Bates and Victoria Gomelsky

Producer and engineer: Natalie Chomet

Plugs: jckonline.com; @jckmagazine; @gemfluencer; institute.debeers.com

Show Recap

An Unexpected Career Path

Victoria introduces guest Dave Bindra, vice president of Los Angeles–based B&B Fine Gems and Instagram personality @gemfluencer, and invites him to share his back story. Dave recounts his unexpected journey into the world of colored gemstones. Though his parents started B&B after emigrating to the U.S. and he grew up on the fringes of the jewelry business, he set his sights on law school after graduating from USC. When he realized his heart wasn’t in studying law, he decided to accompany his father to Bangkok on a buying trip and saw the inner workings of the business for the first time. “I fell in love with it,” recalls Bindra, who was moved by the role trust played in transactions. “A handshake was more important than any piece of paper in this business. It takes a lifetime to build these relationships.”

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Dave found himself—and B&B—evolving in unanticipated ways. After being locked out of his office for a month, he started sneaking into the building ninja-style to retrieve stones and posting them on Instagram from his backyard. Soon he was taking Zoom meetings and selling stones virtually to his retail and private jewelry partners. By nimbly growing its digital presence, B&B finished the year strong, streamlined operations, pared down inventory, and gained market share in its overseas sourcing networks. All this positioned them for a fruitful 2021 and 2022.

Though Instagram served B&B well during Covid, Bindra now uses the platform for creative expression rather than ecommerce, showcasing whatever inspires him, from architecture to fashion to color schemes that echo certain stones. He also uses it to showcase his sneaker collection, matching vividly colored stones with colorful sneakers, and drawing on his years as a deejay during college to pair images with music.

Improving Inclusivity and Diversity

Rob observes that Dave is one of the jewelry world’s younger members and asks if he thinks th