CrimeAug 20, 2025
Another CA Jewelry Store Rammed With Car, RobbedThe latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.
IndependentsMar 23, 2020
Russ Shor Leaves GIA, Starts Consulting Company
The longtime industry journalist and analyst is working as a consultant on sustainability issues.
Carlsbad, Calif.—After nearly 20 years at the Gemological Institute of America, Senior Industry Analyst Russ Shor is moving on.
In an interview with National Jeweler last week, the jewelry industry veteran confirmed his retirement from GIA after 19 years at the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad, California.
“I just felt like it was time to do something on my own,” Shor said. “I didn’t feel like working full-time anymore.”
He is starting a communications consultancy, writing articles, blogs and news for clients, and advising on sustainability and diamond and gemstone supply chain issues while also working with Roshem Ventures.
Roshem has offices in the United States and Canada and does investing and consulting on supply chain transparency and traceability, which includes technology like blockchain, mainly in agriculture.
The company is looking to gain a foothold in the jewelry industry, and Shor will serve as an expert consultant.
He said he sees the role an opportunity to use his experience and understanding of the jewelry industry to help smaller producers, dealers and retailers sell sustainability sourced materials.
“I know what’s possible, what can be done, what can’t be done,” Shor said, noting that he has first-hand experience along the entire supply chain, from visiting diamond and gemstone mines worldwide to getting behind the counter at retail stores.
He will remain based in Carlsbad.
Shor started his career in the jewelry industry exactly 40 years ago, joining the staff of JCK magazine as an editor in early 1980.
He had worked as a newspaper reporter before but decided it wasn’t a career he wanted to pursue long term, so he went back to school to study international relations.
Shor was just finishing up his graduate program when a friend told him about a job opening at a “diamond magazine”—JCK.
He went to the interview somewhat on a lark, he said, and was offered the job on the spot.
It was a job he ended up keeping for the next 19 years, leaving in 1999. He did consulting work for De Beers and the Mouawad Group before going full-time with GIA in August 2001.
He stayed at GIA for another 19 years, initially helping the lab to expand its business globally.
In 2011, in the aftermath of the
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
2008 recession, Shor moved into more of a public relations role, becoming GIA’s senior industry analyst.
“In his nearly 20 years at GIA, and many more as a well-known and respected journalist and analyst, Russ Shor helped so many people understand the global gem and jewelry trade,” GIA President and CEO Susan Jacques said.
“His vast knowledge, insight, deft writing and good humor served his readers—and GIA—well.”
Shor’s new website, www.russellshor.com, went live this week. Those looking to contact Shor can email him at shorstories@gmail.com.
“I’m welcoming it,” he said of the change, while noting, “I’d feel a little freer if we weren’t all quarantined and locked down.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated post-publication to note that RussellShor.com is now live.
More on Independents
The Latest
WatchesAug 20, 2025
Oris Launches Watch Benefiting NYC Harbor Oyster RestorationThe new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2025
Take the Jewelers for Children ‘Trinity of Purpose’ ChallengeParticipants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
SourcingAug 19, 2025
Dubai’s Jemora Group Buys Diamond Miner LucapaThe investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.
Weekly QuizAug 15, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
ColumnistsAug 19, 2025
Peter Smith: The Arrival Fallacy and Jewelry RetailSmith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.
CrimeAug 19, 2025
Customs Seizes 7,300 Pairs of Fake ‘Alhambra’ EarringsThe counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
MajorsAug 19, 2025
MJSA Apprenticeship Program Is Nationally RecognizedThe MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
WatchesAug 19, 2025
Casio America Names New Timepiece Division ManagerCasio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.
MajorsAug 18, 2025
Verragio’s Michael Barabash, a ‘Kind Soul,’ Dies at 58Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.
CollectionsAug 18, 2025
John Hardy’s New ‘Dot’ Collection Is on PointOriginally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.
Events & AwardsAug 18, 2025
IJO Announces 2025 Vendor of the YearAllison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.
EditorsAug 15, 2025
Piece of the Week: Etho Maria’s Showgirl-Approved Ruby Drop Earrings Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing DirectorNicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut DiamondModel Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of DirectorsThe board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Colorado Jeweler, Whiskey Maker Collab on Ring GiveawayThree winners will receive a custom ring from Honest Hands Ring Co. inlaid with a piece of history from Denver-based distillery Stranahan’s.
SurveysAug 13, 2025
These Are The 25 Hottest Retailers, Says NRFJD Sports and Wawa were among the fastest-growing retail companies in the U.S. last year.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
Columbia Gem House Launches Winza Sapphires, RubiesThe new inventory, all untreated, features vibrant hues and unique bicolor combinations.
SourcingAug 12, 2025
Gemfields Sells Fabergé for $50MAcquired by a tech investor, the historic brand will continue to focus on jewelry, accessories, and timepieces.
Policies & IssuesAug 12, 2025
Higher Tariff on Chinese Imports Paused for 90 Days, Trump SaysPresident Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the pause on higher tariffs to November as negotiations with China continue.
