Tiffany & Co. Honours Jean Schlumberger’s Legacy with the Launch of the Enamel Watch

 

At January’s LVMH Watch Week, Tiffany & Co. unveiled a striking new chapter in its modern horological journey with the launch of the Tiffany & Co. Enamel Watch—a jewellery-inspired timepiece that celebrates the enduring legacy of legendary designer Jean Schlumberger.

The presentation highlighted the renewed momentum behind Tiffany’s watchmaking since the 2021 appointments of Anthony Ledru, President and CEO, and Nicolas Beau, Vice President of Tiffany Horlogerie. Together, they bring decades of experience from esteemed maisons such as Chanel and Cartier, redefining Tiffany’s position at the intersection of high jewellery and fine watchmaking.

A Watch Rooted in Jewellery Heritage

Among the women’s timepieces presented—though, as Beau himself demonstrates, Tiffany watches transcend gender—the Enamel Watch stands apart for its direct lineage to Tiffany’s jewellery archives. The design draws inspiration from Schlumberger’s iconic Croisillon bangle, first introduced in the early 1960s and renowned for its bold use of colour, texture and visual rhythm.

Jean Schlumberger, who began designing for Tiffany & Co. in the 1950s, revolutionised modern jewellery by treating colour and surface decoration as expressive elements rather than embellishments. In 1962, he revived the rare paillonné enamel technique—a 19th-century craft involving the layering of hand-cut gold or silver leaf beneath translucent enamel. The result was jewellery that was unapologetically vibrant, designed to be stacked, seen and celebrated.

Translating Paillonné Enamel into Watchmaking

The Enamel Watch translates this expressive jewellery language directly onto the wrist. Its dial is composed of two distinct elements: a fixed, diamond-set central disc and a rotating outer enamel ring that echoes the Croisillon bangle. The signature 12 cross-stitch motifs, rendered in yellow gold, are not static hour markers. Instead, they move freely with the wearer’s motion, introducing a subtle yet playful sense of visual disruption—an approach entirely in keeping with Schlumberger’s wit and design philosophy.

There is deep historical precedent for this craftsmanship. Tiffany & Co. has produced enamelled objects since the late 19th century, including watches, chatelaines and table clocks. Paillonné enamel, however, occupies an especially rarefied position within this tradition. Nearly lost by the mid-20th century, the technique is now practised by only a handful of specialists worldwide.

For the Enamel Watch, the enamel ring alone requires approximately 55 hours of meticulous hand decoration. Gold elements are added only after the enamel work is complete, with the piece undergoing multiple firings to achieve its remarkable depth of colour and luminosity.

Cultural Significance and Modern Execution

Schlumberger’s Croisillon bangles were more than decorative objects; they were cultural symbols. Worn by icons such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, they helped cement Tiffany & Co.’s position at the crossroads of American elegance and European craftsmanship. This lineage is central to the Enamel Watch’s identity. Rather than borrowing decorative techniques from contemporary watchmaking, Tiffany places timekeeping firmly within a jewellery tradition that predates much of the modern luxury watch industry.

Mechanically, the watch employs a high-precision quartz movement, a deliberate and pragmatic choice aligned with the piece’s purpose. This is not a watch designed to showcase complications, but one that prioritises visual artistry through enamel, diamonds and gold. A discreet push-button time adjustment integrated into the caseback preserves the purity of the silhouette, while extensive diamond setting across the case, dial and clasp reflects Tiffany’s mastery of its core métiers.

A Distinct Voice within the LVMH Portfolio

The Tiffany & Co. Enamel Watch stands apart even among its LVMH stablemates. It is neither a technical showcase nor a volume-driven release. Instead, it serves as a reminder that Tiffany’s watchmaking heritage is rooted not in complications or manufacture status, but in the creation of objects designed to be worn, admired and remembered.

For collectors and connoisseurs alike, the Enamel Watch is a compelling expression of Tiffany & Co.’s unique ability to unite high jewellery craftsmanship with contemporary horology—while remaining unmistakably true to its historic identity.

Source: DCLA

Pandora Opts for Platinum Plated Jewelry as Silver Prices Surge

 

Pandora is introducing platinum-plated jewelry to reduce its reliance on sterling silver, after silver prices more than doubled over the past year.

The Danish company, best known for its charm bracelets, has developed a new platinum plating process that builds on its proprietary Pandora Evershine metals alloy core, using a very thin layer of the precious metal over an alloy base.

In the first quarter of 2026, Pandora will pilot a curated selection of platinum plated versions of its best selling bracelets across 30 stores and online in northern Europe, ahead of a wider global rollout in the second half of 2026 that will also include a selection of charms.

“With this innovation, we can navigate the new realities of raw material costs while offering consumers precious metal jewellery that is exceptionally well suited for everyday wear,” said Pandora CEO Berta de Pablosa Barbier. The company said silver and gold prices had surged over the past year.

Platinum is significantly more expensive per ounce than silver but has seen comparatively stable price movements recently, and because Pandora uses only a very thin plated layer over an alloy core, the products remain economically viable.

In a July 2025 consumer study of 23,000 people, 78 per cent recognized platinum as a precious metal, compared to 69 per cent for sterling silver, underscoring its appeal as a premium white metal.

Source: DCLA

Historic Crown of Empress Eugénie to Be Restored After Louvre Heist

 

The Louvre Museum has released striking images of a historic crown once worn by Empress Eugénie, following its dramatic recovery after a high-profile jewellery heist at the Paris landmark. The crown, abandoned by thieves during their escape, was discovered crushed and badly deformed—but remarkably, largely intact.

The jewel-encrusted crown forms part of France’s imperial heritage and dates back to the Second French Empire (1852–1870), when Eugénie de Montijo reigned alongside her husband, Emperor Napoleon III. A noted style icon of her era, Empress Eugénie was instrumental in reviving court jewellery traditions inspired by earlier monarchies, commissioning elaborate pieces that blended imperial symbolism with exceptional gemstone craftsmanship.

The crown itself is a masterwork of 19th-century high jewellery, adorned with 56 emeralds and more than 1,350 diamonds, and originally surmounted by eight golden eagles—a powerful imperial emblem echoing Napoleonic authority. Such pieces were not merely ornamental; they were statements of political power, wealth, and France’s dominance in the decorative arts.

During the robbery in October last year, thieves escaped with an estimated €88 million worth of jewels, but were forced to abandon the crown after attempting to remove it through a narrow opening cut into the display case. This crude extraction caused significant deformation, flattening and damaging the metal structure. Despite this, the Louvre has confirmed that the crown retains all of its emeralds and all but ten of its diamonds. One golden eagle remains missing.

Crucially, museum experts report that the crown is “nearly intact” and can be restored without the need for reconstruction, preserving its original materials and craftsmanship. An expert restoration committee, led by Louvre president Laurence des Cars, has been appointed to oversee the delicate conservation process—an effort that will rely heavily on historical jewellery-making techniques and forensic gem analysis.

The heist also involved the theft of eight additional jewels, including a diamond tiara belonging to Eugénie. While investigations continue, the fate of the remaining pieces remains unknown.

For gemologists and historians alike, the incident underscores both the vulnerability and resilience of historic jewellery. Beyond its dramatic recovery, the crown of Empress Eugénie stands as a rare surviving example of imperial French jewellery—an object whose value lies not only in its diamonds and emeralds, but in its irreplaceable cultural and historical significance.

At DCLA, such cases highlight the importance of expert gemstone documentation, certification, and conservation, ensuring that historic jewels can be accurately studied, restored, and preserved for future generations.

Source: DCLA

Anglo flags third De Beers writedown as Teck merger looms

 

Anglo American is weighing a third writedown of De Beers in as many years as weak diamond prices persist and the miner advances asset sales ahead of its merger with Canada’s Teck Resources.

The century-old group said on Thursday it was reviewing the carrying value of its diamond business after average realized prices fell in 2025, warning the unit is likely to be lossmaking again.

The potential impairment comes as Anglo moves to finalize the sale of non-core assets, including De Beers. At the same time, the miner is preparing to merge with Teck in a transaction approved by shareholders and regulators late last year, creating Anglo Teck (official named confirmed).

The company booked a $2.9 billion impairment on De Beers in February last year, following a $1.6 billion writedown in 2024. Anglo, which owns 85% of the diamond company, offered few details on a sale process, saying only that it was “progressing.”

In a fourth-quarter production update, Anglo said diamond trading conditions “continued to be challenging” amid industry weakness, geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainty. It said lower prices and market conditions could lead to an impairment when full-year results are released.

Diamond prices have come under pressure from weaker consumer demand in China and competition from cheaper, lab-grown stones. De Beers’ average realized price fell 7% to $142 per carat in 2025, driven by a 12% drop in the average rough price index.

Anglo said the decline was exacerbated by selling inventory below cost, largely lower-value goods. Adjusted for that mix, the equivalent price index reduction would have been 25% year on year, suggesting some underlying resilience in the market.

De Beers sold 5.9 million carats in the fourth quarter, up from 4.6 million a year earlier, lifting revenue to $571m from $543m. Even so, Anglo said it was undertaking an impairment review that could result in another writedown.

Exit hurdles
The prolonged slump complicates Anglo’s efforts to exit De Beers. Chief executive Duncan Wanblad said only that the sale was moving forward. A consortium led by former De Beers managing director Gareth Penny is seen as a frontrunner, though Botswana, which owns 15% of the company, has said it wants to take control.

Namibia has also expressed interest, and former chief executives Bruce Cleaver and Penny have been mentioned as potential buyers.

The De Beers sale forms part of a restructuring unveiled in 2024. Anglo demerged its platinum arm, Amplats (now Valterra), in June 2025, while the planned sale of its Australian metallurgical coal mines stalled after Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) walked away following a fire at Moranbah North.

Wanblad said on Thursday that the formal sale process for steelmaking coal was “progressing well,” without naming alternative buyers or addressing potential compensation from the US firm.

Copper reality check
Copper remains central to the Anglo-Teck investment case, but near-term output expectations have softened. Anglo cut its 2026 copper guidance to 700,000 to 760,000 tonnes from 760,000 to 820,000 tonnes, citing lower grades at several operations.

It also trimmed 2027 guidance to 750,000 to 810,000 tonnes, including at Collahuasi in Chile, which Anglo and Teck plan to integrate with Teck’s neighbouring Quebrada Blanca mine. For the longer term, the group added new guidance for 2028 of 790,000 to 850,000 tonnes.

A 15-km (9.3-mile) conveyor would be built to feed Collahuasi’s high-quality ore into QB’s new processing plants. (Click on map to enlarge)
Copper production in 2025 was 695,000 tonnes, roughly flat year on year and at the lower end of guidance. Goldman Sachs said output missed its estimate by 5%, with Anglo’s Quellaveco mine in Peru falling short by 10% on lower-than-expected grades. Collahuasi’s underperformance was already known, while Los Bronces in Chile ended the year strongly.

Adjusting for Collahuasi, the underlying miss narrows to about 2%, which Goldman said better reflects what the market had already priced in.

A sharp rise in copper prices in recent months has renewed interest in the metal and helped spur merger talks between rivals, including the once again abandoned merger between Rio Tinto (ASX, LON: RIO) and Glencore (LON: GLEN).

With ageing mines delivering lower grades and new projects costly and slow to develop, copper dealmaking has become more attractive as supply constraints tighten across the sector.

Source: DCLA

IDEX Price Report: Further Drops for Rounds and Fancies

 

Price drops dominated yet again both for rounds and fancies during January, as US tariffs on India and the continuing rise of lab growns took their toll.

Rounds

Among 1.00-cts to 1.24-cts, the price of almost all G+ and VVS2+ goods fell. 0.80-cts to 0.89-cts also saw price drops in most G+ and VVS1+ goods.

There were many more drops in goods 1.25-cts to 5.99-cts, albeit with some clusters of increase in 3.00-cts to 4.99-cts. Very limited activity in goods under 0.79-cts.

Fancies

Price drops more pronounced than among rounds in 2.00-cts to 3.99-cts, but less so in 4.00-cts to 5.99-cts. Overall, still a month of significant decline.

There was a large cluster of price drops among 1.50-cts to 1.99-cts, notably in I+ and SI1+ goods. Little significant activity in fancies under 0.69-cts.

Highlighted changes

Rounds

0.80-0.89 ct. D-E / IF-VS1 -1.5-5.0%

1.00-1.24 ct. D-G / IF-VVS1 -1.0-3.0%

2.00-2.99 ct. G-J / VS1-2 -1.0-3.0%

Fancies

0.70-0.79 ct. D-E / IF-VS -1.5-6.0%

1.25-1.49 ct. D-H / IF-VVS1 -1.0-5.5%

4.00-4.99 ct. K-M / VVS2-VS2 +1.0-2.0%

Source: DCLA

Gems set to retain sheen, view cloudy for diamonds after US tariff cut

 

Washington’s reciprocal tariff reduction is expected to help India’s gems and jewellery exporters regain lost ground in the US market, after shipments fell 44% during April-December this fiscal.

However, diamond exporters are awaiting clarity on whether shipments of the precious stone will be covered under Annexure III of the US reciprocal tariff list, which could allow zero duty.

Duties on polished diamonds and coloured gemstones had surged from 0% to 10% in April, then to 50% by August.

The key categories that have been hard hit are exports of cut and polished diamonds, which fell by 60% to $1.4 billion, studded gold jewellery by 24.54% to $1.5 billion and plain gold jewellery by 29% to $183.84 million.

Lab-grown diamond (LGD) trade is also hopeful of garnering a higher share of the US market. “The decision to reduce tariff is a timely positive for the LGD ecosystem, as the US is the largest gem and jewellery market globally,,” said Namita Kothari, founder of Akoirah by Augmont.

Source: DCLA

Justin and Hailey Bieber Return to the Grammys Draped in Over 160 Carats of Diamonds

 

Justin and Hailey Bieber made a dazzling return to the Grammy Awards in 2026, stepping onto the red carpet for the first time in four years adorned in a combined 162 carats of high jewellery diamonds. The couple attended the ceremony in Los Angeles wearing standout creations by renowned jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, reaffirming diamonds’ enduring status as the ultimate red-carpet statement.

Hailey Bieber commanded attention in a strapless Alaïa gown, elevated by a striking 30-carat pear-shaped diamond pendant suspended from a sleek silver choker. She paired the necklace with statement diamond earrings totalling 20 carats and a 12-carat diamond cocktail ring, showcasing a refined balance of elegance and bold design. Her look was completed with a slicked-back updo and understated makeup, allowing the exceptional stones to remain the focal point.

Justin Bieber complemented Hailey’s brilliance with a custom Balenciaga suit, finished with a 100-carat diamond-encrusted chain necklace. The substantial carat weight and pavé-style setting delivered maximum impact, reflecting the growing trend of high-carat diamond jewellery in contemporary men’s fashion.

Beyond the glamour, the couple also wore “ICE Out” pins in solidarity with ongoing protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a gesture echoed by several other artists on the night.

The 2026 Grammys marked a milestone return for the Biebers following the birth of their son, Jack. Justin received multiple nominations, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Swag, as well as Best Pop Solo Performance for “Daisies.”

For DCLA, moments like these highlight not only the spectacle of celebrity jewellery, but also the importance of accurate diamond grading, carat verification, and craftsmanship at the highest level. Red-carpet appearances continue to influence global perceptions of diamond value, rarity, and desirability—making independent certification and expert assessment more relevant than ever in today’s market.

Source: DCLA