Plumb Club Elects 2026-2027 Board
Steven Lerche is now beginning his term as the youngest member to become president of The Plumb Club’s elected executive committee.

The organization said its elections were held in accordance with its longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, with the objective of mining some of the younger talent its membership has to offer with the goal of ensuring its future and strength.
Previously the youngest member to be elected as vice president of The Plumb Club’s executive committee, Steven Lerche of Goldstar LLC is now beginning his term as president.
He is also the youngest member to hold the position of president.
Ray Mastoloni of Mastoloni Pearls has transitioned from the role of treasurer to The Plumb Club’s vice president, while Debbie Azar of Gemological Science Internation, former secretary of the board, is assuming the role of treasurer.
Jeff Weinman of ODI/Tache was elected to the role of secretary and Michael Lerche also of Goldstar LLC, a past president of The Plumb Club, is continuing as pavilion chairperson.
The directors continuing to serve on the board are:
Michael Langhammer of Quality Gold;
Moss Makhoulian of Richline Group;
Alok Mehta of IDD; and
Dov Tannenbaum of Leo Schachter Diamonds.
Jordan Peck of Color Merchants/Brevani was elected to his first full term after being appointed to fill a board vacancy during the past year.
The past presidents who are continuing to serve on the board as members-at-large are:
Roger Forman of Marathon Company;
Robert Kempler of Richline Group;
Dave Meleski of Richline Group;
Bruce Rubin of Uni–Design USA; and
Victor Weinman of ODI/Original Designs.
Founded in 1983, The Plumb Club is one of the jewelry industry’s leading supplier organizations.
The Latest

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.

The five students were awarded a total of $10,000 through the nonprofit’s 2026 “Future of Jewelry Making” scholarship.

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.


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

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

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

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.

The exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.

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.

The lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.

The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.

Two suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.

Finsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.

























