It didn’t take very long after the World Diamond Council (WDC) and the Kimberley Process (KP) expressed their support for broadening the definition of “conflict” diamond for the first sign of resistance to surface. The day after the news emerged...
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I made a visit to the Aaron Faber Gallery on Fifth Avenue earlier this month, having received an invitation to preview the jewelry of designers from Quebec. While many of the designs were creative, innovative and fresh, the creations of...
The past few years have marked a love-hate relationship between jewelers and precious metals. On one hand, nearly everyone profited from rising prices by buying from the public, a lucrative practice that helped keep many afloat during the darkest days....
Although awards season has ended, the arrival of spring calls for its own red carpet events--movie and television premieres, charity events, even a high-profile political dinner--and a chance for the stars to debut their newest, most glamorous baubles. Blue-toned jewels...
Last week was Madison Avenue Watch Week here in New York, a seven-day stretch dedicated to showcasing and recognizing the work of watchmakers and the high-end timepiece brands that line Madison Avenue. As part of the week’s festivities, I took...
A recent Associated Press article ignited debate over employers asking for potential employees’ social media passwords, the combination of letters and numbers that open the door to the presumably personal worlds of accounts on sites such as Facebook and Twitter....
Lots of talk cropping up again about the "Swiss-made" label. As most in our business are aware, there are set criteria for determining what level of “Swiss” labeling manufacturers can claim for their watches. Like other magazines, we publish and...
Major changes are afoot at the world’s largest diamond miners: De Beers, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. After 80 years in the business, the Oppenheimer family likely will be out of the diamond trade by years’ end. Both BHP Billiton...
As the fashion editor of National Jeweler, I’m constantly exposed to new jewelry, whether I’m trying it on, exploring its texture or flipping through look books and images on my computer. While many of the designs I see are incredible,...
Over the years, we’ve seen any number of unusual uses for, and products comprised of, precious gemstones and metals. Most recently in this blog, our fashion editor, Hannah Connorton, told us about an Italian company that has created karat-gold tattoos....
Last Wednesday, I attended a panel discussion on “ethical” diamonds organized by the Women’s Jewelry Association and held here in New York. Inevitably, the discussion, moderated by jewelry industry writer and editor Peggy Jo Donahue, came around to the question...
March was a month for series and movie premieres and charity events for celebrities, giving ample opportunities for stars to strut their newest baubles. Long, drop earrings with colored gemstones are ever the trend, commonly paired with semi-precious stones in...
For about 45 minutes on Tuesday morning, Kimberley Process Chairwoman Gillian Milovanovic did something unprecedented in the history of the 9-year-old process. She hosted a video web chat open to anybody who wanted to listen. According to her office, the...
Charriol’s Vice President Ori Zemer appeared on the TV show Extra Friday night during the “Today’s Giveaway” segment to feature an onyx Celtic Classique bangle from the brand. Zemer on the set of Extra for the Charriol giveaway. Extra, hosted...
Count me among the many who will be soaking up all the Titanic lore available over the next couple of weeks as the 100th anniversary of the luxury liner’s fateful maiden voyage approaches. Much about this tragedy-- one of the...
The dentist who made news when he paid more than $30,000 for music legend John Lennon’s rotten tooth last fall is now in the jewelry business, sort of. Dr. Michael Zuk, a New York-born dentist who has been practicing in...
Italian engineers have come up with an alternative way to wear gold, silver and other metals: as temporary tattoos adhered to the skin. Produced by the high-tech company Genefinity, Gold Sin Jewels are the product of scientific research in nano-tech...
Stars rock gemstone jewelry--precious and semiprecious--anywhere from the red carpet and awards shows to TV appearances and movie premieres. While some celebrities go for bright or sparkly stones like fire opal, citrine and aquamarine, others are drawn to the darker...
Two brands in the jewelry and watch industry made their way to respective Fashion Weeks this month--one right here in New York, and the other overseas. Active lifestyle watch brand Sector returned to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, setting...
The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has just updated its gemstone enhancement brochure, a 20-page booklet that provides comprehensive information on 16 different gemstones.
A specialist in custom-design jewelry, Gary Dawson sold his store of two decades and moved exclusively online. Read it here. Gary's story is also National Jeweler's story. It's now been just more than a year since we, too, moved exclusively...
I wanted to circle back around to an item in Pandora’s rather lengthy 2011 Annual Report that caught my attention and certainly seems to be a piece of information that would interest retailers that carry the brand. Pandora disclosed plans...
Transitions of power are always a challenge. And the stakes are raised for entities with strong track records. Sterling, parent of Kay and Jared, has proven itself across recent market cycles to be among the very best-run chain jewelers in...
The Gemological Institute of America now is referencing lead glass-filled rubies as “manufactured product” on reports, the institution revealed in a new video designed to educate the trade and the public.
Whether they’re cuffed with diamonds or dressed up in gold, wrists are prime real estate for jewelry, especially at awards shows, where glamorous gowns usually leave arms bare. While some stars stick with thick, bold designs, others favor thinner, more...