This week: a diamond-studded manicure. De Beers denies diamond scandal. Are the days of discounting over? All below.

 

U.S. retail sales increase.

 

U.S. jewelry sales fall in April.

– Edahn Golan: The “hidden issues” for jewelry retailers.

 

A tale of two retail openings: Le Vian and Blue Nile.

– Swatch plans to start selling sunglasses.

 

Endless Jewelry appoints new CEO.

 

Where is Hearts On Fire going? Interview with the head of Chow Tai Fook.

 – CTF head also talks to Rapaport.

– Company’s stock falls.

 

Bloomberg on the new diamond producer’s association.

– What should its priorities be?

– Is “A Diamond Is Forever” still relevant today?
–  Diamonds lit up the red carpet at the Tony Awards.

– The theme of Las Vegas: maintaining the “diamond dream.”

 

Hodinkee, Watchville to merge.

 

U.S. jewelers still seeing strong sales from watches.

– Women’s watches having a moment, CNN says.

 

Zero overall growth seen for Swiss industry this year.

– Is watch industry “victim of its own success”?

 

Apple Watch orders fell off sharply after first day.

– Analysts lower estimates.

– Most people who ordered haven’t gotten them.

– More reviews: Positive (Quartz, ZDNet), negative (New York Times, Barron’s, and Lefsetz Letter), and lukewarm (9to5Mac).

 

New wearable tech: One ring stores memories, another tracks your partner.

 

Richemont invites rival LVMH to website to beat Amazon.

– New Net-A-Porter may be “game changer,” CEO says.

 

E-commerce will account for 18 percent of luxury sales in 10 years.

 

Gemvara unveils two new businesses.

 

Congress poised to renew battle over online sales tax.

 

Extell buys new Diamond District building.

 

Israeli exchange sets up team of arbitrators over mystery treatment.

 

Indian diamond company found to have millions in unreported income.

 

De Beers denies diamond scandal claims.

 

India could become “major center” for De Beers.

 

Botswana diamond beneficiation hits rough patch.

 

Central African Republic diamonds come at price of “blood and sweat.”

 

Controversial Rafael Marques de Morais Blood Diamonds book posted online.

– American Bar Association found “irregularities” in trial.

 

Fairtrade gold arrives in the United States.

 

Cartier owner worries wealth gap will fuel “social unrest.”

– Michelle Graff worries, too.

 

CanadaMark debuts online trading platform.

EGL USA introduces new brand name.

 

Nisolo buys Red Earth jewelry company.

 

Online museum invites public to “name” diamonds.

 

Southern California jewelry icon Herb Lewis dies.

 

Miami jeweler David Balogh dies.

 

Texas jeweler Marie Habeeb dies.

 

Kansas jeweler pleads guilty to buying stolen property.

 

Did California jeweler copy Cartier necklace?

 

J.C. Penney suit may mean big trouble for discounters.

– New Penney CEO lays out survival strategy.

 

Sears lawsuit charges real estate deals only benefit CEO.

– Stock tumbles.

– Company’s biggest problem: cash.

 

J. Crew lays off 175 employees.

 

Frederick Goldman is moving to New Jersey.

 

Antwerp reveals little about carat tax.

 

Concerns arise about internal politics at Gem-A.

 

GJEPC wants more involvement from bullion traders.

– Surat diamantaires don’t like new GJEPC proposal.

 

Dominion Diamond first quarter results.

 

Alrosa results conference call.

 

Petra Diamonds shares slump, predicting fewer big gems.

 

45 ct. ruby pair discovered in Mozambique.

 

Senegal seizes illegal elephant hair jewelry.

 

Recount of the great diamond hoax of 1871.

 

Jenna Jameson’s new husband is jeweler (with record).

 

Women’s Jewelry Association announces nominees.

 

A beauty salon’s diamond manicure.

 

Media Watch:

– Infoforum on nontraditional engagement rings.

– Minnesota newspaper on asking about a diamond’s source.

– The Wall Street Journal visits the De Beers diamond vault.

– Bustle writes yet another article on nontraditional engagement rings.

– De Beers’ Stephen Lussier interviewed by Bloomberg (video).

 

From the blog:

A Tale of Two (Very Interesting) Retail Openings: Le Vian and Blue Nile

Where Hearts On Fire Is Going: An Interview With the Head of Chow Tai Fook

 

Have a great weekend!

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