ColumnistsMay 26, 2026
The Key Mindset for Better Trade Show BuyingBuying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.
OtherFeb 25, 2016
For new campaign, Gemfields roughs it
Gemfields has a new advertising campaign and emerald-focused tome, and the colored gemstone miner celebrated both amid the snow Monday at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.
Gemfields ambassador and actress Mila Kunis is featured in her second campaign for the colored gemstone mining company. Shot by Peter Lindbergh, the photos feature Kunis in a natural state, sans makeup.
New York--Gemfields has a new advertising campaign and emerald-focused tome, and the colored gemstone miner celebrated both amid the snow Monday at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.
Shot by portrait photographer Peter Lindbergh, the advertising campaign is the second for the London-based mining company, which mines emeralds and amethysts in Zambia along with rubies in Mozambique. The company has said it will hold its first ruby auction this year.
As the first did, the ad campaign features actress and Gemfields ambassador Mila Kunis, who was in attendance at Monday night’s fête.
The mining company announced Kunis as its ambassador in early 2013, and the actress, who got her start on That 70s Show, voices Meg on Family Guy and won a Golden Globe for Black Swan, traveled to Gemfields’ emerald mine in Zambia later that year.
The theme of the new campaign, a follow-up to the first that featured Kunis in finished, polished gemstone jewelry, is “Beauty by nature.” It was shot in black and white, with the actress wearing no makeup and images of rough emeralds, rubies and amethysts superimposed on the edges.
A London-based mining company with operations in Africa, Gemfields has said publicly that its goal is to become, essentially, the De Beers of emeralds: create a stable market for the colored gemstone and enhance its image worldwide.
The miner, however, ran into a roadblock in 2013 when issues with the Zambian government resulted in Gemfields not holding any auctions of rough emeralds outside the country as planned. This caused the mining company to hold one less auction in 2013 and, ultimately, to see a drop in both sales and profits for the year.
Gemfields next emerald auction is scheduled for Feb. 21 to 25 in Lusaka, Zambia. It was not immediately clear if the mining company would be holding all its auctions in Zambia going forward.
In addition to its new advertising campaign, Gemfields on Monday also marked the release of a hardcover coffee-table book, simply titled Emerald. It was authored by jewelry expert Joanna Hardy and writer Jonathan Self, with a preface by Vogue Italia Editor Franca Sozzani and introduction by British author Hettie Judah.
On the book’s cover is a suite of emerald jewelry owned by Mary-Louise, Archduchess of Austria, the second wife of Napoleon I.
The 272-page book, which retails for $125 and is available wherever
fine books are sold, takes readers through the history of the gemstone, and Hardy gave a quick recap of the same in a presentation given to a select group of journalists, and Kunis, prior to the party.
The gemologist took the class back to ancient Egypt, where the emeralds were mined in what later came to be called Cleopatra’s Mines--after the famous Queen of the Nile who loved her gemstones-- and then to Colombia.
The South American country is known for producing the finest emeralds in the world in terms of color and remains the world’s top producer of the gemstone today. According to Hardy’s presentation, 38 percent of emeralds come from Colombia, 29 percent from Zambia, where Gemfields mines, 23 percent from Brazil and 10 percent from other countries.
Hardy also gave a brief overview of the mineral composition of emeralds during her presentation.
A variety of beryl, emeralds are beryllium aluminum silicate, with chromium, vanadium and iron coming together in varying levels to give them their green hue. They rank 7.5 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, below corundum (rubies, sapphires, etc.) at 9, and the hardest substance on earth, diamond, which is 10.
Editor's note: This story was updated to include information from Gemfields about their emerald auctions.
More on Other
The Latest
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
12 JCK Talks Sessions to Add to Your Las Vegas ScheduleThe trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
CBG Brings Its Curated Designer Project to Las Vegas ShowThe Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
TrendsMay 26, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: A Cooldown Is ComingBring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
SourcingMay 21, 2026
Botswana, Angola Join WFDBThe addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2026
Here Are the 2026 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.
AuctionsMay 15, 2026
American Collector Ponies Up Almost $17K for John Wayne’s RingThe Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.
