Namibia has formally signed the Luanda Accord, while two key industry organizations pledged to join the Natural Diamond Council.
Jeffrey Bilgore named AGTA board president
During its annual elections, the AGTA selected Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC as the new president of its board. He succeeds Ruben Bindra.
Dallas--Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC was selected as the new president of the American Gem Trade Association’s board of directors during the organization’s annual elections.
Re-elected as directors to the board were Cynthia Renée of Cynthia Renee Inc. and Avi Raz of A&Z Pearls Inc., while Kusam Malhotra of K&K Int. and Jeff Mason of Mason-Kay Inc. were newly elected directors to the board. They will take office in February and serve three-year terms.
Continuing with their positions on the board are Gerry Manning as vice president, Pramod Agrawal as treasurer, and Bruce Bridges, Charles Carmona, William Heher, Gina Latendresse, Niveet Nagpal, Robert Van Wagoner, Simon Watt and Larry Woods as directors.
Ruben Bindra of B&B Fine Gems and Sushil Goyal of Liberty Gems Inc. will complete their board terms as president and director, respectively, by February.
The nominating committee for this year’s elections was chaired by Past President Benjamin Hackman, with committee members Bilgore, Raz, Neal Litman, Douglas Parker and Ray Zajicek.
The AGTA Board of Directors holds elections on a rotating cycle to guarantee coherence of the board’s long-term plans. The new board members will be introduced at the AGTA membership meeting, open to all AGTA members and scheduled for Feb. 5 at the AGTA GemFair in Tucson.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the post to which Jeffrey Bilgore has been elected. He will serve as the new president of the AGTA’s board of directors.
The Latest

Lady Gaga, Cardi B, and Karol G also went with diamond jewelry for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show honoring Puerto Rico.

Jewelry is expected to be the No. 1 gift this year in terms of dollars spent.

Launched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.

As star brand Gucci continues to struggle, the luxury titan plans to announce a new roadmap to return to growth.


The new category asks entrants for “exceptional” interpretations of the supplier’s 2026 color of the year, which is “Signature Red.”

The White House issued an official statement on the deal, which will eliminate tariffs on loose natural diamonds and gemstones from India.

Criminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.

Entries for the jewelry design competition will be accepted through March 20.

The Ohio jeweler’s new layout features a curated collection of brand boutiques to promote storytelling and host in-store events.

From heart motifs to pink pearls, Valentine’s Day is filled with jewelry imbued with love.

Prosecutors say the man attended arts and craft fairs claiming he was a third-generation jeweler who was a member of the Pueblo tribe.

New CEO Berta de Pablos-Barbier shared her priorities for the Danish jewelry company this year as part of its fourth-quarter results.

Our Piece of the Week picks are these bespoke rings the “Wuthering Heights” stars have been spotted wearing during the film’s press tour.

The introduction of platinum plating will reduce its reliance on silver amid volatile price swings, said Pandora.

It would be the third impairment charge in three years on De Beers Group, which continues to grapple with a “challenging” diamond market.

The Omaha jewelry store’s multi-million-dollar renovation is scheduled to begin in mid-May and take about six months.

The “Paradise Amethyst” collection focuses on amethyst, pink tourmaline, garnet, and 18-karat yellow gold beads.

The retailer credited its Roberto Coin campaign, in part, for boosting its North America sales.

Sherry Smith unpacks independent retailers’ January performance and gives tips for navigating the slow-growth year ahead.

From how to get an invoice paid to getting merchandise returned, JVC’s Sara Yood answers some complex questions.

Amethyst, the birthstone for February, is a gemstone to watch this year with its rich purple hue and affordable price point.

The Italian jewelry company appointed Matteo Cuelli to the newly created role.

The manufacturer said the changes are designed to improve speed, reliability, innovation, and service.

President Trump said he has reached a trade deal with India, which, when made official, will bring relief to the country’s diamond industry.

The designer’s latest collection takes inspiration from her classic designs, reimagining the motifs in new forms.

The watchmaker moved its U.S. headquarters to a space it said fosters creativity and forward-thinking solutions in Jersey City, New Jersey.




















