SHOWS

Heading into the Tucson gem shows in early February, all signs suggested that pent-up demand from a slow 2016 selling season would translate into strong sales. But in the end, it was the supply side that made the biggest impression. Emeralds from a brand-new deposit in Ethiopia intrigued the gem community, rubies from Mozambique flooded showcases, and a slew of fresh-to-market exhibitors at the JCK Tucson show made clear that tourmaline, emerald, lapis lazuli, and Greenery-hued gems such as peridot and chrysoprase will be designer favorites this year. How’s that for local color?

(Pictured top) Cool Blue platinum earrings with 18.5 cts. t.w. blue-green tourmaline, 2.88 cts. t.w. aquamarines, and 0.76 ct. t.w. diamonds; $14,400; Alishan; 714-730-1140; alishanonline.com

 

CELEBRITIES

Mary Tyler Moore, who died Jan. 25 at age 80, played one of TV’s most celebrated characters—the single and successful Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Offscreen, the actress was a lover of bold ­jewelry: waist-length necklaces, shoulder-grazing earrings—even pasta jewelry (as seen in this 1971 image). But Moore’s candor and can-do attitude are sure to be what fans will miss most. “You can’t be brave if you’ve only had ­wonderful things happen to you,” she once said. Her wisdom sprang from her extraordinary life—which, by all accounts, she lived to the fullest.

MANUFACTURERS

Richline may not be out to buy the entire ­industry, but sometimes it sure seems that way. In January, the Warren Buffett–owned middle-­market giant, which recently purchased Gemvara and Silpada, scooped up The Aaron Group, the ­prominent manufacturer formerly known as Samuel Aaron. Richline CEO Dennis Ulrich says the purchase will keep his company a leader in the realms of bridal, fashion, and gemstone jewelry.

14k rose gold pendant with 0.25 ct. t.w. diamonds; $699; Samuel Aaron International; info@richlinegroup.com; the-aaron-group.com   

 

DIAMONDS

Blue Nile is entering the ­diamond buyback ­business—sort of. Thanks to a new venture that debuted in January, customers will have an opportunity to sell unwanted stones to the site, but the service will be run by New York City–based company Mondiamo. Blue Nile says its pricing info makes the service more transparent, though sellers will receive about 30 percent less than the e-tailer’s retail price, and Mondiamo will take a 15 percent cut on top of that.

 

AWARDS

You’ve got to hand it to this year’s Golden Globes attendees: Rings and bangles ruled the red carpet, from Ruth Negga’s Fred Leighton–Gemfields sculpted gold and ruby cuff and Blake Lively’s matching Colombian emerald and diamond cuffs (by Lorraine Schwartz, naturally) to cocktail-style gobstoppers like Octavia Spencer’s 40 ct. emerald ring (again by Schwartz). But the night’s most fabulous finger bling belonged to Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross (pictured), who ­basically dipped her hands in diamonds from designers including L’Dezen by Payal Shah, Hueb, Yeprem, and Kavant & Sharart. Too much? As if there’s such a thing!