This week. How ISIS shops for jewelry. The saga of the 180,000 ct. emerald. And new diamonds for the Jenner family. All below.

 

Industry shrinkage increased in 2014, JBT says.

 

U.S. jewelry sales decline in January.

– Kmart, J.C. Penney report strong jewelry sales.

 

Reed & Barton files for Chapter 11, will be sold.

 

Tiffany’s loss to Swatch gets squashed.

 

TAG Heuer replaces leading executives.

 

“Number-one” industry threat busted by law enforcement.

– Three sentenced in jeweler home invasions.

 

Florida jeweler gets stolen diamond back.

 

North Carolina jeweler faces (and denies) stone-switching charges.

 

The “long, strange saga” of the 180,000 ct. emerald.

 

Diamond producers meet about possible industry association.

– “Awareness drive” on synthetics launched in India.

 

Brilliant Earth going clicks-and-bricks.

 

Seven notable points in Etsy’s IPO filing.

– American Museum of Natural History collaborates with Etsy designers.

 

Blue Nile eyeing Indian market.

– Receives analyst downgrade.

– Short interest up 38 percent.

 

Supreme Court justice wants re-hearing on online sales tax issue.

– Would make legislation unnecessary.

– The end of tax-free sales may be coming.

 

Joint venture debuts Swiss-made smartwatch.

 

Fossil introduces wearable tech platform.

 

What Swarovski is getting right about wearables.

 

Look at Montblanc “smart band.”

 

Apple Watch sales pitch revealed.

– Analyst believes high-end model will start at $5,000.

– New York Times: Selling smartwatch will be Apple’s challenge.

– Fast Company: It will flop.

– Average analyst prediction: 2.5 million a month.

– Runs ads in Chinese fashion magazine.

– Fashion expert isn’t impressed.

– Wins prestigious design award.

– Competing as fashion accessories “a risky move.”

– Planning pop-up stores in Selfridges.

– What the Apple Watch can do.

– What we don’t know.

– Hedda Schupak: Jewelers need to pay attention.

 

Fraud comes to Apple Pay.

– “Nothing to do with Apple.”

 

Goldman Sachs survey on Millennials. Good info.

 

The “fall of the hipster brand.”

 

Warren Buffett not selling at Borsheims this year.

 

Target eliminating thousands of jobs.

– CEO no stranger to layoffs.

 

What J.C. Penney management wants you to know.

– Main problem: It has no loyalty.

 

Anjanette Sinesio joins Todd Reed.

 

Sotheby’s appoints David Bennett international jewelry chairman.

 

Former De Beers exec Varda Shine joins miner Lonmin.

 

New problem for gold demand.

 

Zimbabwe not expecting any diamond revenue in 2015.

– Zanu PF hid $4 billion in diamond cash.

– Former Mbada employees picket office.

– How Marange diamonds turned into a curse.

 

The Washington Post on EPA’s no vote for Pebble mine.

 

How LVMH’s training program could pay off.

 

Hong Kong show “meets low expectations.”

– Diamond Federation of Hong Kong introduces quality assurance mark.

– Chinese women detained for stealing diamonds at Hong Kong show.

 

Hong Kong broker in India vanishes with diamonds. 

 

H. Goldie employee investigated for unauthorized transactions.

 

Diamond thief gets 15 years in Paris heist.

 

Not that much business done at Israel’s International Diamond Week.

 

Indian diamond merchants bid at auction out of charity–or more?

 

H Stern opens pop-up store in SoHo.

– National Jeweler stops by.

 

Rapper DJ Khaled sued by jeweler over diamond jewelry.

 

ISIS into weird rings and watches.

 

Designer scores with necklace used in 50 Shades of Grey.

 

Clearing up the confusion over Lupita’s pearl dress.

 

Lauren Bacall’s jewelry to be auctioned at Bonhams.

– Daughter recalls mother’s love affair with jewelry.

 

Laura Ingraham takes aim at Jeb Bush’s wife’s diamonds.

 

Bruce Jenner designing ring for himself as “transition gift.”

– Kylie Jenner flashes diamond ring.

 

Salma Hayek’s life in jewelry.

 

Media Watch:

– MainStreet runs an advertorial-ish article on moissanite.

– Racked interviews a “rock geek.”

– Jerusalem Post links conflict diamonds to Hezbollah.

– BoingBoing has the history of wristwatches.

– Times of India says fancy colored diamonds are strong investment option.

 

From the Blog:

Seven Notable Points in Etsy’s IPO Filing

Brilliant Earth Going Clicks and Bricks

 

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