2014: A Year in Digital Review

From buzz-worthy trends to award-winning jewels, the top 10 stories on JCKonline.com. (Note: These were the top 10 stories as of Dec. 1.) 

1. 12 Jewelry Trends for 2014

Senior editor Jennifer Heebner’s third annual list of top trends for the year ahead included yellow gold, body jewelry, and—how’s this for prescience?— geometric shapes. (Margery Hirschey ring, $1,905; fragments.com)

 

2. Bidz.com Goes Bust

Until its shuttering and liquidation, online jewelry retailer Bidz.com had reported yearly sales of $100 million and was second in market share only to Blue Nile. 

3. Pandora Charms Disney

The official announcement of a collaboration between the two beloved brands created a stir as readers flocked to get a glimpse of the charms and details about the collection. 


4. Groupon’s 1 Carat $999 Engagement Rings

Naturally, readers were shocked that Groupon could undersell the princess-cut diamond rings by the $10,000 it claimed. Wrote one: “This is an outrage that makes all the rest of us look like a bunch of greedy thieves. 

5. Tennessee Retailer Sued Over Grading Reports

Nashville-based Genesis Diamonds was sued by a consumer for misrepresenting diamond values by using EGL International reports, kicking off an industrywide conversation about over-grading. 


6. $33 Million Fabergé Flea Market Find 

At a Midwest flea market, a metal dealer purchased a gold egg for $14,000, intending to melt it down for scrap. Good thing he waited: It turned out to be one of the lost Imperial Easter eggs designed by Carl Fabergé. The buyer sold it to a private collector for $33 million. 

 

7. Winners of the 2014 JCK Jewelers’ Choice Awards 

The grand prize winner of the seventh annual competition—Yael Designs’ Baroness ring (above left)—earned a spot on the cover of JCK’s March issue. This slideshow spotlighted all 49 winning designs in 19 categories. 

 

 

8. A Tribute to the Late Robin Rotenier

After the untimely death of jewelry designer Robin Rotenier (pictured) at age 51, people across the industry, including his brother, Rémy Rotenier, shared memories of their dear friend and colleague. “My brother was kind, loving, intelligent, and creative—he was so many things,” Rémy said. 

 

9. Can Ring Size Predict Divorce Rates?

Researchers at Atlanta’s Emory University found a (tiny) correlation between the cost of an engagement ring and a couple’s likelihood of divorce. The sweet spot for marital longevity? Supposedly $500–$2,000 or over $8,000. 

 

10. Zale Top Brass Resigns in Signet Shake-Up

In the wake of its acquisition of Zale, sweeping changes at Signet Jewelers—including the departure of Zale president and CEO Theo Killion and other C-level execs—had the industry aflutter. 

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