Only Natural Diamonds - Spring/Summer 2025

Brooke Shields

MARVELOUS MARQUISE The shipshaped diamond is back in the spotlight.

28 BERNARD JAMES The reluctant engagement ring designer.

32 TAKE A VOW Prounis creates new commitment rings with an old soul.

34 A CANADIAN LOVE STORY Honoring the journey of Canadian diamonds.

his DNA.

48 YOUNG & BEAUTIFUL

Gen Z appreciates natural diamond’s rich history.

50 FOR THE LOVE OF DIAMONDS Hunt down antique diamond jewelry like a pro.

52 A TREASURED PAST & FUTURE

An exhibition of Cartier’s iconic history.

56 A RED CARPET ROMANCE

For A-listers, there’s no better place to debut an engagement ring.

58 ROYAL RING TREATMENT

Discover the legacy left by royal diamond engagement rings.

62 THE GUY’S GUIDE

How to find the right engagement ring without losing your mind.

66 L.A. STORY

Meet the Angelenos who have witnessed the transformation of their city

72 BROOKE SHIELDS

Unfettered and uncut.

86 KELVIN HARRISON JR.

Like a gentleman.

98 ANTONIA GENTRY

A sense of style.

112 NIKOS KOULIS

A delicate balance.

120 RARE BEYOND COMPARE

The Cullinan Blue, DeYoung Red, and Mouawad VIMP.

126 FROM THE DESK OF Lorraine West, Frank Everett, and Vanessa Fernández.

OFFICIAL RETAIL PARTNERS

DAVID KELLIE CEO

KRISTINA BUCKLEY KAYEL Managing Director

SAM BROEKEMA Editor-In-Chief

SHANNON LYNCH Senior Features Editor

GRANT MOBLEY Jewelry & Watch Editor

JANE ASHER Social Media Manager

HANNAH MILITANO Web Editor

NANCY GIAMBONA DELPHINE DAUMONT Marketing

SHELLEY BROWN Content Marketing & Partnerships

GRACE ISLEY Retail Strategy & Partnerships

JULIA KNOX  Media Performance Marketing GLYNIS COSTIN Entertainment Editor At Large

Raluca Anghel, Brandon BorrorChappell, Vincenzo Dimino, Ruthie Friedlander, Mina El Hadraoui, Marion Fasel, Anthony Federici, Lucy Fox, Wanyi Jiang, Lisa Levinson, Jill Newman, Joshua Peskowitz, Maggie Morris, Andrew Werner, Lynn Yaeger

Brooke Shields wearing London Jewelers earrings and Khepri necklace, photographed by Paola Kudacki.

THE RESPONSIBILITY ISSUE

Responsibility is one of those words we start to hear a lot in adolescence. Chores, grades, family obligations: these are ever more a personal responsibility. This is not something we outgrow but rather something that becomes a core value. For our summer issue, we take on all the ways in which we are responsible.

Our cover star, Brooke Shields, has been in the public eye since the age of 12. Now, at the fabulous age of 60, has fully harnessed her inner radiance and is using her voice to support others who feel bogged down by impossible beauty standards. Her new memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, calls the bluff of those who think there’s a shelf life for exquisite. Much like a natural diamond, the most beautiful things take time.

On the other side of the age spectrum, summer feature star Antonia Gentry may not have hit 30, but understands the responsibility of being in the public eye. The young star is sophisticated beyond her years, both in her elegant diamond jewelry looks on the red carpet and her advocacy for environmental responsibility to protect the world for the next generation.

Rounding out our trio is Kelvin Harrison Jr., who takes on movie roles to learn how to become the best version of himself and to make his mother proud. In many ways, I think we are all doing it for the mothers.

The theme of responsibility runs through our entire issue, highlighting how we are all responsible for one another and that every project and every day presents an opportunity for us to pay it forward for the next generation, and repay all that we have been given by the generations before. Enjoy an exploration of the solar-powered project by Rio Tinto in sub-Arctic Canada, which revolutionizes diamond recovery and will remain in place to support the local community long after the mine closes. Further afield in Sierra Leone, artisanal mining thrives thanks to efforts by De Beers through their project GemFair to build a sustainable and responsible artisanal mining program and support local communities. Closer to home, Los Angeles has served as a quiet hub in the jewelry industry since the 1960s. We delve into both that history and how the recent wildfires there have been a call to action for the industry to support one another.

Of course, as we are devoted to all things natural diamonds, the issue is filled with spectacular offerings for where jewelry design is headed next, along with guidance on how to find the perfect natural diamond engagement ring for you, providing plenty of inspiration from who has done it best throughout history. This sacred question may be one of the most personal responsibilities of all: how to find the right ring to capture all that beloved means to you and all you want to share. But remember, it can (and should) be fun, so enjoy the ride.

Photographed by Vincenzo Dimino

ON THE COVER: Brooke Shields wears Chanel earrings, Chanel necklace, and Khepri ring, photographed by Paola Kudacki.

Antonia Gentry wearing Reza ear cuff and rings, and Anita Ko ring, photographed by Mark Lim.

CONTRIBUTORS

Anatolli

Anatolli is a stylist, fashion editor, and creative consultant based in New York and Paris. His work has appears in Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Elle, Interview, and GQ.

Lynn Yaeger

Lynn Yaeger has been writing about fashion, jewelry, and culture for over two decades. She began her career at the Village Voice. Now a contributing editor at Vogue, Yaeger has written for publications, including The New York Times, WSJ Magazine, and more. In 2019, Yaeger won the coveted CFDA Media Award. In her off hours, she can be found haunting the world’s flea markets, searching for antique toys and vintage jewelry.

Jill Newman

A jewelry authority, editor and storyteller, Jill Newman has been immersed in the industry for 30 years. Her assignments have taken her to diamond mines across Africa, cutting workshops in India and Belgium, and jewelry ateliers around the world. Jill is the Natural Diamond Council’s Editor at Large and her work also appears in media outlets including The New York Times, Robb Report, and Galerie Magazine.

Mark Lim

Mark Lim is a photographer and director based in Brooklyn, New York. Having graduated from Parsons School of Design, his work often takes a conceptual approach, whether it be fashion, still life or his own personal projects. With his partner, he founded Nicotine Magazine, an internationally distributed fashion and art magazine, in which he is the coeditor-in-chief and creative director.

Micaiah Carter

Micaiah Carter is a photographer and director based in Southern California. Rooted in family, his work holds memory and emotion, while looking toward the future with care.

Ruthie Friedlander

Ruthie Friedlander is a writer and creative consultant with a love for jewelry. Formerly the site director at InStyle and a digital editor at ELLE, She founded The Chain, a nonprofit that supports individuals navigating eating disorders and is a passionate advocate for creating safe, supportive spaces within image-focused professions. Ruthie currently runs At Large Agency.

Marion Fasel

Author of The Adventurine on Substack, Marion Fasel is an esteemed jewelry expert, curator, trend forecaster, and historian who has written several books including the newly released The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance.

Josh Peskowitz

Josh Peskowitz’s opinion and perspective are sought after by businesses and designers across the fashion spectrum. With a primary focus on menswear, his experience spans both editorial and retail, including his own shop Magasin. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, GQ Style, Esquire’s Big Black Book, GQ Style Germany, and Fantastic Man, among others.

What's Old is New Again

by Jill Newman

1. Brent Neale

Boghossian

White Space

Selim Mouzannar

Sylva & Cie

Photo courtesy of Selim Mouzannar

6

When Mikey Madison accepted the Best Actress honor at the Academy Awards for her role in Anora, the young star also got accolades for her jewels. She wore a vintage diamond Tiffany & Co. necklace from the early 1900s with a stunning Old European cut diamond drop. It was a defining jewel, one that showed her sophisticated style and individuality.

That red carpet moment reflects the growing desire for unique, old diamond cuts, stones that exude a softer shimmer compared to the super sparkle of most modern cuts. It’s not just vintage diamonds in the spotlight but also new diamonds cut in the style of the old.

Vintage stones are often referred to as “diamonds cut by candlelight”, which sounds incredibly romantic. That’s because in the 18th and 19th centuries, before the invention of electricity, artisan cutters faceted stones by candlelight. The diamond’s wider, less precise facets often portrayed a subdued sparkle, a twinkle.

As technology and science evolved, diamonds were cut to precise specifications to maximize their sparkle. While there’s always been an interest in vintage stones, today, they’re being shown in distinctly contemporary ways. One reason for the growing desire is that consumers want unique diamonds, even with slight imperfections, that express their individuality and are clearly natural. What’s more, it appeals to shoppers who want upcycled jewelry (what’s better than vintage?), and oftentimes, quirky old stones are less expensive than modern diamonds of similar size. It’s a matter of style. No doubt, many still prefer a diamond’s radiant sparkle over the more subdued twinkle. But now, there are more options for every taste and budget. Let’s be clear: Old-style diamond cuts don’t mean old-style jewels. Parisian designer Elie Top, a favorite of style icons like Marisa Berenson and Inès de La Fressange, unveiled his lavish “Liaisons Dangereuses” collection at Christie’s Paris in January, featuring gorgeous old stones in innovative statement-making pieces.

The collection's theme is an 18th century salon illuminated with candlelit chandeliers. “Vintage diamonds were exactly the type of feeling and sparkle for this aesthetic,” Top tells Only Natural Diamonds. He set old cushion and European-cut diamonds on shapely mirror-finish gold designs with his signature distressed silver accents. While he favors the stones for their imperfections and warm sparkle, he adds, “I love the idea of upcycling diamonds.”

10 9 8 7

Jewelers such as Jessica McCormack, Jean Prounis, and Single Stone use old diamonds (or new diamonds cut with old characteristics) in contemporary, everyday pieces. The trend is aligned with today’s more relaxed lifestyle; clothing is pared down and less fussy, and so are the jewels. It’s a trend that’s here to stay. It offers versatility in design and price and can make a bigger diamond appear more subdued. Because while some people prefer a discreet look, nobody is giving up diamonds.

The Elevated Ear

by Jill Newman

One of the sexiest and chicest diamond jewelry trends on the red carpet this year was the artfully curated ear. What does that mean? Rather than multiple stacked earrings up the ear, it’s two or three mismatched bold diamond earrings and ear cuffs worn high on the ear.

Cate Blanchett was the first to catch my attention at the Golden Globes in a stunning metallic Louis Vuitton dress and two striking gold and diamond ear cuffs designed by Francesca Amfitheatrof, the house’s artistic director of jewelry at the time. It was stylish and modern, with a subtle edge.

The trend is a shift in the way we wear and shop for earrings. While multi-stacked earrings have long been popular with a younger set, they often project an edgy, street style spirit. Today’s new ear game combines that rebellious flair with refined, high style. Women of every age are embracing the trend, wearing dazzling chubby gold and diamond hoops, designer studs, and ear cuffs artfully arranged.

Antonia Gentry wearing DYNE ear cuffs, Repossi necklace, and Effy ring, photographed by Mark Lim.

The new ear adornment is all about individuality and creativity. Look no further than this year’s red carpet for some of the best inspiration. At the Golden Globes, Kristen Bell donned Reza’s diamond ear climber, and Angelina Jolie wore Messika’s eye-catching diamond studs and a single ear cuff with a diamond fringe. At Vanity Fair’s Oscar after-party, Madelyn Cline wore mismatched Briony Raymond diamond ear cuffs, and Shira Haas dressed one ear in a diamond drop earring and two cuffs from Grace Lee and Anita Ko.

Celebrity stylists played a big role in the earring evolution by showing a mix of fewer, more important diamond earrings on their clients to project a more sophisticated ear-stack aesthetic.

Boucheron was the first Parisian heritage house to break with tradition when a few years ago it offered a single diamond high jewelry earring (rather than a pair) that wrapped around the ear. It has continued to create lavish single earrings, like the new Plume de Paon asymmetrical earrings that Michelle Yeoh wore at the Academy Awards. Even men are adopting the trend, like Colman Domingo, who wore Boucheron’s diamond cat stud earring with two Quatre single ear clips at the Academy Awards.

The look is also a way to repurpose great diamond earrings for a second outing by wearing your favorites solo or adding another piercing high on the ear for your tried-and-true diamond studs or ear cuffs.

Take a lesson from Dua Lipa, known for her creative ear stacks, who attended Chanel’s Spring couture runway show with her hair pulled back in a large black bow and Tiffany & Co. diamond Victoria earrings strategically placed at the high point of the ear, like points of light. Sometimes, less is more, especially when diamonds are artfully arranged.

Boucheron

Pump up the Volume

by Josh Peskowitz

Kelvin Harrison Jr. wearing Cartier High Jewelry, photographed by Micaiah Carter.

There’s been an orthodoxy in style for the last few years that’s told us to be quietly luxurious – that standing out is in bad taste. Colors have been muted, fabrics have been soft and matte, and jewelry has been understated. Style will always be personal, but taste has very much been dictated. In 2025, if the options are keeping Stealth Wealth or the Marie Antoinette treatment, the choice is clear. That is a big, bejeweled middle finger “f*ck you” to convention. What does the ring on that middle finger look like? The bigger and weirder, the better. Think Boucheron’s Glacier Ring, which looks like a diamond-encrusted Tuscan Column, or a diamond spider a la Samira 13. Hell, it doesn’t even need to be a ring flicking you off; it could be a jeweled claw, as seen on Cynthia Erivo’s epic red carpet run this awards season.

The shapes range from amorphous to anthropomorphic, but all have one thing in common: These pieces cannot be ignored. In a moment when many seem to be averting their eyes, adornment with a muscularity reminiscent of circa-2000s peak bling and imbued with a hand wrought feel is particularly potent. Jewels with this attitude are best applied liberally across the body – ears, nose, and even teeth. There’s joy in being transgressive and unapologetic, and we could all use a dose of fun. Diamonds should make you smile, and the more stones, the bigger the grin. Look no further than Colman Domingo, our patron saint of the red carpet, whose multiple appearances wearing rings, bracelets, cluster studs, and brooches, dripping in diamonds as bright as his pearly whites.

A confluence of trends in both men’s and women’s jewelry has brought us to this gender agnostic “fuck you” inflection point. In men’s, it started with the brooch. The now near-universal red carpet adoption of an accessory, whose chic was more estate sale than black tie just two years ago, has upended the perception of what’s appropriate for men. Brooches arrived at the time when Quiet Luxury was ascendant and functioned as a little crank to the volume of a look. The fact that they look good on the peak lapel of a midnight tuxedo didn’t hurt. On the women’s side, statement necklaces have steadily drifted north to become big earrings (and cuffs) and south in the form of mega rings and stacks of bracelets. Erivo’s talons feel like a revelation, but even they were preceded by downtown legend Bijule’s nail tip rings championed by Beyoncé, among others. Add in the resurgence of gem cuts not seen in decades with a free-form, wabi-sabi-inflected celebration of craftsmanship, and you have all the ingredients needed to break tradition.

Understated, timeless, and classic are words marketers rely on to convey a sense of permanence in jewelry. It can be an expensive investment, and they want the wearer to feel confident that their purchases will remain relevant forever. This restraint in design is important for many customers to feel comfortable, which is understandable, but the consensus as to what is “timeless” changes over time. Outré ideas like being transgressive, unusual, funny, and above all, unapologetic have come back around to be the bleeding edge of style. This time, though, the materials, the technical skill displayed, and the polish of the presentation turn something that could easily be gaudy into something exquisite.

They say living out loud is worth the time, tears, and treasure expended to make it happen. Dressing outside the box at a time when regressive policies are noisily trying to stuff us all back into them couldn’t feel timelier. And as Bette Midler once said, “Fuck ‘em if they can’t take a joke.”

1.

2. Bijules

3. Louis Vuitton

4. Samira 13

5. Retrouvai

6. Silvia Furmanovich

7. Fie Isolde

8. Jacquie Aiche

9. Jessica McCormack

10. Monica Rich Kosann

11. Tiffany & Co.

12. Boucheron

Adrien Brody, at the 2025 Oscars wearing an Elsa Jin brooch.

Uniform Object

Take the History of Diamond

1 . When someone asked Elizabeth Taylor if the 33.19 carat Asscher diamond ring she wore as her engagement ring from Richard Burton was real, what was her response?

A. “I only wear real diamonds, darling.”

B. “Of course, it’s real. Don’t be silly.”

C. “You bet your sweet ass it’s real.”

2 . The 4Cs—color, cut clarity and carat weight— were initially conceived as a mnemonic device to help gemology students learn about diamond grading.

A.True B. False

3 . The first diamond engagement ring in history was given to Mary of Burgundy in 1477 by Archduke Maximilian.

A.True B. False

4.. What was the shape of the diamonds in the oldest engagement rings?

A. Table cuts

B. Point cuts

C. Rose cuts

5. The pear-shape diamond and gold engagement ring Aidan initially planned to give Carrie in Sex and the City literally made her upchuck. What was the style of ring she said “yes” to when he proposed?

A. Cartier emerald-cut diamond ring

B. A Tiffany Setting with a round brilliant cut diamond

C. A Harry Winston Asscher diamond

6. Diamond engagement rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand because there is a vein, named vena amoris, that runs directly from that finger to the heart.

A.True B. False

Answer 20 questions compiled by Marion Fasel,

7. Which one of these women first popularized the toi et moi style engagement rings?

A. Britain’s Queen Victoria

B. Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais

C. France’s Empress Eugénie

8 . Before crowned-heart rings became known as Claddagh rings, they were worn as engagement rings.

A.True B. False

9. In 2002, Ben Affleck famously proposed to Jennifer Lopez with a pink diamond Harry Winston engagement ring. Which of these three women were also given fancy color diamond engagement rings?

A. Iman

B. Blake Lively

C. Victoria Beckham

10. Is a wedding band supposed to be worn on the top or bottom of an engagement ring?

A. Top B. Bottom

11 . What is a moval diamond?

A. A shape inspired by Mughal diamonds

B. A waxing crescent moon shape

C. A cross between a marquise and an oval

12 . What color are diamonds in rings painted in Renaissance paintings?

A .W hite B. Silver C. Black

13. Tiffany & Co. sold the Tiffany Setting engagement ring through mail order catalogs in the late 19th century.

A.True B. False

Engagement Ring Quiz

who literally wrote the book on the subject.

14. What year was the "A Diamond Is Forever" campaign launched?

A. 1963 B. 1947 C. 1935

15. Which designer created a fragrance inspired by his wife's diamond engagement ring?

A. Calvin Klein

B. Oscar de la Renta

C. Ralph Lauren

16. What size was the emerald cut diamond in the engagement ring Elizabeth Taylor received from movie producer Mike Todd in 1956?

A. 17.4 carats

B. 23.4 carats

C. 29.4 carats

17. Do emerald cut diamonds come in square and rectangular shapes?

A. Yes B. No

18. Which of the following diamond shapes has Lady Gaga not received as an engagement ring?

A. Heart B. Emerald C. Oval

19. The fashion for east-west set diamonds in engagement rings can be traced back to which of the following decades?

A. 1920s B. 1970s C. 2000s

20. Grace Kelly wore her own 10-carat emerald cut diamond engagement Cartier ring in her final film, High Society (1956). Which of the following things did not happen in the production?

A. She wore the ring for a swim in the pool.

B. Her former husband remarks on the diamond ring to her new fiancé, “Some stone, George. Did you mine it yourself?”

C. Kelly polishes the ring on her dress and admires it.

ANSWERS

1. C “You bet your sweet ass it’s real” was Taylor’s inimitable response to the question.

2 .True Robert M. Shipley, who founded the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), developed the system in the 1930s to help students remember the qualities for grading a diamond.

3. False This popular misconception has been around for decades and snowballed on the internet. Scholars, however, believe there was a general fashion for diamond engagement rings among nobility when Mary received her ring. And there is evidence of at least one specific diamond engagement ring—given by Costanzo Sforaza to Camilla d’Aragona in 1475—that predates Mary’s ring.

4. B The earliest diamond shape, point cuts, are essentially diamonds in their natural octahedron form, which looks like two pyramids joined at the base. Point cuts were polished on a wheel with a little olive oil.

5. C Aidan proposed to Carrie with a 3-carat Asscher cut diamond engagement ring from Harry Winston. She ended up wearing it on a necklace because, as she explained, “It’s closer to my heart.”

6. True and False The vein doesn’t exist, but the tradition of wearing the ring on that finger has endured since the Renaissance when people believed it did, in spite of having no knowledge of the circulatory system.

7. B. Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais received a two stone ring with a pearshape diamond and pear-shape sapphire from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796. The jewel and their legendary love story initially popularized the toi et moi style.

8. True In the 18th and 19th centuries, crowned-heart rings were worn as engagement rings. The poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning received one set with rose-cut diamonds from Robert Browning around 1845.

9. A, B and C David Bowie proposed to Iman in 1992 with a yellow diamond Lorraine Schwartz engagement ring. Ryan Reynolds gave Blake Lively a light pink oval diamond engagement ring, also by Lorraine Schwartz, around 2013. Throughout their marriage, David Beckham has made a habit of giving Victoria Beckham flashy solitaire rings she wears on the third finger of her left hand; a few have been yellow or pink diamond rings.

10. B The tradition is to wear the wedding band on the bottom because it is closer to your heart. But people break the rule for all sorts

of reasons, ranging from they like to use their wedding band to secure an engagement ring on the finger to they simply prefer the look, or they know nothing about the custom.

11. C Moval shape diamonds are a combination of a marquise and oval. The shape, which was popular in the early years of the 20th century, is coming back into vogue fueled by the popularity of oval diamond rings.

12. C Scholars believe diamonds were painted black because they didn’t reflect much light the way faceted gems would as diamond cutting developed.

13. True It was a visionary decision and one that made the firm closely associated with engagement rings. Paper ring sizers were included with the catalogs.

14. B The post-World War II marriage boom in America motivated De Beers to hire the advertising agency N.W. Ayer to create a campaign to promote diamonds with an emphasis on engagement rings. Copywriter Frances Gerety, who was assigned to the account, came up with the slogan, “A Diamond Is Forever.”

15. A Calvin Klein launched his Eternity fragrance one year after he bought a diamond eternity band for his wife, Kelly, at the Duchess of Windsor's auction at Sotheby's in Geneva in 1987. The fashion designer was enchanted by the idea that the diamonds around the finger symbolized eternal love.

16. C Mike Todd liked to tell the press, “It was not quite 30, but twenty-nine-and-a-half carats.” Elizabeth Taylor referred to the giant gem as “My ice skating rink.”

17. Yes While the most well-known emerald cuts are rectangles, the shape can also be condensed into a square with the same facet arrangement.

18. B Lady Gaga has never had an emerald-cut diamond engagement ring. In 2015, Taylor Kinney proposed with a diamond heart engagement ring, but the couple never made it down the aisle. In 2024, she received an oval diamond ring from Michael Polansky.

19. A While they were something of a rarity, east-west set diamond rings were around in the 1920s. Joan Crawford received an east-west set emerald cut diamond in a Raymond C. Yard, Inc. ring from Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in 1929.

20. A Kelly had a good sense of humor about her ring in the movie. It was part of the banter. And she did polish it on her dress and admire it. But she didn't wear it for a swim in the pool.

The Marvelous MARQUISE

When Benny Blanco was secretly working on Selena Gomez’s custom engagement ring, he knew the most important detail –she wanted a marquise diamond. It was not a private piece of information; even Selena’s fans were aware of her love of marquise diamonds. In her 2015 song “Good for You,” she cooed, “I’m a marquise diamond.”

The fancy shape has romantic roots dating back to the 18th-century Court of Versailles. Legend has it that the marquise diamond

SELENA GOMEZ HAS BROUGHT THE SHIPSHAPED GEM INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

BY MARION FASEL

was inspired by Louis XV’s mistress, the Marquise de Pompadour. While the shape’s name acknowledges her title, the tribute is said to have been inspired by the shape of her mouth. This connection made the marquise diamond a symbol of passion. More pragmatic types, however, believe that the marquise-shaped rings worn by members of the Court of Versailles to flaunt their rank were the source of the diamond’s name.

Like most diamond shapes, the marquise evolved with advances

Mia Farrow and Robert Redford in a scene from the film The Great Gatsby in 1973; Mia Moross Fine Jewelry ring.

in diamond cutting in the early 20th century. Also known as the navette shape, the marquise gained more facets, cleaner lines, and sharper points at the ends. All this newness gave the shape a stunning fire and brilliance, which are terms used to describe the light beaming from the stone.

According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), marquises are most often cut in the length-to-width ratio of 1.85 to 2.0, which is neither too wide nor too narrow. They are, however, also cut in thinner and thicker ratios. Depending on the proportions, the curves of a marquise can create the illusion that the size of the gem is greater than its actual carat weight.

During the roaring 1920s, the marquise shape peaked in popularity. While square and rectangular gems are closely associated with the geometric look of Art Deco jewelry, the marquise can be found all over wide diamond bracelets and pendant earrings. And they became a dramatic center stone for engagement rings.

Norma Shearer, one of the most celebrated actresses of the era, wore the marquise diamond engagement ring she received in 1927 from MGM executive Irving Thalberg in several movies, including the 1939 classic The Women. In countless publicity stills, she held her hand in such a way that made it easy to see the substantially-sized diamond.

The popularity of marquise diamond engagement rings during the Jazz Age was underscored in the iconic 1974 remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. In the stylish production, Mia Farrow, who played Daisy Buchanan, wore an array of 1920s Cartier jewelry. But her marquise diamond engagement ring was a contemporary design from the French jeweler. It reflected the marquise’s moment of popularity in the 1970s. Shortly after the film was released, a client walked into Cartier in New York and said, “I want Daisy’s ring.”

Beyond these high-profile moments, the marquise has remained a niche choice in engagement rings. Tiffany doesn’t carry the style on its website, and neither does Cartier. But, there has been an uptick in the gem shape among several designer collections. Brides have been finding them at vintage jewelry establishments, too.

“There’s something incredibly distinctive about a marquise cut diamond,” explains designer Briony Raymond. “I love how versatile

it can be, whether set in a classic design or something more contemporary.”

The angle at which designers set a marquise makes it look completely different. A horizontal marquise, known as an east-west setting, balances the energy of the pointed ends. A marquise set at an angle, known as an akimbo setting, creates a dynamic sense of movement. Then, there is the historic north-south style, which flows with the length of a finger and is believed to elongate the hand.

While Benny Blanco is a cool music producer who exudes a sense of individuality, he proposed to Selena Gomez with a marquise diamond ring set in the classic mode. It conjures up old Hollywood glamour. Larger round diamonds on the band add a modern twist and extra shine to the design. Selena clearly loves the jewel and has shown it off in photos repeatedly. Her high profile exposure has put the ship shape on the crest of a new and long overdue wave of popularity.

Portrait of Actress Norma Shearer; Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco at the 2025 Golden Globes; Rings top to bottom: Kwiat, Briony Raymond, Stephanie Gottlieb.

Bernard James

The reluctant engagement ring designer stays true to his design

by Grant Mobley . photographed by Miller Lyle.

For Bernard James, designing jewelry has always been about creative control. From the moment he launched his eponymous brand, he envisioned crafting pieces on his terms: designs that pushed boundaries, reflected individuality, and lived as wearable works of art. His collections have become synonymous with modern chic and earned him a reputation as one of the most exciting designers emerging in fine jewelry.

As his brand grew, so did an unexpected demand for custom natural diamond engagement rings. It wasn’t that he wasn’t capable, but he was hesitant to step into a category where tradition often overshadows innovation. Bridal jewelry design has long been dictated by convention. Classic solitaires, three-stone rings,

and halo settings are beautiful but usually leave little room for a designer’s distinct voice. For someone like James, who thrives on originality, the idea of being boxed into tradition wasn’t exciting.

But something shifted. Now, years into his career and with a newly opened Brooklyn storefront, James has reconsidered his approach to engagement rings, not by conforming to tradition but by reshaping it entirely.

James’s journey into fine jewelry wasn’t typical. Growing up in Brooklyn, he was inspired by brands that built tight-knit communities around their products and understood that fashion was a form of self-expression. He wanted to design something personal and universal that could be worn daily yet still hold deep mean-

ing. Jewelry, as it turned out, was the perfect medium.

What began as a small, self-funded endeavor slowly gained momentum. James’s early creations caught the eye of friends and industry insiders, drawing attention to their unique aesthetic. However, when clients started requesting custom diamond engagement rings, he found himself reluctant to dive into the world of bridal jewelry.

“For a long time, I thought engagement rings had to look a certain way,” he tells Only Natural Diamonds. “And because of that, I wasn’t sure how much of my own design language I could really bring into them.”

To James, the thought of producing traditional bridal settings felt creatively limiting. He wasn’t interested in simply setting diamonds in designs based on a client’s vision but wanted to tell a story through a design that fit the Bernard James brand. As more couples sought him out specifically for his perspective, he realized there was an opportunity to reinterpret bridal jewelry and a way to elevate diamond engagement rings beyond tradition while still honoring the significance behind them.

“When I take on a custom engagement ring, it’s never about just making something that looks like what’s already out there,” he explains. “It’s about creating something that reflects the essence of the person wearing it.”

His philosophy is evident in the engagement rings he’s created. They draw inspiration from his core collections while remaining deeply personal to each client. James shares, “Last year, I designed an engagement ring for one of my closest and oldest friends. He wanted a piece that reflected both my signature design language and the unique life journey of his soon-to-be fiancée. Even though we’ve known each other for nearly 20 years, the process gave me a deeper understanding—not just of her, but of their union as a whole.”

James explains the design, saying, “We created a fully bespoke Flora engagement ring, incorporating two signature flowers from the collection alongside a one-of-a-kind Maxi Lotus flower – a quiet nod to her heritage. We set it with a VVS-quality fancy yellow round cut diamond. The result felt deeply personal and symbolic and could not be a better embodiment of who they are as people – complex, engaging, and awe-inspiring.” He continues, “We also designed custom wedding bands to complement the engagement ring. His band featured Flora elements, with nods to his German Jamaican heritage, while hers was a delicate wrap style, inspired by interwoven roots.”

sketch of bernard james’ pear asymm ring design

“Sometimes, designing a ring is like being part therapist. I have to listen between the lines

Reminiscing on presenting the rings, he shares, “During their wedding ceremony in Hong Kong, they tasked me with presenting the rings at the altar—something I was honored to do and that felt like a true culmination of our shared history, creativity, and friendship.”

“Sometimes, designing a ring is like being part therapist. I have to listen between the lines—clients may think they want one thing, but what truly excites them is often something completely different,” James laughs.

The balance between design, sentiment, and artistry has transformed his perception of engagement rings. But just because he’s embraced bridal work doesn’t mean he’s taking on every commission.

“As the brand has grown, I’ve learned to be more discerning about who I work with,” he says. “Custom projects take an enormous amount of time and energy. I want to ensure that if I’m putting that effort in, it’s for something that truly reflects what I believe in as a designer.”

This mindset allows James to stay true to his artistic vision and ensures that every engagement ring he creates reflects his aesthetic as much as it celebrates the couple wearing it.

In the past year, James has taken one of the most significant leaps of his career: opening his first retail space in Brooklyn. Before this, his brand existed largely online, with private studio appointments being the primary way clients interacted with his work. But as demand grew, so did the need for a space that felt more open, experiential, and intimate.

“The store wasn’t just about selling jewelry,” he explains. “It was about creating a place where people could experience the brand in a tangible way.”

The boutique is tucked into a residential area of Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood and reflects Bernard’s signature aesthetic—warm, personal, and thoughtfully curated. It has helped him connect more deeply with his clients and expand his business in new ways.

James’s jewelry can now be found at major retailers like Saks and Moda Operandi and select luxury boutiques like Dover Street Market. Despite his expanding presence, he remains intensely hands-on with every aspect of his brand, from design to production to the final presentation of each piece.

bernard james’ preliminary sketches

As James looks toward the future, his focus is on balance. He wants to continue growing the brand without losing the style and personal touch that makes his work special. Wholesale partnerships will remain selective and carefully curated. New bridal designs will emerge, not as a departure from his signature collections, but as a natural evolution of them. And while custom engagement rings will always be part of his brand, they’ll be approached with the same intention and artistry that defines everything he creates.

For someone who once resisted designing engagement rings, Bernard has found a way to make them his own. In doing so, he’s proving that bridal jewelry doesn’t have to be traditional to be timeless.

The reluctant engagement ring designer? Maybe. But one thing is sure: when Bernard James takes on a project, he gives it everything—and the results speak for themselves.

Prounis x Desert Vintage Photograph by Roberto Cowan.

ITake a Vow

Prounis creates new diamond commitment rings with an old soul

by Jill Newman

t’s a fact: marriage rates are declining. But that doesn’t diminish people’s yearning to commit. They’re committing to partnership, love, friendship, and an oath to themselves. And they want to make the pledge with a ring – more often a diamond ring.

“People want to express the individuality of their commitment with a ring that reflects their story,” New York-based designer Jean Prounis tells Only Natural Diamonds. The increasing requests for custom devotion rings motivated Prounis to create the new Vow ring collection, which “are designed to mark modern commitments.”

The concept of the devotion ring dates back millennia, when people pledged their allegiance to the church, the crown, a chivalric order, and simply love with a ring.

For Prounis, the reference to antiquity comes naturally. Her designs are rooted in history and art, with inspiration coming from her Greek heritage and the visual language of her great-grandparents’ nightclub, Versailles. The jewelry is handwrought in 22-karat gold by artisans in New York, giving it the appearance of worn heirlooms.

In a perfect union, the Vow collection was unveiled alongside Desert Vintage’s stylish period clothing from the turn of the century through the 1970s at an installation in Brooklyn in April. She also has a Vow salon in her New York showroom, where clients can select loose diamonds and create custom rings or purchase one of the limited-edition Vow designs by appointment.

It’s all about finding the ring that speaks to you, says Prounis. “People love being part of the design process because it’s such a personal item. They don’t want what everyone else has; they want a ring that feels true to themselves.”

The Vow collection is at once different and old in spirit but with contemporary details. Rings showcase antique diamonds and new cuts with the characteristics of old stones, with wider facets that portray a soft sparkle. Gold rings with inset diamonds are heavier and sturdier than the typical prong-set diamond rings, such as the chunky Hamer signet ring or brushed gold Capsa ring. Diamonds are backed with platinum or rhodium-plated gold to magnify their whiteness. “The diamonds have faceting on top, which reflects the light from above and creates the brilliance,” says Prounis.

In the hands of Prounis, eternity bands aren’t just a simple line of diamonds. These are handmade rings with old mine or cushion-cut diamonds, each stone in an individual gold setting, reminiscent of old Georgian bands. The Masona band, made with cushion-cut diamonds, takes its name from ancient masonry, which, like the ring, endures the test of time. The Vow rings start at around $10,000 and up.

After years of collaborating with clients on custom rings, Prounis observed a recent shift in what people want. Some are buying diamond eternity bands in place of a solitaire ring, and others want two rings, a large diamond solitaire and a special eternity band for a more casual option. It’s a movement echoed by many jewelry designers, who see a growing interest in a wide range of diamond styles, especially chunkier styles that aren’t as delicate as the traditional prong set rings.

As commitments evolve, so do the rings that represent these unions. The Vow collection—timeless, sturdy, enduring, tactile, and hand-touched—seems to epitomize the kinds of commitments people are seeking.

Photos courtesy of Prounis.

Diamonds: a Canadian Love Story

The beauty of Canada’s natural diamonds took center stage on March 19 at Canada House in London’s Trafalgar Square. Inside, beneath grand chandeliers, the soft hum of conversation blended with the sparkle of diamonds on display, setting the stage for an unforgettable night.

Canadian producer and journalist Bronwyn Cosgrave led an insightful panel discussion featuring Lily James, an Emmy-nominated actress and NDC Global Ambassador; Kateri Rose Lynn, Diamonds De Canada and Councilor for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation; Paul Gruner, CEO of Tłı̨ch Investment Corporation; and Jody Wainwright, Director at Boodles.

Natural Diamond Council, in partnership with the High Commission of Canada in the UK and the Government of the Northwest Territories, hosted the event, which celebrated Canada’s rich diamond heritage. The Honorable Ralph Goodale, High Commissioner for Canada in the UK, opened the evening by reflecting on Canada House’s centennial and the country’s rapid rise to becoming a global diamond leader.

“The world’s oldest diamonds—3.5 billion years old—were found in Canada, yet commercial diamond mining here only began 40 years ago. In that short time, Canada has become one of the world’s top producers, all while upholding values of sustainability, community, and ethical mining,” he noted.

The Heart of the North: Voices from the Panel

The discussion naturally moved between themes of heritage, environmental stewardship, and the human stories behind Cana-

LILY JAMES JOINED NATURAL DIAMOND

COUNCIL FOR THE ‘DIAMONDS, A CANADIAN LOVE STORY’ PANEL, HONORING THE JOURNEY AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE CANADIAN DIAMONDS SHINE.

BY ARCHANA THANI

Caribou spotted on the ice road north of the Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

dian diamonds. Jody Wainwright shared how Boodles’ Piece of Mined project ensures each diamond’s provenance, underscoring how consumer interest in ethical sourcing has grown.

“A natural diamond isn’t just a luxury—it’s a story,” he said, recalling how customers increasingly seek diamonds with a transparent, traceable journey. “Canada’s commitment to ethical mining makes these stones even more meaningful.”

The conversation took a deeply personal turn as Kateri Rose Lynn reflected on her upbringing in Yellowknife, where the mines provided not only jobs but a sense of security for Indigenous families.

She described how her mother worked in the mines, a path that later shaped her own new employment opportunity in the diamond industry that allowed her to stay in the North. “Growing up, the mines were part of everyday life,” she shared, explaining how the industry allows her to remain connected to her heritage. “I can still live as my ancestors did—to go hunting, to stay connected to the land.”

Seated beside her, Lily James nodded in agreement, recalling her own experience traveling to the Northwest Territories and witnessing the industry’s impact firsthand, “Standing beneath the Northern Lights, learning how the Dene people see them as their ancestors dancing, made me realize the deep connection between the land, its people, and these extraordinary diamonds.”

A Showcase of Canadian Craftsmanship

Beyond the panel, guests explored an exhibition featuring collections from Dries Criel, Almod Diamonds, Boodles, Lands Collection by Diamonds de Canada, Gemporia, and loose stones from Misfit Diamonds, HRA Group, and Diacore. Each display told a story—not just of artistry but of traceability, ethical sourcing, Canadian diamond manufacturing, and the pristine beauty of Canada’s famous icy-white diamonds.

A striking necklace from Almod Diamonds shimmered under the lights, its structure reminiscent of the dazzling expanse of Canada’s northern wilderness. Nearby, guests admired a showstopping 5.5-carat natural diamond ring by designer Dries Criel, its sharp, clean facets reflecting the pristine conditions in which it was formed. Diamonds de Canada exhibited polished diamonds that carry the Polar Bear insignia, which is the oldest brand in NWT. It is owned by the GNWT and has been licensed for use by select companies over the years. Today, Diamonds de Canada is the only licensee that can produce Polar Bear diamonds. Any diamond laser inscribed with the logo and unique identification number must be mined, cut, and polished in NWT. Diamonds de Canada has committed to producing no more than 20,000 of these exclusive diamonds, matching the number of polar bears in Canada. It will allocate a portion of its proceeds to government research into bear protection.

Young Canadian designers were also represented through pieces by the 2024 winners of The Shining Light Awards: Alisha Ansems, Elinor Nelson-Hachey, and Samantha Yeung. Originally launched in 1995, the Shining Light Awards are part of the De Beers Group Designers Initiative, a youth beneficiation skills development initiative aimed at cultivating world-class jewelry design and manufacturing skills within De Beers Group’s host countries – Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa. The competition runs every two years and is open to jewelry designers aged 18 to 35 who are in their final

year of a jewelry design program, have already graduated, or have relevant experience in jewelry design.

Throughout the evening, conversations lingered on the unique characteristics of Canadian diamonds, their purity often likened to the frozen landscapes. Jody Wainwright mused on this, recalling how certain diamonds evoke the icy brilliance of the Arctic. “There’s something poetic about the way these stones capture the essence of the land they come from,” he remarked.

Meaningful Impact at the Forefront

The conversation also addressed Canada’s leadership in sustainable mining, with Paul Gruner offering insight into Impact Benefit Agreements (IBAs)—a pioneering framework ensuring that Indigenous communities benefit directly from mining operations.

“Mining in the Northwest Territories isn’t just about extraction—it’s about partnerships, legacy, and returning the land to future generations,” he explained. “That’s a model the world is paying attention to.”

The Diavik Mine, an industry leader in renewable technology in cold climates, has introduced a wind farm and Canada’s largest off-grid solar power plant, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and moving toward decarbonization. Additionally, progressive reclamation efforts ensure that once mining concludes, the land is returned to Indigenous stewardship—an approach that has set a global standard for responsible mining.

As Kateri Rose Lynn pointed out, Indigenous oversight is integral to ensuring that this process remains effective. “We meet with the mines regularly, making sure that once the sites close, they will return to their natural state, allowing the land and wildlife to thrive again,” she shared.

A Lasting Impression

As the evening ended, guests reflected on the profound stories shared—of heritage, resilience, and a commitment to luxury that can have a meaningful impact. The night ended not just as a celebration of diamonds but as a reminder that their true value lies in the lives they touch, the histories they carry, and the strong future they help build.

With Diamonds, A Canadian Love Story, the conversation around natural diamonds has evolved beyond beauty—it is now a testament to responsibility, authenticity, and the lasting connection between people, land, and time itself.

From left to right: Jody Wainwright, Kateri Rose Lynn, Lily James, Bronwyn Cosgrave, and Paul Gruner at ‘Diamonds, A Canadian Love Story’ panel event hosted by Natural Diamond Council and High Commission of Canada. Photographed by Paul Martyniuk.

Light it Up

BECAME A BEACON FOR

ANGHEL

Solar panel farm at Rio Tinto’s Diavik Mine in the Northwest Territories.

Canadian diamonds are among the world’s most sought-after gems. Yet there is much history within the sparkles. As of 2024, all of Canada’s diamonds are recovered from its far North, in the sub-Arctic region known as the Northwest Territories (NWT). Called Denendeh, or “Land of the People” in the Dene languages, the NWT is home to Canada’s three active diamond mines, including Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine.

Diamonds That Love a Challenge

In this extraordinary region, you’ll experience the striking contrasts of the sub-Arctic’s raw and rugged beauty. During the long winter months, daylight is fleeting, with only a few hours of sun each day, while in summer, the sun barely sets, casting its golden light for more than 20 hours at a time. Some of the oldest diamonds ever formed are discovered at Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine. In just over two decades since mining began, Diavik diamonds have become known not only for their beauty, but also for the remarkable stories behind them. Recovered from beneath a frozen lake in Canada’s remote Northwest Territories, these diamonds have helped demonstrate that groundbreaking innovation, including the use of renewable energy, is possible even in the harshest, coldest climates.

Rio Tinto introduced renewable energy to the world of sub-Arctic diamond mining by establishing an award-winning wind farm at its Diavik mine site. Towering above the tundra, four wind turbines have stood as a symbol of innovation since 2012, offsetting the equivalent of 135,000 tons of CO₂ emissions and proving that sustainability is possible, even in one of the world’s most remote and extreme climates.

Solar & Snow Power

Further cementing its reputation as a pioneer in renewable energy, one of Diavik’s most ambitious recent initiatives is its newly completed solar power plant—now one of the largest off-grid solar installations in Canada’s North. In 2024, the mine installed a 6,600-panel solar facility spanning an impressive 70,000 square meters. For perspective, that’s roughly the size of Buckingham Palace—an extraordinary scale for a project operating in such a remote and challenging environment.

Matt Breen, chief operating officer of Diavik, says, “Together with our 9.6 MW wind farm, the largest off-grid solar power plant in Canada’s North, shows our commitment to the environment in which we live and work, and will continue to improve the energy efficiency of our operations at Diavik. As a result, during closure of the mine, renewable energy will make up approximately 25% of our power consumption.”

“It sounds like a crazy place to install a massive solar energy system,” says Paul Gruner. He serves as CEO of the Tłı̨ch Investment Corporation, an Indigenous-owned company that, in partnership with Whitehorse-based Solvest Inc., played a key role in supporting the solar energy system at the Diavik Diamond Mine. Solvest is a leading renewable energy firm known for its work across the Arctic. “But there are so many benefits to using solar power in our area of the world, both for the environment and for the field of engineering. Setting up a solar operation so far north is an incredible challenge, but the rewards are worth it.”

The project reflects a strong commitment to sustainable development and community collaboration. Notably, approximately 30% of the construction workforce was made up of Tłı̨ch Nation community members, highlighting the vital role of local expertise in bringing this groundbreaking initiative to life. “It’s helped change my perception of

what renewable energy can be in an extreme environment,” says Gruner. Generally, even in extreme cold temperatures of –40 degrees Celsius, the sun can generate power.

To ensure the solar farm could withstand the Northwest Territories' winter conditions, engineers anchored the solar panels with steel cages called “gabion baskets,” which are more commonly used to prevent seaside erosion elsewhere on the planet. The cages are weighted down with repurposed crushed rock from mine operations and help protect the 23 rows of solar panels from strong winds

Early data from the new solar installation is promising, generating about 4.5 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year. “That lets us cut about 1.1 million liters of diesel fuel,” says Breen, along with an annual reduction of about 3,100 tons of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of removing 630 cars from the road for a full year.

Anyone who has visited the Northwest Territories can attest to its stunning beauty—the endless tundra, dotted with glassy lakes in the summer and blanketed by pristine snow and ice in the winter. While the land may appear vast and empty, it’s teeming with life. From bison and muskox to bears, caribou, and wolves, the region’s wilderness and coastlines are home to an extraordinary range of wildlife.

But this land holds far more than natural splendor—it is also sacred ground. Indigenous peoples have called the Northwest Territories home for thousands of years, and any industrial activity, especially diamond mining, must respect and preserve traditional ways of life and historic hunting areas. That’s why innovation in low-carbon technologies isn’t just about reducing environmental impact—it’s about upholding responsibility to the communities that have always stewarded this land. “This is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” says Gruner, and the incredible amount of snow in the region turns out to have a hidden advantage.

Diavik’s solar power project took this into account and installed bifacial, or double-sided, solar panels. These cutting-edge panels are designed to absorb energy not just from the sun above, but also from the light reflected off the snow below. It's a smart adaptation to a challenging environment that essentially turns the snowy ground into an extra power source. This design delivers real results. The bifacial panels give the mine up to 10% more solar power output per day, and thanks to the cold climate, performance only improves. At -25°C, the panels generate 15% more energy than they would at a balmy +25°C, proving once again that Diavik is not only mining in the North, it’s innovating for it.

What Happens Next

Diavik Diamond Mine is due to close in 2026. “We are committed to closing responsibly and closing with care,” says Breen. As part of that commitment, engineers have designed Diavik’s solar plant to be completely dismantled, relocated, and then reassembled at a new site, so the benefits of Arctic solar power can continue well after the mine itself has closed.

“This is also important to the Indigenous communities who have made a commitment to support the closure of Diavik, with a lot of care and effort,” says Gruner. “It’s on Indigenous land. It employs Tlicho community members. We take this very seriously.” In a landscape defined by extremes, the Diavik Diamond Mine has proven that innovation and sustainability can thrive even under layers of snow and ice. As the mine approaches its closure, its legacy will live on through the remarkable diamonds it brought to light, but also through its bold renewable energy efforts that will carry on beyond the diamond industry.

Setting up solar panels at Diavik Diamond Mine; Polished diamond from the Diavik Diamond Mine.

Photos courtesy of Rio Tinto.

Miner viewing a diamond under a loupe prior to logging.

SIERRA LEONE CHARTS A NEW DIAMOND STORY

GEMFAIR’S ARTISANAL MINING PROGRAM IS RESHAPING LIFE IN THE REGION.

BY JILL NEWMAN

In the remote Kono district of Eastern Sierra Leone, diamond miner Tamba Dominic, 72, is all smiles on a Zoom call when he talks about how his life has changed over the past few years.

During his nearly 50 years of diamond mining, the Kono native has seen his share of hardship through decades of civil war, political strife, and years when he struggled to earn a living to feed his 10 children.

But since GemFair came to Kono in 2018, he says, life has improved considerably for him and his neighbors in this distant diamond mining town. He was among the first to join the De Beers-funded program, which works with artisanal and smallscale diamond miners to raise safety and environmental standards, ensure fair diamond prices, and enable traceability from mine to market. If it sounds too good to be true, Dominic’s story is proof that ordinary citizens can reap the benefits of their country’s natural resources.

Today, Dominic says miners are earning better wages, agricultural farms are thriving on what were once abandoned diamond pits, and his increased income has enabled him to send four of his children to university where they are studying law, finance, and medicine.

This isn’t just about Kono; the pioneering program serves as a model for transforming the massive international artisanal and small-scale diamond mining industry. The sector accounts for around 10% of global diamond supply by value, according to De Beers, and provides incomes for millions of people in some of the poorest parts of the world.

According to the World Bank, a staggering 41 million people are employed in artisanal and small-scale diamond mining (ASM) across the globe.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Sierra Leone is historically rich in diamond deposits. They are found largely in alluvial mines, where miners sift through layers of mud and gravel for rough diamonds that were moved through the river’s currents. Diamonds were first found in Sierra Leone’s Kono district in 1930, but a lack of governance and corruption meant that few miners benefited from their country’s bounty. Then came the two-decade-long civil war, where diamonds were illegally trafficked to support rebel groups.

Since the war ended in 2002, the thousands of artisanal miners in Kono didn’t have the education, tools, or resources to improve their conditions. Some bad actors came to the region and took advantage of the situation, and miners weren’t paid fair market value for their stones, but they had no other options.

De Beers saw an opportunity to shift the narrative and partner with the local miners to create a viable commercial business. As consumers increasingly want to know their diamond’s origin and story, De Beers developed a responsible sourcing model for the region, one that not only supports and elevates artisanal and small-scale miners but is also traceable from mine to market.

The mining giant understood that it would take time, resources, local partnerships, and most of all, trust to build a sustainable and responsible artisanal mining program in Sierra Leone.

“We wanted to pilot a new model, one that didn’t exist anywhere else,” says Feriel Zerouki, senior vice president of provenance, ethics & industry relations at De Beers Group. “We wanted to raise industry standards, focus on sustainable development, and be commercial partners to artisanal miners.” In addition to elevating standards, GemFair offers participants transparent, fair market value for their diamonds.

At first, locals were skeptical. It took time to convince them to join the program, but now it’s taking off.

GemFair has more than 400 Kono mine sites enrolled in the program, which collectively supports more than 6,000 jobs. In 2024, despite a difficult year for the global diamond industry, GemFair increased its diamond purchases by 68 percent. It also reached two milestones last year: It purchased its 10,000th diamond and its largest ever stone at 69.3 carats.

According to Zerouki, the biggest hurdle was gaining trust. “In the past, people have come in offering help but didn’t stay when times got tough,” she explains. “The pandemic was a massive challenge for us, but it was also great in evidencing that despite these challenges, we were here to stay. Over the last five years, the transparent way that we do business, the fact we stick to our word and offer to buy diamonds across all size ranges and qualities, and how we maintained the integrity of the relationship has meant that they trust us, and they also work in the same manner.”

When GemFair first came to Kono, Zerouki says they had to do a lot of community outreach to get people to come to the buying office. “Now, miners start queuing outside the office at 6 am to sell their diamonds.”

Dominic admitted he was hesitant when a GemFair representative invited him to attend a training session. But after decades of mining, GemFair taught him how to weigh and assess a diamond’s quality with a loupe and scale and gave him the tools.

“When I find a diamond today, no matter what the size or quality, I’m getting better prices,” he says. In the past, he says he often brought diamonds to a local buying office and sometimes returned the next day and was told they were lost, or he was given

low offers without recourse or knowledge of prices.

Kono native Raymond Alpha, GemFair’s location manager, was part of the team that encouraged locals to join. “Before GemFair, mining was often considered a low wage job,” he says. “Now people are proud to be a miner, they are supported, they are making an acceptable hourly wage, and they have safety measures and gear.” Word is spreading among locals.

Once GemFair members are approved and join, they are trained in classrooms, and the program’s team of nine field officers constantly visit the mining sites, support the miners, and ensure they are adhering to safety, human rights, and environmental standards.

LIFE AFTER MINING

In remote areas like Kono, GemFair faced many complex issues, a primary one being abandoned mine sites. As part of the GemFair program, participants are required to rehabilitate the land once it’s mined. GemFair has already supported the reclamation of more than a dozen former mine sites and will continue to rehabilitate abandoned sites across the region.

The above-ground alluvial mines are often surrounded by green and lush areas, Zerouki explains. “The miners don’t need to use chemicals to extract stones, just a shovel and a sieve, it is rudimentary.” That makes it easier to rehabilitate the land and make it productive for farming.

GemFair’s team is teaching the locals better farming techniques so families can cultivate crops year-round on both reclaimed sites and their home gardens. They are growing fruits and vegetables and developing fisheries, which feed their families and are sold to neighboring villages.

While mining tends to be men’s work, farming gives women an opportunity to contribute to the family’s income, providing them independence and food stability for the first time.

Among the farming issues they faced was low-quality soil because mining stripped topsoil away, leaving it acidic and less nutritious. It was an easy fix: The GemFair team taught them to use lime or oyster shells to reduce acidity and add additional topsoil enriched with compost produced by local farmers before planting the crops.

While farming vegetables might seem like a small accomplishment, the impact is large, says Ruby Stocklin-Weinberg,

PhD, GemFair’s program manager. “Most farmers are women, and farming provides a little bit of extra income that their family needs to send their kids to school,” she says.

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES

There was a big learning curve when GemFair came to town seven years ago. During their initial research, Zerouki says they learned that artisanal miners were getting just 20% of the value of their diamonds. When GemFair offered fair market value, they expected enthusiasm, but she said there was silence.

That’s because the artisanal mining sector required spon-

sors or financial advancements to pay for the costs of running the mine, and sponsors were paid back in diamonds. That model didn’t work when miners had a bad year and didn’t have the diamonds to pay back their sponsor. So, GemFair created a forward purchase agreement, where they incur the risk of the loan. Regardless of what miners participating in the GemFair program find, Zerouki says, “We offer them a fair price on everything. They don’t need to sell to us if they don't like the price, but at least they know the price is market value.”

GemFair also had to reevaluate its standards to allow for miners to enter the program in earlier stages. “We set some pretty high standards, and then we learned that we are too strict for

The sector accounts for around 10% of global diamond supply by value, according to De Beers, and provides incomes for millions of people in some of the poorest parts of the world.

A CAPTIVATING PROVENANCE

Now that GemFair has a proven track record in Kono, the next effort is to get the story to consumers. More than 90 percent of diamonds by value are registered on Tracr, a De Beers-powered platform that enables a diamond’s journey to be recorded from mine to market.

“When the consumer thinks about artisanal mining, they might think blood diamonds,” says Zerouki, “but this is the opposite; it's a livelihood story.”

One of the champions of telling the artisanal miner’s story is Jared Holstein, founder of D’Amadeo, a San Francisco-based dealer of diamonds, colored gems, and estate jewelry. He purchased GemFair’s diamonds and sold them to his clients at the AGTA Gem Fair in Tucson for the past two years. “I’ve been watching and waiting for a program like this for decades,” says Holstein. “My clients have, too.”

Over the years, he’s followed numerous initiatives attempting to bring artisanal and small-scale mined diamonds to market but says that GemFair is the first with real results. “I was happy to hear that De Beers supported GemFair in a robust and thoroughly thought-out way.”

some,” says Stocklin Weinberg. Over the course of 2025, GemFair is rolling out a revised Responsible ASM Assurance Program, which includes two membership types and modifies how they onboard and monitor the progress of members.

The revised standards were benchmarked against other leading responsible sourcing programs and include a section for safety in semi-mechanized mining, which she says “ensures that we meet artisanal miners where they are at on their continuous improvement journey.”

With GemFair’s proven track record, the next phase, Zerouki says, “is to research Angola to see if they bring the program to that country.”

Holstein worked closely with Tracr to create a Diamond Search Tool, which allows D’Amadeo to show its customers the story behind each individual rough diamond. The diamond comes with a serial number, which is used to trace it from mine to market. Using GPS coordinates, there are images of the precise location where the diamond was found and videos and scans of the rough diamonds to prove it is the same stone.

Beyond great storytelling, Holstein says Sierra Leone’s rough diamonds are typically very high quality.

“If jewelry is about stories, this story doesn’t get any better,” says Holstein. He’s dedicated his career to finding responsibly and ethically sourced gems and diamonds.

“It is meaningful to learn about the human contribution that unearthed these diamonds,” says Holstein. “We can share the people of Kono’s heritage and hard work with the person who gets to wear that diamond. It’s honoring the diamond miners and makes that piece of jewelry deeply meaningful.”

Diamond discovered by a GemFair miner; A farmer with a corn harvest as a result of GemFair’s land reclamation program; A selection of rough diamonds purchased by GemFair. Photos courtesy of GemFair.

A Family Affair

by Maggie Morris

F1

DAMSON IDRIS HAS DIAMONDS IN HIS DNA AND HIS NEW JEWELRY LINE PROVES IT

British actor and DIDRIS founder Damson Idris greets me, smiling and radiant, at the Chateau Marmont. He’s just come from LAX off a long-haul flight from Cape Town. You wouldn’t know it. He’s completely unfazed, while I’m frazzled from the afternoon traffic. Dressed head-to-toe in black, he moves with easy grace—no jet lag, no fanfare, just presence. Around his neck, a natural diamond and tourmaline pendant catches the dim light of the lounge, subtle but impossible to ignore. The F1 star’s style is effortlessly classy and distinctly his own—but before I can compliment him, he beats me to it, calling out my look with a flash of charm that’s both disarming and sincere. Idris possesses an understated, authentic kind of charisma: quiet but effusive, natural, and undeniably star-bound.

As a child growing up in Peckham, London, Idris would dig through his mother’s jewelry boxes while she was at work, layering her gold necklaces around his neck and stacking her rings on his fingers. He’d head off to school, proudly showing off his bling to friends, before racing to return each piece to its rightful place before his mother returned home. “I always knew the value of jewelry—jewelry was the first thing that came into my life,” Idris tells me in what feels less like a casual statement and more like an origin story. It’s the kind of foundational narrative that explains everything that follows—the actor sitting across from me isn’t just launching DIDRIS or indulging in his obsession with jewelry. He’s stepping up and taking responsibility for continuing his family lineage. He says, “Being African and understanding my history has shown me that my love for jewelry is in my DNA.”

Idris’s great-grandmother in Nigeria was known for her jewelry collection—pieces held not just for their beauty, but as tangible assets passed down through generations. That reverence for raw natural materials

was inherited by his mother, Silifat Idris, a woman with a sharp eye for both elegance and enterprise. In her twenties, she began sourcing gold in Nigeria and selling it in London’s Hatton Garden, using the proceeds not only to support her children but to help bring her extended family from Nigeria to the UK. “Gold was really what elevated her,” Damson says. “She used that money to bring everyone from Nigeria to London, where she had me—the last of her six children.”

At home, Idris saw the transformational power of jewelry by observing his mother. He saw something shift in her when she chose which jewelry to wear—it brought a sense of pride and presence, a kind of radiance. “I saw how jewelry made her feel glamorous and classy,” he says. “She passed that on to me and all of my other siblings.” What he’s describing isn’t vanity or aesthetics—it’s a personal, everyday expression of self-worth. The jewelry we choose to wear often serves as a physical anchor to our identity and ancestry. This sensibility infuses every piece in the DIDRIS collection: the designs carry more than aesthetic value, symbolizing a material connection to his Nigerian heritage and family legacy. This transformation of cultural memory into wearable art allows both creator and wearer to carry their stories with them—a form of embodied remembrance that transcends mere fashion.

Silifat remembers the first natural diamond ring she bought for herself in 1977— for £460— a piece she treasures to this day. Inspired by that same sense of intention, Idris began his own ritual. Once his acting career began to take shape, beginning with his

first credited role in 2012 on the British television series Miranda leading to his breakout part as Franklin Saint on FX’s crime drama Snowfall in 2017, Idris would set aside a portion of each paycheck to collect pieces that resonated with him— from Rolex watches to a Cartier panthère ring. “I definitely was in love with Cartier. I still am,” he says. “I loved so many of their concepts—how they managed to influence and penetrate culture in such a unique way while staying classy and true to their heritage.”

The move from collector to creator was a natural evolution. With DIDRIS, Idris channels that lineage into something tangible. The collection is rooted in heritage—both familial and African. For him, natural diamonds aren’t just stones; they’re vessels of memory and meaning, cut with connection and history.

Idris. “I always wanted DIDRIS to be about connection—to hone in on those special relationships we all have with one another. Each design holds a deeper meaning,” he says. “That’s what I’ve always looked for when buying jewelry—and that’s what I’ll continue to bring to the pieces we create.”

In this way, Idris hasn’t just designed jewelry but constructed a perfect circle—from his childhood self, adorned in his mother’s treasures, to an adult creating pieces that he hopes might someday be secretly borrowed by his children, continuing the cycle of transformation, aspiration, and belonging that jewelry has always represented in his life.

That connection guided one of his first and most important decisions: responsible, ethical sourcing. From the beginning, DIDRIS has used only natural diamonds from Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia—each stone Kimberley Process-certified by De Beers and sourced exclusively from conflict-free nations. “It was never a question,” he says. “I needed the diamonds to honor the land they came from.”

Intricate designs draw inspiration from traditional culture - like a handwoven rope necklace in 18K yellow and rose gold reflecting Nigerian bead traditions. Other details are a nod to his familial heritage: diamond studs have a 6-claw setting symbolizing the six children of Silifat

And as he brings that legacy into the world through DIDRIS, the support has come from legends who recognize something real in what he’s building. While filming the upcoming Formula 1 blockbuster for Apple, Idris introduced co-star Brad Pitt to the line—who, as it turns out, became a fan. Fellow Brit Idris Elba, set to appear alongside him in the forthcoming adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, also offered his blessing on the brand’s name and placed an order for his wife. “Those moments were very special to me,” Idris says. “Those are the giants whose shoulders I stand on. I never imagined I’d be introducing them to this passion of mine—it just encourages me to keep going.”

Portrait of Damson Idris. Family photos of Damson Idris and his mother Silifat Idris. Photos courtesy of DIDRIS.

Young & Beautiful

Fby Anna McFillin

or many jewelry lovers, their passion for sparkling gems often begins with a cherished memory—seeing a diamond ring adorning the hand of a family matriarch or sifting through a loved one’s jewelry box. I will never forget my mother’s shiny, round, natural diamond surrounded by a jacket of bright red rubies, set in a yellow gold ring – a nod to the popular engagement ring style of the 1920s and 30s. Little did I know that ring would shape my taste in jewelry and spark a love for vintage. At 25, I’ve realized I’m not the only one my age with a passion for timeless treasures. For natural diamonds, whether it’s the old-world charm of an antique cut or the sleek precision of a modern cut, each stone is cherished for its rare beauty and special connection to the wearer. Across Generation Z, there’s a clear pull toward vintage diamond jewelry, as it resonates with their unique, personal styles.

Even Gen Z stars are embracing storied pieces from the past on the red carpet. Actress Mikey Madison wore a vintage diamond necklace from Tiffany & Co. Archives at the 2025 Oscars, where she won Best Actress for her role in Anora. The Edwardian era piece features a 3.9-carat Old European cut diamond at its center—proving that even after a century, true elegance never goes out of style.

With the world at their fingertips, Gen Z’s access to information and inspiration has affected how they purchase luxury goods, including vintage natural diamond jewelry. Gen Z is a conscious, thoughtful generation, often leaning toward investing in sustainable, unique purchases that resonate with them. Only Natural Diamonds spoke with four vintage jewelry experts who have taken notice of the rise of Gen Z’s thoughtful consumption and how family heirlooms have influenced their jewelry journeys.

Grace Lavarro, owner of Jewels by Grace, specializes in vintage and antique engagement rings. Lavarro says that there is an apparent shift toward vintage diamond engagement rings. “This

Mikey Madison wearing Tiffany & Co. at the 2025 Oscars.

younger generation appreciates history and character more than what was traditionally valued: the biggest, whitest, best clarity diamonds,” she says. “The word they most often use when I ask what they are looking for is ‘understated.’”

Lavarro’s daughter, Julia, works alongside her mother and is a fellow Gen Z. Lavarro sourced a 9.33-carat old mine-cut diamond and transformed it into a yellow gold, gypsy-set ring. “The ring is inspired by the Victorian era, and it lived on my mom’s hand and our website until we realized it felt too close to home, too much ‘ours.’ So it’s been off the site ever since,” Julia says. She adds, “We were not the kind of family that had jewels passed down, so it feels special and fitting that our first family jewel is one that my mom sourced, designed, and created herself.”

In addition to being mindful consumers, this generation is deeply nostalgic and drawn to history. Their interest in vintage jewelry transcends the virtual world they live in, including a curiosity about previous eras ranging from the Victorian Era to the ‘90s. Jewelry designer Ashley Zhang specializes in vintage diamond jewels that have a modern feel. Zhang says, “Vintage jewelry taps into the nostalgia of a pre-digital world,” allowing them to express their individuality through unique, one-of-a-kind designs.

Zhang works closely with clients who want to transform their heirloom jewels. One young client of hers inherited a special diamond. “She had a fabulous grandmother who owned many diamonds that were meant to be split up amongst the family when she passed, but one of the larger diamonds was missing,” Zhang says. “When it was time for my client to get engaged, the missing diamond was found.” Zhang explains that the stone was meant to be passed on to someone in the family and adds, “It was always meant to be hers, so we set it in a stunning custom-cut emerald setting for her to cherish and continue passing down for generations.”

In a world of mass consumption and the constant need for newness, Gen Z feels called to slow the process down. An expert in jewelry design, Briony Raymond is known for sourcing estate jewels and transforming heirlooms. She tells Only Natural Diamonds, “Gen Z cares about where their jewelry comes from and the impact it has.” She continues, “There’s a growing awareness around minimizing waste, which makes repurposing existing materials, like heirloom diamonds, even more appealing.”

Lauren DeYoung, a sixth-generation jeweler and vintage and antique curator, speaks to her younger clients’ eco-conscious buying habits. “Jewelry is something that is purchased to make a client happy and feel good, so it’s really important that it aligns with their core views on sustainability,” she says. “At the end of the day, there is no more sustainable option than a vintage piece

that isn’t creating a new carbon footprint.” DeYoung adds, “These pieces often feel more personal, giving a sense of individuality that new mass-produced items can lack.” DeYoung also notes she has seen a broader shift toward more thoughtful consumption overall. “Gen Z tends to make mindful, intentional purchases. Jewelry isn’t just about status; it’s about connection, self-expression, or marking a significant moment in one’s life,” she says.

The jeweler finds that her young clients enjoy the journey of finding the perfect vintage piece with a story that resonates with them. “It’s usually not just about the piece, but how it got there, why it speaks to them, and how its past becomes interwoven into their narrative once the two find one another,” she says.

For Gen Z, it’s in with the old. The younger generation appreciates a natural diamond’s rarity, timeless beauty, and rich history. Each vintage jewel comes with a story, and another one waiting to be told.

Lauren DeYoung bracelet and ring

Ashley Zhang ring and earrings; Model wearing Briony Raymond estate necklace, courtesy of Briony Raymond.

For the Love of Diamonds

Hunt down antique diamond jewelry like a pro with these expert tips. By Lynn Yaeger

Antique diamonds are awesome, dripping with history and flaunting their provenance, but there is a world of secrets lurking beneath their shiny facades. How do you know if what you are buying is authentic? How quickly can you learn the difference between Georgian and Victorian, Wiener Werkstätte and Art Deco? Do you know how to distinguish rose cuts from mine cuts? Is it okay to fool around and find out, maybe changing retro diamond cufflinks into earrings or an Edwardian stickpin into a ring? And as for those much-relied-upon 4 Cs that rule in modern-diamond-land- you know, Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat—well, when it comes to antique diamonds, you might say they rely on another set of Cs—Charm, Charisma, Character, and Creativity. It takes a lifetime to learn everything about vintage diamonds, but it is a journey full of discovery and wonder. Here, a strictly personal Lynnie-certified tutorial to get you on your way:

1. Education is Key!

Though upscale antique jewelry stores can be intimidating, gear up your courage and visit them to familiarize yourself with the very best vintage diamonds. What you are looking for is a dealer/ mentor who will relish showing you their best finds. Bond with this person! Visit them often and soak up their knowledge. For me, the darkly glamorous lair of Fabian de Montjoye on the Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris has afforded hours of special education. For example, the Art Nouveau ring, Fabian explained, was made in France, but the stone was brought to Paris more than a century ago by the famous Portuguese jeweler Leitão & Irmão. (Still in business!) After all that, how could I not buy it?

2. Use Your Eyes!

Purchase a loupe and really examine a piece before you fork over your credit card. That magnifier can expose flaws not readily visible to the naked eye. (This can also help you when you are bargaining, and yes, making an offer when it comes to antiques is perfectly okay—just be respectful and reasonable.) Always turn a jewel over and examine it from all angles. If it’s really good, the back will be as carefully wrought and impressive as the front. (In a very expensive shop not long ago, I flipped over an expensive coral and diamond Art Deco brooch—we are talking many thousands of dollars here—and saw that the stones appeared to be glued (!) into the setting. Huh?)

3. Be Careful with Engagement Rings!

For many people, an engagement ring is by far the most serious and costly diamond they will ever own. The lure of an antique ring can be powerful, but it also comes with a powerful caveat— if it is more than 100 years old, be super careful! These things are often not up to the wear and care of modern life—stones fall out, foil-backed gems become cloudy when wet (voice of bitter experience speaking here), prongs snag and break. Believe me— the older the ring, the greater the capacity for heartbreak. Unlike their contemporary cousins, which you can plop on and then go swimming, wash the dishes, or work out at the gym, these girls require serious care and feeding. If you absolutely must have a Georgian or Victorian ring, you can 1) buy it anyway but wear it for special occasions or 2) avail yourself of the many wonderful new versions that are made in an antique style but with none of the drawbacks.

4. Consider Transformations!

In 1912, the Cheapside Hoard, a cache of over 400 pieces of jewelry from the late 16th and early 17th centuries, was discovered by workmen using a pickaxe to excavate in a London cellar. And you know what? Some of these Elizabethan and Jacobean treasures were in the midst of being transformed from even older pieces. This goes to prove that there is a long and venerable history of monkeying around—brooches become pendants; diamond-studded clasps can make adorable charms. The moonstone gentleman started life as a stickpin and was cleverly reimagined by my genius jeweler as a ring. (He added a diamond scarf because why not?)sure.

5. In the End, Listen to Your Heart!

I know, I know—you louped it, and it didn’t seem that great, the price was uncongenial, the dealer was mean, but that antique diamond just spoke to you. Take a deep breath and remember –Who among us doesn’t have a flaw or two? Does this diminish how fabulous we are? Wasn’t it Vincent Van Gogh who purportedly said, “Love what you love”? So go ahead, take the plunge, but at least try to negotiate a better deal.

Cartier: A Treasured Past and Future

Patiala Necklace. Cartier Paris, special order, 1928 (restored 1999-2002).

Commissioned by Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala Diamonds. Yellow and white cubic zirconia, topaz, synthetic rubies, smoky quartz, citrine and platinum; Cartier Collection;

Choker Necklace. Cartier Paris, special order, 1928 (restored 2008).

Commissioned by Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala. Yellow and white diamonds and platinum; Cartier Collection.

A not-to-be-missed exhibition of the brand’s iconic history at London’s V&A Museum. By Sam Broekema. Photographed by Tung Walsh

A new exhibition at the V&A, in partnership with Cartier, aims to do more than share the history of the iconic brand. The curators Rachel Garrahan and Helen Molesworth have revealed the very throughline of modern jewelry design. Experts from across the industry unearthed over 350 treasures from collections rarely, if ever, on public view. This is the first Cartier exhibit in the UK in over 30 years, with pieces spanning from the turn of the century through present day.

The relationship between Cartier and the city of London dates to 1902 when the maison opened its first London premises on New Burlington Street. The opening momentously coincided with the coronation of King Edward VII, who would later grant Cartier a royal warrant in 1904. 1909 saw the opening of the New Bond Street location, which now serves as the London flagship. Jacques Cartier was the driving force in London, traveling extensively to source gems, meet clients, and find inspiration. This cultural magpie aesthetic came to the fore in the 1920s when the

Tutti Frutti collection emerged, along with an obsession with Egyptology, and the growing influence of India. This created a new standard for what was considered desirable in jewelry. Previously, jewelry styles sought to replicate royal pieces.

Royal inspiration did indeed persist in some ways. In 1937, a desire for tiaras hit critical mass, and Cartier created almost 30 for stock and by special order. Included in the exhibit is the Halo Tiara, which Princess Kate wore on her wedding day, lent by Queen Elizabeth II. Also on display is the Scroll Tiara, owned by Mary Scott Townsend, which was worn by Clementine Churchill, wife of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In a move that show-

Allnatt Diamond Brooch. Cartier London, 1953. 101.29-carat fancy vivid yellow diamond, diamonds and platinum Private Collection.

Scroll Tiara. Cartier Paris, special order, 1902. Owned by the Countess of Essex. Diamonds, silver, and gold; Cartier Collection.

Choker Necklace. Cartier Paris, special order, 1906. Owned by Mary Scott Townsend. Diamonds and platinum; Cartier Collection.

Rose Clip Brooch. Cartier London, special order, 1938. Owned by Princess Margaret. Diamonds and platinum; Cartier Collection.

cases the timelessness of the design, the singer Rihanna wore the piece on the cover of W Magazine in 2016.

Another jaw-dropping piece in the exhibition was lent by His Majesty the King: the Williamson Diamond Brooch. This piece is a particular favorite of Helen Molesworth, a co-curator of the exhibit. “You’ve got everything in it that makes a spectacular jewel,” Molesworth says. “ The diamond itself was given to the Queen–then Princess Elizabeth–on the eve of her 1947 wedding, as an engagement present. She had it cut in London, and in 1953, the year of her cor-

onation, she had it mounted by Cartier London. The diamond itself is special because it has that lovely provenance, color, and cut, but it’s also mounted in a brooch that is pure Cartier. People don’t realize how big it is. It’s the size of your hand!”

Accompanying the jewel are a range of drawings. Molesworth explains the significance: “We have an archive that has never been seen before called the Frederick Mew Archive,” she said. “He was a designer for Cartier London from the 1930s until the 1960s, and we found the original drawings of the different iterations of the Williamson brooch.

“There’s one that’s been circled with a ring that says ‘approved’, so we know the queen chose that as the drawing for the brooch. People rarely see the Williamson Diamond, they would’ve never seen these drawings before–it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see them together.” In Queen Elizabeth II’s lifetime, though, the brooch was a frequently worn jewel. The reason for this may lie in its provenance. “Royal sentimentality informed the way they chose jewelry,” says Caroline de Guitat, surveyor of the Royal Collection Trust. According to Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s style and heritage director, the exhibit showcases how jewelry and architecture reflect the tastes, mores, and ideals of the wearer. “It can be a symbol of power, it can be a symbol of wealth, a social statement,” he said. “But also a symbol for your personality.” One of the most significant commissions in the maison’s history was for the Maharaja of Patiala, and the exhibit showcases two iconic pieces from that storied collection. India was a source of inspiration, a source for fabulous jewels and for enduring relationships – particularly with Indian royals. “I think of the Cartier family as being a combination of Indiana Jones and academics,” Molesworth quips. The Patiala necklace is traditionally Indian in design but set in platinum, as was the fashion in Europe at the time. The piece originally centered on the 234.65-carat yellow De Beers diamond and was worn as a set with a choker featuring white and yellow diamonds. The necklace was rediscovered in 1998, having been missing since Indian Independence in 1947. The Cartier Collection acquired and restored the piece, replacing the missing stones with replicas.

A sprawling exhibition of jewels can be both mesmerizing and overwhelming.

Two Bracelets. Cartier Paris, 1930. Owned by Gloria Swanson. Diamonds, rock crystal and platinum; Cartier Collection.

The goal of the designer and architect, Asif Khan, was to slow down the visitor and introduce them to the natural world. In the space dedicated to panthers, he created a stenography of a forest, representing miniatures such as bonsai trees, Mughal art and dollhouses he lived with as a child. In the room that contains the royal jewelry, Khan uses light to transcend geography–the red light of Delhi at sunset and the blue of Windsor Castle at daybreak bridge the span of the collection. A remarkable achievement, considering he is colorblind. The final room, which features the collection of tiaras, is designed to evoke a waltz, recalling the balls Cartier would host for clients–set to the tune of Shostakovich.

Cartier jewelry is known for its bravura of scale. The bracelets once owned by Gloria Swanson are a good example of the new volume and techniques introduced in the 1930s, which link organic references present in both jewelry and architecture.

Swanson wore these stunning pieces in her personal life as well as in her most iconic role in Sunset Boulevard.

The results of the exhibition is a stunning display of how Cartier has served as a cultural bellwether and arbiter of good taste since its inception. “It’s hundreds of years of history, that continuation of success, that reinvention, the legacy that is Cartier,” Molesworth expounds. She describes the exhibition as “a study of art history and a study of the multitude of influences and inspirations that have kept a business going for generations.” “What makes it so successful?” she adds. “Brilliant design, brilliant materials, brilliant craftsmanship, and brilliant people.” How many exhibitions can claim the support of both His Majesty the King and Kim Kardashian? This one is not to be missed.

The exhibit is open from April 12 to November at the V&A Museum’s Sainsbury Gallery in London.

Tiger’s Eye Turban Ornament. Cartier London, 1937. Owned by Digvijaysinhji, Maharaja of Nawanagar. 61.5carat fancy intense brownish-yellow diamond, diamonds and platinum; The Al Thani Collection.

Panther Clip Brooch. Cartier Paris, 1949. Owned by Daisy Fellowes. Sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, platinum and white gold; Private Collection.

A Red Carpet Romance

For A-listers, there’s no better place to debut a diamond engagement ring than the red carpet. By Hannah Militano

Isn’t it serendipitous when engagement season runs in tandem with awards season? The red carpet has always had a love affair with diamonds, but an engagement ring debut is something extra special.

The methods of a grand engagement ring reveal have evolved over time. Centuries ago, painted portraits were utilized to depict a subject wearing her diamond engagement ring to signal forthcoming nuptials. From medieval portraits to royal press conferences, stars have changed how they choose to show off their sparklers. These days, many are opting for more informal Instagram announcements. But nothing says Hollywood glamour like a red carpet ring debut.

Zendaya set the internet ablaze at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, gracefully floating down the red carpet in a custom Louis Vuitton gown. As a Global Brand Ambassador for the Italian jewelry house Bulgari, Zendaya was expectedly dazzling in Bulgari High Jewelry. But eagle-eyed fans noticed a mystery diamond ring on that special left ring finger that didn’t seem to be from Bulgari. The unexpected detail sent engagement rumors soaring, with many speculating that the Euphoria actress may be engaged to her Spider-Man costar and longtime boyfriend, Tom Holland. The ring bore a striking resemblance to one by UK-based designer Jessica McCormack.

The roughly 5-carat, east-west set, elongated cushion-cut natural diamond ring is set in a Georgian-style, button-back setting. Sources confirmed Zendaya’s engagement to Tom Holland the day after the awards ceremony.

Elsewhere on the red carpet, Selena Gomez walked alongside her new fiancé, Benny Blanco. Drenched in Tiffany & Co. diamonds for the special occasion, Gomez flashed her new marquise-cut diamond engagement ring, set on a pavé diamond band. The star first shared the happy news on Instagram in December. She publicly displayed the sparkler at the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards, where she accepted the Vanguard Award alongside her Emilia Pérez castmates.

In December, Beyoncé attended the LA premiere of Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King to support her daughter Blue Ivy. The songstress wore a metallic Balmain gown, but her luminescent threestone diamond engagement ring is what caught everyone’s eye. The sculptural sparkler features an elongated emerald-cut diamond, sandwiched between two trapezoid side stones in a gold setting. There’s still the question of whether it’s a replacement ring or her original stone has been recut and set with additional diamonds. Jay-Z first proposed to Beyoncé with an emerald-cut diamond engagement ring, set in a micro-pave split-shank band, designed by

Zendaya wears her new engagement ring at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards.

Selena Gomez wore her engagement ring for the first time publicly at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Awards.

Beyoncé Knowles wore her engagement ring at the 2009 Academy Awards

Lady Gaga wore her oval diamond engagement ring at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.

Beyoncé wore her updated engagement ring at the Mufasa: The Lion King red carpet premiere, 2024.

Lorraine Schwartz. The diamond weighed between 18 and 24 carats and was estimated to be worth about $5 million.

Lady Gaga turned heads when her vaporetto pulled up to the docks of Hotel Cipriani for the 2024 Venice Film Festival to promote her film, Joker: Folie à Deux, with a gob-smacking ovalshaped natural diamond engagement ring alongside her fiancé, Michael Polansky. Then came the inimitable red carpet debut. Mother Monster strode into the fray at Sala Grande beside Polansky in her signature shocking style. But no matter how dramatic her ball gown, how theatrical her black lace headpiece, or how dazzling her suite of Tiffany & Co. jewels, Lady Gaga’s ovalshaped diamond instantly became the talk of the town.

The ring was designed and crafted by Sofia Jewelry, a family-owned boutique in the Bay Area, specializing in bespoke designs. The band features an amalgam of 18-karat white and rose gold, with a gradual ombré effect of pavé set natural pink diamonds. The captivating oval-shaped diamond sits above a hidden

diamond halo, adding an extra layer of luxury.

next chapter of their story to publicly begin. I’ll never forget it."

At the 2024 Met Gala, Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor announced her engagement to producer Cameron Fuller, sporting her new diamond ring on that finger. The approximately 3-carat oval diamond is set in a vintage-inspired silver-topped gold ‘collet’ setting with a yellow gold band, designed by Jessica McCormack from the Button Back Bar collection. Not the first celeb to share engagement news on the iconic Met Steps, both Kate Hudson and Diane Kruger showed off their new diamond rings at the 2021 Costume Institute Benefit. Hudson hit the red carpet with her elongated cushion-cut, fancy light brown diamond, set east-west-style on a petite rose gold band from her partner, Danny Fujikawa. The couple took to Instagram to announce the betrothal that same day.

Similarly, Adele sparked a flurry of engagement rumors when she glided across the red carpet at the 2022 BRIT Awards in London. The soulful songstress embodied Old Hollywood glamour in

“Seeing Lady Gaga and Michael looking so happy and stunning while proudly showing off her engagement ring on the red carpet was a surreal moment,” owner Sophie Priolo tells Only Natural Diamonds. “We are all a small, family-owned jewelry store, and are humbled that they trusted us with such an incredible honor,” she says.

Surprisingly, Lady Gaga was not the only one to debut her engagement ring at the film festival this year. Justin Theroux and his now wife, Nicole Brydon Bloom, revealed news of their engagement on the red carpet, shortly after the actual proposal in Italy. The couple attended the premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, where Bloom wore her new custom 4-carat, flawless emerald cut diamond engagement ring by designer Stephanie Gottlieb. Set in platinum with an 18-karat yellow gold inlay, the ring includes Bloom and Theroux’s birthstones embedded within the band. "It was surreal,” Gottlieb tells Only Natural Diamonds. “Designing such a meaningful custom ring for Justin and Nicole was already an honor, but seeing it debut on the Venice Film Festival red carpet took it to another level. That moment—so full of glamour, love, and emotion—felt like the perfect stage for the

a custom Giorgio Armani Privé black velvet off-the-shoulder gown with a plunging neckline. Her jewels included Art Deco style pearshaped diamond earrings by Lorraine Schwartz, and a massive pear-shaped diamond ring on her left ring finger. The appearance left everyone wondering if her sports agent boyfriend, Rich Paul, had popped the question.

Over two years later, Adele finally confirmed her engagement to Paul while performing in Munich during her 2024 summer residency. During the concert, a fan held up a sign asking Adele to marry them. She reportedly responded to the offer, saying, “I can’t marry you – because I’m already getting married!”

The act of revealing your engagement ring on the red carpet could be seen as a power move. Many might opt out of wearing it along with their predetermined suites of jewels, but going against the grain commands attention and makes the moment. It keeps us on our toes, teasing the question, ‘Is she or isn’t she engaged!?’ Between the anticipation of waiting for confirmation of an engagement and the rumor mill swirling on social media, nothing gets people talking like a diamond ring. Besides, there’s nothing better than flashing lights and twinkling diamonds.

Nicole Brydon Bloom showed off her engagement ring from Justin Theroux at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival.

Vanessa Hudgens wore her engagement ring at the 2023 Academy Awards.

Adele debuted her engagement ring at the 2022 BRIT Awards.

Phoebe Dynevor reveals her engagement ring at the 2024 Met Gala.

Kate Bosworth showed off her engagement ring at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.

DISCOVER THE LEGACY LEFT BY THESE FAMOUS ROYAL DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RINGS.

The Royal Ring Treatment

by Jill Newman

Grace Kelly wearing her Cartier emerald cut engagement ring.

aroyal wedding conjures fairytale images with horsedrawn carriages, lavish lace gowns, diamond tiaras, and sparkling jewels. And, of course, like any great love story, there’s a beautiful, twinkling diamond ring.

For generations of royals, the engagement ring has represented their unique love story, personal style, and dreams. From Empress Joséphine Bonaparte to Meghan Markle, their choice of elegant, timeless rings inspired others and stood the test of time.

Queen Elizabeth II, Classic Round Diamond

In the summer of 1947, at Balmoral Castle, the dashing Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten proposed to the 21-year-old Princess Elizabeth with a 3-carat old European cut round diamond ring surrounded by smaller stones on either side. The ring had a grand legacy.

Like so many of the royal’s jewels, the diamonds were repurposed. Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, gave him her diamond tiara for the ring. It wasn’t just any tiara; this was a gift on her wedding day from Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra of Russia, the last rulers of the Romanov dynasty. On the advice of his man-about-town uncle, Earl Mountbatten, Prince Philip went to London jeweler Antrobus Ltd. to design the ring.

Queen Elizabeth was rarely without her engagement ring. It reflected her personal style: classic and full of meaning and noble heritage. The big question is, who will inherit the diamond ring? Might Prince George propose with it one day?

Empress Joséphine Bonaparte, Toi et Moi

If Empress Joséphine Bonaparte were alive today, she would no doubt be a popular social influencer. As the wife of French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte, her fashion-forward style and jewels influenced trends at court and raised some eyebrows, too.

Joséphine and Napoleon Bonaparte had a passionate romance. In 1796, after a whirlwind five-month courtship, Napoleon proposed to the former Joséphine de Beauharnais. His choice of ring proves the military officer (this was before his ascension to ruler of France) was a true romantic: He commissioned a minimalist design with two side-by-side pear-shaped stones, a diamond, and a blue sapphire, each weighing about one carat. What became known as the Toi et Moi, or ‘You and Me’ ring, was an expression of love and romance and remains popular today.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Three-Stone Ring

Historically, Duchess Sophie never drew the media attention of the glamorous Princess Kate or stylish (and controversial) Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, but she has risen to the ranks as a reliable, elegant, and likable royal.

Duchess Sophie’s engagement ring, however, is anything but

Portrait of Josephine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Empress consort of the First French Empire, by Francois Gerard, 1801; A diamond and sapphire engagement ring given in 1796 by Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine de Beauharnais.

Princess Elizabeth, Britain’s future queen, and Lt. Philip Mountbatten at Buckingham Palace, wearing her engagement ring. Photographed on July 10, the couple made their first public appearance following the engagement announcement by King George.

ordinary. In 1999, her husband Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (the Queen’s youngest son), proposed with a ring from British jeweler Garrard, a royal warrant holder who supplied the late Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson’s rings. The three-stone ring features a 2-carat oval diamond center with smaller heart-shaped diamonds on either side. She wears it along with a Welsh gold wedding band, a century-old tradition in the Windsor dynasty.

It's a unique take on the three-stone ring because fancy heartshaped diamonds aren’t common, but they are a sweet expression. The three-stone ring, representing the past, present, and future, is continuously reimagined with a mix of diamond shapes.

Princess Charlene of Monaco, Pear-Shaped Diamond

There are constant rumors that Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco’s marriage is on the rocks, but one thing is certain: She has a fabulous diamond engagement ring.

Prince Albert proposed to then Charlene Wittstock in 2010 with a 3-carat pear-shaped diamond with smaller diamonds in a triangular pattern on either side, made by Parisian jeweler Repossi. It’s easy to speculate that she didn’t leave it up to Prince Albert to design the ring because Repossi isn’t the first brand that comes to mind for royal engagement rings. It’s known for stylish, chic, and sometimes edgy designs.

Today, as brides desire unique diamond cuts, the pear shape is an especially popular choice.

Queen Camilla, Art Deco Style Emerald Cut Diamond Ring

For his second chance at love, King Charles proposed to Queen Camilla in 2005 with a family heirloom: a 5-carat emerald cut diamond flanked with baguettes in an Art Deco design. It belonged

to the Queen Mother, Charles’s maternal grandmother, with whom he had a close and loving relationship. This is especially poignant since the Queen Mum was gifted the ring as a push present when she gave birth to Queen Elizabeth.

At five carats, the ring is big enough to get noticed but not flashy. Its sleek Art Deco design is also fitting for Queen Camilla’s no-nonsense personal style.

Queen Letizia of Spain, Diamond Eternity Band

When the Spanish King Felipe VI married former television journalist Letizia Ortiz in 2004, it surprised royal watchers because they had kept their romance a secret.

The beautiful Queen Letizia broke with tradition and opted for a modern eternity band with 16 diamond baguettes rather than a solitaire diamond ring. She wears it with a plain gold wedding band from Spanish jewelry designer Karen Hallam.

More brides today are wearing the diamond eternity band in place of a solitaire engagement ring.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Asscher Cut Diamond

In Sweden, the tradition is to exchange gold bands upon engagement and save the impressive diamond ring for the wedding day. But Princess Madeleine didn’t wait for the diamond.

The daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden got engaged to financier Christopher O’Neill with a stunning 4-carat Asscher cut diamond on a pavé diamond band in 2013. She often wears the modern, sleek ring between two skinny diamond pavé bands.

The streamlined Asscher cut speaks to the contemporary bride who prefers a more minimalist, refined style.

Princess Beatrice, Three-Stone Diamond Ring

When Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi was ready to pop the question to Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew’s daughter, he knew he want-

Queen Camilla and King Charles III attend the Sandringham Flower Show on the Sandringham Estate in July 2023.

Close up Queen Camilla’s wedding and engagement rings.

Queen Elizabeth II at the Windsor Horse Show in May 1982, taking pictures in her engagement ring and the Cullinan V Diamond Heart Brooch.

ed something distinctive, a design that reflected his bride-to-be’s style and their love story, so he went to British jeweler Shaun Leane.

Leane said at the time that Mozzi was very involved in the process, and they collaborated for several months before the 2019 engagement.

The resulting ring is an instant family heirloom. The 3-carat round center stone, responsibly sourced from Botswana, is surrounded by tapered baguette diamonds on a pavé diamond band. The ring blends Art Deco and Victorian aesthetics and is truly unique.

Duchess Meghan Markle, Responsibly Sourced Round Diamond

Prince Harry didn’t want one of the royal family’s rings for his great love, Meghan Markle, but rather, he designed something that reflected their story, the past and the present.

Harry sourced a 2.5-carat diamond in Botswana, where the couple shared their first vacation, and went to Cleave & Company (one of the Queen’s preferred jewelers) to create a three-stone ring using the cushion cut stone. The ring is flanked by two round brilliant cut diamonds from the late Princess Diana’s jewelry collection.

A true romantic, Prince Harry got down on one knee when he proposed with the ring on the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2017. Like so many today, the Duchess of Sussex updated her original ring design. The couple went to New York jeweler Lorraine Schwartz to reset the stones on a micro pavé diamond band for some extra sparkle.

Whether the high-profile royal sparked the trend or not remains to be seen, but the cushion cut diamond is in high demand today.

Princess Grace, Emerald Cut Ring

When America’s beloved screen star Grace Kelly wed Monaco’s Prince Rainier in 1956, the story was hailed around the world as a fairytale romance: A classic American beauty is swept away by Prince Charming. Like all good fairytales, there’s a stunning jewel.

The prince proposed with an elegant, eye-catching 10.48-carat emerald cut diamond and platinum ring flanked by baguettes designed by Cartier. The prince later gave her a diamond eternity band with alternating diamonds and rubies, a nod to his country’s flag.

The elegant ring inspired countless brides in years to come, and the emerald cut is still considered one of the most classic, refined diamond shapes and never goes out of favor.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, The Grand Toi et Moi

The heir to the Danish crown, Queen Margrethe, fell in love with French diplomat Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, and lucky for her, he had regal taste. In 1966, he presented her with a magnificent Van Cleef & Arpels ring comprised of two matching cushion cut diamonds, each about six carats, on a yellow gold band. It’s a grand Toi et Moi design.

A true love match, Queen Margrethe’s husband passed away in 2018, and she continues to wear the diamond ring that has graced her finger since their engagement.

1972: The first official photograph of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik IX, after her accession to the throne.

Close up of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark’s engagement ring.

Meghan Markle visits the University of Chichester’s Engineering and Technology Park in October 2018.

Close up of Meghan Markle’s engagement ring.

The Guy's Guide to Getting Engaged

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT ENGAGEMENT RING WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND.

BY

BRANDON BORROR CHAPPELL

You're in your usual spot on the couch. Your girlfriend is next to you, as she has been for a few years now, and The Office is playing—again. Auto-play has already rolled you into Season 5, and Jim bends down in the rain to propose to Pam. Your girlfriend smiles and tears up, just like she always does. You've seen this scene a million times and always liked it. But this time, it hits differently. A warm lump rises in your chest, and your eyes start to brim—because a few days ago, you crossed a threshold. You know. You felt yourself pitch forward into that first big drop on a roller coaster, and the lap bar is feeling secure: You're going to propose. And then a storm cloud drifts into your sunny blue sky. A sheepish voice whines: Oh no. I have to buy a diamond ring. I have no idea what I'm doing.

Good! That nervousness means you're alive and feeling; you understand this is a big deal. You're going to ask her if she agrees that you should be the most important person in each other's life. Finding the right ring is an opportunity to show her that when she says yes, she's saying yes to someone who knows her. It's a chance to show her you're the right partner for the Big Adventure. I know it's scary - I've been through this myself. When I wrote about my triumphant ring quest, I unhelpfully reported on my friendship with the brilliant Australian jeweler Stefano Canturi. I realize not everyone has such a gleaming, diamond-encrusted path when the time comes to make this once-in-a-lifetime purchase. So now, I am here to help. I did what you should do: I asked

around. I spoke with Greg Kwiat, CEO of Kwiat and Fred Leighton; Frank Everett, vice president and sales director for Sotheby's jewelry department; Stefano Canturi, the designer of my wife's ring; and My Friend Phil, a thoughtful and romantic guy who also successfully got engaged.

When I reached out to Phil, he replied, "I love that you're doing this because I found the process to be a bit lonely. I asked a couple of friends, but people were cagey - maybe they used a family ring or didn't feel comfortable weighing in. I think it's such a big thing that people hesitate to influence you." Fortunately, I'm okay with being influential. So, with Phil's blessing, I present my expert-aided step-by-step guide to buying an engagement ring without losing your mind.

Do Your Homework Ahead of Time

Gather some intel before you approach a jeweler. The more you know going into this process, the easier it'll be. Stefano Canturi believes you might already know more than you think. He said, "A good partner will pick up on her style, personality, and subtle— or not-so-subtle—hints of what she likes in an engagement ring. Take note when she comments on other women's rings and take the opportunity to ask a few questions about styles she likes."

That's excellent advice if you've got time, but if you're reading this and can't afford to wait for that kind of conversation to arise organically–or if you'd like to be more certain of your assessment–get a little help from those who know her best.

Greg Kwiat shared his opening line of questioning with me: "Do you know what she likes? What diamond shape does she like? What style of setting? Tell me everything you already know. If they say they don't know anything, I remind them that there will be someone in her life who does. You might know who that is—her mother, sister, best friend."

Frank Everett echoed this sentiment: "If she cares about diamond rings, chances are she's expressed interest in a particular shape or cut of diamond or style of setting to her closest friends."

If you're like me, you're surprised to hear this, and you're probably skeptical that your girlfriend has been incepting her inner circle with her diamond cut and setting preferences. Make a few calls, and you will likely end up in the grand company of “Other Guys Who Didn't Know This Was A Thing”. Hopefully, if you're asking her to marry you, you know who her closest confidantes are. If they're in on the secret, you'll have a co-conspirator on your side, and you'll get to share the excitement of planning the perfect surprise.

H ere's a checklist of the specifics you're looking for:

Cut and Shape: Cut is how well proportioned and polished the diamond is. This affects how well it sparkles. Its shape is almost unlimited in options, with round brilliant cuts being the most classic. Still, other shapes, such as oval, emerald, pear, and marquise, have their own appeal, and there is usually a preference for one of them.

Color: Specifically for ‘white’ diamonds, this is how white (or yellow/brown) the diamond appears. The scale goes from D (completely colorless) to Z (tinted with light yellow or brown). Most people won't notice much color in diamonds above an H grading, and some prefer diamonds with warmer tones (especially set in yellow or rose gold) that are lower on the color scale.

Clarity: This measures how many inclusions are visible inside the diamond. Inclusions are natural marks that make up the fingerprint of a diamond. With a grade of SI2 or higher, inclusions are usually not visible to the naked eye.

Carat: The weight (or size) of the diamond. Bigger isn't always better, but you want something proportional to her style, hand size, and your budget because this is one of the most important factors that affect price.

Setting: How the diamond is held in the ring. Solitaire (a single stone) is timeless, pavé (small diamonds on the band) adds sparkle, and a halo (diamonds surrounding the center stone) makes it look bigger. There are also unlimited options for something really unique.

Metal: Platinum is super durable and stays white. White gold looks similar and is a bit less heavy, but it needs occasional maintenance to keep it bright white. Yellow and rose gold give a warmer, vintage feel.

A safe bet combo? A round brilliant diamond, around H color (colorless), SI1 clarity (in case she definitely doesn't want to see inclusions), set in a platinum solitaire. Timeless, elegant, and universally flattering. Also, this combo means the diamond alone is the star, so it's a perfect proposal ring, and the two of you can reset the diamond in a more tailored setting together after the proposal.

Sizing Matters

Let's be real - if you don't know the diameter of your fiancé-to-be's ring finger to the nearest millimeter, should you really be promising yourself to her forever? Just kidding. But this part is essential.

According to Kwiat, "You want to try to get the size right. If

Author with his betrothed, journalist and author, Laura Brown.

you're going to be wrong in one direction, err on the side of being too big. Generally speaking, resizing a ring to be smaller is slightly easier. But more importantly, the last thing you want is for her not to be able to get the ring on her finger when you present it. I have a pretty good track record of estimating ring size just from looking at a photograph."

Canturi suggested a more forensic approach. He says, "If she wears a ring on the corresponding finger on the right hand, you could discreetly measure the inner diameter of that ring, and a good jeweler should be able to work out the rest."

Everett, however, is a little more skeptical. "It's almost impossible to guess a woman's ring size.” He says, “And stealing a ring doesn't work. I think the best thing to do is to get the ring in a size 6, which is the average size, and then you can size it up or down a bit after presenting it."

Since the experts don't agree, I've devised a foolproof method: Give her a hand massage and pay attention to how that ring finger feels when you squeeze it. Then, later, take a carrot, shave it down intermittently while squeezing it until it feels the same as her finger, and bring that carrot to your jeweler. Or channel your inner Joey Tribbiani and look out for her hand twin. Or, of course, you can always hope that helpful tidbit made its way to her best friend or family member—who's now your secret accomplice in this whole operation. Ask your jeweler if the band you're getting is easily resizable—if it isn't, you need to be sure you know her size.

Budget

I'm sure you've heard the old rule of thumb that says you should spend three months' salary on an engagement ring. That's a fine place to start, but let's be honest—your actual budget will depend on what makes sense for you, your financial situation, and what you feel comfortable spending. This is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, and you want to feel good about what you're getting.

Greg Kwiat says, "Your budget will guide many of your choices. The process of selecting a diamond engagement ring is very much about trade-offs. You know roughly what you want to spend. You have a certain size in mind you'd like to achieve—and a good

jeweler can guide you through choices of cut, color, and clarity. You can go up and down in those scales to hit a price target you're after. There are areas you can compromise on and areas you shouldn't. Whenever I meet with people, I show them what it means to be at the top of that range, in the middle, at the bottom, above it, below it—because many people don't know. They'll give you an answer, but not because they know what that number will get them."

My friend Phil doesn't care that guac is extra. "You should figure out your budget and add 10%. Because that extra 10% will make a big difference, and when in your life are you going to look back and say, 'Man, I wish I'd spent a little bit less on the engagement ring?' And if you do think you might think that, then maybe marriage isn't the right step forward."

I chuckled when he said that because when I was buying, I had my number in mind… and then I saw what exactly 10% more would get me, and I sprang for it without blinking. You want to feel good about what you're putting on her finger. So set a budget, understand what it will get you, and don't be afraid to stretch just a little if it means getting something truly special.

Natural Diamonds

Canturi declares, "All natural, baby." Kwiat adds, "We are 100% committed to natural diamonds. They have earth history, rarity, and they hold their value."

Remember that when you purchase an engagement ring, you purchase what will become a family heirloom. You're buying a concrete symbol of your enduring romantic love - an observable declaration that your bond with another is of supreme, lasting value. And only natural diamonds hold that value.

Finding a Jeweler You Trust

I was so relieved that I already knew where I was going to buy the ring. If I had to navigate the jewelry market from scratch, I would have started with a panic attack. I'm not a savvy shopper, I don't drive a hard bargain, and I would've been afraid of getting taken advantage of. I'm sure I would have figured it out, but I definitely would have worried about coming across as an idiot.

Everett: "Don't worry about coming across as an idiot. A good salesperson's job is to put you at ease by answering your questions competently—without overloading you with information you don't need. Always make a second visit and do some comparison shopping to make sure the price is in line with current market trends."

Phil, on the other hand, had a rough start: "I totally choked during my first interaction with a jeweler. I'd recommend making multiple appointments on the same day in the jewelry or diamond district and just going door to door. That's what I did to gather information. Get a feel for the people and their inventory. You'll know who's treating you honestly."

Kwiat emphasized the importance of finding the right guide: "It's really important to us to spend time with people. We give just as much attention to customers at any budget. Customer service and experience are a big part of what we do—how we try to differentiate ourselves. The thing about knowledge is that there's a lot to learn. But you don't need to become an expert to buy a beautiful diamond. What you do need is to learn enough to understand how the process works and what choices you need to make. The best advice I can give you is to find someone you trust—someone who will give you the right advice and genuinely look out for your best interests. That's core to what we do. We want people to walk out knowing they've bought something great, something they're proud of, something their partner will love and cherish."

I asked Greg if people ever come in with a defensive mindset like I might have if I were heading into an unfamiliar market and was wary of being an easy mark.

Kwiat: "Some people come into it with that mindset, and I find those people usually end up making bad decisions. Not because they were intentionally misled, but because they thought they knew enough to go it alone. And the person selling the diamond will always know more than you. You should look for a jeweler

"A good partner will pick up on her style, personality, and subtle— or not-so-subtle— hints of what she likes in an engagement ring.

who takes the time to educate you and who presents you with options. You want to end up with multiple choices but no bad choices, in a spot where you can't make a mistake; you can only hone in on personal taste. That's when you know you're in good hands."

At some point, you will have to take a leap of faith. And so will she when you ask her to marry you. Sure, this process can feel daunting, but so does anything worth doing right. Creating something of real value takes time, attention, expertise, and care. The right jeweler will want to get it right just as much as you do. So, trust the process, your instincts, and the person across the counter when you find the right one. I found the right one! And she loves the ring I gave her.

Model wearing vintage diamond engagement rings by Fred Leighton, photographed by Mark Lim.

L.A. Story

STRONG AND RESILIENT, MEET THE ANGELENOS WHO HAVE WITNESSED THE TRANSFORMATION OF THEIR CITY AND LOVINGLY CALL IT HOME.

By Jane Asher

Picture skyscrapers towering above bustling sidewalks. Locals move in and out of buildings on their phones, while gaggles of tourists and shoppers peer into the window cases of diamond wares, as security guards stand at attention. While this could accurately describe New York City’s famous Diamond District on 47th Street, it was actually the scene I witnessed while strolling down South Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles’ Diamond District.

It was a small but mighty community of designers, diamond dealers, bench workers, and manufacturers who built Los Angeles’s lesser-known diamond district from the ground up. The buildings that still stand today were built in the 1920s, but became a diamond destination in the 1960s as an influx of jewelry stores settled mostly on South Hill Street. With the fashion district around the corner, filled with fabric wholesalers and sewing supply stores, it made sense that diamonds found their home nearby.

Over the years, the Diamond District has weathered the ebbs and flows of real estate development in L.A., a changing economy, and even natural disasters. In January, wildfires across the Pacific Palisades and Altadena displaced thousands of families, shut down beloved local businesses, and destroyed neighborhoods. The devastation was severe, but through it all, L.A. stuck together, organizing donation sites, taking in foster animals, and supporting each other through some of the most difficult times the community has seen in recent years.

Despite these hurdles, L.A.’s jewelry community has slowly grown, expanding from that small block of streets in DTLA.

Exterior of Royal Credit Jewelers, 708 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, California, 1927.

Designers have popped up in storefronts on the West Side and beyond as communities settled into the more idyllic, palm-treelined streets of Greater L.A. However, even those designers who chose the quieter neighborhoods of Brentwood and West Hollywood find themselves back in DTLA, doing business in historic buildings like the Vincent Jewelry Center and the International Jewelry Center, as it remains the hub of the city’s diamond manufacturing.

The foundation that was laid decades ago is now a jumping-off point for the next generation. The torch has been passed to create a bigger and better jewelry community than the one that came before it.

GENERATIONS OF JEWELERS

For a jeweler like Norman Silverman, who has been in the business for over 40 years, the next generation is already hard at work. “I used to come on Sundays as a four-year-old kid,” says Judah Silverman, Norman’s son. “He would check the mail, I would pick up a tweezer, I’d look at 0.01-carat, 0.02-carat diamonds, not knowing I would go into it. But when I was around 10 years old, I was like, ‘This is what I want to do’.” Silverman notes that it was his mother who pushed his father to pursue his dream of opening his own jewelry brand after spending years trading loose diamonds in DTLA.

Born out of Silverman’s early days in DTLA was a team of manufacturers and producers who have stood the test of time. “We have been with the same ones from the get-go, and 90-95% of their workflow is for us.” Silverman is proud of his family’s loyalty and for good reason: It always brings quality products to their loyal customers. “We have one shop just making eternity rings, one shop just making necklaces, one just making engagement rings, so what makes us stand out is how quickly we can put out a special order.” This ethos has helped them build a brand synonymous with the Los Angeles jewelry scene today.

Since 1949, when Arthur Polacheck relocated his family from Seattle to Glendale, Polacheck’s Jewelers has been a cherished family-owned business in Southern California. Over the years, multiple locations thrived in the Greater Los Angeles area, but the enduring gem is the Calabasas store. In the late 1990s, developer Rick Caruso invited Arthur’s son, Stephen Polacheck, to bring the family’s legacy to a burgeoning community in what was then rustic horse country, making Polacheck’s one of the first retail anchors in the area.

Now, Stephen’s son, Brent Polacheck, helms the Calabasas store, with plans to pass the business to his children, continuing a multi-generational tradition. “We’re seeing a new generation of customers who are thoughtful and deliberate in their jewelry purchases,” Brent shares. “They choose Polacheck’s because it’s where their grandparents and parents shopped—a place where they’re investing in their own future.”

Ari Madilian and his wife Corina, co-founders of Single Stone, are also L.A. jewelry scene mainstays, with Ari starting his career in the diamond district before it was even the diamond district.

“Ari’s father was a developer downtown; he built the 625 Jewelry Plaza on Hill Street,” Corina explains. “He was a partner in St. Vincent’s and 607, so they were instrumental in converting some of those buildings into the jewelry exchanges that exist down on the ground floors.” Ari saw the rise of the jewelry district firsthand, and rather than follow in his father’s footsteps as a developer, he pivoted toward something a little more sparkly.

“The architects or someone from the city would say to Ari, ‘Can you get me a pair of two-carat diamonds for my wife,’ so he started as a diamond runner when he was nineteen years old,” shares Corina of her husband’s first exposure to the industry. “Eventually, he went off to Israel and started traveling and buying stones and became a loose diamond dealer.”

Single Stone has evolved a great deal since then, from a vintage jewelry restoration business in the 1980s to the remarkable private label it is today, sourcing and setting vintage stones into unique, hand-crafted designs, all made in Los Angeles. “To this day, we still work with the old cuts,” says Ari. “That’s still what we love to do.” And Los Angeles is where they love to do it.

“We love Los Angeles for so many different reasons,” Corina explains. “It’s where we raised our family, and downtown is very nostalgic for Ari.” DTLA is where his father started his business, and he found his love for his own. “We have often been asked to take our production somewhere else, but that’s not going to happen,” emphasizes Ari. The couple cherishes their L.A. roots, and they “love being able to be on top of it and see everything as it’s built,” says Corina. “We touch every piece that comes through. We are directly involved in all of our production. We couldn’t imagine giving up that kind of control and sending it out somewhere else,” she laughs. “That just wouldn’t happen. It’s not in our personality.”

LOS ANGELES, BORN & BRED

Jewelry designer Anita Ko feels the same way about her hometown. “I was born and raised in L.A., and I design from an L.A. perspective and lifestyle, so I cannot imagine starting anywhere else,” she tells Only Natural Diamonds. “When you’re from L.A.,

From left to right: Adam Silverman, Robbie Silverman, Judah Silverman, and Norman Silverman. Photographed by Vincenzo Dimino.

it’s in your blood, energy, and your heart.”

Ko started her namesake brand in 2006 and has grown exponentially since then, dressing celebrities like Sydney Sweeney and Hailey Bieber on the red carpet and beyond and selling her pieces to some of Hollywood’s biggest names. Like the Silvermans and the Madilians, the one thing that hasn’t changed for Ko is the L.A.-based setters and craftspeople she’s been working with since the start. “I love creating with them,” she says of her production team. “They are all thrilled for my success, and they are all big brothers or uncles to me.”

As a mainstay in the L.A. jewelry scene, Ko has grown close to many of her fellow designers over the years. “We go to dinner, compare notes, and share the trials and tribulations of the business,” she says. “I am very grateful I have a network of close friends who share my passion and understand the good times and not-so-good times.” The local jewelry community is certainly part of a broader group of creatives that call Los Angeles home, “and I know most of us support and root for each other,” says Ko.

The jewelry community spans beyond designers; Laura Freedman, a L.A. native and owner of the jewelry boutique Broken English in Brentwood, has also found camaraderie among her clients and neighbors. “They welcomed me in a way that was beyond special,” she says of when she first opened the store in 2006. Since then, “I’ve seen crops of kids grow up from elementary school to engagement,” Freedman says, explaining how she loves to be part of these special milestones in her clients’ lives.

Freedman works with designers from around the country, but being based in Los Angeles has shown her what a force the local jewelry community can be. “Every time I reached out to someone for help, whether it be a manufacturer or a repair person or a designer, I was met with so much openness and kindheartedness and willingness to help,” she says. “I think that’s what’s special about what we do.”

Lizzie Mandler, another born-and-bred Angelino, has also found solidarity in L.A.’s community of artists. “Fifteen years ago, there were very few of us; we all got to know each other and banded together,” she said. Since then, Mandler has seen it grow exponentially. “But the diamond district is significantly smaller here than it is in New York, so you’re seeing people more often, and you’re likely using similar people,” she says, referring to jewelry production.

Deciding to use a DTLA-based production team was an easy choice for Mandler. “I used to be there almost every day with my manufacturers, sourcing stones and overseeing production,” she recalls of the early days of her business. As it’s grown, she says, “I still work closely with a lot of my vendors downtown, but a lot of them come to me now instead.”

Now, over a decade into her jewelry career, Mandler has a store on Sycamore in West Hollywood. “There was never a doubt in my mind that there was only L.A. for me,” she shares. “It’s home, and it’s a huge part of my identity and my upbringing and, in that way, also my brand.” Mandler recently welcomed a baby girl and plans to raise her family in Los Angeles, too.

California isn’t just Mandler’s home–it’s her muse. Within just a two-hour drive in any direction, “you can change your landscape and therefore change your mood, your environment and your inspiration, and what you’re visually intaking all the time,” she says. Ojai, in particular, is where Mandler likes to go to reset and find inspiration. “There is something important about changing your visual environment; it helps to shift your brain space, especially as a jewelry designer.”

FINDING A NEW HOME IN L.A.

While some designers’ L.A. roots have them firmly placed in the City of Angels, newcomers have also found a home here, like Maggi Simpkins, who moved to the area from Portland, Oregon, in her early twenties. “I fell into designing professionally originally for fashion jewelry, and then I took a job in the downtown diamond district working for this family-owned business,” she recalls. “It was just by proximity, just by being here, this whole world opened up.”

Jewelry Designer Anita Ko.

Ari and Corina Madilian, co-founders of Single Stone, photographed by Vincenzo Dimino.

Since then, she’s built her namesake brand by being hands-on with her manufacturers and producers, making all of her pieces in DTLA’s diamond district. “That’s been valuable for me to make sure that what I’m trying to create is being expressed in a way that ensures my vision is coming to life.”

Simpkins looks back at her early days in the industry with fondness and nostalgia. “To be a 20-year-old girl, not from Los Angeles, not born into a jewelry family, not having any prior access in that way, I was still able to become a part of the community,” she says. “That’s what holds a place in my heart.”

Retrouvai’s Kirsty Stone was on a similar journey when she moved to the area from Canada. “I’m from Toronto, so when I decided I was going to make this my career, I was like, ‘Either L.A. or New York,’” Stone explains. “I was just so fascinated by L.A. I had been here only a few times and just dived in, and started coming downtown.”

Stone started her jewelry career on the production side, thanks to a friend in Jaipur who connected her to a manufacturer in DTLA. “I don’t know why he decided to take me under his wing,” she recalls of that fortuitous moment. “Decades ago, someone gave him a bench and took him under their wing, and so he was like, ‘I see something in you like someone saw in me.’”

Stone learned the ins and outs of jewelry making from this mentor, from casting and polishing to working on the bench. “Unless you grow up with a family business, you don’t get that point of view. I was just so fascinated,” she said. Stone hasn’t left the bustle of L.A.’s Diamond District since, headquarter ing Retrouvai in the St. Vincent Jewelry Center. “I love the industry, the grit, the production, that’s why my office is downtown,” she explains. “It could be anywhere; a lot of people don’t want to be downtown, but I do. I love it. Even though I live on the West Side.” Any Angeleno will tell you that’s one serious commute. But it’s worth it for Stone, who couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

Stone, along with Mandler, is also part of Ran di Molofsky’s For Future Reference showroom, which has introduced both of them to more designers and expanded their network. “It’s special because she tends to bring together collaborative designers,” says Mandler. Molofsky started her career in New York City and said it took some time to adjust to the nuances of the Los Angeles creative scene, specifically how geographically spread everything is. “But I think it also gives you a little bit more freedom to be a little more creative, broaden your horizons a little bit, be inspired by nature, the landscape, all the great things around here

where you’re not always in the office like you are in New York,” she muses. “I think that helps everybody be a little more creative in their practice.”

Molofsky is proud of the jewelry community she’s helped foster in L.A. and is even expanding her business into vintage with For Future Reference Vintage. “I have always been a collector of vintage jewelry, and years ago, I was introduced to Excalibur,” her partner in the new vintage venture. “That’s been a uniquely L.A., fun thing for me… there’s a very serious estate world here and so many interesting lives have been lived here, so the vintage world is amazing.”

GIVING BACK AFTER THE

It was during the Palisades and Pasadena fires in January of 2025 that Molofsky and all the designers here saw Greater Los Angeles come together. “We were very lucky our neighborhood was saved by the firefighters,” she says of her home near Runyon Canyon, perched just below where the Sunset fire broke out.

As founder of the For Future Reference showroom, Molofsky worked with her designers, including Mandler and Stone, to “put ideas together and help execute and help support in that way–-that was our first instinct.” Mandler donated the proceeds from her Linked Necklace to the LAFD, the Pasadena Humane Society,

Lizzie Mandler of Lizzie Mandler Jewelry photographed by Vincenzo Dimino;

Maggi Simpkins Locket Pendant.

and Baby2Baby, an L.A.-based nonprofit that provides basic necessities to children living in poverty. The Linked Necklace has a standing donation component, so switching the benefitting charity to help fire victims was a no-brainer.

Mandler also donated a percentage of the proceeds from her website and store for January to the three organizations. “All three work in different areas of the crisis; we were trying to spread it a little bit across everyone,” she said. Stone auctioned off her Magna bracelet, donating the $10,000 auction price to the LAFD Foundation.

Maggi Simpkins, who was displaced after the fires, also got involved in auctioning off a piece for charity. She worked with Grace Lavarro of Jewels by Grace and jeweler Mia Moross via a GoFundMe to benefit individuals and families who lost their homes in the Eaton fire as well as the LAFD. They raised over $150,000 through the auction, to which Simpkins donated her Locket Pendant. “It was inspiring and exciting to see everyone rally,” she recalls. “It was remarkable to watch how many people came together during this time and showed up for one another.”

“Los Angeles is not an easy city to survive in,” she elaborates. “When things like the fires happen, you’re just reminded of how resilient and how strong people are.”

Baylee Ann Zwart of Azlee Jewelry knew she wanted to find a way to give back, too, despite being displaced by the Malibu fires. Zwart chose to donate a portion of all proceeds to the Pasadena Humane Society and the American Red Cross for the year. “One of our team members is from Pasadena and is very familiar with that humane society, so it felt like a natural fit for us, too,” she says.

LEANING ON EACH OTHER

In addition to the auction, Stone got involved on a personal level, working with a friend based in New York City to sponsor specific families who lost everything. “I feel like I was just the connector, but my friend in New York was soliciting all of her contacts,” she says modestly. “I think a lot of the people in these communities are people that would feel, ‘I’m not worthy of help,’ because other people are always less fortunate.” But Stone understood how to offer help even to those who couldn’t ask for it. “It’s not charity,” she says. “It’s one community helping another.”

Laura Freedman of Broken English also saw firsthand how the fires affected her friends and neighbors, many of whom came into her life through the industry and her store. “I probably know over a hundred people, including my own family, who were touched in one way, shape, or form by the fires,” she shares. “They needed receipts, they needed certificates of authenticity, they needed whatever insurance they needed to get.” But beyond the paperwork, Broken English became a place where “they could come in and feel seen and heard because they had gone through such a horrible time.”

The Madilians of Single Stone jumped into action. “We also own another store called Serafina, which is a lifestyle store. Right away, we set up a donation site within both stores,” Corina explains. “We had great support from our clients and our vendors. We gathered everything from diapers and formula to hygiene and clothing. We personally donated a ton of clothing. Not only did we get it to distribution sites at the very beginning, but we also set up a donation site within our store for people to come through and pick up things they needed,” she said.

Kirsty Stone of Retrouvai photographed by Vincenzo Dimino.

Single Stone clients showed up for the Madilians, which was “inspiring to see… we had clients that drove out two hours to come and bring us carloads of things,” she shares. “We’ve created a community of people who appreciate what we do, and so they showed up for us. Because of that, we were able to give more.”

The Madilians were touched by the outpouring of love and are starting to see a sense of hope after the loss. “When someone comes in and picks out something and they’re like, ‘I feel so good or I love this,’ you give them a little bit of normalcy back, just a tiny bit.”

Anita Ko was sadly one of the unlucky ones who lost her home to the fires. She has leaned heavily on her jewelry friends during tough times. “I think the L.A. jewelry community has been great,” she shares. “I have to especially recognize Jacquie Aiche, who sent me so many things to share with my neighbors, and Octavia Elizabeth, who sent me a suitcase filled with beautiful clothing.” Ko isn’t focused yet on rebuilding, “but I think all of us victims have just been trying to get through things day by day,” she adds.

COMING TOGETHER AFTER TRAGEDY

In the wake of a natural disaster, navigating insurance claims can be daunting. Polacheck’s Jewelers goes above and beyond to ease

this burden for their clients. “We maintain detailed records to provide accurate information for insurance claims, helping our customers process them quickly and efficiently,” Brent explains.

This commitment stems from Polacheck’s deep-rooted ethos of care, fostering lasting relationships with clients. “When a customer mentions a pair of earrings, we remember,” says Polacheck. “We recall the joy of that moment—not just for them, but for us, too. By providing the necessary documentation, we help them piece their lives back together, one step at a time.”

Freedman noticed that photographs and jewelry were often the only items people grabbed as they had to evacuate. “Jewelry is the physical embodiment of all of your precious moments and milestones,” she muses. “They are the talismans that you take with you through all of life’s experiences. Those are the things that matter.”

Simpkins, too, has found inspiration in seeing how Los Angeles has come together after the devastation. “There is a lot of heart in the city, and I think that when things like the fires happen, you’re just reminded of how resilient and how strong people are,” she says. “Despite the devastation of the fires, it was nice to see so many people come together and be reminded of the humanity that does exist in the city.”

Simpkins sees her community coming back stronger and better than ever, despite the loss. “I look forward to getting to that place, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s coming.”

Randi Molofsky of For Future Reference photographed by Vincenzo Dimino.

BROOKE

UNFETTERED & UNCUT

ACTIVIST, ACTRESS, AUTHOR, AND ENTREPRENEUR BROOKE SHIELDS IS AS TIMELESS AS A NATURAL DIAMOND.

BY RUTHIE FRIEDLANDER PHOTOGRAPHED

BY

PAOLA KUDACKI

Chanel High Jewelry. Dolce & Gabbana trench.

Selim Mouzannar earrings, Verdura cuff, Belperron cuff, Van Cleef & Arpels necklace. Calvin Klein t-shirt, A.W.A.K.E. MODE skirt, Gianvito Rossi boots.

Lauren DeYoung earrings, Khepri rings. Philosophy jacket.

bBrooke Shields has always embodied a particular type of American glamour — unapologetically confident, refreshingly candid, and captivatingly timeless. Yet, and perhaps much to the dismay of the patriarchy, her true brilliance might just be emerging now, shining even more vividly than it did decades ago.

The multi-hyphenate is no stranger to reinvention. She has spent a lifetime gracefully navigating the shifting tides of fame, beauty standards, and expectations, but in her latest chapter, she’s doing something even more remarkable: rewriting the rules entirely.

“We’re all in it together,” she tells Only Natural Diamonds, reflecting on conversations sparked by her recent memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old. “It was pretty appalling how we’re [aging women] treated, and it felt like something we needed to open up about.”

With humor, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom, her memoir confronts the societal stigma around women aging both in and out of the spotlight. It doesn’t lament lost youth; instead, it defiantly embraces the complexity and power of growing older. “It doesn’t have to be about giving up. It’s embracing all of the past

that got you here,” Shields shares, emphasizing how this stage of life can be uniquely liberating. “There’s a freedom to it. You start to say, ‘No, I’m not going to waste my time on that.’ It’s not selfishness, it’s self-appreciation.”

This newfound confidence is palpable. Styled in the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Sportmax, and Salvatore Ferragamo and draped with exquisite diamond pieces from Chanel, London Jewelers, Nikos Koulis, and more, Shields radiates a stunning power. But this hasn’t always come naturally. For Shields, reclaiming her image after years of being objectified has been an intricate journey, often navigated through fashion. “A good portion of my career was about being sexualized but shutting myself down from that,” she admits. Now, she’s learning to celebrate her body in ways she previously found unimaginable. “I used to hide everything,” she recalls. “My daughters have really urged me to wear bikinis, not just a one-piece and a muumuu to the beach.”

Today, at almost 60, Shields finally feels a sense of ownership over her beauty—an empowering revelation echoed in her new haircare line, Commence, specially formulated for women over

London Jewelers earrings, Khepri necklace.

Stella McCartney coat, shirt, pants, Khaite shoes.

From left to right: London Jewelers

earring, Darius Jewels earring, Selim Mouzannar earring. Arielle Ratner necklace. Sportmax blazer, Jacques Marie Mage glasses

40. Commence, much like her memoir, challenges antiquated beauty norms and celebrates the transformations that accompany aging. This shift toward genuine self-appreciation also reflects her evolving relationship with fashion, something that historically felt out of her control. She recalls struggling with ill-fitting (read: non-fitting) runway samples throughout her career, often feeling diminished rather than celebrated on set. “They would throw runway samples on me, and my hands didn’t even fit in,” she remembers. Now, paradoxically, due to a femur injury and its effects on her body, Shields finds herself fitting those once elusive sizes—a complicated victory. “It messes with your head. Weight loss at this age is complicated,” she reflects, candidly acknowledging the contradictions inherent in navigating beauty standards at every stage.

Yet through every transformation, one constant has remained—a deeply personal symbol of strength and self-worth: diamonds. Her affinity for jewelry runs deep, a legacy passed down from her mother, whose pragmatic yet empowering advice still resonates: “My mom always said, 'Buy yourself your own diamond—don’t wait to be given one from a man.’” Shields took this counsel to heart, cherishing meaningful pieces from her earliest memories. “My mom bought me my first emerald-cut diamond,” Shields recalls. “It’s very beautiful, and I got it set in a Verdura cuff. I’m very attached to jewelry and diamonds. That might sound obnoxious,” she laughs, self-aware but unapologetic.

Her connection to diamonds extends beyond their aesthetic brilliance; it is deeply rooted in memory, sentiment, and history. “Ever since I was a little girl, every time we’d go somewhere, we’d find a jewelry store—if we were in Asia, it was pearls; if we were elsewhere, it was diamonds or brooches.” Reflecting on her mother’s fascination, Brooke speculates thoughtfully, “Maybe it’s because she grew up in Newark during the Depression era, in poverty, and jewelry represented what she aspired to have in life.”

nNow, as a mother herself, Shields considers the legacy she will leave her two daughters, Rowan, 21, and Grier, 19, through her jewelry, though she’s humorously cautious. “Only my younger daughter,” she laughs, explaining, “My older daughter has lost every piece I’ve ever given her. I literally cannot do it again.” Shields marvels at how her younger daughter intuitively grasps the deeper significance behind jewelry’s craftsmanship and legacy. “She understands the difference between real and ‘real’,” Brooke says proudly. “It’s not about the gold or diamonds alone—she sees the history, the workmanship, the story behind the institution of these houses.”

As Shields considers her own life, her jewelry becomes a lens through which she measures her personal evolution and self-appreciation. “When you’ve worked hard, you’re not waiting to be validated—you do something for yourself,” she says firmly. “There’s a sense of empowerment in that.” Brooke views the diamond as more than a luxury object; it is a reflection of resilience and personal worth, earned over time through hard work and effort.

Perhaps Brooke Shields, then, isn’t reinventing herself at all. Rather, she’s revealing an intrinsic value—one that only becomes clearer and more radiant with the passage of time. She has earned every facet. “You’ve earned getting here,” she reminds herself, and by extension, all women. Her life is proof that true beauty, true resilience, and true worth are not simply bestowed; they are forged, polished, and perfected by the pressures and triumphs of a lifetime.

Lauren DeYoung earrings, Khepri rings, Van Cleef & Arpels ring.

Philosophy jacket, Celine skirt, DIM tights, Gianvito Rossi shoes.

London Jewelers earrings and bracelet. Sportmax dress, Khaite shoes.

Nikos Koulis earrings and cuff, David Webb ring. Coperni bodysuit, DIM tights, Jacques Marie Mage sunglasses.

“WHEN YOU’VE WORKED HARD, YOU’RE NOT WAITING TO BE VALIDATED—

YOU DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF,” SHE SAYS FIRMLY. “THERE’S

A SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT IN THAT.”

David Webb earrings, Pomellato necklace, Chanel ring.

Photographer: Paola Kudacki; Stylist: Anatolli Smith; Creative Director: Lizzy Oppenheimer; Hair: Sky Kim; Makeup: Mark De Los Reyes; Manicure: Mamie

Onishi; Entertainment

Editor At Large: Glynis

Costin; Set Design: Caz Slattery; Creative Production: Petty

Cash Production; Photo Assistants: Spencer Ostrander, Alexander Sterling

Ryerson; Digital Tech: Isaac Schell; Styling Assistants: Jaden James, Devyn Banta; Tailor: Paul Burgo.

Beladora earrings, Heller Jewelers bracelet, Suzanne Kalan bracelet, For

Future Reference

Vintage ring, Suzanne Kalan rings.

Vintage leather jacket.

By Sam Broekema

like a gentleman

Kelvin Harrison Jr. is a chameleon on the big screen but it’s his personal style that shines through.

photographs by Micaiah Carter

S“Shucky ducky quack quack,” croons actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. as our shoot’s stylist, Jermaine Daley, fastens a Cartier High Jewelry yellow diamond brooch to the lapel of a chocolate brown Brunello Cucinelli suit. No shirt necessary, natch. Now, what might this compelling string of words signify? “It means it’s good. You feel good; it looks good. Something good is happening when shucky ducky quack quack happens,” Harrison explains. “My mom and dad used to say it all the time. It means, just like yes.” Kelvin Harrison Jr. has experienced a string of yes moments in his career, starring alongside legends such as Forest Whitaker, Naomi Watts, and Octavia Spencer and being directed by iconoclasts like Aaron Sorkin and Baz Luhrmann. And the list goes on.

It’s surprising to note that music, not acting, was his first love. Harrison grew up in a New Orleans household filled with classical, gospel, and jazz music. His father, Kelvin Harrison Sr., was a professional saxophone player and met his mother, a classically trained ballerina, when she moved into jazz lyrical dance. “Their love language was through music: playing Sarah Vaughn, Nat King Cole, or Ella Fitzgerald,” Harrison explains. “They would scat at each other, and that was how we saw them interact in a

romantic way. When jazz was playing, it felt like love was in the house.” This inspired Harrison to dream of being the Nat King Cole of his generation. But this didn’t go as planned. “That dream kind of got crushed,” he deadpans. “I tried out for American Idol, wearing cowboy boots and a button-down, going for a western vibe. I love jewelry, so I wore a lot of rings. That was…specific, but it just felt right.”

Alas, it was not meant to be, and no number of burgers or wise parental words made a difference for him. “I was like, ‘it’s not going to be okay.’ I love to relish the disaster.” He jokes but notes that it’s “the mark of a true actor.” However, Harrison hatched a plan to break in the back door, thinking that opportunities at the Disney Channel might lead to an album. Disney didn’t materialize, but a spate of interesting movie roles did – focusing on character studies of iconic men: B.B. King, Fred Hampton, a leader of the Black Panther Party, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

“That’s not something I expected. I look for interesting, flawed, complicated characters, as everyone else,” he says. “Unless you just want to be famous, which I have no interest in. But if it gets me a dinner reservation, then fair enough,” he laughs.

Harrison took the opportunity in each role to learn how he wanted to live as a man through portraying a character. “With Fred Hampton, it was about having a sense of calm amidst a storm. To be so young, he had a real perspective on how to not allow outside circumstances to affect you, how to manage your emotions, and how to be a leader.” Harrison continues that for his role as B.B. King, “It was his business sense. He said, ‘If you don’t do the business, the business will do you.’ For a long time, I thought that as long as I’m a great actor, nothing else would matter, and that’s not real. We must understand this is a business. I pride myself on being an inspired performer, loving my craft, and being a great business partner so we can continue making movies. I get to do my art if I understand the work that I’m doing.” Moving forward to his role as Martin Luther King, he says, “Dr. King taught me about family, love, and faith. Joseph in Chevalier taught me about ego death and allowing yourself to get over your idea of who you think you’re supposed to be, no matter how talented or where you’re coming from. No one cares about your talent if you’re not a good person.”

Suzanne Kalan necklace, HOWL earrings,Norman Silverman ring, Andreoli ring, HOWL ring. Prada coat, t-shirt, pants, and sneakers.

In a turnabout, he played the character Teddy Greene in Godfather of Harlem and recorded six songs for the show. However, the character building, not the music, was Kelvin Harrison’s passion at this point. “That’s been a cool journey. I’ve learned so much about myself and who I want to be as a man. I’ve learned a lot about history. I’ve learned a lot about Blackness. I’ve been able to use my knowledge as a musician to help fill the role. So, it feels very full circle, Hakuna Matata.” Coming off an acclaimed run in Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, Harrison would have the right to the famous mantra.

Harrison’s latest role in Geremy Jasper’s post-apocalyptic O’Dessa, with Sadie Sink and Regina Hall, is a make-good of his American Idol audition in some ways. He shakes the rafters and breaks hearts as the seductive Euri, resplendent in rings and earrings, a fringed mask completing the alluring look. The movie flips the script with Sink portraying the hero as the fabled seventh son and Harrison playing the seductive rescued. “Euri is interesting because he is in distress and a bit of a new-age damsel. It’s performative as it’s a method to be protected. He’s looking for affection. He can’t fight the system but he enjoys the softness in such an aggressive world. He enjoys being a bit of a dainty doll,” Harrison laughs. “He’s pretty. He’s also a bit of a snake charmer.”

Jewelry and fashion have been outlets for him to explore his character. Harrison pierced his ears for O’Dessa, reinforcing his commitment to ornamentation and character. “I always said I would never get my ears pierced; it freaked me out. But I did it because Geremy said he wanted earrings for the role, and I didn’t want to wear anything fake.” But Harrison found that earrings had a power of their own and now wears earrings along with all those rings on countless red carpets. “It completes the face. Jewelry has this effect of giving you a little extra. It’s a statement and its status, right? It’s beauty,” he says. “I like the natural aspect of it all, too. That it’s the real thing, and you kind of go, ‘I’m natural, you’re natural, we’re all just natural here.’”

The photoshoot for this issue of Only Natural Diamonds was another place for Harrison to use jewelry to play a part. “The way I can get past my insecurities is to play characters and create a story. Once you put on the suits, I start thinking about Lenny Kravitz. I think about Elizabeth Taylor, Gena Rowlands, Prince, or James Brown,” he says. “What did it feel like to have money in that era? It’s all these different versions of opulence, and how do I find that within my body? We all have these characters inside us. I also used to watch a lot of America’s Next Top Model.”

When it comes to natural diamonds, they lend their own allure. “I didn’t think about the million-dollar necklace on my neck. If I were to own this–if that is the story–I wouldn’t think of it. You need to sit in this chair and act like it’s just any Tuesday, and you wear these diamonds just to play cards. You wear this to walk around your house.” Harrison also jokes that this is how he keeps himself entertained throughout the process. But the connection to the jewelry belies this lightness. “There’s just something about being one with the jewelry and feeling extraordinary but also ordinary at the same time. People are extraordinary. I like the oneness of wearing jewelry and finding comfort in it,” he explains. “I think that’s why people love diamonds. It’s flashy, it’s showing off, it’s an added piece of what’s already great about yourself.”

Andreoli earrings, Martin Katz brooch, Norman Silverman rings. Prada sweater.

Sylva & Cie necklace. Vintage Helmut Lang pants, Jimmy Choo boots.

Cartier High Jewelry.

Nili Lotan denim shirt.

Norman Silverman earrings, Briony Raymond bracelet, Beladora bracelet, Andreoli ring. Dolce & Gabbana top and pants.

Andreoli brooches, Jacquie Aiche ring, Lizzie Mandler ring.

BMC Studio coat, Dsquared shirt and trousers, Jimmy Choo boots.

For his own part, Harrison isn’t afraid to show off on the red carpet. “Sometimes people get scared that they can’t see the person behind the look. I still remember wearing a pink suit to a Tribeca premiere with a pink diamond snake choker,” he recalls. “I would never normally wear that, but it felt right for the moment. I’m not interested in playing a consistent character; you’ll get what I give you. It keeps me engaged. I get bored easily, so the diamonds treated me great. But I remember Tracee Ellis Ross said one of the reasons I got The High Note was because of that diamond choker and that pink suit. She said I looked like a star. She was like, ‘This is the guy because of this suit and that jewelry.’” Harrison goes one step further, saying, “It’s knowing that you can carry it. It’s about showing that you belong. Ownership.”

This appreciation for diamonds runs in the family. “My grandfather loved jewelry, and that’s probably where it comes from. He passed away in 2016, but I got all his jewelry.” In his collection is a gold and diamond horseshoe, the same one that Elvis famously wore. This connection to family and jewelry moved him to take his mother as his date to the 2025 NAACP Image Awards, both dressed in Prada and Cartier. “My Mom has glaucoma, and she’s losing her eyesight. She is legally blind now, but she can still see enough. I want her to see as much as possible; that’s my biggest goal. How much she can experience before she can’t see anything anymore. I’m not a big photo person. I know that she won’t be able to see photos but will be able to have memories. That will be there forever. Being at the NAACP Image Awards and being there for playing Dr. Martin Luther King. She’ll be able to keep the whole experience forever. I posted it, and she read all the comments about people loving her look. She was very famous when she got home.”

Next on the docket is playing Jean-Michel Basquiat and reuniting with the director, Julius Onah of Luce. Harrison will also act as the project’s executive producer. Onah started the project with Harrison in mind for the role. “Julius asked, ‘How hands-on do you want to be?’ And I was like, ‘Very.’ For the last four years, we’ve been in the trenches, traveling the world, meeting all these people: Al Diaz, Bruno Bischofberger, friends of Andy Warhol, Emilio Mazzoli, where Basquiat had his first international showing. I randomly popped into Modena after fashion week. I just wanted to see the gallery. I went to the receptionist, who said they were closed. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s so crazy because I’m playing Jean-Michel Basquiat, and I just wanted to see if Emilio was here.’ I didn’t even know if Emilio was still alive. And she said, ‘Oh, he’s in the back.’” A few minutes later, Harrison is canoodling with not only Mazzoli but the Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura, who recognized him from “That Movie.” With Bottura acting as translator, the trio returned to the chef’s house for dinner and many stories. What Harrison remembers most will also serve as his next character lesson. “Emilio said that Jean-Michel was like a flashlight in a dark room. He said, ‘Remember, always be a light in any room you walk into when you’re playing him.’ There are a lot of misconceptions that he was heavy, dark, and depressed, and not that these things aren’t true, but ultimately, he was always a flashlight in a dark room.” We can certainly attest that Kelvin Harrison is shining bright himself.

Cartier High Jewelry and watch.

Brunello Cucinelli suit, Jimmy Choo boots.

Photographer: Micaiah Carter; Stylist: Jermaine Daley; Creative Director:

Lizzy Oppenheimer; Groomer: Amber Burgin; Entertainment Editor At Large: Glynis Costin; Set Design: Gille Mills; Creative Production: Petty Cash

Production; Lighting Director: Christian “Bummy” Koepenick; Photo Assistants: Sean O’Neill, Jordie Turner; Digital Tech: Blake Mohr; 1st AC: Edgar Plascencia; Styling Assistant: Anna Hermo; Tailor: Jinnah Park.

a sense of style

Ginny & Georgia actress Antonia Gentry embraces fashion, chemistry with her co-stars, and giving back.

By Jane Asher

Lim

Photographed by Mark

Reza ear cuff and rings, Anita Ko ring.

Dolce & Gabbana bra, skirt, and muff, Alexander Wang shoes from Albright Fashion Library.

wWhen it comes to fashion, Antonia Gentry’s style doesn’t always align with her Ginny & Georgia character, Ginny Miller. “I haven’t been through a Hot Topic phase since 2010,” she laughs. “But even this season, it’s less punky. There were definitely a few outfits that I was like, ‘Oh, I could go home with this and not be mad about it.’”

Repossi necklace, EFFY ring. TaoTao dress.

OX earrings, Jade Ruzzo necklace, Briony Raymond bracelet. Magda Butrym bustier, vintage Alaia skirt from Albright Fashion Library, Saint Laurent boots.

Dior necklace and rings, Repossi ring. Magda Butrym dress.

Gentry opted for a cozy-chic look, featuring an oversized green sweater over a black turtleneck during our sit-down. “You will, 80% of the time, see me in a black turtleneck,” she confirms. “My friends call my style cosmopolitan. I think what they mean is that I look like I could either be coming from a business meeting or going to a nice dinner. I like to be transitional with my fashion choices.”

While her everyday style is closer to the average 20-something, Gentry has also spent some time front row at Paris and New York Fashion Week, wearing the hottest trends and diamond jewelry from high-end designers. “It’s been so fun to explore and be introduced to new brands and stylists and be surrounded by really cool people,” she says. Specifically, working with stylists has helped her expand her sense of style. “Growing up, I hated wearing skirts and dresses,” Gentry explains. “But now I’m totally okay with feeling like a princess or a chic, put-together French girl.”

That princess feeling certainly came into play on set with Only Natural Diamonds, where Gentry dripped in natural diamond jewels from Ana Khouri, Boucheron, Dior, Reza, and more. “I felt super luxurious,” she says of the experience. “Everyone just used me as their canvas [for the diamonds], and it was super cool to see.” She was most surprised by the creativity of the stylist, Taylor Kim, who used a necklace as an anklet for one of the looks. “I was able to jump around, and it was a fun way to draw the jewelry to an unexpected part of the body.”

“One of my favorite looks was the cone bra outfit,” she recalls. “I feel like the jewelry that we wore just really went well with it. I felt very vintage and retro chic.”

As someone who self-identifies as “forgetful,” Gentry isn’t sure she wants to make the commitment and invest in natural diamonds just yet, but she knows the perfect piece to add to her collection when she’s ready. “Having a nice, little diamond tennis bracelet that I just never take off, ever, would be really cool,” she shares, her face lighting up when she learned tennis jewelry is one of the best places to start your diamond collection. “Oh, cool! It could elevate anything and go with anything.”

Natural diamonds, of course, make the Ginny & Georgia star look brilliant, but the actress does that on her own in the fan-favorite Netflix show. Stepping into season three felt familiar for Gentry, even after getting delayed by the writer’s strike in 2023.

N“It’s just always so wonderful,” she says of returning to set. “I love my cast and crew, and we were super excited for this season because plot-wise, I think it’s the biggest of the three.” We pick up right after the events of the season two finale as Ginny’s mom, Georgia (Brianne Howey), is arrested for murder, right after marrying Mayor Paul Randolph (Scott Porter). This season is “so much more intense and crazier than season two,” Gentry says. “I’m excited to see everyone’s reactions.”

Part of what makes the show so beloved is the obvious chemistry between Gentry and Brianne Howey, who plays her mother, Georgia. “I kind of see her as an older sister figure and, because we are so close in age,” she says, describing her on-screen mom as a “wonderful scene partner.” Despite being an upbeat show, things can get heavy for the characters and the situations they find themselves in. “We both have to put so much emotional energy into these characters, which also helps release the weight of it all because we’re sort of in it together,” Gentry says of her scenes with Howey.

“This season, you really see them come into their own in different ways,” she explains. “The dynamics between the two of them just are constantly being flipped upside down.” While Georgia is always looking to protect her kids, she doesn’t always make the

Boucheron earrings and necklace, Lauren Addison ring, Briony Raymond ring. Vintage Alaia bra.

best choices. “Sometimes Ginny is the mom figure, sometimes Georgia is the mom figure, and I think this season you really see that happen to an extent where, by the end of it, you don’t know if it’s for better or for worse.”

Ginny is working on herself this season, consistently seeing a therapist and using poetry as an outlet for her emotions, something Gentry has in common with her character. “I’m an English and creative writing major,” she shares. “When I was 16, I had my own poetry book that I used as an outlet, but I never performed it like [Ginny does],” she says, clearly proud of how her character’s developed over these last few seasons. “The fact that Ginny is out there performing her own written pieces is a statement of how she’s grown and how she can express herself in a healthier way.”

While Ginny tries to find ways to cope with some of the curveballs life has thrown at her, Gentry has her own methods of finding zen. “I am someone who tends to need my alone time if things start to feel overwhelming,” explains the actress. “Whether I go play piano for a bit or sit and play Sims, literally,” she says with a laugh. “If I’m going through something, my Sim also has to have a worse day. Sometimes I’m logging on, and I’m like, ‘How can I ruin my Sim’s day today?’” Millennials who grew up with a family desktop can certainly relate.

Playing piano and being involved in the arts was a major outlet for Gentry growing up, something she realizes she was lucky to have. “Without that, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now, and so many kids in school don’t have access to extracurriculars that enrich their lives,” she says. “It’s definitely something that I want to find the right program to be a part of to help bring arts and joy and extracurriculars to a lot of students who don’t have access to it.”

Protecting the humanities is just one responsibility Gentry feels she can help shoulder, along with protecting our planet – an issue that so many young people feel connected to today. She recently did a campaign with Organic Basics to benefit the Rainforest Trust, donating 1% of every order to the organization, which supports the Amazon Rainforest. “It’s a conservation effort to keep the sanctity of and protect the Amazon, its ecosystem, and the wildlife there,” she explains. The initiative is similar to the natural diamond industry’s efforts to protect local wildlife in diamond-producing regions like Canada’s Northwest Territories and Botswana.

As for Ginny’s contribution to the world, Gentry just hopes that her character finds a sense of security in her life. “It would be nice to see her finally have a constant, finally have a touchstone of peace and direction and guidance that she can truly trust and rely on,” she muses. “I want her to be able to not worry about anyone other than herself for a moment.”

It’s clear that Gentry has a soft spot for Ginny and genuinely cares for her, fictional or not. “I love her relationship with her grandmother, Lynette, this season,” she adds. “[Ginny’s] parents are also very young and are also figuring things out, so having someone like Lynette in her life is so great. I’m glad that’s a dynamic, and we’re going to see a little bit more of it.”

Many more exciting dynamics come into play in season three of Ginny & Georgia, and you can watch all the juicy drama, sweet scenes, and heart-thumping moments on Netflix on June 3.

Marie Mas earring and rings, William Goldberg necklace, Pomellato necklace. Tibi dress.

Ana Khouri earrings, Melissa Kaye necklace, Rosario Navia ring, Dior ring. Sportmax top and pants.

Reza ear cuff and rings, Anita Ko ring. Dolce & Gabbana bra and muff, Alexander Wang shoes from Albright Fashion Library.

Graff earrings, OX bracelet, Nouvel Heritage bangle, For Future Reference

Vintage bangle, Reza bangle. Marina Moscone top and skirt.

Ana Khouri earrings, Melissa Kaye necklace. Sportmax top

Photographer: Mark Lim; Stylist: Taylor Kim; Creative Director: Lizzy Oppenheimer; Hair: Nai’Vasha; Makeup: Akiko Owada; Manicure: Gina Oh; Entertainment

Editor At Large: Glynis Costin; Set Design: Michael Younker; Creative Production: Petty Cash Production; 1st Photo Assistant/ Digital Tech: Will Wang;

Photo Assistants: Tom Miller, Aubrey Wipfli; Styling Assistant: Ava Deith; Tailor: Maria Del Greco.

A Delicate BALANCE

NIKOS KOULIS walks THE LINE between CLASSIC and CONTEMPORARY with an UNMISTAKABLE flair.

By SAM BROEKEMA

Photographs BY JOEY

LEO

All jewelry: Nikos Koulis

WISH Collection

Trained

as a dancer, Nikos Koulis was immersed in the values of the classical world through a life spent in Athens. This dichotomy sparked a lifelong pursuit–a balance between raw emotion and the relentless pursuit for perfection. The result: ravishing collections of high and fine jewelry, the latest iteration named “WISH”. Nikos Koulis dubs these pieces “new classics.” They evoke classical antecedents like the curve of a marble column’s capital or the nape of a sculptural neck. No matter the inspiration, Koulis has hit on a formula that incites his devoted clients to covet his limited editions and seek re-editions from past collections time and again. The designer sat down with Only Natural Diamonds to describe his process and what he sees as the path forward.

ONLY NATURAL DIAMONDS: I’M WONDERING WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF A PIECE OF DIAMOND JEWELRY?

After University, I taught dance. Then, later, I opened a company selling and trading diamonds, which I did for two years. As I built a clientele in wholesale, please slowly started asking me to design pieces for them. It was very organic. The piece I remember from that time was an ankle bracelet inspired by a pebble in diamond pavé. It was a nylon cord circling the ankle and underneath the foot, like a horse’s bridle.

DID YOUR WORK AS A DANCER AFFECT HOW YOU DESIGN?

It’s essential, the mood and the feeling you have. Sometimes, there is an amazing flow; it’s magical, it’s coming, and you can’t stop. Sometimes, you feel that you are out of inspiration and trying to find ways to get inspired again. I’ll go for a drive, watch a film, and go to the theater. Sometimes, it starts with the raw

materials, and it is love at first sight. When I buy a stone, I immediately know what it will look like as a piece of jewelry. It’s like an internal connection with the stone. I just bought an old mine pear-shaped diamond, but it’s not a traditional pear shape; it’s curved on the top. From the first time I saw this stone, I knew that it would be perfect as a brooch. Victorian.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE OLD CUTS THAT YOU LIKE?

The imperfection. I really like the open culets. And to my eyes, the spread facets and the shallow depth of the stone. It has that old-fashioned vibe, which I love. They sparkle in a different way. It’s very attractive that it comes from the past, from the earth. It’s important that it’s the original.

HOW DID GROWING UP IN GREECE AFFECT YOU AS A DESIGNER?

It’s in my DNA because I was born and raised in Athens. I can-

not describe it and don’t even realize how it affects me. The ancient Greeks were known for the balance and proportions of their designs. I have a strong connection with proportion and balance, which are the most important considerations for a piece of jewelry.

DO YOU USE THE SAME APPROACH FOR EVERYTHING? FOR A STORE, FOR A RESIDENCE, FOR A PIECE OF JEWELRY, FOR DRESSING YOURSELF?

It comes with the flow. In Ancient Greece, there were two different rhythms in architecture: the Ionic and the Doric. The Doric feels massive and brutalist. My design is often more Doric. For contrast, I like to use stones with an organic shape that are not perfect. I always try to combine soft and hard. I find this combination very interesting.

YOU USE THE WORDS CLASSIC AND CLASSICAL TO DESCRIBE YOUR PIECES. WHY IS THAT WORD MEANINGFUL FOR YOU?

It’s the inspiration, which is classical, but by this, I also mean contemporary and timeless. Mostly, I am inspired by a specific period in art. It could be Art Deco, or Art Nouveau could influence me. I strongly believe that a piece of jewelry is a piece of art that goes from mother to daughter and on. It must be something without age. The best compliment I can get from clients is that they immediately recognize a piece of my jewelry. I am trying to be consistent and to curate pieces that match the current look and feel of the brand. In a new collection, I always have references to pieces I have done in the past.

WHY DID YOU TITLE THIS COLLECTION “WISH”?

It was a memory from my childhood when you blew the dandelion apart. I really liked the name because it feels dreamy and optimistic- like a fairytale. The collection’s look matches the word “wish:” very romantic and fragile. There is freedom. You are free when you dream.

something more feminine, more romantic. This was a challenge for me because it was the first time I was using round diamonds.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES OF WORKING WITH ROUND DIAMONDS?

To be different from everybody else. Of course.

HOW DO YOU KEEP IT FRESH IN EVERY COLLECTION?

I avoid seeing jewelry. I never…okay, sometimes it pops up on Instagram, but I never search out other brands or antiques. When looking for antiques, it’s just for me. I go to all the fairs because I love antiques.

I have to say, the piece that stays in my mind so vividly is the headband. How did you decide this was the moment for something like that? Have you done a headband or a crown in this way before?

IT’S AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION! WHY IS THIS THE RIGHT MOMENT FOR YOU TO CREATE SUCH AN AMBITIOUS COLLECTION?

Ambition is always there! Honestly, sometimes it’s a personal thing. After the Spectrum collection, I revisited pieces from the past, focusing on more wearable pieces. The “Me+N” collection was minimalistic, structured, clean and organic, but it was all about the diamonds. I’m a Gemini; I get bored easily. This time, I wanted

I’ve made many headpieces! I created a beautiful one with lines of gold wrapping around the head in a channel of very delicate metal. It was covered in tiny diamond briolettes, all set within the headband.

The compliment that I most like to hear is that my jewelry is wearable and that my clients enjoy the pieces. One client recently told me that every time she opens her safe to wear something other than Nikos Koulis, she doesn’t really like it. That’s a big compliment. It gives me fuel to continue.

SO, WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?

I need some rest, but not because I’m tired – I’m full of energy. But you cannot create new pieces every month. We have a demand for one-of-a-kind pieces. Don’t forget, it’s a strategy that I add to previous collections, as well. I never call a Nikos Koulis collection “old” or” new”. Often, I’m asked for very “old” designs to be reproduced.

Especially in the last two years, independent designers have faced these big brands with all this money for campaigns. It’s a lot. I don’t want to get an award because I’m an independent designer. But people are looking for exclusivity and creativity. They are knowledgeable about jewelry, having collected for many years. I am very happy we have these clients. They really want to be different. They don’t seek attention from the pieces they wear, but from how they wear them- and because they love them. Jewelry is not a trend.

GRANT MOBLEY

RARE BEYOND COMPARE THREE HISTORIC DIAMOND JEWELS BY

The Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace photographed by Jeffrey Westbrook.

Natural diamonds are geological masterpieces, formed over billions of years under crushing pressure and intense heat deep within the Earth’s mantle. Their very existence is an improbable miracle, but when these one-of-a-kind gems are recovered and either preserved in their purest form or elevated through the hands of master jewelers into exceptional pieces of wearable art, they transcend geological rarity. They become history you can hold, a legacy you can wear, and, ultimately, works of art that live on through the generations.

In this second installment of Rare Beyond Compare, we explore three such creations: the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace, the VIMP Diamond Ring, and the DeYoung Red Diamond. Each iconic piece holds natural diamonds so rare, so profoundly unique, that we may never see anything like them again. These are not simply beautiful jewels but the result of once-in-an-eternity natural circumstances. The vivid colors they possess were created by microscopic traces of elements and atomic irregularities that occurred under very specific conditions deep within the Earth. The precise alignment of those factors is so rare that scientists agree we may have already seen the finest examples that nature will ever produce.

When natural diamonds are set into jewelry, they become more than just rare gemstones – they become companions through time. Even in their untouched form, as remarkable loose stones, they carry stories that span billions of years. These diamonds are not static treasures locked away as mere investments; they are living artifacts that gain significance with each generation and become part of personal narratives, public history, and cultural legacies. Each one is an irreplaceable link between the ancient Earth and our modern lives, destined to be admired, studied, and revered for generations to come.

CULLINAN BLUE DIAMOND NECKLACE

Few pieces of jewelry capture the intersection of personal love story, geological rarity, and royal history like the Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace. Created in 1910 by Sir Thomas Cullinan, founder of South Africa’s legendary Cullinan Diamond Mine, the necklace was a gift for his wife, Annie Cullinan, and a symbolic gesture layered with meaning. Five years earlier, miners at Cullinan’s namesake mine unearthed a 3,106-carat rough diamond, the largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered. Legend has it that Cullinan had promised his wife that he would find and give her the world’s largest diamond. However, when he discovered it, he sold it to the South African government instead.

That monumental stone was presented as a birthday gift to King Edward VII in 1907 and entrusted to famed diamond cutter Joseph Asscher, who divided it into nine principal diamonds. The largest, the 530.2-carat Cullinan I, now resides in the British Royal Scepter, while the 317.4-carat Cullinan II is prominently featured in the Imperial State Crown. Though Annie Cullinan never received the record-breaking diamond, her husband commissioned a magnificent necklace as a tribute, set with nine rare natural blue diamonds believed to represent the nine stones cut from the original Cullinan rough.

The DeYoung Red Diamond photographed by Jeffrey Westbrook.

The Mouawad VIMP Diamond set in a ring by Mouawad, photographed by Sophia Cliffe.

Crafted in the Edwardian style, the necklace features a double bow motif encrusted with 243 colorless diamonds and nine natural blue diamonds set in 9-karat rose gold with a silver top. Out of the approximately 30 carats of diamonds, the star of the piece is the 2.6-carat natural blue diamond suspended at its center. Natural blue diamonds formed under extreme geological conditions, far deeper within the Earth than other diamonds, and owe their color to trace amounts of boron. Cullinan’s mine is known as the Earth’s only significant source of natural blue diamonds.

Passed down through the Cullinan family for generations, Annie Cullinan’s great-granddaughter eventually sold the necklace to California jeweler Stephen Silver in the early 1990s. Silver donated the necklace to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, recognizing its historical and geological significance. It now resides alongside the famed Hope Diamond in the most visited museum exhibit in the United States. The Cullinan Blue Diamond Necklace is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, a wearable relic of Earth’s most extraordinary forces, and a symbol of love, legacy, and the power of natural diamonds.

THE DEYOUNG RED DIAMOND

Few stones ever discovered hold the same mystique and rarity as the DeYoung Red Diamond. Weighing 5.03 carats and graded as a Natural Fancy Dark Reddish-Brown by the Gemological Institute of America, this gem is one of the largest known red diamonds in existence and one of the most mysterious. Red is the rarest natural diamond color, and to this day, science still can’t fully explain what causes the beautiful hue. While other fancy colors are attributed to trace elements or specific types of radiation exposure, red diamonds are believed to result from crystal lattice deformation during formation—an unusual geological quirk that warps the structure enough to reflect red light, but only in the rarest of cases.

The DeYoung Red Diamond’s ‘red’ designation and size are just the beginning of what makes it so special. It also behaves highly unusually under different light sources. In standard daylight or fluorescent lighting, the diamond can appear as a deep, orangy brown, with only flashes of red. Yet, its appearance shifts dramatically depending on the lighting conditions. The diamond gives off a soft yellow fluorescence when placed under ultraviolet light. But what truly captures attention is its reaction to intense lighting, where it emits a vivid, chalky green glow. This rare behavior has long fascinated gemologists and researchers, adding to the DeYoung Red’s appeal not only as a visual marvel but also as a subject of scientific interest.

The diamond’s journey from anonymity to international fame is almost as intriguing as its color. Nothing was known about the diamond until the late 1930s or early 1940s, when Boston jeweler Sydney DeYoung acquired the stone unknowingly, purchasing it in a scarf pin thought to be set with a garnet. It wasn’t until later, when he was cleaning the piece and looking more closely, that he realized the deep reddish-brown stone was, in fact, a diamond. It was a shocking discovery that would have stunned anyone in the gem world.

Rather than sell it, DeYoung kept the diamond quietly tucked away in his personal vault, showing it only to a select few. It

stayed hidden for decades until encouraged by a fellow patron of the arts during his winters in Palm Beach, DeYoung chose to bequeath the gem to the Smithsonian Institution. Upon his passing in 1986, the diamond was sent via registered mail by the J. & S.S. DeYoung company, still a prominent fixture in estate jewelry, and officially entered the National Gem Collection in December 1987. Today, the DeYoung Red is proudly displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, where the public can marvel at a gem so rare that even experts swoon in its presence. Its place in the Smithsonian also offers scientists an invaluable opportunity to study a diamond so unusual that it may hold keys to understanding more about natural diamonds and their origins. Thanks to DeYoung’s foresight, this extraordinary gift from deep within the Earth now belongs to everyone, both as a work of natural art and as a continuing subject of scientific wonder.

MOUAWAD VIMP DIAMOND RING

In the rare world of naturally colored diamonds, few stones rewrite the rules of what’s possible, like the Mouawad VIMP Diamond. Short for Vision Impossible Made Possible, the name speaks not just to the diamond’s astonishing physical characteristics but to the sheer ambition it took to bring it to life. At 67.20 carats, this Fancy Vivid Yellow round brilliant cut diamond is now the largest ever graded by the GIA. But what makes it genuinely extraordinary isn’t just its size, or its rare VVS2 clarity, or even its excellent polish and symmetry—it’s the fact that Mouawad achieved the nearly unthinkable: a round brilliant cut with vivid color saturation, a combination virtually unseen at this scale.

Discovered in 2022 in Kimberley, South Africa, the diamond began as a 141.58-carat octahedral rough crystal. After months of study, Mouawad’s artisans made a bold decision—rather than pursue a fancy shape, as is common with colored diamonds to preserve weight and intensify color, they would attempt a round brilliant cut, a shape prized for brilliance but rarely used in colored diamonds due to its difficulty in retaining strong color saturation. The result? It is a masterpiece of nature and craftsmanship, radiating a vivid yellow that rivals the most incredible yellow diamonds in history.

The diamond’s remarkable yellow color results from nitrogen atoms replacing carbon atoms in its crystal structure during formation, causing the diamond to reflect a bright, golden hue. Fancy-color diamonds represent only 0.4% of all diamonds graded by the GIA over the past two decades. While yellow is the most common of these colors, vivid saturation, especially in large, high-clarity stones, is extremely rare.

Unlike the Tiffany Diamond, the Golden Drop, or the Allnatt Diamond—all famous Fancy Yellow diamonds cut in cushion or pear shapes to enhance their color—the VIMP stands alone as the only round brilliant of its kind and scale. And while many diamonds of this caliber are destined for vaults and museum displays, Mouawad set the VIMP into a breathtaking ring, allowing it to be worn and enjoyed, not just admired behind glass. The VIMP is a wearable piece of Earth’s history, a testament to bold vision, and a symbol of unparalleled rarity.

FROM the Lorraine West

1.

Jewelry in the tray

There are a selection of my bestsellers including the Nipple Hoops, the Open Heart Ring, the Hot Comb Pendant Necklace, and the Ascension Nail Halo Ring. There are also the Palette earrings, a style Beyoncé wore in the “Black Is King” video.

2. The horseshoe hanging from the bench

The horseshoe was above the front door of my childhood home on Long Island. My mom gifted it to me so that goes anywhere I work. It inspired my horseshoe rings I just started making one day when I was working with bezel wire. And I put diamonds in each end. People love them and I am wearing one in the picture.

3.

he engagement ring in the center of the bench

I use Faber Castell pencils and store them in cups from a company called Glass Baby. They are actually handmade for votive candles, but I just use them to hold pencils and brushes.

4.

The glasses

I draw everything on vellum over graph paper to scale. Then, I put it on paper and that gets a date, collection name or a client’s name. When I am working with stones, I take the dimensions and lay them on top of the drawing to make sure what I have sketched is to scale. The green stencil has cutouts in the size of gem carat weights. Someone asked me what I would take if the office was burning and it would be that stencil. I can’t find them anymore and I only have one.

5.

The jar with the green lid beside it. It is modeled after my Magic Mushroom pendants like the one I am wearing in the picture.

The gem accents are mirrors and the surface is hand painted to look like malachite.

6. The Hamsa

When I was thinking about how to get green into the office, I thought of the artist Jason Bereswill’s ivy paintings. We took measurements for a huge panel and he made the work.

For many years, Lorraine West made her jewelry collection in the studio she set up in her Brooklyn home, where she lives with her husband and son. The space was perfect for her to design and literally hammer out bold gold, silver, and brass jewelry, which draws on her Caribbean roots and love of minimalism. Over time, a long list of celebrities, including Beyoncé, Keke Palmer and Zendaya, found the independent collection and wore it for videos, fashion shoots and red carpet moments.

As her business grew Lorraine began incorporating more diamonds and other gems into her jewels. In the process she was making regular excursions to Manhattan’s Diamond District on 47th Street for gems and manufacturing specialists. “My day began at my bench in Brooklyn and then I would go into the Diamond District, sometimes back and forth two or three times a day,” explains Lorraine. “That’s when I figured I needed to be here.” The day this picture was taken was the day Lorraine set up the little space she named the Petite Suite. “It’s a cutie pie and it has all the things I need and the community of jewelers I work with are nearby; it’s like family,” says the designer.

Frank Everett, Lorraine West and Vanesa Fernández describe the personal and professional

details on and around their workspaces.

By Marion Fasel Photographed by Andrew Werner

Frank Everett

As the Vice Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry in New York City, Frank Everett’s days are jampacked liaising with clients about selling their treasures and previewing them for potential buyers and press. But those are far from his only activities. He also runs one of the most popular Instagram accounts in the category @frankbeverett. His vibrant feed includes informative reviews of vintage jewelry, modern designs, and famous fashion figures. His Instagram is so good you might think there's a social media manager running the account, but it is all Frank. For over 10 years, the jewelry expert has been sharing even more detailed stories through his popular Sotheby’s video series on YouTube, “Frank’s Files.” As if all of this weren’t enough, Frank has also curated several memorable selling exhibitions, including “Brilliant and Black,” “For The Boys” and “In Bloom.” Elements of all these things and more can be found in Frank’s office.

1.

The Brooch on Frank’s Lapel

The first day I started at Sotheby’s in 2013, I noticed all the brooches in the auction. I had wanted to start wearing more jewelry and a brooch seemed like the perfect piece to put on a lapel. It was long before brooches became popular on the red carpet. The one I am wearing is coming up in our June sale. It's a 1930s Art Deco double diamond clip brooch.

2.

Jewelry on the desk

There is always jewelry on my desk. The pieces in the picture are from our June sale and they include an Edwardian diamond necklace and the diamond tiara on the bust of Diana I bought from West Elm years ago.

3.

The

Picture Wall

Most pictures relate to sales we have done. I added Mary Tyler Moore [on the table] after we sold her estate in 2023. The Cartier ‘Boule’ ruby ring was the first piece I reviewed for “Frank’s Files” 12 years ago when we shot it on an iPhone.

4.

The Busts behind the desk

The tall bust is holding my jacket and the tape measure I constantly use to measure a bracelet or necklace for clients. The bust on the table had been used to display the jewelry Shaun Leane made

for Alexander McQueen in the 2015 Savage Beauty exhibit in London at the Victoria & Albert museum. When we sold Shaun’s personal archive, he brought it for the display and then gave it to me. It was a wonderful sale and we got to see a couple of those pieces going to the permanent collection of The Met, where the exhibit originated.

5.

The black bag on the floor

That’s my gym bag. It is a passion of mine and I go every night when it’s quitting time. Of course, I may continue to answer emails and texts between sets, but I am pretty strict about getting to the gym.

DESK of

1. The rings on Vanessa’s fingers

I don’t usually wear rings while I am working but putting them all on for the picture was a fun way to show some of the pieces I’m known for. There is a fluidity in the goldwork on my rings and some of that comes from my inspiration in the female form and looking at the work of the artist Gustav Klimt. I’m inspired by the way he depicts women down to the curls in their hair.

2. The tray ofgemstones

I look for colored gems and diamonds that kind of give you butterflies, or I just look at it and I know that's a good one. It's got to have that special thing. Otherwise, I just pass it over.

3.

The headphones

When I work, I listen to a mix of fun music like Latin, 90s, Donna Summer, Bad Bunny, and the Bee Gees.

4.

The ring design

When I did an internship with Lorenz Bäumer in Paris, who was doing his own collection and the Louis Vuitton collection at the time, he said we do our designs a little differently than the classic gouache which is a very thick painting material

that you have to water down and layer on vellum; plus it takes a long time to dry. He's like we go a little faster here and we use something called Tombow. They're essentially watercolor markers. So, when I do a formal design it’s Tombow.

5.

Gold Wire in a plastic box

It’s my little box of casted gold parts that I will reuse for something. 1 2 3 4 5 6

6.

The sketchpads I have tons of sketchbooks and sketchpads everywhere, but there's only so far that I go with a pencil and paper before I switch to carving the wax for a jewel. It goes back to my roots as a sculptor. I will carve the wax for a jewel 15 times until I get it the way I want it.

Vanessa Fernández

You might imagine the jeweler responsible for making gifts of state for the White House, would have a full workshop of artisans and administrative staff. This is not at all the case for Vanessa Fernandez who was initially commissioned by President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. From her studio in Miami, Vanessa works alone and does everything from designing to making the jewels and dealing with the peripheral paperwork. While she had to push to meet the deadlines of some of the requests, such as the order for 48 brooches that the First Lady gifted during the Paris Olympics, Vanessa got the jobs done on time. The focus and flair she applied to the special commissions are the same when she creates handcrafted jewels for private clients and select retailers. Vanessa shared details about the tools of the trade in her studio. . Photography by NAME HERE

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Aucoin Hart Jewelers, LA

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Diamond District, FL

Hamilton Jewelers, FL

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Shane Co, GA/KY/TN

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Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, NC

Brown & Co. Jewelers, GA

Radcliffe Jewelers | The 1916 Company, DE/MD

Smyth Jewelers, MD

MIDWEST:

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Gunderson’s Jewelers, IA/MN/ NE/ND/SD

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Jim Kryshak Jewelers, WI

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Riddle’s Jewelry, IA/KS/MN/ MO/NE/ND/SD

Shane Co, IN/KS/MN/MO

SOUTHWEST:

Bachendorf’s, TX

Ben Bridge, AZ/CO/NV/TX

BC Clark, OK

David Gardner’s Jewelers, TX

Hyde Park Jewelers | The 1916 Company, AZ/CO

Lee Michael’s Fine Jewelry, TX/NM

Lewis Jewelers, TX

Riddle’s Jewelry, CO

Shane Co, AZ/CO

Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry, TX

Walters & Hogsett Jewelers, CO

WEST:

Ben Bridge, AK/CA/HI/OR/WA

Gleim The Jeweler, CA

Heller Jewelers, CA

Huntington Jewelers, NV

Hyde Park Jewelers | The 1916 Company, CA

Frederic H. Rubel Jewelers, CA

Lee Read Diamonds, ID

Pacific Diamond Wedding Rings, HI

Polacheck’s Jewelers, CA

Riddle’s Jewelry, MT/WY

Shane Co, CA/OR/UT/WA

CANADA:

Bijouterie Italienne, Quebec

La Maison d’Or Jewellers, Ontario

Lugaro Jewellers, British Columbia

For more information, visit www.naturaldiamonds.com/official-retail-partner-locations