Stuller Updates The Basics of Jewelry With Expanded Content for Professionals

When a customer asks whether their sapphire ring can go through the dishwasher, the answer a sales associate gives depends entirely on their training. Stuller's newly updated edition of The Basics of Jewelry, first published in 2012, addresses exactly that knowledge gap: the book has been expanded with sections on gem care and everyday handling of pieces, giving professionals a sharper reference point for the kind of guidance that converts a cautious buyer into a confident wearer.

The update arrives more than a decade after the original publication. Stuller expanded the content across metals, diamonds, gemstones, tools, displays, and more, while refreshing the visual components throughout. The book is built around illustrations, diagrams, and charts, a pedagogical approach intended to make technical distinctions legible to professionals at every stage of their careers, from a newly hired sales associate to a seasoned bench jeweler.

For retailers, the practical stakes are concrete: knowing which stones require professional cleaning versus which can safely be maintained at home is the kind of materials knowledge that underpins credible customer advice. Trade education resources age quickly as new alloys, treatments, and lab-grown stones reach the market, which is part of what makes a 2026 refresh of a 2012 text genuinely useful rather than cosmetic.

Separately, Polygon announced an expanded alliance with FedEx last week, opening access to the FedEx Advantage program for its members. Jewelers, dealers, wholesalers, and other trade professionals within the Polygon network can now enroll to receive preferred shipping rates and access to FedEx's global delivery infrastructure.

"Reliable logistics are essential to the jewelry industry," said Sean Lemire, general director at Polygon. "FedEx allows us to provide our members with trusted shipping solutions and meaningful savings that support the day-to-day movement of diamonds, watches, and jewelry across the trade."

For online jewelry retailers, the partnership addresses a persistent operational concern: the movement of high-value pieces requires both speed and verifiable chain of custody. The Polygon-FedEx arrangement extends exclusive benefits to the organization's global member community, adding logistics infrastructure to a growing portfolio of industry partnerships.

Both developments reflect the same underlying shift in everyday jewelry retail: the gap between a customer's purchase and their long-term satisfaction with a piece is increasingly closed by what happens before and after the sale, not just on the floor.