Interview with Anthony DeMarco

Anthony also writes about other luxury and lifestyle categories such as travel, food, wine and spirits, architecture and design, and art. His work can be found in publications in the U.S. and abroad. His blog, Jewelry News Network, shows beautiful and well-crafted objects for men and women while explaining the importance of the industry as an economic engine throughout the world. He is in the process of creating a new blog with a new concept that brings a cultural and lifestyle aspect to high jewelry and watches. It should launch by the end of August. Prior to working with jewelry and watches, DeMarco was a senior editor for an interior design and architecture trade magazine. His career began as an award-winning newspaper reporter. Now he is a Senior Contributor to Forbes US and many other publications worldwide.  You can find Anthony at his "Jewelry News Network" blog and facebook page, on Instagram @jewelrynewsnetwork and on Twitter @jewelrynewsnet.

What topics would you want to cover in an editorial calendar from August to October?

There are few stories I’d like to do:

* How retailers are going to continue the intimate practice of selling jewelry and watches to their clients with restrictions due to the coronavirus.

* A few people are reporting to me that there’s been an increase in the number of people requesting bespoke jewelry since the coronavirus pandemic began. I’d like to follow that up.

* How the schedules of jewelry and watch trade shows are still being affected by the coronavirus.

* A roundup of luxury jewels that resemble food.

What was your first magazine job?

My first magazine job was with a trade publication called “Facilities Design & Management.” It was an interior design magazine for interiors of corporate, government and other institutional buildings. I had a chance to interview some of the top interior designers and architects in the world. The main thing I learned with this job is how good design can make the world the better place. Before magazines, I worked as a newspaper journalist writing about politics, elections, crime, local feature stories, obits and everything else imaginable.

What made you choose to become an editor?

I wanted to be a popular music critic and that’s why I went to journalism school. Things turned out much better for me pursuing a number of different fields.

How do you sustain interest in even the most mundane aspects of editing – proofreading, fact-checking, source-checking, etc?

I’m a bit fortunate now as I mostly do what I want, so everything I write about is interesting to me in some way. When I did work for magazines, it wasn’t always that way. However, doing the things that don’t interest you makes you better at your trade and more rounded as a person. It often has unusual benefits. For example, I along with many others was forced to be independent writers and editors. I’ve done better than most of my colleagues because I concentrated on things (such as the Internet, social media and covering stories no one else wanted to do) which made me better prepared for the challenges of being on my own.

What social media platforms work well for increasing the reach of your content?

Instagram is number one but I don’t spend enough time on it. I do very well on Linkedin. I have a Twitter handle that I use for news items, which seems to be its best use. I’m gradually moving away from Facebook, for both my personal page and my business page.

Why did you decide to focus on high jewelry and watches for publications?

It was mostly out of curiosity. I worked for 10 years for a jewelry industry trade magazine. The publishing company that owned the magazine went out of business and there were massive layoffs, including yours truly. Writing about the industry is far different from writing about luxury jewelry and watches. It is business oriented and primarily focused on mass produced jewelry. Also, what I wrote about at that time had to with technology, computer-aided design and digital media, things no one else wanted to write about. I thought I would be writing as a freelancer for a short time so I decided that I wanted to do something totally different, which was writing about luxury jewelry and watches. What I didn’t realize was how much I liked doing it and how well my work was received. This became my job.

When did you start your own blog “Jewlery News Network”?

I started Jewelry News Network in 2010, again to focus on luxury jewelry and watches, and it was well received right from the beginning. It allowed me to get paid freelance work at a time when it was quite difficult. I was planning to do this until I found another job but because of the reception it received it ended up being a significant part of my new freelance career. After 10 years this blog has run its course and I am in the process of creating a new blog with a new concept that brings a cultural and lifestyle aspect to high jewelry and watches.

I covered the landmark Elizabeth Taylor auctions a2nd probably wrote upwards of 20 stories for Forbes and Jewelry News Network. It provided me with international exposure and pretty much launched my new blog and career.
I wrote a story about Cindy Chao’s business that she makes all her new employees read. I think that’s a good measure of a successful story.

What is the most impressive piece of jewelry you have written a story about?

I’ve seen so many amazing pieces over the year but probably “A Heritage in Bloom” by Wallace Chan is the most impressive. It was created out of a 507-carat diamond purchased by Hong Kong-based jewelry retailer, Chow Tai Fook, who commissioned Chan to do the piece. The diamond necklace unites an entire family of diamonds cut from the same rough stone within a single piece of jewelry. It also brings together thousands of white diamonds and hundreds of pink diamonds, totaling 383.4 carats, as well as more than one hundred pieces of green jadeite and mutton fat white jade. The ornate necklace includes figures of a bat (for good luck) and butterflies (for eternal love). It required more than 47,000 hours of work and can be worn in 27 different ways.

Which style guides do you prefer?

Mostly I use the AP style guide, which I trained in college and as a newspaper journalist. The “Elements of Style” is tiny book that is huge in information and is one of the most important books on style. “On Writing Well” is another excellent source. I had a college professor who was the classical music critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer for 50 years. He had a large impact on my career. He wrote a small book on the fundamentals of critical writing and fundamental newspaper writing that I still have. It’s out of print.

Describe your experience with creating style guides.

I’ve always need to work so I never had time to actually write style guides, which are highly detailed. The best books have already been written. You have just to adapt them to contemporary needs. Any style guides I have written are just updates on what is already available and adjusted for a particular publication.

Everyone needs a break. What do you read on your own time?

I read mystery novels, like Donna Leon, known for her Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery series; and Elizabeth George, known for her Inspector Lynley mystery series. In the past I read some of the great ”New Journalism” writers, such as Tom Wolfe, Jimmy Breslin, Hunter S. Thompson and others. I’m interested in travel so I read books by Paul Therox and others on his level. Lately I’ve been reading Hemmingway. I just finished ”The Sun Also Rises.”

What’s your approach to giving constructive feedback to a fellow writer?

I used to be more critical but I learned over time to be more encouraging to writers. Coming up through the ranks of newspapers, it is a tough environment. There’s really no time or budget to nurture skills. You have to come ready to work.

However, I’ve learned writers pour their emotions over their work so you have to respect that and work with them. I learned this from working with magazine editors who were my superiors. Writing is a craft not an art so on a basic level the techniques can be taught. Mostly I work at ensuring that the subject they are writing about is clear in their copy. I think it’s important to remember the person reading your stories wants factual information that is engaging.

Thank you for the interview!