Canadian Jewellers Association

What Canadian Jewellers Association does

The Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) is a national not-for-profit trade association founded in 1884 as the Jewellers Security Alliance of Canada and renamed in 1918. Headquartered in Toronto with 1-10 employees, it serves as the unified voice of the Canadian jewellery and watch industry to the Federal Government, representing jewellery retailers, suppliers, wholesalers, and watch industry professionals across Canada. Member benefits include industry advocacy, government relations, professional development, security resources, and consumer referral through its member directory.

CJA's product portfolio is diversified across education, events, certification, and compliance services. Its core digital product is JETS (Jewellery Education and Training System), an online learning platform launched in 2025 with progress tracking, instant grading, and certification capabilities. Flagship events include Expo Prestige (Canada's longest-running jewellery trade show, operating 70+ years), the CJA Industry Summit, and the CJA Awards program with over 100 years of prestige. Additional offerings include the National Retail Report (market intelligence), AML/ATF compliance resources delivered through partnership with Outlier Solutions Inc., the Canadian Accredited Jewellery Appraiser (CAJA) certification program, and consumer-facing complaint mediation services.

The revenue model combines recurring membership dues from jewellery retailers, suppliers, and service providers with transaction revenue from event tickets and sponsorships (e.g., Diamond Sponsor packages from Jewelers Mutual and De Beers for the 2025 Industry Summit) and education fees from JETS course enrollment. Go-to-market is community-led, with the CJA recruiting members through industry events, web enrollment, and existing member referrals, while reaching consumers through the Shop with Confidence initiative and online directory. The association maintains formal partnerships with FINTRAC, CBSA, Competition Bureau, and Department of Finance Canada, positioning itself as the intermediary between the jewellery industry and Canadian regulators.

Name

Canadian Jewellers Association

Legal name

Canadian Jewellers Association

Website

https://canadianjewellers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Canadian Jewellers Association is a national not-for-profit trade association founded in 1884 that represents Canada's jewellery and watch retailers, suppliers, and service providers through membership, education (JETS), events (Expo Prestige, Industry Summit), awards, and government advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Jewelry Retailers (458310)

SIC

Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Jewelry Retail (Precious Metals & Gemstones) (CRAKAGAA)

Keywords

• Jewellery trade association
• Jewellery industry education
• Jewellery trade show
• Jewellery professional certification
• Consumer trust directory

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for jewellery retailers, suppliers, and service providers in the Canadian jewellery and watch industry.
2. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: Revenue from CJA Industry Summit, Awards Dinner, and Expo Prestige trade show including exhibitor fees, buyer registrations, and sponsorship packages.
3. Education and Training: JETS course enrollment fees and workshop registrations for industry professional development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Canadian Jewellers Association is a not-for-profit national trade association that serves the Canadian jewellery and watch industry through member services, professional education, government advocacy, trade events, and consumer trust programs. Its portfolio includes the JETS online learning platform, the Expo Prestige trade show, the CJA Industry Summit with awards, AML compliance resources, the CAJA appraiser certification, the National Retail Report, and a consumer-facing member directory connecting buyers with accredited jewellery professionals across Canada.

Product overview

The Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) is a national trade association for the Canadian jewellery and watch industry, offering a portfolio of member services, education programs, events, and consumer resources rather than a single software product. Core offerings include JETS, an online learning platform for jewellery industry professional development; the annual Expo Prestige trade show (Canada's longest-running jewellery show); the CJA Industry Summit with awards dinner; and the National Retail Report for market intelligence. Consumer-facing services include a member directory for finding trusted jewellers and complaint mediation. The CAJA certification program provides standards for jewellery appraisers. AML compliance resources support members with regulatory requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JETS (Jewellery Education and Training System) Online learning platform designed for jewellery retail professionals, delivering essential training in jewellery, gemstones, watches, sales, and customer service with self-paced courses, progress tracking, instant grading, and certification completion.
• Expo Prestige Annual trade show held in Montreal for the Canadian jewellery industry, providing exhibitor and buyer registration, networking, and product sourcing opportunities — the longest-running jewellery trade show in Canada (70+ years).
• CJA Awards Annual awards program honouring achievements of individuals and companies in Canada's jewellery industry across categories including Independent Retailer of the Year, Multi-Store Retailer of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Emerging Business of the Year, and the Erol Paylan Impact Award.
• CJA Industry Summit Annual industry summit bringing together jewellery professionals for keynote sessions, educational programming, networking, and the awards dinner, co-presented with Jewelers Mutual.
• National Retail Report Industry research report providing Canadian retail sales data for the jewellery, luggage and leather goods segment, with year-on-year and month-on-month comparisons and trend analysis.
• AML Compliance Resources Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) compliance tools and resources for jewellery businesses, including training, reporting guidance, and compliance program development support in partnership with Outlier Solutions Inc.
• CJA Member Directory Consumer-facing online directory that lists CJA-accredited jewellery retailers and Canadian Accredited Jewellery Appraisers (CAJA), supporting the "Shop with Confidence" initiative.
• Canadian Accredited Jewellery Appraiser (CAJA) Professional certification program for jewellery appraisers in Canada that standardises expertise and ethical practices in jewellery valuation, supported by a consumer-facing CAJA directory.
• Complaint Mediation Dispute resolution service that assists consumers with complaints against CJA member jewellers by facilitating mediation between parties.
• Toronto Workshop Series (gem education with Branko Deljanin) Hands-on, in-person workshop series led by master gem educator Branko Deljanin covering identification of natural and lab-grown diamonds, treatment detection, and coloured gemstones (corundum, emerald, jade).

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Jewelers MutualcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2025Diamond Sponsor of the CJA Industry Summit 2025 and partner in presenting the inaugural summit. Provides insurance solutions for jewellery businesses and consumers.
• De Beers Group (De Beers Institute of Diamonds)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2025Diamond Sponsor and presenter of CJA Awards Dinner. Provides diamond education and certification expertise.
• Citizen Watch Canada Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2025Platinum Sponsor of CJA Industry Summit 2025. Cocktail Hour sponsor for the awards ceremony.
• Royal Canadian MintmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2025Gold Sponsor providing Canadian minted precious metal products expertise.
• Jewellers Vigilance Canada (JVC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 3rd Annual JVC Security Summit, co-presented with Jewelers Mutual. Provides security and crime prevention expertise for the jewellery industry.
• Outlier Solutions Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing Anti-Money Laundering compliance expertise in partnership with FINTRAC to assist CJA members with AML compliance regulations.
• FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada)coreOthersCanada's financial intelligence unit and AML/ATF supervisor. The CJA provides compliance expertise and FINTRAC updates relevant to the jewellery industry through this partnership.
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)majorOthersGovernment agency partnership focusing on CARM (CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management) for importers/exporters.
• Competition BureaumajorOthersGovernment agency partnership addressing Precious Metal Marking Regulations (PMMR), Misleading Advertising, Deceptive Marketing, and Greenwashing.
• Department of Finance CanadacoreOthersCJA represents Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones (DPMS) on the Department of Finance's Advisory Committee on Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing (ACMLTF).
• Air CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Canadian Airline for Expo Prestige 2026, offering attendee discounts on routes to Montreal.
• WestJetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExpo Prestige 2026 Airline Partner offering attendee discounts on routes to Montreal.
• Porter AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExpo Prestige 2026 Airline Partner offering attendee discounts on routes to Montreal.
• Le Westin MontrealminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial hotel partner for Expo Prestige 2026, offering attendee discounts on accommodations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Birks Group: Canadian luxury jewellery retailer represented on CJA's board (Marco Pasteris is First Vice Chair). A member-and-adjacent industry participant rather than a direct comparable, but illustrates the type of retailer CJA serves and could be a strategic partner.
• World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB): International federation of diamond bourses focused on trade standards and ethical practices. Comparable through its diamond industry governance and self-regulation role, though operating at the wholesale/bourse level rather than retail.

Emerging players

• Gemological Institute of America (GIA): World-leading gemology education and certification body. Comparable to CJA's JETS education and CAJA certification programs, with substantially greater global scale; a potential partner or competitor in advancing jewellery credentials.

Direct peers

• American Gem Society (AGS): US trade association focused on jewellery retail ethics, education, and certified credentials. Comparable to CJA's CAJA certification and code of ethics, with comparable industry self-regulation and consumer protection functions.
• Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC): International standards body for the jewellery supply chain covering ethical sourcing, human rights, and ESG. Comparable in its certification, member accreditation, and advocacy role overlapping with CJA's ethical sourcing and compliance focus.
• Jewellers Association of Australia (JAA): Australia's national jewellery trade association providing accreditation, education, and consumer trust mechanisms. Highly comparable in that it operates a national directory and member accreditation program similar to CJA's CAJA.
• Jewelers of America: US national jewellery trade association providing advocacy, education, and member services to retail jewellers. The most direct peer given parallel structure: national scope, government advocacy, industry events, and consumer-facing member directory. Differs only by geography.
• Jewellers Vigilance Canada (JVC): Canadian sister organization focused on security, crime prevention, and AML compliance for the jewellery industry. Direct operational partner with CJA (co-hosts Security Summit) and serves the same member base along complementary dimensions.
• National Association of Jewellers (UK): UK national trade body for jewellery retailers, wholesalers, and suppliers offering similar membership, training, and advocacy services. Closely mirrors CJA's structure of education, events, and consumer protection functions.

Regional players

• Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC India): India's national trade body for gem and jewellery exports. Provides trade promotion, education, and government advocacy functions parallel to CJA's, but with a global export focus rather than domestic retail.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CanJewellers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@canadianjewellersassociation/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/CanadianJewellersAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-jewellers-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/canadianjewellersassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Jewellers Association