Next week, I will be on vacation, and this feature will not appear. Hope everyone has a great end of the summer.

 

This week: Another synthetic diamond scandal. Another jeweler sues a rapper. What Sharon Stone wore on her photo shoot (besides nothing). All below.

After eight months of declines, jewelry store sales rise in June. (Or did they?)

 

London Jewelers selling Apple Watch.

– Takes over Selfridges window.

– Is Apple really a luxury brand?

– Prediction: By 2020, Apple Watch sales will equal 40 percent of watch biz.

– Swatch trademarks “One more thing,” “tick different.”

 

JBT president Dione Kenyon retiring.

 

Georgia jeweler sold moissanite as diamonds, report says.

 

Surat Diamond Association terminates member for allegedly not disclosing synthetics.

 

GSI opens batch-testing office in Surat.

 

Asian demand is hurting Swiss watch companies.

– Jewelry chains shedding stores in Hong Kong.

– Hedge funds target luxury brands (as shorts).

 

Bloomingdale’s sends out erroneously inflated gift cards.

 

Fine jewelry fuels J.C. Penney comp jump.

– Company has its “groove back.”

– Stores still “antiseptic.”

Macy’s fights online shopping with tablet in fitting room.

 

QVC acquires Zulily.

– Zulily investor call transcript and investor presentation.

– “Bailout, boon, or both?“

 

Amazon Jungle

– Amazon is becoming a player in fashion. Could that happen in jewelry?

– More on Wendy Brandes’ Amazon “disaster.”

– Also, it stinks to work there.

– Needless to say, Jeff Bezos doesn’t agree.

– Neither does a guy on LinkedIn.

– Wife of ex-employee rebuts Bezos’s rebuttal.

– It reminds Michelle Graff of her newspaper days. 

 

Gucci makes gains in lawsuit against Alibaba.

 

Jewelry chains shedding stores in Hong Kong.

 

Price of larger diamonds (comparatively) holding up.

– Hemant Shah on the industry’s way forward (video).

 

Gemfields buying back gemstones to support Indian cutters.

 

Indian wedding tradition affects gold price.

 

“Silver lining” in big gold mine spill.

 

U.N. blacklists Belgian branch of Central African Republic diamond miner.

  

Business of Fashion on Fairtrade gold and untarnishing the industry.

 

NGO: Zimbabwe diamond sector being undone by generals. 

– Accused Zimbabwe diamond smugglers appear unrepentant in court. 

  

How minerals boom has hurt Third World countries.

– Court ruling doesn’t affect most of conflict minerals rule.

 

Pebble mine seeks colluding ex-EPA scientist.

 

Cannes watch thief arrested after living it up in Monoco.

 

Citibank: Silver plunge good for Tiffany.

 

New York Diamond Dealers Club reelects president, board.

 

Robert Christiano named EVP at Bulova.

 

Target shakes up executive ranks.

 

One jeweler’s struggle tracking his lost diamonds.

 

Russian archaeologists unearth jewels in warrior’s burial mound.

  

Diamonds form from ancient seawater.

– Scientist uses Ekati “ugly duckling” diamonds.

 

Jeweler sues rapper Yung Joc.

 

Ludacris shows off diamond-encrusted Apple Watch.

 

Karim Benzema gets diamond-studded soccer ball. 

 

Security guard returns diamond earring to Dez Bryant.

 

Excellent headline, Finger Lakes Times.

 

Media Watch:

– The Telegraph asks: Is accessible luxury an oxymoron?

– Jezebel and Ratter on selling a used engagement ring.  

– Sharon Stone gets draped in Harry Winston diamonds for nude Harper’s Bazaar shoot.

– Natural News on how to tell if your diamond is fake.

– Canadian radio show on Fairtrade diamonds.

 

From the Blog:

After Eight Months of Declines, Jewelry Store Sales Rose in June. (Or Did They?)

Amazon’s Become a Player in Fashion. Could It Become One in Jewelry?

 
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