IndependentsOct 14, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Coleman and Mitchell ClarkFourth-generation jewelers Coleman and Mitchell Clark exemplify the best qualities of their predecessors: humility, modesty, and confidence.
AuctionsDec 01, 2020
Elvis TCB Ring Takes in More Than $400K at Auction
The buyer apparently couldn’t help falling in love with the bold, chunky piece.
Memphis, Tennessee jeweler Lowell Hays designed this 14-karat gold and diamond ring for Elvis Presley, who later gave it to one of his backup singers, J.D. Sumner. It sold for more than $400,000 at auction over the weekend.
Los Angeles—A buyer apparently couldn’t help falling in love with Elvis’ chunky and bold “Taking Care of Business” ring, setting a new world auction record for a ring once owned by the King.
The piece, auctioned as part of Kruse GWS Auctions’ sale of Hollywood and music memorabilia over the weekend, attracted 31 bids and ultimately pulled in $440,625.
That made it the highest grossing lot in the sale, and the most expensive ring once owned by Elvis Presley ever sold at auction. (The previous record belonged to a horseshoe-shaped ring that went for $204,800.)
Designed according to the singer’s specifications by jeweler Lowell Hays Jr., the 14-karat yellow gold piece features a 7.56-carat VS2 diamond center and diamond accents totaling 2.25 carats.
Just below the center stone are the diamond-set letters “T,” “C” and “B,” which stand for “Taking Care of Business,” the mantra Elvis adopted when he returned to the concert circuit in 1969.
The singer was known for giving away his jewelry.
He gifted this particular piece to friend and backup vocalist J.D. Sumner, lead singer of Sumner & The Stamps, on stage at a concert in Asheville, North Carolina in 1975.
Elvis can be heard in an audio clip from that concert telling the crowd the ring—the first of numerous “TCB” pieces—cost him $40,000, the equivalent of nearly $200,000 today.
Hays, who closed his Memphis, Tennessee jewelry store in 2005, was known as the official jeweler to the King. He also made a TCB necklace and a TLC, or “Tender Loving Care,” necklace.
GWS Auctions called this size 10 TCB ring “arguably the most significant and well-documented piece of Elvis’ jewelry on the planet,” noting that not even Graceland has “a piece of this magnitude.”
It said the ring has never been offered at auction or any kind of public sale.
Sumner, who died in 1998, kept it for years then gave it to Mike Moon, founder of the Elvis Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in the 1980s. It’s been in Moon’s collection ever since.
The piece, auctioned as part of Kruse GWS Auctions’ sale of Hollywood and music memorabilia over the weekend, attracted 31 bids and ultimately pulled in $440,625.
That made it the highest grossing lot in the sale, and the most expensive ring once owned by Elvis Presley ever sold at auction. (The previous record belonged to a horseshoe-shaped ring that went for $204,800.)
Designed according to the singer’s specifications by jeweler Lowell Hays Jr., the 14-karat yellow gold piece features a 7.56-carat VS2 diamond center and diamond accents totaling 2.25 carats.
Just below the center stone are the diamond-set letters “T,” “C” and “B,” which stand for “Taking Care of Business,” the mantra Elvis adopted when he returned to the concert circuit in 1969.
The singer was known for giving away his jewelry.
He gifted this particular piece to friend and backup vocalist J.D. Sumner, lead singer of Sumner & The Stamps, on stage at a concert in Asheville, North Carolina in 1975.
Elvis can be heard in an audio clip from that concert telling the crowd the ring—the first of numerous “TCB” pieces—cost him $40,000, the equivalent of nearly $200,000 today.
Hays, who closed his Memphis, Tennessee jewelry store in 2005, was known as the official jeweler to the King. He also made a TCB necklace and a TLC, or “Tender Loving Care,” necklace.
GWS Auctions called this size 10 TCB ring “arguably the most significant and well-documented piece of Elvis’ jewelry on the planet,” noting that not even Graceland has “a piece of this magnitude.”
It said the ring has never been offered at auction or any kind of public sale.
Sumner, who died in 1998, kept it for years then gave it to Mike Moon, founder of the Elvis Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in the 1980s. It’s been in Moon’s collection ever since.
This platinum ring set with 13 carats of diamonds was owned by actress Arlene Dahl, an MGM contract star in the 1950s. It sold for more than $9,000 at the recent “Artifacts of Hollywood & Music” auction.
Kruse GWS Auctions’ “Artifacts of Hollywood & Music” sale closed Saturday.
It featured more than 300 lots of music and movie star memorabilia, like a Louis Vuitton secretary trunk and antique typewriter Marilyn Monroe gifted her third husband, the playwright Arthur Miller, that sold for $51,200 and the late Robin Williams’ striped rainbow suspenders from “Mork & Mindy,” which sold for $2,375.
Other jewelry lots included a size 5 platinum ring owned by ’50s actress Arlene Dahl that features 13 total carats of round and baguette-cut F-G/VS1-VS2 diamonds set in a spiral shape. It sold for more than $9,000.
Muhammad Ali’s Omega watch engraved with “Ali 10/30/1974,” commemorating his victory over George Foreman at the famous “Rumble in the Jungle” event in 1974, went for more than $5,000.
A pair of Bulova watches that belonged to screen legend Greta Garbo sold for more than $1,200.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Auctions
The Latest
SourcingOct 14, 2026
Manuel Marcial de Gomar, ‘The Emerald Whisperer,’ Dies at 90The gem hunter, whose 70-year career was defined by adventure and exploration, is remembered for his steadfast faith and sense of wonder.
FinancialsOct 14, 2026
LVMH’s Jewelry Brands Turn in ‘Very Good’ Performance in Q3 Tiffany & Co. continued its full-scale store renovation project while Bulgari’s high jewelry collection generated “record-breaking revenue.”
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Events & AwardsOct 14, 2026
Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference Releases 2026 ProgramThis year’s sessions feature leading voices from human rights, legal, and conservation organizations.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsOct 13, 2026
David Webb Owner Purchases Lugano JewelryThe high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
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.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
CrimeOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
