The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.
Liquidation sale to begin soon for 3 Romano’s stores
The Romano’s Jewelers stores in Culver City, Northridge and Downey, Calif. have closed, with a single liquidation sale slated to begin in mid-October.
Northridge, Calif.--Three Romano’s Jewelers stores have shut down in recent weeks, with inventory and fixtures from those stores expected to be sold off come October.
R.J. Financial Inc., doing business as (d/b/a) Romano’s Jewelers, filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection back in January 2010. This July, a judge converted the case to an involuntary Chapter 7, where the aim is to liquidate and recover as much money as possible for creditors.
Attorney David Seror, a partner at the firm of Ezra Brutzkus Gubner LLP and the trustee appointed to R.J. Financial’s Chapter 7 case, said the three stores, located in Culver City, Northridge and Downey, Calif., all north of San Diego, have been shut down for several weeks now. (There were other Romano’s Jewelers stores that closed before the case was converted to a Chapter 7.)
All the merchandise from the Culver City and Northridge stores has been shuttled to the Downey location. Seror said the merchandise, showcases and any other fixtures will be liquidated--sold to both the public and any retailers interested in purchasing them--in an effort to raise the $58 million R.J. Financial owes to its creditors.
He said he is looking to reopen the Downey store, which is currently closed, and have the sale in mid-October.
While the case winds its way through bankruptcy court, R.J. Financial President Randy Abalkhad continues to be involved with the management of other Romano’s Jewelers stores.
Seror said there are Romano’s Jewelers stores operating that were not property of the bankruptcy estate: Diamond Trading Lakewood, which is d/b/a Romano’s Jewelers in the Lakewood Center Mall in Lakewood, Calif., and Diamond Trading Glendale, d/b/a Romano’s Jewelers in the Glendale Galleria Mall.
“Diamond Trading is not in bankruptcy,” Seror noted. “R.J. Financial is in bankruptcy.”
There is also a Romano’s Jewelers still open in San Diego County, said A. David Youssefyeh, Abalkhad’s attorney.
Meanwhile, Abalkhad faces felony identity theft and conspiracy charges for allegedly instructing two employees to obtain the personal financial information of active duty military members so Romano’s Jewelers could put unauthorized charges on their store accounts, a story first uncovered by NBC 7 San Diego.
One of the two employees, Nellie Cha Noland, pleaded guilty to the charges in May. The other, store manager Carlos Omar Torres, and Abalkhad have pleaded not guilty.
A former Marine who allegedly was bribed to aid the store in
Abalkhad and Torres were slated to appear in court Tuesday. No further information on the outcome of the proceedings was available as of press time.
The Latest

Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

The virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.


The independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

The longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.

However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.

The Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.

The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.

The family-owned retailer is the new owner of Morrison Smith Jewelers in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.

Alex Wellen, formerly CEO and president of MotorTrend Group, has taken on the role.

The Impact Initiative is part of the nonprofit association’s new three-year strategic plan.

The ruby and the sapphire, which Christie’s calls a “once-in-a-generation masterpiece,” are part of the upcoming Hong Kong jewelry auction.

The two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.