TechnologyJul 25, 2024
Amazon, BBB Sue Website Allegedly Peddling Fake Reviews MajorsAug 01, 2024
Verragio Sues Online Retailer for Allegedly Copying Designs
The company filed a lawsuit against The Art of Jewels for allegedly mimicking its signature engagement ring and wedding band designs.
A Verragio engagement ring. The brand filed a lawsuit in California federal court against San Francisco-based online retailer The Art of Jewels and Fine Art alleging the company has copied its designs and infringed on the “Verragio Crest” trademark.
New York—Verragio is accusing another jewelry company of copying its engagement ring and wedding band designs.
The New York-based brand filed a lawsuit against The Art of Jewels and Fine Art LLC on July 26 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The San Francisco-based retailer, which bills itself as the “#1 Lab Grown Diamond Marketplace” in the United States, was founded in 1990, as per its website, and sells online in the U.S. and Canada via its website and a 1stDibs shop.
In the lawsuit, Verragio accuses The Art of Jewels and Fine Art of copyright infringement, trademark counterfeiting and infringement, and unfair competition.
Reached via email Wednesday, The Art of Jewels said it could not provide comment on Verragio’s lawsuit because it has not yet been served with the complaint.
Verragio founder, owner, and CEO Barry Nisguretsky, who also goes by “Barry Verragio,” has designed jewelry for more than 25 years, obtaining copyrights for several designs he has created for Verragio, including the company’s signature “Verragio crest.”
Court documents show screenshots of several Verragio’s rings alongside the alleged copies by Art of Jewels, which include its trademarked signature crest, Verragio contends.
The New York-based brand filed a lawsuit against The Art of Jewels and Fine Art LLC on July 26 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The San Francisco-based retailer, which bills itself as the “#1 Lab Grown Diamond Marketplace” in the United States, was founded in 1990, as per its website, and sells online in the U.S. and Canada via its website and a 1stDibs shop.
In the lawsuit, Verragio accuses The Art of Jewels and Fine Art of copyright infringement, trademark counterfeiting and infringement, and unfair competition.
Reached via email Wednesday, The Art of Jewels said it could not provide comment on Verragio’s lawsuit because it has not yet been served with the complaint.
Verragio founder, owner, and CEO Barry Nisguretsky, who also goes by “Barry Verragio,” has designed jewelry for more than 25 years, obtaining copyrights for several designs he has created for Verragio, including the company’s signature “Verragio crest.”
Court documents show screenshots of several Verragio’s rings alongside the alleged copies by Art of Jewels, which include its trademarked signature crest, Verragio contends.
“Verragio’s federally registered Verragio Crest trademark is a unique and distinctive design which Verragio incorporates into its jewelry designs to distinguish its products and designate a single source of origin,” the company said in court documents.
The lawsuit states that the allegedly copied designs have “irreparably harmed” Verragio, as well as the general public, by causing confusion.
This is not the first time Verragio has gone to court to defend its intellectual property.
In 2017, the company said it sent out 30 cease-and-desist letters and filed 10 lawsuits in the span of 18 months after learning from other jewelry designers and retailers that there was a proliferation of Verragio lookalikes in the market.
“Verragio is unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding our intellectual property, empowering our valued retailer partners with the confidence to exclusively showcase the unique and innovative Verragio brand,” Nisguretsky said in a statement to National Jeweler Wednesday.
The company is requesting the court issue a permanent injunction to stop The Art of Jewels and Fine Art from making jewelry that it said infringes on its copyrights, as well as a trial by jury.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Majors
The Latest
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
AuctionsOct 13, 2026
Christie's Geneva To Auction 'Bulgari Pink' DiamondThe 24-carat fancy intense pink diamond ring could fetch up to $18 million at the November sale.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores 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.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
AuctionsOct 09, 2026
8-Carat Blue Diamond Goes Unsold at UK Jewelry Auction The top lot of Elmwood’s recent fine jewelry sale in London was a 1.84-carat, D color Tiffany & Co. solitaire diamond ring.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
CrimeOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?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.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
Events & AwardsOct 06, 2026
JIS Fall Returns to MiamiThe 2026 edition will feature presentations on alternative materials and design trends, as well as pop-up activations on the show floor.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
