The pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
DEF Names New Officers, Board
JCK’s Yancy Weinrich and Signet Jewelers’ Ed Hrabak are the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s new secretary and vice president, respectively.

New York--Signet Jewelers’ Ed Hrabak and JCK’s Yancy Weinrich have joined the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s leadership team.
Hrabak, chief operating officer at Signet, has been elected vice president of DEF, while Weinrich, group vice president at JCK, has been elected secretary.
Mercury Ring CEO Phyllis Bergman will continue as DEF president, while Rich Slomovitz, chief financial officer at Rush Communications, will remain treasurer.
New to the DEF board for 2016 are Kathy Corey of Day’s Jewelers, Beth Gerstein of Brilliant Earth, Eddie Le Vian of Le Vian Corp., Russell Mehta of Rosy Blue, Michael Pollak of Hyde Park Jewelers, and Susan Wicht of The Global Language Project.
Remaining on the board are Lita Asscher of Royal Asscher of America Inc., actress and philanthropist Nicola Breytenbach-Steiner, Peter Engel of Fred Meyer Jewelers, Rebecca Foerster of Leo Schachter Diamonds, Mike Kaplan of Rocket Redbox, Anna Martin of the GIA, Sally Morrison of the Diamond Producers Association, David Prager of the De Beers Group of Companies, Scott Rauch of SHR Jewelry, Bruno Sané of Rio Tinto Diamonds, Hedda Schupak of Centurion, Varda Shine, Elliot Tannenbaum of Leo Schachter Diamonds and Kent Wong Siu-Kee of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery.
The outgoing DEF board members are Cathy Calhoun, Meir Dalumi, Dylan Dix, DEF founding Executive Director Ellen Haddigan, Jean-Paul Tolkowsky and Jaci Wilson-Reid. They become members of the DEF advisory board.
“Maintaining a global, diverse and high-level board membership will help the Diamond Empowerment Fund continue to grow its mission of supporting initiatives that empower people in diamond communities and shining a light on the good that is done with diamonds,” said DEF co-founder Benjamin Chavis.
In additional news from DEF, its offices have been relocated to 85 Broad St., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10004.
The Latest

Julien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.

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.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.


Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.

The annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Seized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.

Rodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.

“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.

The AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.

The jewelry retailer plans to open 20 new stores this year and expand into new product categories.

Flower motifs are the jewelry trend blooming amongst the new collections that debuted this spring.

The retailer reported an 8 percent decline in annual sales as it struggles under the weight of billions of dollars of debt.

The “Devil” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week, are part of designer Edina Kiss’ new namesake jewelry line that she will show at Couture.

The alert states that burglary crews are targeting jewelry businesses and details how jewelers and refineries can protect themselves.

The “watchmaker of shapes” debuted the reworked version of the vintage sports car-inspired timepiece at Watches & Wonders.

As demand for jewelry retail coaching grows, the company has established a dedicated business coaching leadership team.

The “Mountings 2026-2027” catalog showcases Stuller’s largest and most diverse assortment to date with more than 400 new mounting styles.

Sally Morrison and Mark Klein discuss De Beers’ first beacon in 16 years and the mistake the industry made with lab-grown diamonds.

McKenzie spent 45 years with Spark Creations and is remembered for being kind, dedicated, and hardworking.

Rolex focused exclusively on the Oyster Perpetual this year, as the model is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The luxury giant discussed the Middle East conflict and its transformation plans, hinting at a stronger jewelry presence in North America.

“Diamond Divas,” a social media reality series by Shahla Karimi Jewelry, is nominated in the “Best Social: Fashion & Beauty” category.

Plus, how Saks Global’s bankruptcy affected the luxury giant’s first quarter.

Presented by Mason-Kay Jade, the summit, in its second year, will again be held during the Monterey Bay Jade Festival.





















