This week: New talk of Tiffany takeover. Could gold rise 30 percent this year? Online sales tax proposal gets new life. All below.

 

Jewelers of America buys National Jeweler.

 

Slane ceasing wholesale operations.

 

Tiffany & Co. hit by falling holiday sales.

 – Four challenges facing the company.

– What Wall Street is saying.

– Is the problem with luxury retail?

– Could rekindle takeover talk.

 

Sales by jewelers fall in November.

– NRF says holiday sales rose 4 percent.

– But Commerce Department says December sales fell.

– “Holiday was fine—but it was different.”

 

Diamonds rule at 2015 Golden Globes.

– Jennifer Heebner’s five best—and worst—looks.

– Jewelry “mistakes.”

– Twitter reacts.

– The top watches.

– More jewelry roundups from Instore, National Jeweler, Eonline, The Los Angeles Times, and Cheryl Kremkow.

 

Tiffany debuts first same-sex ad.

– Danielle Max spots an opportunity.

– “Why ad is important.”

– My thoughts: Can Tiffany up its cool factor?

 

Suberi, Sumit Diamond merge.

– Ross Markman joins Samuel Aaron.

 

Swiss watch prices could rise after currency “tsunami.”

– “Disaster” for watchmakers.

– Why 2014 saw growth in Swiss watch exports.

 

Swiss franc news helps gold price.

– Gold mining stocks rebound.

– “Doomsayer” predicts gold will rally 30 percent this year.

 

De Beers CEO on grading labs, undisclosed synthetics, and sightholder profitability.

– New reports of undisclosed synthetics “just rumors,” says GJEPC.

– Mark Boston agrees.

 

Rough prices set to decline.

– Sightholders considering refusing half their goods.

 

Indian banks cutting back lending to gem, jewelry sector.

– ABN Amro not exiting India.

 

Rio Tinto woos Indian president over diamond mine.

 

Will Putin’s diamonds rescue Russia?

 

Bostwana looking at mine X-rays.

 

Govt. newspaper says Zimbabwe needs more “diamond people.”

 

New campaign raises awareness of Fairtrade gold.

– Being pushed by churches.

 

New gold rush threatens Amazon wildlife.

 

Buffalo jeweler gets decades in jail for defrauding customers.

 

Virginia jeweler Dorothy Burke dies.

 

From F-bombs to ventriloquists, industry celebrates 24 Karat weekend.

 

Yancy Weinrich promoted to SVP of Reed Exhibitions.

 

Antonio Calce named CEO of Sowind Group.

 

New CEO appointed at Qeelin.

 

New managing director for Maurice Lacroix.

 

Company veterans return to CIRCA.

 

Etsy planning IPO, report says.

 

Profile of site that rents watches.

 

New details emerge about Apple Watch.

– Watch line may be worth $30 billion.

– It will “legitimize the smartwatch sector.”

– Apple “hasn’t made case” for watch.

– Retailers getting ready.

– Samsung’s new watch sounds like Apple’s.

 

Michelle Graff leaves her phone home. Worthy idea.

 

More millennials buying diamonds online, says James Allen CEO.

 

House chair circulates online tax draft.

 

How Amazon tricks people on prices.

Wet Seal files Chap. 11 as ex-employees urge boycott.

 

Landlords eager to reclaim J.C. Penney stores.

– Demand for big-box space is up.

 

Target closing Canadian division.

– Why Target Canada failed.

– Company rescinds job offers to new hires.

 

Tiffany misses employment target at Kentucky plant.

 

GIA looks to hire new graders.

 

Patek Philippe commits to Geneva.

 

How maternity leave can pay off for small businesses.

 

Harry Winston partners with amfAR.

 

Best engagement rings of “Bollywood babes.”

 

Usher’s fiancée sports big engagement ring.

 

Diamond-encrusted Super Bowl ring going up for auction.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo to wear diamond-encrusted boots.

 

Media Watch:

Bustle asks “to wear or not to wear” an engagement ring.

Iowa State Daily editorial likes lab-grown diamonds. A few errors there.

Business Insider’s five ways to spot a fake diamond.

The Age profiles disruptive Australian jewelry e-tailer.

The Coast News profiles GIA’s law enforcement classes.

Buffalo News with yet another lab-grown diamond article.

Middle East North African Financial Network blogger calls diamonds a “good 5-year play.”

The Telegraph goes behind the scenes at Cartier.

The Guardian on mining diamonds underwater (native ad).

 

From the blog:

Tiffany Tries to Up Its Cool Factor

De Beers CEO: We Take New Reports of Undisclosed Synthetics “Very Seriously”

 

Have a great weekend!

– Email: rbates – at – jckonline.com.

– Twitter feed: robbatesjck

– Connect on Facebook and Linkedin.

– Cutting Remarks RSS feed. 

Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine