Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.
Mob Overruns Gemfields’ Ethiopia Operations
Between 300 and 500 people entered the mining site and employees had to be evacuated.
London—Gemfields said a mob overran its emerald mining operations in Ethiopia, forcing the evacuation of all employees.
According to a statement from the colored gemstone mining company, on June 29, between 300 and 500 people entered the mining site of Web Gemstone Mining plc, an Ethiopian company in which Gemfields holds a 75 percent interest. (The remaining 25 percent belongs to 50 individuals, either individually or through a mining cooperative comprised of local villagers, many of whom are from the nearby village of Web.)
Gemfields said that WGM’s employees, contractors and service providers were safely evacuated to a town about two hours away by road. Two people suffered minor injuries but are expected to make full recoveries.
The company said local authorities secured WGM’s residential camp and mine offices as well as the camp used by its contractors. It told National Jeweler that to its knowledge, no arrests have been made yet.
Since Gemfields itself does not have any employees, contractors or service providers on site currently, WGM is the one working with local and national authorities regarding the incident.
But a Gemfields spokesperson told National Jeweler: “The safety and well-being of our employees, contractors and service providers is of paramount importance to Gemfields, so we will continue to monitor the site and continue liaison with authorities to best inform subsequent steps.”
Gemfields said the motive of the mob remains unclear but added that it’s believed they may have been “spurred by a faction seeking a portion of WGM’s license.”
The news comes not long after Ethiopia’s latest state of emergency was lifted.
The state of emergency originally was instated in October 2016 following months of anti-government protests in the country and then was reinstated in February after the unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. It was lifted again on June 5.
Gemfields acquired its stake in WGM in February 2015.
WGM’s emerald exploration license includes an area that measures 200 square kilometers, or about 77 square miles.
It first established its operations on the site in June 2015 and has been conducting exploration and core-drilling since, with bulk-sampling operations beginning in August of last year.
The Latest

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.


The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

The historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.

To mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

Luca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.

Following visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.

The “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.

The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.

The New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.

Take a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.

The one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.

The California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.

Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.