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 Nielsen Study Shows Consumer Optimism Toward Jewelry
The survey showed Americans are becoming more optimistic about their financial futures and view precious jewelry as an important category.

Platinum Guild International USA commissioned the study, which was conducted by Nielsen IQ in four key global markets: the United States, mainland China, India and Japan.
In the U.S., Nielsen interviewed 500 consumers in February and early March this year.
While only 33 percent surveyed called current economic conditions “positive,” with 28 percent deeming them “neutral” and 39 percent “negative,” the survey showed higher expectations for economic conditions in the next three months.
More than half, or 53 percent, said they expected economic conditions in the next three months to “get better,” 26 percent said they expected them to “stay the same” and only 22 percent thought they would “get worse.”
When asked about their own financial situations, 46 percent indicated their current status was “positive,” 35 percent said “neutral,” and 19 percent said “negative.”
But again, respondents were optimistic about the coming three months, with 54 percent believing their personal financial situations would “get better,” 35 percent believing they would “stay the same” and only 10 percent indicating they thought they would “get worse.”
PGI USA shared several jewelry-specific insights from the study, such as over half of respondents indicating they were looking to purchase non-bridal jewelry in the next year.
Females age 18 to 45 are the most likely to buy themselves non-bridal jewelry, while males age 31 to 45 are the most likely to gift jewelry. Eight out of 10 respondents said they now feel comfortable shopping in-store.
Fine jewelry perception also proved to be positive.
Thirty-three percent of respondents “strongly agreed” that precious jewelry remains important for commemorating important occasions, while 43 percent “agreed,” 18 percent felt “neutral” toward the statement, 4 percent disagreed and 2 percent strongly disagreed.
Thirty-three percent of respondents also “strongly agreed” that precious jewelry is personally meaningful to them, with 39 percent “agreeing,” 20 percent saying they felt “neutral” toward the idea, 4 percent “disagreeing” and 3 percent “strongly disagreeing.”
When asked if they agreed with the statement: “Precious jewelry is a great purchase as it retains its value, which is important in today’s times,” 33 percent “strongly agreed,” 39 percent “agreed,” 19 percent said they felt “neutral” toward the statement, 7 percent “disagreed” and 3 percent “strongly disagreed.”
Lastly, 30 percent of American respondents said they “strongly agreed” that “precious jewelry signifies significant emotions and relationships that I cherish more than other luxury items.”
43 percent “agreed,” 18 percent felt “neutral,” 6 percent “disagreed” and 3 percent “strongly disagreed.”
The Latest

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.

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

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.

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

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.

The company also announced a new partnership with GemGuide and the pending launch of an education-focused membership program.

IGI is buying the colored gemstone grading laboratory through IGI USA, and AGL will continue to operate as its own brand.

The Texas jeweler said its team is “incredibly resilient” and thanked its community for showing support.

From cool-toned metal to ring stacks, Associate Editor Natalie Francisco highlights the jewelry trends she spotted at the Grammy Awards.

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the fact that the 2026 Olympics are taking place in two different cities.

The “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.

The catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.

The chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”

The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.


























