This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
Agents seize $2.85M in fake Tiffany goods
Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a shipment of 1,200 counterfeit Tiffany & Co. bracelets this week at Miami International Airport.
Miami--U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized a shipment of 1,200 counterfeit Tiffany & Co. bracelets this week at Miami International Airport.
If genuine and sold at MSRP, the Tiffany pieces--which were copies of various models of the retailer’s iconic .925 sterling silver “Return to Tiffany” bracelet--could have totaled as much as $2.85 million.
In a news release, the CBP said it agents grew suspicious of the counterfeit bling because the bracelets “did not appear to be of the quality consistent with the products normally manufactured by the trademark holders;” in this case, Tiffany.
Import specialists with the CBP examined the bracelets more closely and determined that the bracelets were indeed counterfeit.
MIA Port Director Christopher Maston said the CBP has an “exceptional” team of officers and import specialists who work closely with companies like Tiffany to identify products that infringe on companies’ intellectual property.
Jewelry and watches by the industry’s best-known brands are among the world’s most copied goods and, last year, they were also the most seized in the U.S., surpassing even fake handbags.
A report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released in the spring stated that in 2014, CBP officials nabbed fake jewelry and watches worth a total of $375.4 million at retail, representing 31 percent of the total dollar amount of counterfeit goods seized all year.
The Latest

As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.

Discover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

The “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.


The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

Meredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Sponsored by Stuller

It was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.