The National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.
Diamond Producers Association Adds to US Team
Grant Mobley joins the DPA from Pluczenik, where he was the sales director.

New York--The Diamond Producers Association has hired former Pluczenik Sales Director Grant Mobley to act as a liaison between U.S. retailers and the DPA and its “Real Is Rare” marketing platform.
Mobley’s official title will be U.S. trade lead, a new position for the association.
He will spearhead the DPA’s partnerships with retailers and other industry stakeholders and will share insights on the impact of “Real Is Rare. Real Is a Diamond,” the diamond-centric marketing campaign the DPA launched in late 2016. He’ll also be responsible for gathering input and helping the DPA understand how to best contribute to the sector.
He will report to Deborah Marquardt, the DPA’s chief marketing officer and head of the New York office.
A member of the family that owns The Mobley Company in Villa Rica, Georgia, Mobley completed the graduate diamonds and graduate precious stones programs at the Gemological Institute of America.
He spent nearly three years as the director of manufacturing at Vast Empire Trading in Guangzhou, China, before starting J. Grant & Co., a jewelry display fabric company.
After J. Grant was sold to Noble Display and Packaging, Mobley worked for two years as vice president of sales at Simply Diamonds and then spent almost two years as sales director at Pluczenik.
He has been quoted about diamonds in publications including Buzzfeed, Brides, Cosmopolitan, W Magazine and Elle, and has been active in the Southern Jewelry Travelers Association (SJTA), the Plumb Club and buying groups IJO, RJO and CBG.
The Latest

The 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.

Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

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

The multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.


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

The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

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.

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

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.

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.