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.
EditorsAug 04, 2014
De Beers down to 4 US stores
When I was wading through the De Beers Group’s first-half results recently, a paragraph about De Beers Diamond Jewellers, the retail chain De Beers operates in a 50/50 joint venture with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, stuck out to me.
After reading the report I, naturally, reached out to De Beers to ask about the status of the chain in the U.S., which some light Internet research revealed now consists of a total of four stores in the U.S. plus one in Vancouver, bringing the North American total to five.
Off the top of my head, I would have said that I thought De Beers had double, or more than double, that number of stores here at one point, as many as eight or possibly even 10.
As it turns out, my initial estimate was a bit low. National Jeweler’s archives show (and the company confirmed) that De Beers had 11 stores in the U.S. at one point.
They began opening in 2005, starting with Beverly Hills, Calif. and New York, before spreading to Las Vegas, Houston, Washington, Dallas, Honolulu, San Francisco, Costa Mesa, Calif., and Naples and Bal Harbour, Fla., which was its 11th location and opened in late 2008.
Today, all that’s left are the stores in New York, Houston, Costa Mesa and Naples.
What is ailing this chain, which once ranked No. 40 on our list of the Top 50 North American Retail Chains by store count, in the U.S.?
First and foremost, the U.S. is a saturated market where even already-well-established brands are having a tough time surviving today due to a number of factors, including Internet sellers and more competition for consumers’ luxury dollars. It makes sense for the chain to turn its attention to China, which is hungry for brands and boasts a growing population of consumers who want to spend their money on jewelry.
It also seems that the company can’t quite settle on an executive to lead the business here, which could be due to uncertainty from headquarters in London on where to take the chain in the U.S., failure to find somebody with the right vision or some combination of both.
Keeping track of who’s leading De Beers Diamond Jewellers in the U.S. is akin to following my friend Jill’s (not her real name) love life: New people that she touts as very promising always
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
are entering the picture only to depart a short time later but, perhaps, resurface at some point after she runs into them while buying sunglasses on the street in SoHo. Even as her friend, you feel as though you need a flow chart to understand whom she’s dating. But, I digress.
Alyce Alston came over from W magazine in 2005 to help De Beers and LVMH launch their joint retail venture here and she stayed with the company until March 2007 as the CEO of De Beers Diamond Jewellers North America.
After Alston left, Hamida Belkadi, who was the chain’s vice president of sales and marketing, stepped in briefly as acting CEO for a time but never officially took the position.
The chain functioned without an official U.S. CEO until early 2009, when Belkadi was named to the post. She stayed for almost two years, departing at the end of 2010.
After Belkadi left, Devon Pike came over from Juicy Couture to run the chain in mid-May 2011. (The hiring of Pike, incidentally, led to a lawsuit from a Hispanic executive who claimed that she was passed over for the CEO position in favor of a “less-qualified white woman.” The two parties eventually reached a confidential settlement in the case.)
Pike stayed until January 2014, when she departed to become president of Givenchy Couture U.S., also an LVMH brand.
Now the chain is headed by Sidonie Robert-Degove, who worked on Louis Vuitton and Berluti within LVMH before being name the general manager of De Beers Diamond Jewellers in Europe four years ago and, more recently, taking on responsibility for the U.S.
A spokeswoman for the chain said they have some “exciting plans” for De Beers Diamond Jewellers here but could not provide any more details. Whether or not those plans include opening more stores remains to be seen.
Alyce Alston came over from W magazine in 2005 to help De Beers and LVMH launch their joint retail venture here and she stayed with the company until March 2007 as the CEO of De Beers Diamond Jewellers North America.
After Alston left, Hamida Belkadi, who was the chain’s vice president of sales and marketing, stepped in briefly as acting CEO for a time but never officially took the position.
The chain functioned without an official U.S. CEO until early 2009, when Belkadi was named to the post. She stayed for almost two years, departing at the end of 2010.
After Belkadi left, Devon Pike came over from Juicy Couture to run the chain in mid-May 2011. (The hiring of Pike, incidentally, led to a lawsuit from a Hispanic executive who claimed that she was passed over for the CEO position in favor of a “less-qualified white woman.” The two parties eventually reached a confidential settlement in the case.)
Pike stayed until January 2014, when she departed to become president of Givenchy Couture U.S., also an LVMH brand.
Now the chain is headed by Sidonie Robert-Degove, who worked on Louis Vuitton and Berluti within LVMH before being name the general manager of De Beers Diamond Jewellers in Europe four years ago and, more recently, taking on responsibility for the U.S.
A spokeswoman for the chain said they have some “exciting plans” for De Beers Diamond Jewellers here but could not provide any more details. Whether or not those plans include opening more stores remains to be seen.
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.
