From a Betta fish brooch to a “dragon’s trove” of zircon eggs, here are seven pieces that’ve stuck with Associate Editor Lauren McLemore.
Florida Jeweler Raising Funds for Puerto Rico
After weathering Irma, J.R. Dunn Jewelers is looking to help Puerto Ricans in the wake of Maria.

Lighthouse Point, Fla.-- After weathering Irma, J.R. Dunn Jewelers is looking to help Puerto Ricans in the wake of Maria.
The south Florida jeweler has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the Food Bank of Puerto Rico. J.R. Dunn Jewelers will match the first $10,000 raised, Vice President Sean Dunn said. As of Tuesday morning, donations totaled $8,400.
The company has set a total goal of $100,000 and 100 percent of the money raised will go to the food bank.
Dunn said that the store was unharmed by Irma, but expressed concern for Puerto Rico after it endured both Irma and Maria. He noted that many south Floridians have connections to Puerto Rico, including himself.
"I wanted to do something since all of my wife's family lives in Puerto Rico and we spend a lot of time there," Dunn said. "We were fortunately able to communicate with them using WhatsApp and get first hand reports as to what was going on."
"They fared pretty well all things considered, but there are many in other parts of the island that were less fortunate. I started to hear that electricity may not come back on for months and there were situations where people were drinking out of creeks and running out of food in some of the more remote areas."
Dunn said that he researched different organizations he could support and settled on the food bank as the best option, in part because of its ratings and good track record. Most of the organization's online presence is in Spanish, so Dunn realized that he could help the organization reach an English-speaking population through the GoFundMe page.
Last week, National Jeweler spoke with a jeweler from Puerto Rico, Reinhold Jewelers’ owner Marie Helene Morrow, to get her take on how the public can help.
Additionally, Jewelers of America and its partners have established a fund to help jewelers in the wake of all natural disasters, including the recent hurricanes.
The Latest

Groundbreaking New Mexico Governor-elect Deb Haaland wore the earrings, our Piece of the Week, when she declared victory on Tuesday.

Jost goes on an epic journey, traversing rough seas and encountering a cyclops, to discover the perfect holiday gift.

With customization becoming more expected in engagement ring shopping, the Bridal Builder makes the process tangible.

Sponsored by GCAL by Sarine


From shrinking budgets to AI elves, here are five takeaways from holiday reports by Bain, Adobe, Mastercard, NRF, and insights from YouGov.

The designers combined their talents for Little Pet Portraits, hand-painted miniatures of our best friends set in a piece of jewelry.

A Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.

Its non-bridal fine jewelry remains the star of the show, recently launching new collections inspired by Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Goodall.

“Joy: The Swarovski Musical” features Ariana Grande as the leading lady in scenes inspired by classic musical montages.

The lab will bring back its complimentary next-day service for some reports starting next week.

A Pennsylvania woman failed to declare a ring and a bracelet, discarding the boxes and receipts to conceal the purchases, officials said.

New collections and relevant marketing pushed the company forward, while Pandora’s lab-grown diamond sales continue to lag.

The citywide celebration, slated for Nov. 16-22, is set to host more than 175 events, including live jewelry-making demos.

Lanessa Elrod, former president and CEO of Louis Vuitton Americas, has stepped into the role as the retailer celebrates 125 years.

A replica of one of the most powerful objects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the glove is heading to auction next month in Abu Dhabi.

The grant recipient will be awarded $50,000 as well as mentoring meetings with executives at David Yurman and other industry executives.

The winners include a non-NAJA member seeking training, a member beginning NAJA courses, and a member becoming a Certified Master Appraiser.

The rare jewel, which has links to Russia’s Romanov dynasty, is estimated to fetch up to $2 million.

It is one of several seizures of counterfeit jewelry and watches by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Louisville this year.

Jewelers of America announced the additions to its board of directors following its annual general meeting, held last week.

The jewelry collection supports Yamaguchi’s Always Dream foundation, which provides reading and educational resources to families in need.

Spectrum’s “Best of Show” honors went to a 101-carat Paraiba carved to look like Medusa that has a magnet-activated LED light.

Our Halloween Pieces of the Week are four “Eye” pendants, each set with colorful gemstones.

Alexis Hoopes expanded eBay’s “Authenticity Guarantee” program during her tenure.

The Rolex-owned retailer’s new 4,700-square-foot store’s façade honors the Pacific Northwest’s evergreen forests.

Get into the Halloween spirit with this roundup of 13 spooky jewels.























