Tariffs Are Spinning — AGTA Keeps Its Eye on the Real Goal
If you’re feeling a little dizzy trying to follow the latest tariff developments, you’re not alone.
First came the country-by-country tariffs President Trump imposed under...
Australian Opal Centre (AOC) Announces 2026 Australian Opal Tour
The Australian Opal Centre (AOC) has announced the return of its Australian Opal Tour, scheduled for September 22–30, 2026—a nine-day journey covering more than...
Tariff Turnaround! U.S. Supreme Court Says Tariff Authority Belongs to Congress
After reading through 170 pages of the Supreme Court’s opinion, titled: LEARNING RESOURCES, INC., v. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, here is the...
Daniel Brush: The Art of Line and Light Exhibition in Paris from June 8th...
Press Release L’ÉCOLE
From June through early October 2026, L’ÉCOLE in Paris is presenting more than 75 works by Daniel Brush — jewelry, sculpture, and...
No More Mining Licenses, No Exports of Rough Minerals: Malawi Presses Pause — Again?
In February of last year, Malawi announced what was described as a 21-day halt on gemstone export permits while it reviewed its valuation framework....
Street Art, “Codex On the Rocks”: How Urban Art is Getting People Through the...
A new exhibition at Paris’s Musée de Minéralogie offers an unusual — and surprisingly thoughtful — intersection of contemporary street art and historic mineral...
Why the African Diamond Council Says the Kimberley Process Definition Is Broken
In an extensive interview with Rough&Polished, the ADC chairman Dr. M'zée Fula Ngenge argued that the Kimberley Process’s definition of “conflict diamonds” no longer...
The 1869 Patent for “New Manufacture of Artificially Formed Mineral Carbon”
In our last newsletter, we began what appears to be an ongoing series of gem-related patents dating back more than a century, uncovered and...
Spare Parts and an Eye for Antique Diamonds: A Conversation with Michael Goldstein
Antique diamonds don’t need a trend cycle to justify their appeal. Still, it doesn’t hurt when a high-profile engagement ring brings them back into...
The 1901 Patent for the Diamond Saw: It was a Revolution
April 9, 1901 - No need to grind away the top of the Octahedron
William "Bill" D. Hoefer, Jr. GG (GIA), FGA is an educator,...
A Medieval Gold Ring found in Norway: An Important Ring—and a Stone You Might...
When this medieval gold ring first appeared in English-language news coverage earlier this month, it was already a really good story.
Three outlets — Archaeology...
In Memoriam: George Peter “Pete” Yantzer
George Peter “Pete” YantzerNovember 10, 1948 - January 10, 2026
George Peter “Pete” Yantzer, a respected gemologist and influential figure in modern diamond grading, passed...
