While the overall number of crimes was down, there were more incidences in which robbers pulled out guns, mace, or rammed cars into stores.
Niche Awards names 2015 design winners
Niche magazine has announced the winners of its awards for excellence in fine craftsmanship, including jewelry design.

Philadelphia--Niche magazine has announced the winners of its awards for excellence in fine craftsmanship, including jewelry design.
The publication revealed the winners during a ceremony held Jan. 17 at the Washington Convention Center in conjunction with the American Made Show.
The Niche Awards are presented in two divisions, professional and student. The professional division for jewelry covered eight categories: Alternative Materials, Fashion, Fine, Gold, Gold with Stones, Silver, Silver with Stones, and Wedding.
The winners in these categories are as follows.
--Wedding: Mary Lynn Podiluk of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, “Infinite Diamond Engagement Ring”
--Silver with Stones: “Higher Ground” necklace by Lynn Harrisberger of Virginia Beach, Va.
--Gold with Stones: “Geometric Geode Neckpiece” by Patricia Madeja of West Islip, N.Y.
--Silver: Alison Antelman of Berkeley, Calif. for the “Hanging Garden” necklace
--Gold: “Round Necklace” by Baiyang Qiu of Milpitas, Calif.
--Fine Jewelry: “Bracelete” by Rosario Garcia of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
--Fashion Jewelry: Greg Geyer of Santa Barbara, Calif. for the “Floral Study #5” pendant
--Alternative Metals: “Glamour Deluxe: Rust & Pearl” necklace by Jera Lodge of Cochranton, Pa.
The students who won were Lauriane Lognay from École de Joaillerie de Montréal, who won twice for her “Snake Ring” and “Rippana” necklace, and Melanie Fletcher of Fashion Institute of Technology for her “72nd Street” bracelet.
The Latest

Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry is closing its store inside the downtown shopping center after 40 years in business.

Reena Ahluwalia’s painting of the rare red diamond is the first contemporary painting to join the National Gem Collection.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.


Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.

The 11-piece “Medallions” capsule collection features five motifs: a crying eye, a heart on fire, a spiral, a flower, and a swallow.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.

Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.

NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.

José Gaztelu has been promoted to the role, which has been vacant since last year.

It has also opened the application period for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship through June 30.

The owner of the Ekati mine, which opened in 1998, has filed for insolvency protection amid the significant decline in diamond prices.

The company announced the change alongside its Q1 results, which showed that the jewelry brand’s year is off to a shaky start.

The retailer will cut 16 percent of its corporate workforce as part of its plan to exit bankruptcy.

Of the many examples used in the filming of “Le Mans,” this one is believed to have spent the most time on Steve McQueen’s wrist.

Megan Piccione dressed Lauren Wasser in layers of diamond jewelry, making her stand out in a crowd that included celebrities like Beyoncé.

Following decades of association leadership, the “semi-retired” colored gemstone expert is turning his focus to gemstone education.






















