Policies & IssuesJul 24, 2026
New Trump Tariffs: What They Mean for Jewelry The new sweeping slate of tariffs impacts 60 countries, including India, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.
SourcingFeb 13, 2017
Amsterdam Sauer Founder Dead at 95
Jules Roger Sauer, a Brazilian gemstone and design legend, discovered the first Brazilian emerald deposit.
Jules Roger Sauer, a Brazilian gemstone and design legend who discovered the first Brazilian emerald deposit, died recently at the age of 95.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil--Jules Roger Sauer, the founder of Brazil-based jewelry design company Amsterdam Sauer, died this year. He was 95.
Originally from France, Sauer settled in Brazil at the age of 18, founding the Lapidação Amsterdam, or Amsterdam Lapidary, in 1941. The jewelry design company was later renamed Amsterdam Sauer.
Sauer was a legendary presence in the gemstone and jewelry industry, responsible for discovering the first Brazilian emerald mine in 1963, and for promoting a variety of Brazilian gems in the international market.
In the 1950s, Sauer obtained the 80.47-pound rough Martha Rocha aquamarine, which was said to match the eyes of its namesake, a popular Brazilian beauty queen. The famous stone yielded 50,000 carats of faceted gemstones of the highest-quality color.
Sauer opened his first jewelry boutique in 1956 and today, according to the company’s website, there are 15 locations across Brazil.
Amsterdam Sauer boasts its own museum in Rio de Janeiro, outlining how the gem and jewelry house helped shape the Brazilian and global gem industries.
Sauer was born in the Alsace region of France in 1921 to Jewish parents. He was living in Belgium in 1939 when the principal of his polytechnic school warned him to flee the Nazis.
Sauer made his way to Spain by bike, a journey of more than 1,000 miles. He was briefly arrested there for having no identification but ultimately released, making his way to Portugal and then South America by ship. He was only 18.
He initially taught French in Rio de Janeiro to support himself then took an opportunity offered by a student to work at a gemstone business in the state of Minais Gerais. There, he learned to facet stones.
A mere two years later, Sauer founded his company. He specialized in translating large gems to jewelry while keeping as much size from the original stone as possible. His entire supply chain was in-house, from the selection and cutting of the rough stones to the finished designs that he sold in his store.
He worked with his wife Zilda Waks Sauer, a Polish immigrant who also expatriated in Brazil. They were married in 1950.
Sauer’s son Daniel, the CEO of Amsterdam Sauer said, “My father fell in love with the Brazilian people, their way of life and the colors of the country. I think that, during his whole life, his intention was to pay tribute to
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
these three elements of the national heritage. Besides his huge contribution to gemology and Brazilian jewelry design, his greatest legacy to all of us is the immense love for the country where he was sheltered.”
Sauer is survived by his son Daniel; daughter, Debora; seven grandsons; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Zilda, in 2013.
Throughout Sauer’s 75-year career he won many awards, the first of which was a Diamonds International Award in 1966. He was made a member of the Circle of Honor of the Gemological Institute of America in 2004 and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Colored Gemstone Association in 2007.
Sauer also was an “Honorary Citizen” in several Brazilian cities: Belo Horizonte, Teófilo Otoni, Governador Valadares, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Sauer is survived by his son Daniel; daughter, Debora; seven grandsons; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Zilda, in 2013.
Throughout Sauer’s 75-year career he won many awards, the first of which was a Diamonds International Award in 1966. He was made a member of the Circle of Honor of the Gemological Institute of America in 2004 and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Colored Gemstone Association in 2007.
Sauer also was an “Honorary Citizen” in several Brazilian cities: Belo Horizonte, Teófilo Otoni, Governador Valadares, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
TrendsJul 24, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Ode to ‘The Odyssey’From coin pendants to diamond shields, these old world-inspired jewels are the perfect accessory for an epic journey.
TrendsJul 24, 2026
Courtney Leidy’s Silk Cord Pendants Center Unexpected Pairings Our Piece of the Week pairs a checkerboard-cut amethyst with an ivy green silk cord.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
PodcastsJul 23, 2026
Episode 7: Reinhold Jewelers on the Power of RelationshipsMildred Marcano Abrams and Yael Reinhold join the podcast to talk community connections, holiday plans, and preserving Reinhold’s legacy.
Weekly QuizJul 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJul 23, 2026
Silvia Furmanovich’s New Collection Travels Back to the 1920s“Art Deco” fuses ancestral techniques, rare materials, and modern perspectives as a tribute to the optimism and curiosity of the movement.
IndependentsJul 23, 2026
Sissy's Log Cabin Opens Casino StoreThe jeweler’s newest store is inside Arkansas’ Saracen Casino Resort.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
WatchesJul 23, 2026
Movado Inks Licensing Deal With Kate Spade New YorkThe watch company will design, manufacture, and distribute Kate Spade New York watches.
Policies & IssuesJul 22, 2026
Trump to Put 50% Tariff on Canadian Goods 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.
CollectionsJul 22, 2026
Monica Rich Kosann’s High Jewelry Is FruitfulThe “Enchanted Garden” series features a cherry, lemon, and pear that each hold a little secret inside.
IndependentsJul 22, 2026
Liljenquist Beckstead Opens Rolex New BoutiqueIt’s located in Tysons Galleria, an upscale shopping center in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
Events & AwardsJul 22, 2026
NY Now Returns in August Under New OwnershipThe show, recently acquired by Rockview Management Group, will be held at New York City’s Javits Center from Aug. 2-4.
ColumnistsJul 21, 2026
Sherry Smith: Shattering the Illusion of the ‘Either/Or’ Diamond MarketSmith offers retailers guidance on creating an environment where natural and lab-grown diamonds can both thrive.
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2026
Apollo Funds Completes Emerald AcquisitionFormer Emerald President and CEO Hervé Sedky has transitioned to the role of senior advisor.
CollectionsJul 21, 2026
Graff’s New Butterfly High Jewelry Brooches MetamorphosizeThe 12-piece capsule collection transforms from brooches to pendants.
Policies & IssuesJul 20, 2026
Tariffs on Brazil to Increase But Rough Gemstones ExemptThe new tariff, imposed after a Trump administration study, is 25 percent and will stack on top of existing tariffs.
CollectionsJul 20, 2026
Vhernier Transforms ‘Freccia’ Collection Into High JewelryThe collection from 2014 has been reinterpreted into high jewelry with its signature triangular-shaped elements.
MajorsJul 20, 2026
Krista Collins Walters Promoted to Publisher of InstoreShe will also take on the role of vice president of jewelry for SmartWork Media, a newly created position.
Events & AwardsJul 20, 2026
TJS Accepting Speaker Proposals for 2027 EventOrganizers are looking for presentations on topics like manufacturing, technology and research, bench work, gemstones, and sustainability.
CollectionsJul 17, 2026
HOWL Taps Shailene Woodley for ‘Home Sweet Home’ CampaignWoodley is seen in the campaign wearing our Piece of the Week, the “Frida” collar featuring 13 pieces of hand-carved Venetian glass.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
U.K. Woman Pays £5 for £15K Diamond Ring at Car Boot SaleA WeBuyVintage jewelry expert uncovered how much the flea market find was actually worth.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
Diamond Dealer Jeff Pancis Pens MemoirThe founder of natural colored diamond wholesaler Pancis Gems shares stories from his five decades in the industry.
Events & AwardsJul 17, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
EditorsJul 16, 2026
Q&A: Guzema’s Co-Owners On Its US Expansion, 10-Year AnniversaryValeriya Guzema and Mariana Lenha look back on the last decade and discuss the Ukrainian brand’s first U.S. store.
SourcingJul 16, 2026
Ekati to Close, Leaving Canada With One Diamond Mine The diamond mine, which opened nearly 30 years ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is expected to shut down by mid-August.
FinancialsJul 16, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Sales Soar for the Seventh Quarter in a RowJewelry sales for the company, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vhernier, and Buccellati, rose 21 percent in the first quarter.
