Jewelry Headlines: May News

It’s the end of the month and that means your top jewelry stories from the month of March are about to be recapped. Whether they’re crazy, intriguing, or funny, these jewelry headlines made the news and are worth sharing.

10. Alrosa, a Russian mining company, unearthed an impressive 78-carat diamond from its Mir underground mine. Alrosa described the stone’s color as “transparent with yellowish and greenish hue.”

9. Also in Russia, a synthetic diamond lab, New Diamond Technology, has created a 10-carat diamond from a 32-carat man-made piece of rough. This is a new record for lab grown diamonds. This synthetic diamond is emerald cut. Would you wear a synthetic diamond?

8. Yet another jewelry heist took place this month, this time setting a record for the highest value of jewels stolen. At the Cannes International Film Festival in France, Leviev Diamond Company was showcasing their jewels at the lobby of the Carlton International hotel when apparently one man, on foot, stole 72 pieces or $136 million in total jewels.

7. Speaking of stolen gems from the Cannes Festival, diamond company Choppard also reporedtly had $1 million dollars of jewelry stolen from a safe from the Hotel Novotel Cannes. Sounds like this festival was anything but lucky for these jewelers.

6. Las Vegas is teeming with the world’s top jewelry industry professionals this week during the annual Couture, JCK and U.S. Antique Jewelry & Watch shows.

5. The Met Gala, a star studded Hollywood event, had a Chinese inspired theme allowing the celebrities the chance to wear some amazing jewelry. The Met Gala is known as a chance for celebrities to dress more wildly, more high fashion couture, and, of course, with more jewels.

4. The buried treasure from the shipwreck of Hanneke Wrome was found south of the Finnish island of Jussarö,. The ship Hanneke Wrome took sail in 1468 with countless goods on board, but tragically sunk and killed everyone on board. A team of divers recently discovered the buried treasure that reportedly has over $150,000 million in gold coins and jewelry.

3. The Gemological Institute of America has recalled hundreds of diamonds they believe have been altered or modified in color to be re-examined. GIA has cut ties with four clients that have reportedly modified their stones by enhancing their color by up to three grades but fades with time.

2. “The Sunrise Ruby,” a 25.59-carat Burmese ruby set has sold for $30.3 million, shattering the existing highest sold ruby, “Graff Ruby,” for $8.6 million. This ruby gem sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva.

1. WWII deceased veteran and hero, General Douglas MacArthur had his Jaeger-LeCoultre Ref. 201 Early Reverso watch that he once worn sold for $94,212 also in Geneva at the Antiquorum auction.

These top 10 jewelry stories were the most memorable stories of March — what do you think will happen next month?