The new sweeping slate of tariffs impacts 60 countries, including India, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.
Check Out the ‘Gems for Amazonia’ Benefit Sale
Diamondoodles’ Hannah Becker and Noelle Habib Gems are selling Brazilian colored stones to raise money for Amazon Watch.

New York—Fires have been burning through the largest tract of tropical rainforest on Earth, the Amazon, over the past few weeks, leaving many to wonder how they can get involved or help.
For one member of the industry, the answer has come in the form of colored gems.
When news of the fires came out, Diamondoodles’ Hannah Becker said she was devasted, telling National Jeweler via email that as she learned more about the scale of the Amazon’s impact and the issues it faces, she was overwhelmed and at a loss as to how she could effect change in any small way.
“Over the next few days, the fires stuck with me in the back of mind,” Becker said. “I kept thinking that Instagram posts and donation buttons in my [Instagram] Stories didn’t feel like enough effort on my part when compared to the ongoing needs of the indigenous people of the Amazon and the health of the world at large.
“Somewhere in this process it struck me that the gemstone industry is in a unique position to advocate for the natural resources of Brazil, since many of our inventories include Brazilian gem materials.”
So she decided to hold a sale of Brazilian gemstones to raise money.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Hannah Becker (@diamondoodles) on Aug 27, 2019 at 6:34pm PDT
Knowing she couldn’t take on the project alone, Becker’s first call was to second-generation gemstone dealer Noelle Habib.
Habib currently has her own business, Noelle Habib Gems, but spent the past decade working for her family’s gem company, Kaiser Gems.
Cesar Abi-Habib, Noelle’s father and founder of Kaiser Gems, found his way into the gemstone world through his cousin in Brazil and built a business specializing in stones sourced from the country.
It was this connection to Brazil, as well as her interest in ethical sourcing and mitigating the industry’s environmental impact, that made Noelle Habib the perfect partner for the sale, Becker said.
“It feels particularly impactful to me that we can highlight the beauty of Brazil’s natural gemstones to raise money to protect the beauty of its other gem, the Amazon.”
Fifty percent of proceeds from the sale will be donated to Amazon Watch, an organization dedicated to protecting the rainforest and its indigenous people.
“We are particularly interested in donating to an organization that benefits the indigenous people of the Amazon, as they are on the front lines of fighting the fires in this region,” Becker said.
The sale currently includes a 1.19-carat pear-shaped imperial topaz, a 2.68-carat barrel-cut rhodonite, a 30.98-carat oval amethyst and a 5.53-carat emerald-cut watermelon tourmaline, among others.
Becker said she and Habib will continue to add new stones from their inventories over the next two days.
Due to the quick turnaround and time constraints, the sale only will include gems from Becker and Habib, but Becker said she would be interested in coordinating a similar project in the future featuring merchandise from a broader range of gem dealers and designers.
She also told National Jeweler she hopes the goodwill intended from the sale trickles down into the jewelry created using the gemstones.
“I would love to see the designs that the stones inspire and hope that they continue to make a positive impact after I ship them off to their new homes.”
The Latest

From coin pendants to diamond shields, these old world-inspired jewels are the perfect accessory for an epic journey.

Our Piece of the Week pairs a checkerboard-cut amethyst with an ivy green silk cord.

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

Mildred Marcano Abrams and Yael Reinhold join the podcast to talk community connections, holiday plans, and preserving Reinhold’s legacy.


“Art Deco” fuses ancestral techniques, rare materials, and modern perspectives as a tribute to the optimism and curiosity of the movement.

The jeweler’s newest store is inside Arkansas’ Saracen Casino Resort.

DCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.

The watch company will design, manufacture, and distribute Kate Spade New York watches.

The higher tax is set to go into effect in August and will apply to loose polished diamonds as well as precious and base metals jewelry.

The “Enchanted Garden” series features a cherry, lemon, and pear that each hold a little secret inside.

It’s located in Tysons Galleria, an upscale shopping center in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

The show, recently acquired by Rockview Management Group, will be held at New York City’s Javits Center from Aug. 2-4.

Smith offers retailers guidance on creating an environment where natural and lab-grown diamonds can both thrive.

Former Emerald President and CEO Hervé Sedky has transitioned to the role of senior advisor.

The 12-piece capsule collection transforms from brooches to pendants.

The new tariff, imposed after a Trump administration study, is 25 percent and will stack on top of existing tariffs.

The collection from 2014 has been reinterpreted into high jewelry with its signature triangular-shaped elements.

She will also take on the role of vice president of jewelry for SmartWork Media, a newly created position.

Organizers are looking for presentations on topics like manufacturing, technology and research, bench work, gemstones, and sustainability.

Woodley is seen in the campaign wearing our Piece of the Week, the “Frida” collar featuring 13 pieces of hand-carved Venetian glass.

A WeBuyVintage jewelry expert uncovered how much the flea market find was actually worth.

The founder of natural colored diamond wholesaler Pancis Gems shares stories from his five decades in the industry.

Submissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.

Valeriya Guzema and Mariana Lenha look back on the last decade and discuss the Ukrainian brand’s first U.S. store.

The diamond mine, which opened nearly 30 years ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is expected to shut down by mid-August.

Jewelry sales for the company, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vhernier, and Buccellati, rose 21 percent in the first quarter.
























