JSA has received reports of mobs swarming jewelry stores, driving cars into the storefront or smashing through the windows.
Amsterdam Sauer Founder Dead at 95
Jules Roger Sauer, a Brazilian gemstone and design legend, discovered the first Brazilian emerald deposit.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil--Jules Roger Sauer, the founder of Brazil-based jewelry design company Amsterdam Sauer, died this year. He was 95.
Originally from France, Sauer settled in Brazil at the age of 18, founding the Lapidação Amsterdam, or Amsterdam Lapidary, in 1941. The jewelry design company was later renamed Amsterdam Sauer.
Sauer was a legendary presence in the gemstone and jewelry industry, responsible for discovering the first Brazilian emerald mine in 1963, and for promoting a variety of Brazilian gems in the international market.
In the 1950s, Sauer obtained the 80.47-pound rough Martha Rocha aquamarine, which was said to match the eyes of its namesake, a popular Brazilian beauty queen. The famous stone yielded 50,000 carats of faceted gemstones of the highest-quality color.
Sauer opened his first jewelry boutique in 1956 and today, according to the company’s website, there are 15 locations across Brazil.
Amsterdam Sauer boasts its own museum in Rio de Janeiro, outlining how the gem and jewelry house helped shape the Brazilian and global gem industries.
Sauer was born in the Alsace region of France in 1921 to Jewish parents. He was living in Belgium in 1939 when the principal of his polytechnic school warned him to flee the Nazis.
Sauer made his way to Spain by bike, a journey of more than 1,000 miles. He was briefly arrested there for having no identification but ultimately released, making his way to Portugal and then South America by ship. He was only 18.
He initially taught French in Rio de Janeiro to support himself then took an opportunity offered by a student to work at a gemstone business in the state of Minais Gerais. There, he learned to facet stones.
A mere two years later, Sauer founded his company. He specialized in translating large gems to jewelry while keeping as much size from the original stone as possible. His entire supply chain was in-house, from the selection and cutting of the rough stones to the finished designs that he sold in his store.
He worked with his wife Zilda Waks Sauer, a Polish immigrant who also expatriated in Brazil. They were married in 1950.
Sauer’s son Daniel, the CEO of Amsterdam Sauer said, “My father fell in love with the Brazilian people, their way of life and the colors of the country. I think that, during his whole life, his intention was to pay tribute to
Sauer is survived by his son Daniel; daughter, Debora; seven grandsons; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Zilda, in 2013.
Throughout Sauer’s 75-year career he won many awards, the first of which was a Diamonds International Award in 1966. He was made a member of the Circle of Honor of the Gemological Institute of America in 2004 and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Colored Gemstone Association in 2007.
Sauer also was an “Honorary Citizen” in several Brazilian cities: Belo Horizonte, Teófilo Otoni, Governador Valadares, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
The Latest

The “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.

Creative Director Erica Bianchini shared why the jeweler is looking to expand into the U.S. and how it’s putting Canadian craftsmanship on the map.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

Two Los Angeles Fire Department stations plan to use the donations to upgrade their equipment and tools.


Next week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.

Emmanuel Raheb shares the top five gifting moments outside of major holidays that jewelers should build marketing campaigns around.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.

As demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.

Graduated stones make for elevated tennis-style pieces and dramatic statement necklaces.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

He retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.

The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.

Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025

Globally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.

The Brooklyn-based jewelry designer is remembered as a true artist and a rare talent.

A new slate of Learning Workshops will take place in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia.

The middle class is changing its approach to buying jewelry and affordable luxury goods, the NRF said.

It marks the third consecutive quarter of growth for Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, and Vhernier.

The reseller’s market trends report, based on its sales data, also shows exactly how much Rolex prices have jumped since 2010.

The auction house will be hosting a retrospective paying tribute to jeweler Jean Dinh Van and his company’s 60th anniversary.

Jake Duneier and Danielle Duneier-Goldberg have stepped into the roles of CEO and president, respectively.