Three and a half years ago, I started Brilliant Rough as a place to overthink jewelry and technology. For those of you who subscribed along the way, I can't thank you enough for your time and attention. And if you're surprised to hear from me after more than a year of silence, well, so am I. Showing up in someone's inbox is a privilege, and I never took it for granted, even when I wasn't using it.

Somewhere along the way, my focus changed and the writing started to drift. I started out focused on websites, systems and the omni-channel future I was (and still am) convinced our industry has not fully embraced. But the more I wrote, the more I found myself drawn to the bigger changes happening all around us: lab grown, the state of natural, the way customers actually want to buy jewelry now (and, like many, I've become obsessed with the watch world). Technology runs through most of it, of course. It just stopped being the whole story. At least for me.

Then, a few months ago, I came across something from my family's past: Enjewel.

In 2000, Enjewel brought ten of the best independent jewelers in the country and six manufacturers (Honora among them) together on one website, years before any of us knew what omni-channel meant. It brought together my three obsessions, product, story and experience, in an entirely new way. And I had the privilege of a front row seat, watching it all come together the same year I entered the industry after GIA.

Unfortunately, the timing for the original Enjewel was wrong (it was literally funded a month before the dot-com bubble burst), and it didn't last. Yet the idea at its core, collaborating instead of competing, is what got me excited about looking forward again. But more on that soon.

So, Enjewel it is. Same writer, same opinions, wider lens. The future of jewelry. The first piece is already up: The Other Half Of The Swiss Parallel, on what the watch world learned from quartz and what diamonds can learn from lab grown. I'd love for you to read it and let me know what you think.

A little housekeeping for those who would like to continue following along: Rather than ask you to sign up all over again, I've moved this list over to Enjewel, so the next email you get from me will come from there. If you'd rather not, unsubscribing is one click, and thank you again for your attention.

Thanks for reading along and for your support over the years. I hope you continue to follow along at Enjewel.