The high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Thank You, Mom
In honor of Mother’s Day, Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff shares two Mother’s Day commercials she thinks are really cute.

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday and, for once, I am on top of it. My card was in the mail on Tuesday and I’ve already worked out what my mother wants: a book, not flowers, and given to her in person the next time I see her, not mailed.
Got it.
While a book is always my mother’s No. 1 choice for presents, it seems like many moms across the country will be receiving jewelry this year. According to the National Retail Federation, 35 percent of U.S. shoppers plan to pick up a piece of jewelry for mom this year, spending an average of $96 a pop.
So, what type of jewelry appeals to moms? It is, and has been for quite some time, personalized pieces, charms that can be stamped with the names of their children or rings set with their birthstones.
It follows course, then, that the brands that are going to advertise most heavily, and most effectively, around Mother’s Day are those that specialize in personalized pieces.
Two such commercials that caught my eye this year were from Pandora and Alex and Ani.
While I know Pandora has engendered much anger and bitterness among independent jewelers in the United States--and rightfully so--I would be lying if I said I wasn’t touched by the brand’s Mother’s Day commercial.
{youtube} fnXK_hbnpEo {/youtube}
For the commercial, Pandora said it got eight daughters to write a single sentence thanking their mother. Their moms then came into a room with all eight sentences framed on the wall and tried to pick out which one came from their daughter.
Called “Unique Thank You,” it is the second phase of Pandora’s current, female self-purchaser-focused advertising campaign “Unique As We Are.”
As for Alex and Ani, I think the brand in general does a really good job with their commercials, and this Mother’s Day ad is no exception.
{youtube} apsMHF3xeBY {/youtube}
Alex and Ani has another Mother’s Day spot as well, this one featuring a grown daughter and her mother but I did not identify with it at all. The storyline of this commercial is that they love doing everything together, which is nice, but I think my mother and I pre-date the days of mother-daughter bonding on this level.
My mother never tried to be my friend; she was always my mother. For that, I will always be grateful.
So, thanks
The Latest

The jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.

Dunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.

Experience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.

The 24-carat fancy intense pink diamond ring could fetch up to $18 million at the November sale.


The “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

Stores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.

The charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.

The top lot of Elmwood’s recent fine jewelry sale in London was a 1.84-carat, D color Tiffany & Co. solitaire diamond ring.

The watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.

This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.

It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.

The trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.

Ara Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.

The live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.

Sponsored by Overnight Mountings

The supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.

Blue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.

“Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.

As part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.

Participants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.

The alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.

Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.

In the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.

FGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.






















