This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
Brilliant Earth Sets Sights on Chicago for Next Showroom
The online jewelry retailer will open its fourth by-appointment-only brick-and-mortar location this fall in the Gold Coast.

Chicago--Online jewelry retailer Brilliant Earth is set to open its fourth by-appointment-only brick-and-mortar location this fall.
The showroom, which will be located on Oak Street in Chicago, gives consumers a place where they can see, touch and try on the jeweler’s diamond engagement rings and wedding rings as well as other fine jewelry and estate pieces.
Unlike the “webrooms” of Blue Nile, visitors to Brilliant Earth’s showrooms can buy any of the rings or jewelry that the company has in stock during their appointment and take it home with them.
The company currently collects sales tax on orders shipped to California, where it is based, and Massachusetts, where it also has a showroom. The opening of this showroom in Chicago means the e-tailer will have to collect sales tax in Illinois, because the e-tailer now has a physical presence, in the state.
Brilliant Earth opened its third showroom--and first on the East Coast--when it launched the Newbury Street location in Boston in January. This joined existing showrooms in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The company said a fifth showroom is planned for the first quarter of 2017, though no additional details have yet been made available about that location.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect a response from Brilliant Earth confirming that they will collect sales tax in Illinois once the store is open.
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.