Our Pieces of the Week honor the 2026 nominees for the Gem Award for Jewelry Design, Silvia Furmanovich, Cece Fein-Hughes, and Catherine Sarr.
Female Consumer Perception of Signet Down, Survey Says
Pandora has moved ahead of the retailer in terms of both sentiment and purchase consideration, according to the YouGov Brand Index.

New York--The buzz around Signet’s brands is falling among female shoppers, according to YouGov Brand Index.
A recent survey by the company shows that Jared, Kay and Zales are seeing decreases in two key metrics among female consumers compared with a year ago: their perception of the stores is down, as is their purchase consideration.
YouGov Brand Index measured perception of the jewelry brands using its Buzz score, which asks respondents: “If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word-of-mouth, was it positive or negative?” A score can range from -100 to 100, with a zero score indicating neutral feelings.
With the downturn in sentiment, Pandora has moved ahead of the specialty jeweler in both of those metrics this holiday season.
According to the survey, 8 percent of women would consider buying jewelry at Pandora next time, compared with 7 percent at Zales and Kay and 5 percent at Jared.
(It’s worth noting that YouGov just started tracking Pandora on June 1.)
YouGov speculated in its survey results release that the downturn for Signet came as a result of the news covering allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination at the company earlier this year, especially given that sentiment started turning more negative around January-February.
It added that Pandora’s achievement is also notable given the brand has the lowest Ad Awareness by women among these four brands. (Ad Awareness is calculated by asking survey-takers, “Which of the following brands have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?”)
Kay Jewelers was tops in Ad Awareness among with four, with 17 percent of women saying they had seen an ad for the jewelry store in the past two weeks.
The Latest

The 24-piece watch collection is set to debut in spring 2027.

Pooler, who has more than 25 years’ experience in jewelry, is now chief operating officer of Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and SNJ Creations.

Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.

The reopening of the Waldorf Astoria means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event, which will take place Saturday.


McCormack looked to the 19th century’s “golden age” of astronomy when designing her new celestial-themed collection.

Nelson will be honored as the inaugural grant winner at the Gem Awards gala on Friday.

With refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.

The new smart design software allows jewelers to configure, price, and confirm a custom engagement ring in real time for in-store customers.

The 10,000-square-foot diamond manufacturing facility officially opened in late February and employs 50 people.

The MJSA Education Foundation’s scholarships support students pursuing jewelry careers.

The largest white diamond to come to market in the U.K. in more than a decade, the VVS1, I-color stone is expected to top $1 million.

Skelly shares her plans for reimagining the fine jewelry retailer she re-acquired after it faltered last year.

The collection takes inspiration from the emotional space between people, moments, and experiences.

In 2026, the jewelry retailer is celebrating a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.

The group of jewelers held a jewelry raffle in support of the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

The jewelry giant released preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year on Monday, with final results slated to come next week.

The retailer also gave an update on its vendor partnerships.

The award-winning actress is the “epitome of modern allure,” the brand said.

The “Bloom” collection draws from the flower power movement of the 1960s and ‘70s with inlay pendants offered in eight colorways.

The unique piece was one of the custom works offered at the foundation's recent silent art auction, which garnered nearly $15,000 in total.

Bulgari named Gyllenhaal as its brand ambassador for his embodiment of artistic depth, intellectual curiosity, and warmth.

Awards were given to four students, one apprentice, and an emerging jeweler.

The top jewelry lot of the late model’s estate sale, hosted by John Moran Auctioneers, was an Oscar Heyman & Brothers for Cartier necklace.

Moses, who started at GIA’s Santa Monica lab in 1976, will leave the Gemological Institute of America in May.

Increased competition, falling lab-grown diamond and moissanite prices, and the rising cost of gold took a toll on the moissanite maker.

The earrings, our Piece of the Week, feature pink tourmalines as planets orbiting around an aquamarine center set in 18-karat rose gold.























