TrendsMay 02, 2025
Ring Concierge, Kraft Partner on Mother’s Day Macaroni Necklace The childhood craft of making dried pasta necklaces for Mother’s Day is all grown up as the 14-karat gold “Forever Macaroni” necklace.
SourcingJul 16, 2018
One Worker Killed in Explosion at Alrosa Mine
The accident comes less than a year after the company lost eight in a flood at another diamond mine.
An aerial shot of Alrosa’s Udachny underground diamond mine in the Sakha Republic region of Russia, which is located in the far eastern portion of the country. A worker was killed at the mine last week while setting explosives in a tunnel.
Moscow—A worker at Alrosa’s Udachny diamond mine was killed last week in an explosion in one of the underground mine’s tunnels.
According to Alrosa, the accident happened July 11.
At about 5:26 a.m. local time that day, the operator’s console at Udachny received a message that there had been an explosion at a site where a worker was setting explosives for blasting. The worker, identified only as a 42-year-old male employed by the company’s Aikhal-Udachninsky specialized mine-building department, died as a result of the accident.
Alrosa said all 174 workers in the mine at the time of the accident, except those at security posts, were evacuated and those working for a paramilitary mine-rescuing unit went into action.
About three hours later, at 8:09 a.m., work resumed at the mine. Alrosa determined that there were no gas leaks and no rock fall in the tunnel where the explosion occurred.
The fatal explosion comes less than a year after eight workers were killed when the Mir diamond mine in Siberia flooded. The company fired two top executives following the August 2017 accident, including the Mirny division’s chief engineer.
Alrosa said it has assembled a commission to investigate the explosion at Udachny. No further details will be available until the investigation is completed.
On Monday, the mining company issued a statement saying it was working to improve safety at all its facilities and has implemented a number of reforms since the beginning of the year, including separating industrial safety control services from the production units and making them directly accountable to CEO Sergey Ivanov Jr. to ensure full independence of their work. The company also started an internal communications program to convey to staff key principles of safety, employees’ responsibility for their health and the lives of their colleagues.
“Our goal is to minimize the number of incidents, even minor ones,” Alrosa said.
All Alrosa Group employees are insured under a collective insurance contract, which provides compensation in the event of an accident at work amounting to 2 million rubles (about $32,000). In addition, material assistance, the sum of which was not disclosed, will also be paid to the family of the deceased worker in accordance with the collective agreement between Alrosa and the Profalmaz trade union.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Sourcing
The Latest
CollectionsMay 02, 2025
Piece of the Week: Angely Martinez’s Emerald Promise RingSet with May’s birthstone and featuring an earthworm, this ring is a perfect celebration of spring.
MajorsMay 02, 2025
Stuller’s New Bridal Catalog Is Here“Bridal 2025–2026” includes popular styles and a dedicated section for quick pricing references of lab-grown diamond bridal jewelry.
Brought to you by
Watch: The Winston Red: GIA Examines the Smithsonian’s Newest AdditionSupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
MajorsMay 01, 2025
Peek Inside David Yurman’s New Miami Flagship StoreLocated in Miami’s Design District, the 4,000-square-foot store is an homage to David and Sybil Yurman’s artistic roots.
Weekly QuizMay 01, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsMay 01, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: 20 Pieces of Emerald Jewelry for MayMay babies are lucky indeed, born in a month awash with fresh colors and celebrated with one of the most coveted colored gemstones.
MajorsMay 01, 2025
Jewelers of America Opens Applications for 2025 ScholarshipsThe deadline to apply for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship is June 12.
Brought to you by
Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program Announces Second Cohort of Aspiring Jewelry Entrepreneurs Six new retail businesses were selected for the 2025 program, which began in January.
SurveysApr 30, 2025
Consumer Confidence Hits Pandemic-Level Low Amid Tariff ConcernsWhat’s really worrying U.S. consumers isn’t the present situation; it’s what the economy is going to look like six months from now.
Events & AwardsApr 30, 2025
Instore Show Debuts New Name, Look, and FocusNow called The Instore Jewelry Show, it will include holiday-focused education, interactive workshops, and a window display contest.
CollectionsApr 30, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Goes Deep-Sea Diving in New Blue BookThe “Sea of Wonder” collection features pieces inspired by the ocean, from its waves to flora and creatures like urchins and sea turtles.
AuctionsApr 29, 2025
‘Golconda Blue’ Diamond Pulled From AuctionThe 23-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, set to headline Christie’s May jewelry auction, was expected to sell for as much as $50 million.
IndependentsApr 29, 2025
Maryland Jeweler to Close After 36 YearsG.B. Heron Jewelers in Salisbury, Maryland, is set to close as its owner, Jeff Cassels, retires.
ColumnistsApr 29, 2025
Google Ads vs. Social Media Ads: Which Are More Effective?Emmanuel Raheb outlines the differences between the two platforms and posits that the most successful jewelers use both.
SourcingApr 29, 2025
Gemfields Mini Ruby Auction Achieves $7MThe miner said its April sale featured a mix of commercial-quality primary rubies and secondary rubies of varying quality.
CrimeApr 28, 2025
Customs Seizes Nearly 2,000 Pieces of Counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels JewelryU.S. customs agents in El Paso, Texas, intercepted the package, which would have been worth $9 million if the jewelry was genuine.
TrendsApr 28, 2025
Suzanne Kalan Launches Tech Ring Jacket CollectionHealth monitors become statement pieces when paired with the brand’s new collection of stackable diamond-studded bands.
Events & AwardsApr 28, 2025
JCK Industry Fund Announces 2025 Grant RecipientsTen organizations were selected this year.
IndependentsApr 28, 2025
John Atencio Appoints 2 to Wholesale TeamKim Carpenter and Sam Gevisenheit have joined the brand.
CollectionsApr 25, 2025
Sylvie Looks to Water in New Sculptural Bridal Collection“Shell Auranova” is the next generation of the brand’s bridal line, featuring half-bezel engagement rings with bold and fluid designs.
FinancialsApr 25, 2025
Kering’s Jewelry Brands Persevere as Q1 Sales Sink 14%Boucheron and Pomellato performed well in an otherwise bleak quarter for Kering amid struggles at Gucci.
EditorsApr 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Deborah Meyers Experience’s ‘The Birds’ EarringsDesigner Deborah Meyers created her birds from oxidized sterling silver, rose-cut diamond eyes, and Akoya Keshi pearl feathers.
SourcingApr 25, 2025
De Beers Sales, Production Fall in Q1 Amid UncertaintyThe company said it expects sightholders to remain “cautious” with their purchasing due to all the unknowns around the U.S. tariffs.
Supplier BulletinApr 24, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
EditorsApr 24, 2025
Q&A: Wolf’s CEO Talks U.S. ExpansionSimon Wolf shares why the time was right to open a new office here, what he looks for in a retail partner, and why he loves U.S. consumers.
IndependentsApr 24, 2025
Longtime Iowa Jeweler Herman Ginsberg Dies at 99 A third-generation jeweler, Ginsberg worked at his family’s store, Ginsberg Jewelers, from 1948 until his retirement in 2019.
FinancialsApr 24, 2025
Charles & Colvard Delisted From Nasdaq Due to NoncomplianceThe company failed to file its quarterly reports in a timely manner.
