AuctionsOct 24, 2025
Bonhams Under New Ownership, Top Executives ReplacedLondon-based investment firm Pemberton Asset Management acquired the auction house for an undisclosed amount.
MajorsMay 18, 2017
Forbes List of Wealthiest Women Includes 2 from Jewelry
Alex & Ani founder Carolyn Rafaelian and Kendra Scott both are new to the Forbes list of the richest self-made women in America.
Carolyn Rafaelian, the woman behind Alex & Ani, and Kendra Scott, who started her eponymous jewelry brand, made Forbes’ list of richest self-made women this year.
New York--Forbes has released its list of the richest self-made women in United States again, and this year’s list includes two women from the jewelry world.
Alex & Ani founder and CEO Carolyn Rafaelian is at No. 18 (with a net worth of $1 billion), while Kendra Scott, who started her eponymous brand in 2002, is listed at No. 36 (with a net worth of $500 million).
To compile the women’s net worth, Forbes said it valued private companies by talking to a variety of outside experts and comparing the companies with public competitors, and calculated the stakes in public companies using stock prices from April 28.
To be eligible for the list, women had to have “substantially made their own fortunes.”
In cases in which the women started businesses with, and still share with, their husbands, Forbes assigned them half of the combined wealth. For entertainers, the estimates are based on their net lifetime earnings. Real estate, art and other assets also were factored in where applicable.
The minimum net worth needed to make this year’s list was $260 million, an increase from $250 million in 2016.
Rafaelian was one of two billionaires added to the list in 2017 (the other was Eren Ozmen of aerospace and defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corp.) and was even featured on the cover of the Forbes issue featuring the list. The magazine’s story on the “bangle billionaire,” as they refer to her, also briefly touches on Rhode Island’s costume jewelry manufacturing history because Alex & Ani is based in Cranston.
Scott also was new to the list this year.
What’s interesting about the inclusion of Rafaelian and Scott on the list is that their brands were built on affordably priced jewelry.
The popular Alex and Ani sells bangles ranging from about $32 to $38 at retail, and while Kendra Scott does use real gemstones in some cases and also has a line of fine jewelry, her brand was built on her collection priced around $150 and below (and the popularity of its create-your-own-piece feature).
Overall, the list’s top five is (mostly) full of surprises.
At No. 1 is Marian
Ilitch, who founded Little Caesars Pizza with her husband, Mike. After his death in February, Ilitch is now the richest self-made woman in America with a net worth of $5.1 billion.
She’s followed by Diane Hendricks, co-founder and chairman of ABC Supply, one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing, siding and windows in America ($4.9 billion); Judy Love, who opened and ran a chain of gas stations with her husband ($2.9 billion); Oprah Winfrey ($2.9 billion); and Doris Fisher, co-founder of fashion retailer Gap ($2.7 billion).
There are some others with ties to jewelry on the list, such as Meg Whitman, best known for growing eBay in her role as CEO, and designer Vera Wang, as well as some not-so-surprising celebrity entries like Madonna, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
There are 60 women on the list with a combined net worth of $61.5 billion, Forbes said, noting that 27 percent came from the fashion and retail space, while 18 percent are in tech and 17 percent in media.
The full list can be found on Forbes.com.
She’s followed by Diane Hendricks, co-founder and chairman of ABC Supply, one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing, siding and windows in America ($4.9 billion); Judy Love, who opened and ran a chain of gas stations with her husband ($2.9 billion); Oprah Winfrey ($2.9 billion); and Doris Fisher, co-founder of fashion retailer Gap ($2.7 billion).
There are some others with ties to jewelry on the list, such as Meg Whitman, best known for growing eBay in her role as CEO, and designer Vera Wang, as well as some not-so-surprising celebrity entries like Madonna, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
There are 60 women on the list with a combined net worth of $61.5 billion, Forbes said, noting that 27 percent came from the fashion and retail space, while 18 percent are in tech and 17 percent in media.
The full list can be found on Forbes.com.
More on Majors
The Latest
GradingOct 24, 2025
DMIA to Hold Diamond Testing Instrument DemoThe workshop will give attendees the chance to try out and ask questions about three different diamond verification instruments.
CrimeOct 24, 2025
Video Emerges of Louvre Jewelry Robbers Fleeing the Scene The footage shows two of the jewelry heist suspects descending from the second floor of the museum and then escaping via scooter.
Brought to you by
Are Earrings an Overlooked Category? What Retailers Need to Know NowAs the holiday season quickly approaches, consider stocking one category that sometimes gets overlooked: earrings.
CollectionsOct 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Wyld Box Jewelry’s ‘Ray of Light’ EarringsFounder and designer Rosanna Fiedler looked to a vintage Cartier clutch when designing the sunlight-inspired drop earrings.
Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsOct 23, 2025
Jewelry Sales Resilient Despite Struggles at LVMH, KeringThe luxury conglomerates faced a challenging Q3 amid geopolitical and economic tensions.
SourcingOct 23, 2025
Petra Diamonds Turns to Shareholders to Raise Capital The struggling diamond mining company, which owns the historic Cullinan mine, has launched a rights issue to raise about $25 million.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
WatchesOct 23, 2025
‘Million Dollar Hip Hop Watches’ Recounts Watch HistoryThe book details the journey of watches as symbols of hard-earned success in hip-hop for artists like 2Pac, Jay-Z, and more.
AuctionsOct 23, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman Names New VP, Senior Specialist for Jewelry & WatchesAlexis Vourvoulis, who most recently worked at Tiffany & Co., brings more than two decades of jewelry experience to her new role.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
The Taylor Swift Effect: Antique Diamonds EditionThe superstar’s August engagement put the stamp of approval on an already hot engagement ring trend.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
Don’t Forget These Diamond Jewelry Trends When Stocking for the HolidaysRetailers should offer classic styles with a twist that are a perfect fit for layered looks, experts say.
AuctionsOct 22, 2025
Pink Diamond, Vanderbilt Jewels to Headline Phillips’ Geneva AuctionThe nearly 7-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond could sell for around $9 million.
SourcingOct 22, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 22, 2025
Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bird on a Rock’ Finds New PerchChief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille has reimagined the iconic design in both figurative and abstract creations.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
JFC Kicks Off Halloween Costume ChallengeFive dollars buys one vote toward an industry professional you want to see dressed up as a hero, or a villain, this Halloween.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
Hillsborough Antique Show Gets New OwnerRecently acquired by KIL Promotions, the November edition of the public show in San Mateo, California, will be held Nov. 7-9.
GradingOct 21, 2025
GIA Examines Rare Bicolor Pink DiamondThe stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.
Lab-GrownOct 21, 2025
Grown Brilliance Opens First FlagshipThe New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.
Events & AwardsOct 21, 2025
‘Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture’ Opens at MADThe Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.
AuctionsOct 20, 2025
Sotheby's To Auction 10-Carat Vivid Pink DiamondMaking its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
2 Mozambique Police Officers Killed at Gemfields’ Ruby MineThey were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.
CrimeOct 20, 2025
See the ‘Priceless’ Jewels Stolen During Daytime Heist at the Louvre It took the masked thieves less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.
SourcingOct 20, 2025
Pristine Gems Names New Director of European SalesGemologist Lauren Gayda has previously worked at The Clear Cut, Taylor & Hart, and Effy Jewelry.
IndependentsOct 17, 2025
From the Jazz Age to the Information Age: London Jewelers Turns 100In 2026, the jewelry retailer will celebrate a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.
Events & AwardsOct 17, 2025
An Edit of Italian Jewels Is Coming to NYCThe new showcase dedicated to Italian jewelry design is set for Oct. 29-30.
TrendsOct 17, 2025
Piece of the Week: Judi Powers Jewelry’s ‘Stella’ EarringsTake a gaze at the sky with this pair of platinum diamond-set star earrings with blue lace agate drops.
