Meet Jen Cullen Williams: The PR Powerhouse Behind the Jewellery Industry’s Connections
Jen Cullen Williams, the PR Powerhouse Behind Jewellery’s Biggest Connections
When you meet Jen Cullen Williams, you immediately feel the energy she brings into a room, and the genuine spark she has for her work. Her enthusiasm is contagious, her knowledge is extensive, and above all, her passion for jewellery and the people behind the industry is impossible to miss.
Our first encounter, however, was through social media.
One rainy evening in London, while navigating social media and following the latest updates from international jewellery shows, I came across an Instagram post featuring Jen talking about the JCK Show and some of the trends she had spotted there. Her warm smile and the genuine excitement with which she spoke about the jewellery industry immediately caught my attention.
I decided to reach out and ask if she would be open to meeting virtually. What followed were two long Zoom conversations between the US and the UK, filled with fascinating discussions about the jewellery industry, exchanging opinions, sharing ideas and, eventually, talking about possible future collaborations.
It quickly became clear that Jen is much more than a PR professional. She is a natural storyteller, connector and communicator.
Inside Jen Cullen Williams’ Jewellery PR Journey
- From Film Producer Dreams to Jewellery PR
- A Career Built Behind the Scenes
- The Art of Making Connections
- The Go-To Source at JCK Las Vegas
- Promote Yourself Before You Promote Others
- A Love Affair with the 1980s
- Art Jewellery or Brand Jewellery
- A Pendant with a Story to Tell
- Taking PR Skills Beyond Luxury Jewellery
- Becoming a Voice on the JCK Talks Stage
- Looking Ahead with Jen Cullen Williams
From Film Producer Dreams to Jewellery PR
Jen is the founder of a communications consulting company, where she uses her professional experience in PR, marketing, communications and social media to help businesses tell their stories and connect with their audiences.
In other words, she is a publicist, but one with a particular talent for creating genuine connections.
Her professional journey includes several years with the renowned PR agency Luxury Brand Group, where she worked from 2007 to 2019. Before joining the agency, she had already collaborated with fashion brands and designers internationally. She has also served as President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association and is a member of the American Gem Society.
Her years in PR helped her develop strong leadership and communication skills, but perhaps the foundations of her career were already there during childhood.
Born in Southern California, Jen describes herself as a creative person from an early age.
“I think my first dream was to become a film producer.”
“I used to do small productions with my friends as a child, fashion shows, special events. You could clearly see that I had these organising skills. Everybody would count on me for such occasions.”
Later, during high school, Jen attended an Arts Academy, where she chose to focus on production, design and film.
She was naturally drawn to coordinating projects and making things happen behind the scenes, the very skills that would later become central to her professional life.
A Career Built Behind the Scenes
When Jen went to university, she studied the film industry as well as Fashion Merchandising and Business. Through a series of internships, she began to understand the business side of fashion, gaining experience with companies in retail and PR agencies.
Some of her early professional experiences also took place in Hollywood.
But it was a Los Angeles jewellery brand that gave her the opportunity to enter the jewellery industry for the first time, when she became their PR and Marketing Coordinator.
For Jen, it felt almost effortless.
“This job came so naturally and effortlessly to me since I always loved jewellery so much. Back in high school, my friends were calling me ‘Bangle Girl’ because I was wearing a lot of bangles at that time.”
It seems that jewellery was always part of the story.
The Art of Making Connections
During her time at Luxury Brand Group, Jen’s PR responsibilities were extensive. From organising interviews and editorials to coordinating press reviews, press coffee mornings and campaigns promoting new jewellery designs, she learned how to navigate the fast-moving world of luxury communications.
Throughout her career, she has worked with prominent jewellery names including Stephen Webster and Ben Bridge Jewellers, while also collaborating with international jewellery events such as Vicenzaoro.
But for Jen, PR has never been simply about publicity.
It is about relationships.
“Connection with media always plants a garden. But you need to look after and water the seeds consistently.”
For Jen, every interaction can become an opportunity for connection, and those connections need to be nurtured.
The Go-To Source at JCK Las Vegas
In recent years, Jen has expanded her work across B2B sales, events, PR and marketing, with one of her major highlights being her work surrounding JCK Las Vegas, one of the jewellery industry’s most important international events.
“I am the ‘go-to source’ person in Vegas. I have been doing this for many years, so I know this very well.”
What she particularly enjoys is the opportunity to meet new people every year and continuously expand her knowledge of the jewellery business.
“For me, promoting is a natural reaction.”
That instinct was particularly evident during the most recent JCK Show, when she spontaneously created her own interpretation of one of the trends she was seeing around her.
“At the recent JCK, I just decided to combine various brooches on my jacket, and this became one of the JCK trends. People were telling me how cool I looked with these brooches on my jacket, but I was just telling them it was my mood that gave me this inspiration.”
It is a perfect example of Jen’s approach: observe, experiment, have fun and create a story around what you see.
Promote Yourself Before You Promote Others
Jen also believes that anyone looking to become a successful marketing professional needs to understand an important principle: you have to know how to promote yourself.
Authenticity, confidence and the ability to communicate your own story are essential skills, not only for brands, but also for the professionals working behind them.
And Jen certainly practises what she preaches.
Her natural ability to communicate, combined with her enthusiasm for jewellery and fashion, has made her a familiar and recognisable face at industry events.
A Love Affair with the 1980s
When I ask Jen about her favourite fashion era, her answer comes instantly.
The 1980s.
Animal prints, colourful textiles, bright lipsticks, layers of necklaces and plenty of jewellery.
It is easy to understand why.
Jen loves jewellery stacked and layered, and among all jewellery categories, necklaces hold a particularly special place in her heart.
Her personal style reflects the same sense of confidence and creativity that defines her professional approach: expressive, colourful and never afraid to make a statement.
Art Jewellery or Brand Jewellery
When I ask Jen the inevitable question, art jewellery or branded jewellery, she doesn’t give me a simple answer.
Instead, she shares a personal story.
And perhaps that is the best way to understand Jen Cullen Williams.
For her, jewellery is never simply about a name, a price tag or a trend. It is about the story behind a piece, the creativity of its maker, the person wearing it and, most importantly, the connections that jewellery creates between people.
After all, this is what Jen does best: she creates connections, tells stories and makes people pay attention.
And in an industry built around beauty, creativity and human relationships, those are skills that will always shine.
A Pendant with a Story to Tell
One of Jen Cullen Williams’ most treasured pieces of jewellery carries a deeply personal story. She recalls that her mother owned a beautiful, substantial topaz stone, and several years ago Jen decided to transform it into something she could wear close to her heart. She commissioned a pendant to be created around the stone, with the design taking the shape of a heart. For Jen, the piece is far more than a beautiful jewel; it represents family, heritage and the emotional connection between generations. It remains her most precious piece of jewellery.
Taking PR Skills Beyond Luxury Jewellery
After many years working in luxury PR, Jen reached a point where she wanted to take her experience and skills beyond the traditional boundaries of the luxury sector. Her curiosity led her to explore new industries, including the eye-care sector, where she became involved with Vision Expo in the United States, as well as the world of fashion and textiles. These experiences have allowed her to broaden her perspective and demonstrate how the communication, strategic thinking and relationship-building skills developed through luxury PR can translate successfully into very different environments.
Becoming a Voice on the JCK Talks Stage
Looking ahead, Jen is also developing her role as a lecturer and speaker. She is passionate about sharing her experience and, perhaps most importantly, helping individuals identify their own purpose and turn their ideas into achievable action. “I am a problem solver. I like to find the best and most realistic actions for my clients,” she explains. Public speaking is increasingly becoming an important part of Jen’s future ambitions. She hopes to use her voice and experience to take on larger projects, create meaningful conversations and bring people together around shared ideas. Most recently, she organised the JCK Talks, where she moderated a series of panels and facilitated discussions within the jewellery community.
The experience reinforced her enthusiasm for creating spaces where people can exchange ideas and where the audience itself becomes an important part of the conversation.
For Jen, the value of an event lies not simply in what happens on stage, but in understanding what captures the audience’s attention and sparks engagement. She intends to remain involved with JCK Talks and continue developing this aspect of her work.
Looking Ahead with Jen Cullen Williams
Always open to new ideas, Jen approaches collaboration with the same practical and creative mindset that has shaped her career. Whether working within jewellery, luxury, fashion or eye care, her focus remains on bringing people together, identifying opportunities and finding realistic ways to turn ambitions into results.
As her career continues to evolve, one thing is clear. Jen Cullen Williams is not simply looking for the next project. She is looking for opportunities to create something meaningful from it.
Follow Jen Cullen Williams on Instagram
Jen Cullen Williams Consulting, LLC
Communications Strategist
PR & Media Relations for RX Shows:
Functional Fabric Fair | JCK | Vision Expo
www.jencullenwilliams.com