SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
TrendsMar 29, 2017
Jewelry Historian Details the First 50 Years of Picchiotti
Vivienne Becker has authored a book on the Italian jewelry brand in honor of its 50th anniversary.
The design of the ancient Roman amphitheater inspired Giuseppe Picchiotti when he was designing this round and baguette diamond ring featuring an unheated, untreated 8.05-carat Mozambican ruby center stone.
Basel, Switzerland--Jewelry company Giuseppe Picchiotti, started in the late 1960s, is marking its 50th anniversary this year with a retrospective of its most important pieces and a new book.
Jewelry historian and author Vivienne Becker penned “Picchiotti: The First Fifty Years” with Susan Jacques, president and CEO of the Gemological Institute of America, providing the forward.
On Saturday night in Basel, Picchiotti held a dinner and champagne toast for retailers and press to celebrate its milestone and the new 248-page book. 
Between the many courses, Becker, who also does the “How to Spend It” feature for The Financial Times, spoke about her experience in penning “The First Fifty Years” and in getting to know the family behind the jewelry brand that Giuseppe Picchiotti started in 1967.
Becker traveled to Valencia, Italy last May to meet the Picchiottis and research her book after being introduced to the brand by Joe Padulo.
“They plied me with a lot of good food and even better wine,” Becker joked about her trip to meet the Picchiotti family.
“I had a great time also looking through the design archives, which is something that I absolutely adore to do. I was able to trace the evolution of design since 1967 right through to today. It was really fascinating for me to chart that evolution and to see the innovation that Picchiotti was able to bring to our rather reserved industry in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s.”
In honor of its anniversary, Picchiotti also created one new piece marking the year 2017--the L’Anifiteatro ruby ring, which Becker described as “magnificent”--and assembled a retrospective of four pieces of work from over the decades.
The retrospective includes the Colonna Romana ruby and diamond necklace (pictured above) from the 1980s.
The L’Anifiteatro, meanwhile, is set with baguette-cut and round diamonds and centered by an unheated, untreated 8.05-carat Mozambican ruby.
Architecture of Ancient Rome informed the design of both of these pieces.
The necklace was inspired by Roman columns while baguette diamonds of the L’Anifiteatro were set to resemble the stands of an ancient Roman amphitheater surrounding the stage, which is represented by the ruby.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Trends
The Latest
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
CrimeOct 01, 2026
Police Looking for 4 Suspects in $600K Smash-and-Grab RobberyDubai Jewelers in Springfield, Virginia, was once again the target of an armed robbery.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
SurveysOct 01, 2026
Rolex Ranks Among Most Recommended Brands in US, Survey Says YouGov’s 2026 U.S. Most Recommended Brands report’s out, and a fast-fashion giant is sitting at No. 1 while Rolex is just shy of the top 5.
Weekly QuizOct 01, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingOct 01, 2026
Columbia Gem House Opens ‘Cutting Toward Change’ FundraiserProceeds from its jewelry raffle will benefit an organization working in India to combat silicosis, a lung disease affecting stone cutters.
TrendsOct 01, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: October’s Color Range This roundup of birthstone jewelry for October features vibrant tourmalines and opals with personality.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
SourcingSep 30, 2026
Botswana’s President, De Beers CEO Say Diamond Demand Is RecoveringPresident Duma Boko spoke at back-to-back events in the city last week, touting Botswana’s stability and the diamond “bounceback.”
CollectionsSep 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman’s Holiday Book Is ‘A Living Archive’ The catalog showcases 112 new, one-of-a-kind pieces amid highlights from the jeweler’s historic archive.
SourcingSep 30, 2026
Gemfields Posts $98.5M Loss, Writes Down Value of Ruby MineIts Montepuez Ruby Mining operation in Mozambique, which is not yielding enough high-quality rubies, has taken a $125 million hit.
SurveysSep 30, 2026
Consumer Confidence Falls to 12-Year Low in SeptemberThose surveyed were worried about the present and the future, with write-in responses mentioning high oil and gas prices.
Events & AwardsSep 30, 2026
Jewelers of America, JA New York to Host Networking EventThe event will take place on the evening of Oct. 26 in New York City.
IndependentsSep 29, 2026
Christy Bromberg, Longtime Gift Buyer for Underwood Jewelers, Dies at 68She is remembered for her joie de vivre, upbeat personality, genuine interest in other people, and love of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
AuctionsSep 29, 2026
Dionne Warwick’s Jewelry Goes Up for AuctionOnline bidding is open now for Julien’s sale of items owned by the “Walk On By” singer, whose final album comes out this fall.
Events & AwardsSep 29, 2026
Matt Stuller to Receive 2027 Gem Award for Lifetime AchievementThe founder and executive chairman of Stuller Inc. is being honored for his impact on the jewelry industry at the 25th annual Gem Awards.
ColumnistsSep 29, 2026
Your Holiday Marketing Has a Bridal Blind SpotDecember is the most popular month to propose, and jewelers need to keep that in mind when planning their holiday marketing.
AuctionsSep 29, 2026
If You Love Cats, This Jewelry Auction Is for YouCat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction Wednesday.
CollectionsSep 28, 2026
De Beers London Drops Water-Inspired High Jewelry Collection“Vibrations” features several firsts for De Beers’ high jewelry, including the use of chalcedony and diamonds sourced from artisanal miners.
CollectionsSep 28, 2026
Jessica McCormack Turns to Classic Motif for New CollectionThe “Bows” collection features three interpretations of the bow motif designed with Georgian and Victorian influences.
Events & AwardsSep 28, 2026
Guy Borenstein, Troy Underwood Among the Professionals Honored at AGS Conclave 2026The American Gem Society recognized industry members, one Guild, and a law enforcement official for their contributions to jewelry.
FinancialsSep 28, 2026
Instappraise, Jewelers Mutual Look to Simplify Jewelry InsuranceThrough a new system integration, customers can now receive instant personal jewelry insurance quotes at the time of appraisal.
WatchesSep 25, 2026
Smaller Rolex Watches Showing Strength on Secondary Market, Data ShowsFive of the 10 fastest-appreciating Rolex models on Bob’s Watches were Datejust 31 or Lady Datejust watches.
MajorsSep 25, 2026
Sherwood Family Buys Back Daniel’s Jewelers from Private EquityThe Sherwood family and AJS Creations CEO Tejas Shah purchased the jewelry chain back from Palladium Equity Partners.
Lab-GrownSep 25, 2026
Brilliant Earth Collabs with Elizabeth Taylor Estate on Jewelry Collection“The Elizabeth Taylor Collection” uses lab-grown diamonds and gemstones in contemporary designs inspired by the icon.
TrendsSep 25, 2026
A Peek at Taylor Swift’s Game-Day DiamondsThe artist wore Dana Rebecca Designs’ marquise diamond-set gold hoops at the Chiefs game last Sunday. Now they’re our Piece of the Week.
CrimeSep 24, 2026
From Conclave: Security Measures Jewelers Should Be TakingJSA and Jewelers Mutual shared advice on spotting suspicious behavior, combatting cell phone jammers, and staying safe at home.
