The 23-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, set to headline Christie’s May jewelry auction, was expected to sell for as much as $50 million.
What you might have missed
The indictment of 17 individuals involved in smash-and-grab robberies and the increase in the number of jewelry companies consolidating or closing were the top stories last week.

New York--Here are the top five stories on NationalJeweler.com for the week of March 1 to 7, according to Google Analytics.
1. 17 individuals indicted in slate of smash-and-grabs
Members of a Detroit-based robbery crew who allegedly smashed display cases to steal Rolex watches from jewelry stores in six different states have been indicted.
2. Industry sees spike in business discontinuances
According to Jewelers Board of Trade data for 2014, the number of business discontinuances was up 32 percent to 1,010 in the United States and Canada last year. JBT President Dione Kenyon gives several explanations for the increase.
3. NC jeweler arrested for replacing stones with fakes
The owner of Custom Jewelers Gallery in Greensboro, N.C. faces two felony charges after allegedly replacing a diamond and two emeralds with simulants in the ring of one elderly customer who also used to be an employee of the store.
4. Christie’s gets sued by Elizabeth Taylor’s trust
The Sothern Trust, the trust for the late actress Elizabeth Taylor, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles against New York-based Christie’s Inc. for cancelling sales from the record-setting sale of her jewelry without good reason and not paying the trust for other items that were sold.
5. Diamond prices remain ‘under pressure’
According to Rapaport’s RapNet Diamond Index, polished diamond prices continued to fall in February even as the market did see an uptick for 1-carat stones.
The Latest

G.B. Heron Jewelers in Salisbury, Maryland, is set to close as its owner, Jeff Cassels, retires.

Emmanuel Raheb outlines the differences between the two platforms and posits that the most successful jewelers use both.

Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA

The miner said its April sale featured a mix of commercial-quality primary rubies and secondary rubies of varying quality.


U.S. customs agents in El Paso, Texas, intercepted the package, which would have been worth $9 million if the jewelry was genuine.

Health monitors become statement pieces when paired with the brand’s new collection of stackable diamond-studded bands.

Six new retail businesses were selected for the 2025 program, which began in January.

Ten organizations were selected this year.

Kim Carpenter and Sam Gevisenheit have joined the brand.

“Shell Auranova” is the next generation of the brand’s bridal line, featuring half-bezel engagement rings with bold and fluid designs.

Boucheron and Pomellato performed well in an otherwise bleak quarter for Kering amid struggles at Gucci.

Designer Deborah Meyers created her birds from oxidized sterling silver, rose-cut diamond eyes, and Akoya Keshi pearl feathers.

The company said it expects sightholders to remain “cautious” with their purchasing due to all the unknowns around the U.S. tariffs.

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

Simon Wolf shares why the time was right to open a new office here, what he looks for in a retail partner, and why he loves U.S. consumers.

A third-generation jeweler, Ginsberg worked at his family’s store, Ginsberg Jewelers, from 1948 until his retirement in 2019.

The company failed to file its quarterly reports in a timely manner.

The organization also announced its board of directors.

Charms may be tiny but with their small size comes endless layering possibilities, from bracelets to necklaces and earrings.

Located in Valenza, the now 355,000-square-foot facility includes a new jewelry school that’s open to the public, Scuola Bulgari.

Paola Sasplugas, co-founder of the Barcelona-based jewelry brand, received the Fine Jewelry Award.

A platinum Zenith-powered Daytona commissioned in the late ‘90s will headline Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in Geneva next month.

The basketball stars wear men’s jewelry from the “Curb Chain” collection.

The Signet Jewelers-owned retailer wants to encourage younger shoppers to wear fine jewelry every day, not just on special occasions.

The 21 pieces, all from a private collector, will be offered at its Magnificent Jewels auction next month.

Lilian Raji answers a question from a reader who is looking to grow her jewelry business but has a limited marketing budget.