This month’s SPECTRUM is a special post-JCK Vegas edition. The JCK show is one of the highlights of the year for the diamond and jewelry industry, where trends are set, new technologies and tools are launched, and new business connections forged. While the industry was busy in Vegas, there was still plenty going on in diamond news - from Namibian sea beds, to archaeological ruins in Israel, to….Costco! Dive into the latest diamond industry news in our new SPECTRUM blog.
Color Them Happy: JCK Las Vegas 2019 Showgoers Are Ready to Shop
By Emili Vesilind @JCK
Every year at JCK Vegas, the industry gets a peek at some of the popular and trending styles in jewelry, diamonds and gemstones. This year, JCK magazine gave a roundup of what some jewelry designers were displaying and what they were predicting at the show, and it includes a return to early 60s design, diamonds set in silver pieces, and color - loads and loads of color.
Rapaport Urges Jewelry Industry to Fight for the Natural-Diamond Engagement Ring
By Eileen McClelland @Instore Magazine
Apart from jewelry fashion trends, JCK Vegas is also a time to hear about where the industry as a whole is heading. At this year’s JCK, Martin Rapaport delved into the hot topic of lab grown diamonds, coming out with a statement at his keynote address that RapNet will not provide a trading platform or price list for synthetic diamonds. He urged the industry to keep battling for the “diamond dream”.
Jewelry has a real function in life
By Dr. Jan Meyer @Bluff Country Newspaper Group
While the natural vs lab grown debate continues to rage, here is a beautiful and personal piece by Dr. Jan Meyer, exploring how and why jewelry is so important. It’s a way to hold on to memories and life’s moments as reflected in an owned jewelry piece, whether a gift, souvenir or heirloom. An interesting read that provides one woman’s perspective of the true meaning of jewelry.
Why Namibia is a world leader in recovering diamonds from the sea
By Otto Shikongo, CEO of Debmarine Namibia @Mining Review Africa
Marine diamond recovery makes up 70% of Namibia’s total diamond production. How did this African country become the leader in diamond mining in the sea? Read all about it in this revealing article by the CEO of the company behind Namibia’s sea mining success. Find out the positive impact on the local environment, economy and workforce.
So, Um, How Do We Put This? Someone Bought a $420,000 Engagement Ring From Costco
By Kelsey Garcia @Popsugar
Recently, the CFO of Costco revealed that a customer had purchased a $420,000 diamond engagement ring from a Costco store. The executive did not provide further information about the buyer or the location of the sale, which has led to much speculation and online buzz. Sign of the new times in diamond buying? We’ll see.
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend. But What About In Ancient Israel?
By Zachary Keyser @Jerusalem Post
How were gemstones used back in the Bronze Age? Recent research in Israel is exploring the subject with a special lab established at Bar Ilan University featuring equipment designed to analyze and identify ancient precious stones found at archaeological excavations. The university has already examined 1500 stones, mostly artifacts from the State Treasury, with more to come. Awaiting the results with trepidation!