A few plugs before we start: If you are heading to JCK Las Vegas next week, and I suspect many of you are, be sure to pop in on Thursday, May 30, at 10 a.m., when I will be moderating a panel on “Lab-Grown: Do You or Don’t You,” in Sands Room 303, level 1. More details here.
Then on Friday, May 31, at 11 a.m., I will be speaking on the “State of Retail,” at the Showcase Stage on level 2, inside the show. More details on that here.
And finally, if you want the real scoop on the move back to the Sands and what to expect next week, check out our Vegas preview podcast, with guest Yancy Weinrich, senior vice president of Reed Jewelry Group.
This week in Diamond Shavings: It matters what we call lab-grown diamonds. A new benchmark for e-commerce. And why the watch business needs Rolex. All below.
Serena Williams to introduce jewelry line.
The collapse of “retail’s boring middle.”
– Dressbarn to close all 650 of its stores.
– J.C. Penney’s comps fall, but jewelry sales do well.
– Sears’ seven decades of self-destruction.
E-commerce surpasses 10 percent of U.S. retail spending.
James Avery plans $13 million second headquarters.
Jewelers’ Security Alliance reports increased incidents of burglars cutting power lines.
Younger consumers expect engagement rings to cost less than $2,500.
– They also have “negative associations” with diamonds.
– The Onion has a nasty joke about diamond rings.
Paul Zimnisky on lab diamond nomenclature.
– Rapaport editorial: “Synthetic Ethics.”
– RapNet plans vote.
– Gizmodo: “Beyond the hype of lab-grown.”
– Lab-Grown Diamond Council investigates sustainability brand.
Bloomberg: Diamond glut “worsens.”
Botswana president to keynote JCK Las Vegas show.
Alrosa alleges funds were siphoned at Angola mine.
Two people shot in new Marange Diamonds violence.
Peru military tries to halt illegal gold mining.
SEC smashes diamond-backed “ponzi scheme.”
LVMH debuts blockchain tracking system for luxury goods.
Franck Muller introduces bitcoin watch.
Wearables market projected to keep growing.
This year’s winners of the Saul Bell Awards.
The watch industry “can’t survive without Rolex.”
Secondhand site What Goes Around Comes Around says it doesn’t sell counterfeits.
Kering commits to using only models over the age of 18.
New York law applies in Princie Diamond lawsuit.
Hatton Garden diamond thief points finger at cohorts.
Thieving cleaner comforts cancer patient, then takes her jewelry.
Padma Lakshi wears enormous diamond ring.
From the Blog
Serena Williams to Introduce Jewelry Line
JCK Podcasts
Minisode: Guest Yancy Weinrich
Have a great weekend!
– Email: rbates – at – jckonline.com.
– Twitter: @robbatesjck
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