Diamond Shavings: Your Friday Web Roundup

Self-promotion alert: Vegas is next week, and I will be involved in three seminars on Friday, May 30.

I will be giving a presentation on Diving into Industry Issues from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., at Tradewinds D, and I will cover the changing consumer, lab-grown diamonds, the Internet, changes at retail, and whatever else tickles my fancy. Should be a lot of fun!

After that, I will be moderating a panel on Synthetic Diamond Disclosure at Tradewinds A, sponsored by the Natural Colored Diamond Association, from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Finally, I will be moderating the special session on De Beers’ Perspectives on the Diamond Industry, featuring a presentation by De Beers CEO Philippe Mellier, at the Surf Ballroom, from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. This kind of session has never been done before, and I’m as curious as anyone to see how it will go.

This week: Tough times at Target, Sears, Walmart, Fab.com—but not J.C. Penney? The end of Swiss bank accounts. Controversy over Pandora charms at 9/11 memorial. All below.

 

Signet/Zale deal hits a pretty big bump.

Wall Street Journal: If you want the deal, vote for it.

– Bloomberg: “Strange twist on M&A.”

– Should Signet withdraw its offer?

– Zale’s latest statement and TIG’s response.

– Signet results help chances of buyout.

 

Zale comps up, but Mother’s Day disappoints.

 

Signet unveils new Jared outlet concept.

Earnings call transcript.

 

Tiffany sales, profit soar.

– Earnings call transcript.

– Raises dividend.

– Analysts impressed.

– Shares jump 9 percent.

– Businessweek: It’s moving “down market.”

– Sets up Swiss watch company, appealing Swatch fine.

 

Patent troll sues Tiffany, Zale.

 

Designer Robin Rotenier dies.

National Jeweler remembers.

– Funeral arrangements set.

– Family baffled.

 

JCK show preregistration up 7 percent.

 

Samuel Aaron acquires Armadani.

 

Michael Kors, Tory Burch top fast-growing luxury companies list.

 

Tough times at Target. Store closures ahead?

– Canadian president fired.

– CEO gets $61 million golden parachute.

 

Sears closing 80 stores.

– Being stripped for parts?

– The billionaire wizard behind Sears’ collapse.

 

Walmart’s customers deserting it.

 

Fab.com’s future “in doubt.”

– Lays off one-third of staff.

 

J.C. Penney “poised for a turnaround”?

Educated staff boosts sales, study finds.

 

EGL USA: “We’re different.”

 

Jewelry crime can be fought with awareness, FBI agent says.

 

More robbers arrested in Belgian airport robbery.

 

Anglo CEO says De Beers “not delivering.”

 

100 Reporters says diamond biz shortchanging South Africa.

 

The end of the “Swiss bank account.”

 

Palme d’Or made with Fairmined gold.

– CIBJO to promote Fairtrade jewelry.

– World’s first green gold program ends.

 

CanadaMark for diamonds to relaunch at JCK show.

 

Chain-of-custody challenges for colored gemstones.

 

Court not delaying conflict minerals reports.

 

George Clooney to investigate funding for African atrocities (mentions gold and diamonds).

 

Zimbabwe to use diamonds to secure loan.

 

Angolan president’s daughter richest woman in Africa, due to diamonds.

Belgium debates carat tax.

 

Indian diamantaires excited about change in government.

 

India allowing some gold importation.

– Diamond business happy.

 

Barclays fined $44 million over gold price fix wrongdoing.

– “All over in 10 minutes.”

 

Smartwatch market doubles, report says.

 – Fossil CEO sees interest in wearable tech.

– The godfather of wearables.

– If Rolex made a smartwatch.

– Apple created one in the 1980s.

 

Ann Arnold joins Buyers Intelligence Group.

 

Rusty Luker joins Shah Luxury.

 

White Pine adds Sadowsky, Ziefer.

 

Jewelers Closing:

Vogt Jewelers in Allentown, Pa.

 

Synthetics panel, AGS mini conclave, Botswana minister featured in Vegas.

 

Most U.K. divorcees sell engagement rings.

 

Pandora investors made lots of money selling stake.

 

Should Pandora charms be in 9/11 museum?

 

Sandra Bullock settles lawsuit over “Bullock watch.”

 

Rappers with fake watch listed by Instagram account.

– Jeweler ticked.

 

New microscopic diamonds fade away quickly.

Elvis’ jeweler to appear at Elvis festival.

 

Elaborate Krispy Kreme donuts purportedly features edible diamonds.

 

The gas mask diamond ring.

 

Kim Kardashian wants a diamond-coated spray tan for wedding.

 

Johnny Depp may have given three engagement rings.

 

Media Watch:

– Article on Jewish heritage of the diamond district.

The New York Times on preserving 47th Street.

– The BBC on the two-month salary guideline.

The Daily Mail profiles dealer David Birnbaum.

New book traces history of African diamonds.

 

From the blog:

Signet’s Acquisition of Zale Hits a Pretty Big Bump

EGL USA: “We’re Different”

Have a great weekend!

– Email: rbates – at – jckonline.com.

– Twitter feed: robbatesjck

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JCK News Director

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