Our Pieces of the Week honor the 2026 nominees for the Gem Award for Jewelry Design, Silvia Furmanovich, Cece Fein-Hughes, and Catherine Sarr.
Alex Woo wants to help the honey bees too
The designer has partnered with the Platinum Guild International to launch her first platinum design, a limited edition beehive and honey bee pendant that will help support the “Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees” program.
Woo collaborated with Platinum Guild International and Emmy Award-winning costume designer Lyn Paolo, who currently works on ABC’s Scandal and the Showtime series Shameless and is a PGI platinum ambassador, to design the piece.
The limited edition pendant marks the designer’s first venture into platinum. It features a honey bee and beehive made in the metal as well as fancy vivid yellow diamond accents. It is priced at $1,898 and is being sold on Woo’s website.
It is the latest addition to Woo’s Little Activist collection, created to allow consumers a new way to express who they are and what they believe in.
Proceeds from the sale of the pendant will support the “Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees” program, which provides funds for honey bee research at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at the University of California, Davis, and to help maintain the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, a bee-friendly demonstration garden on the UC Davis campus.
RELATED CONTENT: The baubles and the bees
“All my designs are symbolic so it was such a pleasant surprise that Lyn and I both shared the same interest in helping save the honey bees,” Woo said. “This became our inspiration for our Little Activist Beehive. My fine jewelry collection is classic, personal, and wearable every day, so it was exciting to be creating this new pendant in platinum, as it still captures the essence of all my trademark Little Icons, but in a luxurious new way.”
RELATED CONTENT: Bee-ing helpful
Woo joins companies like Gumuchian and Maison Birks in creating fine jewelry lines to support research on the plight of the honey bee--how colonies are collapsing, hives are failing and bees are dying --and what can be done about the threat to this all-important insect.
The Latest

The 24-piece watch collection is set to debut in spring 2027.

Pooler, who has more than 25 years’ experience in jewelry, is now chief operating officer of Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and SNJ Creations.

Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.

The reopening of the Waldorf Astoria means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event, which will take place Saturday.


McCormack looked to the 19th century’s “golden age” of astronomy when designing her new celestial-themed collection.

Nelson will be honored as the inaugural grant winner at the Gem Awards gala on Friday.

With refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.

The new smart design software allows jewelers to configure, price, and confirm a custom engagement ring in real time for in-store customers.

The 10,000-square-foot diamond manufacturing facility officially opened in late February and employs 50 people.

The MJSA Education Foundation’s scholarships support students pursuing jewelry careers.

The largest white diamond to come to market in the U.K. in more than a decade, the VVS1, I-color stone is expected to top $1 million.

Skelly shares her plans for reimagining the fine jewelry retailer she re-acquired after it faltered last year.

The collection takes inspiration from the emotional space between people, moments, and experiences.

In 2026, the jewelry retailer is celebrating a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.

The group of jewelers held a jewelry raffle in support of the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

The jewelry giant released preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year on Monday, with final results slated to come next week.

The retailer also gave an update on its vendor partnerships.

The “Bloom” collection draws from the flower power movement of the 1960s and ‘70s with inlay pendants offered in eight colorways.

The unique piece was one of the custom works offered at the foundation's recent silent art auction, which garnered nearly $15,000 in total.

Awards were given to four students, one apprentice, and an emerging jeweler.

The top jewelry lot of the late model’s estate sale, hosted by John Moran Auctioneers, was an Oscar Heyman & Brothers for Cartier necklace.

Moses, who started at GIA’s Santa Monica lab in 1976, will leave the Gemological Institute of America in May.

Increased competition, falling lab-grown diamond and moissanite prices, and the rising cost of gold took a toll on the moissanite maker.

The earrings, our Piece of the Week, feature pink tourmalines as planets orbiting around an aquamarine center set in 18-karat rose gold.

“The Price of Freedom” campaign video for International Women’s Day confronts the quiet violence of financial control.

Also, a federal judge has ordered that companies that paid tariffs implemented under the IEEPA are entitled to refunds.






















