From tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.
Blockchain Provider Everledger Closes on $20M in Funding
The London-based tech company has developed blockchain platforms for both colored gemstones and diamonds.

London—Blockchain provider Everledger announced Tuesday that it has secured its first significant round of venture capital funding, $20 million backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd.
Based in Shenzhen, China, Tencent is a digital media and telecom conglomerate that’s one of the 10 biggest tech companies in the world by market cap, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Tencent now holds a seat on the Everledger board.
Also participating in the Series A round of funding were: Bloomberg Beta, Fidelity, Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten, and two venture capital firms, Graphene Ventures—whose investment portfolio includes Lyft and Snapchat—and Vickers Venture Partners.
The company offered its technology pro bono for the Moyo Gemstones pilot project in Tanzania, which aims to move the production of female miners in the Tanga region from mine to market.
RELATED CONTENT: State of the Diamond Industry—New Kids on the Block(chain)
The news that Everledger has completed its Series A funding comes less than a week after the company announced it was launching version 2.0 of its blockchain platform, and now has a partnership with Spanish jewelry manufacturer Facet, which launched a collection of blockchain-traced diamond jewelry, “DiamondByway.”
Everledger said it is the first collection of traceable jewelry in Europe.
In the wake of Tencent’s investment, Everledger said it plans to launch a program on WeChat—the Tencent-developed messaging (like WhatsApp), social media and payments app for the Chinese market—for blockchain-enabled diamonds that “aims to empower WeChat users to buy jewelry with more transparency and security.”
An Everledger spokesperson declined to share additional details on the WeChat Mini Program at this time.
The Latest

The “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.

The catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.

Launched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.

The chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”


The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.

Any gemstones on Stuller.com that were sourced by an AGTA vendor member will now bear the association’s logo.

Criminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.

The Swiss watchmaker has brought its latest immersive boutique to Atlanta, a city it described as “an epicenter of music and storytelling.”

The new addition will feature finished jewelry created using “consciously sourced” gemstones.

In his new column, Smith advises playing to your successor's strengths and resisting the urge to become a backseat driver.

The index fell to its lowest level since May 2014 amid concerns about the present and the future.

The new store in Aspen, Colorado, takes inspiration from a stately library for its intimate yet elevated interior design.

The brands’ high jewelry collections performed especially well last year despite a challenging environment.

The collection marks the first time GemFair’s artisanal diamonds will be brought directly to consumers.

The initial charts are for blue, teal, and green material, each grouped into three charts categorized as good, fine, and extra fine.

The new tool can assign the appropriate associate based on the client or appointment type and automate personalized text message follow-ups.

Buyers are expected to gravitate toward gemstones that have a little something special, just like last year.

Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.

The retailer operates more than 450 boutiques across 45 states, according to its website.

The new members’ skills span communications, business development, advocacy, and industry leadership.

The jeweler’s 2026 Valentine’s Day campaign, “Celebrating Love Stories Since 1837,” includes a short firm starring actress Adria Arjona.

Family-owned jewelry and watch retailer Deutsch & Deutsch has stores in El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.

The Italian luxury company purchased the nearly 200-year-old Swiss watch brand from Richemont.

Micro-set with hundreds of diamonds, these snowflake earrings recreate “winter’s most elegant silhouette,” and are our Piece of the Week.

Ella Blum was appointed to the newly created role.

Sponsored by RapNet























