The industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
Thoughts on economy run wild
I don't know what to think of the economy anymore. It goes without saying that as of right now, the world is in the midst of a recession that's comparable to the Great Depression. But just how bad is it?...
I don't know what to think of
the economy anymore.
It goes without saying that
as of right now, the world is in the midst of a recession that's comparable to
the Great Depression.
But just how bad is it? And
how long will it last?
It seems that there have been
some cause for a bit of optimism lately.
While this survey is still
far from optimistic, the latest data from the Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council,
outlined here,
shows that consumers were slightly less pessimistic in February and bought a
little bit more jewelry (probably due to Valentine’s Day).
The latest report from the National Retail Federation, which you can read here, wasn't completely depressing either.
And, as I write this blog, The New York Times has posted this story detailing
how an uptick in housing starts made the Federal Reserve's Open Market
Committee feel a bit warm and fuzzy.
Will the coming of spring
also thaw out our frosty economy? Is a recovery in the early part of the
summer, or a bit later this year, too much to hope for?
Billionaire investment genius Warren Buffett certainly seems to think so.
And the latest unemployment data is a huge cause for
concern.
So, the question remains: Are
things starting to get a little bit better or is the worst yet to come?
If I had the answer, I bet
I'd be almost as wealthy as Warren Buffett.
The Latest

Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.

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

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

The new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.


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

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.

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

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.

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























