Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
De Beers down to 4 US stores
When I was wading through the De Beers Group’s first-half results recently, a paragraph about De Beers Diamond Jewellers, the retail chain De Beers operates in a 50/50 joint venture with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, stuck out to me.
After reading the report I, naturally, reached out to De Beers to ask about the status of the chain in the U.S., which some light Internet research revealed now consists of a total of four stores in the U.S. plus one in Vancouver, bringing the North American total to five.
Off the top of my head, I would have said that I thought De Beers had double, or more than double, that number of stores here at one point, as many as eight or possibly even 10.
As it turns out, my initial estimate was a bit low. National Jeweler’s archives show (and the company confirmed) that De Beers had 11 stores in the U.S. at one point.
They began opening in 2005, starting with Beverly Hills, Calif. and New York, before spreading to Las Vegas, Houston, Washington, Dallas, Honolulu, San Francisco, Costa Mesa, Calif., and Naples and Bal Harbour, Fla., which was its 11th location and opened in late 2008.
Today, all that’s left are the stores in New York, Houston, Costa Mesa and Naples.
What is ailing this chain, which once ranked No. 40 on our list of the Top 50 North American Retail Chains by store count, in the U.S.?
First and foremost, the U.S. is a saturated market where even already-well-established brands are having a tough time surviving today due to a number of factors, including Internet sellers and more competition for consumers’ luxury dollars. It makes sense for the chain to turn its attention to China, which is hungry for brands and boasts a growing population of consumers who want to spend their money on jewelry.
It also seems that the company can’t quite settle on an executive to lead the business here, which could be due to uncertainty from headquarters in London on where to take the chain in the U.S., failure to find somebody with the right vision or some combination of both.
Keeping track of who’s leading De Beers Diamond Jewellers in the U.S. is akin to following my friend Jill’s (not her real name) love life: New people that she touts as very promising always
Alyce Alston came over from W magazine in 2005 to help De Beers and LVMH launch their joint retail venture here and she stayed with the company until March 2007 as the CEO of De Beers Diamond Jewellers North America.
After Alston left, Hamida Belkadi, who was the chain’s vice president of sales and marketing, stepped in briefly as acting CEO for a time but never officially took the position.
The chain functioned without an official U.S. CEO until early 2009, when Belkadi was named to the post. She stayed for almost two years, departing at the end of 2010.
After Belkadi left, Devon Pike came over from Juicy Couture to run the chain in mid-May 2011. (The hiring of Pike, incidentally, led to a lawsuit from a Hispanic executive who claimed that she was passed over for the CEO position in favor of a “less-qualified white woman.” The two parties eventually reached a confidential settlement in the case.)
Pike stayed until January 2014, when she departed to become president of Givenchy Couture U.S., also an LVMH brand.
Now the chain is headed by Sidonie Robert-Degove, who worked on Louis Vuitton and Berluti within LVMH before being name the general manager of De Beers Diamond Jewellers in Europe four years ago and, more recently, taking on responsibility for the U.S.
A spokeswoman for the chain said they have some “exciting plans” for De Beers Diamond Jewellers here but could not provide any more details. Whether or not those plans include opening more stores remains to be seen.
The Latest
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.
Meet Ben Claus—grand prize winner of For the Love of Jewelers 2023 Fall Design Challenge.
The retailer is moving to a newly designed space in the same shopping center.
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.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
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.
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.
The “Rebel Heart” campaign embodies rebellion, romance, and sensuality, the brand said.
The overhaul includes a new logo and enhanced digital marketplace.
The money will go toward supporting ongoing research and aftercare programs for childhood cancer survivors.