Diamond Shavings: Your Friday Web Roundup

Zale “ditches value pitch.”

- Analyst: Changes “will take time.”

-Report from Rapaport conference.

GLG on Ken Gassman on Finlay.

- Gassman on Sterling.

New Zealand newspaper on Michael Hill in the U.S.

Harry Winston Q2 sales up.

- Seeking Alpha’s impressed.

Engagement ring sales to rise?

- Luxury buyers tighten purse-strings.

Swarovski cuts jobs.

South African sight postponed.

- Chaim on Russia’s “beneficiation” efforts.

De Beers sells Tanzania mine.

- Sale sparks “feud.”

- Wyndham: De Beers drops again.

- De Beers talks with Transhex about other sales.

Biggest Indian diamond bank downgraded.

Alrosa to cull client list.

- Company prospects in Congo.

US India Conference Reports: Solitaire, Jewelbiz, DiamondWorld.

Court approves Signet move.

Mandela’s name on diamond fund?

De Beers’ new xray machine.

Rio Tinto nixed from fund over environmental dispute.

Jewelry dealer robbed, injured in Chicago.

Allisa Goren promoted at IDI.

Rosy Blue Israel changes management.

Consenus Advisors names new president.

Report from Kwiat store opening.

Diamonds at the VMAs.

Bristol Palin’s ring. (That’s the, um, pregnant one.)

Media Watch, with some notable stories from last week:

- San Francisco Chronicle on lab-grown gems, including an interview with moi. Okay story, but that headline …

- Chronicle article on the issue.  Wrong in so many ways …

- Fortune on ethical gold mining.

- Denver Post article on the same subject.

- CNBC on Alrosa.

- Wall Street Journal blog: Jewelry is a bad investment.

- Barrons bashes Bidz.

- Blender disses diamonds.  Although, amusingly, my computer keeps showing a Zale ad.

From the Blog:

Thoughts on the Rapaport Conference.

The Haul from Whitehall.

Have a great weekend …