The “Tiffany Céleste” collection reimagines designer Jean Schlumberger’s interpretations of the universe.
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos Now Tops Forbes’ Billionaires List
Other people who made the list: the Bulgaris, Laurence Graff and Alex and Ani founder Carolyn Rafaelian.
New York--The richest person in the world is in retail and, not surprisingly, it is online retail.
Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos ranked No. 1 on Forbes’ annual list of billionaires, with a net worth of $112 billion.
It’s the first time Bezos has come in at No. 1. According to Forbes, his fortune increased more than $39 billion, helping him to leapfrog Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who has a net worth of $90 billion. It was the biggest one-year gain for the list ever, Forbes said, and it has created the largest wealth gap between No. 1 and No. 2 since 2001.
Warren Buffett, whose holding company Berkshire Hathaway owns Ben Bridge Jeweler, Helzberg Diamond, Richline and Borsheims, came in at No. 3.
Forbes released its 2018 billionaires list earlier this month. It has a record 2,208 individuals from 72 countries, including the first billionaires on the list from Hungary and Zimbabwe.
Prominent names in the jewelry and watch industry who made the list include the heads of the world’s largest luxury conglomerates.
Bernard Arnault and family, chairman and CEO of LVMH (Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Hublot, etc.), came in at No. 4 with a net worth of $72 billion. Francois Pinault and family, ranked No. 30 with a net worth of $28 billion. Pinault is the founder of PPR (now Kering, brands include Boucheron and Ulysse Nardin) and he and his family also own Christie’s.
Coming in at No. 202 was former De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer with a net worth of $7.7 billion.
Johann Rupert and family, chairman of Richemont (Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Jaeger-LeCoultre, etc.), was No. 228 billion with a net worth of $7 billion.
Diamantaire Laurence Graff (no relation to the author) ranked No. 321 with a net worth of $5.6 billion. Graff is a self-made billionaire, dropping out of school at the age of 14 to start working (scrubbing toilets, according to Forbes) as a jeweler’s apprentice in Hatton Garden in London.
At No. 1103 was Chopard owner Karl Scheufele III with a net worth of $2.2 billion.
Tied along with a few other billionaires at No. 1394 are Nicola and Paolo Bulgari with a net worth of $1.7 billion each.
Three well-known figures in the jewelry industry came in, with a number of other billionaires, at No. 2124 with a net worth of $1 billion: Beny Steinmetz, Lev Leviev and Carolyn Rafaelian, founder of Alex + Ani.
Like Graff, Rafaelian is
Kendra Scott, who was on that list with Rafaelian, was not on Forbes’ 2018 billionaires list; she was among the 121 people who dropped off the list, according to Forbes.
Also dropping off the list was Nirav Modi, the Indian diamantaire and retailer accused of cheating Punjab National Bank out of billions.
To see the full list, go to Forbes.com.
The Latest
It’s the second year for the event, slated to take place in October in Toronto.
Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
Meet Ben Claus—grand prize winner of For the Love of Jewelers 2023 Fall Design Challenge.
Sales will be paused while the relocation takes place over the next few months.
“SIS x MISA Denim and Diamonds” is a collaboration between the designer and celebrity stylist Misa Hylton.
The retailer is moving to a newly designed space in the same shopping center.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
Gifts that are unique and thoughtful are top of mind this year, according to the annual survey.
The necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
The two organizations will host a joint event, “Converge,” in September 2025.
Big changes appear to be on the horizon for the diamond miner and its parent company, Anglo American.
Padis succeeds Lisa Bridge, marking the first time the organization has had two women board presidents in a row.
Jesse Cole, founder of Fans First Entertainment, shared the “five Es” of building a fan base during his AGS Conclave keynote.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar "John Mayer" was celebrated at a star-studded party in LA last week.
The announcement came as the company reported a 23 percent drop in production in Q1.
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to partner with the retailer, donating to a Detroit nonprofit and giving watches to fans.
A double-digit drop in the number of in-store crimes was offset by a jump in off-premises attacks, JSA’s 2023 crime report shows.
Inspired by the Roman goddess of love, the designer looked to the sea for her new collection.
The luxury titan posted declining sales, weighed down by Gucci’s poor performance.
The selected nine organizations have outlined their plans for the funds.
The mining company’s Diavik Diamond Mine lost four employees in a plane crash in January.
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
Emmanuel Raheb recommends digging into demographic data, customizing your store’s communications, and retargeting ahead of May 12.
Located in the town of Queensbury, it features a dedicated bridal section and a Gabriel & Co. store-in-store.
A 203-carat diamond from the alluvial mine in Angola achieved the highest price.
Ruser was known for his figural jewelry with freshwater pearls and for his celebrity clientele.