Carlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in the 2024 murder of Hussein “Sam” Murray.
5 good reads for September
A book by a jeweler-turned-author James Alperin, of James Alperin Jewelers in Pepper Pike, Ohio, topped National Jeweler’s list of literary leads for the month of September.

New York--This month’s list of new releases includes the self-published debut novel of a man that has spent decades in the jewelry industry, James Alperin, who owns a jewelry store in Pepper Pike, Ohio.
Alperin, who also is a columnist for National Jeweler, just published The Moscow Team, a romance/adventure novel that takes place, in part, at one very well-known industry trade show. It is the third novel penned by the very prolific retailer, but the first one he has made available to the general public.
In addition to Alperin’s book, National Jeweler picked three books from GoodReads’ list of new releases for September that could be beneficial to business owners and tacked on a selection from one of its editors.
Here are five new, potentially good reads for the month of September.
1) The Moscow Team
James Alperin
Self-published by Pepper Pike, Ohio jeweler James Alperin (James Alperin Jewelers), The Moscow Team is a story about a love affair between two CIA agents who are separated by distance and their industry, where their love is forbidden. After decades apart, they reunite to help bring down a Russian arms dealer who is laundering money through one of the world’s largest diamond wholesale businesses. The Baselworld show makes a cameo in Alperin’s book, which is available for purchase in the CreateSpace e-store. It is 396 pages.
2) Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Elizabeth Gilbert
The Eat, Pray, Love author has a new book out that may be helpful to jewelry designers or anyone else in the industry looking for an artistic spark. In Big Magic, Gilbert draws from her own process of creation to discuss the attitudes, approaches and habits people need to live their most creative lives. This book is 288 pages.
3) The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science is Still a Boys’ Club
Eileen Pollack
Lacking confidence and mentors, Pollack long ago abandoned her dream of becoming a theoretical physicist, even after earning a degree from Yale. Years later, the oft-published novelist and essayist has come back to ask the question: Why are there still so few women employed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics? This book is 288 pages.
4) Fates and Furies
Lauren Groff
Groff’s latest novel details the ups and downs of one union central to society and very familiar to jewelers--marriage. Starting when the two main characters, Lotto
5) Editor’s Pick: The Year of Magical Thinking
Joan Didion
Selected by: Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff
It’s hard to believe I got to be 36 years old (nearly 37, in fact) without ever having picked up a book written by Didion but, somehow, it happened. The Year of Magical Thinking is a beautifully crafted, insightful portrait of one woman’s grief, penned in the year following the death of Didion’s husband and constant companion of four decades, John Gregory Dunne. I dare you to read this and not dive into Blue Nights immediately afterward.
The Latest

Yood will serve alongside Eduard Stefanescu, the sustainability manager for C.Hafner, a precious metals refiner in Germany.

The New Orleans jeweler is also hosting pop-up jewelry boutiques in New York City and Dallas.

How Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.

Set in a Tiffany & Co. necklace, it sold for $4.2 million, the highest price and price per carat paid for a Paraíba tourmaline at auction.


The jeweler’s “Deep Freeze” display showcases its iconic jewelry designs frozen in a vintage icebox.

Take luxury gifting to new heights this holiday season with the jeweler’s showstopping 12-carat sphene ring.

Roseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.

This year's theme is “Unveiling the Depths of the Ocean.”

In its annual report, Pinterest noted an increase in searches for brooches, heirloom jewelry, and ‘80s luxury.

Starting Jan. 1, customers can request the service for opal, peridot, and demantoid garnet.

The 111-year-old retailer celebrated the opening of its new location in Salem, New Hampshire, which is its third store in the state.

The new catalog features its most popular chains as well as new styles.

The filmmaker’s personal F.P. Journe “FFC” prototype was the star of Phillips’ recent record-setting watch auction in New York.

The new location in the Design District pays homage to Miami’s Art Deco heritage and its connection to the ocean.

Inflations, tariffs, and politics—including the government shutdown—were among consumers’ top concerns last month.

“Longtime favorite” presenters, as well as first-time speakers, will lead talks and workshops at the annual event in Tucson next year.

Silas Smith of Meridian Metalworks won the challenge with his pendant that blends Australian and American landscapes.

The sale of the 31.68-carat, sunset-hued stone was part of Sotheby’s first series of events and auctions in Abu Dhabi.

Most customers who walk into your store this month have made up their minds. Your job is to validate their choice, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

The collection features characters and motifs from Ukrainian folklore, including an enchanted mirror and a magic egg.

MatrixGold 3.11, the newest version of the jewelry design program, offers more flexibility, precision, and creative control.

The pavilion will be part of the 2026 JA New York Spring show, scheduled for March 15 to 17.

Kadet, a 1994 National Jeweler Retailer Hall of Fame inductee, helped grow the family-owned retailer in the Chicago area and beyond.

Billed as the world’s smallest wearable, Lumia Health’s new smart earrings have a health tracker subtly embedded in the back.

Don’t let those with December birthdays feel blue. Help them celebrate their month with blue zircon, turquoise, and tanzanite.

The new pink sapphire version of the piece dances with its wearer in the brand’s “Icons After Dark” holiday campaign.



















