A pink topaz Belle Époque pendant-brooch and a Victorian Egyptian Revival choker were also highlights at a recent Anderson & Garland sale.
‘Harsh’ prison sentences given in bribery case
Four diamond traders accused of bribing a grader in exchange for higher color grades on reports will spend up to two-and-a-half years behind bars.
Antwerp--The Correctional Court in Antwerp handed down “extremely harsh” sentences and levied “substantial fines” against four diamond traders accused of bribing a grader at HRD Antwerp to give their diamonds higher color grades than they deserved.
The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) announced the sentences via a press release circulated Monday titled “No mercy for those involved in certification fraud.”
On Tuesday, an AWDC spokesman said that the traders received up to 30 months in jail, 15 of which is effective immediately.
Although the AWDC is not releasing their names, the spokesman did reveal that three of the traders are from India--from Surat, Bhiwandi and Mumbai--and were managers of Belgian diamond companies. The fourth is from Sierra Leone.
The grader, whose name also is being withheld, received a “heavy” sentence as well, 18 months in jail, 9 of which is effective immediately, and a substantial fine in the case.
The AWDC did not have specific information on the amount of the fines. Judicial authorities in Antwerp could not immediately be reached for further comment on the case.
The HRD Antwerp grading bribery case dates back to March 2012, when news first surfaced that the lab fired a total of four graders for what it called at that time an “unprofessional act.”
That June, a total of four people--reported to be two diamond traders, an HRD employee and a “facilitator”--were arrested in connection with the case.
The AWDC said there is another firm allegedly involved in the case and that the public prosecutor in Antwerp is submitting an appeal to enable this firm to receive an “even heavier” sentence.
The Latest

The event, which will co-locate with the Monterey Bay Jade Festival, will bring education sessions focused on jade to the United States.

The charm is a celebration of springtime as April showers bring May flowers with the piece’s cluster of diamond raindrops.

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.


The 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.

Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

The multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.

The virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.

The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

Parent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.

Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

The educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.

The independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.

The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

The longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.