Peter Montalbano to Receive JSA Industry Service Award
The Jewelers’ Security Alliance will honor the industry veteran at its upcoming annual luncheon.

New York—The Jewelers’ Security Alliance will honor several people at its upcoming annual luncheon.
At the event, which will take place Saturday at the New York Yacht Club, JSA will present awards to individuals who have rendered “outstanding assistance to the safety and security of the jewelry industry.”
Peter Montalbano of New York-based Montalbano Adjustment Services Inc. will be the recipient of JSA’s 19th annual Industry Service Award.
“Peter is the gold standard of jewelry claims adjustors. He has traveled the world and investigated cases involving untold millions of dollars for major insurance carriers,” said JSA President John Kennedy, who recently announced his retirement from the organization.
“He has also conducted security surveys for major jewelry firms and insurance companies to identify security vulnerabilities. He has been a great friend of JSA for more than 30 years, speaking at conferences, rendering advice, and arranging speaking engagements at Lloyd’s in London for JSA staff.”
Also at the event, JSA will present the 25th annual James B. White Law Enforcement Awards to five officers from Nassau County, New York.
They are: Detective Sergeant Jeffrey Raymond, commanding officer of the Burglary Pattern Squad, Major Case Bureau, Nassau County Police Department, as well as four detectives from the department’s Major Case Bureau, Jesus Bonilla, Edward J. Hoctor, Jeffrey Rios, and Damiel Suarez.
Kennedy said, “This squad’s extraordinary record of investigations and arrests in major jewelry burglaries involving millions of dollars speaks for itself.
“Their tireless efforts involving physical surveillance, search warrants, warranted electronic surveillance and DNA analysis have resulted in numerous arrests and the recovery of jewelry merchandise. Their cooperation with other jurisdictions in identifying and arresting burglary gangs has been dramatically effective.”
The JSA luncheon will take place amid other industry events in New York City, including the Jewelers Vigilance Committee’s annual luncheon and the Gem Awards, both Friday, as well as the 24 Karat Club of New York’s gala, which is slated to take place Saturday night.
The Latest

The retailers at the top of the list offer affordable products and fun, discovery-fueled experiences.

Daniel Bing was formerly the marketing director for the Americas at Vacheron Constantin.

In our Piece of the Week, the designers reimagine the tennis bracelet with green enamel wrapped around a strand of “Desert Diamonds.”

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

The industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.


Founder Vik Westermann said the app is a “starting point” to inspire people to work with appraisers and gem labs, not replace them.

The Verdura brooch, which belonged to the late Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, was sold to a private collector in Asia.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

Steven Lerche is now beginning his term as the youngest member to become president of The Plumb Club’s elected executive committee.

Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.

The jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.

The new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.

Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.

One is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.

In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.

9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.

The jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.

Marquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.

The inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.

The family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.

Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.

The reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.

Sponsored by American Gem Trade Association

In the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.

The 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.

The expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.























