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.
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
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.
TrendsOct 02, 2026
Hearts On Fire Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Heart PendantThe special-edition “Dream” pendant, our Piece of the Week, was created to mark Hearts On Fire’s 30-year milestone with 30 diamonds.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
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.
Weekly QuizOct 01, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
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.
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.
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.
TrendsOct 01, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes’ Championship Ring Reveals Hidden Hockey Puck PendantThe rings, crafted by Jason of Beverly Hills, celebrate the hockey team’s Stanley Cup win with design elements that honor its traditions.
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.
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.
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.
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.
