The necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
The Film That Should Be on the Industry’s Radar
Out in select theaters Friday, “A United Kingdom” tells the story of Botswana’s road to independence.
![Rosamund Pike, Madison Manowe and David Oyelowo as Ruth Williams, baby Jacqueline and Seretse Khama in “A United Kingdom,” a true telling of the events that led to Botswana’s independence in 1966. (Photo by Stanislav Honzik. © 2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, All Rights Reserved) 20170213_United-Kingdom-header.jpg](/uploads/9b264a7235db44042982a91db28f0b43.jpg)
I’d like to start out this blog post by saying that the following is not meant to be a movie review because I am not a movie reviewer. I don’t have any experience in the genre and don’t fancy myself an expert on acting, directing, cinematography or costumes.
So please take what follows as a public service announcement, an FYI if you will; here is a movie that just came out that I enjoyed and that I think people in the jewelry industry should see, if only to better understand the history behind one of the world’s biggest diamond producers.
A few weeks ago, thanks to the Diamond Empowerment Fund, Signet, the GIA and Fox Searchlight Pictures, I attended a special screening of a movie called “A United Kingdom” here in New York.
Shot in London and Africa, “A United Kingdom” tells the true story of how Botswana earned its independence and became a democracy in 1966. The film touches--albeit lightly--on the role diamonds played in that.
The movie stars David Oyelowo (Martin Luther King Jr. in “Selma”) as Seretse Khama and Rosamund Pike (nominated for an Oscar for her turn in “Gone Girl”) as Ruth Williams.
The film starts out in post-World War II London, where the black Khama meets the white Williams. They fall in love and get married but, predictably for the time period, nobody is happy about it.
The mixed-race marriage stirs up both familial and political strife.
Khama, you see, was heir to the throne of one of most powerful tribes in the country, at that time a British protectorate called Bechuanaland.
It also happened to be the British protectorate that sat atop South Africa, which at the time was on the brink of instituting the racist apartheid-era policies that would govern it for the next 50 years.
British officials did not want the Khama-Williams relationship to anger the ruling party in South Africa and endanger its access to the country’s natural resources--gold, diamonds and uranium--at a time when the government was reeling financially from the war.
So they conspired to keep the two apart, even exiling Khama for a period of time.
But in the end, it didn’t work.
Khama strategically engineered his return to his homeland--using inside knowledge of a potential diamond find in his homeland as one of his key bargaining chips--was reunited with his wife (and first child, by that point) and began to push for independence.
In 1964, he
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At the DEF screening for “A United Kingdom,” which was held at the Roxy Hotel Cinema in downtown Manhattan, we got a chance to hear from one man who has a very personal connection to the individual portrayed in the film.
DEF board member Marcus ter Haar is the grandson of Khama and Williams. His mother, Jacqueline, was their first child and is the baby in the movie.
You can hear from Marcus yourself, and see a trailer for “A United Kingdom” on DEF’s website.
For those who prefer books to movies, there’s “Colour Bar,” the nonfiction book by Susan Williams on which the screenplay was based.
Directed by Amma Asante (“Belle”), “A United Kingdom” opened in select cities Friday. A list of theaters showing the movie is available on the film’s website.
And if you want to read a review of “A United Kingdom” written by a journalist who has experience in the genre, you can check out the one by Rolling Stones’ Peter Travers (Spoiler alert: he gave it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars.) And there’s also Glenn Kenny for The New York Times, which tagged the film as an NYT Critics’ Pick.
The Latest
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The two organizations will host a joint event, “Converge,” in September 2025.
![Anglo American reportedly is shopping De Beers while the miner itself is being eyed as a potential acquisition target by BHP Group. BHP’s interests lie in Anglo America’s copper operations in South America. Pictured is De Beers’ Venetia mine in South Africa. (©De Beers Group/Photo credit: Ben Perry @ Armoury Films) De Beers Venetia diamond mine in South Africa](/uploads/b057e29df1a30accbb5b2114d2806614.jpg)
Big changes appear to be on the horizon for the diamond miner and its parent company, Anglo American.
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With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
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Padis succeeds Lisa Bridge, marking the first time the organization has had two women board presidents in a row.
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![Audemars Piguet has announced a new timepiece in collaboration with award-winning artist and known watch enthusiast, John Mayer. (Courtesy of Getty Images) John Mayer Audemars Piguet](/uploads/a76da28ec275a781a015436d5804b5cb.jpg)
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar "John Mayer" was celebrated at a star-studded party in LA last week.
![De Beers Group mined 6.9 million carats of diamond in the first quarter, down from 8.9 million in the same period last year. The company expects its annual output to be 3 million carats lower than originally forecast. (©De Beers Group/Photo credit: Ben Perry @ Armoury Films) Stock image of rough diamonds mined by De Beers](/uploads/88fa0294dd796d49e669dd399890bc3b.jpg)
The announcement came as the company reported a 23 percent drop in production in Q1.
![Jewelers of America Fly In Washington, D.C.](/uploads/f39de70761ef1871a7b115fc1807c7c6.png)
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
![Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff and Jared Jewelers presented the nonprofit organization Give Merit with a $50,000 donation to help Detroit youth graduate and receive college scholarships. Jared Goff Presents Jared Jewelers’ Donation to Give Merit](/uploads/77c318c45d9e681cdc5a249520e83576.jpg)
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to partner with the retailer, donating to a Detroit nonprofit and giving watches to fans.
![Stock image of police crime scene tape](/uploads/3d40c5135f25142711d76357a0f8693d.jpg)
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.
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Inspired by the Roman goddess of love, the designer looked to the sea for her new collection.
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The luxury titan posted declining sales, weighed down by Gucci’s poor performance.
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The selected nine organizations have outlined their plans for the funds.
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The mining company’s Diavik Diamond Mine lost four employees in a plane crash in January.
![Rolex debuted the first 18-karat gold version of its deep-sea divers’ watch, the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea, at Watches & Wonders Geneva. It was one of 12 introductions from the brand. (©Rolex/JVA Studios) Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deepsea in 18-karat yellow gold](/uploads/af81c7c3a8fbe7d8ca4e3edca25b2489.jpg)
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
![Emmanuel Raheb is the CEO of Smart Age Solutions, a digital ad agency and coveted Premier Google Partner. Contact him at eraheb@smartagesolutions.com. National Jeweler columnist Emmanuel Raheb](/uploads/308325aea121f737c3a9e709fe99a89e.jpg)
Emmanuel Raheb recommends digging into demographic data, customizing your store’s communications, and retargeting ahead of May 12.
![Brothers David and Albert Hannoush of Hannoush Jewelers have opened a new store in upstate New York. (Image courtesy of Hannoush Jewelers’ Facebook page) Hannoush Jewelers Queensbury NY location](/uploads/7e39c3ceca36f4b2b14e0b8fa6cdd428.jpg)
Located in the town of Queensbury, it features a dedicated bridal section and a Gabriel & Co. store-in-store.
![In the first tender of the year of Lulo diamonds, three diamonds totaling 361 carats sold for $10.5 million. The Type IIa diamonds weigh, from left to right, 203 carats, 116 carats, and 42 carats. 203-carat, 116-carat, and 42-carat diamond](/uploads/cabd19169a0f6b933296a5faaaf70753.jpg)
A 203-carat diamond from the alluvial mine in Angola achieved the highest price.
![“William Ruser: The Jeweler Who Charmed Hollywood” was written by Judy Colbert, a GIA research librarian and co-authored by Peggy Tsiamis, a visual resources librarian. William Ruser: The Jeweler Who Charmed Hollywood book cover](/uploads/44ab9c99848f538aa24a47ce276fd5fd.jpg)
Ruser was known for his figural jewelry with freshwater pearls and for his celebrity clientele.
![Jacquie Aiche said her new “Rebel Heart” collection, modeled by “Maroon 5” frontman Adam Levine and his wife, model Behati Prinsloo, was designed for “rebels, lovers, and wild ones.” Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo modeling Jacquie Aiche’s Rebel Heart collection](/uploads/db98c8f1b11c7ea8cc988fe193f2123f.jpg)
The “Rebel Heart” campaign embodies rebellion, romance, and sensuality, the brand said.
![Virtual Diamond Boutique, virtual marketplace and SaaS solutions provider, has a new look and name. Virtual Diamond Boutique](/uploads/4947df59575948125a373a8ba27c99f8.jpg)
The overhaul includes a new logo and enhanced digital marketplace.
![Signet Jewelers has raised $8.8 million dollars as part of its ongoing commitment to donate $100 million to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Signet Jewelers employees and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital](/uploads/62270962ab7e13f816c54911d67fe380.jpg)
The money will go toward supporting ongoing research and aftercare programs for childhood cancer survivors.
![Retrouvaí’s 18-karat yellow gold “Treasure” necklace with tourmaline, tanzanite, fire opal, aquamarine, emerald, morganite, and Ethiopian opal ($135,000) Retrouvaí’s Treasure Necklace](/uploads/ceb2993b7fc99d0b71163a7a15c868b2.jpg)
A new addition to the “Heirloom” collection, this one-of-a-kind piece features 32 custom-cut gemstones.
![Stock image crime handcuffs](/uploads/b3e47beff9712e0a1c95ab60ac1a19e4.png)
Last month in Dallas, David Walton pushed another jeweler, David Ettinger, who later died.
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The move will allow the manufacturing company to offer a more “diverse and comprehensive” range of products.
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From now through mid-May, GIA will be offering the reports at a 50 percent discount.
![De Beers Group’s CEO said Tuesday that diamond businesses are taking a “cautious” approach to purchasing amid economic uncertainty. The company’s most recent round of rough diamond sales totaled $445 million, down 18 percent when compared with the same period last year. Stock image of a polished diamond in tweezers](/uploads/0cdd14f0e5fe5021fd9bba268fc8aae2.jpg)
De Beers’ rough diamond sales were down 18 percent year-over-year in its latest round of sales.