MajorsDec 19, 2025
MadaLuxe Group Acquires Ippolita The luxury goods company said founder Ippolita Rostagno will remain at the brand’s helm.
EditorsAug 17, 2009
The Wedding Diaries
With Michelle Graff’s recent wedding blogging (see her 7/13 and 7/16 posts), I decided it was time for me to chip in. Last week, I joyfully tied the knot. And as I went through the planning process over the better...
With Michelle Graff’s recent wedding blogging (see her 7/13 and
7/16 posts), I decided it was time for me to chip in. Last week, I joyfully tied
the knot. And as I went through the planning process over the better half of
the past 12 months, I often thought that the
way I came about my wedding jewelry might seem a bit add for someone who writes
about the industry, including this
confession: My engagement ring hails from cyberspace.
My husband, a programmer who writes code for an Internet
start-up, purchases anything and everything online. So while the proposal did
come as a surprise, his means of securing the ring was no shock. As a young
couple, price was of the utmost concern. And being that he is someone who lives
and breathes online, I know the hubby felt confident in his decision.
I adore my ring, and while I love to support local
retailers, I also can’t help but love that he chose a path that is so typically
him.
I’ve sat in on seminars where sales experts have explained
there is always going to be a set of consumers who will buy online, and for
the jeweler, it isn’t worth chasing them. The hubby definitely falls into that
category. What he missed by going online was a personal connection, but after
years of living with a jewelry editor, he’s become very familiar with my own
thoughts on heirlooms and the way I feel about memories being intertwined with
jewelry.
When it came time to look for a wedding band, guess where
the hubby turned? For my own, however, I went a different route. Friends asked
me why, with access to a bounty of designers, I didn’t ask someone to make
something for me (I did for the earrings and cocktail ring I wore on the big
day), yet I wanted to have that experience of going to a jewelry store and
working with a retailer.
Typical of me and my powers of procrastination, just
two weeks before the wedding, I picked up a New York Weddings magazine, thumbed
through the jewelry listings and highlighted smaller independents that I
thought would specialize in what I was looking for—something priced at an
entry-level range and clearly handcrafted. I found exactly what I was looking
for at the store of a West Village jeweler. Not only did I
find the ring, but I
found a store I would return to in a heartbeat—for future purchases, repairs,
etc.
found a store I would return to in a heartbeat—for future purchases, repairs,
etc.
Thankfully for the retailer’s quick work and a fabulous friend who
hand-carried the ring from New York to our West Coast wedding, the band was in
my hands the day before the ceremony.
Unconventional? Sure, but aren’t the stories what jewelry is
all about?
More on Editors
The Latest
MajorsDec 19, 2025
LVMH Names New Bulgari CEOLaura Burdese, who joined the Italian luxury brand in 2022, will take on the role in July.
AuctionsDec 19, 2025
Jean Schlumberger’s ‘African Cat’ Is Purr-Fection Need a gift for the cat lover who has everything? Look no further than our latest Piece of the Week.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
AuctionsDec 18, 2025
Audemars Piguet Reclaims Historic Pocket Watch at AuctionIt purchased the “Grosse Pièce,” an ultra-complicated Audemars Piguet pocket watch from the ‘20s, for a record-breaking price at Sotheby’s.
Weekly QuizDec 18, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Lab-GrownDec 18, 2025
Kira Jewels Debuts Custom Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry ServiceThe lab-grown diamond grower now offers custom engagement and fashion jewelry through its Kira Custom Lab Jewelry service.
WatchesDec 18, 2025
Bob’s Watches to Open Store in New York’s JFK AirportThe boutique is slated to open this week inside Terminal 8, offering pre-owned Rolex watches and more to international travelers.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
Supplier BulletinDec 18, 2025
Cell Jammers Are Targeting Your Business. Here's How to Beat ThemSponsored by Digital Monitoring Products
CrimeDec 17, 2025
Man Pleads Not Guilty to Swallowing Fabergé PendantThe special-edition egg pendant ingested in a New Zealand jewelry store was recovered after a six-day wait.
EditorsDec 17, 2025
2025 Jewelry Rewind: The Best Piece of the Week PicksAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco plays favorites with Piece of the Week, selecting a standout piece of jewelry from each month of 2025.
CollectionsDec 17, 2025
Lucy Hale Stars in Jacquie Aiche’s Holiday CampaignThe “Love and Desire” campaign is inspired by the magic that follows when one’s heart leads the way, said the brand.
GradingDec 17, 2025
SSEF Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersTwo awardees will receive free tuition for an educational course at the Swiss lab, with flights and lodging included.
MajorsDec 16, 2025
Pandora’s New CEO Will Step Up EarlyBerta de Pablos-Barbier will replace Alexander Lacik at the start of January, two months earlier than expected.
AuctionsDec 16, 2025
Suzanne Belperron, JAR Shine in Sotheby’s First Auctions at New HQSotheby’s held its first two jewelry sales at the Breuer building last week, and they totaled nearly $44 million.
Events & AwardsDec 16, 2025
TJS Now Accepting Scholarship Applications for 2026Winners will receive free registration and lodging for its fourth annual event in Detroit.
ColumnistsDec 16, 2025
Beyond Unboxing: Creative Reveals to Drive Reach and EngagementHere are six ideas for making more engaging content for Instagram Reels and TikTok, courtesy of Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams.
Events & AwardsDec 16, 2025
Diamonds Do Good Names 2026 Award RecipientsThe honorees include a notable jewelry brand, an industry veteran, and an independent retailer.
CrimeDec 15, 2025
Men Receive Life Sentences in Home Invasion Murder of Jeweler Carlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in the 2024 murder of Hussein “Sam” Murray.
Policies & IssuesDec 15, 2025
Sara Yood Named Co-Chair of RJC Standards CommitteeYood will serve alongside Eduard Stefanescu, the sustainability manager for C.Hafner, a precious metals refiner in Germany.
IndependentsDec 15, 2025
M.S. Rau to Open Store in AspenThe New Orleans jeweler is also hosting pop-up jewelry boutiques in New York City and Dallas.
AuctionsDec 12, 2025
13.54-Carat Paraíba Tourmaline Sets Records at Christie’sSet in a Tiffany & Co. necklace, it sold for $4.2 million, the highest price and price per carat paid for a Paraíba tourmaline at auction.
MajorsDec 12, 2025
David Webb Reveals Ice-Cold Holiday Window DisplayThe jeweler’s “Deep Freeze” display showcases its iconic jewelry designs frozen in a vintage icebox.
CollectionsDec 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Oscar Heyman’s Sphene RingTake luxury gifting to new heights this holiday season with the jeweler’s showstopping 12-carat sphene ring.
Events & AwardsDec 12, 2025
IGI Jewelry Design Contest Now Accepting SubmissionsThis year's theme is “Unveiling the Depths of the Ocean.”
TrendsDec 11, 2025
Pinterest 2026 Trend Report: Brooches, Bold Gold, Cool BlueIn its annual report, Pinterest noted an increase in searches for brooches, heirloom jewelry, and ‘80s luxury.
GradingDec 11, 2025
GIA to Offer Origin Determination for 3 More GemstonesStarting Jan. 1, customers can request the service for opal, peridot, and demantoid garnet.
