Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
Jeweler Offers Refunds if the Bucks Win NBA Championship
Robert Haack Diamonds in Milwaukee will reimburse customers up to $5,000 if the city’s team can net the ultimate victory.

Milwaukee, Wisc.—Sales draw savvy shoppers into stores regularly, but Robert Haack Diamonds in Milwaukee is trying a different type of promotion this spring.
The store has pledged to reimburse customers for purchases up to $5,000 if the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA Championship next month.
The store has seen an uptick in foot traffic since starting the promotion, President Bret Eulberg told National Jeweler in an interview Wednesday, especially among customers in search of engagement rings.
“[They think], might as well take a chance if it might be free,” he said.
Customers who buy jewelry and pay in full by May 25 are eligible for the promotion.
Under the terms of the promotion, sales tax and a $10 paperwork processing fee will not be refunded, though, as of press time, it looks like Robert Haack customers might not be getting anything back.
The Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Toronto Raptors 105 to 99 in game five of the NBA Finals Thursday night, the team’s third consecutive loss. The best-of-seven series is now 3 to 2 in favor of the Raptors.
“The Bucks could still have two chances to redeem themselves, although the odds are stacked completely against them,” Adam McGee wrote in his game analysis for fan site Behind the Buck Pass.
If the Bucks defeat the Raptors, the team will move onto a more formidable challenge—they will face the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Championship.
“We are super-confident the Bucks are going to win,” said Eulberg, though he conceded the Golden State Warriors, the team that has taken the NBA title the last two years, will be a tough team to beat.
He did note the NBA Championship would take place at the Fiserv Forum arena in Milwaukee, giving the Bucks homefield advantage.
The store held a similar promotion last October, offering to refunds up to $3,000 if the Milwaukee Brewers won the World Series. The team got knocked out of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
If the Bucks can clinch a victory, the store won’t have to empty the registers to refund customers.
Insurance companies offer prize indemnity insurance, meaning stores can pay a premium to an insurance company to cover these prizes. The premium is decided based on the prize value and the odds of winning.
So far, the sales have outweighed what the store spent on insurance, Eulberg said.
Robert Haack Diamonds has offered a slew of other sports-related promotions, including a free
Sports-related events have been held to draw fans into the store, including meet-and-greets with stars such as Geronimo Allison, wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, and pictures with Roscoe Cupid, the team mascot for the Milwaukee Admirals.
The Latest

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

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

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.

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

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.

Michel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.

Longtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.

The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.

Jamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.

Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.

Honest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.

QVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.

The brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.

Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.

Sponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers

Cloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.

Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.

Etsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.




















