The “River of Heaven” necklace, our Piece of the Week debuting at Couture, combines 26 salt and pepper diamonds spaced by Tahitian pearls.
Report: Angola Continues to Cut Ties with Former First Family
State-owned mining company Endiama is selling the diamond licenses once belonging to Isabel Dos Santos to investors, according to Reuters.
Luanda, Angola--The Angolan government is selling diamond exploration rights that once belonged to the former president’s daughter to investors, Reuters reports.
According to a video clip viewed by the news agency, José Manuel Ganga Júnior, president of state-owned diamond company Endiama, told several mining companies in a meeting last month that Isabel dos Santos’ licenses had expired and now are open to new exploration partners.
While Endiama did not respond to a request for confirmation from National Jeweler by press time, it did confirm to Reuters that the video was authentic.
The licenses open to investors were for Camafuca-Camazambo, Mulepe, Sangamina, Chiri and Tchiegi, all located in the country’s northeastern diamond-producing provinces of Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul, Reuters said.
The Camafuca-Camazambo and Chiri licenses were the ones that had belonged to Dos Santos.
Russia’s Alrosa is currently the only major diamond company producing in Angola. It has a stake in the Catoca mine.
Dos Santos is the daughter of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and the richest woman in Africa with a current net worth of $2.7 billion, according to Forbes.
Her father named her as head of Sonangol, Angola’s state oil firm, in June 2016. Her husband, Sindika Dokolo, has a stake in Swiss jewelry brand De Grisogono.
RELATED CONTENT: Gem Explorer Goes on Hunger Strike to Boycott De GrisogonoIn September, Angola elected a new president, João Lourenço, and the government has been distancing the country from the business interests of his predecessor’s family in its effort to break up family monopolies and make the country more attractive to investors.
Lourenço removed Dos Santos as head of Sonangol in November. Sodiam, a subsidiary of Endiama, also divested its stake in De Grisogono after a board meeting Dec. 1, saying it was doing so for “reasons of public interest and legality.”
The Latest

This year’s inductees include second-, third-, and fourth-generation jewelers.

The author, speaker, and entrepreneur will give his presentation, “Spiritual Billionaire,” on Saturday morning.

As gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.

Three-time Grammy award-winning artist Nelly is set to perform at the annual event at Tao Beach on Sunday night.


Signet will integrate the online-only, natural diamond-focused jeweler into Blue Nile, which it wants to position as a higher-end retailer.

These up-and-coming jewelry brands are bringing their distinct aesthetic and unique point-of-view to the Design Atelier for the first time.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

The lab’s proprietary diamond cut grade has been expanded to include the popular fancy shape.

This year, it’s what could happen outside of show hours that worries JSA Executive Vice President Scott Guginsky.

High-end fashion houses know how to emotionally connect with customers online. Retail jewelers should take note, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

The designers are the third cohort of mentees from the show’s Belonging @ Couture mentorship program.

Buying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.

The trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.

The Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.

Bring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.

The deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.

The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.

The “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.

The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.

Everett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.

Fourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.

The new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.

The NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.

Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.

The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.

Former Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.



























