CrimeJan 02, 2025
Rolex Sale That Went South Led to Murder of Florida Jeweler, Report SaysJeweler Anthony D’Amore was found dead inside his office Dec. 23, marking the fourth jeweler killed on the job in 2024, according to JSA.
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
WatchesJan 02, 2025
Ben Bridge Opens Tudor Boutique in HonoluluThe opening marks Tudor’s first location in Hawaii.
SourcingJan 02, 2025
Gemfields Resumes Ruby Mining in MozambiqueThe miner temporarily halted operations on Dec. 24 following an invasion at the mine.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Celebrates "Forever Present" Holiday CampaignA Diamond is Forever hosted a holiday celebration in honor of their new marketing campaign, ‘Forever Present.’
TrendsJan 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: New Year, New Jewels Set the tone for 2025 and commemorate the year gone by with glamorous jewelry fit for celebration.
Weekly QuizDec 27, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsDec 30, 2024
In Memoriam: Jewelry Industry Leaders and Innovators We Lost in 2024From groundbreaking designers to dedicated retailers, National Jeweler pays tribute to the colleagues we bid farewell to this year.
MajorsDec 30, 2024
Saks Global Finalizes Acquisition of Neiman MarcusThe retailer’s portfolio now includes Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Saks Off 5th.
Brought to you by
De Beers Group Launches Holiday Campaign for Natural Diamonds‘Forever Present’ campaign revives the iconic A Diamond is Forever tagline and celebrates the diamond dream.
Events & AwardsDec 30, 2024
Registration Now Open for JIS Spring 2025The jewelry trade show is set for March 9-11 in Miami.
IndependentsDec 30, 2024
MJSA Elects New Board ChairEdward N. DeCristofaro, who served as MJSA’s board chair from 2012 to 2014, is returning to the role.
MajorsDec 27, 2024
Buccellati to Expand Workforce by 500 Employees Over Next Three YearsThe Richemont-owned company is investing in its jewelry production and watchmaking workshops.
SourcingDec 27, 2024
IDCA Announces 2025 Board MembersManoj Bhandari, a principal of RMC Gems Inc., is the new president of the Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association.
Events & AwardsDec 27, 2024
18 Designers Graduate from WJA’s Jewelry Loupe ProjectThe designers participated in a six-month business development and mentorship program to develop and launch their jewelry collections.
MajorsDec 24, 2024
Nordstrom Family, Partner to Take Retailer Private in $6B DealMembers of the founding family have partnered with Mexican retail company El Puerto de Liverpool to acquire Nordstrom.
MajorsDec 24, 2024
Boucheron Bets on Las VegasThe brand has opened its second U.S. location in the Fontainebleau resort and casino.
SourcingDec 24, 2024
Gemfields to Temporarily Suspend Emerald MiningThe move is one of several cost-cutting measures outlined by the company as it faces a weaker luxury market and other challenges.
IndependentsDec 23, 2024
Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey Stars in The 1916 Company’s New CampaignThe retailer’s “On the Clock” campaign celebrates how time, precision, and purpose come together.
GradingDec 23, 2024
GIA Adds Filler Identification to Emerald ReportsLab clients have the option to request this addition on their emerald reports.
Events & AwardsDec 20, 2024
Two Participants Complete Inaugural Ella Klein InternshipJamie Dunton and Gabriella Botelho are the first graduates of the program, created by the WJA Foundation and Julius Klein Diamonds.
CollectionsDec 20, 2024
Piece of the Week: Retrouvaí’s Ring for CharityIn the spirit of giving, Retrouvaí will donate $4,000 from the sale of this ring to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
IndependentsDec 19, 2024
Michigan’s DeVries Jewelers Unveils New Location in Time for the HolidaysCo-owner Dan DeVries shared what it’s like moving into a space triple the size of its old store and how it feels to be a “real jeweler” now.
CollectionsDec 19, 2024
State Property Transforms Spain’s Generalife Gardens into JewelryAlong with the latest “Gardens” collection, the brand has released limited-edition designs offering more indulgent pieces.
CrimeDec 19, 2024
Alleged Jewelry Thieves Attempt Rowboat EscapeThe man and woman are accused of stealing jewelry from a shipping container then trying to flee by paddling a small boat out into a bay.
SourcingDec 19, 2024
The Second-Largest Diamond Ever Found Now Has a Name The 2,488-carat diamond recovered from a mine in Botswana has been dubbed “Motswedi” while its 1,094-carat sibling is “Seriti.”
SourcingDec 19, 2024
Gemfields Reports Record Ruby Auction Results Despite Challenges at SourceThe average price per carat hit a record high for the miner, which said it remains unaffected by the conflict in Mozambique.
AuctionsDec 18, 2024
Alexandrite Ring Sells for Record-Setting $1.9M at Sotheby’sThe nearly 17-carat stone made history for the color-change gem that, according to the auction house, is experiencing a “notable surge” in the market.
WatchesDec 18, 2024
Historic Titanic Pocket Watch Winds Its Way Back to Tiffany & Co. More than a century after survivors gifted a Tiffany timepiece to the captain of the ship that rescued them, the jeweler has reclaimed it.
