SurveysJan 30, 2026
These Are the Top Brands of 2026, Says YouGovFrom tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.
GradingMay 11, 2016
Stuller acquires De Beers’ melee screener
Sightholder and supplier Stuller Inc. is one of two United States companies now using De Beers’ Automated Melee Screening device, which is designed to tell small lab-grown diamonds from natural ones.
Stanley Zale, Stuller’s vice president of diamonds and gemstones, said Monday that the company purchased one of the machines and received it two weeks ago. While Stuller did consider using the machine to test stones for their retail customers, the company has opted to use it only for its own inventory.
Stuller began running melee through the AMS device right away and, so far, hasn’t found a single lab-grown diamond among the thousands of stones it’s scanned, Zale says.
He says the same is true for the HRD D-screening the company has been doing for years on diamonds 20 points and larger to check for synthetics. This process allows Stuller to detect if a diamond is Type IIa, which is rare in nature but common among lab-grown diamonds, and send it to a grading laboratory for further testing if so.
To date, none of those diamonds have come back as lab-grown either, though Zale says having the HRD D-screening and AMS device are necessary today. “This is an insurance policy for the integrity of our business,” he says.
RELATED CONTENT: De Beers deploys first wave of melee screeners
De Beers began deploying its AMS device in early July to sightholders around the world. Mumbai-based Kiran Gems along with Tasaki and Rosy Blue in Japan are among those companies using the machine. De Beers could not release the name of the second U.S. company to have one of the AMS devices by press time.
The AMS device screens stones between 1 point (1.3 mm) and 20 points (3.8 mm) in size, automatically feeding the stones table-down into a testing station and then dispensing them into separate bins indicating if they pass (are natural diamonds), need further testing, or are not diamonds at all.
It takes up to 500 carats of colorless or near-colorless melee at a time and scans one stone every 10 seconds. The cost of the AMS device, which can be left to run
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
unattended, is $55,000 plus a three-year, $10,000-a-year support and maintenance charge, according to De Beers.
Stanley said in receiving the machine from De Beers, Stuller also receiving a set of statistical sampling guidelines for testing melee--i.e., for every “X” number of carats of melee, run “X” percentage through the machine--noting, “You cannot check every stone. It’s not reasonable. It’s not realistic.”
More on Grading
The Latest
CollectionsJan 30, 2026
Follow the Beat With Etiq’s ‘Khol’ RingThe “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.
MajorsJan 30, 2026
Arch Crown’s 2026 ‘Tag & Label’ Catalog Is HereThe catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
CollectionsJan 29, 2026
Ghirardelli’s ‘Chocolocket’ Returns for Valentine’s DayThe chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”
Weekly QuizJan 29, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsJan 29, 2026
These Were Bonhams’ Top 10 Jewelry Lots in 2025The 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.
SourcingJan 29, 2026
Stuller Website to Mark AGTA-Sourced GemstonesAny gemstones on Stuller.com that were sourced by an AGTA vendor member will now bear the association’s logo.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
WatchesJan 29, 2026
Audemars Piguet Opens AP House in AtlantaThe Swiss watchmaker has brought its latest immersive boutique to Atlanta, a city it described as “an epicenter of music and storytelling.”
SourcingJan 28, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair to Debut Designer Showcase in TucsonThe new addition will feature finished jewelry created using “consciously sourced” gemstones.
ColumnistsJan 28, 2026
Peter Smith: Setting the Next Generation Up for SuccessIn his new column, Smith advises playing to your successor's strengths and resisting the urge to become a backseat driver.
SurveysJan 28, 2026
Consumer Confidence Falls Below Pandemic Lows in JanuaryThe index fell to its lowest level since May 2014 amid concerns about the present and the future.
IndependentsJan 28, 2026
Foundrae Heads to Aspen for Latest Store OpeningThe new store in Aspen, Colorado, takes inspiration from a stately library for its intimate yet elevated interior design.
FinancialsJan 28, 2026
Tiffany & Co., Bulgari Sales Resilient as LVMH’s 2025 Sales SlipThe brands’ high jewelry collections performed especially well last year despite a challenging environment.
CollectionsJan 27, 2026
De Beers London, GemFair Debut New Collection Highlighting Artisanal DiamondsThe collection marks the first time GemFair’s artisanal diamonds will be brought directly to consumers.
SourcingJan 27, 2026
GemGuide Launches Pricing for Montana SapphiresThe initial charts are for blue, teal, and green material, each grouped into three charts categorized as good, fine, and extra fine.
TechnologyJan 27, 2026
Clientbook Launches Appointment Booking ToolThe new tool can assign the appropriate associate based on the client or appointment type and automate personalized text message follow-ups.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Tucson Preview 2026: Earthy Tones and Innovative Shapes Buyers are expected to gravitate toward gemstones that have a little something special, just like last year.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Angolan Diamond Cos. Join NDC as Rio Tinto, Murowa Exit Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
Francesca’s To Close All StoresThe retailer operates more than 450 boutiques across 45 states, according to its website.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
BIJC Names 5 New Board MembersThe new members’ skills span communications, business development, advocacy, and industry leadership.
CollectionsJan 26, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Celebrates 189 Years of Love StoriesThe jeweler’s 2026 Valentine’s Day campaign, “Celebrating Love Stories Since 1837,” includes a short firm starring actress Adria Arjona.
MajorsJan 23, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Acquires 4-Store Jewelry Chain in TexasFamily-owned jewelry and watch retailer Deutsch & Deutsch has stores in El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.
WatchesJan 23, 2026
Damiani Group to Acquire Baume & MercierThe Italian luxury company purchased the nearly 200-year-old Swiss watch brand from Richemont.
TrendsJan 23, 2026
Martin Katz’s Earrings Call to Mind Wintry Weather Micro-set with hundreds of diamonds, these snowflake earrings recreate “winter’s most elegant silhouette,” and are our Piece of the Week.
MajorsJan 23, 2026
Rembrandt Charms Names New Director of Creative, Brand StrategyElla Blum was appointed to the newly created role.
Supplier BulletinJan 22, 2026
The Rise of Centralized Sourcing in the Colored Gemstone MarketSponsored by RapNet
