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Everything You Need to Know About Jewelry at the Inauguration
The vice president’s pearls, J. Lo’s ode to France, and more.
![Vice President Kamala Harris wore this W.Rosado Australian South Sea pearl, 18-karat gold and diamond necklace to her inauguration. 20210121_WRosado.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/a9a329111e6b9bf0c481da76c534c16a.jpg)
At a pared-down inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Kamala Devi Harris were sworn into their respective offices.
Harris’ election marked a number of firsts that you’ve now heard innumerable times but are so unprecedented, they bear repeating until the novelty has worn off: In addition to being the first female vice president, Harris is also the first black vice president and first South Asian vice president.
What politicians and their spouses wear on historic occasions is rife with symbolism; the bigger the occasion, the greater the symbolism, and there’s no bigger occasion than starting one’s tenure in the White House.
Harris was born to a Jamaican immigrant father and Indian immigrant mother, so she fittingly wore a jewel designed by another child of immigrants to mark her historic swearing in.
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Rosado was born in the U.S. to Puerto Rican parents.
He made his mark in the fashion industry prior to launching his eponymous high jewelry line in 2011.
This year, he branched out into a more attainable, but no less exciting, array of pearl jewelry under the moniker W.Rosado.
“It is truly an honor and a dream come true for me to be able to create jewelry for Kamala Harris and for such an important moment in history,” he said. “She embodies the diversity and spirit of this country and I am so proud of her progress.”
The necklace Rosado crafted for the inauguration features Australian South Sea pearls suspended in 18-karat yellow gold links, interspersed with diminutive diamonds.
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It also inspired a day of pearl-wearing among members of Harris’ sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest Black sorority in the U.S.
Wearing W.Rosado was an excellent way to honor the tradition while showcasing her unique flair.
On a day that’s entirely about symbolism, the necklace, with its uplifting and subverting-the-traditional attitude, made the perfect statement piece and political metaphor.
And the message wasn’t lost on the designer.
“With this collection we are defining a new language for pearls, bringing a perennial favorite into the future and shattering the norms of jewelry for both women and men,” Rosado added. “Pearls are an obsession for me and I’m always striving to find new ways of working with them.”
Harris complemented the W.Rosado necklace with pearl button earrings not from Rosado (there’s very little intel about them, meaning they’re likely from her personal jewelry collection and may hold personal significance in the vein of an heirloom), while the American flag pin she wore on her lapel was from David Yurman.
Also front and center at the ceremony were its entertainers—Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman.
Lady Gaga can’t resist a major jewelry moment, and she rose to the occasion.
Her entire look was by Schiaparelli, including her enormous gold brooch, shaped as a dove holding an olive branch in its beak.
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And while the design house responsible may be Italian, the brand is currently helmed by American designer Daniel Roseberry, so Gaga narrowly skirted dismissing the “Wear American” tradition.
Her inaugural successor, Lopez, missed the symbolism mark, however.
The singer’s outfit itself got several things right.
Dressed in all white, symbolic for the color of suffragettes, Lopez sported layers of pearl bracelets as well as pearl earrings, clearly in line with political tradition.
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Displaying a very recognizable French logo while singing American tunes at the American presidential and vice presidential inauguration? A definite faux pas, as they say in Paris.
The new First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, was attuned to the mood of the day.
![Monique Péan repurposed white hexagonal step cut diamond earrings with white diamond pavé and recycled platinum Monique Péan repurposed white hexagonal step cut diamond earrings with white diamond pavé and recycled platinum](/rails/active_storage/blobs/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBbElSIiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--68d15995f3e989ea78026c42a5e99acb0695bc1a/20210121_Monique.jpg)
She had on the above earrings from American jewelry designer Monique Péan, who happens to be a woman of color and is devoted to crafting pieces that are environmentally and socially sustainable.
They were difficult to see, but overwhelmingly appropriate.
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As journalist Gayle King, also well known as Oprah’s BFF, explained on the CBS broadcast, it was Oprah Winfrey who gave Gorman the hoop earrings and ring she wore.
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She contacted Gorman and offered to do the same for the Biden inauguration, but Gorman already had her coat picked out—it was bright yellow, her favorite color.
Winfrey came up with an alternative, and far superior, gift—the below pair of 18-karat gold Nikos Koulis hoop earrings with a dangling gold and diamond drop. She also gave Gorman a ring from costume jewelry brand Of Rare Origin.
![Nikos Koulis 18-karat yellow gold earrings with baguette- and trillion-cut diamonds set in 18-karat white gold Nikos Koulis 18-karat yellow gold earrings with baguette- and trillion-cut diamonds set in 18-karat white gold](/rails/active_storage/blobs/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBbE1SIiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--b3339af241b45e01125b0129ddee9e4378935397/20210121_Nikos.jpg)
Of Rare Origin is an American company based in New York, and Nikos Koulis is … well, simply fabulous.
Because the earrings were a gift from an American icon we’ll say the nod to Greece was an appropriate deviation from protocol, and a treat for jewelry lovers.
After all, Greece is the birthplace of this tumultuous and beloved thing we call democracy.
The Latest
![These “Double Loop” earrings feature a drop-cut amethyst sitting atop the lower hoop, totaling 1.60 carats between both earrings. The hoops are made of silver covered in “pistacchio” colored enamel, while 9-karat yellow gold holds the stones in place and connect the two hoops behind the earlobe ($1,770). Bea Bongiasca’s Double Loop Earrings](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/f338ef6b4603be3c97765f833b831ca0.jpg)
Commemorate “brat summer” with these green hoops.
Sponsored by Gemological Institute of America
![Untitled design.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/583fbcb2bb839782810080debef35d3c.jpg)
As the demand for lab-grown diamond jewelry may still be increasing, the most notable change we are likely to see is price stabilization.
![Earlier this month, online giant Amazon and the Better Business Bureau filed a joint federal lawsuit against ReviewServiceUSA.com for allegedly selling fake reviews, both positive and negative. Amazon package outside door](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/27fce4225a38900d54a5536ce523a22d.jpg)
They claim ReviewServiceUSA.com was selling both positive and negative reviews of products and businesses.
![](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/99a46b30cc354962ac2e29ecd113587a.jpg)
![A shot of the Venetia diamond mine in South Africa, owned by De Beers Group. The diamond miner and marketer saw revenue drop 21 percent and rough diamond sales decline 20 percent in a “weak” market for diamonds. De Beers’ Venetia diamond mine](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/a1f16ceaaba662e80385166060d192a7.jpg)
Lab-grown diamond sales in the United States and ongoing economic challenges in China are impacting natural diamond demand.
A longtime member of IJO, she’s remembered for her passion for design, learning, and environmentalism.
![1872 x 1052 Gemolite.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9d60901b44425a53b9010301897a3bbc.jpg)
GIA®’s most advanced microscope has new features to optimize greater precision and comfort.
![A malachite and diamond bracelet from Pomellato’s “Pom Pom Dot” collection, launched earlier this year. Pomellato and Boucheron were bright spots for Kering in an otherwise underwhelming first half of the year. Pomellato Malachite Pom Pom Dot bracelet](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/3c237b62e009742fc52487097daf3c5a.jpg)
The gains come amid a tough time for parent company Kering, which saw sales slide 11 percent in the first half of the year.
![Volunteers and Shane Co.’s corporate team from all 22 locations of the family-owned jewelry chain have begun packing backpacks with school supplies for teachers to distribute to their students this school year. Shane Co. and the Kids in Need foundation logo](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/1c5abfb36ec775724f014f47bfbb47fc.jpg)
The fine jewelry retailer filled backpacks with back-to-school essentials for students in 13 states.
![A shot from the advertising campaign for LVMH-owned Bulgari’s “Eden the Garden of Wonders” high jewelry collection. LVMH’s jewelry and watch sales slipped in the first half of the fiscal year. Bulgari high jewelry campaign](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/c24eb75ca8cea44d2e9859648f4a98ee.jpg)
Tiffany & Co. is focusing on its “iconic” collections while the company has made changes at the top at TAG Heuer and Hublot.
![Chaumet, a Parisian jeweler owned by LVMH, has designed the Olympic and Paralympic Games medals. Chaumet Paris 2024 Olympics medals](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/7831b3a738baddfc7d783e6df0fbf796.jpg)
The Parisian brand is the first jewelry company in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to design the medals.
![The acquisition of Union Life & Casualty by Jewelers Mutual will help strengthen both the pawn market and the insurance industry, said JM. Jewelers Mutual and Union Life and Casualty logos](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/195925667226ecfc51b4e1bb09607143.jpg)
Union Life & Casualty will join JM Insurance Agency Partners, expanding the provider’s pawnbroker coverage.
![The winner of this year’s Lonia Tate scholarship, Bradlei Smith will receive the opportunity to earn her Graduate Gemologist diploma from GIA and, following graduation, an internship at Ben Bridge Jeweler in Seattle. Bradlei Smith](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/996834935ae30a7a1195db8b9db6cb7d.jpg)
Los Angeles-based Bradlei Smith was selected for this year’s award.
![Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com. National Jeweler columnist Peter Smith](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/bec7295a7f478778b1c196e6d81e7cd9.jpg)
In his latest column, Smith shares multiple reasons why people who look at the glass as being hall full often make better salespeople.
![De Beers Group mined 6.4 million carats of diamonds in the second quarter of 2024, down from 7.6 million in the same period last year. (©De Beers Group/Photo credit: Ben Perry @ Armoury Films) De Beers rough diamond display](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/80cd02b1c8384f4b2efda0bcdf6a75e1.jpg)
The company also reported the $150 million sale of an iron ore royalty right, part of its ongoing effort to divest “non-core” assets.
![In honor of its summer bridal event, Long’s Jewelers is partnering with Wequassett Resort and Golf Club on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, and jewelry brand JB Star on a vacation giveaway. Long’s Jewelers giveaway promo](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/4e7a90944c4e8875a4f3818dbe26b28b.jpg)
The giveaway is part of the New England jeweler’s summer bridal event.
![L.A.-based flower designer, Sophia Moreno-Bunge models Guzema’s “Hidden Beauty” collection in front of a garden in Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, California. Sophia Moreno-Bunge of Isa Isa modeling Guzema’s Hidden Beauty collection](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/6f3822623eb7fd2f6468f82825194cb1.jpg)
The ad features three celebrity florists creating floral sculptures while wearing jewelry by Guzema.
![The Entrepreneurship Grants program supports winners with financial aid to scale their businesses and increase their societal impact, said Diamonds Do Good. Pictured here are three of the 13 winners, top right is Tresia Shituula, and bottom row left to right, are Monkgogi Moshaga and Mohamed Samu. Tresia Shituula, Monkgogi Moshaga, Mohamed Samu](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/a7c9b87301b76a9446f6522747ce5b95.jpg)
The grant provided a total of $100,000 to support 13 entrepreneurs from diamond communities in Africa and India.
![Ghazi Osta, better known as Gus, was the owner and president of Volusia Gold & Diamond, a store he and his wife, Leigh Osta, opened in 1986. He was shot and killed inside the store Friday afternoon after a brief argument with a regular customer. (Photo courtesy of Volusia Gold & Diamond Facebook page) Ghazi “Gus” Michel Osta](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/c8c1fa3df746cbd364915a98dcac9d21.jpg)
Ghazi Michel Osta, or “Gus,” was killed Friday by an 83-year-old man said to be a frequent customer at his store, Volusia Gold & Diamond.
![Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez (left) is the Responsible Jewellery Council’s new head of North American development, and Effie Marinos is its new specialist advisor for technical standards. Elyssa Jenkins-Perez and Effie Marinos](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/94332af0c7a776e7a8c36fabf76baa5f.jpg)
The organization also announced Effie Marinos as its new specialist advisor for technical standards, as well as four other appointments.
![Karen Rentmeesters, who joined the Antwerp World Diamond Centre in 2010, will take on the role of CEO. Karen Rentmeesters](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/3256fcc71cd43a399055c61f68486269.jpg)
Rentmeesters has served as interim CEO since April following former CEO Ari Epstein’s resignation.
![Longtime Washington, D.C., jeweler Brian Mann (right) with his wife Jessie Mann, an artist who custom-paints porcelain Limoges Boxes, at a 2016 Jewelers of America member event. Mann, the longtime co-owner of David Mann Jewelers, died June 21 at age 70. Brian and Jessie Mann](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/be4debc6e0b3198943a66ef0e2197c2c.jpg)
Mann, whose family’s jewelry store was located inside the Pentagon, is remembered for being a thoughtful champion of the industry.
![The 1916 Company recently opened a new Tudor boutique in Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Tudor store in Denver](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9f8600ea53ed731963331ebd28a10d16.jpg)
The 500-square-foot boutique is located in Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
![This necklace from Messika’s “So Move Max” set is made of yellow gold with 19.18-carats of brilliant-cut diamonds and designed with circle motifs that move within the links (price upon request). Messika’s So Move Max Necklace](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/14c78af4a4e8c6b996a81bbb5a5bc69f.jpg)
Dance all night long with the “So Move Max” set’s necklace.
![On Sept. 1, Julien Tornare (left), current CEO of TAG Heuer, will become CEO of Hublot. Antoine Pin, now the general manager of Bulgari’s watch business, will take over Tornare’s role as CEO of TAG Heuer. (Images courtesy of LinkedIn) Julien Tornare and Antoine Pin](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/b24627b34ece895ddd254bae22751fb8.jpg)
Luxury giant LVMH is reshuffling the leadership in its watches division.
![A rendering of a billboard from Etsy’s new campaign. The campaign is designed to highlight the platform’s creators and how their products are made. Etsy billboard rendering in NYC](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9a94f394f326b90dc1c9da6a711c5e09.jpg)
Sellers and shoppers have spoken out against a rise in mass-produced merchandise on the platform meant to highlight handmade goods.