GradingMar 06, 2026
Tom Moses Leaving GIA After Nearly 50 YearsMoses, who started at GIA’s Santa Monica lab in 1976, will leave the Gemological Institute of America in May.
EditorsOct 13, 2017
Helzberg, Harvey Weinstein and the Marchesa Mess
Helzberg Diamonds’ decision to halt the launch of the bridal line designed by Georgina Chapman caught many by surprise, though maybe it shouldn’t have.
Here is a sampling of the engagement rings in the Marchesa Radiant Star collection, which was supposed to launch this month at Helzberg Diamonds but since has been pulled following the scandal surrounding designer Georgina Chapman’s husband, movie producer Harvey Weinstein.
I didn’t think to take the initiative that The Hollywood Reporter did this week: Do a search on the Helzberg Diamonds website to see if it was still selling the new line of bridal jewelry from Marchesa, the fashion label co-founded by Georgina Chapman.
I didn’t see a need to; after all, even though news broke that her husband, Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, has been acting like a disgusting pig for decades, that’s not Chapman’s fault.
And she announced almost immediately that she was leaving him and spoke out in support of the victims. And, besides, how many people would really connect the two anyway?
So I was surprised--though I have no idea why anything surprises me anymore--when Cheryl Kremkow, a longtime colleague, tweeted this on Wednesday: “More fallout from the Weinstein scandal: @Helzberg quietly drops new Marquesa [sic] Radiant Star engagement collection,” with a link to the THR story.
We followed up with our own story on Wednesday, which has already shot to the top of the most-read list on our website and generated some debate over Helzberg’s decision that is not unlike the larger debate going on about the Marchesa brand as a whole.
There are numerous reports about how Weinstein wielded his influence to help build Marchesa (when he wasn’t busy grabbing, he reportedly was goading actresses into wearing his wife’s designs) so, some argue, Helzberg’s decision is more about distancing itself from anything Weinstein touched than it is about punishing his wife.
Others might argue that Helzberg just wanted to extricate its name from the whole mess entirely and made the right business decision in doing so.
But, in the end, what Weinstein did is not Chapman’s fault, and it’s not fair for the brand she built with Marchesa co-founder Keren Craig to suffer on account of Weinstein’s actions (though she certainly isn’t the first woman in history to endure professional fallout due to her husband’s personal decisions).
One of the readers who remarked on the story, Antoinette Matlins, made a number of comments that are particularly poignant and worth reading. Among them, she noted that at the end of the day, we really have no idea what went on behind closed doors between Chapman and Weinstein--what their day-to-day life was like, what she knew and/or chose to believe, and what kind of power he held over her.
“By dropping her line, she becomes
all the more a victim, one that must also now worry not only about her personal life, but about how she will be able to move forward in her professional life,” Matlins wrote, and she’s right.
Another reader, Jay, quoted country singer Charlie Rich’s 1973 song that goes, “We never know what goes on behind closed doors.”
For me, the situation reminds me of a different song, “Ten Thousand Words” by The Avett Brothers: “Ain’t it like most people?/I’m no different/We love to talk on things we don’t know about.”
I think a second point to be made here certainly will not ignite the same kind of emotions as the above discussion (hopefully) will, but it’s still a very valid point and worth mentioning: Would that many consumers really have made the connection between Marchesa/Chapman and Weinstein if Helzberg had quietly kept the line instead of quietly dropping it?
While I would not consider myself to be a pop culture junkie, I feel like I’m pretty up on what goes on in Hollywood--I like going to the movies and watch my fair share of shows on Hulu and Netflix and, just by nature of my job, I’m online constantly so I absorb a lot of information, some of it more useful than others.
Yet I had no idea that the woman behind Marchesa has been married to Weinstein for the past decade, and I would bet that a lot of other people didn’t know that either. (Side note: If you Google “Georgina Chapman,” three of the results on the first page are all along the lines of “Who is Georgina Chapman?”)
But now they do. And now they know Helzberg Diamonds as a company that dropped her brand in the wake of the Weinstein scandal. For a lot of women, that sends the wrong message.
Another reader, Jay, quoted country singer Charlie Rich’s 1973 song that goes, “We never know what goes on behind closed doors.”
For me, the situation reminds me of a different song, “Ten Thousand Words” by The Avett Brothers: “Ain’t it like most people?/I’m no different/We love to talk on things we don’t know about.”
**************
I think a second point to be made here certainly will not ignite the same kind of emotions as the above discussion (hopefully) will, but it’s still a very valid point and worth mentioning: Would that many consumers really have made the connection between Marchesa/Chapman and Weinstein if Helzberg had quietly kept the line instead of quietly dropping it?
While I would not consider myself to be a pop culture junkie, I feel like I’m pretty up on what goes on in Hollywood--I like going to the movies and watch my fair share of shows on Hulu and Netflix and, just by nature of my job, I’m online constantly so I absorb a lot of information, some of it more useful than others.
Yet I had no idea that the woman behind Marchesa has been married to Weinstein for the past decade, and I would bet that a lot of other people didn’t know that either. (Side note: If you Google “Georgina Chapman,” three of the results on the first page are all along the lines of “Who is Georgina Chapman?”)
But now they do. And now they know Helzberg Diamonds as a company that dropped her brand in the wake of the Weinstein scandal. For a lot of women, that sends the wrong message.
More on Editors
The Latest
Lab-GrownMar 06, 2026
Charles & Colvard Files for Bankruptcy, Citing Price PressuresIncreased competition, falling lab-grown diamond and moissanite prices, and the rising cost of gold took a toll on the moissanite maker.
CollectionsMar 06, 2026
Zome’s ‘Solara’ Earrings Embody Celestial BeautyThe earrings, our Piece of the Week, feature pink tourmalines as planets orbiting around an aquamarine center set in 18-karat rose gold.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
MajorsMar 06, 2026
Pomellato’s 2026 IWD Campaign Spotlights Economic Abuse“The Price of Freedom” campaign video for International Women’s Day confronts the quiet violence of financial control.
Weekly QuizMar 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Policies & IssuesMar 05, 2026
Tariffs to Increase to 15% This Week, Treasury Secretary Says Also, a federal judge has ordered that companies that paid tariffs implemented under the IEEPA are entitled to refunds.
CollectionsMar 05, 2026
Common Era Honors ‘Difficult Women’ in CollectionThe ever-growing collection, which just expanded with the addition of Olga of Kyiv, features cameos of 12 women from history.
Brought to you by
DCA Enters a New Chapter in Jewelry EducationWith refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.
TrendsMar 05, 2026
Engagement Ring Trends 2026: What’s In, and WhyWe asked a jewelry historian, designer, bridal director, and wedding expert what’s trending in engagement rings. Here’s what they said.
Events & AwardsMar 05, 2026
AGS Announces Conclave 2026 Speaker LineupThe annual event will be held in Orlando, Florida, from Sept. 14-17.
TrendsMar 05, 2026
Caitríona Balfe Fronts Only Natural Diamonds CoverThe “Outlander” star modeled for the digital cover of the magazine’s spring issue, which features a story on her relationship with jewelry.
MajorsMar 05, 2026
Registration Opens for CIBJO Centenary CongressThis year’s annual congress, which will mark the confederation’s 100th anniversary, will take place this fall in Italy.
MajorsMar 04, 2026
Michael M Opens First StoreBeverly Hills was chosen as the location for the brand’s first store, designed as a “private residence for modern monarchs.”
Policies & IssuesMar 04, 2026
Luxury Brands Temporarily Shutter Middle East StoresKering, Apple, and other retailers have reportedly temporarily closed stores in the Middle East region in light of the recent conflicts.
Events & AwardsMar 04, 2026
JIS Miami Spring Show to Feature New Gifts Pavilion, Pop-Up Trends TalksNearly half of buyers are prioritizing silver and fashion collections this season, organizers said.
TrendsMar 04, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Rides Free In Year of the Horse CampaignThe “Live Now. Polish Later.” campaign features equestrians wearing the brand’s jewels while galloping across the icy plains of Kazakhstan.
MajorsMar 04, 2026
LeachGarner Names New Brand DirectorThe precious metals provider has promoted Jennifer Ashworth to the role.
Events & AwardsMar 03, 2026
Johnny Nelson Wins David Yurman Gem Awards GrantNelson will be honored as the inaugural grant winner at the Gem Awards gala on March 13.
SourcingMar 03, 2026
7 Trends That Could Define the Diamond Industry’s FutureExperts from India weigh in the politics, policies, and market dynamics for diamantaires to monitor in 2026 and beyond.
MajorsMar 03, 2026
Swiss Refiner Completes Acquisition of Gannon & ScottThe American precious metals refiner’s day-to-day operations remain the same post-acquisition.
TrendsMar 03, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: AquatopiaThese aquamarine jewels channel the calming energy of the March birthstone.
Events & AwardsMar 03, 2026
AGTA Adds Another New Category for SpectrumThe “Innovative Design” category and award will debut in the Spectrum division of this year’s AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards.
SurveysMar 02, 2026
Consumer Confidence Edges Up in FebruaryConsumers were somewhat less worried about the future, though concerns about rising prices and politics remained.
Events & AwardsMar 02, 2026
JVC to Honor Rebecca Foerster at Annual LuncheonFoerster is this year’s Stanley Schechter Award recipient.
Events & AwardsMar 02, 2026
JFC Names 2026 ‘Facets’ Honorees Sponsorships and tickets to the annual fundraising event, set for May 31, are available now.
CrimeFeb 27, 2026
Man Charged in Murders of Father, Son Jewelers in ChicagoChicago police and members of the U.S. Marshals Service tracked down the 35-year-old suspect earlier this week in St. Louis.
SourcingFeb 27, 2026
South African Diamond Mine Closes Amid Search for Missing WorkersOwners of the Ekapa Mine reportedly filed for liquidation about a week after a mudslide trapped five workers who have yet to be found.
