Piece of the Week: Jonne Amaya’s ‘Cat Claw’ Necklace
With a 40-carat cabochon emerald, this necklace is as powerful and elegant as a cat.

With an over 40-carat cabochon emerald at one end and 14-karat yellow gold curving like a feline’s claw at the other, this necklace is a powerful and elegant statement piece.
Designer Jonne Amaya originally created the necklace to repurpose a customer’s inherited emerald.
The gemstone was set in a bracelet, but to give it a new life and protect the soft nature of emeralds, the stone was transformed into a necklace where it would sit at the center of its wearer’s chest.
Amaya explained that the piece was complex to build, as it was created from four solid pieces of 14-karat gold that were soldered together to give the appearance of a single tube.
Each of the four pieces sit at a different angle so the necklace is molded to the shape of the wearer’s neck without the need for a hinge.
“I named it Cat Claw since the overall design is so complex, powerful, and elegant—much like a cat,” said Amaya.
The Cat Claw necklace is part of the brand’s capsule collection, retailing for $34,000.
It is available on Jonne Amaya’s website.
The Latest

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.


The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

The historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.

The gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

Luca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.

Following visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.

The “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.