Tiffany earrings – The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA)

Tiffany Buys Some of a Legendary Diamond Mine’s Last Finds

The new Tiffany Collection comprises 35 gems, including an unusual red stone, from the Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia.

About a year ago, a representative of the Argyle Diamond Mine — a site in Western Australia that was the pre-eminent source of pink diamonds until it closed in 2020 — approached Tiffany & Company’s chief gemologist with an unusual offer: the chance to purchase a collection of diamonds that were among the last stones taken from the mine.

The decision, Tiffany executives said, didn’t require much consideration.

“We had to do it,” Anthony Ledru, the brand’s president and chief executive, said in his bright office in New York’s Flatiron district. “It’s perfect with what we stand for.”

The purchase, which was finalized several months ago, involved 35 diamonds of various shades: pink, almost purple and even one red gem, an especially unusual color for a diamond. The gems, which had already been cut in various styles, “checked off all of those boxes: rarity, scarcity and beauty,” said Victoria Reynolds, Tiffany’s chief gemologist.

But the stones are small, ranging from 0.35 carats to 1.52 carats, considerably more petite than the statement-size gemstones frequently used in engagement rings and solitaire necklaces.

“These are small, there’s no doubt,” Ms. Reynolds said, “but for connoisseurs, collectors who understand how rare these are, it’s incredibly appealing.”

How much did the jeweler pay for what it now calls the Tiffany Collection? Mr. Ledru wouldn’t disclose the sum, but said it was “probably not enough compared to what it’s going to become in the next five, 10 years.” (He did note that it was Tiffany’s largest single purchase of 2022.)

Exactly how the diamonds will be used in jewelry hasn’t been decided, although Mr. Ledru said it was likely that they all would be used in one-of-a-kind designs. In the meantime, the diamonds are being shown to select clients in New York City and, next month, in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The eventual prices are sure to be high. “You pay a premium for anything that says ‘Argyle pink diamond,’” said Renée Newman, an independent gemologist and author based in Los Angeles.

Source: NYT

Tiffany Promises More Transparency For Diamonds Amid Greater Concern Over Social Responsibility

Tiffany & Co. announced Tuesday it will share the full background of its newly sourced diamond rings, an industry first as it looks to attract customers who care about quality as well as social and environmental responsibility.

FRANCE-US-ECONOMY-LUXURY-LVMH-TIFFANY&CO — ffany & Co. will share more background on its engagement rings. AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

KEY FACTS

As demand for lab-grown diamonds is on the rise, it is likely Tiffany and other jewelers want to assuage conflict diamond and sustainability concerns which have long plagued the diamond industry.

The 183 year old jeweler will provide a Tiffany Diamond Certificate with the diamond’s region or countries of origin as well as where it was cut and polished, graded and quality assured and set in jewelry starting this October.

Tiffany says disclosing the country where each stone is crafted and set marks a first for global luxury jewelers and follows last year’s announcement that Tiffany would become the first to provide the country or region of origin for its diamond rings.

Twenty years ago, diamond industry leaders including Tiffany’s adopted the Kimberley Process aimed at stopping the worldwide trade of conflict diamonds, which it defines as “rough diamonds used to finance wars against governments,” but critics have said the definition is too narrow and does not factor human rights and sustainability concerns.

In 2018, the advocacy organization Human Rights Watch evaluated whether 13 of the world’s major jewelry brands responsibly source their gems and minerals and Tiffany’s topped the list, still, the report found “none of the companies can identify all of their diamonds’ individual mines of origin.”

Despite recent “quarantine proposals,” Tiffany’s engagement jewelry sales dropped nearly 97% year-over-year from $280.4 million to $142.5 million in the first quarter of 2020 and total net sales dropped by nearly 45% from more than $1 billion to $555.5 million.

TANGENT

Nearly 70% of millennials would consider buying an engagement ring with a lab-grown diamond, according to a 2018 report from MVI Industries, a marketing research and analytics firm for the gem, jewelry and watch industries. Lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical composition as a traditional diamond but they are usually less expensive.

Source: Forbes

Tiffany Reports Recovery in China Sales

Tiffany & Co said its jewelry business is rebounding in China after the coronavirus pandemic and its merger with French luxury retailer LVMH is clearing regulatory hurdles.

The U.S. jewelry maker said Tuesday in an earnings release that its same-store sales were down about 44% in the fiscal first quarter as the pandemic shuttered shopping malls and stores across the globe. Yet CEO Alessandro Bogliolo pointed to China as “indicative that a robust recovery is underway.”

TIF swung to a net loss of $64.6 million, or 53 cents a share, from earnings of $125 million, or $1.03 a share, a year ago. Revenue fell 45% to $555.5 million.

Analysts were expecting Tiffany to earn three cents a share on sales of $701 million, but the coronavirus pandemic has made comparisons with estimates difficult to make.

The company has 324 stores worldwide. About 70% of the stores were closed as of April 30, when the fiscal first quarter ended.

Tiffany said its jewelry sales dropped off significantly in the three-month period. Engagement jewelry declined by nearly 50%, more than any other category.

The company said its focus on expanding business in China, investing in its websites and adding new jewelry products prior to the pandemic have made the company more resilient.

In China, same-store sales were down about 85% and 15% during the first and second months of the quarter, but have picked up again in April and May.

Shares galloped $2.53, or 2.1%, to $124.71 early Tuesday.

Source: marketwatch

Tiffany, Macy’s Among Retailers Closing US Stores

A growing number of US retailers, including Tiffany & Co., are temporarily shuttering all locations across North America in an effort to stem the coronavirus spread.

“Effective immediately, we’re temporarily closing all Tiffany stores in the US and Canada, as well as many other locations globally, to protect our teams, clients and communities,” the jeweler said in an Instagram post Tuesday. “Now more than ever it is time for us to take care of the ones we love.”

Macy’s closed all its stores nationwide as of close of business Tuesday, including its Bloomingdale’s department-store chain. However, all its brands will continue to operate via online sites and mobile apps, it noted.

“The health and safety of our customers, colleagues and communities is our utmost priority,” Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette said Tuesday. “We will work with government and health officials to assess when we will reopen.”

J.C. Penney followed suit Wednesday, shutting all stores and business offices in the country, noting operations were currently slated to resume April 2.

Nordstrom has also announced it will suspend operations at all its North American stores, yet the company has limited the closure to a two-week period, it said. During that time it will offer curbside pickup for online orders. Meanwhile, Saks department store has shut its New York and Philadelphia locations, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Meanwhile, Pandora will not only close its US-based stores, but will shut locations in Italy, Spain, Germany and France, among others. It has also encouraged its franchisees and multi-branded partners in affected markets to cease operations voluntarily.

Signet Jewelers has not declared official plans to close any stores, but said it would follow the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our employees and customers,” David Bouffard, Signet’s vice president of corporate affairs, told Rapaport News Wednesday.

Signet shares were down 35% since start of trading on Wednesday, March 11, while Macy’s dropped 29% and Tiffany slipped 11%.

Source: Diamonds.net

Tiffany to Launch in India This Year

Tiffany & Co. will open its doors in India in an effort to capitalize on its already strong image and brand awareness in the country, the company said Wednesday.

The luxury jeweler will partner with Reliance Brands Limited, which is part of the Reliance Industries conglomerate owned by Mukesh Ambani, recently ranked by Forbes as the richest man in Asia. Tiffany will open stores in Delhi during the second half of the year, and further locations in Mumbai in the second half of 2020.

“As a global luxury jeweler with stores in many of the world’s most important cities, Tiffany’s emergence in these Indian commerce centers with their growing luxury consumer base presents a unique opportunity,” said Philippe Galtié, Tiffany’s executive vice president of global sales.

Reliance, which helps launch and build international brands in the luxury sector, has already introduced Armani, Hugo Boss, Brooks Brothers and other brands to the Indian market.

“Tiffany needs no introduction in India — it is iconic and timeless,” said Darshan Mehta, president and CEO of Reliance Brands.

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