These nine individuals and brands are up for a Gem Award in the Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation categories.
Guy Bedarida Buys Majority Stake in Marina B.
John Hardy’s former creative director plans to build three tiers of product for the brand and boost distribution in the U.S.

New York--Italian jewelry brand Marina B., started by Marina Bulgari, third generation of the Bulgari family, is under new ownership.
Guy Bedarida, the former creative director at John Hardy who also worked at Van Cleef & Arpels and Boucheron, has taken a majority ownership stake in the luxury jewelry brand. The deal closed at the end of June.
He now also will serve as the creative director for Marina B.
Bedarida was the designer and creative director at John Hardy from 1998 to 2015, after which he sold his stake in the company.
He told National Jeweler that after he left that position, he was eager to return to the world of high jewelry. But, rather than starting his own business, he wanted to find a “sleeping beauty” to revamp, and was thrilled to discover the possibility that Marina B. was for sale.
She sold her brand in 1999 to Saudi Arabian sheik of Jeddah, Ahmed Fitaihi. A little more than a decade later, in 2010, it was again acquired by Paul Lubetsky, CEO of Windsor Jewelers, a buyer and seller of both estate and contemporary jewelry in New York.
Marina B. will be based in New York, with Bedarida spending his time among there, Asia and Italy.
Windsor Jewelers will retain a minority stake in the company and will collaborate on operational fronts to help manage the company in the United States, Bedarida said.
(Marina B. currently is seeking a president to run the day-to-day operations and a marketing executive.)
Bedarida said his goal will be to bring back classic Marina B. designs, inspired by more than 12,000 hand-drawn sketches that have been updated for the market, as well as creating new collections that keep in mind the brand’s DNA.
Its business strategy moving forward, he said, will include three tiers of product: one-of-a-kind high jewelry, the classic Marina B. collection and a wearable collection aimed at the millennial customer.
Price points will range from $8,000 up to $3 million.
The new ownership initially will focus on boosting distribution in the U.S. market
The first new lines of product will be available for spring and fall 2018.
Bedarida also said that “a flagship (retail location) in Italy will be soon a must,” as well as a buildup of the brand in Europe and the Middle East.
The Latest

The incident, which happened in Miami-Dade County, serves as a reminder to jewelers of the dangers of selling and storing jewelry at home.

GIA Analytical Microscopist John Koivula curated the collection of 2,665 crystals, gems, and minerals over a 60-year span.

With over 50 years experience in the trade, DSF Antique Jewelry offers quality, craftsmanship, condition, and remarkable variety.

The “Eclipse” collection, the brand’s first high jewelry line, centers its alligator motif in diamond and spinel jewels.


From a Betta fish brooch to a “dragon’s trove” of zircon eggs, here are seven pieces that’ve stuck with Associate Editor Lauren McLemore.

Jost goes on an epic journey, traversing rough seas and encountering a cyclops, to discover the perfect holiday gift.

With customization becoming more expected in engagement ring shopping, the Bridal Builder makes the process tangible.

Sponsored by GCAL by Sarine

From shrinking budgets to AI elves, here are five takeaways from holiday reports by Bain, Adobe, Mastercard, NRF, and insights from YouGov.

The designers combined their talents for Little Pet Portraits, hand-painted miniatures of our best friends set in a piece of jewelry.

Its non-bridal fine jewelry remains the star of the show, recently launching new collections inspired by Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Goodall.

“Joy: The Swarovski Musical” features Ariana Grande as the leading lady in scenes inspired by classic musical montages.

The lab will bring back its complimentary next-day service for some reports starting next week.

A Pennsylvania woman failed to declare a ring and a bracelet, discarding the boxes and receipts to conceal the purchases, officials said.

New collections and relevant marketing pushed the company forward, while Pandora’s lab-grown diamond sales continue to lag.

The citywide celebration, slated for Nov. 16-22, is set to host more than 175 events, including live jewelry-making demos.

Lanessa Elrod, former president and CEO of Louis Vuitton Americas, has stepped into the role as the retailer celebrates 125 years.

A replica of one of the most powerful objects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the glove is heading to auction next month in Abu Dhabi.

Klein, who had his own marketing agency and worked for Gabriel & Co. and Trans American Diamond, is remembered as a kind man.

To enter the giveaway, locals can purchase a featured beverage from one of eight participating restaurants in Houston and Austin, Texas.

The grant recipient will be awarded $50,000 as well as mentoring meetings with executives at David Yurman and other industry executives.

The winners include a non-NAJA member seeking training, a member beginning NAJA courses, and a member becoming a Certified Master Appraiser.

The rare jewel, which has links to Russia’s Romanov dynasty, is estimated to fetch up to $2 million.

It is one of several seizures of counterfeit jewelry and watches by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Louisville this year.

Jewelers of America announced the additions to its board of directors following its annual general meeting, held last week.

The jewelry collection supports Yamaguchi’s Always Dream foundation, which provides reading and educational resources to families in need.






















