SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
EditorsApr 24, 2013
A history lesson in Vienna
The longer I am in this industry, the more keenly aware I become of how much we can learn about world history through jewelry.
Vienna, or “Wien,” is the capital of and the largest city in Austria, located at the edge of the country not far from the nation’s border with Slovakia. It is a beautiful city that is rich in history and, in retrospect, I wish I had given myself more than two days to spend there.
While in Vienna, I had the chance to do a tour, albeit brief, of Schönnburn Palace. Schönbrunn, which means “beautiful spring,” was a summer residence for the rulers of the Habsburg empire and remained an active palace until the downfall of the monarchy in the early 20th century.
My traveling companion and I arrived at Schönbrunn Palace late in the afternoon on Monday, following many hours that day at another Vienna landmark, the Belvedere, also a fantastic former palace that now houses an art museum containing many works by the famed Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. The most well-known Klimt work, “The Kiss,” hangs in the Belvedere.
But I digress. We only had about 40 minutes to do a tour at Schönbrunn so only saw a very small section of the enormous residence, but that still was enough time for a small bit of jewelry history to creep into my visit.
One of the former residents of Schönbrunn mentioned during my audio-guided tour was Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, whose brother, my pre-recorded hand-held guide said, was a man named Maximilian who was shot to death in Mexico.
This name, and his unfortunate fate, rang a bell for me and for good reason: in 2010 I covered the sale of the 39.55-carat “Emperor Maximilian Diamond” by Christie’s in New York, even making the trip uptown to the auction house to see the stone in person.
Although the stone is not of great color---it’s an I, which pales, or should I say darkens, in comparison to most of the stones the big auction
houses sell, which are usually D’s and E’s---the diamond is relatively large and has an interesting history.As the legend goes, the Archduke was wearing the diamond in a pouch around his neck when he faced the firing squad around 1866. The stone somehow made it back across the Atlantic to his wife, Princess Charlotte of Belgium, and its whereabouts were unknown for decades until it resurfaced in 1919.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
From there, it passed through the hands of several gem dealers, including Laurence Graff who bought it at Christie’s in 1982 for $762,000. Christie’s sold it again in 2010 for $1.8 million.
This obviously is not the only important jewel to have passed through the hands of the one-time rulers of Austria. Franz Joseph’s wife “Sisi,” a very famous figure in Austrian history, likely had quite a collection as well. Perhaps I can learn more about it during my next trip to Austria, which almost certainly will include a second visit to Schönbrunn.
This obviously is not the only important jewel to have passed through the hands of the one-time rulers of Austria. Franz Joseph’s wife “Sisi,” a very famous figure in Austrian history, likely had quite a collection as well. Perhaps I can learn more about it during my next trip to Austria, which almost certainly will include a second visit to Schönbrunn.
More on Editors
The Latest
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
TrendsApr 20, 2026
Beth Bernstein, Sonia Esther Soltani Pen New Jewelry Book“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2026
Atlanta Jewelry Show’s Spring Event Is Hitting the RoadThe AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.
MajorsApr 20, 2026
Kendra Scott Names New CFO, Chief Business OfficerThe jewelry retailer plans to open 20 new stores this year and expand into new product categories.
TrendsApr 17, 2026
New (Groundbreaking) Floral Jewelry for Spring 2026Flower motifs are the jewelry trend blooming amongst the new collections that debuted this spring.
MajorsApr 17, 2026
QVC Group Files for Chapter 11 BankruptcyThe retailer reported an 8 percent decline in annual sales as it struggles under the weight of billions of dollars of debt.
CollectionsApr 17, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Earrings Are the Devil on Your ShoulderThe “Devil” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week, are part of designer Edina Kiss’ new namesake jewelry line that she will show at Couture.
CrimeApr 17, 2026
FBI Issues Warning to Refineries, Retailers Due to High Price of GoldThe alert states that burglary crews are targeting jewelry businesses and details how jewelers and refineries can protect themselves.
WatchesApr 16, 2026
Cartier Brings Back the RoadsterThe “watchmaker of shapes” debuted the reworked version of the vintage sports car-inspired timepiece at Watches & Wonders.
