Scottish Gem Expert Hacked to Death in Kenya

Effects felt worldwide as Americans stop buying bling

(NEWSER) - The worldwide slowdown in spending is making for rough times in all facets of the jewelry business, reports the Washington Post. More than a thousand jewelers in the US—which buys almost half the world's polished diamonds—have gone bust, and the effects are being felt from the mines of Botswana to the polishers in India. More»

London dealer snaps up most expensive stone ever sold at auction

(NEWSER) - An extremely rare pink diamond has cut its way through world records at a Sotheby's auction. The 24.78 carat stone, graded "fancy intense pink," was sold to London jeweler Laurence Graff for $46,158,674, almost double the highest price ever previously paid for a gemstone at auction. Graff—who renamed the stone the "Graff Pink"— called it "the most fabulous diamond I’ve seen in my career," AP reports. The stone was last on the market 60 years ago. More»

Kenyan woman allegedly inspired serial killer

(NEWSER) - A high school teacher has been detained in Kenya, after a self-confessed serial killer said that she told him to kill 100 people for good fortune. Philip Onyancha, 32, has confessed to killing 17 people, mostly women, and says he did so because teacher Elizabeth Wambui inducted him into her blood-drinking cult when he was in school in 1996, the Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation reports. More»

(NEWSER) - A lone gunman boldly stepped into a plush Chopard store in Paris and walked out with $8 million in gems yesterday, reports the BBC. The thief, dressed in a suit and fedora, forced the staff to hand over 15 pieces of jewelry, then calmly exited into the aftyernoon sun. Late last year armed robbers stole $102 million in jewels from a shop off the Champs-Elysées. Yesterday's heist was on the exclusive Place Vendôme near the Ritz and the Ministry of Justice. More»

Heiress has suspects in mind

(NEWSER) - Paris Hilton is pretty sure she knows the burglar who stole $2 million in jewels from her home, E! Online reports. “I think whoever did this, definitely has been there before. We have some suspects that I'm thinking of,” said the heiress, adding that many of the stolen items have sentimental value. Some reports indicate the door may have been unlocked when the burglary occurred. More»