I will be out next week, so this feature will not run. Hope everyone stays healthy and safe, and I look forward to speaking to you all again on June 8.
This week in Diamond Shavings: How the pandemic has changed retail, jewelry design, and department stores. Why Beny Steinmetz hired Black Cube. And the weirdest jewelry from quarantine. All below.
Rolex, La Californienne try to settle lawsuit.
Charles & Colvard CEO Suzanne Miglucci steps down.
Pandora reopening North American stores.
– Pandora Americas president discusses store reopenings.
– J.C. Penney reopens 150 more stores.
– Jewelry industry cancellations, reschedulings, reopenings (updated regularly).
Three-quarters of jewelry stores requiring employees to wear masks.
Virginia’s jewelers struggle to sell despite reopening.
How the pandemic is changing retail.
– It’s a “brand-new shopping experience.”
The department store “will never be the same.”
– J.C. Penney stock to be traded on “pink sheets.”
“Weddings are off, but marriages are on” (includes engagement ring info).
How COVID-19 is changing the game for jewelry designers.
– Designers say Instagram sales, e-commerce remain a bright spot.
– Kendra Scott is “acting like a startup” during COVID.
Generation Z still has a taste for luxury goods, survey finds.
The superrich are investing in diamonds and gemstones during lockdown.
– Christie’s to sell $12 million blue diamond ring.
Alrosa wants the trade to love fluorescent diamonds.
Alrosa holding largest digital tender in company’s history.
Dominion Diamond agrees to sell assets back to former owner.
– De Beers one step closer to closing Snap Lake.
– COVID-19 testing in place at Gahcho Kué and Snap Lake mines.
De Beers moves diamond sales away from Botswana.
South Africa’s state-owned mining company “nearly insolvent.”
Beny Steinmetz hired intelligence service Black Cube to spy on former partner.
Bloomberg: “Crystals are outshining diamonds.”
Ashes-to-diamonds company Eterneva adds diamond-growing expert to scientific advisory board.
Jewelers Mutual adds to board of directors.
Saks owner denies it’s involved in a “corporate shell game.”
Folli Follie gets close to restructuring.
U.S. Customs now says some Congo gold is OK.
Webinar: Toby Pomeroy talks about mercury-free mining (video).
New York jeweler donates to local nurses.
Connecticut jeweler creates drive-in movie theater.
Jeweler Steven Singer using video to sell during shutdown (video).
Jewelry store stocks groceries so it can open as an essential business.
New Mexico governor criticized for jewelry purchase during quarantine.
Weird quarantine jewelry, including a golden roll of toilet paper.
Jewelry expert critiques rapper’s chains (video).
Offset fires back at jewelers in $400,000 lawsuit.
Minneapolis pawn shop owner may have shot and killed a looter.
Patek Philippe given to 1918 pandemic doctor goes to auction.
How she’s managing: Rebecca Romijn.
Media Watch
Forbes is big on Mejuri.
New York Times writer finds “solace” in her jewelry box.
From the Blog
Alrosa Wants the Trade to Love Fluorescent Diamonds
From the Podcast
The Jewelry District, Episode 18 Guest: De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver
See you soon. Stay healthy and safe.
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